Crowdfunding Campaign Planning

When I first started raising my pre-seed, I only reached out to investors when I needed money. Big mistake. Investor relationships start months BEFORE you need capital. Here’s how to build them with a simple email 👇🏾 Fundraising sucks. I know it. You know it. Investors know it. But the biggest mistake I made when raising for Chezie was treating investors like ATMs - only contacting them when I needed capital. Our fundraise took much longer than it should have because we started from zero relationships. If I could do it all over again (or if I was planning to raise again this year), I'd start networking with VCs now - not when I needed the money. To do that, I'd send this template to get warm intros from folks in my network: "Hi [connection], I hope all is well. I saw on LinkedIn that you're connected to [investor name]. Would you be able to introduce us? For context, we aren't actively raising, but looking to do so in the next 6-9 months I really like the work this fund has done in [space], and I'd love to connect with them ahead of our raise." Think about it. Investors control millions of dollars. Would you invest in someone you've known for a week or someone you've watched execute for 6+ months? The best time to start building investor relationships was yesterday – the second best time is today.

"Anders, it's time to share budget assumptions so we can run a smoother process this year," my manager said. It was mid-May and the process ended in November. This was 15 years ago, and I was entering my first real budget process. Fifteen years later, I still hear the same story. The average time spent is 8 weeks, and many companies spend considerably longer. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: • 45% of companies say their budget is outdated within 3 months of approval    • 67% of finance leaders cite lack of budget accountability as a top planning challenge    • Companies are 2X more likely to hit their targets by using rolling forecasts instead of annual planning only The main problem is that budgets and targets are not tied to the strategy. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: Budgets drive the plan Targets are set in isolation The numbers are treated as a Finance exercise It's clear we need a different approach to planning. Some say go Beyond Budgeting Others simply drop the budget Neither is likely a winning approach 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱: 1. Make a strategy with distinct choices about where to play and how to win     2. Translate the strategy into specific initiatives with clear targets and specified resource allocation     3. Build a driver-based planning model where each driver links to the strategic initiatives     4. Cover long-term planning, annual planning, and rolling forecasts in one connected model     5. Run your performance management model with a forward-looking view to close gaps between forecasts and targets You don't need to ditch the budget to run a successful planning process. It just shouldn't be your central planning model. Your driver-based model is. Do you think this approach will work for your company?

You need two tracks when you start: quick wins and long-term strategy. Too many companies pick one. And that’s where things stall. You either… 🚨 Jump straight into action—launch a few campaigns, fix the website, ramp up outreach. But without a long-term plan, it’s a sprint with no finish line. Or... 🧠 Spend months mapping strategy. Personas. Messaging. Brand frameworks. And by the time you're ready to go, the team’s lost momentum—and leadership has lost patience. But from working with over 100 businesses, experience tells me, we always need both. When we start work with a new client, we split efforts immediately: 💥 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 – 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 "𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬." Where’s the friction? What can we tweak right now to make a difference? Sometimes it's as simple as fixing broken lead routing, improving LinkedIn outreach, or adding a basic CRM to capture interest. These aren’t vanity moves. They start feeding the pipeline and proving value fast. 🧭 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 On parallel, we’re doing the deeper work. Market mapping. Stakeholder interviews. Messaging. Brand positioning. All the insight-led foundations you need to scale with confidence and clarity. One gets momentum. The other makes it sustainable. If you're just getting started with marketing, or trying to reset, ask yourself: 👉 Where are the quick wins we’re overlooking? 👉 Are we also doing the work that makes growth repeatable? You need both to move forward. #B2Bmarketing #fractionalCMO #startupgrowth #marketingstrategy #demandgen

Most Investor Updates Are Trash. Here's How to 𝐅𝐢𝐱 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬! I've read hundreds of investor updates. Most are ignored. Some are painful. A rare few? They spark follow-up calls, referrals, and support. The difference isn’t the metrics. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭. Founders who treat updates like a monthly pitch, win. Founders who treat them like a chore, fade out. Here’s what great investor updates always have: - Brutal 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 (no hype, just real progress) - A mix of 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 - Data that 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, not just numbers - A clear 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐭𝐨-𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (hiring? intros? feedback?) It’s not about being polished. It’s about being 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, and 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜. Because updates aren’t just a way to inform. They’re a way to lead. And leadership builds confidence, the kind investors talk about in partner meetings. P.S. Seen a great investor update (or a terrible one)? Share your insights below. Follow: #ScaleUPCFO Contact: Mohamed Chaudry Hashtags: #InvestorRelations #StartupLeadership #FundraisingTips #FounderCredibility #ScaleUpCFO The Scale Up CFO Hub

I just deleted 83 capital raise emails without opening them. It reminded me of an experiment I once ran with one of my clients. Every week, I get flooded with fund managers and founders asking for capital. Most lead with data, decks, and deadlines and never get a reply. So we tested two different approaches. Before: The Mass Mail Approach We sent 100 cold emails in one campaign. Each included the deck, fund overview, and a calendar link. Professional, polished, and completely forgettable. Results after 30 days • 2 replies • 0 meetings • 0 investor relationships We realized investors don’t respond to information. They respond to familiarity. After: The Relationship First Approach We built a cohort of 40 qualified investors and spent 90 days doing only three things. Followed them. Commented intelligently on their posts. Engaged consistently where it added value. No pitch. No deck. No ask. After 90 days • 29 followed back • 17 started private conversations • 11 requested decks • 5 became active investors or long term partners Zero cold emails. What It Taught Me 1. Familiarity converts faster than formatting. 2. The best introductions happen before the first message. 3. You don’t raise capital by chasing attention. You earn it by building trust in public. Capital raising is not a sprint for replies. It is a slow build of recognition where investors feel they already know you before you ever ask for a meeting. #FamilyOffice #RealEstate #Product #Fundraising #Invest #Finance #Legal #Compliance #CRM #wealthmanagement #bank #ai #data #analytics #Australia

Instead of asking investors for 30-minute calls, try this: After years on the investor side, I’ve seen countless ways founders try to connect with investors, and many fall flat. Not because they lack potential, but because they’re missing a clear, intentional strategy. Here are four practical ways to build genuine, value-driven relationships: 1️⃣ Add them on LinkedIn and build in public Let us see your journey! Share your wins, your learnings, what you're building. Give us a reason to care. When investors see consistent, tangible progress from afar, it creates a natural sense of interest,  that "I need to know more" feeling. 2️⃣ Send a message that sparks curiosity Whether it’s an email or a DM, lead with a compelling blurb that hints at your progress and how it connects to your goals. Investors are human, give us a reason to be genuinely curious about what you're building beyond a future ask. 3️⃣ Ask if you can add them to your investor update This is one of the most underrated tools. A brief, quarterly update (3-5 bullet points) on your key milestones keeps you on their radar without demanding a meeting. It builds a powerful narrative over time, showing consistent progress. (and if you don’t have an update yet... that’s something worth fixing first.) 4️⃣ If possible, meet them in person. Nothing beats face-to-face. Investor relationships grow faster at events, conferences, or even casual meet-ups. Show up prepared, be ready to share what you're building, and just be yourself. Real-world interaction makes a huge difference. Scheduling a call “just to keep them in the loop” can easily backfire, especially if you're not fundraising yet. Investors are people too, with full calendars and limited bandwidth. Empathy goes a long way! Want some extra tips on how to write truly compelling blurbs that get attention? DM me! #Fundraising #InvestorRelations #StartupStrategy

Most founders don't have a fundraising problem. They have an investor-relations problem. Some dynamics are worth being aware of if you're raising right now. 🚩𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝟭: 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻. It's easy to interpret silence as rejection. I get it. But often it's just timing or inbox overload. I get 50+ messages a week. Sometimes your message lands when I'm traveling or deep in due diligence on another deal. The lesson: Persistence with investors tends to signal persistence with customers. Both take time. 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝟮: 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 "𝗻𝗼" 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮. 🚩You'll likely get 99 no's for every yes. That's the math. The founders I've seen break through treat every rejection like user feedback. They iterate on their story, numbers, and deck. They come back stronger. The ones who struggle tend to treat rejection as judgment rather than information. 🚩𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝟯: 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀. "I like you, but not yet" isn't a brush-off. It's an opening. Last month, I reopened conversations with a founder I passed on twice. Why? She sent me quarterly updates for 18 months. Short emails. Three bullets. Key metrics. By the third update, her ARR had tripled. Her churn dropped 40%. Her story got sharper. The lesson: Staying visible after a "no" builds trust before you need the check. 🚩𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝟰: 𝗧𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. It's tempting to ignore pitch events, conferences, and LinkedIn until you "need money." But the last few checks I wrote came from warm intros in my network. The lesson: Relationships compound. Building them before you need them changes the entire dynamic. Early-stage investing is relationships, trust, and gut-feel layered on top of the numbers. Investor relations and customer relations are the same skill: staying engaged when things don't go your way. The best time to build investor relationships? When you don't need the money. The second best time? Right now. Which of these patterns resonates most with where you are right now? Your comments and reposts help build our community.

The transaction beyond the transaction. Raising money isn’t just about capital, and investors aren’t just writing cheques and then forgetting about you (most of the time). They’re potential long-term partners and you’ll be tied at the hip for years to come. So ask yourself: > What value can the investor bring beyond capital?  Can they bring customer / investor intros or expertise in GTM? > What value can you bring to them?  Larger investors are often referees in future rounds, and making a relationship more two-way helps to build a foundation for the years ahead. > What audiences or industries could you reach together?  There’s often a beneficial relationship on a social media side, where your domain audience might bring deal flow or even LP interest to funds that have invested. > How might your knowledge and connections eventually flow back to support them? The best founder-investor relationships are two-way. Yes, the money and intros might flow one way at the start. But as your company grows, the balance shifts. You’ll know your industry inside out, you’ll meet the next wave of exciting startups, and one day, you might be the one introducing opportunities back to your investors. The best investments are partnerships that compound value over time. #Fundraising #InvestorRelations #Startups

Managing angel relationships once the money’s in? That’s where I went wrong as a founder.  👇 Here’s what I’ve learned about keeping investor relationships healthy 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 the round closes. 4️⃣ 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐨 An angel’s risk profile improves once they reach 20+ deals — they expect a mix of wins and losses. Working with a syndicate or several angel groups can balance enthusiasm with experience, and keep admin time and costs manageable. I value angels who're transparent about their risk mitigation: “𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸-𝘰𝘯𝘴, 10 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘚𝘌𝘐𝘚.” That clarity makes life easier. ⚠️ Beware of being too many people’s first deal. New angels bring enthusiasm and time, but often unrealistic expectations and over-involvement. They may not yet have learned what “𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵” really means, so over-react to routine bad news. 5️⃣ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 I was terrible at this in my first angel-backed startup. It filled me with dread. Now I see investor updates differently. They’re not (𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵?) a test to pass or fail — they’re an opportunity to create and maintain a professional relationship. Angels want to know: • How their all investments are performing • Where and when to focus attention • That you’re still delivering on what you promised You’re likely one of 20+ startups in their portfolio, so make their life easy. A simple, consistent update template (cash runway, MRR, headcount) goes a long way. It reduces surprises, builds trust, and lets you 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 for the right reasons. Be honest about challenges. Life is easier when you’re in their “good performer” category — but you won’t stay there if you hide bad news or over-promise and under-deliver. Don’t spring big pivots on investors unannounced. This can impact EIS tax relief eligibility, which is terrible news. Be confident asking for specific help and in saying “𝘯𝘰, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸” when something’s a distraction. 💡 A tip for angels: 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 Most of us hit a point where we’ve run out of good news and good will. They may feel pressure to tell you what you 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳, not what you 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. Some go silent, others depart far from reality. Encourage regular updates and respond in a 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 way. Give permission to share bad news. Occasional offers of specific 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 help can remind them you’re still on their team. 💡 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. The real work starts 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 the round closes — when you’re building a business, not selling a vision. Founders: are your updates admin, exams or relationship building? Angels: how do the best startups keep you informed and focused post-investment?

Strategic Planning Framework: Key Steps & Core Themes 1. Vision Development Strategic planning begins by defining the vision, mission, and core values. The vision sets the long-term direction, the mission explains the organization's purpose, and values shape the culture and ethical compass. This foundation ensures alignment and inspires commitment from stakeholders. 2. Goal Setting Goals transform the vision into specific, long-term aims. They must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to drive focus and accountability. Clear goals bridge the gap between strategy and execution. 3. Strategic Analysis This step assesses internal strengths and weaknesses, along with external opportunities and threats. Tools like SWOT, PESTEL, and Porter’s Five Forces help identify market trends, industry shifts, and organizational capabilities, ensuring informed decision-making. 4. Strategy Formulation Leaders evaluate strategic options and select the most effective path forward. This includes defining priorities, choosing markets, and crafting value propositions. The aim is a cohesive, actionable strategy aligned with long-term goals. 5. Strategic Plan Design The chosen strategy is structured into a detailed roadmap that outlines initiatives, allocates resources, and defines key metrics. This blueprint guides execution and helps mitigate risks while tracking progress toward goals. 6. Implementation Planning This phase maps out who does what, when, and with which resources. Clear ownership, timelines, and milestones ensure momentum and enable cross-functional coordination to support change and transformation. 7. Execution & Monitoring Execution turns plans into actions. Success depends on strong leadership, engaged teams, and active performance monitoring using KPIs. Transparent communication and agility allow for mid-course adjustments as needed. 8. Sustaining Competitive Advantage Strategic success ultimately creates and preserves competitive advantage—the distinctive capabilities or positioning that set the organization apart. This may come from innovation, efficiency, customer loyalty, or brand strength, and must be continually nurtured.