Fundraising Doesn’t Have to Suck

The 1 thing to know

Investors don’t fund companies – they fund founders. If you only show up when you need money without having built a relationship, you’re bound to fail.

The problem

Founders often start fundraising too late, scrambling to build relationships while trying to generate FOMO. This means:
🚨 Running the business takes a backseat
😩 Investors hold the power
⏳ Rounds take longer and feel chaotic

We get it: you don’t want to spend any more time speaking with investors than you absolutely have to. But somewhat counterintuitively, this approach almost guarantees you’ll have to do just that.

What we’re seeing

The best fundraises close in weeks or days – not just because of FOMO, but because founders have spent months or years building relationships through an approach we call Fundraising 365. They only pull the trigger on a raise when they can feel pull from the market. This puts founders in the front seat:

✅ Stronger relationships → Investors see how you execute over time (remember, people prefer to invest in lines not dots)
✅ Less stress → No last-minute scramble to create momentum
✅ Better outcomes → More leverage, better terms, and faster closes

The best salespeople don’t pressure prospects into buying. They recognize that timing will be right for only a fraction of the people they speak with. More often than not, they play the long game: get to know them, regularly catch up, learn about their wants and needs, understand their career aspirations, feed them valuable information, and become a trusted resource before becoming a partner. The same holds true for fundraising.

Why it matters

Engaging investors early means:

• More strategic conversations, fewer transactional ones
• Investors follow your progress vs. just evaluating metrics
• Preemptive interest → Investors may chase you instead of vice versa, giving you clear signal that there is interest rather than having to “go to market” to find out if you’re fundable

The other side: demo day fundraising

Some accelerators (like Techstars) tell founders to hold all investor meetings after demo day to create scarcity and competition, and to actively turn down meetings before then.
⚠️ This works well for programs such as YC and Techstars with large networks that drive demand
✅ For most founders, relationship-building beats waiting, unless they’re receiving a lot of investor inbound

Pro tip: Even if you follow Fundraising 365, when you see a clear signal that there’s an opportunity to raise, use the calendar density strategy – stack meetings tightly to create urgency.

Founder networking: Your secret weapon

Some of the best investor intros come from well-regarded portfolio company founders.

How to build founder relationships the right way:
👥 Connect with founders before you need an intro to build the relationship
🎯 Build a reciprocal relationship where you discuss insights and challenges they’re facing – don’t just ask for connections which can feel transactional
🚀 Stay active in founder communities

How to make it manageable

We get it – you’re busy. Here’s how to build relationships without losing focus:

⏳ Set a recurring block → Take investor/founder calls on the last Friday of every month
📩 Send monthly or quarterly updates → Keep investors engaged without meetings
🛠 Use a system → Track touchpoints so no relationship goes cold

The bottom line

The best founders don’t chase investors when it’s time to raise – investors are already paying attention. Fundraising 365 ensures that when you need capital, the right investors are ready to say yes.

Next time you close a round, don’t ghost investors. Keep the momentum going so your next raise is easier, faster, and on your terms.

Want to make fundraising easier?

Flowlie is the Operating System for fundraising, helping busy founders build investor relationships without the headache. Reach out to Mark Bugas to learn how (mark@flowlie.com)