Fundraising

Every founder has a slide that says, “We’ll acquire customers through content marketing, paid social or partnerships.” And in 2025, nearly every investor has learned to ignore it 😿 The old go-to-market playbooks are not working anymore. The channels are saturated, the costs are high and the returns are diminishing. From where I sit as an early stage investor, a generic GTM plan is no longer a sign of preparation - it’s a red flag. It shows a founder is ready to execute someone else’s old strategy, not discover a new unique one tailored to their own business. Founders who are successful finding their first customers and raising capital are demonstrating something else entirely - not a polished plan, but a series of insightful discoveries. Here’s what I see actually working to prove you can access a market: ✔️ A Portfolio of Scrappy Experiments. Before you can find a scalable channel, you need to prove you can find ANY channel. The most impressive founders show up with stories of things that don't scale. They acquired their first 50 users by building a free tool that solved a tiny problem for their target user or by personally engaging in a specific Subreddit or Slack community. This proves you have the creativity and grit to find customers where others aren’t even looking. ✔️ A Founder Who Is the Distribution Channel. Early on, your most powerful GTM advantage can’t be bought because it’s actually YOU. Investors are looking for a founder with a unique ability to reach the market. Are you an expert with a following in your industry? Have you built a deep, trusted network that represents your initial customer base? Show how your personal brand and unique insights give you an unfair advantage that no amount of ad spend or marketing can replicate. ✔️ Mastery of a "Micro-Funnel." Instead of a broad, leaky funnel, demonstrate that you can dominate a tiny, efficient one. Prove that you can convert a very specific persona from a very specific source with incredible efficiency. For example: "We can turn a clinical research coordinator from a specific LinkedIn group into a qualified lead for $15." This level of precision is far more impressive than a vague, top-down plan to capture a massive market. It shows you have a data-driven foundation from which to grow. The goal of an early-stage GTM isn't to prove you can scale, it's to prove you can learn. Your first GTM strategy shouldn't be a playbook - it should be a lab notebook full of weird and (hopefully) winning experiments. 🙌🏼 Shout out to Alex Iskold from 2048 Ventures for teaching me a lot about funnels over the years and what he calls 'magic moments' 🙏🏼

They signed up. They loved the wine. Then they canceled three months later. Sound familiar? For many wineries, younger guests are showing up, having a great time… and dropping off the wine club just as fast. It’s not because the experience wasn’t good. It’s because the model wasn’t made for them. 👉 Today’s under-40 crowd is subscription-fatigued, commitment-averse, and way more likely to choose flexibility over loyalty. But here’s the catch: You can’t just slap on a discount or create a “young members” version without risking backlash from the customers who actually keep your business running. That’s why I loved the concept Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery introduced with their Rookie Club: a monthly one-bottle subscription with text-based updates and social-first events. It's approachable, modern, and built for how younger consumers actually engage. For one of my clients, we’re experimenting with a fresh alternative—not a club, not a subscription, and definitely not more of the same. Let’s just say… it leans more social than structured, more seasonal than permanent, and it’s designed to spark connection without disrupting the value of existing memberships. Because if wineries want to grow loyalty with younger guests, they need to create something that actually fits how they live—and how they buy. What do you think? How can wineries build loyalty and buzz among the under-40 crowd without alienating the over 40 crowd? #wineclubstrategy #dtcadvertising #winemarketing #hospitalitymarketing #retentionstrategy #youngwineconsumers #winedirect

This is not a political statement, this is a nonprofit organization management statement: Nonprofits have to be managed like a business. The panic today in regard to a “pause” in Federal Funding says more about nonprofit management than government policy. Three best practices for nonprofits: 1) Every Nonprofit should have multiple streams of revenue and options to sustain funding their mission. 2) Every Nonprofit should have at least 3 months of operating funds in reserve. 3) Every Nonprofit should have a CRM containing contact information for potential donors and corporate sponsors to reach out to in times of crisis or opportunity. If you have a Board of Directors overseeing the financial health of your nonprofit, you will have most likely done these three things. If a single source of funding ended tomorrow by either a policy change, a natural disaster or a pandemic, you wouldn’t panic. You would be in a position to continue your mission without interruption. If every nonprofit Board of Directors followed these three simple Best Practices, no one would ever go unserved due to a “pause” in funding.

𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟯% 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄. ➡️ 7% are close but not ready yet. ➡️ 30% are way off. ➡️ 60% are highly unlikely to give at all And that's why fundraising takes time. Because you're working to your donors' timelines - they do NOT work to yours. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 - 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼: ❌ Pitch to a cold audience - the worse possible way to ask for money. ❌ Only target 3% of your addressable market - leaving 37% of givers untapped. The smart money is on - having a strategy to cultivate your FULL prospective audience. 📈 60% won't give - but could be introducers or influencers. 📈 30% are way off giving - but worth initiating a relationship while they’re still open to the idea. This is the optimal time to start those relationships. 📈 7% are open to giving and are actively planning their budgets, timelines, shortlists etc. - so your window of being on that shortlist is now starting to close. 📈 3% are hot to trot. These figures are based on the "buyer's pyramid" - think of it like the 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle). Understanding that only 10% of your qualified prospects list is actually ready to give now or within your financial year - helps you to determine how long your prospect list needs to be for you to reach your target. 📌 𝗜𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 - 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿. Keeping in touch with prospects - is NOT fundraisers wasting their time on people who are not willing to give. It is fundraisers investing their time appropriately with people who are not ready YET. Because - "not yet" does not mean "no". It means, stay in touch - you have a warm prospect who is going to move along the timeline into the "ready to give now" bracket. 📌 𝗣𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 - 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝟯% 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁.  𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟰𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆. This is also why you need to retain and trade up your existing donors (new business can be achieved by growing the donors you already have alongside new donors). A combination of - retention, trading up existing donors, new business and initiating relationships with the "not ready yet crowd" - is how you grow a sustainable donor base. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 - 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽..... 😀

How philanthropy can find its future by relinquishing control 800 years ago, Maimonides wrote that the highest form of giving is to make charity itself unnecessary. That wisdom feels newly relevant as wealth and power converge in modern philanthropy. Laurene Powell Jobs recently warned that too often wealth becomes a substitute for participation. “Giving that expects control,” she said, “is anything but generous.” When benefactors decide what matters and who belongs, philanthropy drifts from love of humanity toward a contest for influence. MacKenzie Scott offered an image of a murmuration of starlings, millions of birds moving as one without a leader. Their direction, she noted, emerges from constant response to one another’s movements. Her metaphor captures what the next evolution of philanthropy might look like—decentralized, adaptive, and animated by trust. Both women describe a shared transformation. Powell Jobs warns against power disguised as generosity; Scott imagines generosity as shared participation. Each challenges the notion that change flows downward from donor to recipient. Both echo what frontline leaders have long known: real progress happens through proximity, not prescription. Philanthropy rarely lacks compassion, but its systems remain transactional. Short grant cycles, risk aversion, and a fixation on measurable outcomes shape. Transformation is rarely linear; it unfolds through learning and trust. Scott’s “seeding by ceding” approach replaces oversight with faith in those closest to the problems. Unrestricted gifts have enabled groups to hire staff, pay fair wages, and rest. Many say that what was strengthened most was not programs, but dignity. That dignity links all three perspectives. Powell Jobs argues that true generosity builds capacity, not dependency. Scott reminds us that care ripples outward in ways that can’t be counted but are real. And frontline organizers measure success by staying power—the ability to keep showing up. Seen from that view, the challenge is not to give more but to govern differently. Money alone rarely shifts power; the governance of money does. A more resilient model would treat funding as a relationship, underwriting the unglamorous foundations of endurance and accepting that some efforts will fail in ways that teach. Scott’s imagery applies here too: each participant adjusting to others in real time. No single actor directs the course, yet the movement coheres. Philanthropy’s future may depend less on innovation than humility—on returning to its original aim, the love of humanity. When funders move from control to accompaniment, they make space for others to lead. Perhaps real generosity lies less in the power to direct than in the willingness to belong: to a community of exchange where the roles of giver and receiver blur with time, and where the measure of impact is not what it buys but what it builds—a culture of trust and solidarity that outlasts any single fortune.

In the last 3 months, I've audited 50+ LinkedIn profiles for founders across industries. The results? Eye-opening. Most founders fall into predictable traps with their LinkedIn presence: 👉 They have professional achievements but amateur presentation 👉 They invest in business operations but neglect personal branding 👉 They know their value but struggle to communicate it effectively After transforming these profiles, here's what actually moved the needle: 1. Strategic Profile Photos We replaced casual selfies and cropped group photos with professional headshots that conveyed approachable authority. This single change increased profile visit-to-connection ratios by 35%. 2. Headline Transformation Generic titles like "Founder at XYZ Company" became strategic positioning statements that instantly communicated what they bring to the table. For example: "Helping eCommerce brands increase AOV by 40% | Founder of ConversionBoost | Ex-Shopify" 3. Banner Optimization This prime real estate is wasted by 90% of founders. We converted these into powerful CTAs with: 🍀 Clear offers 🍀 Specific results 🍀 Ways to connect The founders who implemented this saw a 27% increase in direct messages. 4. Authentic About Sections We completely rewrote these sections to balance personal journey with industry expertise—showing both the "why" behind their mission and the "how" of their solution. The key was weaving authentic storytelling with clear evidence of capability. 5. Custom Content Strategy For each founder, we created 60+ industry-specific content ideas tailored to their unique: 👉 Expertise 👉 Target audience 👉 Business objectives Unlike generic "thought leadership," these strategies focused on connecting with potential clients through problem-solving content. The results were transformative: One SaaS founder received 3 partnership offers within weeks A sustainability consultant was shortlisted for an industry award they didn't apply for A B2B service provider hired their dream CTO after attracting attention My biggest takeaway? Most founders try to implement unfocused LinkedIn "hacks" without a coherent strategy. They generate views but not sales. The founders who succeeded focused on strategic positioning first, engagement second. Your LinkedIn profile isn't just digital wallpaper—it's often the first impression potential clients, investors, and talent have of you and your business.

I have had the opportunity to serve on several nonprofit boards over the years. There's always a period of time -- as is the case currently -- when there is real concern over government funding. That's why it is so important for nonprofits, especiallty those in healthcare, to diversify its revenues streams. Just like businesses, nonprofits need financial resilience to sustain their mission and expand their impact. Here area few ways nonprofits can diversify revenue streams and create long-term stability: 1. Develop Strategic Partnerships – Collaborate with corporations, foundations, or healthcare organizations to co-develop research, technology, or community programs. These partnerships can lead to sponsorships, grants, and new funding opportunities. Too often, folks want to forge their own path. Now is the time for partnerships. 2.  Invest in Mission-Aligned Ventures – Consider sustainable investments such as impact funds or health tech startups that align with your mission while generating financial returns. It's key to have a good financial team to help assess opportunity and manage risk. Many nonprofits have started to create such funds, and more need to do so. 3. Expand Subscription or Membership Models – Offer premium content, exclusive research, or advocacy networks for a subscription fee. Organizations that provide unique insights can turn knowledge into a reliable revenue stream. 4. Utilize social media -- This way can be way to find new funders, who may not be familiar with you work. There is a science to utilizing social media -- you just can't post and think the money will come rolling in. Invest in a seasoned team who knows how to convert metrics into dollars. A diversified nonprofit isn’t just more financially stable—it’s better equipped to innovate, adapt, and drive meaningful change.  It is easier said than done -- and it takes time. What strategies have you seen work in nonprofit revenue diversification?  #NonprofitLeadership #RevenueDiversification #HealthcareInnovation

I completely misread a major donor's signals and lost a six-figure gift. It was humbling. And it transformed my approach to donor relationships. Here's what happened: After multiple positive meetings, I was confident our capital campaign proposal aligned perfectly with this donor's interests. The signals seemed clear—enthusiastic questions, facility tour requests, introduction to family members. I prepared an impressive proposal with all the recognition bells and whistles. I was already mentally spending the gift. When I made the ask, his response was immediate: "This isn't what I care about at all." He wasn't interested in naming opportunities or recognition. He wanted to fund scholarships for students like himself—first-generation college students from rural communities. The proposal I'd spent weeks crafting completely missed his core motivation. What I learned: - Enthusiasm doesn't always signal alignment - Assumptions are fundraising poison - Direct questions about motivations beat clever interpretation - Donors give from personal values, not organizational priorities I now ask every donor: "What aspect of our work matters most to you personally, and why?" The answer has never led me astray since. Share a valuable lesson from a fundraising misstep! 💡 If this resonated with you, join thousands of fundraisers who are sharing what works and what doesn't inside the Donor Participation Project. Join us here 👇 shorturl.at/qhMHM

Dear Founder… Your face is on the pitch deck. Your name is on the company page. Your voice online? Nowhere to be found. Or worse — it sounds like everyone else. Generic. Bland. Safe. And in 2025, safe = dead. Here's why: The algorithm doesn't only reward consistency. It rewards authenticity. Don't believe me? Think about who YOU follow online. -People with a strong point of view -People with a compelling story -People with hard-earned insights You follow PEOPLE, not profiles. But here's the problem: You've been sold a "content strategy" that was never built for leaders like you. Most agencies want to turn you into a content machine. But that's backward. > You don't need more content. > You need a personal brand that actually sounds like YOU. The real you. The you that your friends hear when you're excited about your vision over drinks. The you that keeps investors engaged during tough questions. The you that makes team members believe in the mission. That's the difference between founders who blend in and disappear and founders who stand out. Now, how do you get there? That's where we come in. At The Growth Cradle, we've built a different kind of process: First, We mine your brain for gold through interviews (or deep research if you're crazy busy) Second, We write stories using insights that ONLY YOU would have — in language that ONLY YOU would use Third, We create content that's so authentically you, your friends have no doubt about it! In other words: While you're busy building your company... We're busy turning you into a founder people can't help but follow. If that sounds interesting, DM "TGC" and let's talk. Let's build something the internet can't scroll past. Because in 2025, the biggest competitive advantage isn't your product. It's your voice. #personalbranding #business #agencylife #entrepreneurs #founders #vision

When I took on my role as Chief Corporate Citizenship Officer at PMI, I set a handful of parameters for myself and my team: 1. Don’t fall into the trap of arm’s-length checkbook philanthropy: One-off cash infusions can help nonprofits in the immediate term, but they don’t get at the issue of sustainable growth. 2. Focus, focus, focus: Diffusion is the enemy of progress. There are an endless number of worthy causes and charitable organizations, but our greatest impact will come from identifying a small number of causes that are intrinsically tied to our values and vision and making those causes priorities. (In our case, this is U.S. military veterans, women’s equity and empowerment, and hyperlocal activations.) 3. Empower—and learn from—those already in the trenches: We’re not going to dictate what happens at the community level. We’re here to listen and learn and find ways to support and expand the good works already underway. 4. Give a “hand up” instead of a handout: Band-Aid solutions may make us feel good in the short term, but they don’t get to the root problem. The cash infusions we give our community-based partners are meaningful, but their value grows exponentially when paired with our business expertise and insights. 5. Offer employees a chance to contribute to change: We polled PMI’s U.S. workforce earlier this year about our plans to support military veterans. An astonishing 97 percent of employees raised their hands to get involved. There’s a hunger out there for making a positive difference in local communities and the broader world. Find ways to connect your people to the issues that matter most to them. It turns out that this is the way the next generation of philanthropists is thinking about their impact as well. A recent article (I’ll share the link in comments) shares interesting insights into how our younger generations—millennials and Gen Z—are embracing a more comprehensive approach to philanthropy focused on measurable impact and deeper connections. They’re also showing a greater tolerance for the “long game,” willing to take risks in the short term to lay the groundwork for greater gains down the road. As the next generation of philanthropists takes the reins and starts investing more than money in the causes they care about, let’s make sure our organizations are prepared to do the same.