Introductions hold incredible power in the world of fundraising. Pulling a good network together and getting to know new people takes effort and time. But you know what? It’s a hundred percent worth it. You’ll find out why in this episode, where Jason breaks down the importance of introductions - both cold and warm, and how it basically forms the backbone of early-stage fundraising. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and...
May 04, 2022•4 min
Rejections. Passes. Declined proposals. These things are inevitable in any fundraising story - so as early as possible, it’s best to prepare yourself for what’s to come. Because no matter how hard you prepare and how much effort you exert, there will still be people looking at you with doubt and criticism. In this episode, Jason tells the story of one of the most famous ‘pass’ stories ever, and how it affected the founder’s game plan in continuing forward with his journey. ---------- If you're l...
May 02, 2022•4 min
Everybody has their own timeline. Some succeed early on their journey, while others go on for so long that they feel that success is too far away. But the thing in entrepreneurship is - you never know what to expect. Things might go your way at a very, very unexpected time. In this episode, Jason shares one of the craziest, fastest fundraising rounds that happened right before his eyes - getting a signed term sheet within just 8 days. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, gr...
Apr 29, 2022•4 min
Mastering your company’s narrative is one of the most vital things that you should have when starting any business. It’s what sets you apart from all the other competitors that are trying to solve the same problem as you do. In the world of entrepreneurship, having strategies about what and how you tell your story is necessary so you can be sure that you will really reach your target audience in the best way possible. In this episode, Jason talks about exactly that - what are these strategies, w...
Apr 27, 2022•4 min
With all the social media platforms at our fingertips, everyone can stay updated about any and everything. People consume content on social media on a daily basis - and as we know, individuals nowadays are heavily influenced by what they see online. And as founders/fundraisers, you should definitely take advantage of this. In this episode, Jason talks about why you should post and share your wins on social media, how it benefits you, and how even small actions can create a huge impact in your fu...
Apr 25, 2022•4 min
Ever heard of a good drug? And no, what I’m talking about is probably not what you’re thinking… it’s the fear of missing out. In the eyes of founders and fundraisers, FOMO is a feeling you want potential investors to sense deeply. Curious? Tune in to this episode and hear more about the benefits of using FOMO as a strategy in getting them on board with your company. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around ...
Apr 22, 2022•4 min
No matter how much you prepare for something, there always comes a time when you stumble and fall. Truly, mistakes are inevitable in any circumstance in our lives, but that doesn't mean we can avoid some of them through learning from other people’s experiences, right? In this episode, Jason goes into detail about one of the biggest mistakes that founders make in the process of searching for investors, and how you can avoid them. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my ...
Apr 20, 2022•4 min
Red flags are warnings that there’s possible danger ahead - so when you see one, it’s best to turn around and change your direction. In fundraising, there are many red flags that investors look out for. We’ve already mentioned one of them in our past episodes: a company that is a solution looking for a problem. In this episode, Jason elaborates on a specific red flag he commonly sees in startups, and how you can avoid falling into that trap. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising cont...
Apr 18, 2022•3 min
When should you start taking meetings with investors? If you think you should wait until you’ve already started raising money to reach out, then you’ve got it quite wrong. Ever heard of warm-up meetings? If not, then you’re in for a treat! In this episode, Jason talks about the importance of getting introduced and talking to investors way before the start of your fundraising journey - and how your approach should look like. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekl...
Apr 15, 2022•4 min
Adjusting to whichever investor you’re talking to is necessary to get the most out of any conversation. Understanding where they are coming from will help you know exactly what approach to use. In the fundraising world, we all know that every single person is unique - people all have different mindsets, motivations, and end goals, all of which affect their decision-making process. In this episode, Jason expands on the connection between selling and fundraising. Knowing what type of investor you’...
Apr 13, 2022•5 min
Selling. Fundraising. Selling. Fundraising. Are they related? What’s the connection? Is the knowledge of one a requirement for the other? In today’s episode, Jason expounds on these two concepts, and how their dynamics work together in the world of fundraising. Look out for some helpful tips that you can apply to your own fundraising process. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fund...
Apr 11, 2022•4 min
Have you ever wondered how essential it is to put in a lot of energy and effort into a process? We sometimes focus so much on our end goal that we tend to forget that the preparation required is equally as important, and sometimes even the highlight of the entire ride. In this episode, let’s take a quick look at how important it is to focus on the entire process itself of fundraising, which, when done well, can be transformational for you as an entrepreneur. ---------- If you're looking for more...
Apr 08, 2022•4 min
When you’re at the point of scheduling meetings with investors, that’s when you’re most likely to feel overwhelmed. Should you categorize your investors? Who should you talk to first? What if you mess up? How do you know you are doing the right thing? All these questions swamp your mind and all of a sudden, you now have tons of meetings to prepare for. But worry not! In this episode, Jason lays out a critical tip that every fundraiser should know by heart, especially new ones, when it comes to i...
Apr 06, 2022•4 min
There’s always a gray area when it comes to setting the valuation for a business during the fundraising process. The big question is always… WHO? Is it the fundraiser, the investor, or is it agreed between the two? What’s the basis? How is it determined? In this episode, Jason shares his take on who should set the valuations and explains why he thinks that way. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how t...
Apr 04, 2022•3 min
Mastering language has got to be one of the most important psychological tools anyone can utilize and benefit from - including and especially for fundraisers. Speaking and understanding the same language of people you work with can work wonders when it comes to making connections and raising funds. In this episode, Jason talks about the critical importance of learning your investors’ language and how vital it is for your process, especially if you want to win at the game of fundraising. --------...
Apr 01, 2022•4 min
One of the most vital processes before facing investors is building the perfect pitch deck. There is a tough balance to find with decks. You don’t want to be too short and lack the information an investor needs to get excited. You also don’t want to be too long and overwhelm the reader with data. In this episode, Jason talks about pitch decks - particularly, his favorite part of it, appendices - and why it’s an important part of your pitch deck. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising ...
Mar 30, 2022•4 min
Are you a problem looking for a solution, or a solution looking for a problem? Pondering this is vital for entrepreneurs, especially for first timers who are just establishing the core of their business. While it’s easy to get lost in the world of entrepreneurship, it’s also worth it to spend time thinking about the real “why” of whatever you’re working on. In this episode, Jason talks about the difference between these two - a science project and a business. ---------- If you're looking for mor...
Mar 28, 2022•4 min
Funded presents: The BackChannel. Tune in with Jason Yeh as he shares behind-the-scenes insights, helpful tips and tricks, and reactions to all things fundraising and startups - starting next week! Watch out for the first episode drop on Monday, March 28, 2022.
Mar 26, 2022•32 sec
We've got some exciting news to tell! Hear the latest updates revolving around our podcast - what's new and what's to come. Stay tuned for the upcoming weeks!
Mar 24, 2022•2 min
Fundraising for software that supports charitable giving started off as a challenge for Grapevine CEO Emily Rasmussen. After unlocking the fundraising story that would gain traction, she ran into another challenge. The year-end holidays disrupted her momentum and threatened to sabotage an exciting round. Emily shares how she weathered the storm and the important lessons she learned about the impact of calendar timing when raising. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab m...
Dec 08, 2021•49 min
Adeel Malick, the co-founder and CEO of Humming Homes, had the perfect background to start a company and lead a fundraise. Experience at startup studios, an MBA, and stints at top venture capital firms had him setup to knock the first fundraise for his startup out of the water. When things didn't go as planned, Adeel had to reflect, regroup, and recommit to the process to get his company the seed funding it needed to scale. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekl...
Nov 23, 2021•50 min
Jack Alton was a startup vet before he was recruited to join Neuro-ID as its CEO in 2016. His requirements to join included headquartering the company in Montana and building a remote first culture. Back then those pursuits were not only rare but considered flaws. 5 years later, they would be come major reasons for Canapi Ventures to preempt Neuro-ID's Series B round. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights aroun...
Nov 09, 2021•54 min
In 2016, Guy Friedman was a successful startup founder with an exit. Most would think that would make raising money for his next company SteadyMD a breeze. Instead, none of his prior investors decided to back him and he was on a familiar grind to getting funding. Fast forward to 2020 and Guy was steadily growing his core business when a wave hit in the form of acceleration towards telemedicine. All of the sudden he was surfing and fundraising became a very very different experience. ---------- I...
Oct 27, 2021•45 min
Our most popular Funded interview from Season 1 was an incredible 2-part episode where Sam Corcos, the CEO of levels talked about his scientific approach to fundraising. As more people ask about Sam and our episode, we decided to remix the 2 episodes into a single episode and add a fun new debrief to the update you all on how the episode content holds up nearly a year later. Read on... Much like the "secret master plan" for his company Levels, Sam Corcos openly talks about what he was able to de...
Oct 13, 2021•1 hr 15 min
Parker Treacy created his first successful company in the United States without raising ventures capital. For his second company, he would need to learn two completely foreign languages to be successful as he set out to launch a company in Brazil and fundraise. Eventually, Parker became fluent in both Portuguese and the language of venture capital as he built his business Cobli and raised over $40MM dollars. ---------- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter pac...
Sep 21, 2021•52 min
Erin Carpenter grew up focused on becoming an entertainer with classical training as a ballerina. Along the way, an embarrassing uniform mishap as a young dancer and continued frustrations throughout her career drove her to embrace an entrepreneurial fire that led to starting Nude Barre. For this professional dancer, learning the fundraising dance was a struggle. After 10 years of bootstrapping and failing to raise money, she finally figured out the steps and eventually raised Seed capital from ...
Sep 07, 2021•55 min
Nicole Emrani Green's journey from the rambunctious daughter of Persian immigrants to venture-backed CEO has had many twists and turns. Surprisingly, her first career in psychotherapy gave her some of the tools to help advance herself as a leader and successfully close a $4MM Seed round for her company Givingli. Listen to the story as she describes the way she's learned the startup ropes as an outsider and the feeling of a past funding rejection she's now grown to be proud of. ---------- If you'...
Aug 24, 2021•55 min
Matt Pohlson, co-founder and CEO of Omaze, has had one of the most death defying startup journeys ever. Time and time again, his company has been on the brink of death, only to be saved by Matt’s persistence and never-quit attitude. While most involved nearly running out of funds, one experience involved his own near death experience as he flatlined on an ER bed with his family surrounding him. Persistence brought him back from the brink and eventually back to Omaze where he used an even stronge...
Aug 10, 2021•45 min
Zach Bruhnke, co-founder and CEO of HMBradley, had a shot at startup glory with his first fintech company Spout. After investor skepticism caused him to throw in the towel, he vowed not to have his own convictions be swayed in future companies. Zach shares how a crazy commitment to the vision with HMBradley as well as a natural approach to building relationships led to both company and fundraising success. ----- If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab my weekly newsletter packed ful...
Jul 27, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Kameale Terry never wanted to be an entrepreneur, but eventually a problem she saw first hand in the electric vehicle industry drew her into starting ChargerHelp! From the beginning, she was less concerned with the hype cycle of startup trends and more focused on what she describes as “good business.” This allowed her to weather the storm of confusing and sometimes conflicting startup advice and the struggle to find a lead to eventually find herself in a super oversubscribed seed round. ----- If...
Jul 27, 2021•46 min
