... / Launch Beaufort / Week 6: Securing Capital + Pitch Analysis Software

Raising capital is one of the most exciting — and intimidating — steps for entrepreneurs. Whether you’re launching a local café or building a tech startup, understanding funding options and preparing a strong pitch are essential. This week, we’ll demystify the fundraising process by exploring the different types of capital available (from bootstrapping and small business loans to angel investment and venture capital).

Beyond identifying funding sources, we’ll cover how to build an investor pipeline — preparing the right documents, targeting the right investors, and staying organized in your outreach. Securing capital isn’t about luck; it’s about preparation and persistence.

We’ll also dive into digital tools that make pitching easier and more data-driven. Platforms like Pitch.com help you design and collaborate on professional slide decks, while Visible.vc allows you to manage investor relationships. Tools like Loom make it simple to record and share video pitches for remote review.

By the end of this week, you will:

●​ Understand the main funding pathways available to entrepreneurs.​

●​ Draft the foundation of your first pitch deck.​

●​ Use software to refine your pitch and track investor engagement.

Every venture needs money to grow, but how you secure that money depends on your stage, goals, and business model. Entrepreneurs often imagine that venture capital is the ultimate prize, but in reality, most small businesses are funded through personal savings, revenue, or small loans. Understanding the full spectrum of funding options will help you choose wisely and avoid chasing capital that doesn’t fit your business.

Bootstrapping

Bootstrapping means funding your business with personal savings or reinvested profits. It gives you maximum control, but growth is often slower. Many small businesses start this way because it requires no outside approval.

Friends & Family

Early support often comes from people who believe in you personally. While useful, it’s important to document agreements clearly to avoid misunderstandings.

Grants & Competitions

Non-dilutive funding (money you don’t have to repay or give equity for) can come from government programs, nonprofit initiatives, or pitch competitions. These are great for community-driven businesses.

Small Business Loans

Banks, credit unions, and government-backed programs (like the SBA in the U.S.) provide loans that allow you to retain full ownership. Strong credit and collateral are usually required.

Angel Investors

Angels are individuals who invest their own money in exchange for equity. They typically support startups in early growth stages, especially if they see potential for scale.

Venture Capital (VC)

VC firms invest larger amounts but expect rapid growth and big returns. This path often suits tech startups, not traditional small businesses. VC comes with trade-offs: loss of some control and high performance expectations.

Securing funding isn’t just about finding “the one” investor — it’s about creating a structured pipeline, much like a sales funnel. Just as you wouldn’t expect every lead to become a paying customer, you can’t expect every investor you talk to will write a check. The goal is to organize outreach, build relationships, and steadily move investors from awareness to commitment.

A pitch deck is the entrepreneur’s calling card. It’s not meant to tell your entire story but to spark enough interest for investors to want a deeper conversation. On average, investors spend under 4 minutes reviewing a deck, so clarity, brevity, and design matter.

Here are the core slides every strong deck should include:

1. Problem

What customer pain point are you solving? Make it relatable and urgent. Use data or a quick story to illustrate the gap in the market.

2. Solution

Introduce your product/service as the answer. Highlight what makes it unique and why it’s better than current alternatives.

3. Market Opportunity

Show the size of your target market. Investors want to see growth potential, whether it’s a $10M local niche or a $1B global market.

4. Business Model

Explain how you’ll make money — subscriptions, direct sales, marketplaces, or other revenue streams. Keep it simple and visual.

5. Traction

Demonstrate proof of progress: early customers, revenue, partnerships, or user growth. Even small wins matter.

6. Competitive Landscape

Who else is solving this problem? Position yourself clearly — why are you different or better?

7. Go-to-Market Strategy

Outline how you’ll attract and retain customers. Highlight sales channels, partnerships, or marketing tactics.

8. Team

Investors bet on people. Share why your team is uniquely suited to win in this market.

9. Financials & Projections

Offer a simple 3–5 year forecast. Emphasize assumptions and key drivers, not just big numbers.

10. The Ask

State how much funding you’re seeking and how you’ll use it (e.g., product development, hiring, marketing).

Facts and figures may get investors’ attention, but stories win their hearts. At its core, fundraising is not just about presenting data — it’s about painting a vision investors want to join. A compelling story connects the problem, solution, and founder’s mission into a narrative that’s memorable and inspiring.

Why Storytelling Matters

●​ Makes it relatable: Investors may not live your customers’ pain, but a story helps them feel it.​

●​ Builds emotional connection: Humans remember stories far more than charts.​

●​ Simplifies complexity: A narrative frames your business in terms anyone can understand.​

Elements of a Strong Fundraising Story

1.​ The Origin Story – Why you started. Did you experience the problem yourself? Did you see others struggle? Authentic motivation builds trust.​

2.​ The Customer Story – Describe a real person or business struggling with the problem, and how your solution changed their experience.​

3.​ The Market Story – Show how this problem is part of a bigger trend. Tie your idea to shifts in technology, behavior, or economics.​

4.​ The Vision Story – Paint a picture of the future: what happens if you succeed? What impact will you create?​

Instead of saying:

“We built a scheduling app to help small gyms manage bookings.”

Tell a story:

“One of our first clients, a local gym owner, spent 10 hours a week chasing down late payments and fixing double bookings. With our app, she cut admin time by 80% and grew memberships by 25%. Now imagine giving that same freedom to 100,000 small gyms worldwide.”

Raising money is one of the most challenging parts of entrepreneurship. Many promising startups fail not because the idea is weak, but because the fundraising process is mishandled. By understanding the most common mistakes, you can avoid costly delays and increase your odds of success.

1. Pitching Too Early

Some founders chase investors before validating their idea or building traction. Investors want evidence — customer interviews, early users, or revenue. Without proof, your pitch may fall flat.

2. Lack of Focus on Fit

Not all investors are alike. A fintech-focused VC won’t fund your local food truck. Sending generic pitches to every investor wastes time. Always research stage, sector, and check size before outreach.

3. Overcomplicating the Pitch

Founders often drown investors in jargon, excessive slides, or unrealistic projections. Simplicity wins. If you can’t explain your business clearly in under two minutes, you’re not ready.

4. Ignoring the Relationship

Fundraising is not a transaction; it’s a relationship. Many founders pitch once and disappear. The best approach is to nurture connections — send updates, share wins, and build trust over time.

5. Unrealistic Valuations or Terms

Asking for too much money or setting sky-high valuations turns investors away. Be realistic about your stage and prove how you’ll use the capital effectively.

6. Underestimating Legal and Financial Prep

Investors expect clean financials, clear ownership (cap table), and legal structures in place. If these are messy, they see red flags.

Modern founders have powerful digital tools that make pitching more professional and investor engagement more consistent.

Pitch.com

Pitch is a collaborative presentation platform designed for startups. Unlike PowerPoint, it allows real-time collaboration with your team, sleek templates built for pitch decks, and seamless integration with analytics. You can quickly build investor-ready slides without needing a design background.

How to use it:

●​ Sign up at pitch.com.​

●​ Choose a startup pitch template.​

●​ Add your 10 slides (problem, solution, market, business model, etc.).​

●​ Invite co-founders or mentors to edit collaboratively.​

●​ Export or share your deck with investors via a link.​

Visible.vc

Investors value consistent updates. Visible.vc helps startups track metrics and share performance with investors in a clean, automated format. This builds trust and keeps your pipeline engaged.

How to use it:

●​ Sign up at visible.vc.​

●​ Import data (e.g., revenue, churn, burn rate).​

●​ Schedule monthly or quarterly updates for your investor list.​

●​ Use the platform’s templates for professional reports.​

Loom

Loom allows you to record and share video pitches with your screen and camera simultaneously. This is perfect for asynchronous investor introductions or sharing your deck with people who can’t attend a live pitch.

How to use it:

●​ Download Loom at loom.com.​

●​ Open your pitch deck and hit record.​

●​ Deliver your 3-minute presentation as if in front of investors.​

●​ Share the link instantly, without large file uploads.​