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Founders tell me all the time:

This week’s reminder came from a place I didn’t expect.

Founders... It's Super Bowl week.

A huge milestone for our team—and a lesson for every founder.

Investor update → next 20 investors → 30-second pitch.

Founders... One of the most underused words in business is thank you.

I once had someone tell me something that stuck with me: “Founders... January makes your year.”

Just a full day to step back, close the year honestly, and think clearly about what actually matters. It’s one of the most valuable days I spend all year.

If you can’t explain what your startup does in 30 seconds, you don’t understand it yet.

Last week, we took The Pitch Lift to Los Angeles Tech Week — and this one was something special.

A founder story about clarity, courage, and a literal elevator pitch.

Lately, I’ve had too many calls with founders who are pre-product, pre-revenue, pre-launch… and already trying to raise millions.

Everything you need, step-by-step, to fill your investor pipeline fast.

And while every investor is different, they’re all listening for a few core signals in every pitch. Nail these, and you dramatically increase your odds of a follow-up meeting. Miss them… and you’re back in the inbox ether.

If you’re actively raising capital as an early-stage founder, you’re going to hear “no” — a lot. It’s not just normal. It’s essential. Rejection isn’t a roadblock; it’s part of the roadmap.

If you're building something from the ground up, chances are you're wearing every hat imaginable—CEO, head of product, lead fundraiser, even chief coffee-maker. But as the startup scales, the role of the founder needs to evolve just as fast as the business itself.

A strong follow-up from a founder is just as important as the pitch itself—because fundraising isn’t about one great meeting; it’s about building relationships over time.

What separates the founders who break through from those who stall out? It’s not just a great idea. It’s not even about funding (though it helps). The real difference lies in a handful of key traits that define high-performing entrepreneurs.

For early-stage founders, growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones. The biggest leaps forward come when you step into new, high-pressure environments—where you’re pushed to refine your pitch, build authentic relationships, and learn on the fly.

I’ve worked with countless early-stage founders, and I’ve seen pivots that saved companies… and others that came too late. The best pivots aren’t about giving up—they’re about unlocking new growth.