Most founders go into a raise without a clear process. They send decks, take meetings, and hope something sticks. The Playbook gives you the full map before you start, so you know exactly what comes next and why.
It walks through the six stages of a raise, the same process I used as a founder and now teach to the founders I work with: Foundation, Build Your List, Warm Up the Market, Active Fundraising, Due Diligence, and Term Sheet & Close.
You can use the Playbook to
See the full fundraising process before you start
Know what investors will check for at each stage
Build a plan for getting in front of the right investors
No fluff, no theory. Just the steps, in order, from someone who's raised through every stage.
The best place to start if you're preparing to raise. When you're ready for hands-on help, the Playbook is the foundation we build on together.
What’s inside
Foundation — Decide if you’re ready, set your number, build a deck investors read to the end.
Build Your List — Find and tier 50–100 investors by fit and warmth, plus the side doors most founders overlook.
Warm Up the Market — Test your story in low-stakes conversations, with scripts for asking for warm intros.
Active Fundraising — Run a tight process that moves investors from first meeting to partner meeting.
Due Diligence — A complete data room checklist and how to brief your references.
Term Sheet & Close — Every term in plain English, with worked examples, so you know where to push.
Plus: current market data (as of September 2026) from Carta, PitchBook, NVCA and DocSend, a section on Series A and bridge rounds, and a plain-English glossary.
How founders use it
Before you raise: read it through, then use Stage 1 to decide your timing and your number.
During your raise: keep it open and jump to the stage you’re in.
When a term sheet arrives: go straight to the term sheet section before you talk to your lawyer.
About me
I started with no investor network and raised $25M over eight years as a founder, including a $16M Series A. This is the same process I work through with the founders I advise, pre-seed through Series A.
Master’s in Entrepreneurship, University of Pennsylvania · Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women
FAQ
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