Entrepreneur Startup Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Getting that first 'yes' from an external investor can be the most difficult part of the fundraising journey.

If you want to learn about an approach that works, I show you everything I have learnt about the do's and don'ts of early-stage fundraising. I outline how to approach investors with a compelling (and commercially viable) value proposition that leads to that all important second meeting.

l answer your burning questions about how and when to approach investors. One "cringeworthy" statement in your pitch can ruin your chances with that investor (and others). Most fundraising mistakes relate to your underlying business model, your "ask" and narrative. These mistakes are entirely avoidable if you take the time to understand why.

I help you to approach your fundraise in a refined (and investor friendly and "metric focused) way. 

This is a book by Ghazala Zia. I have worked with founders for nearly 4 years helping them on their fundraising journey. I have worked with investors including High Net Worth’s, Family Offices and VCs. I have uniquely placed myself between the two as I feel there is a huge gap between founders looking for funding and investors looking for good quality dealflow.

This is an opinionated book. I cover topics that I have significant first-hand experience with. You won't find most of the knowledge shared here in most of the generic content out there as its based on my first hand conversations with numerous founders.

Contents

Table of Contents

1.0 The Overview - Are you investment-ready? -  Page 4

2.1 Why do you need a pitch deck? - Page 5

2.2 The Funding Timeframe - Page 9

2.3 Types of Seed Investors - Page 13

3.1 How much should I raise? - Page 18

3.2 Traction/Monetisation - Page 24

3.3 Differentiators/Competitors - Page 33

3.4 Intellectual Property - Page 37

3.5 Is the idea scalable? - Page 39

3.6 Lack of Business Model or Detailed Business Plan - Page 42

3.7 No Exit Strategy - Page 54

4.1 Team/CEO - Page 57

4.2 Sales & Marketing - Page 62

5.1 Red Flags you Need to Avoid in the Deck - Page 64

5.2 Pitch deck Template - Page 67

FAQs

What stage of the fundraising journey does the book cover?

It covers anything from a pre seed startup to those raising funds at the later stages (Series A onwards). The principles in terms of the fundraising process apply regardless of the stage (unless you're ready to go public with an IPO!). 

Is this book good for a founder who is not thinking of fundraising yet?

Absolutely. The principles of fundraising also apply to anyone wishing to create and maintain a business. Even if you're not fundraising yet you're still selling to your customers, suppliers and partners. You still need to have a refined business model that makes commercial sense. 

Can I share this book with my team?

This version is for individual use only, but you can also get a team license to share within your team, class, or organization.

How long does fundraising take?

It depends where you are in your journey, your team and product. Its impossible to say, however there is a detailed infographic showing the typical VC process and how long it stage takes on page 13. This can be used as a rough guide. 

This must be expensive right?

No. It's £22.95

This isn't our primary source of income and our main goal is to help businesses grow. 

What do I do next if I want to get this guide?

Click the "buy this" button and started today.

Praise From Others

I love your startup book. It’s so succinctly written and impressive. It reads so well and just makes so much sense. I love that you have described both your real-life experiences and insights, as well as placing valuable quotes from great sources to validate your findings. The spacing, structure and pictures are just right, it doesn't feel too clunky to read and really takes you on a journey.

I just finished reading Ghazala Zia’s book and I must say this book really gives direction and corrects the thought process for startups. Very well written, plan English and to the point. I advise to all startups who are at early stages must read this book to get a clear direction.

I can confirm this is a very valuable read and no I’m not on any type of commission.

Great book and it offers a lot of insights for entrepreneurs, its a must read. Great job and congratulations.

For those founders who have not yet read Ghazala Zia’s book, I would suggest adding it to your reading list - a great read and an additional source of knowledge to Founders especially when looking and getting ready for #VC finance.

I invested in Ghazala’s book to ratify our thoughts and get some sense around our pitch deck. Ghazala’s book is written from years of experience , helping other startups to plan, grow and raise capital. This book is full of practical advice to get OUTCOMES - not full of hot air with theories.