#52 - Joining the Circus
Weighing heavy, turning the tide, and riding two horses
The air is growing colder, and the days shorter.
But for the first time in months, I have a spring in my step.
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Weighing Heavy
Our funding round is coming together. We’re not there yet but the momentum is building. Thank god for that.
There’s something unnatural and, frankly, unhealthy about fundraising. It hangs over you like a cloud; a constant niggle at the back of the mind. Until the money comes little else matters.
I’ve traded war stories with many founders in the last few weeks. Everyone gets worn down by the process. I’m intrigued as to why this is. I certainly feel it myself. What makes it so gruelling?
It’s the uncertainty. The survival of many startups depends on the ability to raise funds and it can take months. The fate of the startup hangs in the balance. That weighs heavy.
Turning the Tide
But it’s not all bad. There’s something rather thrilling about the whole thing. You spend all day talking to very smart and, for the most part, good people. Every conversation offers a new perspective of the business. I drastically change the way I see Unplugged each time we raise.
The magic is in the compounding nature of it all. It takes a month or two, in my experience, to get the story straight. But all the while your deck is being shared, people are talking, momentum is building. You keep plugging away, week after week, and things start to happen.
It all comes down to confidence. Some founders are exceptional fundraisers and might overflow with confidence from day one. Not the case in my experience. That confidence must be earned. The first few weeks are humbling however good the plan. In the words of Mike Tyson: Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.
But that’s the process working. You get pulled apart. But then you go away, tweak the story, and come back stronger. Do this for long enough and it’s hard not to find a compelling angle. Eventually the tide begins to turn.
Riding Two Horses
Being a founder is a choice. No one will make you. But its lifestyle choice too. It’s good to know what you’re getting yourself in for.
Fundraising is an important part of that process. It may be uncomfortable, but like many things in this life it’s the discomfortable that gives it meaning.
No one is ready-made to scale and run a company. You need to grow into the role, and fast. Nothing helps fast track that growth like hitting the fundraising trail.
It brings to mind a maxim my Father told me:
“If you can’t ride two horses at once, you shouldn’t be in the circus”
To create something significant in the world, you need other people to join you on that journey. That doesn’t happen naturally. When you’re starting out it’s hard. Who are these jokers? People think. You need to go through the months and years of struggle. You need to earn the trust.
You earn trust by making it happen. By launching the business. By getting the traction. By raising the money. Learning how to do it all- to ride the horses- is part of the game. No one said it would be easy.
There’s work to do yet on this funding round but we’re nearly there. The tipping point approaches. I can feel a weight lifted.
It won’t get easier from here. I’m sure on that. But we’re almost onto the next chapter. Looks like we’ll keep marching on after all.
My Week in Books📚
On Writing by Stephen King
Books on writing are really books on life. This one is no different. King comes across wonderfully. A highly amusing character. A fantastic read.
I’ll be updating the books I’ve read this year here. Any recommendations? Let me know!
A Final Thought 💡
"There is something about the momentum and travel that makes you want to just keep moving, to never stop."
- Bill Bryson.