♞ Be Authentic

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Be Authentic

Last week I had a typo in the subject line of one of this newsletter’s issues (oops). What shocked me the most, however, was the response that I got from many of you when you saw the error. Instead of ridicule or attacks (which is exactly what would have happened 3-4 years ago when I first started posting), I got a bunch of support. I had at least 50+ people write back, pointing out the error all while saying things like, “I just want to make sure you look good”, or “I know you are super busy, don’t worry, it’s not a big deal”. And this got me thinking about what has allowed me to form this connection and can this strong connection which allows you all to invest your time, energy and efforts into me be replicated with a VC to get them to invest money in you?

My conclusion… it’s all about being authentic.

The messages of support that I received had a common thread throughout them. People saw this type of mistake as being in line with who I am as a person.

See someone who makes a mistake can be uneducated or lack knowledge but they can also be someone who is currently helping multiple companies raise millions, writing decks for presentations to Tier 1 VCs, negotiating the sale of their own companies for $1M+, negotiating $1M+ acquisitions all while trying to share what they learn by writing 15 newsletters per week!

Many of you see the mistake not as a negative reflection on my intelligence or abilities but as a reflection of just how busy I am. (No I don’t review most of these newsletters before sending them out. I write them in airports, between meetings, etc. just to get you the insights and information).

Now how does this apply to you?

A common problem with fundraising is that you are forced to do things that are outside your own comfort zone. Whether that be pitching, cold outreach, asking for money, answering questions, etc.

One of the things I’ve noticed is that being authentic, open and honest makes this process easier for everyone. If you are a technical person and you aren’t comfortable pitching, just say that. It lowers expectations from VCs, makes you feel more at ease, and when you do mess up, it just reinforces the point to VCs that you are a tech genius, not some boardroom exec.

The same goes for non-technical founders. Instead of embarrassing yourself trying to answer technical questions, defer to your CTO and talk them up in the process. Make it seem like you are the ultimate team of a top business mind and tech protege.

Being yourself allows your mistakes to become something that re-inforces the positive image of you. When you are fake or performing, then those mistakes are simply mistakes that make you look bad. But when being authentic, they can help reinforce your strengths, especially when the mistakes are in areas where someone with your strengths isn’t expected to excel.

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Onwards and Upwards,

Liam Gill