Episodes
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we dive into a personal story that brings three critical fundraising lessons to life. Learn why early-stage fundraising is truly a numbers game, how your conviction in your vision can withstand rejection, and why giving value before seeking it can build powerful, reciprocal relationships. We’ll also explore how investor psychology plays a role in deal-making and how to use it to your advantage.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we explore why making in-person connections can be a game-changer for founders. Recorded on location in Austin, Texas, Jason shares insights sparked by his own travel experiences, focusing on why meeting face-to-face can have a major impact on relationship-building, especially when it comes to securing investments.
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Missing episodes?
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we're dropping a quick but essential take on balancing brilliance and likability and how both play into the fundraising game. We revisit a core concept from a past episode: time given – time to interest. If your brilliance gets investors hooked fast, you don’t need as much relationship-building. But if it takes longer to spark that interest, likability becomes your best tool for buying more time. We also talk about how being difficult, even if you’re brilliant, can close doors.
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In this episode, Curtis Northcutt, MIT PhD and founder of CleanLab, shares his compelling journey from rural Kentucky to raising $25 million from Menlo Ventures and Bain Capital.
Curtis reflects on the challenges of growing up with limited opportunities, the loneliness of dreaming big in a small town, and how those experiences ignited his drive to build something meaningful.
He also dives into the complexities of raising capital during a downturn, balancing investor relationships, and making tough decisions about dilution.
With a mix of personal stories, sharp insights, and practical advice, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a startup from scratch and scale it with purpose.
--If you're looking for more fundraising content, grab our weekly newsletter packed full of strategies and insights around how to raise money: fundedpod.com/newsletter
If you're looking to learn how Adamant is helping founders prepare for their fundraise, head here: admnt.com -
In this episode of The Backchannel, we're diving into the role anxiety plays in fundraising, especially when it comes to warm introductions with investors. If you’ve ever hesitated to reach out to old contacts or second-guessed your follow-ups, this one's for you.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we’re talking about how VCs need to raise money too, not just startups.
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In this episode, we dive into the concept of awareness for founders, focusing on how to effectively create it.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we talk about handling the pressure of investor pitches.
Many founders feel anxious about facing tough questions from investors, but it’s important to understand that these questions often come from genuine interest, not an attempt to catch you off guard. -
After bootstrapping her company for months, Teasha Cable, founder and CEO of CModel decided it was time to raise. But early on, the rejections came in hard. Instead of giving up or getting offended, she learned from each rejection, tweaked her approach, and started executing on what investors wanted to see.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we explore the different types of angel investors you’re likely to encounter early on in your startup journey.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we explore the ins and outs of valuation caps and uncapped SAFEs. Many founders toss around terms like valuation caps without fully understanding their impact, and we’re here to break it down.
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In this episode of The Back Channel, Jason tackles the often misunderstood concept of valuation caps in fundraising.
He walks through what a valuation cap is, how it works, and its role in SAFE agreements and convertible notes. -
In this episode of The Backchannel, we revisit a fundamental topic that every founder should understand: post-money cap SAFEs and their implications.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, Jason dives into one of the most overlooked yet essential tasks in fundraising: building your target investor list.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, we dive into a topic that’s been on a lot of founders’ minds: the difference between pre-seed and seed rounds in today’s shifting market.
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In this episode of The Backchannel, the focus is on the critical role deadlines play in successful fundraising efforts.
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In this episode of The Back Channel, we explore a critical topic for founders: showcasing traction to VCs.
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