The Brutal Truth: Fundraising Is About Skill, Not Money

Most people think fundraising is about convincing someone to give you money.
But that’s not really how it works.

Fundraising is about showing people that you deserve their trust.
And the only way to do that is through practice and learning.

Every time an investor says “no,” it teaches you something:

• Which part of your presentation bored them

• Which point made them pay attention

• The real reason they didn’t invest

• Who they think might be a better match for you

A “no” isn’t the end.
It’s feedback.

A Founder Who Faced 73 Rejections - Then Raised ₹100+ Crore

One founder heard “no” 73 times.

But she didn’t stop.
She improved a little after every rejection.

• After the 8th no, she removed confusing technical terms

• After the 31st no, she found the numbers investors cared about

• After the 52nd no, she met the person who later led her funding round

By the time she reached her next pitch, she was sharper, clearer, and more confident.
On pitch #74, she finally raised the money: $12 million.

How Founders Actually Improve?

• First 10 pitches: You’re learning

• Next 20 pitches: You’re getting better

• Next 20 pitches: Investors start taking you seriously

• Last 10 pitches: You become hard to reject

The truth?
Most founders quit around the 15th pitch—right when they’re starting to improve.

What People Don’t Know About Fundraising

Here’s what really happens behind the scenes:

• Investors talk to each other

• Good momentum gets you more meetings

• Strong investors decide quickly

• Being introduced by someone helps far more than cold emails

• Your speaking skills matter more than your fancy pitch deck

The founders who raise money fastest aren’t perfect.
They simply adjust their approach after every meeting.

Two Founders, Two Results

Founder A

• Spent 6 months preparing

• Didn’t book even one meeting

• Only approached dream investors

• Told the same story every time

• Got rejected every time

Founder B

• Started pitching with a rough, imperfect deck

• Raised ₹25 crore in 8 weeks

• Approached smaller investors first

• Improved the story after every few rejections

• Used early success to reach bigger investors

What does this show?

Action beats waiting.
Real feedback beats guesses.
Progress beats perfection.

The Real Secret to Fundraising

You don’t need the perfect pitch.
You need the courage to start - even if you’re not ready.

Fundraising success comes from:

• Starting before you feel perfect

• Learning from every “no”

• Changing your approach quickly

• Showing persistence and improvement

Because finally, the market doesn’t reward the founder with the cleanest slides.

It rewards the founder who keeps improving until the answer is “YES.”

Disclaimer: This article is the original work of Eric Partaker, The CEO Coach, former McKinsey and Skype leader, bestselling author, and CEO Accelerator.