Making your business irresistible to investors
Description
We all want funding. But not everyone builds something fundable. A good idea and passion, which is how we like to describe our ventures, are great, but they’re not enough. Investors want clarity, alignment and signs that you know what you’re doing. They’re also paying close attention to how you think. Not just your product.
If you’ve been pitching with no traction, or struggling to attract the right kind of investor attention, it might be time to pause and ask yourself: would I invest in me? And don’t answer emotionally. Just be honest, be objective and be as logical as you can be. Would your business inspire confidence if you were on the other side of the table?
If you’ve been pitching with no traction, or struggling to attract the right kind of investor attention, it might be time to pause and ask yourself: would I invest in me? And don’t answer emotionally. Just be honest, be objective and be as logical as you can be. Would your business inspire confidence if you were on the other side of the table?
Summary
Investors don’t just fund potential. They fund people who understand what it takes to realise that potential. That includes how you talk about your business, what numbers you track, what patterns you’ve noticed and how you act when things go wrong.
If your pitch relies too much on excitement and not enough on evidence, it’s going to be a hard sell. That doesn’t mean you need to have everything figured out. But it does mean being serious about how you run and grow your business, even when you’re just getting started.
Here are some small signs that quietly make a business feel investable, even before the first cheque lands.
If your pitch relies too much on excitement and not enough on evidence, it’s going to be a hard sell. That doesn’t mean you need to have everything figured out. But it does mean being serious about how you run and grow your business, even when you’re just getting started.
Here are some small signs that quietly make a business feel investable, even before the first cheque lands.
1. You’re not winging it
You don’t need to have a perfect deck, but you do need to show your thinking. Why this product? Why now? Why this model, in this market, with this team? And you also don’t need to have all the answers, but you need to show that you do in fact, ask the right questions and know where to look for better ones.
Too many entrepreneurs in Africa are forced to hustle before they’re ready. This is mostly due to the state of our economies and the reality that most people can’t afford to build slowly. There’s a difference though between scrappy and sloppy. If your numbers don’t match your story, or you can’t explain your traction, or your plans change every week, it becomes hard for investors to take you seriously. Because the question in their heads then becomes: If you don’t have a grip on this now, how will you handle more money? Or Is this a business I can believe in or am I just funding chaos?
Too many entrepreneurs in Africa are forced to hustle before they’re ready. This is mostly due to the state of our economies and the reality that most people can’t afford to build slowly. There’s a difference though between scrappy and sloppy. If your numbers don’t match your story, or you can’t explain your traction, or your plans change every week, it becomes hard for investors to take you seriously. Because the question in their heads then becomes: If you don’t have a grip on this now, how will you handle more money? Or Is this a business I can believe in or am I just funding chaos?
2. You’ve thought beyond survival
Some businesses look like they were built just to survive. They’re stuck in operational chaos, reacting to every crisis, never thinking more than a few weeks ahead. That energy is understandable, but it’s not attractive.
Investors want to know: what happens if this works? Can this grow? Can it scale without burning out the founder? If your whole business depends on you doing everything, it’s not built to last. And if your strategy is just “let’s hope it works,” then it’s not really a strategy.
And the truth is, most of us do have a team, even in the early stages. But because we’re so close to everything, the team can’t really move without us. They need you for the smallest things: approvals, decisions, explanations, because of how things are set up. In the beginning, we’re so afraid of things going wrong that we hold on too tightly. So when we pitch and talk proudly about “the team,” investors are listening. And they’re also watching. You might think things could run without you, but they can usually tell that’s not the case.
Investors want to know: what happens if this works? Can this grow? Can it scale without burning out the founder? If your whole business depends on you doing everything, it’s not built to last. And if your strategy is just “let’s hope it works,” then it’s not really a strategy.
And the truth is, most of us do have a team, even in the early stages. But because we’re so close to everything, the team can’t really move without us. They need you for the smallest things: approvals, decisions, explanations, because of how things are set up. In the beginning, we’re so afraid of things going wrong that we hold on too tightly. So when we pitch and talk proudly about “the team,” investors are listening. And they’re also watching. You might think things could run without you, but they can usually tell that’s not the case.
3. You know your numbers (and your story)
You don’t need a finance degree, but you absolutely need to understand your margins, your burn rate, your customer acquisition costs and most importantly, what they mean. Numbers without context don’t help you. Context without numbers doesn’t help investors.
Your business should tell a story. One where decisions are connected, where data is used and not just reported, where you can explain what’s working, what’s not and what you’re doing about it.
Your business should tell a story. One where decisions are connected, where data is used and not just reported, where you can explain what’s working, what’s not and what you’re doing about it.
4. You have a point of view
Investors talk to a lot of founders who say the same things. “We’re solving a big problem.” “There’s a gap in the market.” “Our solution is unique.” These words lose meaning when they aren’t backed by conviction.
What sets you apart isn’t just what you’re building, but how you see the world. What do you believe that others don’t? What’s your insight that others have missed? Why do you think this matters and why are you the right one to build it?
What sets you apart isn’t just what you’re building, but how you see the world. What do you believe that others don’t? What’s your insight that others have missed? Why do you think this matters and why are you the right one to build it?
5. You’re not trying to look perfect
What do you think when you see a business online with tons of reviews but not a single bad one? Or that one person who’s always trying to come off as perfect, never slipping, never admitting a mistake? There’s always that quiet question at the back of your mind: what are they hiding? Because the truth is, humans mess up sometimes. And that’s okay. Investors know that too.
You don’t become irresistible to investors by looking flawless. You do that by being real, prepared and focused. A polished deck with no depth won’t hold attention. But a thoughtful founder who knows what they’re doing, even if it’s early days, will.
Being open about what you don’t know makes you trustworthy. Knowing what you need next makes you practical. And asking for investment with a clear sense of purpose, not desperation, shows you’re ready for partnership and not just a payout.
You don’t become irresistible to investors by looking flawless. You do that by being real, prepared and focused. A polished deck with no depth won’t hold attention. But a thoughtful founder who knows what they’re doing, even if it’s early days, will.
Being open about what you don’t know makes you trustworthy. Knowing what you need next makes you practical. And asking for investment with a clear sense of purpose, not desperation, shows you’re ready for partnership and not just a payout.
