Using Story as Strategy with David Politis

Most founders think they have a strategy problem.In reality, they have a storytelling problem.In this episode of Raiser’s Edge, Ben Elowitz sits down with David Politis, a multi-time founder (Vocalocity, BetterCloud) who has raised over $300M in venture capital, to break down why storytelling is the most important skill in fundraising. But this isn’t about clever narratives or polished pitch decks. David explains how great founders use storytelling strategically—to align with what investors are looking for, systematically close risk, and build belief over time. From early mistakes overselling projections to developing a disciplined approach to underpromising and overdelivering, this conversation is a masterclass in turning your company into something investors have to fund.David also hosts the Not Another CEO Podcast, where he interviews top founders and CEOs about the real, unfiltered journey of building and scaling companies. If you enjoyed this conversation, it’s well worth checking out.Listen to David's Not Another CEO Podcast: https://www.notanotherceo.com/Follow Raiser's Edge on Substack: https://substack.com/@elowitz0:00 – Introductions2:00 – From Terrified Speaker to $300M Founder 5:30 – What Makes a Great (and Terrible) Investor7:00 – Why Storytelling Beats IQ and EQ in Fundraising10:00 – The Founder Journey: Vocalocity, Cloud Sherpas, BetterCloud14:30 – Early Fundraising Mistakes (and Artificial FOMO)17:30 – What VCs Actually Want: The “Fund Maker” Story22:00 – Using Data to Build a Narrative Investors Believe27:00 – A Brutal Sequoia Pitch—and the Lesson That Changed Everything32:00 – How to Create Traction (and Ask Investors the Right Questions)