Raise & Exit

In this episode of Raise and Exit, we sit down with Girish Muckai, a seasoned operator with decades of experience across telecom, AI startups, and enterprise tech, to unpack what’s really changing in the world of fundraising — and what hasn’t. If you think raising capital today is just about having a great idea, think again. From the rise of AI and faster product cycles to shifting investor expectations, this conversation dives deep into what it actually takes to raise and deploy capital in 2026. We explore why teams matter more than products, how AI is lowering barriers but increasing competition, and why enterprise buyers won’t switch unless the pain is real. Girish also shares powerful lessons from over 20 years in nonprofit fundraising — where money follows impact, trust, and clarity of vision. 💡 The big takeaway? Whether you're raising venture capital or funding a mission, people invest when they clearly understand the value, the outcome, and the people behind it. If you’re a founder, operator, or investor navigating today’s fast-changing landscape, this episode will challenge how you think about building, selling, and raising. 

 Not just being in the top 1%… but in the top 2% of the top 1% 🚀 In this episode, we sit down with Gabriel Jarrosson, founder of Lobster Capital, to break down how elite investors think, how founders should approach failure, and why saying no might be your biggest competitive advantage. 💡 What you’ll learn in this episode: 🔥 Why failure isn’t optional—and how the best founders use it as a signal 📈 The truth about growth: if you’re not growing ~10% month over month… are you already failing? 💰 “There’s revenue… and then there’s revenue” → how to spot bad revenue early 🧠 Why founders are often their own biggest bottleneck (and how to fix it) ❌ The underrated superpower: learning when to say NO (to ideas, distractions, even opportunities) ⚖️ Working in your business vs working on your business—from day one 🤖 AI, YC, and the rise of billion-dollar opportunities in “boring” industries 🎯 Why “make something people want” is still the ultimate playbook This episode goes beyond tactics—it’s about mindset, discipline, and how to think like the top founders in the world 🌍 If you’re building, scaling, or thinking about raising… this one is a must-watch. 

 In this episode of Raise & Exit, Alan Giles and Alex Ma from Fractional Execs break down how founders can scale companies smarter using fractional leadership, better sales strategy, and clearer positioning. Building a startup today isn’t just about hiring bigger teams or raising more venture capital. The most effective founders are focusing on expertise, impact-driven sales, and strategic execution to grow faster while keeping burn rates under control. If you're a startup founder, investor, or operator, this conversation will challenge the traditional way companies think about scaling. 💡 In this episode we cover:Why founders should stop focusing on just one metric like revenue 👥 The rise of fractional executives and why startups are using them more 🎯 Why sales is no longer a numbers game — it's an impact game 🧠 How understanding your ICP and buyer personas drives growth 🤖 The real role of AI in scaling startups⚡ How founders can access C-level expertise without full-time hires 🔎 Why differentiation matters more than claiming your startup is “unique” 🎧 About Raise & Exit Raise & Exit is a podcast where founders, investors, and operators share insights about building, scaling, fundraising, and exiting companies in today’s startup ecosystem. If you're building a startup or investing in the next generation of companies, this podcast is for you. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, and startup leaders. 

In this episode of the Raise & Exit Podcast, we sit down with Lally Rementilla to explore how intellectual property really drives business value. IP doesn’t generate revenue by itself ; it enables you to generate it. Your patent may not account for 100% of your revenue, but without it, your business might not exist. A 20-year exclusive right means nothing without execution. We break down how IP impacts customer acquisition 🚀, pricing power 💰, cost structure ⚙️, and loyalty 🔒 and why the real proof of its value shows up in your customers and your culture. If you’re raising capital, scaling, or planning an exit, this episode will challenge how you think about valuation and competitive advantage. 

🚀Protecting Product-Market Fit | Raise & Exit What if your customers are the reason you’re losing focus? 🤯 In this episode, we unpack a hard truth every founder needs to hear: 👉 Customer requests don’t always mean you should change your product. When you start adding features just to satisfy isolated demands, your product can slowly lose its essence. And when users don’t deeply value what you already built… it might not be a feature problem ; it might be a fit problem. In this conversation we explore: ⚡ Why real product-market fit feels obvious 🎯 How adding “just one more feature” can dilute your value 🧠 Why discipline in product is a competitive advantage 🚫 When a request signals the wrong customer — not the wrong roadmap If you’re building at pre-seed, seed, or scaling stage, this episode will challenge how you think about growth and focus. Because sometimes, the smartest move is not building more… it’s protecting what already works. 💡

🚀Fundraising Is a System, Not a Milestone | Sebastián Gallo In this episode, we sit down with Sebastián Gallo, serial founder, operator, angel investor, and global builder with cross-cultural and cross-sector experience 🌍. Sebastián shares a raw and honest perspective on what it really takes to build meaningful companies and raise capital in today's market. From underestimating timelines ⏳ to running thousands of investor conversations 🤝, this episode breaks the myth of fundraising as a glamorous milestone and reframes it as a system, not an event . We dive deep into: • Why fundraising is one of the hardest jobs a founder will ever do 🧠🔥 • How the role of capital has fundamentally changed 📉📈 • When raising money makes sense — and when it doesn’t ❌💰 • The balance between automation 🤖 and human connection 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️ • Why mindset, expectations, and systems matter more than tactics 🎯 • What founders consistently get wrong about pitching and traction 🚫📊 This conversation is a must-watch for founders navigating pre-seed, seed, and early growth 🌱 — especially in a world where capital is more selective and differentiation is no longer optional. 🎧 If you’re building, fundraising, or questioning whether you should raise at all — this episode is for you. 

🚀 Why Patents Matter in Deep Tech 🧠📜 | Erik Braund | Raise & Exit Podcast Ep 29 🎙️ In this episode of the Raise & Exit Podcast, we go deep into a conversation most founders avoid: patents and intellectual property and why that’s a mistake. For the first time on the show, a former client steps out from under NDA to share the real, unfiltered journey of building a deep tech company where invention, not hype, is the foundation. Edgar sits down with Erik Braund, Founder of Katmai, to unpack what it truly takes to turn a bold vision into defensible technology and how patents can become a real moat when you’re taking on global markets. We explore: 📜Why patents are often misunderstood and dangerously underused by founders 🧪The difference between idea-driven startups and invention-driven companies 🛡️How IP changes investor conversations when raising capital 🌍What it means to build technology that enables the future of remote and hybrid work 👥Why availability, presence, and culture matter more than endless Zoom meetings 📈Lessons from five years of building, filing, failing, and finally scaling deep tech. This is a technical, commercial, and strategic conversation about raising capital, protecting innovation, and building companies that last. If you’re a founder, investor, or operator thinking about defensibility, moats, and real innovation, this episode is for you. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on raising, scaling, and exiting meaningful companies. 

Most founders don't fail at raising capital because their idea is bad, they fail because they approach the wrong people in the wrong way; when it comes to family offices, fundraising isn't about sending the same pitch to hundreds of email inboxes, it's about understanding who's on the other side of the table, what matters to them, and how they actually make decisions.🎙️ In this episode of The Raise & Exit podcast, we sit down with Colten Ratz, founder of Family Office Factory, to unravel what founders often do wrong when approaching family offices and what really works.🔍 We explore:🤝 Why relationships are more important than presentations🚩 How to spot red flags and fake family offices⏳ Why “patient capital” doesn't mean “slow capital”🧬 How generational wealth redefines timelines, expectations, and decision-making.This conversation is about doing your homework 📚, showing who you are as a person 🙋‍♂️, and building trust long before asking for a check 💼.💬 Now we want to hear your opinion:Have you ever pitched your project to a family office? What surprised you the most?⚠️ In your opinion, what is the biggest mistake founders make when raising funds?🧠 Do you think relationships are more important than traction when raising capital?👇 Leave your comments and join the conversation🎧 Subscribe to Raise & Exit to hear real conversations about fundraising, exits, and the human side of capital.

Referrals are often treated as a transactional growth lever, set a commission, wait for leads, and scale.But in practice, that mindset is exactly what breaks most referral programs.In this episode of The Raise & Exit Podcast, we sit down with Andrew Brown to unpack why the most effective referral strategies are rooted in human relationships, not payouts. Backed by research across 600+ organizations, Andrew explains how referrals are driven by a dynamic mix of trust, readiness, and motivation and why those drivers change over time.We dive into:-Why money is rarely the primary driver of referrals.-The real difference between channel programs and managed referral programs.-How referral mismanagement can quietly damage reputation and customer trust.-Why fewer, well-supported referral partners often outperform scaled partner networks.-The role of human connection in a go-to-market world increasingly shaped by AI.This episode is designed for founders, operators, and revenue leaders who want to build sustainable, high-conversion growth without relying solely on paid acquisition or overly scaled partner programs.

Most founders believe startup success is about growth, traction, and eventually… an exit. But here’s the reality: thinking about the exit too early can quietly destroy the value you’re trying to build. In this clip from The Raise & Exit Podcast, Nitin Kumar, serial entrepreneur, former M&A leader, and operator across SaaS, AI, and enterprise tech shares hard-earned lessons from 30 years of building, scaling, and exiting companies.                                 💡In this conversation, Nitin breaks down:               Why not all revenue is good revenue How the wrong customers hurt scalability and valuation -Why cash flow can become a dangerous trap The difference between real traction and fake traction What actually drives valuation in SaaS and AI companies His key message?Great companies aren’t built by chasing growth at all costs.They’re built by focusing on quality  of customers, revenue, and product usage.                                                                                   👉🏻Subscribe for more real conversations about startups, valuation, and exits.        💬  Comment below: What’s the hardest “no” you’ve had to say as a founder?   

🎙️ Episode 25 is live! This time we sit down with Dan Sperring, founder and CEO of Align ICP, to explore how companies can scale revenue predictably by focusing on the right customers.If you’re building or scaling a SaaS or tech company, this episode is packed with actionable insights on aligning your go-to-market strategy with your ideal customer profile (ICP) and avoiding common pitfalls that compromise growth.What we cover:Why ICP matters more than ever – Most companies waste energy acquiring customers who aren’t the right fit, undermining predictable revenue growth.Churn isn’t just death or divorce – Learn how to identify when customers fall outside your ICP and how that impacts retention and expansion.Revenue efficiency frameworks – How to measure pipeline quality, LTV:CAC ratios, and net revenue retention to maximize scalability.Segmentation strategies – Tips for analyzing revenue bands, verticals, and customer lifetime value to make smarter growth decisions.Founders vs. sales leaders – Understanding what to systematize in early stage sales organizations and when to shift to specialized leadership.🎧 Tune in for a candid discussion on creating predictable, scalable revenue growth and how to build a business that’s attractive to investors and acquirers.

🎙️ Episode 24 is live! This week, we sit down with Steven Valentor of Polynomial VC to unpack what it takes for startups to raise money, defend valuations, and position themselves for successful exits.If you’re building or backing a tech venture, this episode is packed with actionable insights on strategy, finance, and growth.What do we cover?Raising capital is harder than it looks. Steven shares why even a creative, differentiated thesis doesn’t guarantee success and how to communicate value to investors effectively.The Polynomial approach. Learn how benchmarking against industry standards, identifying operational gaps, and using empirical data can defend your valuation and attract investors.Exit planning and long-term strategy. Steven highlights why understanding your market, customer, and competition is critical for a profitable exit.Lessons from scaling companies. From aerospace electronics to venture capital, Steven walks through the growth, consolidation, and sale challenges small and medium-sized companies face.Revenue, market fit, and traction. Key takeaways for startups on proving your product is wanted, profitable, and scalable.🎧 Tune in for an insightful discussion on turning technical genius into investable, fundable, and exit-ready companies.

🎙️ Episode 23 is live! This week, we sit down with Jalak Jobanputra, founder and managing partner of Future Perfect Ventures, to unpack how she identifies opportunities in emerging technologies and backs companies shaping the next internet.If you’re building or investing in crypto, AI, IoT, or other deep tech, this episode is packed with actionable insights on spotting potential, navigating uncertainty, and timing your exits.What do we cover?Investing in nascent sectors: Early-stage crypto, blockchain, and AI require founders who are nimble, resilient, and able to tune out market noise.Competitive landscape & technological longevity: Why understanding competitors and building moats in fast-moving tech is critical.Missed opportunities & old mind viruses: Lessons from the past decade on underestimating global demand and emerging technologies.Exit strategy & founder alignment: How to balance long-term growth with personal and fund goals.New investing hypotheses: Funding deep tech without a fully formed business model and the rise of AI acqui-hires.🎧 Tune in for a candid discussion on positioning startups for growth, funding, and successful exits.

🎙️ Episode 22 is live! This time, we sit down with Bob Gillespie, a three-time founder, accelerator veteran, and “cap table expert,” to unpack the critical but often overlooked mechanics of equity, ownership, and investment structures.If you’re building or backing an early-stage company, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you avoid costly mistakes, structure your cap table properly, and prepare for funding or exits.What do we cover?Cap tables aren’t just paperwork. Bob explains why your cap table is a living, breathing document that requires diligence and ongoing updates—and what can go wrong if you neglect it.Founder and early employee equity. Learn the importance of vesting, cliffs, share classes, and options to prevent “dead equity” and ensure fair ownership distribution.Navigating accelerators and early-stage investors. Bob shares his insider perspective on setting clear goals, understanding option pools, and managing equity while scaling.Avoiding the road to hell paved with good intentions. Missteps in equity allocation, informal promises, and friend-and-family investments can create long-term headaches. Bob breaks down professional approaches to safeguard your company’s structure.🎧 Tune in for a candid, highly practical discussion on cap tables, founder dynamics, and professional approaches to raising capital.

🎙️ Episode 21 is live! This time we sit down with Anthony Ronga, startup founder, advisor, and pitch deck strategist, to talk about what really happens behind the curtain when preparing for a successful raise — and why your vendor ecosystem is your secret fundraising weapon.Anthony shares how to shift from selling your product to selling an investment opportunity, what most founders get wrong in their first 20 pitch decks, and how to craft a story that gets investors to the table in just 90 seconds.What do we cover?The 90-second rule: Your pitch deck’s only job is to earn the next meeting — not tell your entire story. Simplicity wins.Three stories that matter: Opportunity, financials, and credibility — nail these and you’ll stand out from 100 other decks.Evolving your deck: How to mature your messaging from pre-seed to Series A, shifting from confidence-building to showing your “machine” that turns $1 into $10.Building your ecosystem: Why early founders need financial, legal, and strategic advisors to make faster, smarter decisions.Investor love match: How to qualify the right investors — and avoid wasting time with ones who were never going to cut a check.Anthony also shares why founders should spend their first dollars talking to customers, not just coding, and how learning faster than your competition is the ultimate advantage.🎧 Tune in for a sharp, practical breakdown on storytelling, strategy, and the real work it takes to raise capital with confidence.

🎙️ Episode 20 is live! This time we sit down with Paige Wiese, founder of Tree Ring Digital, to unpack how digital assets are reshaping M&A and what business owners need to know to protect—and maximize—their value.If you’re preparing your business for an exit, this episode is packed with actionable insights on the critical—but often overlooked—role of digital profiles, social presence, and technical assets in modern deal-making.What do we cover?1. Digital hygiene is deal hygiene. Ownership of domains, social profiles, and analytics isn’t optional—it’s critical for a smooth transfer and maintaining long-term growth.2. Value lost (or gained) in digital assets. From Google reviews to AI-driven visibility, Paige shares examples where digital mismanagement cost deals hundreds of thousands—or where proactive management unlocked premium valuations.3. Founder dependence vs. company independence. How to position your business so it runs seamlessly without you, preserving relational and digital equity through a sale.4. The rise of AI and M&A. Learn how AI is changing valuation considerations and why foundations like SEO and structured digital assets are more important than ever.🎧 Tune in to get a complete playbook on preparing your digital assets for M&A, avoiding valuation pitfalls, and maximizing your exit potential.

🎙️ Special Edition Podcast: How to Play the Valuation GameThis week’s Raise & Exit episode is different — it’s a live recording of Edgar Baum’s talk at the Silicon Y’all Conference, where nearly 100 SaaS and tech CEOs, VCs, and PE leaders gathered to unpack one question:👉 What really drives your company’s valuation — and how can you influence it?In this special session, Edgar walks through how founders can:⚡ See beyond “industry average” multiples — and why they’re often meaningless⚡ Identify what truly drives a premium: commercial model, timing, and scarcity⚡ Use quarterly valuation discipline to turn intelligence into negotiating power⚡ Build a “valuation playbook” to win your own exit championshipWhether you’re raising capital or planning your next exit, this talk reframes valuation as a strategic sport — not a math problem.🎧 Listen to the full session: Raise & Exit Podcast – Live from Silicon Y’all

🎙️ Episode 18 is live! This time we sit down with Matt McDonnell, Managing Partner & co-founder of Stellifi VC and host of the Navigating Complexity podcast, to talk about what founders often overlook when raising capital and chasing product-market fit.Matt brings a rare dual perspective as both a real estate investor and a venture capitalist — and his advice cuts through a lot of the noise founders hear about what “success” should look like.What do we cover?1. Success sits at the intersection of curiosity and steep learning: founders who follow problems they’re genuinely curious about unlock growth, even amid uncertainty.2. Choosing capital is choosing a business model. Venture funding is a “one-way door”: once you take it, your business must operate on VC timelines and growth expectations. Raise late, and only when aligned.3. Product-market fit is lived, not declared. True validation comes from customer behaviors — referrals, expansions, and inbound demand — not just hitting abstract metrics.Matt also shares why geography matters less than people think, how knowledge asymmetry can be both an advantage and a trap, and why continuous learning is a founder’s best defense in fast-changing markets.🎧 Tune in for a candid conversation on building smarter, scaling with intention, and choosing the right capital for your journey.

🎙️ New episode of Raise & Exit is live! This time we sit down with John James, host of the Champagne Strategy podcast and long-time growth strategist, to talk about what founders often get wrong when it comes to brand, growth, and go-to-market strategy.John has spent 20+ years across agencies, startups, and Silicon Valley advising founders on cutting through myths and building companies that actually scale.What do we cover?1. Brand ≠ branding. A brand is human memory real estate — being remembered in the right category at the right time. Branding is the process of creating that memory. Confusing the two leads to wasted spend.2. Early adopters aren’t your market. Those first 10–30 customers often buy because they know you. Real growth comes when strangers — who don’t trust you yet — decide to switch. That requires different triggers.3. TAM is a trap. Investors love big TAM slides, but the real constraint is how many buyers are actually in market now and what it takes to make them switch from substitutes.4. Beware the brand campaign myth. Agencies push early founders toward branding campaigns, but true brand equity comes from years of consistent acquisition and fulfillment — not glossy ads.If you’re a founder wrestling with growth, positioning, or when to invest in brand, this episode is packed with lessons to help you avoid expensive mistakes.🎧 Tune in for an unfiltered look at what actually drives growth vs. what’s just startup mythology.

🎙️ Episode 16 is live! This time we sit down with Neal Cobb, co-founder of EquityX, to talk about how founders of legacy businesses can think differently about exits — honoring employees, protecting culture, and creating value that lasts beyond the transaction.If you’re a founder or owner planning for succession, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons on how to prepare for one of the most important transitions of your career.What do we cover?1. Exits are about more than profit. Many legacy business owners want a transition that protects their employees and preserves their brand, not just one that maximizes valuation.2. Avoid inflated expectations. Some brokers promise unrealistic valuations to win business. Founders should focus instead on understanding the real drivers of value and aligning with buyers who share their priorities.3. The sale process is a marathon, not a sprint. Deals often take 12–18 months, testing both stamina and conviction. Founders need to prepare mentally for uncertainty and deal fatigue.Neal also shares how EquityX integrates employee ownership into acquisitions, why evergreen “buy and hold” models align better with long-term stability, and how upfront preparation — financially and operationally — can reduce risk while strengthening outcomes.🎧 Tune in for an honest look at how to build exits that honor both your people and your legacy.

🎙️ Episode 15 is live! This time we sit down with Steve Little, CEO & Managing Director at Zero Limits Ventures, to talk about why every founder should start with the end in mind — and how to design a company that commands premium valuations.If you’re building with an exit in sight — whether that’s acquisition, IPO, or succession — this episode is packed with insights on how to maximize enterprise value from day one.What do we cover?1. Buyers value different things — brand, IP, or customer acquisition might matter more depending on who’s at the table. Founders need to invest accordingly.2. Complexity kills value — redundant systems, messy operations, and unclear positioning all drag down multiples. Clean, focused businesses are worth more.3. Building to sell isn’t short-term — every business will change hands eventually. The earlier you structure to be “sellable,” the better your outcome.4. Exit timelines are accelerating — AI and fast-moving markets mean exits can happen in 2–4 years, sometimes even under 18 months.Steve also shares why readiness is the ultimate driver of better deals, and why founders who think like investors achieve the strongest exits.🎧 Tune in for a masterclass on creating companies that don’t just survive — they exit strong.

🎙️ Episode 14 is live! This time we sit down with Kurt Winter and Kevin Salquist, co-founders of Big 7 Ventures, to talk about why essential industrial businesses remain the backbone of the economy — and how continuity-focused investing differs from traditional private equity.If you’re a founder or owner thinking about succession, this episode offers a clear-eyed perspective on what really drives value in small and mid-market businesses.What do we cover?1. Resiliency reveals strength — businesses that weather downturns like 2008 or COVID prove competence and durability, and investors see that as validation.2. Essential means irreplaceable — plumbing parts, industrial services, and other unseen products are critical no matter the cycle. AI can support operations, but it can’t replace infrastructure.3. Exhaustion is often the trigger — most owners don’t sell due to lack of vision, but because they’re tired of day-to-day operations. The right partner lets them get back to creativity.4. Pick partners, not just price — a slightly lower valuation can be worth it if it ensures your people, culture, and business continuity thrive post-sale.Kurt and Kevin also share how they think about deal structures, culture preservation, and why clean, simple books matter more than polished banker decks.🎧 Tune in for an operator’s view of continuity investing — and what it means for owners ready to transition without leaving their legacy behind.

🎙️ Episode 13 is live! This time we sit down with Brandon Duensing, CEO of Acquire Online, to talk about scaling remote-first businesses, breaking through plateaus, and why buy-and-hold models are an overlooked path to long-term value.If you’re building a business that has grown past the early hustle and now faces the challenge of scaling, this episode is packed with lessons on how to structure for growth.What do we cover?1. Founders should be clear on their business goals — VC-style hypergrowth isn’t the only option. Buy-and-hold models can offer flexibility and long-term rewards.2. Many small businesses stall at $3–5M in revenue or $1M in EBITDA — not because of the market, but due to lack of operational structure and leadership experience.3. Founder-led sales eventually hit a ceiling. Building formal sales and operational systems is the only way to keep growth moving.Brandon also shares how Acquire Online applies a “hospitality-first” mindset to scaling, why due diligence should double as an operational playbook, and how AI can amplify — not replace — the human touch in customer experience.

🎙️ Episode 12 is live! This time we sit down with Saydeah Howard, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Cherryrock Capital, to talk about how founders should think about leadership, hiring, and scaling from Series A onward.If you’re preparing to raise or building out your first leadership team, this episode is full of practical insights you can apply right away.What do we cover?1. Hiring mistakes made early can become culture and execution issues later — leadership structure needs to be intentional from the start.2. Two of the most critical hires at Series A are the head of sales and the head of finance — both set the trajectory for growth and readiness for the next round.3. Founders must move beyond inspiration alone — the best leaders empower, delegate, and adapt their style to get the best out of their teams.Saydeah also shares her perspective on fractional executives, the importance of self-awareness in leadership, and how underrepresented founders can vet investors to find true partners.🎧 Tune in for a candid look at what it takes to build the right team — and yourself — for long-term scale.

🎙️ Episode 11 is live! This time we sit down with Nuno Gonçalves Pedro, founder of Chameleon Venture Capital, to talk about what separates good founders from great ones — and what VCs should really be doing to support them.If you’re raising at seed or Series A, this episode is packed with lessons on how to scale yourself as a founder while scaling your company.What do we cover?1. Know your gaps. Every founder has superpowers — but also blind spots. The best know what they bring and what they need to hire for.2. Balance leadership and management. Inspiration alone isn’t enough; great founders also empower and delegate.3. Cheerleader vs. coach. Most VCs are the former. A rare few act as true coaches — challenging and supporting founders through growth.Nuno also shares his perspective on the state of venture capital, how too much capital can make founders lazy, and why self-awareness may be the most underrated founder trait of all.🎧 Tune in for an unfiltered look at what it takes to grow into an A+ founder.

🎙️ Episode 10 is live! This time we sit down with Kristina Montague — Managing Partner at The JumpFund and Board Chair of the Angel Capital Association — to talk about what early-stage founders need to know before raising their first checks.If you’re thinking about approaching angels or early-stage investors, this episode is full of practical, no-nonsense advice.What do we cover?1. Social media following is not enough. Investors want proof that people are paying for your product, not just following you online. Financial validation beats attention metrics every time.2. Do your own diligence. Founders should vet investors too — by talking with portfolio companies and understanding their style, expectations, and value-add.3. Tap into the growing ecosystem of women investors. Female-led funds and angel networks are stronger than ever, and they can provide a friendlier entry point for first-time founders.Kristina also shares why preparation matters, how to think about traction at the angel stage, and how to avoid common myths about “easy money.”🎧 Tune in for an inside look at how angels evaluate opportunities — and how founders can better prepare to win their support.

🎙️ Episode 9 is live! This time we sit down with Anay Shah, co-founder of Stepchange, to talk about building venture-scale climate and energy solutions.If you’re raising capital in climate tech — or considering whether venture funding is the right fit at all — this episode is a must-listen.What do we cover?1. Impact + scalability go hand in hand. A solution isn’t enough if it can’t scale commercially. And a scalable business without measurable impact won’t cut it either. Founders need both.2. Not every great business is venture-scale. Some models can be fantastic, profitable companies — but they may never meet VC growth expectations. Knowing which path you’re on matters.3. Endurance is everything. Building something meaningful takes 10+ years. Founders driven by deep, intrinsic motivation are the ones who can survive the grind and see their vision through.🎧 Tune in for Anay’s perspective on what separates climate ventures that attract capital from those that don’t — and how to align vision, scale, and impact from the very beginning.

🎙️ Episode 8 is live! This time we sit down with Sean Nasiri — Silicon Valley native, entrepreneur, and family office investor — to explore what makes founders stand out when raising capital.If you’re pitching investors or trying to understand how family offices think differently than VCs, this one’s for you.What do we cover?1. Storytelling is everything. Founders who can’t tell a clear, compelling story rarely get far. Storytelling is not just for fundraising — it’s how you win customers and recruit top talent.2. Recruiting is part of the pitch. Investors want to see if you can attract senior talent — sometimes even from your biggest competitors. If you can’t sell the vision to potential hires, how will you scale?3. Vision creates FOMO. Investors see hundreds of pitches. The founders who win are those who paint a convincing picture of where the company will be in 24 months and beyond. It’s not about being “right,” it’s about showing you’ve thought through the future.Sean also shares how family offices approach deals differently than traditional VC funds, what signals they look for, and when it makes sense (or doesn’t) to raise from them.🎧 Tune in for a candid perspective on fundraising, storytelling, and building conviction with investors.

🎙️ Episode 7 is live! This time we sit down with Kurt Buseck of Rex Capital to unpack what really drives success — and exits — in deep tech.If you’re building or backing a deep tech venture, this episode is packed with hard-won insights on what makes companies fundable and exit-ready.What do we cover?1. Execution and IP drive valuation. Innovation isn’t enough. Investors look for working products, a clear path to commercialization, and strong patent or trade secret protection that creates negotiation leverage.2. Exit planning starts on day one. The best founders identify potential acquirers early. A clear line of sight to liquidity shapes decisions on team, product, and IP strategy.🎧 Tune in for a candid look at how to position deep tech companies for both growth and successful exits.

🎙️ Episode 6 is live! This time we sit down with Sebastian Harris — multi-time entrepreneur, impact-focused fund manager, and former nonprofit leader whose journey has taken him from peacebuilding in the Middle East to leading a company from inception to IPO.If you’re fundraising or preparing for an exit, this episode is packed with practical, founder-tested advice.What do we cover?1. Make your narrative investor-first. Most founders over-index on their own effort or product quality. Investors care about returns, risk, and the path to liquidity. Your story matters — but only if it answers the investor’s questions.2. Speed is a filter. Investors use time as a screening tool. If your materials don’t create urgency and clarity in the first pass, you’re unlikely to get a second look. Short, sharp deliverables give you a competitive edge.3. Execution beats theory. Great teams can salvage bad ideas; bad teams can ruin great ones. Leadership clarity and adaptability inspire far more investor confidence than market size alone.🎧 Tune in for insights that will help you cut through the noise and approach investors with clarity, urgency, and confidence.

🎙️ Episode 5 is live! This time we sit down with Vik Ghai — founder, repeat operator, and now early-stage AI investor at G2C Venture Partners.If you’re building in a highly technical space or navigating early fundraising, this one’s for you.What do we cover?1. Most founders fail by treating symptoms, not root causes. If customers keep saying no, don't just move on — dig deeper. Real pattern recognition is what separates Series A winners from the rest.2. The founder story matters more than your credentials. Investors back clarity, conviction, and purpose. If you can’t clearly explain why you are the one to solve this problem, they’ll move on.3. Pivots are not a sign of failure. They’re part of the process. The best founders adjust quickly and treat feedback as fuel. Success is about how fast you learn, not how closely you stick to your first plan.We also talk about:- How AWS and Databricks marketplaces are becoming the new app stores- What it really means when a VC says they’re “founder friendly”- Why enterprise AI won’t scale until people trust it—and what founders can do to build that trust🎧 Give it a listen and let us know what stood out.

Episode 4 is live! Our guest this time: investor, fund manager, and operating CEO Tim Enneking—a rare triple-threat who’s been on the buy side, sell side, and operator side of the table. If you're fundraising or preparing to sell your company, this one’s for you. What do we cover? 1. “Getting to No” Faster – Ask disqualifying questions early to avoid wasting time on bad-fit investors. 2. VC = HR – Great teams beat great ideas. A strong team can pivot; a weak one can’t execute. 3. Audience-First Pitching – Don’t just talk; tailor your message to what investors care about—returns, risk, and exit. 4. Due Diligence ≠ Just Docs – For early-stage deals, management quality is the #1 diligence factor. About Tim Enneking:CEO of Presearch and Managing Partner at Stallion PSA, a crypto-focused VC fund. With experience across buy-side, sell-side, and advisory roles, Tim brings a unique lens to startup investing. Top Advice:"It’s not what you want to say—it’s what your audience wants to hear.”Founders often overshare effort; investors want outcomes. Focus on value, not just story. 🎧 Tune in, and let us know what you think of our latest episode and production upgrades!

Rob Gibbons joins host Edgar Baum and provides decades of wisdom on what it takes mentally and procedurally to grow a company through its valleys and challenges.

Itamar Novick, multi-unicorn investor and founder of Recursive Ventures talks with host Edgar Baum about early stage investing and things to consider when looking to raise.  Quite interesting is unpacking of how a well articulated TAM (Total Addressable Market) is necessary signal at this stage of investing.You can find Itamar at: linkedin / itamarnovick  OR https://x.com/Itamar_Novick

Ari Goldberg and host Edgar Baum discuss what the most important metric is for any company and how to maintain focus on a genuine objective both as a founder and a business.Ari is a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits including extensive experience in sports marketing.  He is presently the founder of RNMKR. https://www.rnmkr.co/ serving growth stage companies with priming growth through marketing.You can find Ari at https://www.linkedin.com/in/arisgoldberg/ or https://www.instagram.com/arisgoldberg/Follow the Raise and Exit Podcast as you prefer!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raiseandexitpodcast/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RaiseAndExitPodX (Twitter): https://x.com/RaiseAndExitPodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/raise-exit-podcast/