“Knowing that it is supposed to be hard is oddly freeing because it kind of alleviates that feeling of, oh, so and so makes it look so easy.”

The best fundraisers run a process. It’s no surprise that Liz has a rigorous for building and executing her fundraise.

Your pitch deck should be able to tell the story without voiceover. VCs are going to send it around externally and internally at a fund. Everyone needs to understand it without you presenting it.

To grow your skill in fundraising, master these three pitches: elevator pitch, the hero story, and your fit in greater market.

Liz believes that fundraising is not “on your to do list” but a core skill of a startup CEO, a deeply integrated part of your job.

This is probably my favorite startup maxim of all. It ties in with the Lean Startup Methodology, and is core to figuring out what you should be building and for whom.

The last episode of ABF. I promise. Maybe. But we’re definitely missing the founder’s perspective on this one, which is why I was glad to have Liz Giorgi’s input.

What’s really at the core of the “lines, not dots” maxim? Relationships.

Mark Suster’s classic post: Invest in Lines, Not Dots.

ABF: Always Be Fundraising. Should you really always be fundraising? Here are some tips on how to evaluate if this is right for you.

This week I’m covering startup maxims—tthose little phrases we all repeat to each other as common wisdom but may or may not be true, helpful, or relevant.

Today’s maxim: “Ask for money, get advice. Ask for advice, get money.”