Fundraising Panel at Female Founders Conference 2016

Summary

The panel consists of four female founders who discuss fundraising in the video. Talia Frenkel, founder of L, raised over $2.5 million after going through YC as part of batch 15. Katelyn Gleason, founder and CEO of Eligible, initially bootstrapped her company and later raised over $20 million. Aarthi Ramamurthy, founder and CEO of Lumoid, raised about $3.5 million and is in the process of closing another round. Liz Wessel, co-founder and CEO of WayUp, raised over $9 million. The discussion begins with Caitlin sharing her experience of bootstrapping and offering advice to women in the audience who are in a similar situation.

The panelists discussed their experiences with fundraising and shared insights on how they were able to secure investments for their startups.
They emphasized the importance of creating value and generating revenue before seeking funding, as it makes investors more inclined to invest.
One founder mentioned that she took three years to build her company and achieve profitability before raising any funds.
Another founder shared her struggle in raising their first round of funding, having emailed 250 investors before receiving their first check.
Despite the challenges, they all emphasized the importance of perseverance and having faith in their vision.
Talia Frenkel talked about the difficulties of raising funds for a consumer packaged goods company that focuses on social good, particularly when their first product was condoms.
They were able to overcome these challenges by highlighting the market opportunity and profit margins.
The panelists also stressed the importance of discussing their social impact strategy when pitching to investors.
They emphasized the importance of having a compelling story that resonates with investors and being able to personalize it to their interests.
Knowing the numbers of the business inside out is also crucial.
The panelists also touch on how to get introductions to investors, particularly for early-stage founders.
They mentioned the importance of personal connections and networking, as well as the significance of getting the first check, which made it easier to attract more investors.
They also highlighted the role of sharing their vision and passion for their startups, which helped them connect with investors who shared their values.
The panel discusses the importance of understanding fundraising beyond just valuation.
They emphasize the need to be knowledgeable about deal terms and how they can impact control, equity, future fundraising, and potential acquisitions.
They recommend asking questions and seeking advice from experienced individuals, as well as utilizing resources like online blogs and forums.
They also caution against going into investor meetings without understanding specific terms and suggest quickly researching them to avoid appearing uninformed.
The panelists advise entrepreneurs to evaluate their metrics and bottom line before deciding to fundraise.
They also highlight the importance of being graceful when investors say no.
The panelists share their own experiences of investors initially saying no but later changing their minds after seeing traction and growth.
They emphasize the importance of understanding investor allocation and not taking the first "no" as a permanent rejection.
They also caution against relying on vague responses from investors and waiting for them to switch their decision.
The panelists stress the importance of maintaining good relationships with investors and not getting nasty or confrontational.
Confidence is highlighted as a key factor in fundraising success.
The founders share their experiences with investors, including a story where an investor called one founder's company a scam.
The panel discussion is about fundraising in the context of female founders.
The founders discuss the emotional challenges of fundraising and the importance of not taking rejection personally.
They emphasize the opportunity to educate investors about their business and market.
The overall message is to persevere and not give up despite the difficulties.
The speakers emphasized the importance of not giving up and staying confident in oneself.
They advised founders to listen to feedback but also trust their own knowledge and expertise in their business.
The panel encouraged founders to believe in their own vision and not be swayed by others' opinions.

Have questions about the video? Create a FREE account to ask Wiz AI

7 days free trial