Build for Customers, Not for Investors
The Temptation
Founders are tempted every day to shape their business to attract investors. It works in the short term but destroys your long-term viability.
Why? Because what convinces investors you’re great today is rarely the same as what builds a fundamentally strong business.
The Hard Truth
You can’t stay “investment ready” forever. Sooner or later, you’ll fall out of investor favor. Here’s why:
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Shifting Sectors: Investors’ enthusiasm for your sector will wane with market successes or failures.
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Changing KPIs: Trends in capital markets will swing focus from growth to profitability—or vice versa.
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Evolving Proof Points: An IPO or market crash can redefine expectations for your industry overnight.
No matter what you do, investor sentiment will shift. It’s not a question of if, but when.
The Survival Formula
When investor support dries up, only the strength of your core business will keep you alive. That means relentless focus on:
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Your customer value proposition.
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Your margins.
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Your cost structure.
Yes, you need to solve for investors when raising funds. But once you’re done, get back to the only thing that matters: building a business that survives and thrives on its own.
Startups don’t die from lack of investor interest. They die because their core is weak. Don’t build to impress. Build to endure.