As a firm offering due diligence-as-a-service (DaaS), we specialize in early-stage due diligence. We help startups by providing them the data they need to pitch investors. We help investors by supplying reports that help them understand the opportunities in front of them. We help both by guiding them through the process of fundraising – rather than focusing on a single event.
It has been our experience that client mindset plays a significant role in success. In simple terms, the right mindset understands that fundraising is not a single event. It is a process. Furthermore, it is a process that requires preparation on both ends of the transaction.
Entrepreneurs need to be prepared with the right data before pitching investors. They need to have answers to the questions they know are coming. Likewise, investors need to be prepared with foundational data before they meet with entrepreneurs. They need at least a basic understanding of what they are looking at so that they know what to ask.
Preparation Takes Time
By definition, a process is something that occurs in multiple steps. As such, processes take time. If you are an entrepreneur looking at fundraising as a single event, you’re missing it. Maybe the 30 minutes you have to pitch your opportunity to investors could be considered a single event. But it is the last event in the initial fundraising process.
Preparing for that event takes time. You need time to get your data together. You need time to compile that data and polish it. You need time to put together a startup valuation report that will grab investor attention and keep it.
This is one of the areas in which Mezy excels. Our startup valuation report offers the right data presented in the right way. Investors can thoroughly understand what they are looking at, giving them the opportunity to make a reasoned decision before moving ahead with more detailed due diligence.
How long does it take to prepare for an initial meeting? We cannot say in this type of setting. Every case is unique. What we can say is that Mezy takes the time to help every client thoroughly prepare. We will package your company the way investors expect to see it, with a format, design, and language capable of reaching them.
Don’t Be Frustrated by Deadlines
In our years as a due diligence provider, we have seen plenty of entrepreneurs who did not take the time to prepare. They established unrealistic deadlines and scheduled their investor meetings too early. They cobbled together a bit of data in a bare-bones presentation. Their self-imposed deadlines only frustrated them and their efforts.
We don’t want you to be frustrated by fundraising. We also do not want you to set unrealistic deadlines. Instead, let’s get the fundraising process in motion as early as possible. Let us take the necessary time to compile and package relevant data the right way.
From our perspective, due diligence is a lot like cooking a gourmet meal. It is worth taking the time to do it right. Master chefs do not pull food out of the freezer, throw it in the microwave, and present it as a five-star experience. They work in the kitchen for hours to create something they can be proud of.
Apply the same principle to fundraising. Take your time and do it right. And if you need help, get in touch with us. Here at Mezy, we bring entrepreneurs and investors together around comprehensive data and well-packaged reports. We specialize in the process rather than the event.