How do fundraisers build trust with investors?
Short answer: For Michael, repeated questions about how his team knew oil was present led to evergreen underwriting videos. Gideon said investors judge a sponsor when business plans fall off track, making clear updates part of the relationship.
At a capital-raising panel on Richard C. Wilson's YouTube channel, founders, fund managers and family office speakers discuss ways to reach and communicate with investors.
In-person talks and conservative estimates
A capital-raising speaker said in-person events work best for talking with investors. He said his team used conservative estimates, and its largest investor added $2 million after starting small and seeing the team exceed what it had promised.
Recorded webinars explained underwriting
Michael, an oil and gas sponsor, said investors often asked how his team knew oil was present. The team recorded evergreen webinars walking viewers through each deal's underwriting, so new contacts could watch when they wanted.
A partner described his investor approach
A panelist said he personally handled each investor communication and reported that about 80% of investors returned to reinvest. He described pairing an investment with fine art selected by the investor, saying it could make the risk-reward ratio more favorable.
Gideon on updates when plans shift
Gideon said his team overcommunicates across its platforms. When a business plan is off track, he said sponsors should explain the strategy and pivot to investors.
"And when things aren't going as planned, communicate as much as you can."
From Richard's exclusive Billionaires.com interviews
Lessons from Richard C. Wilson's one-on-one interviews, as published on each interview page.
- Michael Lee-Chin: Learn from the best role model. Find the best role model in the world and ask how they did it. Then follow their recipe exactly without changing it.
- Serg Bell: Success comes from many decisions. He does not see business as one winning bet. He sees it as a long game, like poker or bridge, built on many smart choices over time.
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Frequently asked questions
How do fundraisers build trust with investors?
For Michael, repeated questions about how his team knew oil was present led to evergreen underwriting videos. Gideon said investors judge a sponsor when business plans fall off track, making clear updates part of the relationship.
How did a medical-device company attract investor interest?
A speaker from the medical-device company said major media had covered the company more than 400 times, and that coverage brought investor traffic from beyond conferences and fundraising databases.
How did Gideon use ChatGPT for fundraising?
Gideon said he gave ChatGPT the message he wanted to convey, then used its output to get started on marketing materials and organize content.
Sources
Quotes are copied from the video captions and checked against the transcript. Timestamps link to the moment in the video. General information only, not legal, tax or investment advice.