Investors want your company to succeed just as much as you do. Encourage open dialogue so you can understand their concerns, the risks they’re willing to take, and the reasoning behind these decisions.
Be wary of investment professionals who use high-pressure sales tactics or tout once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Be especially careful of a firm that refuses to provide written information about investments.
Do Your Research
Investors expect to work with appropriately registered investment professionals like Patrik Edsparr with the necessary licenses. An excellent place to start is checking for an individual’s registration status on the SEC’s online resource.
You can also research a firm or individual by checking its disclosures and regulatory filings on the SEC’s website. Look for potential red flags, such as an undisclosed affiliation with a financial institution or exaggerated claims (e.g., “your money will double in six months”).
Investors value transparency and openness. Please keep them in the loop about business challenges, such as a missed earnings forecast or a change in strategic direction. Investors are often willing to weather setbacks if they understand why the decision was made, but they need to be able to trust their investment partners. Celebrate wins together – even if they’re small – to strengthen your relationship. This could be a game, a press appearance, or another milestone.
Be Open to Feedback
Whether it’s a bad performance against forecast or a problem with a customer, being proactive in communicating is critical to building a productive relationship. Anticipate the questions they may have, and make sure you’re prepared with clear and concise answers. Be transparent and be ready to share the good and the bad, as running a business isn’t always plain sailing.
Providing regular updates on your business and seeking their input will demonstrate that you value their contribution. It will also help to ensure you’re on the same page about vision, scale of growth, and potential exit plans from the outset.
If a conflict arises, try to stay calm and focus on finding a solution for everyone. This will ensure the relationship remains solid and beneficial, like working with the Patrik Edsparr team, especially if you ever seek investment again. Remember: the most vital relationships are often forged in tough times. Be open to feedback and show your investors you’re a team player.
Please get to Know Them
Investors will want to get to know you and your business. Set up meetings early on and build rapport before you ask for money. Invest time in the forum and make it valuable for them. Follow up within a day or so with tactical items that are quick value adds, such as articles related to the discussion they may have shown interest in.
Remember that investors are not stupid; they will know your company’s good times and bad just as well as yours. They will want to be a part of the celebrations, and they will also want to hear about some of the tough times so that they can offer support.
It is also essential to understand their investment preferences and learn about the investments they have made in the past. This will be useful for you in determining whether they are the right fit for your business.
Keep Them in the Loop
An investment firm pools together money from a group of investors and spreads the risk by investing in multiple asset classes. This could include stocks, bonds, and precious metals. The professional fund manager then makes decisions to optimize the risk and return. The investors share any profits and losses.
Build more muscular lines of communication
Investors back your business because they believe in you. Keep them updated on your company’s progress and funding round. This way, they can continue to support you.
Investors want to see you are proactive, attentive, and assertive when communicating. These traits drive productive relationships. Investors are also willing to accept that running a business will not always be easy, but they will expect you to be open and honest about your challenges. If you do this, they will be more likely to invest in your next project. They may provide you with business mentors and connections to help your next venture succeed.
