Investor Update Best Practices
Written by Harry Prabandham
Curated by Rubric Financial
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What to Include
- KPI dashboard: MRR, growth rate, runway, customer count, churn, the 5-6 metrics that define your business health
- Wins: major customer signed, product milestone shipped, key hire made. Investors want to celebrate progress
- Challenges: be honest about what's not working, since transparency builds trust and opens the door for help
- Asks: specific requests for introductions, hiring referrals, or strategic advice that give investors a way to add value
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About the author
Harry PrabandhamFounder & CEO
Founder and CEO of StartupCFO. MBA from Wharton, MS in Computer Science, and decades of experience building and advising venture-backed startups.
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