Engaging Investor Narratives

Here is my step-by-step guide to LinkedIn content that has led our clients to raise over $100M in the last 12 months. Step 1: Treat Your Timeline Like a Deck Your LinkedIn feed becomes your investor pitch but in public. Forget the one-time deck reveal. Every post you publish should act as a standalone “slide” in your ongoing story. Think: 12–16 posts over 90 days, each building trust, clarity, and momentum. Step 2: Use the 5 Core Content Pillars Rotate through these to cover your full narrative: 1. The Problem ◉ Explain the problem in plain English. ◉ Show market pain, inefficiencies, or broken systems. ◉ Use a stat, anecdote, or customer quote to make it real. ◉ Bonus: Use storytelling — “We saw X every week. So we built Y.” 2. Your Solution ◉ Introduce your product or service as the answer. ◉ Showcase the product in action (screenshots or demo clips). ◉ Explain your edge: what’s new, better, or 10x different? ◉ Don’t pitch. Educate. 3. Market Momentum ◉ Share what’s changing in the industry. ◉ Back it with data, trend signals, or why “now” is the time. ◉ Mention TAM, growth rate, or where whitespace exists. ◉ This is where you show scale potential. 4. Team Credibility ◉ Share your founder story. ◉ Introduce key hires with a story about why they joined. ◉ Show your team dynamic, values, and culture in action. ◉ Investors want to see who's behind the execution engine. 5. Traction + Vision ◉ Post about metrics, milestones, customer growth, testimonials. ◉ But also: vision. Where’s this all going in 3–5 years? ◉ Show you’re thinking big, not just surviving. Step 3: Use Video to Build Trust Faster ◉ Record 60–90 second clips where you speak directly to camera. ◉ Mix in demo walkthroughs, team moments, or async updates. ◉ Don’t over-polish. Real > Perfect. ◉ Founders who look and sound investable are halfway there before the first call. Step 4: Feature the Team ◉ Investors often ask, “Why this team, why now?” ◉ Highlight chemistry. ◉ Post short profiles or quotes from team members. ◉ Show shared obsession with the mission. Step 5: Build Hype Without Pitching ◉ Talk about fundraising indirectly. ◉ Share when you hit milestones (“waitlist hit 1K,” “closed 3rd enterprise client”) ◉ Hint at traction, not desperation. ◉ FOMO is your friend — make them want in before the round is announced. Talk about fundraising indirectly. ◉ Share when you hit milestones (“waitlist hit 1K,” “closed 3rd enterprise client”) ◉ Hint at traction, not desperation. ◉ FOMO is your friend — make them want in before the round is announced. Content isn’t a “nice-to-have” during a raise. It’s your unfair advantage. ______________________________ I am James Farnfield, I am building Shake Content, a LinkedIn content agency that creates posts, videos, webinars and podcasts. All wrapped in a beautiful marketing strategy perfect for time-poor, resource strained B2B high-growth leaders and their teams.

"This looks great, send over your deck." is investor speak for "I'm not interested or excited about your company or you but I'm not going to tell you that and this is easier so I can ghost you or reject you later." If someone is excited about your company they're talking about getting you funded and next steps on that call. How do I know this? ✅ Because I've been in sales my whole life. ✅ I had 93 investor meetings after our YC demo day. ✅ Of those 93 meetings, 90/93 asked to fund and next steps in the same meeting. And the most important part that folks don't talk about enough is: ✨ you should be picky about who you let in ✨ Raising capital is akin to finding a spouse. And it's even more important than picking a cofounder in a way. You're bound to each other for the long haul so you better have shared values, mutual respect, and admiration. Here is what helped me raise $21 million and allowed me to work with the best investors in the game! - Tell a Story, Not a Presentation: Swap dense bullet points for a narrative that captures the heart and soul of your business. Weave together data, anecdotes, and personal experiences to create an emotional connection with investors. Make them not just understand but feel the problem you're solving and the impact you'll make. - Focus on the WHY, Not the WHAT: Investors aren't just funding ideas; they're backing passionate founders. Clearly articulate your purpose, your driving force. What unique perspective do you bring to the table? How does your venture solve a problem beyond a market need? Let your passion shine through and inspire belief that you have the passion to solve it. - Build Relationships, Not Transactions: Remember, investors are humans too. Ditch the robotic pitch and engage in genuine conversation. Listen actively and understand their interests and concerns. Ask yourself if you can gain value from their expertise and guidance. Because you better want more than just their capital. Money goes fast, but the wisdom you will glean is a gift for life. - Embrace Creative Formats: Think beyond PowerPoint. Consider captivating video pitches that showcase your team, your product, or the positive impact you're making. Infographics, interactive prototypes, or even live demos can bring your story to life in a memorable way. - Authenticity is Key: Don't try to be someone you're not. Investors are the best in the business about sniffing out BS and can sniff out artificiality from a mile away. Be yourself, flaws and all. Share your story authentically, your struggles and triumphs. Vulnerability can be your greatest strength, fostering trust and a genuine connection. Good luck! And remember, you never fail if you don't give up. ✨

I once watched a CFO lose millions in three minutes (and no, the numbers weren't wrong, he just didn't know how to tell the story behind them). The investors kept asking "so what" after each slide, and the CFO kept responding with more numbers. By minute four, the lead investor was checking her phone. This happens more often than you think, and, over the years, I've realized that the single thing that separates strategic CFOs from glorified accountants is storytelling. Here's how to master this skill (bookmark this for your next board meeting): 1. Map the stakeholder landscape and narrative arc Before touching a single spreadsheet, identify who needs to hear your story and what keeps them up at night. Your CEO wants strategic implications, while board members focus on governance and risk. Your narrative map should include: → The company's past journey and pivots  → Your current position and priorities  → Where you're heading (hint: product roadmap and vision) 2. Weave your narrative arc into department-specific models Product doesn't care about EBITDA margins and Sales doesn't think in terms of cash flow. The best finance leaders create department-specific narratives that turn financial data into metrics that each team understands (and cares about) 3. Adjust technical depth based on financial fluency Some stakeholders want simplified explanations while others require in-depth information. Make sure you can present the same financial story at different complexity levels without watering down the core message. • Executives and board members: Often want high-level strategic implications with key metrics supporting the narrative • Department heads: Need medium depth with specific focus on how the financials impact their area of responsibility • Technical stakeholders: May require detailed breakdowns of the underlying data and methodologies • Cross-functional teams: Benefit from seeing connections between their work and financial outcomes 4. Show how customer stories fit within the narrative arc This is where so many finance teams fail. Without context, the numbers are meaningless, so you need to show Product how feature adoption impacts expansion revenue or help Sales understand LTV by customer segment. That's where you go from a number-cruncher to a strategic partner. Here are some ideas to make this happen: → Show what happens to a lost customer: Break down the financials of a high-CAC customer who churned early  → Demonstrate value chain connections: Map how implementation time affects upsell probability  → Build interactive models: Let teams explore financial impacts using customers they recognize Your numbers should tell a story, so make it one worth listening to. P.S. I share detailed breakdowns like this every week in my newsletter. I'll share the link to sign up in the comments.

Storytelling isn't just for bedtime. It's the secret sauce in your fundraising deck. I've seen countless decks from founders trying to raise capital. The ones that stand out? They tell a compelling story. Here's why storytelling matters in your pitch: 1. Emotional connection: Investors are human. A good story taps into emotions, making them care about your vision. 2. Memorability: In a sea of pitches, a narrative helps you stand out. Investors remember stories, not just numbers. 3. Context: Stories provide context for your data and metrics. They show the 'why' behind your 'what'. 4. Simplicity: Complex ideas become digestible through storytelling. It's easier to grasp a narrative than a barrage of facts. 5. Engagement: Stories keep investors hooked. They're less likely to zone out or check their phones. 6. Trust building: Sharing your journey builds trust. It shows authenticity and passion. 7. Visualization: Stories paint a picture of the future you're building. Investors can see themselves in that story. But here's the kicker: your story needs to be true and relevant. Don't fabricate struggles or exaggerate traction. Structure your deck like a story: - Beginning: The problem you're solving - Middle: Your solution and traction - End: The future you're building and how their investment makes it possible Remember, investors fund narratives as much as numbers. Craft yours wisely. What's your company's unique story? How are you weaving it into your pitch?

🎙️ The Power of Storytelling: Turning Investors Into Believers “People remember stories, not spreadsheets.” In startups, a compelling story is your most powerful tool. Investors aren’t just looking for returns—they want to believe in something bigger. A great story turns your pitch into a mission they can rally behind. Here’s how to craft a narrative that inspires action: 1️⃣ Stories Resonate More Than Data Metrics matter, but they come alive when tied to a story. A strong narrative helps investors connect emotionally with your vision. 2️⃣ Frame the Problem and Solution Start with the problem—make it relatable and urgent. Follow with your solution as the clear, logical answer. 3️⃣ Embrace the Hero’s Journey; Every great startup story includes: - The Problem: A clear market pain point. - The Visionary: Why you’re uniquely qualified. - The Journey: Milestones and growth so far. - The Destination: The impact you’re aiming for. 4️⃣ Make It Personal Investors fund people, not just ideas. Share personal stories that connect you to the problem and show your passion. 5️⃣ Answer ‘Why You’ and ‘Why Now’ - Why You: What makes your team the perfect fit? -Why Now: What trends or shifts make this the moment to act? 6️⃣ Balance Emotion with Logic Emotion drives action; data builds trust. Use both to inspire and validate. 7️⃣ Show the Vision Paint a future where your solution transforms industries or lives, creating real impact.💡 A Framework for Your Startup Story: - The Hook: Grab attention with something emotional or surprising. - The Problem: Make the issue relatable. - The Solution: Show why your product is unique. - The Evidence: Prove it with traction or validation. - The Vision: Share your big-picture goals. - The Ask: End with a confident investment request. 📢 The Takeaway A great story isn’t just a pitch—it’s the foundation of your journey. It should make investors want to join you, not just for returns, but because they believe in your mission. ➡️ What’s your go-to tip for storytelling in pitches? Let’s exchange ideas and elevate the art of fundraising! #Fundraising #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Startups

Most founders pitch the past. But great investors fund the future. Early in my journey, I thought traction meant spreadsheets, metrics, and market fit. Now I know: smart capital isn’t chasing your milestones. It’s pricing in your momentum curve. Top-tier VCs aren’t buying what is. They’re underwriting what could be. And they’re scanning for 5 hidden signals that reveal whether you're a discount to the future—or a premium to the past. The signals? → Founder-as-signal: Are you compounding clarity or defending ego? → Narrative velocity: Is your story getting tighter, clearer, and more asymmetric over time? → Asymmetry edge: Is your insight non-obvious and structurally defensible? → Capital efficiency: Are your wins leveraged—or linear? → Ecosystem pull: Are others betting on your inevitability before you ask? This is the difference between looking fundable… and being undeniable. 📌 If you're a scale-stage fintech or service founder building at the edge of a market shift, this matters more than any pitch deck. Your story isn’t just what you say. It's what your visibility, product, and velocity signal—without words. Follow me Ben Botes for strategy, narrative clarity, and investor alignment that positions you as a discount to the future. No fluff. No hype. Just institutional signal.

Funding isn’t about luck ! It’s about strategy, preparation, and storytelling." As a Managing Director by day, entrepreneur by passion, and a working mom 24/7, I’ve walked the tightrope of building businesses while securing funding. Running a bakery alongside my corporate role taught me this: You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, But you must present your business like no one else can. If you’re chasing funding for your startup, here’s the truth: it’s a crowded field. Investors aren’t just putting their money into ideas; They’re investing in you. Here’s how you can rise above the noise and secure the capital you need. 1. Master Your Narrative Investors are human—they connect to stories. Your pitch isn’t just data and slides; it’s the story of why your business matters. - What’s your “aha!” moment? - How does your solution change the game? - Why YOU are uniquely qualified to execute this vision? Make your story clear, compelling, and personal. The best pitches don’t just share numbers—they share purpose. 2. Know Your Numbers Confidence is crucial, but nothing beats knowing your metrics. - What’s your total addressable market (TAM)? - What are your profit margins today—and tomorrow? - How will your funding multiply ROI? Investors respect founders who know the numbers better than they do. 3. Show Traction, Even if It’s Small No traction yet? That’s okay—show potential. - Early user feedback? Share it. - Partnerships in the pipeline? Highlight them. - A small, loyal customer base? Prove it’s growing. Progress speaks louder than promises. Funding isn’t just about the dollars—it’s about building belief. When you believe in your vision fiercely enough to inspire others, the money will follow. If you’re a founder balancing spreadsheets while dreaming big, Remember: the biggest ideas start small. But with the right pitch and persistence, they can become unstoppable.

How I helped a startup get unstuck and raise millions. The 4 simple steps that made it happen ↓ “Hi, we are an AI company that does X for Y”. Does it sound familiar? It's the generic pitch that makes startups get lost in the noise. If that’s you, maybe it’s time to rethink your story. That was the case for one of my clients. That kind of pitch no longer grabbed VCs' attention. Why? Because they were being bombarded by ‘AI companies’. What did we change? We shifted the focus from the technology to the transformation. Here’s what we did, in 4 simple steps: - - 1) Accept that you are at a dead-end Embrace change to make change happen. This is by far the hardest part. Once we acknowledged the need for a new approach… ↓ 2) Find an angle to your differentiation Carve out a new niche to bring novelty to the category. Show how you solve the problem in a fresh, unexpected way. Make it impossible for others to pitch the same story. How? ↓ 3) Reframe the narrative Shift the focus from the tech to your unique approach. Make it clear why this perspective changes the game. Frame it in a way that clicks instantly with your audience. Even great ideas get ignored if they don’t resonate with investors. ↓ 4) Anchor the story in impact Show why this problem is urgent and worth solving now. Make it clear how your approach unlocks real business value. Glorify the outcome: the more tangible, the better. Investors back results, not technology. - - It ended up sounding something like this: “Hi, we are a [new micro-category] company, we help X do Y in less than 50% of what it takes now, saving millions of $ and years of Z... and by the way, we do it with a bit of AI”. It was a story that cut through the clutter and generated curiosity. Investors began to take them seriously. And eventually, they raised multi-millions. Now... did you notice that I said simple, but I didn’t say easy? It was weeks of deep research, debate, and iteration, to finally land on the right approach. Oh! My favorite part? We killed the "We are revolutionizing”. 😂 - - - If you found this post helpful: ❤️ → Give it a like  💬 → Share your thoughts in the comments ♻️ → Repost it to help others 🔔 → Follow me for more insights on brands and strategy 📩 → DM me and let’s turn you into a branding champion

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺... 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. The biggest lessons for founders are learned through either success or failure. And often, both start the same way: with a pitch. Now imagine, two founders, two pitches, same room.  One tells a simple story about air mattresses on a living room floor during a San Francisco conference. The other speaks about “elevating the world’s consciousness” through office spaces. One was 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗯𝗻𝗯. The other was 𝗪𝗲𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸. One raised $11.3 billion, the other raised $47 billion. One is now an $80 billion company, the other is worth around $40 million… It wasn’t the design of the deck that got them these funds. It wasn’t the amount of slides, or the logo, or the TAM. It was the charisma of the founder and their story. The hard truth is that VCs are now spending less time going over pitch decks than ever before. 𝗜𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗩𝗖 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟱𝟲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗸. That's a 20% drop from the year before. 📉 Unsuccessful decks were scanned in 𝟭:𝟰𝟬. 📉 Even successful ones barely held attention for 𝟮:𝟭𝟮. So what does that mean? Your pitch isn’t getting read. It’s getting skimmed. Ultimately, the deck is a door-opener. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. Investors aren’t investing in your slides. They’re investing in your ability to explain what you’re doing, why it matters, and why you’re the one to do it. Some of the best founders I’ve worked with treat the deck as 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿. The main act is the story they tell. Here’s what that looks like: • A clear problem that actually hurts. • A believable, human solution. • A founder who feels like the right person to solve it. • A market that sounds real and reachable. No buzzwords. No fluff. Just conviction, flow, and clarity. So, here’s what you need to do before you open PowerPoint again: 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀. • Can you get someone excited? • Can they remember your pitch an hour later? • Would they tell someone else about it? If the answer is yes, you’re onto something. If not, 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. #startups #investing #storytelling