This blog's tip: the 6 steps on how to gain belief in your vision.

Fundraising is crucial for a company's success, but it can be challenging. Traditionally, founders use methods like perfecting their pitch, attending networking events, and presenting business plans. However, they often overlook the importance of cultivating belief in their vision and capabilities.

There’s always a chicken-egg problem here; you need the fundraise to believe you will be successful, but without that belief you will never fundraise!

From my decade of sitting on every side of the table, belief is the most important aspect of whether you will fundraise or not. Without it, even the best pitches can fail. Investors want to see a founder who is fully committed to success - we rejected founders purely because we didn't think they were confident enough.

So, believing in your vision and yourself is crucial for successful fundraising.

Here are 6 steps to help cultivate that belief:

Step 1: Reflect on your deeper reasons

A common question my colleagues and I asked each other when we met a founder was, “do you think they are in this for the right reasons?”. If we didn’t think you were in it for the right reasons we would reject you instantly - it just wasn’t worth it.

Look, building a start-up is extremely hard. There’s going to be many many hard days where you think everything is going to fail and all you want to quit. Investors acutely know this and are extremely worried investing into founders who don’t have the right motivation to succeed. In order for you to have the right belief in your vision, you have to know the purpose and passion that drives you; knowing the "why" behind your vision will strengthen your belief in it. It’s the first thing you have to do, and the first thing I do with the founders I work with.

Step 2: Envision the future

The next step is to create a clear vision of the future world you want to create with your business. Visualize the impact you want to make and the positive changes you aim to bring. This vivid image will strengthen your belief in the possibilities and make it feel less like luck or something impossible. Think about the 3 parts to an investable vision, and why you can make that a reality.

As a martial artist, visualization and "shadow boxing" are key elements of my practice. Although people outside of martial arts may not understand why we do this, visualizing allows me to understand what it's like to fight against an opponent and gives me the motivation and clarity to believe that I have the skills necessary to overcome my adversary. The same principle applies here - visualize what that future looks like and believe that you will succeed in achieving it.

Step 3: Determine the necessary steps

The problem with envisioning the future alone is that sometimes it can feel like that future vision is too far away. This can lead to founders not believing it's possible to bring that vision to reality. That's why the next step is to break down your vision into actionable steps.

Identify the milestones and goals you need to achieve to make your vision a reality. What do you have to do in the next year? What about the next 2-3 years? Assess what you are already doing and what you need to work on. Having a roadmap will boost your confidence in the feasibility of your vision.

Step 4: Assess your strengths and weaknesses

Next, you have to take an honest look at your skills and abilities. Identify the areas where you excel and the areas where you need improvement. By acknowledging both your strengths and weaknesses, you can focus on enhancing your capabilities which breeds your belief that you will succeed.

When you do this, you’ll realise that you are actually more skilled than you think you are. Maybe you have had previous success, or domain expertise, or extreme amounts of drive. Whatever it is, let yourself feel good about your strengths and why you are great.

The best founders know they are special - you have to be special to get investment. Investors have to believe you are the best 1-3 founder they have met this year. This comes from your strengths.

So ask yourself stuff, such as:

• Why are you special?
• What makes you truly great?
• Why are your competitors not as good as you?
• Why would all of the above mean you are going to be successful?

The its about showing investors why you are special.

Step 5: Work on your weaknesses

You have identified your strengths, that's a good starting point. However, if you genuinely want to believe in your success, it's important to recognize your weaknesses and take steps to improve in those areas. Look for opportunities to grow, such as learning, training, hiring someone else, or seeking guidance from mentors. Developing competence in all aspects of your vision will strengthen your belief in your abilities. By addressing your weaknesses, you are filling the gaps that undermine your confidence.

I can’t count how many times founders came to me who weren’t the finished product. In fact, I would say zero founders I met were. But the best, and the ones who truly believed in themselves, knew exactly what their weaknesses are. They spent time improving themselves and had the awareness that constant growth will mean they will be successful. These were the types of founders we invested into.

Step 6: Cultivate a positive mindset

Your mindset plays a crucial role in your belief system, especially when it comes to fundraising. The best fundraising founders I have worked with had a rock-solid mindset. They always focused on growth, seeing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. Surround yourself with positivity and supportive individuals who believe in you - it’s the best way to make sure you are cultivating that positive mindset. Having this support network will make you believe it even more.

Remember, belief in your vision and yourself is not static. It requires continuous nurturing and reinforcement - sometimes you may have imposter syndrome, or something else. It's okay. Stay committed, persevere through challenges, and celebrate your achievements along the way. With unwavering belief, you can turn your vision into reality.