#25 - A Founder’s Perspective on Fundraising and The Art of the Ask with Kristian Marquez of FinStrat
Kristian Marquez is the founder and CEO of FinStrat Management. In our chat, Kristian shares lessons learned on his journey from starting a telemedicine startup, experiencing startup failure and an IPO, to founding FinStrat. He discusses the importance of validating your idea with customers through market feedback before building a product. He dives more into FinStrat’s unique approach, and also offers practical guidance into fundraising challenges, highlighting the need for accurate financials and metrics and financial transparency for a truly healthy investor and founder relationship.
Key Takeaways
[2:48] Kristian’s background.
[4:22] Co-founding a telemedicine startup and raising $2.5 million.
[5:58] Starting FinStrat.
[9:55] The importance of understanding investors' perspectives.
[10:14] The importance of transparency between founders and investors.
[13:02] Technology improves accounting processes but expertise is still fundamentally required.
[14:10] Healthy founder-investor relationships are built on trust and transparency.
[18:50] Raising capital for FinStrat.
[20:10] Pros and cons of debt financing.
[22:30] Fundraising from a position of strength.
[26:55] Remembering “the ask” in a meeting.
[32:16] What investors and founders shouldn’t do.
[36:47] Lessons learned from his telemedicine startup.
[38:08] The market must demonstrate demand.
[41:15] What has surprised Kristian along his journey.
[43:24] Kristian’s positive experience with Novel.
Resources:
RBF Network
Keith’s Twitter
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