376. Pitching your business, raising capital and winning investor trust, with James Schofield, Founder of Insight Investor Relations

"The best founders are constantly pitching – for customers, recruits, suppliers and capital."

In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to James Schofield, Founder of Insight Investor Relations, on Pitching your business, raising capital and winning investor trust.

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INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders

James speaks the language of investors - over a 25-year career in capital markets, he's advised from both sides of the table: first as a top-rated equity analyst with Merrill Lynch, UBS, and Deutsche Bank, and now as the founder of Insight Investor Relations.

Since launching IIR in 2018, James has worked with NZX-listed CEOs and CFOs across companies valued between $300 million and $3 billion.

His team is trusted to design and execute investor relations strategies at pivotal points in a company's growth story, with their clients' aggregate market value more than doubling to $10.8 billion over the past 12 months.

James and his team have also helped founders raise between $2-$15 million in growth capital through leveraging investor-side language and insights.

In this Masterclass, we talk about:

✅ The right time to pitch and raise capital, and when not to.

✅ How to position your business to attract investors through clarity, credibility and consistent messaging.

✅ Why founders should treat investors like customers by understanding their needs and motivations, and

✅ The five Ps of pitching for investor success: purpose, product, proof, playbook, and promise.

Stay epic,

Greg

You can connect with James via LinkedIn.

Books and resources

• Essentialism - by Greg McEwen

• Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and CEO of FoodByUs, on Being data-driven, starting and exiting a business, and successfully securing funding

• Ant Moorhouse, Co-Founder and CEO of EarthTech, on Purpose-driven leadership, and changing the planet by harnessing technology and capitalism

• Jack Delosa, Founder and Chairman of The Entourage, on Frameworks for success, building customer connection, and raising capital from an investor's viewpoint

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