Most fundraising advice feels like it was written by consultants who've never actually raised money themselves or founders who treat fundraising like a full time job.
At Fyxer, we closed our Series B just six months after our Series A, bringing in $40m while spending less than 20 days out of the business. Here's what actually works, and why I think most "best practice" guides are wrong.
They Say: Fundraising Is a Marathon
We Say: Control The Race & Run It Like a Sprint
This year we’ve added $2M a day to Fyxer’s valuation, so taking the whole founding team out of the business for weeks isn’t just expensive, it’s pretty reckless.
That’s why we run fundraises like a sprint. The approach is simple, we set a hard deadline for when we’re signing a term sheet, give everyone the same information at the same time to keep everyone together during the race. It’s important that no one gets a head start.
This is a high stakes approach. If you don’t get offers by your deadline, you look foolish. But if you do, you close quickly and get straight back to building. The urgency forces investors to show you whether they’re serious, and you hold the leverage.
When we told VCs we were kicking off Monday and deciding by the following Wednesday, people moved meetings, even jumped on planes to make it happen. That tells you who actually wants in.
You have to be thoughtful about the sequencing. We stacked 20 first meetings into the first three days, before giving anyone access to the data room. Only after that initial round did we then release the numbers, and we released them to everyone at once. From there, second meetings happened on a level playing field. It kept things fair and gave us control of the process.
To move at this pace, preparation is key. We spent days locked in with our CFO and data team making sure everything lined up, so that when the race began we were ready to run.
They Say: VCs Only Care About Your Numbers
We Say: The Story Matters More
The common perception in fundraising is that great VCs will drill you on your numbers. The truth is almost the opposite.
Of course you need solid fundamentals: retention, revenue growth, unit economics. Those are table stakes. But at Series A and B, what really matters is ‘founder–market-fit’ and whether you can tell a compelling story about where you’re going.
When we raised our Series B, we met with some of the biggest names in venture. Associates would check that the numbers tell the story, but not the partners. Instead, they spent 90 minutes asking about our backgrounds, our motivations, and why we’re uniquely positioned to win in this market.
Too many AI founders are chasing the gold rush with shallow visions and no real connection to the problem they’re solving. Mature investors can see through that instantly. They want to know why you, why now, and why this market.
They Say: Build Relationships For Months
We Say: The Right Partner Can Make a Decision in 24hrs
A lot of advice says you should spend months warming up investors before you raise. We’ve never done that.
If the right partner believes in you and your business, they can make a decision in 24 hours. We’ve had it happen.
The real unlock isn’t how long they’ve known you, it’s how you get in the right room. Most VCs will try to funnel you to someone junior first. Don’t waste your time, you want to be sitting with the partner who can actually write the check.
That’s where introductions matter as coming through the right person changes the whole dynamic. A credible intro signals that you’re worth their time before you’ve even spoken. The best introductions come from people they already respect; whether that's founders they’ve already backed or other investors they trust.
They Say: Take The Biggest Check.
We Say: Pick the Partner You’d Build With for 10 Years
You’ll be working with this person every week for the next decade. If you don’t genuinely like them, it’s not worth it.
The biggest red flag for us was investors who treated meetings like poker games; sitting there stone faced, trying to keep the upper hand. We hated that. We want partners who are fun to work with, who show genuine excitement when they’re excited, and who push back when they think we’re not being ambitious enough.
The best meetings we had were with people who were completely authentic. They’d tell us what they loved, what they didn’t like, where they had concerns. No grey areas or games, just candid honesty. That’s the kind of relationship you want if you’re going to be building together for years.
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Fundraising doesn’t have to drag on for months or pull you out of the company. If you’re growing and you’ve nailed your story, the right investors will move at your speed. The hard part is holding your nerve and setting the rules of the game.
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