Episode 81 How Founders Master the Art of Investor Relationships

You’re ready to raise capital.

As a founder, the timing feels right. You’ve built momentum, gained sales traction, and investors are showing genuine interest in your technology.

The investor conversations are encouraging — they’re asking the right questions and showing serious intent. You're starting to explore what a deal might look like: how much they’ll invest, and how much of your company they’ll own in return.

Sounds promising. But how do you know what’s fair? What’s the industry benchmark for equity ownership at this early stage?

The truth is, there’s no handbook for negotiating with investors in a way that both protects your startup and sets you up for growth.

Many early-stage founders begin building relationships with strategic advisors — individuals who offer guidance without writing a cheque right away. Over time, trust builds, and these early supporters may become champions, who invest and open doors to partners, clients, and future investors.

But landing that first lead investor is rarely easy. It’s a daunting process.

What does a strong investor relationship actually look like? What red flags should you watch for? And how do you know you’ve negotiated terms that are right for your company?

Bringing on an investor is the beginning of a long-term relationship — like a business marriage. It takes consistent communication, transparency, and a willingness to have difficult conversations.

The relationship you build will shape how you achieve those results — and how much influence investors will have in that journey.

We are excited to welcome Ben Su, Co-founder of Capita.io — the first AI-powered lawyer.

Ben joined us previously to discuss automation and the future of legal services. As a lawyer and founder who’s raised capital himself, he brings a unique perspective in navigating investor dynamics.

Ben understands how critical it is for founders to recognize the signals — and decode the motivations — behind investor behaviour.

In this episode, we’ll explore the investor mindset:

• What are they really looking for?

• What does success look like to them?

• How do you negotiate value and choose the right investment vehicle at each stage?

• What’s in a term sheet — and what should you be watching for in legal agreements?

• Most importantly, what does a healthy founder-investor relationship look like?