One of the defining moments for any entrepreneur or founding team is when someone entrusts you with their hard-earned capital. When that happens, they’re not just investing in an idea — they’re investing in you, expecting that your output, your energy, and your growth will exceed theirs. If someone worked 8 hours for that money, they believe you’ll put in 12, because they see something in you that gives them confidence their investment will multiply under your stewardship.
In economies where capital is scarce — like Nigeria, like many parts of Africa — when someone gives you money, they are saying: I believe you will outperform me. It is a weighty charge. It is a commitment. So, the question becomes: are you worthy of that trust? Are you preparing yourself even before you need to raise funds?
The Pre-Raise Preparation
Often, the best time to prepare for fundraising is not when you need money — it’s earlier. Like auditioning for a great role before the casting call, building a track record before you send out pitch decks. Because early-stage investors invest in people, not just ideas. They review dozens, even hundreds, of plans and visions — what stands out isn’t always the novelty of the idea, but who is behind the idea.
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You are the company. The idea is secondary. If you are not sharp, your credibility will lapse. If you don’t embody integrity, consistency, and competence, no amount of market sizing or clever positioning will compensate.
ITT Capital: Integrity, Trust, Tenacity
I call this its ITT Capital — Integrity, Trust, Tenacity. This triad isn’t built overnight. It’s formed in small everyday moments—in dorm rooms, on public transport, in early business meetings. Can people count on your word? Can colleagues say you deliver? Can even your closest community stake something in you — be it time, money or belief — because they see you stand by your word?
If yes, you are accumulating ITT Capital. If not, you still have work to do.
The Investor’s Lens: Who’s First?
In the dance between founder and investor, there is a test: when the moment of truth arrives, who comes first — you or the one who showed up for you? If someone believed in you enough to give you capital, to stake their faith, they deserve to be honored. Their trust should precede your ego. Because an investor doesn’t just back a product; investors buy into you. If they respect you, if they trust you, if they believe you will carry your mission and their expectations with courage — then they will commit. If they don’t, no pitch will redeem that gap.
Building You as the Product
At the end of every narrative, every pitch, every business plan, remember:
- It is not the idea that people fall in love with — it’s you.
- It is not your slides or your projections — it’s your character, your commitment, your capacity.
Build yourself first. Earn respect. Demonstrate value. Show up with consistency. Because when you do, the future is not merely something you wait for — it’s something you win.
If you lead with this mindset — treating yourself as the foremost asset — then raising capital, maintaining investor relationships, scaling your company will follow more naturally. Win you first; the future will follow.
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