Mastering Execution, Fundraising & Growth
Alex Leigh ????
Defence & Space VC @ UKI2S - Future Planet Capital | Helping 100M Entrepreneurs @thetippytopblog
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Dear Reader,
This week is all about focus. Startups don’t fail because they lack ideas—they fail because they waste time on the wrong things. So, we’re diving deep into what actually moves the needle: execution, fundraising strategy, and growth. Let’s get to work!
?? Weekly Spotlight (Posts With Over 1M Views)
The 80/20 Rule of Startup Success
Most founders think they need to do everything, but 80% of success comes from just 20% of efforts. The key is knowing what to focus on and what to ignore.
? Talk to customers, not just investors.
? Solve a painful problem, not just build cool tech.
? Get to revenue ASAP, don’t wait for perfection.
Mistakes that waste time:
1. Overengineering the product.
2. Writing a long, detailed business plan before testing demand.
3. Pitching VCs too early instead of proving traction.
Execution beats ideas. Speed beats perfection.
?? Watch the breakdown here
80% of Startups Fail to Raise Money. Here’s Why.
Fundraising isn’t just about having a great idea. Founders often fail because they:
?? Pitch too early, before proving demand.
?? Approach the wrong investors who don’t invest in their stage or sector.
?? Have no clear business model—just saying "we’ll monetize later" doesn’t work.
Investors look for:
A. A validated market opportunity.
B. A strong, execution-focused team.
C. A clear revenue model or massive user growth.
?? See the common mistakes in this video
?? VC Perspective: Cap Tables & Fundraising Structuring
Cap Tables: The Silent Startup Killer
Most founders don’t realise their cap table can make or break their startup. I’ve worked on over 1,000 cap tables, and I’ve seen startups lose deals because of:
? A messy list of early investors and bad SAFE terms.
? Selling too much equity too early.
? Not structuring for future funding rounds.
I built a Cap Table & Investment Structuring Course to fix this. It covers everything founders need to know—without the complexity.
?? This month, I’m giving away 1,000 free licenses to email newsletter subscribers only.
?? Check out the launch video
?? Entrepreneur Corner
Raise When You’re Growing, Not When You’re Desperate
The worst time to fundraise? When you’re running out of cash. Investors can sense desperation—and that means bad terms or no deal at all.
The right time to raise?
?? When you have momentum.
?? When you don’t need the money.
?? When investors see you as a growth opportunity, not a risk.
?? Desperation = Bad terms & tough choices. ? Momentum = Leverage & better deals.
?? Watch my take on this here
?? Common Ground / Industry Trends
Beat the Algorithm: When Should You Post?
Some people think there’s a secret to the best posting time. A number of my posts hit 1M+ views in 12 hours last week, and here’s what I learned:
?? Timing doesn’t matter. Engagement does.
?? The algorithm is global—so “Tuesday at 10 AM” is meaningless.
?? Focus on creating high-value content consistently.
?? Full insights in this video
?? Ask Alex
“How long should my social media videos be?”
30-40 seconds ideally. People are busy and they don’t trust you. You want people to watch your video through to the end, hopefully a few times. That will send growth signals to the algorithm and send your post to the moon!
?? Check out my TikTok video from 2021 explaining this.
?? Detours: My Growth Experiment
I started this week at 4 million views per week, aiming to hit 10M by the end of March. By the end of the week? 7M already.
Turns out, whiteboard content is a winner. It’s pulling in founders, co-founders, and startup execs from across the globe—London, Cape Town, New York.
This isn’t just vanity metrics; it’s proof that high-value, no-BS content works. Now the challenge? Scaling it to 10M+ and beyond.
Closing Thoughts
Momentum is everything. This week has shown that doubling down on what works is the fastest way to scale. Test, tweak, and go all in.
Here’s to reaching the Tippy Top—together! ??
Best, Alex
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Founder & CEO | AgriNevo | Agribusiness Executive | Food Security & Farmer Empowerment | E-commerce Entrepreneur
6 天前Alex Leigh ???? I've watched the video and just to clarify, going into an investor pitching with a super perfect business comes as a red flag or an advantage to investors?