Scale it. Fund it. Lead it well.
Close enough to be useful. Independent enough to be honest.
Growing the business, raising the money to fund it, and leading well once other people's money is in. You make the call. I sit beside you while you do.
Most founders arrive with one decision. It usually sits in one of three places.
Scaling
People, structure, and leading a bigger business than the one you started.
Read on scaling →Stewardship
Leading after the raise. Investors, the board, and where the money goes.
Read on stewardship →Raising social or impact investment? The same three questions apply. How I work with purpose-led organisations →
What are you really deciding?
Six questions on the decision taking up the most space in your head. Two minutes. No email needed to see your reading.
You'll find out whether it's deferred, crowded, misframed or solitary, and what usually helps.
Take the DiagnosticJust you. Your team. Or founders like you.
One-to-one
Start with a Decision Review. Three weeks on one decision, ending in a clear recommendation. Many clients then keep me in the second chair through Retained Advisory.
Decision Review and Retained Advisory →With your team or board
Executive Facilitation for the people who have to own the decision with you. Leadership teams before a raise. Boards and investors after it.
Executive Facilitation →With your peers
The Mastermind. Eight to ten founders at the same moment, one confidential room. For founders after the raise, or the Impact edition for purpose-led CEOs.
The Mastermind →Recent essays from The Quiet Work.
Most capital problems aren't numbers problems. They're judgement problems.
Essays on leading well with money, pressure and other people's trust. Free every fortnight. Case files and live sessions for paid subscribers.
"I had the most experienced leadership team in the room. What I did not have was anyone willing to name the decision we were all avoiding. David named it in the first session."
"[Founder testimonial about preparing for, or getting through, a raise. Better decisions, strategic clarity or confidence, in their own words.]"
What's the conversation you're not having?
Describe what you're carrying and we'll go from there. A diagnostic conversation first. No pitch, no proposal in advance.