Raising a Series A in 2025 takes focus, speed, and discipline. Your goal is simple, raise with confidence, move fast, and keep control of terms. This guide keeps you on track without fluff.
It is for B2B SaaS, AI, fintech, and consumer app founders who want a clear plan. You will learn the key readiness signals, the materials to build, how to run a clean process, and how to plan the first 90 days after close. We will keep the steps tight so you can act.
Series A investors look for strong growth, proof of product market fit, and sound unit economics. You need convincing data, a tight story, and a plan that holds up in diligence. We will use simple formulas and benchmarks to help you judge where you stand.
You will get checklists, examples, and common mistakes to avoid. Expect direct guidance you can use the same day. Keep this open while you prepare your pipeline, your deck, and your data room.
Here is how we will break it down, 1) are you ready, 2) build your Series A package, 3) run the raise, 4) set up after you close.
Are you ready for a Series A? Signals to check before you raise
Before you open your data room, test your readiness with hard signals. Investors move fast when the numbers are clear, the story is tight, and the plan matches reality. Use the checkpoints below to judge whether you will earn a strong Series A process or a slow no.
Traction that earns a Series A meeting
Traction is simple to define, it is a mix of revenue, growth, and retention that repeats. You need proof that customers buy, expand, and stay, not just that they trial.
Many Series A funds look for the following in SaaS. These ranges vary by market, price point, and motion, so treat them as guidance, not rules.
| Traction marker | Typical Series A signal |
|---|---|
| Annual recurring revenue (ARR) | Often £1.5m to £3m |
| Year over year growth | About 2 to 3 times |
| Net revenue retention (NRR) | Above 100 percent |
| Pipeline coverage (next two quarters) | About 3 times qualified pipeline |
Show the shape of your growth, not just the sum:
- Cohort charts: Monthly or quarterly cohorts with revenue, active users, and expansion over time.
- Paid conversion rates: Trial to paid, freemium to paid, and proof that conversion holds across segments.
- Top customer logos: Add one line outcomes, for example, “ACME reduced onboarding time by 45 percent in 60 days.”
- Segment view: Split by customer size or industry to show repeatability.
Mistakes that cost you the meeting:
- Vanity metrics: Total sign ups or app downloads without paid conversion or active usage.
- Single deal dependence: One outsized contract driving most ARR or growth.
- Unexplained spikes: Month to month jumps without a cause you can document.
Tip, a short “growth brief” works well, one slide with ARR, growth rate, NRR, pipeline coverage, and 3 customer outcomes.
Unit economics that hold up under pressure
Unit economics show if growth creates value. Define them in plain terms and keep the maths simple.
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC): What you spend to win a new customer. Target a CAC payback under 18 months.
- CAC payback: Time to earn back CAC from gross profit. CAC payback equals new customer CAC divided by gross profit per month from that customer.
- Lifetime value (LTV) to CAC: How much value you create for each pound of CAC. Aim for LTV to CAC above 3.
- Gross margin: Revenue minus cost of delivery, as a percent. For software, target 60 percent or higher.
- Burn multiple: Efficiency of spend relative to new ARR. Burn multiple equals net burn divided by net new ARR for that period. Aim near or under 1.5 in efficient periods.
Context by model:
- Fintech: Gross margin can be lower due to interchange or servicing costs. Focus on CAC payback and cohort margin improvement over time.
- Hardware or devices: Hardware margins may be thin at first. Highlight blended margin on hardware plus software or services, and show path to mix shift.
Quick checklist to align the model:
- Pricing matches the value story and buyer budget.
- Discounts are controlled, with approval rules and clear floors.
- Sales cycle length fits your stage, with conversion steps that you track.
- Channel costs are in CAC, including partner fees and commissions.
- Activation and onboarding costs are counted in gross margin if they repeat.
Example target summary:
- CAC payback 12 to 15 months, LTV to CAC 3 to 5, gross margin 65 to 80 percent (software), burn multiple 1.0 to 1.5 when growth is strong.
Proving product market fit with real usage
Product market fit is what users do, not what they say. Use hard usage data and simple stories.
Strong signals to show:
- Repeat usage: Key users active each week, across a majority of accounts.
- Expansion: Active seats or spend per account growing quarter by quarter.
- Time to first value: Most new users reach value in under two weeks.
- Customer love: Short quotes that tie to outcomes, for example, “We cut reporting time from 3 hours to 15 minutes.”
- Churn control: Churn below a level that kills growth, for many SaaS teams that means gross churn under 2 to 3 percent per month, or lower if you sell to mid market and enterprise.
Show it simply:
- Cohort view: Each monthly cohort with active users at week 1, week 4, week 12, plus expansion in seats or spend by month 3 and month 6.
- Before and after case: “BetaCo added 25 seats in quarter one, 60 seats in quarter two, reduced support tickets by 30 percent, and expanded ARR from £18k to £46k in six months.”
Sources to use:
- Product telemetry: Logins, feature use, time to value events, and seat growth.
- Customer feedback: NPS, quick win emails, and recorded quotes with permission.
- Support data: Time to resolve, ticket volume per account, and self serve rates.
Keep it honest. If churn is high in one segment, call it, then show how you fixed onboarding or changed ICP. Investors back teams who learn and adjust fast.
Team and governance readiness
Series A investors back teams that can scale. Show that your core team is in place, and your basics of governance are live, not promises.
Core team many funds expect:
- Founders with clear roles: CEO owns strategy and hiring, technical founder owns delivery, and each knows their lane.
- Head of sales or growth: A leader who runs pipeline, forecasting, and hiring for repeatability.
- Product leader: Someone who owns roadmap, discovery, and a light process with design and engineering.
- Finance owner: A part time CFO or strong controller who can report each month, close the books, and build a simple model.
Board and governance basics:
- Lightweight board: Meets monthly or bi monthly with clear packs, not long decks.
- Simple KPIs: ARR, growth rate, NRR, CAC payback, burn, runway, and hiring plan.
- Information rights process: A standard monthly note, data pack, and a secure folder for materials.
- Policies: Basic options policy, sales approval matrix, and vendor approval rules.
Gaps to close before you raise:
- Unclear founder split: Fix equity and roles, write it down, and align on vesting.
- No option plan: Put in place an option pool sized for the next hires, with standard terms.
- Missing IP assignment: Get IP from early builders, contractors, or agencies assigned to the company.
- Data hygiene: Clean CRM, consistent revenue recognition, and clear source of truth for ARR.
Bring this to the meeting:
- One page team map with responsibilities and next three hires.
- A sample board pack with KPIs, a hiring tracker, and a 12 month model.
- A short note on decision speed, for example, “weekly exec standup, monthly board, 48 hour approvals for pricing exceptions.”
Use these signals to judge your Series A timing. If you are short on one area, show progress, proof of the fix, and how the new plan fits your model. Investors will test the edges, so make sure the numbers hold up when they push.
Build your Series A package: story, model, and data room
Investors back clarity. Your Series A package should make your business easy to understand, test, and trust. Keep the story tight, the model simple, and the data room complete. Aim for a single source of truth that matches across deck, model, and diligence files.
A clear Series A story and pitch deck
Your deck should tell a clean story in 12 slides. One message per slide, real numbers, and a simple demo flow that a non-expert can follow.
- Vision and problem
- State the mission in one line.
- Describe the pain with proof, for example time lost, money wasted, or risk exposure.
- Add one short customer quote that grounds the problem.
- Who you serve (ICP)
- Define buyer title, company size, industry, and triggers to buy.
- Show 3 to 5 example logos and what they use you for.
- Product and demo screenshots
- Show the 3 screens that matter most.
- Demo flow: sign up, first value, core action, and result.
- Call out one feature that drives the win, not ten.
- Why now
- State the market shift, for example new regulation, budget moves, or tech change.
- Add data points with sources and dates. Keep it short.
- Market size (TAM and beachhead)
- TAM: top down with a simple method, and bottom up from pricing.
- Beachhead: your first segment, size today, and reachable accounts in 12 months.
- Traction and key metrics
- Show ARR, growth rate, NRR, gross margin, burn multiple.
- Add a cohort view or logo slide with outcomes.
- Keep the period clear, for example last 12 months.
- Business model and pricing
- How you charge, ACV, and pricing tiers.
- Attach packaging to value drivers, for example seats, volume, or usage limits.
- Note discounts policy in one line.
- Go-to-market plan
- Motion, for example PLG, inside sales, or enterprise.
- Funnel, conversion rates, and cycle time.
- Next channels to test, with cost and owner.
- Moat and data advantage
- What compounds: proprietary data, unique workflow, network effects, or switching costs.
- Evidence, for example model performance gains, or stickiness in cohorts.
- Team
- Founders, core leaders, and relevant wins.
- Gaps and next three hires with timing.
- Financial plan and use of funds
- Runway, base case growth, and high level spend by function.
- Clear use of funds tied to outcomes, not headcount alone.
- Milestones for the next 18 months
- Product, revenue, and org goals that unlock the next raise.
- Example: hit £5m ARR, 120 percent NRR, SOC 2 Type II, two new regions live.
Tips that help you win:
- Keep fonts large, numbers precise, and claims sourced.
- Use one chart per slide. Label axes and periods.
- Cut buzzwords. Describe how it works in plain language.
A simple model and clear use of funds
Build a driver-based model with a monthly sheet. Start with inputs, flow through the funnel, and let outputs roll up to cash and runway.
Core drivers to include:
- Top of funnel: leads by channel, cost per lead, lead to MQL rate.
- Sales: MQL to SQL, SQL to opportunity, win rate, and sales cycle length.
- Revenue: ACV, contract length, billing terms, and ramp for new reps.
- Retention: gross churn, net revenue retention, expansion rate, and contraction rate.
- Delivery: COGS drivers, for example hosting, support seats, payment fees.
- Cash: collections, payment terms, and vendor payment timing.
Example funnel, monthly build:
- Leads to opportunities to deals: start with leads, apply conversion rates at each step, and shift wins by cycle length.
- Average contract value: set by segment, update with mix.
- Churn and expansion: apply to starting MRR per month, show separate lines for new, expansion, contraction, and churn.
Include a hiring plan by function with salary and timing. Keep it realistic with ramp times.
| Function | Hires | Avg Salary (£) | Start Month | Ramp to Full Impact (months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales (AEs) | 3 | 85,000 | 2, 6, 10 | 3 |
| SDRs | 2 | 45,000 | 1, 5 | 2 |
| Marketing | 2 | 70,000 | 1, 7 | 2 |
| Engineering | 4 | 95,000 | 1, 4, 8, 12 | 2 |
| Product | 1 | 105,000 | 3 | 2 |
| Customer Success | 2 | 60,000 | 3, 9 | 1 |
| Finance/Ops | 1 | 80,000 | 2 | 1 |
Three planning cases:
- Base: conservative conversions, standard ramp, current win rates minus a small haircut.
- Upside: +20 percent on leads or improved win rate, faster AE ramp, modest ACV lift.
- Downside: slower cycle time, -20 percent on win rate, hiring slips by one quarter.
Use of funds, tied to milestones:
- Product: ship features X and Y, complete SOC 2 Type II, improve onboarding time by 50 percent.
- Revenue: reach £5m ARR, 120 percent NRR, CAC payback under 15 months.
- Markets: open two new regions, localise product, first ten paying customers per region.
- Ops: reduce hosting cost per active customer by 25 percent, improve gross margin by 5 points.
Keep assumptions modest and easy to test:
- Use observed conversion rates, not wishful targets.
- Add notes beside each driver with source data.
- Avoid complex logic. If you cannot explain a formula in a sentence, simplify it.
Data room checklist investors trust
Set up a tidy, permissioned data room with dated folders and a readme that explains the structure. Use clear file names and one source of truth for metrics.
Recommended folders and contents:
- Corporate: articles of association, cap table with date, option grants, board minutes.
- Legal: customer contracts, order forms, vendor terms, NDAs, IP assignment agreements, data processing agreements.
- Financials: P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, monthly management accounts, bank statements for the past 12 months.
- Metrics: MRR build, cohorts, churn and retention, pipeline by stage, pricing and discount logs.
- Product and security: architecture diagrams, uptime and incident logs, pen test or SOC 2 reports, data flow map, backup and recovery policy.
- People: signed offers, handbook and policies, contractor list and agreements, org chart with start dates.
Practical tips:
- Use consistent period naming, for example 2025-03.
- Lock a single MRR file as the source; link that to the deck and model.
- Add a short readme with folder map, data definitions, and key contacts.
Red flags that slow or kill a deal:
- Missing signed customer contracts or unsigned SOWs.
- Expired licences, domain, or trademark filings.
- Conflicting numbers across deck, model, and data exports.
- No DPA where required, or unclear sub-processors.
Clean cap table, options, and legal hygiene
A clean cap table makes your Series A smoother and terms better. Keep it simple, documented, and current.
What good looks like:
- Simple share classes: ordinary and one preference, not a stack of notes.
- Clear founder vesting: standard four years with a one-year cliff, with reset on major changes if needed.
- Option pool sized for the next 12 to 18 months: often 10 to 15 percent post-round, based on a real hiring plan.
Common Series A items to plan for:
- Option pool top-up sized pre-money or post-money, as negotiated.
- Investor rights: information rights, pro rata, protective provisions that align with market practice.
- Board seats: a small board with balanced founder and investor seats, plus one independent by a set date.
IP and data points to button up:
- All code and content assigned to the company, including from agencies and contractors.
- Open source use tracked with licences noted, and no copy-left code in core IP unless approved.
- Privacy notices and terms live, with DPAs and sub-processor lists available.
- If you use or train AI models, document data sources, training rights, output rights, and model ownership.
Tidy up before you open the round:
- Remove side letters that give special rights.
- Put any oral promises in writing or cancel them.
- Fix stray SAFEs or notes with unclear caps or MFN terms.
- Reconcile the cap table to signed agreements and the option ledger.
Clean structure, a simple model, and a complete data room show you run a tight ship. That confidence shortens diligence and gives you better options on your Series A.
Run a tight Series A process: target, meet, and close
Treat your Series A like a sales sprint. Set a clear start date, compress meetings into a two to three week window, and keep momentum with quick follow ups. Control the narrative, track every touch, and move decisively from first chat to term sheet. The aim is simple, qualified targets in, consistent meetings, clean diligence, and a closed round on fair terms.
Build a smart target list and warm paths
Start with a shortlist you can manage. Focus on funds that write Series A cheques at your size and in your sector. You want investors who already know your market, your buyer, or your motion.
What to filter by:
- Stage and cheque size: Target funds that lead Series A with £5m to £15m cheques, depending on your plan.
- Sector fit: Prioritise funds with portfolio wins in your space, for example B2B SaaS, fintech, or applied AI.
- Geography: Pick partners who invest in your region and can support hiring and customers there.
- Thesis signals: Look for recent blogs, talks, or deals that match your model or data advantage.
Target count that works:
- 25 to 40 core targets, plus a bench of 10 to 15 for backup. This keeps outreach personal and the calendar tight.
Warm intros beat cold every time. Map paths from:
- Portfolio founders who raised in the last two years.
- Angels and syndicates who know your traction and can vouch for your pace.
- Existing investors who can set context and pre-sell your progress.
Use a simple tracker so nothing slips. Keep it live and share with your internal team.
| Fund | Partner target | Fit summary | Intro path | Status | Last touch | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example Capital | Jane Smith | Series A, AI for ops, UK focus | Founder of BetaCo | Intro sent | 2025-02-03 | Book first meeting |
| North Bridge Ventures | Omar Ali | SaaS, £10m cheques, Europe | Seed lead | Met | 2025-02-07 | Send metrics sheet |
| Horizon Partners | Priya Patel | Fintech infra, US and UK | Angel syndicate | Diligence | 2025-02-11 | Security docs share |
Tailor each note. Lead with one reason you match their thesis, then ask for a short meeting. Keep it crisp.
- Use a line like:
You wrote about AI reducing back-office toil. We cut onboarding time by 45 percent for mid-market ops teams across 60 accounts.
Outreach checklist:
- One reason you fit, one metric that proves it, one clear ask.
- Attach a teaser deck or three-slide preview if requested.
- Book meetings in a tight window to create pacing.
Run great first meetings and follow ups
Control the flow so investors hear the points that matter. Hit the signal, keep the pace, and leave time for questions.
Suggested agenda for a 30-minute first meeting:
- Two-minute origin and vision: Why you started, the mission, and who you serve.
- Three-minute product and demo: Show the three screens that deliver value.
- Five-minute traction and metrics: ARR, growth, NRR, CAC payback, burn multiple.
- Three-minute plan and use of funds: What you will hit in 18 months and what it unlocks.
- Questions: Invite pushback and be precise.
Bring one killer customer story with numbers:
- Example: “ACME moved from manual imports to our API in two weeks, cut processing time by 70 percent, expanded from £18k to £46k ARR in six months, and reduced support tickets by 30 percent.”
Meeting tips that raise your odds:
- Speak to outcomes, not features. Tie every claim to a metric.
- Keep answers short and honest. If you do not know, say so and commit to follow up.
- Show the product live if stable. If not, use a tight, rehearsed demo.
Follow up within 12 hours:
- Send the deck in PDF, a one-page metrics sheet, and a clear call to action.
- Example CTA: “If helpful, we can set a partner meeting next week. Here are three slots.”
- Log questions and respond within 24 to 48 hours with data, not guesses.
Suggested one-page metrics sheet contents:
- ARR, last 12 months growth, NRR, CAC payback, gross margin, burn and runway.
- Pipeline coverage and top five customers by segment.
- Security and compliance status in one line, for example SOC 2 Type I scheduled Q3.
Handle diligence without slowing down
Diligence should run in parallel, not take your team off the field. Prep in advance, assign owners, and keep one source of truth.
Prepare before you open the round:
- Pre-fill the data room with corporate, legal, financials, metrics, product, and security folders.
- Assign owners for each workstream: finance, legal, tech, and security. Name a single coordinator.
- Answer within 24 to 48 hours. Quick, consistent replies keep momentum and reduce repeat asks.
Use a weekly Q&A log so all funds see the same answers:
- Track question, owner, answer, and link to source doc.
- Publish every Friday with updates dated and versioned.
- Push investors to check the log before emailing new questions.
References can swing a deal, treat them with care:
- Share three references first, one power user, one economic buyer, one new logo.
- Prep your champions with likely topics, recent results, and what you are raising to achieve.
- Stagger reference timing so you do not exhaust goodwill early.
Keep a single source of truth for metrics:
- One locked MRR build drives the deck, model, and data room.
- Version tables with dates, for example 2025-02.
- If a number changes due to a correction, note it in the change log and inform active funds.
Practical cadence:
- Monday internal standup on investor pipeline and blockers.
- Midweek data refresh if needed, not daily churn.
- Friday Q&A log update and next-week schedule confirm.
Term sheets and negotiation made simple
Term sheets look complex but most of the value sits in a few items. Know your red lines, pick your partner with care, and keep the paperwork clean.
Key terms in plain words:
- Valuation and price per share: Sets ownership and dilution.
- Dilution and option pool top-up: Clarify if the pool is pre-money or post-money.
- Liquidation preference: 1x non-participating is common for Series A.
- Board seats and observers: Keep the board small, define how many founder and investor seats, and if an independent is planned.
- Pro rata rights: Right for investors to join future rounds to maintain ownership.
- Investor consent matters: List of actions that need investor approval, for example issuing new shares or selling the company.
Work with a startup lawyer who closes Series A deals often. They will catch traps in protective provisions, option pool maths, and information rights.
Balance price and partner quality:
- A slightly lower valuation with a high-conviction partner who will help you hire, sell, and think, often beats the highest price with low engagement.
- Reference the partner with founders they have backed. Ask about response times, support in tough quarters, and how they handled misses.
Suggested closing checklist:
- Signed term sheet with exclusivity period clearly dated.
- Final diligence completed, including legal, financial, and security checks.
- Definitive documents signed, for example SPA, SHA, and any side letters.
- Funds received in the company account, with closing fees agreed upfront.
Process tips that protect momentum:
- Set a target signing date and share it with all parties.
- Keep redlines in one thread, with the lawyer and CEO aligned daily.
- Update current investors on progress and invite them to confirm pro rata early.
Run your Series A like a campaign. Tight targeting, crisp meetings, disciplined diligence, and clean terms give you speed and control.
Set up for success after your Series A closes
Closing a Series A is a milestone, not the finish line. Shift from fundraising mode to execution mode fast. Align the team on a simple plan, set a steady operating rhythm, hire with intent, and protect cash. The next quarter sets the tone for the round and the path to your next milestones.
Your first 90 days plan
Keep the plan on one page. Choose three to five outcomes that prove the round is working. Each outcome needs a metric, an owner, and a date. Keep language plain and the bar clear.
An example format that works:
| Outcome | Metric | Owner | Due by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ship core enterprise controls | Admin RBAC live for top tiers | Head of Prod | Day 60 |
| Land 10 enterprise logos | 10 signed POs | VP Sales | Day 90 |
| Reach £400k MRR | £400k reported in month 3 | CFO | Day 90 |
| Open second region | EU region live, 99.9 percent SLA | CTO | Day 75 |
Run a weekly operating review with the same dashboard each time. Do not change the format. Keep meetings short and decision-led.
- Dashboard staples: ARR and MRR build, net new ARR, pipeline by stage, win rate, NRR, gross margin, net burn, runway, hiring status by role.
- One-page exec brief: Top three wins, top three misses, two decisions needed.
- Rules: 45 minutes, data shared 24 hours ahead, owners come with proposals, decisions recorded in writing.
Tips that keep it tight:
- Start each week with outcomes against plan, then blockers, then decisions.
- Tie every discussion to a metric or a customer.
- Park deep dives for follow-ups with an owner and a date.
Hiring and organisation that scales
Map roles to the plan, not the other way round. If a role does not unlock a 90-day or 12-month outcome, it waits.
- Hire managers who have done it before in at least one seat. They should have shipped at similar scale or sold to your buyer. Prioritise pattern recognition over glossy titles.
- Define a simple hiring bar. Write five must-haves, three nice-to-haves, and a task that tests real work.
- Run a fast loop. Recruiter screen, hiring manager deep dive, practical task review, founder panel, references. Target 14 days door to door.
Set foundations early so growth does not break the team:
- Progression ladders: IC and manager tracks with three levels each. One page per function is enough.
- Clear comp bands: Publish ranges by level and function. Stick to them.
- Remote or hybrid rules: Write the basics. Time zone overlap, core hours, meeting norms, offsite cadence.
- Protect builder time: Block two or three no-meeting afternoons per week for engineering and product. Move status updates to async, use written updates in place of long calls.
Org shape that stays nimble:
- Keep spans of control between 5 and 8 where possible.
- Group teams by outcome, for example activation, expansion, reliability.
- Appoint a single owner for cross-cutting topics like security and data quality.
Budget, cash, and runway guardrails
The Series A gives you fuel, not freedom to drift. Put in simple guardrails so you can push hard without losing control.
- Monthly budget owners: Assign each function a budget and a named owner. Review actuals vs plan by the fifth business day.
- Track three core numbers: net burn, cash runway, and burn multiple. Share these in the weekly exec note.
- Spend policy: Write rules for tools, travel, and vendors. Set pre-approval thresholds, annual terms, and security checks for new software.
Add a hiring gate tied to pipeline and close rates:
- Review headcount timing each quarter.
- If pipeline coverage drops below 2.5 times for the next two quarters, pause incremental sales hiring.
- If win rate improves or ACV lifts, you can pull hiring forward by a month.
Use light scenario plans so you can move fast without hurting the core plan:
- Base case: current conversion, standard ramp, hiring as planned.
- Tight case: win rate minus 20 percent, hiring slip one quarter, opex trimmed by 10 percent.
- Stretch case: faster AE ramp, ACV up 10 percent, selective channel spend.
Pre-agree what cuts happen in the tight case. Protect product quality, support SLAs, and revenue capacity. Trim nice-to-have tools, slow non-critical hiring, and push vendor renewals. Decide once, then execute if triggers hit.
Board rhythm and reporting that builds trust
Treat the board as a force multiplier. Tight packs, clear asks, and a steady cadence build trust and useful help.
Suggested board pack template:
- Highlights and asks: three wins, three misses, and two specific requests.
- KPI dashboard: ARR and MRR, net new ARR, NRR, gross margin, CAC payback, burn, runway, pipeline coverage, win rate.
- Finance summary: actuals vs plan, burn multiple, cash movements, major variances.
- Hiring update: open roles, time to fill, acceptance rate, attrition.
- Product roadmap: status against 90-day outcomes, key releases, risks.
- Risks and mitigations: top three risks with owners and actions.
Cadence that works:
- Monthly or every six weeks for the first two quarters post-close.
- Move to quarterly when you are tracking to plan and the engine runs smoothly.
Keep the tone balanced:
- Share both wins and misses. Explain misses with data and next steps.
- Ask for help with clear, short requests, for example:
- “Warm intros to five enterprise CISOs in retail.”
- “Reference checks for senior finance candidates.”
- “Advice on pricing for usage overage in contracts over £100k.”
Practical habits:
- Send the pack 48 hours before the meeting.
- Time-box the agenda. Spend most of the session on decisions and risks.
- Record actions with owners and due dates. Share a written summary within 24 hours.
A disciplined operating rhythm turns your Series A plan into results. Keep the plan visible, the metrics steady, the hiring bar high, and the board close to the work.
Conclusion
You have the path. Confirm you are ready with real traction, sound unit economics, and a team that can execute. Build a tight package that aligns story, model, and data room, then run a focused process with crisp meetings and fast follow ups. After close, set strong habits with a one-page plan, a steady operating rhythm, and budget guardrails that protect discipline.
Pick three actions you can start this week, for example finalise your MRR source of truth, draft the 12-slide deck, and pre-fill your data room. Share your plan with your team, set dates, and hold owners to weekly updates. This is how you raise your Series A with clarity and control.
Which three moves will you commit to before Friday?
A clean story, honest numbers, and steady execution will do more than any trick.
