After the Pitch: Keeping Momentum Going

Hey friends!

Last week I said we’d reached the second-to-last chapter. Surprise! Turns out there’s one more after this. As I’ve been digging through the hundreds of thoughtful beta reader comments and starting to weave in founder stories from my interviews, the book has grown in ways I didn’t want to cut short.

This week’s chapter is about what happens after the pitch. The follow-ups, the signals, and the slow (sometimes painfully slow) dance of keeping momentum alive.

You made it through the meeting.

You told your story, you answered the questions, and you didn’t freeze even when the partner asked one of those vague-but-terrifying ones like, “What’s your moat?” Take a breath. That was a big deal.

Of course, fundraising doesn’t end when the Zoom call does. The journey after is the part where deals are won, lost, or dragged out until you want to throw your laptop into the sea.

Remember those investor personas we talked about in Chapter 7? The angels, the groups, the VCs, the corporates? This is where their differences really show up. Each type moves at a different pace, asks for different things, and requires you to manage momentum in slightly different ways. Knowing who you’re talking to and what to expect next can keep you sane and strategic in this stage.

Let’s talk about how to keep things moving once you’ve pitched.

The Follow-Up: Be Clear and Prompt

Send a same-day thank you. Short, direct, professional. No novel-length recaps. Something like:

“Thank you for your time today. As discussed, I’m sending [the deck/data room link/intro to customer] and will follow up next week on next steps. Please let me know if you’d like anything else in the meantime.”

A good follow-up shows you’re organized, responsive, and confident. It also takes the pressure off investors to remember what was said. Don’t overthink it; you’re not crafting poetry, you’re moving the process forward.

Reading the Signals

Founders often torture themselves trying to interpret investor behavior. Did they smile? Did they say “interesting”? Did they ghost me because they hate me?

The reality is that investors are busy, distracted humans. They might genuinely be interested and still not respond for weeks. That silence doesn’t necessarily mean “no,” but it does mean you need to manage your process.

Signals to watch:

• Fast follow-up questions → strong interest.

• Introductions to other partners or investors → diligence is starting.

• “Let’s circle back in six months” → usually a polite no. File them away, move on.

• Ghosting after multiple nudges → that’s a no too. Don’t waste months chasing it.

A quick note on timing:

Key takeaway: If you’re raising on a tight timeline, stack your deck with angels and seed VCs who can move faster. Keep corporate or group investors in the mix, but don’t hinge your whole round on them.

How It’s Different for The Rest of Us

For The Rest of Us, the after-the-pitch period can feel especially heavy. We don’t always have endless investor networks to fall back on, and we can’t afford to wait months for someone to make up their mind. The silence feels personal, the rejections sting more, and the diligence requests can feel like tests designed to prove we don’t belong.

But remember this: you’re not here to convince every investor. You’re here to find the ones who lean in, who ask thoughtful questions, who get excited when you talk about your business. If someone ghosts you, or nitpicks you to death, or asks you to perform backflips they’d never demand of someone else — that’s not your person.

Your job isn’t to please the gatekeepers. Your job is to keep moving, keep building, and keep showing up until you find the right partners. Because they are out there. When you do find them, it won’t just be about the money. It’ll be about having partners who see you, believe in you, and are excited to build alongside you. That’s the real payoff.

Fundraising is never just about decks, meetings, or data rooms. It’s about resilience. It’s about maintaining your momentum when investors drag their feet, staying true to yourself when the system pressures you to conform, and remembering that you’re not pitching to everyone - you’re finding the right ones.

Which means the story of fundraising for The Rest of Us isn’t just about tactics. It’s about survival, persistence, and ultimately, changing who gets to build companies and shape the future.

Next week, I’ll share a few words on what all this means for you, your journey, and the broader movement you’re part of. Even though we’re nearly done with the book, you can still Apply to be a beta reader to get access to the full manuscript, leave me feedback, and join our founder community.

Till next time!

Allison