Feedback - What to Take and What to Toss

Hello friends,

The fundraising process is long and demanding. One of the trickiest parts is navigating the endless feedback you’ll receive on your pitch and business. Some of it is valid and helpful, some of it is not. How do you know the difference?

That’s the subject of Chapter 18 in Fundraising for the Rest of Us. Below is an excerpt from the book, including how handling feedback can look different for The Rest of Us.

We only have a few chapters left, but it’s not too late to read Chapter 18 (and the rest of the book in full) and share your feedback. Apply to become a beta reader.

Let’s get into it.

Addressing Investor Feedback

Remember, there is no one “right” way to pitch. There aren’t any universal standards everyone abides by. There are patterns, norms, and preferences, but no official pitch playbook.

That’s why a tricky area for founders is how to handle feedback, especially from investors.

Investors place different levels of importance on different aspects of a pitch. Some zero in on financials, others care more about the founding team, and others want to be swept into a compelling story. The feedback they give you is a reflection of what they personally prioritize, not necessarily what your deck is lacking.

It’s tempting to incorporate feedback every time you get it, especially if the person giving it has a fancy title or controls a large checkbook. But doing that too frequently will erode your clarity and confidence, and you’ll end up with a jumbled message that shifts depending on who you're talking to confusing your audience and exhausting yourself in the process.

Chasing every piece of feedback is a recipe for founder burnout.

How it’s Different for The Rest of Us

Feedback often carries more weight because it feels like you have less room for error. Due to systemic bias, people may give you feedback that isn’t actually about your business at all.

Let me say that again: not all feedback is valid. Some is coded language for discomfort with your identity or background, some is performative or patronizing, and some will be straight-up wrong for what you’re building.

Sometimes feedback sounds like:

• “You should bring on a male co-founder.”

• “This feels like a nonprofit idea.”

• “You might want to dial back the emotion in your story.”

That’s not real feedback. That’s bias dressed up as advice.

Here’s what you can do:

• Build a trusted inner circle. Have a few people who know your company and values well enough to help you evaluate feedback before acting on it.

• Practice filtering without internalizing. You can hear someone’s comment, note it, and still decide it’s not helpful without letting it shake your confidence.

• Name the bias when you see it. Even if only to yourself. “That feedback is rooted in a narrow idea of what a founder looks like. That’s not my problem to fix.”

You’re not being defensive. You’re being discerning. There’s a difference.

That’s it for this week. We’re at the tail of the book, but there are still a few chapters to go. Stay tuned!

It’s not too late to join our community of beta readers. Just fill out this interest form and we’ll get you added asap.

Until next time,

Allison