Naseem SayaniInvestor | Innovator | Ecosystem Builder | Board Director

“Everything you’ve heard about fundraising is true.” #startupfunding #femalefounders #podcast

Name: “Everything you’ve heard about fundraising is true.” #startupfunding #femalefounders #podcast
Uploaded: 2026-03-18T15:15:00+00:00
Duration: 54 s
Channel: Naseem Sayani
Description: In this podcast excerpt, the speaker addresses female founders about the harsh realities of fundraising. She affirms that the negative anecdotes and…

18 Mar 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:54

In this podcast excerpt, the speaker addresses female founders about the harsh realities of fundraising. She affirms that the negative anecdotes and horror stories circulating about the process—such as the high number of outreach attempts required before securing a yes—are accurate. She cautions founders not to assume their experience will be different or that they can simply replicate a known success. By accepting that these challenges are universal, founders can mentally prepare, avoid personalizing setbacks, and build resilience before they even begin the fundraising journey.

Chapters

If you could tell every female founder to do something as they jump into fundraising, what is like the must-know for everyone? Everything you've read is true. You could call them horror stories. They are true. You can read about the number of reachouts that you probably have to try before you get a yes. I would say they're true. They're all true. A lot of us enter thinking maybe it'll either, either be different or that I could replicate what someone I know did, but I think just Just coming in with the wisdom that what you've heard is true will better equip you to, I think, stomach what's ahead of you and not take it as a personal failing or not take it as any indication that you aren't where you should be, but that this is how it is and this is how it is for everyone. And knowing that allows you to, I think, just to be almost bank some resilience in advance.