There’s no shortage of content out there targeted at founders who are in the process of fundraising for their startups. The advice centers around pitching, selling, and valuing your company while managing a timely process.
But what happens when the fundraising frenzy ends? Amidst the never-ending tips for securing cash, a guide for navigating the post-round aftermath is missing.
My first experience fundraising for a startup happened in March of 2019. I had just come out of Y Combinator and raised a ~1 million dollar seed round. As a first-time founder, I wondered, “now what?” but asking anyone this felt vulnerable.
It turns out I wasn’t as alone as I felt in my post-fundraising anxiety. And I wasn’t the only one with questions. In private groups and smaller circles, founders of all funding levels are asking each other for help.
I decided this information should be more accessible, so I interviewed a handful of entrepreneurs who’ve raised a Series A to put together advice, perspectives, and tactical to-dos answering the question, “I just raised a Series A — now what?”
I put these in chronological order so you can follow it like a to-do list. Consider it the missing handbook for navigating those first 3–6 months after the raise.