My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Celebrating fundraising is backwards - it's either congratulating someone for starting the game or for giving up equity
The Reasoning
Fundraising is a means to an end, not an achievement itself. Real celebration should be reserved for actual business outcomes and customer success
What Needs to Be True
- Fundraising is tool, not goal
- Giving up equity is inherently a cost
- Media coverage of fundraising creates perverse incentives
- Success should be measured by customer and revenue metrics
Counterargument
Fundraising validation from sophisticated investors signals market confidence and enables growth that wouldn't otherwise be possible
What Would Change This View
Evidence that fundraising celebration directly correlates with better business outcomes or team motivation
Implications for Builders
Focus celebration on customer milestones and revenue growth
Treat fundraising as operational necessity, not achievement
Avoid media coverage that emphasizes fundraising over business metrics
Set team expectations around what deserves celebration
Example Application
“Tyler Denk at Beehive appropriately frames $33M raise with 'money's in the bank but rent's still due' to keep team focused on execution”
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