Feeling stuck because you "can't even raise $500K"?

Before you decide your startup is doomed, your idea isn't good enough, or investors just "don't get it," take a breath. In this episode of Seed Money, Jayla breaks down why early-stage fundraising often feels more personal and discouraging than it actually is — especially for first-time founders without a wealthy friends-and-family network.

In This Episode, You'll Learn

Why raising $500K can feel just as hard as raising $5M
The difference between real fundraising and "emotionally sampling"
How to define your target investor profile
Why pitching random investors gives you bad data
What to review after your first 20 investor conversations
How to know whether you need better targeting, more traction, a clearer pitch, or more time
Why fundraising should be treated like a sales pipeline
How to stop taking investor rejection so personally
Why early-stage founders often stop pitching too soon
When to keep going, when to learn, and when to fix the gaps

About Your Host

Jayla Siciliano is an entrepreneur with 25+ years in consumer brands, product, and marketing. After raising her first angel round against all odds and later appearing on Shark Tank, where she closed a deal with Mark Cuban, she now helps founders become fundable, confident, and ready to attract the right investors. Entrepreneurship changed her life, and she's on a mission to help first-time founders raise their first round of angel funding and change theirs too.

Disclaimer

The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.