Qualifying your investors

As a fund manager, a significant portion of my time is spent qualifying potential investors. The uncomfortable truth is that many people will fill out a form, send you an email, express interest in investing, and ultimately waste your time.

It's remarkably difficult to distinguish between genuine investors and time-wasters, especially early in the conversation.

My advice to anyone raising capital—whether you're a fund manager or a founder—is to get exceptionally good at qualifying investors quickly.

Be direct. Be clear about your priorities. Err on the side of transparency even if it feels uncomfortable in the moment.

You can start by saying some version of: "I'm focused on raising right now. If you want to discuss what it looks like to join us as an investor, I'd love to talk. Otherwise, I'll have to respectfully decline the meeting."

This approach might seem harsh to some. But the reality is that every hour spent with the wrong person is an hour you could have spent with the right one.

Qualifying isn't about being rude—it's about respecting everyone's time, including your own.