After Tantos secured its friends-and-family round of funding, I knew I owed a huge “thank you” to everyone who believed in us before we even had a product on the market. Taking other people’s money isn’t something I ever take lightly. From day one, I told myself that if I ever raised money for my own company, I’d do right by my investors—keep them informed, treat their money as if it were my own, and do my best to ensure they felt confident about the ride they’d signed up for.
I provide my investors with regular, quarterly updates because I want them to know what’s happening, both good and bad. Being transparent about milestones, setbacks, and next steps helps build a sense of trust that I hope will last well beyond this initial round.
Why quarterly? Because in business, meaningful changes often take time to unfold. Each update typically covers:
- Financials: High-level revenue and cash burn.
- Milestones: Wins like landing a new major retail account, finalizing a flavor launch or product development, or hitting a sales target.
- Challenges & Setbacks: I don’t sugarcoat when something goes wrong.
- What’s Next: Roadmap items for the upcoming quarter—big pitches, product enhancements, or expansions.
Keeping It Organized
To avoid scrambling at the end of each quarter, I keep a running list on my phone. Anytime something notable happens, like pitching in Albertsons’ Innovation Launchpad or Target’s Accelerator Pitch Day, I jot it down. Then, when it’s time to draft that investor update, I already have bullet points ready to go. It’s amazing how many little (and big) things can happen in three months.
I also never hide negative news. If there’s an issue, I address it, explain what happened, and show how we’re fixing it. In my view, the truth will set you free. It’s far better to say, “We had a hiccup,” than to pretend everything’s perfect, only for investors to find out later. Building a company from scratch is hard, mistakes happen. But as long as I’m proactive about it, investors appreciate the honesty.
I’ve told all my investors: if you have questions, call me. If they see an opportunity or a potential intro, I’m all ears. They’re basically co-owners in this journey, and some of them might have insights or connections that could push Tantos forward. It’s a two-way street: I keep them updated; they let me know if they can open a door or two.
While I do believe in transparency, I don’t want to drown them in minutiae. A once-a-quarter check-in is enough to cover the big milestones, rather than spamming them with daily or weekly updates. Investors aren’t managers; they don’t need every micro-decision. They just want to see that the business is on track, pivoting smartly if needed, and that the leadership knows what it’s doing.
If you’re a founder and you’re going to be raising money, always remember: these people trusted you with their hard-earned money. It’s crucial to show them respect by communicating consistently. If Tantos has taught me anything, it’s that a solid network of believers can propel you a lot further than you’d go alone. Investor relations is about more than just feeding them numbers; it’s about making them feel part of the ride, the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
