How Investors Think About Returns and What Your Deck Needs to Show
Tuesday 17 November · 1:00–2:30 pm
A 90-minute interactive workshop for founders preparing to raise.
Investors want to understand not just how your business grows, but how that growth could translate into a return. In this workshop, you’ll work backwards from a possible exit, examine how valuation and future funding rounds shape the picture, and spot where your deck makes the pathway clear or asks investors to take a leap of faith.
We’ll also practise presenting an ambitious case while staying open to feedback, and consider the culture and governance you’ll need after funding arrives. An IPO is one possible pathway, not the only one.
You’ll leave with a clearer investor-return story, one assumption to validate, and a list of deck changes to test—starting with one slide to revise.
Bring your current deck or a draft, and be ready to work through your assumptions.
Outcome: Each founder leaves with a clearer investor-return story and a list of deck changes to test.
Agenda
1:00–1:15 - The investor’s return question — Work backwards from a possible exit: what scale would the business need to reach for an investment to deliver an attractive multiple?
1:15–1:35- Valuation and exit pathways — Explore how today’s valuation, future rounds and different possible exits affect that return story. An IPO is not the only pathway.
1:35–1:55- Make the pathway visible in your deck — Check how your deck presents market opportunity, growth assumptions, milestones and risks, and where investors may be asked to take a leap of faith.
1:55–2:10- Founder mindset and openness to input — Practise making an ambitious case without underselling the business or treating feedback as a verdict on your worth.
2:10–2:25- After the funding arrives — Map the culture, decision-making and governance your company may need as it grows, including how these could differ by exit pathway.
2:25–2:30- Close — Name one assumption to validate and one deck slide to revise.
About BuildHer Labs: A venture studio for female and non-binary founders, helping them sharpen their ideas, test their business models and become investor-ready.
About Steve Rimmer: Steve is an angel investor and strategic advisor at BuildHer Labs. He brings experience in financial services, startup advisory and early-stage investing, and helps founders think through investability, commercial models and fundraising narratives.