Why you need to stop focussing on how much money you've raised

PSA to founders: stop boasting about how much money you've raised.

It might feel like it provides validation. It certainly gives you confidence since it means someone else believed in your startup and put in their hard-earned money.

I know this first hand. When we raised $32 million at Unibuddy over many investment rounds, it gave me a lot of confidence. I knew we were building something that many people believed in. Something many people wanted us to scale and do more of.

In the beginning, you think your idea is crazy. Imposter syndrome is massive. You’re the only one in the world who believes in it. The more money you raise, the more the imposter syndrome decreases. You’re not alone in your thinking. Your hypothesis is more robust. You’re not crazy after all.

So, yes, go out and raise money. But never let it define you. Don’t let it control you. Never let it become your main focus and main selling point. Let it increase your confidence and decrease your imposter syndrome.

Always keep the main thing the main thing. The main thing is your product and happy customers.

Everything else is a distraction.