Securing investment is a huge milestone. After months of pitching, negotiating, and due diligence, the funds are finally in the bank. It’s an exciting time. A big achievement.
But what comes next is just as critical as the fundraising process itself.
Why the first 100 days matter
The first 100 days after investment set the tone for your relationship with investors, the direction of your business, and your ability to deliver on the promises that secured the funding in the first place. It’s your time to show that you can follow through on what you set out to achieve.
This period shouldn’t be about reinventing your business; instead, it should be when you prove your ability, build trust, and establish momentum. The best founders use this period to set expectations, embed discipline, and strengthen partnerships with investors – it’s important to really get to know them.
Remember, investors don’t expect perfection; they expect progress and delivery of what you said that you would do when you were fundraising. Communicate, execute, and stay focused on the shared goal: driving growth and creating lasting value. Investment is a trade-off: you give up some ownership and independence in exchange for the chance to grow faster and mitigate risk. That trade only works if you stay focused and aligned.
In this guide, we’ll explore how the founder-investor dynamic evolves post-deal, what metrics to focus on, common mistakes to avoid, and how to prioritise what truly matters. It’s designed to help you navigate this crucial early stage with confidence and clarity.
Building strong founder-investor relationships
Once the investment is secured, the relationship between founders and investors changes. Before the deal, both parties are buyers and sellers negotiating to find a compromise on valuation and terms that work for everyone. After the deal closes, everyone’s interests are aligned and you are partners working towards the same outcome: building value and achieving growth.
Investors are no longer on the other side of the table; they’re now in the same boat, rowing alongside you. This doesn’t mean they’ll be involved in daily operations, but they do share your interest in steering the business toward success. The focus shifts from persuasion to execution – from forecasting the future to delivering on the business plan.
Many investors will want an early touchpoint with your broader leadership team in the business – you can’t do it all yourself. Knowledge and expertise need to exist beyond the founders. Introducing your investors to employees in a positive way builds transparency and morale. It also signals that everyone is aligned around shared goals and that governance and accountability are now part of your company’s DNA.
Expect more structure
Institutional investors, in particular, will expect more formal communication: regular board meetings, monthly updates, and agreed-upon KPIs. This can feel like a big adjustment for founders used to answering only to themselves, but it’s a healthy evolution. Your mantra should become: good governance drives good value. The right level of discipline not only keeps investors informed but also strengthens your internal decision-making.
But things can go wrong. The advice is to communicate early and clearly. Most investors are pragmatic; they’d rather help you solve a problem than be surprised by it at a later date. Open, consistent communication builds trust and establishes the kind of partnership that can weather challenges.
Setting strategic priorities post-investment
Once the adrenaline of deal completion fades and the money is in the bank, it can be tempting to dive straight into execution. The best advice goes against this. Fundraising can be exhausting. A smart founder will take a few days to step back, breathe, and reset. Relax and reflect on the achievement of convincing others to invest in you. Then, and only then, formalise your 100-day plan.
Creating your 100-day plan
Think of it as a bridge between your fundraising story – the vision you sold investors – and your operational reality. The plan consolidates everything that was discussed during due diligence, including your business model, growth assumptions, and risk mitigations, into a practical roadmap for the first three months.
Your investors may even provide a 100-day template they want you to follow. This might cover areas such as talent and hires, commercial focus, product development, governance, and compliance. Many investors treat this as a living document: something that helps keep priorities aligned and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
But there’s no universal version of this plan. A software company scaling internationally will have very different 100-day goals than a manufacturing startup expanding production. What matters is clarity: defining what success looks like and setting measurable milestones that align with your agreed investment thesis.
Key metrics to track after funding
The first 100 days are about validating the fundamentals – confirming that the assumptions in your investment case hold up in practice. That means focusing on a tight set of metrics that signal momentum and control.
At this stage, you don’t need to reinvent your KPIs; they should already be there in the financial and operational model that you presented when raising the money. The first 100 days are about embedding those targets into your business’s day-to-day operations.
Some of the core KPIs many founders will consider implementing are as follows.
Runway and burn rate: Understand your cash flow forecast and ensure spending aligns with your budget. Early overspend can erode credibility with investors fast.
Revenue and pipeline: Track conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and sales targets. Investors want to see traction, not just activity.
Customer engagement: Whether it’s retention, engagement, or usage data, show that your product is solving customers’ problems. Prove people need and want it.
Operational efficiency: Understand your business. Review delivery timelines, supplier relationships, and team productivity.
Hiring and talent: If key hires were part of your growth plan, ensure they’re in motion. Investors know that building the right team is the single most powerful driver of success. They will also be reluctant to be too reliant on you.
For a broader overview of essential financial metrics for any business, see our article 7 financial metrics your business should track.
Top tips for a smooth post-investment transition
Even experienced founders can stumble during the post-investment phase. Here are some top tips that will put you on the right foot with investors and make for a smoother transition:
Take time out post deal
The fundraising process is draining, and jumping straight into execution without rest can lead to burnout or poor decisions. Take a brief pause – even a long weekend – to recharge. You’ve earned it. More importantly, the best version of you will be needed to now deliver. Relax and enjoy.
Embrace your new backers
The deal is done, but some founders continue to view investors as potential critics rather than collaborators. The reality is that investors can be invaluable sounding boards. Use their expertise, connections, and experience to your advantage. You are on the same team and their questions are intended to be helpful.
Always deliver
It’s better to under promise and overdeliver in your first board meeting than the other way around. Missing targets in your first quarter sets a difficult precedent.
Love the paperwork
Legal, HR, and compliance follow-ups – option schemes, IP transfers, employee contracts – may not feel urgent, but failing to address them can create future headaches. Investors often use the 100-day plan to ensure these boxes are ticked promptly.
Maintain focus
The influx of capital can lead to distraction: too many projects, too many hires, too many ideas. The best founders stay focused on proving the next stage of the business model, not reinventing it.
In summary
The first 100 days after securing investment aren’t just about hitting the ground running; they’re about proving you can deliver. This is your chance to turn ambition into action, strengthen trust with your new partners, and show that your business can scale with purpose and control. Prove to your investors they made a good decision.
Founders who succeed in this phase strike the right balance between focus and flexibility. They communicate openly, execute consistently, and use investor support as a catalyst, not a constraint. The goal isn’t perfection - it’s progress. Momentum, discipline, and transparency matter most.
