Bringing founders and investors into the same room always provides valuable perspective, particularly when discussions are open, honest, and come from experienced people.

Across our recent Meet the Investor conversations, and wider engagement with both founders and investors, several clear themes continue to emerge around impact, growth, funding and what truly makes a business investable. 

 Here are five of the key takeaways for founders navigating the investment journey:

1. Impact and commercial success must be intertwined 

One of the strongest messages from investors is that impact and profitability are not opposites; they are most powerful when they are viewed together. The most compelling businesses lead with a clear impact story, but crucially, can also clearly demonstrate how that impact drives commercial outcomes. While many purpose‑led founders start with a strong mission, and this is important, the investors are clear - making money is not a “dirty word”. Sustainable impact requires sustainable revenue, and founders should be confident in articulating both. 

2. Your story matters - to investors, customers and your own people 

At every stage of growth, founders are telling a story. Erik Smyth from Dundee based cleaning product company Dew, has spoken passionately about this very point, and the clear story and benefits of his business. Along with Erik, investors have also stressed that this narrative must be convincing not only in a pitch, but internally too. Teams “invest” their time, talent and belief long before financial returns are possible. A clear, authentic story helps attract the right people, open doors to partners and customers, and build long‑term credibility. Strong storytelling also helps contextualise your numbers and ambitions. 

3. Know your investor, and what they bring beyond capital 

Not all capital is the same. Founders need to be thoughtful about their investor pool and understand what different investors can offer beyond funding. The right investor can unlock customers, partnerships and strategic hires, sometimes more effectively than capital alone. Investors are increasingly hands‑on, choosing to back founders where they believe they can actively help remove “speed bumps” and accelerate progress. 

4. Be realistic about timelines, but clear on your direction 

Patience comes up repeatedly, but so does setting expectations. While many investors are willing to take a long‑term view, they still want clarity on a founder’s intended path, including potential exit scenarios. That is the reality of the situation, which won’t come as a surprise to founders. Investors understand that plans will evolve, and not everything is within a founder’s control, but credible route maps, informed assumptions and a sense of direction matter. Doing what you said you would do, and explaining clearly when plans change, builds trust. And trust makes for a successful investment.  

5. Fundamentals still win – customer demand, market fit and finance 

Despite interest in emerging technologies and the ever-evolving obsession around AI solutions, the investors are clear that fundamentals remain paramount. They are happy to see evidence of how AI is to be used to streamline processes for example, but evidence of customer demand, early traction and real‑world feedback is essential. Co‑developing your business with your customers and understanding your market deeply can outweigh bold but untested ideas. Founders are also encouraged to strengthen their financial capability early by bringing in financial expertise to their team. This can improve valuation discussions, planning and long‑term resilience. 

Final thought

Impact‑driven businesses are highly investable when they combine purpose with commercial insight, strong execution, and the confidence to articulate both. For founders, the challenge lies in bringing these elements together coherently and convincingly. 

If you’d like to join future Meet the Investor events and hear directly from founders and investors, connect with me on LinkedIn.