Most founders call me two weeks before their round closes. Here's why that's a problem — and what to do instead.

I get a version of this call more than I'd like, and I want to change that.

A founder is two, maybe three weeks out from closing a round. The term sheet is basically done. The wire is coming. And somewhere in the chaos, someone on the team (usually an investor) asks, "Who’s putting out the press release?”

So they call me.

And I can help — I want to be clear about that. It's not too late. We can pull something together, and it'll be fine. But every single time, I hang up the phone thinking the same thing: this could have been so much better.

Not because they're bad founders, or because it’s a bad company. They're usually great founders who are doing really cool things with their companies.

It’s because PR isn't a press release. And by the time you call me to write one, you've already missed the part that actually matters.

What most founders think PR is

When founders think about PR around a fundraise, they're usually thinking about one thing: the announcement. The TechCrunch blurb. The LinkedIn post with the confetti emoji. The press release that goes out on wire.

And yes, all of that's part of it. But it's the last part. And treating it like the whole thing is exactly why so many funding announcements land with a quiet thud instead of actual momentum.

Here's what actually happens when a reporter considers covering your round:

  • They Google you. Or ChatGPT you, whatever.
  • They look you up on LinkedIn, and take a peek at your company website.
  • They research whether other reporters have quoted you, if you’ve written anything for publication, and try to determine your point of view.
  • Then, and only then, do they decide if you're worth their time and effort.

If the only thing that exists about you on the internet is a LinkedIn profile that hasn’t been updated in months and a website in “stealth mode,” you're not giving them a lot to work with. Some reporters might try to fill in the gaps, but most of them will just move on.

But if you've spent the last three to six months showing up? Posting on LinkedIn, getting a few quotes in trade coverage, putting your ideas out in public? Now a reporter has something to work with. Now your pitch comes with receipts.

What changes when you start earlier

Bringing PR in before a raise — even loosely, even just strategically — does a few things that a last-minute press release simply can't.

It builds a body of evidence. A pattern of LinkedIn posts, a byline in an industry publication, a quote or two in relevant coverage, all of these do more than give you an ego boost (though they also do that). They're proof that you have a perspective and that other people have found it credible enough to publish. That's something a reporter notices.

It establishes your category. One of the hardest things to do in a funding announcement is explain what you do and why it matters in two sentences. If you've been writing and speaking about your space for months, you've already done that work. You know how to frame it. So does your audience.

It warms up your target media. Reporters aren't starting from scratch when they cover a raise. They're building on what they already know about a founder and a space. If they've seen your name in a few relevant bylines or you’ve already reached out to them about some of their coverage, you're no longer a cold pitch. You're someone they already have a file on.

It gives investors something to point to. This one surprises founders sometimes, but PR isn't just for press. Potential investors Google you too. A founder who has a clear, public point of view on their category is easier to back than one who doesn't, because part of what investors are betting on is you, specifically you, being the right person to build this thing.

What "starting PR early" actually looks like
I'm not saying you need a full agency retainer from day one. You don't. But there are things you can start doing before the money is wired that are low-cost, low-lift, and make a real difference by the time you're ready to announce.

Here's what that actually looks like in practice:

  • Post on LinkedIn consistently. Not constantly — consistently. Once or twice a week, with something that reflects your thinking. These are not company updates. They’re your actual perspective on what’s happening in your industry.
  • Email some reporters. As you're reading news about your industry (and you should be reading news about your industry), notice if the same bylines keep popping up. When you notice one or two, find the email for that person (most of the time, it’s on their author page linked in the byline) and send them a note telling them that you appreciate their work. Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT, pitch them your company. Just say hi.
  • Write a byline or two. A single bylined piece in a relevant industry publication does more for your credibility than a dozen press releases. Pick one outlet your investors read and get something placed there before the round closes.
  • Figure out your narrative now. What's the thing you're building, and why does it matter right now? Why you? Why this moment? These are questions you'll answer a hundred times during a raise, but you want to have worked through them publicly, not for the first time in a reporter's inbox.
  • Pitch a quote. Remember those reporters you emailed to say hello? That’s now your media list. The next time something happens in your industry, and you have a unique perspective, or maybe even some data no one else does, send them another note and tell them about it. Being helpful is the best way to get started.

None of this requires a PR firm. All of it does benefit from one. A good consultant can help you figure out the narrative, identify the right outlets, and actually get placements, yes, even before the raise. But the point is that this work needs to start before the round closes, not after.

A final word about timing

It's almost never too early to start building visibility. But if you want a practical answer: three to six months before you expect to start actively fundraising is a good target. That's enough time to build a small but real body of work — a handful of LinkedIn posts that have gotten traction, a byline or two, maybe a few quotes in trade coverage — all of which will help you in getting new investors as much as customers.

When you start fundraising is workable too.

One month before the close is better than nothing, but now you're rushing, and you’re not getting any of PR’s benefits in helping you actually raise the funds.

Two weeks before closing is fine. It's just not what it could have been.

So, if you're somewhere between pre-seed and Series B and you're thinking about raising soon, this is your cue to start now. Not when the docs are out. Not when the round is basically closed.

Help me, help you and call me (or someone like me) today. Even if we just talk for 20 minutes, and I tell you to call me back in a few months. It will keep me from being disappointed about all we could have done, and you might actually get that TechCrunch mention you want so much (no promises, but maybe).