The behind-the-scenes playbook for founders navigating private capital raises. From Reg A+ to Reg CF to Reg D, we share real strategies, real mistakes, and the frameworks that turn investors into believers.
AI in the Capital Raise: How Smart Organizations Are Building the Unfair Advantage
AI is changing the capital raise — but the biggest opportunity goes far beyond writing emails faster. In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin sits down with VirtualAd’s Chief Innovation & Systems Architect, Corwin Givens, to explore how AI is being used across the investor acquisition funnel and where the technology could take capital raising next. They get into: → How issuers can use AI to create more efficient capital-raising infrastructure → Why your CRM can become the foundation f...
13 Oct 2026
How FISYN Raised $48M Through Online Capital Raising
What happens when a traditional, relationship-driven capital raise starts thinking bigger? In this episode of Behind the Raise, we sit down with Micah of FISYN to unpack how a family-run Texas real estate fund evolved from raising capital primarily through referrals to reaching investors at scale online. We get into: → Why FISYN targets raw commercial land in high-growth Texas markets → How rezoning, entitlements and getting land “shovel ready” can create value → Why investor education and tr...
14 Jul 2026
The Future of Online Capital Raising
In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin is joined by Tariq Esmail, VP of Sales at DealMaker, for a conversation on what is changing across private capital markets and online capital raising. Together, they explore how issuers can approach direct-to-investor fundraising, what separates successful raises from underperforming campaigns, and why owning your investor audience can become a long-term strategic advantage. Tariq also shares insights from the front lines at DealMaker, including the...
7 Jul 2026
Your Offer Isn't Converting. Is It The Marketing Or The Offer
Is your capital raise struggling because of the marketing, the offer, or the positioning? In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin is joined by VirtualAd’s Brendan Manley to break down one of the biggest questions issuers face when conversions slow down: is the marketing not working, or is the offer itself not converting? They discuss how to diagnose performance across the funnel, from ad engagement and landing page conversion to booked meetings, investor follow-up, and bottom-of-funnel sa...
30 Jun 2026
Why People Invest: The Psychology Behind Retail Capital Decisions
Why do retail investors actually say yes? In this solo episode of Behind the Raise, Martin breaks down the psychology behind retail capital decisions and why successful raises need to speak to more than just the numbers. He explains the two major investor mindsets founders need to build for: emotionally led investors who connect with the mission first, and analytical investors who need the financial substance to confirm the opportunity. Martin walks through the three key stages of the investo...
23 Jun 2026
Marketing Automation In Capital Raising - Your MOFU Secret Weapon
What happens after an investor opts in, but before they actually invest? In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin is joined by VirtualAd’s CRM and Automation Manager, Randy Jones, to break down the middle of funnel and why marketing automation is one of the most overlooked pieces of a successful capital raise. They discuss what MOFU actually means, how issuers can use automation to educate, nurture, and re-engage investors, and why founders need to think about the investor journey from the...
16 Jun 2026
Building Investor Trust — Creative That Builds Credibility
What makes an investor ad actually stop the scroll and move someone further down the funnel? In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin is joined by VirtualAd’s Head of Design, Danielle Fobert, to break down the design strategy and psychology behind creative that converts. They discuss why investor ads should not be treated like mini pitch decks, how the hook-story-offer framework helps structure high-performing creative, and why founders need to focus on curiosity, clarity, and emotional co...
9 Jun 2026
Tons of Clicks, Leads and Interest, But No Investments? Here’s What’s Happening
Getting plenty of leads but no actual investors? In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin and Brendan break down one of the most frustrating problems in an online capital raise: when interest is building, the funnel looks active, but investment conversions are not happening. They explain why issuers should not automatically blame the ads or traffic source, and instead need to diagnose the full investor journey step by step. From traffic quality and landing page performance to email automat...
2 Jun 2026
How to Have a Succesful Raise: The 5 components of Success Every Founder Must Nail
What separates a raise that gains momentum from one that struggles to get off the ground? In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin and Brendan break down the five core components every founder needs to nail before launching a successful online capital raise: a clear and investable offer, founder and leadership visibility, a real marketing engine, smart planning around funding, budgeting, and cash flow, and strong momentum and social proof. They explain why having a great company is not the...
26 May 2026
The Real Cost of Raising Capital: Budgeting for Success (And Avoiding Cash Burn)
Think raising capital online is as simple as launching a page and waiting for investors to show up? Not quite. In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin sits down with Tarek Ismail, VP of Sales at DealMaker, to talk about what actually makes an online capital raise work. They discuss how private markets are shifting, why more issuers are moving toward direct-to-investor fundraising, and the difference between marketplace platforms and owning your own investor audience. Tarek shares what Dea...
19 May 2026
The Founder's Job During a Raise: Four Pillars of Leadership
Think you can just set up your offering documents and watch the money roll in? Think again. Successful online capital raises require active founder involvement, and in this episode, we reveal exactly what that looks like. Martin and Brendan outline the four essential pillars of founder leadership: narrative leadership (crafting the "why" behind your raise), content creation and evangelization (becoming the face of your company), decisive operations (making quick decisions in a fast-moving cam...
12 May 2026
Are You Ready to Raise? The Ultimate Capital Readiness Checklist
Before you launch your capital raise, ask yourself: are you truly ready? In this essential episode, Martin and Brendan break down the five critical factors that determine fundraising readiness. We dive deep into capital requirements (expect $100-200K in upfront costs), validation strategies including "testing the waters" campaigns, and how to assess your offer strength using VirtualAd's Capital Conversion Framework. Learn about the importance of community readiness, brand awareness, and why h...
5 May 2026
Private Capital Markets 101:Why Founders Are Ditching VCs and Raising Directly from Investors
When it comes to funding their business founders think their only options are venture capital, bank loans, or bootstrapping. They're wrong. In the inaugural episode of Behind the Raise, VirtualAd co-founders Martin Kocandrle and Brendan Manley pull back the curtain on private capital markets — what they are, why they're growing fast, and why more founders are ditching the traditional VC route in favor of raising directly from accredited and retail investors. In this episode, Martin and Brenda...
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