How self-confidence unlocks funding: 5 tips from top investors

Jun 17, 2025

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Cultivating your self-confidence will help you convince investors and raise capital. This is something everyone knows but often forgets.

Taking care of ourselves, getting our mindset straight, and coming to meetings with investors when we're calm and confident can make all the difference.

I gathered five quotes from top founders and investors that say the same. I hope they motivate and strengthen you:

Paul Graham (co-founder, Y Combinator): “That’s the secret. Convince yourself that your startup is worth investing in, and then when you explain this to investors they’ll believe you. And by convince yourself, I don’t mean play mind games with yourself to boost your confidence. I mean truly evaluate whether your startup is worth investing in. If it isn’t, don’t try to raise money.” (paulgraham.com)
Paul Graham (again): “The way to seem most formidable as an inexperienced founder is to stick to the truth. How formidable you seem isn’t a constant; it varies depending on what you’re saying. Most people can seem confident when they’re saying ‘one plus one is two,’ because they know it’s true.” (paulgraham.com)
Mark Suster (General Partner, Upfront VC): “I know we don’t yet have a term sheet so you feel you need to listen to everybody’s request. But imagine you were expecting two term sheets imminently. How would you act then? If you don’t act like that now then everybody will smell it—even if they don’t acknowledge it to themselves.” (bothsidesofthetable.com)
Bing Gordon (Partner, KPCB): “The first and most important element of your presentation is not a slide: it’s you. Most investors base their decisions on the passion, charisma and clarity of the founder… If you don’t demonstrate true fervor for your idea, don’t expect anyone else to, either.” (fastcompany.com)
Kevin O’Leary (Shark Tank investor): “Walk into a room like you own it. Eye contact, posture, presence. That’s your silent pitch before a word leaves your mouth. Confidence sells—timidity gets you eaten alive.” (On LinkedIn).