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May 13, 2025

“Just Following Up...” Isn’t a Strategy

Talking to investors? Don’t rely on “just following up.” Download our founder field guide when you sign up for the newsletter – DM templates, follow-up tactics, and real advice on getting the right people to reply.

A smarter way to connect with investors – starting with our new founder field guide

If you’re a founder gearing up for Upstream, there’s one moment you’re probably thinking about (or dreading): talking to investors.

You’ve built something real. You’ve got traction. You’ve got the pitch.
But then comes the message:

“Hey [Investor Name], just following up...”

And nothing. Silence.
Cue the spiral of second-guessing and Slack rants.

The truth? Most founders don’t fail to connect with investors because their startup isn’t good enough. They miss because their outreach lacks one thing: strategy.

That’s where we come in.

Meet your new field guide:

“What Investors Really Want (But Won’t Tell You)”

This is your guide when you sign up for the Upstream newsletter.

It’s a free, downloadable mini-playbook for founders who are serious about getting in front of the right investors – and making it count.

Inside, you’ll get:

  • DM templates that don’t sound desperate

  • Subject lines that get opened
  • The classic mistakes founders make (and how to avoid them)

  • How to use the Upstream app like a sniper, not a tourist

  • Follow-up tactics that don’t kill the vibe

It’s short. It’s sharp. And it’s designed to help you actually get a reply.

Why We Made It

We’ve seen it too many times – great founders pitching like they’re begging for a favour instead of offering a smart opportunity.

This isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about playing the game better.

Investors are coming to Upstream looking for what’s next. But they’re also coming with limited time and inboxes that look like warzones. If you want to stand out, you need more than a pitch deck.

You need to understand what they care about, how they think, and how to make your story hit in the first 10 seconds.

This guide gives you exactly that.

How to Get It

Just sign up to the Upstream newsletter (we’ll send good stuff, not spam), and it will land in your inbox.

Because real momentum doesn’t happen on the main stage. It happens in hallways, DMs, and 3-minute coffee chats that lead to something more.

Get the guide. Then get going.

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