The ABC’s of Funding Your Business

Welcome to the Dojo!

This time of the year, at least in the U.S., students are returning to school, so it may also be a good time for our community of founders to get back to the ABC’s of entrepreneurship.

If starting a business has been on your mind for years but money is standing in your way, you’re not alone: 92% of aspiring entrepreneurs say that raising funds to start their business is a challenge.

I recently had a highly engaged session with 50+ business owners on the ABC’s of funding, and I’m sharing some of the key takeaways below.

On the Mat

The Hourglass Every Founder Carries
The Blind Spot That Strangles Growth
Volume vs. Value?

Let's Train

The Hourglass Every Founder Carries

There’s an hourglass every founder carries.

The moment you say, “I’m doing this,” the sand starts to trickle down.

That sand is money.

Ignore it, and it slips faster. Plan for it, and you slow it down.

Your job isn’t to kill the fear, it’s to buy yourself more grains of time.

And here’s the thing: this isn’t just for people starting fresh.

If you’re struggling to scale, your runway is ticking.
If you’ve been in business for years but your margins are thin, your runway is ticking.

Today’s newsletter gives you a simple, tough, and very doable plan to build a 6-month runway and pick the funding path that fits you, so you can move forward without guessing.

Your 6-Month Runway Map

The goal is the same whether you’re new, struggling, or seasoned: cover your life costs, fund the business, and keep momentum.

Months 0–1: Get real with the numbers

List personal essentials: rent, food, insurance, debt, and family support.
Cut the rest. (Every $100 you cut = more days on the clock.)
List business essentials: domain, basic tools, accounting, and a clean site/email.
Build a lean budget and a cash-in/cash-out sheet (one tab each).

Months 2–3: Create your first income (or stabilize it)

Pick one service. Price it simply (hourly or flat-fee project).
Use the 10+5 test: talk to 10 prospects, study 5 competitors.
Rekindle your network: 20 outreach messages/week. Track replies.
Close 1–3 pilot projects. Collect proof: results + a testimonial.

Months 4–6: Extend the clock

Raise prices to market rate.
Choose your funding path (see Archetypes below).
Lock in recurring work (retainers or monthly packages).
Keep the burn low. Keep the pipeline warm. Keep shipping.

Still, advice only gets you so far. The real test is knowing exactly how much sand is left in your hourglass.

That’s why I built the Runway Financial Calculator, a tool that turns guesses into hard numbers and shows you how long your business can truly breathe.

The Decision That Shapes Every Business

Here’s the truth most founders miss: your runway isn’t just about how much you cut or how much you earn.

It’s about how you choose to fuel the business.

At some point, whether in Month 2, Month 12, or Year 2, you’ll face the decision every founder does:

Do I self-fund, borrow, or bring in partners?

And the way you answer that question doesn’t just determine how long your clock runs… it shapes the kind of business you actually build.

That’s where the Six Funding Archetypes come in, because here’s the truth: this 6-month runway buys you time.

But time is just oxygen, it won’t carry you to the finish line.

What truly matters is how you fuel the journey.

Next week, I’ll reveal the Six Funding Archetypes, from the ramen-eating Monk to the sharp-eyed Opportunist Archer.

Find your archetype, and you won’t just survive the clock… you’ll learn how to bend it in your favor.

Ask Feras Recap

The Blind Spot That Strangles Growth

The real threat to your business isn’t losing clients.

It’s the blind spots you carry forward as you grow, the ones that don’t hurt right away, but quietly set you up for failure later.

And it made me think back to a question I got recently: “What’s something you don’t realize now, but will absolutely create problems when you start scaling?”

The Challenge:

Many founders think growth means “work harder.” So they hold on to everything — sales, client work, admin, even invoicing. The result? A packed calendar, slow sales, and no mental space for strategy. Scaling stalls before it even starts.

What I Learned the Hard Way

I used to believe no one could do things “as well as I could.” I was wrong. The truth is, holding on too tightly becomes a bottleneck. I once read that 36% of small business owners still do all their own admin work. That’s hours lost every week, hours that could have been spent closing deals or delighting clients.

Time isn’t just money; it’s the oxygen for growth. If you don’t free yourself from low-value tasks, you’ll suffocate the business you’re trying to build.

What I Told Them

Delegation is the bridge to scaling. Start small. Hire a VA for 5 hours a week. Automate repetitive tasks. Bring in part-time support before you think you’re “ready.”

Think of it this way:

Every email someone else handles = one more pitch you can make.
Every admin task you delegate = one more hour for client work.
Every small hand you add = momentum you can’t build alone.

Scaling isn’t about doing more yourself. It’s about creating the space for growth to happen.

Sharpen Your Blade

Volume vs. Value?

Go volume, and you’re drowning in low-paying clients, endless calls, razor-thin margins.

Go value, and you’re stuck chasing a handful of deals that may never close.

Most founders pick one without realizing the trade-offs.

The truth? You need to know which game you’re playing before it buries you.

Because here’s what happens when you don’t:

You underprice and burn out serving clients who drain you.
Or you overprice and face months of rejection that crush your confidence.
Or worse… you end up stuck in the middle, overdelivering for clients who never paid for it, while underserving the ones who expected more.

I break down exactly how to avoid this trap and how to choose the right model for your consulting business in my new video.

Watch it here: The Ultimate Guide To Starting A Consulting Business in 2025

If you’re serious about building a business that actually works (and doesn’t break you in the process), this might be the most important decision you make.

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