Trust is an important component of fundraising between the investor and investee and it is a two-way relationship. Investors require due diligence from founders but it is equally important for founders to do their own due diligence on the investor they are pursuing. This is to ensure that they can trust and like the person or company they are entering into a business marriage with. Both investor and investee must feel as if they are in a relationship based on trust.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Often investors (or grant donors) do not like to be the first to invest in a business, they are often looking to see who else has supported the business and deemed it investible or fundable before deciding if they are interested.
• The first investor or funder often unlocks the door for more to follow.
• Rejection is a key component of fundraising. Handling rejection is the #1 skill which will help an entrepreneur. Pursuing grant funding is a numbers game. For every 20 proposals there are about 16 or 17 rejections and only 3 yes so do not be deterred by any.
• You have to get through the no to get to the yes.
• Due diligence is a two-way process.

Hadija Jabiri is the founder and managing director of GBRI Business Solutions and its EatFresh brand. GBRI brand EatFresh is a horticultural company that specializes in growing vegetables (French beans, snow peas, sugar snap, and baby corn) for both local and international markets. Currently, GBRI Business Solutions exports to countries like Ireland and the United Kingdom. Hadija received a total of $1M in funding so far from Development Finance Institutions, commercial banks, and investors such as USAID; MEDA; The Netherlands Embassy; and Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank.

Guest Contact: LinkedIn: Hadija Jabiri; Instagram: EatFresh Tanzania Facebook: EatFresh Tanzania; Website: www.eatfresh.co.tz Thanks for joining us for another episode of the WTF podcast.

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