Thinking about raising venture capital for your startup or growing business? In this episode of Scrushy on Business, Richard Scrushy breaks down what founders need to know before pitching VCs—plus what investors look for (and what gets you turned down fast).

Richard shares real-world lessons from building and backing companies, including why speed and scale often matter more than early profitability, and how to structure your company so you don't kill your deal before it starts. He also discusses how media is changing (radio vs. digital platforms), why hyper-local content matters, and how today's founders can adapt to a world driven by phones, streaming, and YouTube.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What venture capital firms look for in a founder and a pitch

• The pitch deck flow: problem → solution → market size → traction → go-to-market → financials

• Why "Why now?" and "Why you?" can make or break your raise

• How to explain market size, growth, and scaling strategy

• What "burn rate" means and why VCs obsess over it

• Why your cap table and company structure must be clean

• How vesting equity can retain key leaders and reduce turnover

• Term sheet red flags: board control, anti-dilution, authority limits, and founder protection

• Why being prepared (down to details) matters in investor meetings

• How founders should respond to rejection—and use feedback to improve

Got a question you want answered on the show? Email [email protected].

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