Founder & Partner @ Kanvas | Foster Innovation, Develop Business Strategy, Drive Growth

Katie Nowak

Getting ghosted by partners and investors?? 🤯 
Here’s how to upgrade your outreach -

…but first, some context.

We’ve been working with several first-time business owners.

Each has an amazing product, impressive early traction with customers, but couldn't seem to convert as many investor/partner leads as they’d hoped.

After auditing their pitch deck, financial model, and every other data room item we could think of, I finally made a new request….

…I asked to see their emails! (gasp)

And voila, the problem was identified.

It was the emails!!! The whole time!! 

After 1 week of helping these business owners re-write their emails/LinkedIn requests/Instagram messages, they got immediate responses from potential investors and partners.

Here's the outreach framework we used -

✨ Anchor in their world.

When you’re writing outreach, remember... there’s a real person on the other side!

That person has their own goals, motivations, and context.

So start your message with something specific to them.

It could be a recent win, a piece of content they shared, a portfolio move, or a shared context (event, intro, community).

✨  Make one clear, business-specific ask.

We forbid things like “just reaching out” and “let's connect."

Instead, spell out the concrete outcome you want them to consider.

Complete this sentence to find your target ask:

“If this outreach works, the next concrete business step is ______.”

Then ask for that outcome in one crisp sentence.

✨ Share a credibility snapshot.

This is my favorite secret.

For email - show you’re the real deal with a few concise bullets around your users, revenue, notable customers, or outcomes. Tailor these based on who you're reaching out to.

For LinkedIn - weave one key metric you’re proud of into a connection request. (Let’s be honest, almost no one is reading full InMails.)

You’re not sending the deck in paragraph form…

...you’re simply proving that a reply is worth their time.

✨  Set expectations for a follow-up.

I love offering to follow up at a later date so I don’t feel like I’m hounding anyone.

Plus, it’s a built-in chance to demonstrate follow-through.

Just make sure it doesn’t sound stiff... keep it human and specific (“I’ll bump this in a couple weeks once X is live - we'd love to give you a demo.”).

-

Ta-da! With this framework, your outreach is ready to go.

If you’re looking for a full example email, check out the comments. I drafted a fictional one for you. 😉

What secret tricks do you have for outreach?

If you’re feeling generous, share one in the comments - I'd love to learn from you, too.

See you there 😎

—
I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Innovation Leader, New Venture Designer, Speaker @ Kanvas || Investor @ Altra Venture Partners

"Entrepreneurship is the most honest mirror you’ll ever look into." 🤯 
Here are 3 places that mirror shows up most clearly -

✨ Your numbers.

Terrified of opening your financial forecast?
...maybe money has always felt stressful and confusing.

Discounting heavily with clients?
…maybe you’re questioning the value you bring to the table.

Numbers don’t just describe your business; they often show where decisions are coming from (fear, habit, or conviction).

Something you can do this week -
+ Notice one place your spending/pricing feels misaligned.
+ Ask - what belief might be driving this decision? 
+ What is one step you could take to challenge that belief?

✨ Your business relationships.

Saying yes to projects you've outgrown?
...maybe you're in scarcity mindset.

Not delegating because it feels easier to do yourself?
...maybe, once upon a time, you had to shoulder a lot of life solo.

These decisions are signals about what safety, value, and control look like to you today… and they directly shape the deals you make and the culture you build.

Something you can do this week -
+ Think of one recent interaction that didn’t feel great.
+ Ask yourself “What might the braver, more grounded version of me done?”
+ Write down one small way you can move closer to that next time.

✨ Your self-care.

Resting only when you're exhasuted?
...maybe you secretly think rest = laziness.

Stressed about investing in coaching or learning?
...maybe you think the money is best spent elsewhere.

When you start seeing your nervous system as a core business asset (not a side project!) it's easier to set a growth pace that is sustainable for all.

That shift alone can change the trajectory of both you and the company.

Something you can do this week - 
+ Scan your calendar.
+ Block one hour for a nap, run, or to rewatch Bad Bunny’s halftime show 5 times. (Just making sure you’re still with me!)

-

If this hits home, pick one of these three areas this week - numbers, relationships, or self-care - and ask:

“What is my business mirroring back to me right now?”

Then, decide one small behavior you’re willing to upgrade.

If you’re brave, share in the comments for accountability. :)

—
I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Bishop Linville

Bishop Linville is a Fractional CMO Agency helping B2B companies unlock growth through creative, customer-obsessed marketing strategy and orchestration of existing marketing talent and resources.

Founder & Principal

Bloomscape

Bloomscape is here to help strengthen your relationship with plants. We make buying plants easy by delivering healthy, ready-to-go plants to your door and setting you up with the tips and tricks you need to help your plants thrive. Plants make life better. We make plants easy.

Vice President of Marketing

Citi

Residency on the the D10X team in Citi Ventures. D10X partners with Citi's core businesses to discover and advance strategic growth areas that can propel Citi into the future. Focused on internal consulting to operating units at the bank around consumer marketing, approaches to GTM, Fintechs, and B2B marketing.

Entrepreneur In Residence - Citi Ventures D10X

Distillery

Distillery is an award-winning international full-service software development company and outsourcing partner based in Los Angeles. With 300+ experienced professionals in 6 offices spanning 9 time zones, we provide growing companies with the onsite, onshore, nearshore, and offshore software development outsourcing services they need to scale and innovate. Distillery specializes in mobile and web app development, UX, UI, and product strategy. Whatever your custom software development needs, Distillery can help. Our clear, proven  process underpins every service we deliver, driving quality, efficiency, cost optimization — and your success

Larky

Chief Marketing Officer

As VP, Marketing & Client Success at Larky, James leads GTM and client services for the growing fintech. He focuses nurturing client relationships from program launch to delivery, including leading marketing efforts and engagement platform renewals. Larky is a mobile engagement platform that drives interchange revenue, wallet share, user acquisition and retention for credit unions, community banks, and other member-focused organizations.

Vice President, Marketing & Client Success

Independent Consultant

Recent client work leverages my business development, strategic growth, digital marketing, customer acquisition, and international business expertise to support talented leadership teams in transforming their businesses.

Recent client roster:
- Canadian Wood Council (Marketing Analysis)
- RustBelt Group (Marketing Analysis)
- CarrotNewYork (Business Development)
- Quack!Media (Business Development)
- World Book, a Berkshire Hathaway Company (International Strategy)

For more info contact james+hello@jmburdine.com

Consultant: Marketing and Business Growth

People to People Ambassador Programs

Promoted to Leadership of Admissions, National Sales, Customer Service, Alumni, Business Development and Strategic Partnerships (including Discovery Student Adventures)

Vice President, Business Development

GM role leading Discovery Student Adventures, the premier student travel option for science and social studies teachers and students. In partnership with Discovery Education, this subsidiary of Ambassadors Group (People to People Student Ambassador Programs) develops premium educational trips all over the world. Reponsible for sales, digital marketing, lead generation and conversion and overall strategy for the business.

Vice President, Discovery Student Adventures

Scholastic

Charged with transforming Division business units, including international Trade Sales and Marketing, International Book Clubs and Export Book Fairs. 

Led International Operations optimization for business spanning 160 countries. Leads team that plans, implements and formalizes supply chain, logistics, customer service and business process improvements to boost division profits

Restructured and relaunched Inside Sales, Customer Service, and Order Processing Center in Gurgaon, India to support International sales, marketing, and client support.

Director, International

Full P&L responsibility for $9 million turnaround Subsidiaries in Mexico and Argentina

Led International Operations optimization for business spanning 160 countries

Manages International Customer Service Call Center based in Gurgaon, India

Group Managing Director, Scholastic Argentina/Scholastic Mexico

International Assignment based in Mexico City, Mexico 

Full P&L responsibility for a $7 million Scholastic International Subsidiary

Developed strategy and led team from operating loss to an optimal position in the private school market through strong marketing initiatives, improved sales strategy and execution and optimized warehouse and distribution performance

General Manager, Scholastic Mexico

Lead role in the development of Scholastic en español, a sub-brand that consolidates Scholastic’s Hispanic publishing (Spanish and English) and marketing effectiveness under one umbrella organization

Develop product positioning and branding campaigns to promote Scholastic’s corporate image and products in developing markets.

Collaborated on development of a company-wide Spanish publication goals and publication plan

Associate Marketing Director, Hispanic Markets and Latin America

Lead role in the development of Scholastic en español, a sub-brand that consolidates Scholastic’s Hispanic publishing (Spanish and English) and marketing effectiveness under one umbrella organization

Associate Director, International Spanish Publishing

International Spanish Marketing Manager

James Burdine is a marketing craftsman and leader who blends creative marketing, voice of the customer insights, and experiments to create, execute, and scale effective growth, brand, and retention strategies. As Founder & Principal of Bishop Linville - A Fractional CMO Agency, he brings two decades of marketing leadership to B2B companies that need a seasoned marketing leader without the cost of a full-time marketing executive.

James most recently served as Vice President, Marketing at Bloomscape where he lead growth, brand, and creative teams for the fast-growing direct-to-consumer company that makes buying plants easy.  

Prior to joining Bloomscape, James acted as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Citi Ventures D10X, the internal innovation program at Citi that explores and tests high potential new concepts to drive long-term organic growth within its core businesses where he focused on new market entry and developing a digital-first playbook.

James served as Vice President of Marketing at Distillery, the Santa Monica-based software development firm, where he led the marketing team with a focus on lead generation, branding, and development of an account-based marketing approach to growth. 

In his role as Chief Marketing Officer at the SaaS Fintech Larky, he established product marketing, brand storytelling and competitive positioning, while also leading the client success practice. 

James has more than 20 years of corporate, international, and venture-backed start-up experience as a hands-on growth strategist and driven tactician. Early in his career, James held a series of marketing leadership positions in leading Education and Media companies. James is bilingual and has extensive experience working in international markets, which included a four year expat assignment in Mexico. 

His first novel - AN IMPRECISE PERDITION - debuted in June 2020.

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