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.

Organic growth got you here. Strategic growth gets you there. Most successful mid-market CEOs built their companies through organic growth: right opportunities, good instincts, hard work, and yes, some luck. Now they want exponential results, but they're still stuck yesterday's mindset - heads down tactics. The problem isn't your market. It's your methods. I help organically-grown companies make the shift to intentional, exponential growth. 

What I Do:
I work with CEOs of $15M-$50M companies who've outgrown their startup mindset but don't know what comes next. Together, we evolve the approach from opportunistic to strategic, from reactive to proactive, from hoping for growth to engineering it. 

The Shift I Help You Make:
-From instinct-driven to data-informed decisions-From chasing opportunities to creating them
-From founder dependency to scalable systems
-From heroic leadership to strategic leadership
-From organic growth to exponential growth Results.

My Clients See:
-Revenue acceleration from 15% to 40%+ annual growth
-Profit margin improvements of 5-8 percentage points
-Leadership team effectiveness increases by 50%+
-CEO time shifted from operations to strategy (60/40 → 20/80)
-Scalable systems that grow without breaking

My Background: 
25+ years helping organic growth companies evolve strategically Worked with Fortune 500 and companies in the $10M-$50M range.

I Work With: 
CEOs and founders of mid market companies who:
-Built their success through organic growth, but hit a plateau-Want exponential growth but feel stuck in tactical day-to-day operations
-Have talented leadership teams but lack strategic clarity and coordination

Not A Good Fit:
-Startups still finding product-market fit
-Large enterprises with dedicated strategy teams-CEOs who want to stay hands-on everywhere
-Companies looking for quick fixes rather than strategic evolution

My Philosophy:
There's nothing wrong with organic growth: it's how most great companies start. Every approach has an expiration date. The methods that got you here won't get you there. Strategic growth is about evolving how you think, plan, and execute.

Take my strategic growth evaluation assessment here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3kfy-O5NtbEIefRbZRmNLfXZJSDIINf3wc36xBuYpzyOJmw/viewform?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=101774684011461792751

Let's Connect If:
You know your current approach has hit its limits, and you're committed to learning what comes next. I'd love to support your evolution from organic to strategic growth.

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Ricki Pasinelli

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