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.

Robin P. Zander is an entrepreneur, strategist and author. With experience ranging from management consulting to the circus, he has devoted his life and career to working with individuals and companies to accelerate performance. 

Robin is the founder and CEO of Zander Media, a creative shop that makes irresistible explainer videos. He is also the executive director of Responsive Conference, an annual industry event about the future of work. 

Robin is the author of two books: "Responsive: What It Takes To Create A Thriving Organization" and "How To Do A Handstand,” a national bestseller in Japan.

Learn more at www.robinpzander.com.

Robin P. Zander

Why do coaching and sales go hand in hand? 

Jeff Jaworski, PCC, who’s joining us at the Snafu Conference on March 5th, has spent years figuring that out. The short version: we’re all selling something, whether we realize it or not. And the best salespeople are often the best coaches.

Jeff built Google’s global sales coaching program from the ground up, and what he realized is simple but powerful: coaching sharpens your curiosity, your listening, and your ability to guide someone toward a solution that actually matters to them. Sales isn’t about the slides or the pitch — it’s about understanding the other side, hearing all the voices, and adjusting your approach based on what you learn.

The real magic comes when you combine coaching and sales as crafts. Every conversation becomes an opportunity to evolve your thinking, to see perspectives you might have missed, and sometimes even to realize you were wrong. That’s how you create better outcomes, whether you’re leading a team, closing a deal, or just trying to connect.

So here’s the question: are you listening to understand, or just listening to respond?

writing Snafu ✍️ • curating Responsive Conference 🌎 • narrative strategy @ Zander Media 🎥 • Built & sold Robin’s Cafe 🍲 • Handstands 🤸 • Relentless Optimist

We’re just 3 days away from Snafu Conference in the Oakland Museum of California — and the agenda is packed with insights you can use immediately.

If you can’t join in person, don’t worry: the main stage sessions will be recorded and shared in a few weeks.

A few highlights:

Coaching is Selling: How To Unlock Human Potential – Jeff Jaworski, PCC (former Google sales exec) and Marie Szuts (former CPO turned coach) dive into why coaching and sales are more alike than you think.

Everything Is Sales: Lessons from Product Development – David Shackelford, Head of Product at Asana, shares how asking better questions turned product work into a masterclass in persuasion.

How To Raise Money: Systems, Stories, and Relationships – Eric Bahn of Hustle Fund reveals the tactical systems he uses to fundraise, recruit, and partner — all while keeping relationships human.

Selling in the Age of AI: Purpose and Authenticity – Dan Cavenaugh, Jennifer Cavenaugh, and Jackson Cavenaugh explore relationship-driven sales across generations and how AI fits in.

Is AI Coming For My Job? – Ha Nguyen reframes the question, showing how to build skills that make you durable in uncertain times.

Navigating Uncertainty: A Founders’ Fishbowl – Patrick Thompson, ★Komal Ahmad, and Niels Hoven rotate through real-world decision-making while attendees join the conversation.

Venture 3.0: Trust, Story, and Selling in Complex Ecosystems – Robby Peters and Raquel Scott, MBA Scott unpack how venture capital is evolving to support founders through trust, relationships, and ecosystem-driven growth.

Authenticity at Work: Lessons from Experience – Mandy Mooney shares how creativity, strategy, and authenticity intersect in large organizations.

Founder-Led Sales in the Age of AI – I sit down with Gagan Biyani (Udemy, Sprig: Eat Well, Maven) to explore founder-led sales and growth in a fast-moving AI world.

I started Snafu to learn in public — to understand influence, durability, and what actually works.

Whether you join us in OMCA or follow along from afar, I’m grateful to be on this journey with you. Let’s keep learning.

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