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Invisible Ink

Invisible Ink

By: Shubha K. Chakravarthy
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About this listen

 Tired of startup fluff?

Invisible Ink cuts through the hype, bringing you power-packed conversations with investors and founders who've built the companies you admire.

Forget theory and buzzwords. This podcast is your all-access pass to the real strategies, the tough decisions, and the often unseen struggles that shape successful startups.

Each episode zooms in on the specifics of what it takes to get funded, demystifying the process and giving you actionable insights you can apply today.

Join us as we unpack the gritty details the hype machine misses, revealing the truth about what investors look for, the mistakes to avoid, and the actionable steps you can take to make your startup unstoppable.

Invisible Ink is more than just a podcast – it's your personal mentor in the world of funding. Tune in, level up, and turn your startup dream into a funded reality.

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Find show notes and more at https://achiiv.co/category/podcast/Achiiv, Inc. Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Ep 86 - Finding the Right Backer in a Tough Market: Insights From a Veteran Investor, With Dr. Ronald Weissman

    Ep 86 - Finding the Right Backer in a Tough Market: Insights From a Veteran Investor, With Dr. Ronald Weissman
    Jan 4 2026
    In this episode of Invisible Ink, veteran operator Dr. Ron Weissman joins Shubha Chakravarthy to challenge some of the most entrenched myths in early-stage fundraising. Drawing on decades as a VC, angel investor, board member, and former NeXT executive who worked closely with Steve Jobs, Ron explains why startups fail.

    Key takeaways from the episode include:
    1. Why some founders immediately feel investable—even before the deck comes up
    2. The question investors are really trying to answer in the first few minutes
    3. What years of looking at deals teaches investors that pitch contests never do
    4. Why getting a fast yes from an investor can be more dangerous than a slow no
    5. The part of diligence most founders don’t realize they’re being evaluated on
    6. What investors listen for when founders describe their market—not their product
    7. How investors tell the difference between a strong pitch and a strong business
    8. When a funding path helps you—and when it starts working against you
    9. The moment investors decide whether they want to work with you long-term
    10. What a founder’s roadmap reveals that no slide ever says out loud
    11. How deal structure shapes the relationship long before anything goes wrong
    12. The shift in thinking investors expect from founders aiming to build category leaders
    and much more!
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Ep 85 - The New Capitalism and What It Means for Founders Today, With Elizabeth MacBride and Seth Levine

    Ep 85 - The New Capitalism and What It Means for Founders Today, With Elizabeth MacBride and Seth Levine
    Dec 14 2025
    This episode of Invisible Ink features a dynamic conversation between host Shubha K. Chakravarthy and guests Elizabeth MacBride, a long-time financial journalist, and Seth Levine, a seasoned venture capitalist and co-founder of Foundry.

    In this episode, Elizabeth and Seth discuss the shift in the American economy toward dynamic capitalism and offer strategic advice to founders navigating this new landscape.

    Check out this wide-ranging conversation for their key insights on:
    1. Why this moment in fundraising feels broken and why it is actually something else entirely
    2. The subtle signal investors are responding to now that most founders are not even naming
    3. How capital concentration quietly reshapes who gets funded and who never gets a second look
    4. Why ownership has become more than a compensation issue and what it reveals about long-term company strength
    5. What happens when founders keep playing by yesterday’s rules and why the game has already shifted
    6. The structural split inside venture capital that explains so many confusing investor reactions
    7. Why location has re-entered the funding conversation and how geography changes access in ways founders underestimate
    8. The real bottleneck facing AI and deep tech companies and why it has nothing to do with ideas
    9. Where truly patient capital is starting to show up and why most founders are still looking in the wrong places
    10. Why waiting for policy clarity is a losing strategy and what consistently outpaces regulation
    11. The overlooked way strong founders reduce risk before they ever raise a dollar
    12. Why persistence alone is not enough and when refusing to pivot becomes the real failure
    13. What credibility actually looks like in an AI-saturated world and why it cannot be automated
    14. The one mental shift that determines whether founders navigate this transition or get stuck in it
    and much more!
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Ep 84 - Lead With the Money, Not With the Pain: Inside Tips for a Better Raise, With Naseem Sayani

    Ep 84 - Lead With the Money, Not With the Pain: Inside Tips for a Better Raise, With Naseem Sayani
    Nov 30 2025
    In this episode, Naseem Sayani, Director, Innovator's Circle, WHAM and VC investor & ecosystem builder, joins Shubha Chakravarthy to expose the structural gaps female founders face and how to overcome them with strategy, confidence, and financial clarity. Naseem breaks down why women often lead with pain instead of profit, why this undermines fundraising, and how shifting storytelling toward economic opportunity can transform investor outcomes. Drawing from deep experience in consulting, venture building, and women’s health innovation, she outlines the real reasons women negotiate less, accept predatory terms, and hesitate to take salaries—even when the business demands it.

    Check out Naseem's sharp insights on:
    1. Why most female founders lose investor interest early and the simple narrative shift that instantly changes the fundraising conversation
    2. The hidden bias in “leading with pain” and how reframing your pitch around market size and money unlocks investor confidence
    3. Why founders routinely miscalculate market size and how to paint a compelling future vision that pulls investors toward your company
    4. The red flags investors look for in early teams and the specific “superpowers” founders must assemble from day one
    5. The most overlooked post-funding mistake women make and how to protect your equity and runway as you scale
    6. Why many founders underestimate predatory term sheet risks and how to build the small advisory circle that keeps you safe
    7. The difference between a true product and a feature and the unforgiving test that reveals whether your idea is actually fundable
    8. Why financial fluency matters more than financial perfection and how to speak to your model in ways that earn investor trust
    9. The real reason founders stumble in regulated markets and how early clinical, payer, or regulatory expertise changes your trajectory
    10. Why leadership development determines whether you keep the CEO role and how coaching, community, and thought leadership help you scale with your company
    and much more!
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    58 mins
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