Female business founders are grossly undervalued. Although women make up 38% of business owners, startups with all-female founders consistently receive only 2-3% of enterprise investment. This speaks volumes about long-standing gender biases in the entrepreneurship space.
In a system where women already have to work harder to be valued, the added complexity of pregnancy can seem an almost insurmountable obstacle.
But after navigation successful series A financing my startup Zingbeing pregnant, I know first-hand that achieving your financial goals with a baby on board is not unimaginable.
Continuing to raise funds during pregnancy does not add an additional burden, but it is a testament to your passion and commitment and a improbable opportunity to spotlight your team-building skills and long-term vision – all the hallmarks of a VC to look for in the founder.
Maintaining transparency
Investors allocate capital without a guarantee that the startup will survive, let alone ensure a return on investment. Trust is a key a part of the founder-investor relationship, and revealing the pregnancy shows how much they value honesty and openness.
An experienced investor has seen all of it, and no startup is easily. Without pregnancy, the challenge could be different, so don’t put your fundraising plan on hold just because you are expecting.
As long as you can display your commitment to the product and your ability to navigate the challenges ahead, investors will likely be understanding – as proven by Zing’s successful Series A, which was accomplished in just six months.
Will you encounter prejudice? Undoubtedly. Huge 62% founders say they have experienced discrimination while fundraising, whether or not they are pregnant. Consider this honesty a blessing. You’ll must work closely with this person as your enterprise grows, so would you somewhat hear their questionable opinions before or after you sign the contract?
Disruption planning
Investors are incredibly risk averse and this is one of the explanation why 2% enterprise capital funds go to start-ups run by women. There’s no telling whether you may have to be away for an prolonged time period to focus on your health, or whether your entrepreneurial appetite will wane as you grow to be a mother – but investors will need to have a clear picture of how this may likely impact their investments.
A comprehensive maternity plan – detailing any expected absences, how responsibilities will likely be transferred in your absence and how the company plans to deal with any issues – will reassure investors. This will aid you adapt quickly when problems arise.
You’ll face unique challenges that increase the complexity of running a startup. In my case, it was the intense urges and constant bathroom breaks that seemed determined to interrupt key meetings.
But you are a founder, so it isn’t like this is your first time dealing with the unexpected. Pregnancy is just one other challenge in your enterprise’s journey, so deal with it as you’ll any other.
Put your health first
Sometimes entrepreneurship is like a competition to see who can work the most and sleep the least. It’s not the healthiest lifestyle, and the pain of pregnancy only makes it worse. It’s extremely exhausting, and since you furthermore may have to fret about your little one’s health, this is not the time to prove your unwavering resilience.
While you should not put your fundraising on hold, it is best to delay conference parties and long business trips for a while. Take breaks, hearken to your body and put your health first, and you may be back leading your team in no time. But ignoring your body will only harm your productivity and motivation, delay your return to work, and harm your startup’s prospects of achieving its financial goals.