Most founders jump straight to the pitch deck. This episode is about everything that has to be true before you get there.

In Episode 17 of Call to the Bullpen, Clint Overton sits down with Ted Stann, who has raised over $300 million in capital across his career, to walk through fundraising readiness: the basic blocking and tackling that separates companies that get funded from companies that just get feedback.

Ted breaks down how to size your market properly (total addressable, service addressable, and service attainable), where real market intelligence actually comes from (competitors, potential customers, and the investors themselves), and why cost should never be your differentiator. Clint pushes the conversation back toward fundamentals: the humility and coachability investors are quietly measuring, why an A+ team with a B product beats an A+ product with a B team, and why your business plan has to marry your financial plan.

They close on the pitfalls that trip up unprepared founders: cap table mistakes made early with unsophisticated money, the difference between participating and non-participating preferred, and why the right investor brings relationships and introductions, not just deep pockets.

Whether you're in the middle of a raise, considering one, or years away from it, this episode is the preparation checklist.

Listen now at https://www.calltothebullpen.com/