CLARK VARIN
Fundraising Consultant
Helping businesses raise capital by assembling the right plan, team, and investors.
Industries
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Financial Inclusion
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Sustainable Infrastructure
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Eco-Tourism
Languages
English, Spanish, French
Personality Type
Entrepreneur: Influencer + Pioneer
Helping Multi-Million Dollar Projects
Prepare, Pitch, & Close Deals
Need Help Raising Capital?
By helping a friend take a piece of land in Panama through all the launch phases of building a resort--market research, product ideation, business planning, due diligence, team building, and acquiring capital--I’ve found that I have a knack for a skill called “Fundraising Consulting”.
The purpose of Fundraising Consulting is to help businesses raise capital, which requires putting together the right plan and assembling the right people to execute on that plan. It’s similar to investment banking, but instead of hiring a whole team, you’re just hiring one person.
If you have an already existing business with a plan that requires a multi-million dollar raise (and you have the financial resources to pay a consultant before you raise the money), then you can apply for a discovery call with me.
How it works...
Discovery Call
Phase 1: Prepare
Phase 2: Pitch
Phase 3: Close
On the discovery call, I’ll ask you questions to try to figure out if your business is investment ready or not. If it (a) seems investment ready, (b) is a good fit for my portfolio and skills, and (c) I have the bandwidth to take on your project, then I may accept you as a client.
If we decide that we’re a good fit and we want to work together, I’ll join you at the location of your business for 4-6 weeks as we go through the following steps and decide if this deal is a “go” or “no-go”. If it’s a “go”, then it means your business is investment ready and we’ll continue on to pitching investors. If it’s a “no-go” it means your business is not yet investment ready and the consultation will conclude with an action plan to make the business investment ready, unless you choose to abandon the raise.
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Market Analysis
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Defining Vision
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Business Planning
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Due Diligence
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Financial Projections
If your business is investment ready, we will move onto the following steps, which may take 2-3 months as I travel to wherever we identify potential partners and investors.
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Preparing Marketing Materials
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Identifying Potential Investors
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Assembling Management Team
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Preparing Investment Prospectus
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Pitching Investors
Finally, upon identifying a potential investor or business partner, you as the owner may need to travel with me to the investor/partner’s location or the investor/partner may need to travel down to your location in order to see the investment opportunity in person and negotiate the terms of the deal.
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Drafting Terms Sheet
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Negotiating Terms
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Signing Investment / Partnership Agreement
Limitations
Consultants simply can’t replace the need for a business owner’s involvement in the raise. Without the owner present, I can’t drive the deal to completion. Your involvement and feedback will be required throughout the entire raise. In addition to hiring me, you may also need to hire a local market analysis expert, a securities attorney, a valuation expert, or an accountant.
What's it like working with me?
"StandOut", a strengths test by Marcus Buckingham, accurately describes my work style as an Entrepreneur: a mix of an "Influencer" and "Pioneer".
Influencer
I move fast and make decisions quickly. When I’m in the zone, I’m impatiently focused on the end goal. Since I don’t like to slow down or settle for the status quo, I often challenge authority and do whatever it takes to get a job done. My excitement fires people up and my personality persuades them into action, which builds momentum and makes things happen.
Pioneer
I am by nature an explorer, a trailblazer, a risk taker. I get excited by new places, new people, new problems, and new things. While others are intimidated by not having a clear path forward, I work best when I’m creating it. No matter how unfamiliar a problem, I find a way to get it done. My determination keeps me moving forward, leading the team into undiscovered territory.
Raising capital is the hardest form of marketing and sales. Before I was a fundraising consultant I had 12 years of professional experience as a marketing manager.
Marketing Skills
Market Research
Using metrics and analytics to answer critical questions like, "Is there enough demand?"
Brand Positioning
Strategizing your angle on the market based on SEO trends and keyword competition.
Marketing Strategy
An essential piece of your business plan
Copywriting
The art of creating high converting sales videos, webinars, and text.
Sales Videos
The best way to generate interest from foreign investors.
Web Design
A professional website builds credibility as they research your business.