Trailmark brings decades of experience to raising
private capital and building long-term businesses.

PERSPECTIVES ON
NAVIGATING YOUR JOURNEY

Trailmark brings decades of experience to
raising private capital and building long-term
businesses.

PERSPECTIVES ON
NAVIGATING YOUR JOURNEY

Trailmark brings decades of experience to raising
private capital and building long-term businesses.

PERSPECTIVES ON
NAVIGATING YOUR JOURNEY

Trailmark brings decades of experience to
raising private capital and building long-term
businesses.

PERSPECTIVES ON
NAVIGATING YOUR JOURNEY

VIEWPOINTS

Tips from the Fundraising Trail

We want to share with you a few tips from our 20+ years of achieving success on the fundraising trail.

Pack a good map. In fundraising, this means planning up front to anticipate potential obstacles and how long the journey will take. Your map should include accurate readings on the likely timing and amounts of commitments from your existing LPs.

WHEN IS YOUR FIRST CLOSE?

Usually, your first close is challenging to predict.

Yet a lot rides on your first close as a signal of positive momentum to investors. A strong first closing can drive the rest of the fundraising. In sympathy with all the kids that have just finished their exams, we offer a short True/False quiz to test your First Closing knowledge:

WHAT’S YOUR TARGET FUND SIZE?

Determining the right number helps set your strategy.

You have many factors to consider when answering the question about your target fund size. What did you raise last time? How much interest did you turn away? At what pace have you been committing capital? What size allows you to stick to your strategy? What is your team’s capacity? Will you offer co-investment? How much can you raise without seeming greedy?

Do you offer co-investment?

Determining your approach to answering the question depends on which of the following categories best fits your fund.

Ah yes, co-investment (“COI” for short). This can feel like Question Number 1 from prospective LPs. In reality, LP opinion ranges from “I won’t commit to a new fund without COI,” to “We wish we could do COI but don’t have the resources,” to “We actively avoid funds with COI.”

WHAT’S YOUR POINT?

Clarity is critical to fundraising success — and to ongoing GP to LP communications.

DO YOU HAVE PROPRIETARY DEAL FLOW?

LPs look for it, but buying value matters most.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU BE IN MARKET?

Several factors can guide your optimal timing.

We manage only a select number of assignments each year, ensuring our clients receive the highest level of service and dedication throughout the process.

Atlanta

3355 Lenox Road NE
Suite 805
Atlanta, GA 30326
+1 404 900 5501

London

46A Frognal
London NW3 6AG
United Kingdom
+44 20 3514 5421

Atlanta

3355 Lenox Road NE
Suite 805
Atlanta GA 30326
+1 404 900 5501

London

46A Frognal
London
NW3 6AG
United Kingdom
+44 20 3514 5421
The firm and its affiliates include Trailmark Inc., member of FINRA and regulated by the US SEC; Trailmark Group Ltd, authorized and regulated by the UK FCA; and Trailmark Lda, tied agent of a registered and authorized entity with the CMVM of Portugal. Securities are offered to US investors through Trailmark Inc., located at 3355 Lenox Road NE, Suite 805, Atlanta, GA 30326 USA. Information provided here does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to purchase an interest in any investment vehicle. Any such offer shall be made only pursuant to formal offering materials, and any information transmitted here is qualified by such offering materials. If an institutional investor requests further information regarding an offering, the investor attests that it is an institutional customer capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies involving a security or securities.
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