I interview Daniel Samosir Botcherby, the Co-Founder & CEO of Kalda, a digital mental health platform created to support the LGBTQIA+ community in this episode. We dive into the personal story that inspired Kalda, the challenges of building a mission-driven startup, and the realities of raising capital while staying true to social impact values.We discuss:
RESOURCES → GTM Essentials Course: https://selinaho.com/gtm-essentials→ GTM Consulting: https://selinaho.com/consulting→ Client Session With Dan: https://youtu.be/kiRVGvtLE8ILET’S CONNECT→ Newsletter: https://ceo-confessions.beehiiv.com → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selinaho → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selinajho → TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@selinajho_ CONNECT WITH DAN→ Kalda: https://www.kalda.co → Dan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielbotcherby START YOUR BUSINESS→ Start a business with the free Build a Sustaining Business program: https://selinaho.com/basb→ Define your version of success and build a blueprint to achieve it inside the free Your Success Roadmap: https://selinaho.com/roadmapSCALE YOUR BUSINESS→ Free GTM Essentials Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoxqvwU4q36bTLn_CVAaeyHPd2bjxIEz_ → Secure Your Winning GTM Strategy: https://selinaho.com/consulting TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction01:32 Free GTM Essentials Course03:35 Dan's Journey07:33 The Importance of Safe Spaces07:43 Building a Business Builds You08:21 Fundraising for Kalda09:19 Balancing VC Ambitions with Social Impact09:58 Navigating the VC Model10:32 Finding the Right Investors11:26 Laying the Foundation for Growth11:54 The Importance of Product Market Fit11:58 Deciding How Much to Raise14:12 Avoiding Overvaluation and Dilution16:37 UK vs. US Fundraising Markets17:50 The Challenge of Fundraising and Building18:24 Getting Your First Investors20:08 The Role of Accelerators and Community21:06 Choosing the Right Investors24:56 Guiding Principles for Fundraising26:10 The Importance of Speed in Fundraising26:51 Setting Your Terms and Valuation27:36 Creating Urgency to Close the Round27:51 The Power of Walking Away28:22 Maintaining Confidence as a Founder28:59 The Journey of a First-Time Founder29:27 The Role of a CEO in a Venture-Backed Startup30:12 Balancing Personal Challenges and Fundraising30:35 Support from Investors and Friends31:36 Navigating Grief and Fundraising32:08 The Importance of Clear Goals33:11 Managing Stress and Avoiding Burnout33:34 Creating Systems for Fundraising33:55 The Challenge of Fundraising Alone35:40 Prioritizing Business Goals37:52 The Problem Kalda is Solving39:31 The Cost of Private Therapy41:48 The Importance of a Scalable Solution42:21 Simplifying the Product43:02 Lessons in Marketing and Branding43:45 Reevaluating the Business Model47:32 Final Reflections and Advice