Callum Laing co-founded Unity Group along with Jeremy Harbour after discovering that most entrepreneurs are terrible at fundraising because they think like operators instead of investors – focusing on client value while ignoring shareholder value entirely.
Most capital raising advice hasn't evolved in decades: build a deck and knock on a thousand doors. Callum's approach reverses this by building networks first, adding value through introductions, and creating five-year lockup structures that control supply and demand in public markets.
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00:00 Introduction
04:31 Shifting mindset from client value to shareholder value
07:46 How advisory boards can 10x your company valuation
08:46 The Elon Musk text that explains real investing dynamics
11:57 Add value before pitching and build investor circles
14:24 Using introductions to build trust and accelerate deals
17:15 Partnership strategy built from being bad at sales
19:32 How low-stakes partnerships lead to high-value deals
21:15 Why board members should avoid solving problems themselves
24:43 The upside of launching companies in unfamiliar industries
26:22 Why public markets clash with entrepreneurial instincts
30:13 Building the investor-friendly IPO by rewiring supply and demand
34:02 Constrained stock model and creating long-term upside
37:19 Why public stock is a powerful tool for acquisitions
40:13 How the agglomeration model de-risks acquisition roll-ups
44:23 Reverse engineering private equity deals with guaranteed buyers
48:37 Taking chips off the table and building freedom
52:59 Most first-time founders get outplayed at the exit stage
57:17 How low expectations make long-term partnerships thrive
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callumlaing/
Website: https://callumlaing.com/
