#24 - Don’t Let Fundraising Break You & How to Treat an Entrepreneur - with Shaily Baranwal of Elevate K-12
Description
Shaily Baranwal is the Founder and CEO of Elevate K-12. She’s an incredible entrepreneur and CEO, and I can attest to her ability to rapidly scale a company. Elevate K-12 provides engaging virtual classroom instruction from certified live teachers to ensure every student receives a high-quality education regardless of zip code. In the episode, Shaily shares the inspiring journey from her childhood in India as a special education student, to becoming a classroom teacher. She discusses founding two other companies before Elevate K-12, including a chain of preschools for low-income students in rural India. Shaily also talks about her fundraising experiences starting Elevate K-12, scaling the business, and her passion for problem-solving and rule-breaking in entrepreneurship.
Key Takeaways
[2:32 ] Shaily’s background.
[6:00 ] Shaily embraces both her scientific and artistic side.
[8:09 ] Solving problems is Shaily’s motivation.
[11:00 ] “Principles” by Ray Dalio.
[12:22 ] Learning from advisors and leaders. And choosing them wisely.
[14:05 ] Creating an ecosystem of success.
[18:01 ] Shaily’s past in teaching.
[18:33 ] Elevate - the fundraising journey.
[20:56 ] Why fundraising was a nightmare.
[22:08 ] Getting the first million from a hedge fund founder.
[26:04 ] The importance of a great investor.
[26:48 ] Discovering non-dilutive funding.
[29:27 ] Screening potential investors and choosing Novel.
[32:18 ] Asymmetry in the power and information dynamic.
[36:31 ] Advice for entrepreneurs and investors.
[39:35 ] Why did fundraising almost break Shaily?
[41:18 ] What surprised Shaily throughout the journey.
[43:05 ] The impact Shaily’s dad had on her career.
Resources:
RBF Network
Keith’s Twitter
United States
