The Art of Answering Questions

Lessons for Young Founders from the Other Side of the Table

As a funder, I spend a significant portion of my time meeting young founders, listening to their stories, and asking questions—lots of questions. These questions aren’t random; they are intentional tools for understanding, for building a mental map of the problem you’re solving, the solution you’ve envisioned, and the journey you’re proposing to take. Over time, I’ve noticed a recurring pattern in how some founders answer questions, and it’s a habit I sincerely hope they unlearn.

Here’s the crux of the issue: founders often don’t answer the question asked. Instead, they take a scenic route, detouring through elaborate backstories, dense metrics, and tangential details, all in an effort to impress. While the intent is understandable—this is your dream, after all—the execution often backfires. The more you try to cram into an answer, the more likely you are to lose your audience. And if you lose us, you lose the opportunity to showcase your vision clearly.

Why We Ask Questions

There’s a reason we ask specific questions: we’re trying to piece together a picture, one that makes sense to us. This picture needs clarity, coherence, and logic. When you take a roundabout way to answer—or worse, answer a different question entirely—you disrupt that process.

Think of it like painting. Each question is a brushstroke, helping us layer colour and detail until the image emerges. But when you overcomplicate or sidestep the question, you’re trying to paint the picture for us—using every colour in the palette at once. It ends up messy and overwhelming. You can’t transfer conviction to us with words alone; you have to guide us toward seeing it ourselves.

Show, Don’t Tell

The cardinal rule of storytelling applies here too: show, don’t tell. If we ask about your go-to-market strategy, resist the urge to preemptively answer every possible follow-up question or throw in tangential metrics about user acquisition. Stick to what we’re asking, and let us lead the conversation. Founders often assume they need to pre-emptively answer unasked questions to appear prepared. Instead, it comes across as evasive or unfocused.

What we’re looking for is precision. Answer the question with clarity and confidence. Assume we’ll ask for follow-ups if we need more detail. Trust that the conversation is a collaborative exploration, not an interrogation.

Numbers: Context Over Quantity

Another common pitfall is overloading answers with data. Yes, we’ve all heard the mantra: “Bring the data.” But raw numbers without context are like puzzle pieces without edges—they don’t help us see the whole picture.

For example, telling us you’ve grown revenue by 200% in six months sounds impressive, but without context, it raises more questions than it answers. What’s the starting base? What factors drove the growth? How sustainable is it? When founders rattle off metrics without grounding them in a story, it can feel like they’re trying to dazzle us with vanity metrics. And trust me, nothing scares funders more than the feeling that someone’s trying to pull a fast one.

The better approach? Bring the data and the story. Numbers should illuminate your vision, not obscure it. Provide the context that explains why the metrics matter and how they align with your larger goals.

Assume We’re a Little Stupid

Here’s a secret: we’re not as smart as you think. Founders often fall into the trap of assuming that funders are walking encyclopedias of market trends, business models, and technological nuances. In reality, we’re just playing catch-up, trying to grasp the intricacies of your world while evaluating its potential fit with ours.

So, keep it simple. Answer succinctly. Give us the time and space to process your answers and build our own understanding. The goal isn’t to overwhelm us with your brilliance but to make us feel like we’ve discovered it ourselves.

Aggressiveness Isn’t Vision

Finally, resist the urge to oversell. Conviction isn’t built on aggressive pitches; it’s built on clarity, coherence, and genuine enthusiasm. Show us your vision. If it’s well-thought-out, it will shine through without you needing to overstate your case. Most of the time, we’re not looking for perfection; we’re looking for promise.

Actionable Takeaways for Founders

1. Answer with Laser Focus.
   When asked a question, pause to understand it fully before answering. Provide a direct response in 2-3 sentences, ensuring your answer is clear and to the point. Avoid tangents unless explicitly prompted.

2. Guide the Journey.
   Think of your answers as stepping stones. Start with the most essential point and build incrementally if follow-ups arise. Let the funder assemble the big picture without overwhelming them.

3. Pair Data with Context.
   Always frame metrics with a “so what.” Explain why the numbers matter, how they relate to your vision, and what they signal about the future. For example: “We grew 200% in six months because of X strategy, which we plan to replicate across Y markets.”

4. Check for Simplicity.
   Before answering, mentally ask yourself: If I had to explain this to a friend in 30 seconds, what would I say? Strip your response down to its simplest, most impactful version.

5. Anticipate but Don’t Overpack.
   Expect follow-up questions, but don’t cram answers to unasked questions into your response. Address one thing at a time. Trust the conversation’s flow to surface other details.

6. Connect the Numbers to the Story.
   Instead of dumping stats, link them to your narrative: “Our 10% CAC decrease aligns with our efforts to optimise onboarding,” or “This conversion growth highlights untapped demand.”

7. Adopt a 'Teach, Don’t Sell' Mindset.
   Approach the conversation as an opportunity to educate the funder on your vision. Avoid aggressive pitches; instead, let your vision speak through coherent, confident answers.

8. Rehearse Smart Brevity.
   Practice answering common questions (e.g., market size, go-to-market strategy, revenue projections) succinctly, with a maximum of 3 bullet points per answer.

9. Calibrate for Non-Experts.
   Assume funders aren’t as deep into your space as you are. Use analogies or examples to simplify complex ideas. For instance, “Think of our platform like Netflix for X, but with Y unique features.”

10. Be human.
    Funders aren’t here for perfection. We’re here for promise. Don’t overcomplicate things trying to impress us. Trust that your clarity, not your cleverness, will win us over.

By adopting these habits, you’ll not only answer better but also build trust, clarity, and conviction with funders—key ingredients for turning interest into investment.

At the end of the day, we want to believe in you as much as you believe in your idea. Help us get there. Don’t overwhelm us with details; show us your clarity and conviction. If you do that, the rest usually takes care of itself.