Preparing financial information
The three simple documents most investors want to see — even if your bookkeeping is on WhatsApp today.
You don't need audited statements. You need clarity. Here's the minimum a thoughtful investor looks for.
1. A monthly sales & expense summary
For the last 6 months: total sales, total expenses, and profit. Keep it on one page.
Include the biggest single expense and the biggest single sale each month to add texture.
2. A simple use-of-funds table
Break the funding you're requesting into 3–5 clear line items: inventory, equipment, marketing, working capital, and a small contingency.
Each line: amount, purpose, and expected impact.
3. A next-12-months plan
Sales target, key hires, and one thing that could go wrong — and how you'd respond.
Honesty about risk is more reassuring than false certainty.
Key ideas
- Three documents is enough for most first investors
- Show honesty about risk, not false certainty
- Keep everything to one page each
A gentle next step
Draft a one-page use-of-funds table today and share it with your AI Coach for feedback.
Keep reading
Finding your first investor
How to find, approach, and win over your very first believer — even before you have polished pitch decks.
Read
Understanding equity
Equity in plain Kenyan language — what it means to give away a share, and how to think about it fairly.
Read
How to pitch your business
A calm, seven-minute pitch that focuses on the customer, the problem, and your plan — not buzzwords.
Read