#24 - Don’t Let Fundraising Break You & How to Treat an Entrepreneur - with Shaily Baranwal of Elevate K-12

RBFN Podcast

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

Keith’s Linkedin

Shaily: Website | LinkedIn