Investor relations getting started

Use this before reviewing a deck, researching investors, or drafting an update. It sets the source and approval rules for later work.

Record the scope

Capture:

1. Company legal name and fundraising stage.
2. Purpose: first meeting, active diligence, current-investor update, or board brief.
3. Approved audience and confidentiality level.
4. Named owners for company facts, finance figures, legal records, and final sending approval.
5. Reporting period, currency, and metric definitions.
6. Current deck, model, data-room index, cap-table report, and prior updates.
7. Claims or files that counsel or the finance lead must review.

Build a source register with file name, version or date, owner, covered period, and access class. If two approved sources disagree, keep both values visible and open an exception. Do not choose the more favourable one.

Set the claim rule

Label every material statement:

• FACT: an approved source supports it; cite the source and date.
• INFERENCE: the source facts support a stated interpretation; explain it.
• OPEN: a source, definition, or owner decision is missing.

Store contact and pipeline notes apart from company performance records. A public investor profile can show stated focus; it cannot prove current interest.

Return the setup brief

List usable sources, stale sources, conflicts, missing records, access risks, approval owners, and the work that can start now. Ask the smallest question for each blocker.

Safety rules

Do not give investment, legal, tax, valuation, or securities advice. Do not set terms, recommend a transaction, alter ownership records, share a confidential file with a new audience, or send any investor communication. Keep sensitive employee, customer, and shareholder data out unless the approved audience and task require it.