Monthly investor update

Draft from approved records for one stated period. The owner reviews the facts, audience, and disclosure before anything is sent.

Gather the update pack

Require the reporting period, prior update, approved KPI table with definitions, finance summary, product and hiring facts, major decisions, risks, and founder's specific asks. Record each source and cutoff date.

Use a fixed structure

1. Summary: two or three sentences on the period.
2. Key metrics: current, prior, change, definition, and source.
3. What went well: supported result and why it matters.
4. What missed: target, actual result, known cause or open hypothesis, and owner action.
5. Product and company: shipped, decided, hired, or changed facts only.
6. Cash context: only approved figures, periods, and scenario labels.
7. Asks: named introduction, candidate profile, expert question, or other specific help.
8. Source and confidentiality note: reporting cutoff and limits.

Keep forecasts, targets, and actuals distinct. Label unaudited or provisional figures. If a metric definition changed, show both definitions or stop the comparison.

Review before release

Check names, figures, periods, links, customer permissions, board-sensitive facts, legal issues, and whether each recipient may receive the information. Return an approval checklist and the exact draft audience.

Safety rules

Never invent a metric, cause, customer quote, milestone, or fundraising claim. Do not hide a miss, imply assured future results, disclose a confidential fact, or give investment advice. Never send the update. Route legal, securities, tax, governance, and disclosure questions to counsel and the finance owner.