Ep. 126: Liz Weindruch, Managing Director at Barings

Make resilience a core part of your fundraising strategy. With liquidity bottlenecks from stalled exits and fundraising timelines now stretching to 24 months, emerging managers need to manage expectations internally and externally. Liz advises setting realistic goals, communicating transparently, and fostering a partnership mindset within your team to maintain morale and focus.

Cold emails are powerful when done right. A strong cold email is concise, personalized, and scannable. Liz suggests skipping one-pagers and delivering value directly in the email, with your deck attached for more details. Start by referencing shared connections. Then, use the email to highlight your strategy, track record, and key differentiators.

Include lessons from failed deals into your pitch. Liz observes that few managers address underperforming investments upfront, even though LPs will uncover them during diligence anyway. Proactively explaining what went wrong and how it refined your approach builds trust and demonstrates a growth mindset.

Start with curiosity, not a pitch. Liz emphasizes that a great first meeting begins by understanding the LP's priorities. Instead of jumping right into your presentation, ask questions like, "What are your investment goals?" or "What gaps in your portfolio are you looking to fill?" This approach builds rapport and ensures your pitch aligns with their needs.