Writing on faith, founders & capital.
Weekly essays from Steven Dossou on breaking free from fear, building thriving ventures and deploying capital with purpose.
How to rebuild momentum after a setback: the five-step reset
Momentum is not a feeling, it is a sequence. Here is the five-step reset I use with founders and executives after a failed raise, a lost account or a business that did not make it.
B2B outbound: the qualification bar that decides whether your pipeline is real
Most outbound programmes do not fail on volume, they fail on what they let through. The exact five-part qualification bar I use before a conversation earns a calendar slot.
Investor readiness is a data room problem, not a pitch problem
Founders rehearse the pitch and neglect the folder. The twelve documents that should exist before your first investor meeting, and what each one is really testing.
How to validate a business idea across three continents without burning a year
Validation is not asking people if they like your idea. A four-week protocol for testing demand in Europe, Africa and the US, and the market-entry mistakes that cost the most.
The business of public speaking: how speakers actually get paid
Two TEDx stages taught me the craft. The business is a separate skill. How speaking fees really work, what a keynote costs to deliver, and the path from free stages to paid work.
7 Mistakes You're Making with Business Transformation (And How to Fix Them)
Transformation is not a moment. It is a decision, a habit, a lifestyle, and a powerful identity.
5 Steps How to Land a TEDx Talk and Spread Your Vision (Easy Guide for Aspiring Speakers)
A TEDx stage can give a meaningful idea a wider audience. The work begins long before the microphone is turned on.
Introducing AETHER: The "Tinder of Fundraising" Is Here to Transform Your Growth
<strong>AETHER</strong> by IRIS Vision Capital: The Matchmaking Platform for Capital
The Three Demons That Keep Faith-Driven Founders Broke
Fear, self-doubt and low self-esteem cost more deals than any recession. Here is how to name them, face them and build anyway.
Why 95% of Early-Stage Founders Fail to Secure Funding
It is almost never the market. It is almost always the founder. Here are the five patterns I see in African and European decks that never close.
The Sales Mindset That Turns Fear Into Revenue
Selling is not manipulation. It is stewardship. Here is the sales mindset shift that unlocks Christian founders who have been leaving money on the table.