I analyzed 1,000+ deals. Here is why Engineers fail at fundraising (and how I fixed it).

#discuss #productivity #career

I’m Jennifer Grace. I didn't start as a designer.
For years, I obsessively analyzed thousands of deals just out of pure curiosity. I wanted to know exactly what lands a check and what gets a startup rejected.
The Problem
I kept seeing incredible, world-changing products get rejected by VCs, while worse products got funded. I wondered why.
Then I found the pattern. The engineers were building great products, but the funded founders were building great narratives.
The Pivot
So, one day I stopped analyzing deals and started building them. That’s how I became a Narrative Designer.
Now, I want to validate if my new strategy actually resonates with you guys (the builders).
The Strategy
Big boutique agencies typically charge $5k - $15k for this level of narrative work (which is why most bootstrapped founders can't afford them).
My standard rate is usually $3,000 to keep it accessible. But for Q1, I’m running a 'Mission 2026' campaign.
I slashed the price to $799 (flat) and opened limited slots specifically to build high-end Case Studies before the new year. The goal is to get 'Sequoia Standard' decks into the hands of 25 founders to start a momentum wave.
I need your feedback on this approach:
The Value: As a technical founder, is 'narrative design' something you actually value, or do you prefer to write the pitch yourself?
The Offer: Does the 'Mission 2026' limited-slot angle feel exciting to you, or does it just feel like a marketing tactic?