In this podcast episode, Kevin speaks to Ray McLennan of Raising Angel Finance. Ray has a lot of high-worth individuals on his books who are looking for investment opportunities. Including those property-related opportunities. He has also taught more than 1000 people how to pitch successfully.   Over the years, he has seen every kind of pitch there is from people looking to fund start-ups, scale-ups, University spin-offs, and property developments. So, he really knows what it takes to create and deliver an effective pitch. In the podcast, Ray explains what makes one pitch stand out from another. He also shares some simple pitching hacks that anyone can use to give themselves an edge when seeking funding for virtually any kind of property-related project.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Ray has many high-worth individuals on his books looking for property investment opportunities. Any listener can approach Ray about deals that they need investors for by following the instructions shared in the podcast. Most people who pitch have between a 50 and 70% chance of being successful. Even if 2 people pitch the exact same business, one may succeed in securing funding while the other one fails. In the podcast, Ray explains why that happens. Passion, a humorous presentation, or fancy PowerPoint slides are not the main ingredients of a successful pitch. You need to have an absolute belief in the fact that you are going to get funded. That belief comes from having a strong vision and values. From knowing you have done your homework and have a sound project. Investors and lenders respond positively to short, factual, simple presentations, that make strong arguments. These days, short well-made videos are an effective way to make a positive impression. It’s rarely a good idea to do an initial presentation over Zoom. It is too difficult to make a personal connection. Getting funding from the banks and topping up with personal investors is an approach that can work well.   BEST MOMENTS ‘I have taught pitching and getting money from investors to about 1000 people.’ ‘The ones that get the money have an absolute belief that they are going to get funded. ‘   ABOUT THE GUEST Ray McLennan is a former corporate lawyer from Edinburgh, Scotland who no longer practices law.  He co-formed the Copyright Protection Agency in Dublin in 1996 to advise SMEs on intellectual property issues and blogs and tweets on legal, business systems, and property investment matters. Currently, Ray is focusing on working with a group of finance lawyers and professionals to launch a series of Property Funds to bring back old-school banking for experienced property developers. As a former regional manager for Angels Den for 6 years, Ray has seen thousands of pitches. Including from SMEs looking for start-up and scale-up finance from private investors. He also has shares in several property companies that specialize in property Start-up incubators. They also renovate all kinds of properties and build on brownfield sites. Over the years, he has owned a variety of small businesses in the UK and Ireland. Including a chain of restaurants, a nightclub, a wine importers, and hairdressing salons. He also currently runs a company that creates affordable housing for key workers. Ray has been a VIP one-on-one mentor for Progressive Property based in Peterborough since 2016 and hosts a number of their VIP Lifetime Mastermind groups for established developers and business owners.  He is also a Keynote speaker and Lead Trainer. Ray has spoken at many large and small Scottish Enterprise and RBS events. He is also a Guinness World Record Holder and keynote public speaker and is co-host of the “How to Raise Money Podcast” and host of “The Skill Stack” Podcast. They have subscribers all over the world, mainly in the UK and America. He is currently trying to finish wri