04 - To Make your Business Investable You Have to Build Scalable Systems
Investors don’t fund businesses—they fund scalable systems. In this episode, discover how to make your business investable by building predictable revenue, automating operations, and developing a leadership team that drives growth without you. Learn what investors look for and how to remove bottlenecks.
To Make Your Business Investable, You Have to Build Scalable Systems
Most entrepreneurs believe investors are looking for great business ideas—but that’s not true.
Investors don’t fund businesses. They fund systems. They look for repeatable, scalable operations that don’t rely entirely on the founder. If your business depends on you to function, it’s not an investment—it’s a liability.
So, what separates a fundable business from one that no investor will touch?
1. Predictable Revenue = Investable Business
If your revenue is inconsistent, your business is a risky bet. Investors want:
- Recurring revenue models (subscriptions, retainers, repeat customers).
- A steady upward trend in sales instead of unpredictable spikes.
Businesses that rely on one-time deals or seasonal trends without clear growth mechanisms struggle to attract investors.
2. Scalable Systems Over Founder Dependency
A business that relies entirely on you isn’t a business—it’s a job.
Investors want to see:
Automated and systemized processes so growth doesn’t depend on a single person.
Clear delegation and documented workflows that allow teams to execute independently.
A business model that scales efficiently without linear cost increases.
Without these, your business isn’t scalable—it’s just organized chaos.
3. A Strong Leadership Team That Can Execute
Investors don’t just evaluate the founder—they evaluate the entire leadership team.
A business becomes investable when it has:
- Leaders who can scale operations beyond the startup phase.
- The ability to pivot and adapt in changing markets.
- A team that can execute strategy without constant founder oversight.
If everything depends on you, investors see risk, not opportunity.
4. Execution Matters More Than Ideas
A great idea without execution is worthless. Investors want proof that you can turn strategy into results.
They look for:
✔ Traction: revenue growth, market adoption, or a proven track record.
✔ Scalability: the ability to expand without a linear increase in costs.
✔ Strategic milestones: clear progress that shows your ability to execute, not just plan.
Is Your Business Fundable?
Before chasing investors, ask yourself:
Is my revenue predictable and scalable?
Can my business grow without me being in the weeds every day?
Do I have systems in place to remove bottlenecks?
Is my leadership team strong enough to scale operations?
If the answer is no, it’s time to build the right foundation before seeking investment. Funding follows scalability.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction: What Investors Really Fund
00:20 Key to Investment: Predictable Revenue
00:35 Building Scalable Systems
00:57 The Importance of a Strong Team
01:15 Execution Over Ideas
01:27 Conclusion: Is Your Business Fundable?
Links:
Website: https://www.marcogrueter.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcogrueter/
Transcript:
Investors don't fund businesses. They fund. Investors don't fund. Go on. Investors don't fund businesses. They fund repeatable, scalable systems. Here's what I've learned to make my business investible. First, predictable revenue. Investors want to see recurring revenue models or a steady upward trend in sales.
If your business relies on unpredictable spikes or in one-time deals, it's not a good investment. Scalable systems, if your business depends entirely on you, it's not an investment. It's a chop because no investor wants to buy into bottleneck operations. The key is automating, delegating, and systemizing processes.
So growth doesn't rely entirely on you. A strong team, investors don't just look at the owner, they evaluate the leadership team's ability to scale operations, drive strategy, adapt to challenges and pivot if necessary. Execution matters more than ideas. Investors look to investors, look for proof, traction, revenue, or strategic milestones that demonstrate your ability to convert plans into measurable results.