“Busy Isn’t a Badge: Why One Investor’s Post Called Out the ‘Fake Hustle’ Culture in Fundraising”

Subheadline:
A sharp-witted take on startup fundraising messages just exposed the gap between traction and distraction—investors and founders alike took notice.

Introduction (Lede Paragraph):
“Do let me know, as I only have some slots on Thursday remaining.”
That’s how too many founders begin their investor messages, and Hanaali Suliman has had enough. In a LinkedIn post that blends clarity with dry wit, the seasoned angel investor dropped a hard truth: if your startup pitch depends on calendar pressure, not traction, you’re not pitching—you’re posturing.

Background & Context:
Hanaali Suliman is no stranger to startups or the pitchroom. With investments across SaaS, enterprise software, consumer apps, and more, she’s seen just about every founder tactic in the book. Her recent post critiques a specific pattern: founders manufacturing urgency and busy-ness to create the illusion of momentum. Instead of chasing actual traction, some pitch decks are now chasing empty optics.

And this post came at just the right moment. With pitch culture saturating platforms like LinkedIn, founders often confuse storytelling with storytelling theater.

Main Takeaways / Observations:

Busy Proof of Progress
Suliman points out that investors don’t buy “busy”—they invest in real traction. Urgency without evidence doesn’t move the needle.

Scarcity Theater Isn’t Strategy
Mentioning limited call slots or “final_final_this_one” decks doesn’t impress serious investors. It triggers skepticism, not FOMO.

Focus on the Metrics, Not the Meetings
If your biggest asset is your fundraising calendar, not your product metrics, it’s time to realign.

Community Reaction:
Suliman’s post struck a chord, racking up over 600 reactions and dozens of comments. Emmanuel Onwuka quipped about being guilty of deck-naming sins, while others like Catherine Valdileeso and Adewale Ogungbemile backed up the point that real traction always wins. The thread became a microcosm of founder-investor tension—and a rallying cry for substance over spectacle.

Our Perspective / Analysis:
From a legal advisory standpoint, Hanaali’s insight also echoes what we see in poorly-prepared term sheets: too much time crafting urgency tactics, too little time demonstrating commercial viability. For founders navigating investor relations, transparency in traction—not manufactured momentum—should be the legal and business priority.

It’s also a timely reminder for accelerators and VC gatekeepers: diligence doesn’t begin in the pitch—it begins in the product.

Call to Reflection or Action (Closing):
So here’s the question: are you building a business or building a buzz? Before you block your Thursday with “investor calls,” take a minute to review what they’re actually investing in.

Real traction speaks louder than real-time calendars.

Click here to visit LinkedIn Post