If you want to build a brand that raises capital, you need more than a nice logo and a slick pitch deck. In this live Fund Playbook episode, PR and branding expert Amanda Samoyloff breaks down what makes a financial brand resonate with investors, and what quietly turns them away.
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About Fund Playbook
Learn how to launch your own private fund or real estate syndication with Fund Playbook. In each episode, Jimmy Atkinson shares insights on syndicating deals, raising capital, and entrepreneurship.
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Episode Summary
Host Jimmy opens the episode by stressing that “a nice logo and a slick pitch deck” are never enough on their own; real investor-facing branding starts with strategy and story. He welcomes PR and branding expert Amanda Samoyloff of Samoyloff PR to explain how founders can “build a brand that raises capital.” The conversation ranges from defining branding, to scrubbing old social posts, to picking fonts and colors—always circling back to the human narrative that convinces investors to trust their money to a fund manager.
Guest: Amanda Samoyloff
Amanda has spent 15-plus years in entertainment publicity, “rocking and rolling up and down the Sunset Strip,” before a private-equity friend asked her to “make me a rock star in private equity.” That 2020 pivot led her to finance, where she now “bets on the jockey, not the horse,” shaping the reputations of founders and fund managers. Her eclectic résumé also includes a wealth-advisor client who launched the “FinRock” music genre and a stint filming the season finale of the Going Public series on X alongside host Mike Tyson.
What Is Branding?
Amanda defines branding simply as “your public perception… your story… your reputation.” In capital raising, the brand is often the founder’s face: investors back “someone that’s trustworthy, exciting, really cares about the fund,” even if that spokesperson is not the CEO. Jimmy agrees, lamenting websites that hide team members’ photos; investors want to “familiarize [themselves] with people,” especially when cash may be locked up for years.
Building a Brand That Raises Capital: Amanda’s Framework
- Scrub & Streamline – Delete or archive social posts older than two years, and avoid politics; old tweets “destroy” credibility.
- Set Posting Pillars – Decide what you will and will not share (family shots, behind-the-scenes, etc.) and post with intention instead of “three times a day” sales pitches.
- Run a 360-Degree Review – Interview colleagues, family, and partners to uncover “what the back of your head looks like” and surface authentic stories investors connect with.
- Craft Narrative to Fit Strengths – If the founder is camera-shy, lean on written thought leadership; if charismatic on video, schedule live interviews and livestreams.
- Human First, Design Second – Fonts, colors, and logos follow the narrative, not vice-versa. Design refreshes every two years keep visuals current, but the story drives trust.
Common Mistakes & Quick Fixes
- Boring, sales-heavy feeds repel prospects; be “cool,” add pops of unexpected color (Fund Playbook’s teal is her example), and post value-driven insights.
- Amateur production: Poor lighting, outdated Instagram grids, low-quality headshots—signals inexperience. Replace with polished lifestyle photos and ring-light video.
- Overlooking social proof: testimonials, track record blurbs, or references reassure new investors; newer managers must lean harder on story until proof accrues.
- Ignoring crisis optics: a “checkered past” should be owned early; transparency “takes away the momentum” of a potential hit piece.
Social Media Strategy & Platforms
Amanda ranks LinkedIn, X, and YouTube as must-have channels for fund managers; Instagram adds a personable “behind-the-scenes” layer for real-estate operators. Cross-streaming live video maximizes reach, and closed captions now boost algorithms. Video remains the “crack” content format—if you can’t go live, embed a pre-recorded pitch or one-sheet on fundraising platforms.
Audience Q&A Highlights
- Video still wins — even on listing sites. Robert asked about “raising money on platforms like Republic where I do not have a chance to verbally interact with investors.” Jimmy said video “is always preferred… host a live online event” if possible; Amanda called video “crack,” adding that a pre-recorded pitch or one-sheet is the next-best option and closed-captioned clips now get algorithm boosts on Instagram and YouTube.
- Handle a checkered past head-on. When Robert followed up about a founder with “judgments in the past,” Amanda framed it as crisis PR: “Hit it on the head… take away all of their momentum.” Owning the story early, showing growth, and being “vulnerable” keeps media or critics from weaponizing old news.
- Introvert founders can still lead a brand. Audio Skills wondered whether “the face of the brand” must be extroverted. Amanda said an introvert can do written interviews and legacy print, but someone—founder or spokesperson—must handle large on-camera spots; Jimmy noted he “learned how to get in front of a camera” over time.
- Pick your core platforms, don’t chase them all. Angela asked if a fund manager must be “present on all social media platforms.” Amanda recommended LinkedIn, X, and YouTube as essentials, with Instagram for behind-the-scenes personality; “you don’t need to be on 15” outlets if they don’t fit. Jimmy agreed: start where posting is simplest, add YouTube when ready.
- Re-humanize stigmatized sectors. Andrew, concerned about negative views of commercial real-estate developers, asked if Amanda’s firm can “clean up the optics.” Amanda advised sharing an “authentic story” to show the person behind the projects; Jimmy added that cultivating “social proof” and testimonials also builds trust. Both stressed you’ll never win everyone—focus on the investors who “really know, like, and trust you.”
Conclusion
Raising money is vulnerable for both sides. Investors hand over “hard-earned cash”; managers should vet investors just as thoroughly. A founder who cleans up old posts, tells a genuine story, shows up consistently on the right platforms, and looks the part will “stand out in all the noise” and inspire the confidence that truly builds a brand that raises capital.