Emotions, Conviction and Champagne
Vestingnotes Newsletter - 14.10.2025
Ciao e benvenuti 😊
One of my coaches once told me:
“Jona, if you put the same consistency and effort into something outside of hockey, I’m sure you’ll find your place - and probably even more success.”
At the time, it sounded like a bold statement. But he was right.
Beyond what we call “success” - which is subjective anyway - step by step, I’ve started finding my own dimension. Not in a sports career, but in a space where the same principles still apply: consistency, emotion, and team.
That same coach, together with another - who was then leading HC Lugano - gave me the chance to debut in Serie A.
After hockey, I spent a long time searching for an environment that could give me the same emotions - the intensity, the teamwork, the constant challenge. I eventually found it in startups - and now, I try to bring those same feelings here, through Vestingnotes.
When you start a newsletter, experienced people often tell you the same thing: Find your target. Know exactly who you’re writing for. Niche down. Define your audience.
And that doesn’t just apply to newsletters - startups hear it all the time too: define your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
And I get it - that’s good advice!
But if I followed it too strictly, Vestingnotes probably wouldn’t even exist. Because let’s be honest - how many people really want to read about what it’s like to be a first hire? If I had to bet, most would rather hear the stories of founders. Fair enough!
But here’s the thing - I’m not really thinking about how big my “target” is. Because no matter the title, the background, or the path, there’s something we all share - something that cuts across every role, every stage, every story.
And it always comes back to the same thing:
Emotions.
The excitement of starting something new. The fear of failing. The pride when things finally click. That’s what connects us. And that’s what I try to capture - not just the facts of startup life, but the feeling of it.
Recap from last week
Last week’s newsletter was about stepping on stage - literally and metaphorically.
I shared my experience at Venturelab’s “Innosuisse Business Creation ICT” - part of the Innosuisse Entrepreneurship Training.
For a few days, I stepped outside the usual rhythm of nestermind to zoom out, rethink, and learn from people who have helped build and fund dozens of Swiss startups.
From customer needs and market validation to pitching and financial planning, each session pushed one question forward:
Do you truly understand why your company should exist?
The final Pitch Day brought it all together. Standing in front of Nicolas Berg, David Studer, and Madhur “Maddy” Agrawal, I realized how much clarity matters more than confidence.
Pre-seed round
Because raising capital isn’t the destination.
It’s just the start of a new chapter - one where clarity, focus, and execution matter more than ever. The pre-seed round marks one of those rare moments in a startup - the kind that feels both like an ending and a beginning.
Here’s a small snapshot from that moment - one that reminds me that behind every round, there’s a story made of people, patience, and a lot of work.
I had an important task that day - making sure the champagne got to its destination.
Find out more here
The Build-Up - Before the Round
People often imagine a funding round as a single big moment - the handshake, the signature, the announcement. But before that moment, there’s a long stretch of quiet work.
You pitch, you adjust, you pitch again. Week after week, you test your story with new investors, refine your numbers, rework your slides, and question every assumption you once took for granted.
It’s not about chasing validation - it’s about building conviction.
And sometimes that conviction gets tested hard. You walk out of a meeting thinking “that went great”, only to receive a polite “not for us” the next day. Other times, the investors challenge you in ways that hurt - but those are usually the conversations that matter most.
Because preparing for a pre-seed means preparing to be uncomfortable. It’s not just fundraising - it’s fundamental questioning.
You’re not only defending your idea; you’re defending the way you think. And each “no” becomes less personal, and more like a piece of feedback in disguise.
By the time you’re halfway through, you start realizing that the goal isn’t to prove you’re right - it’s to stay curious enough to make your thesis stronger.
The Reflection - What Funding Really Means
Closing a pre-seed round feels like validation - but it’s actually responsibility.
It’s proof that others see potential, yes - but it’s also a reminder that potential now needs execution. Money doesn’t change the rhythm. It amplifies it. Everything that worked (and didn’t) before the round becomes even more visible after.
Funding gives you resources, but it also gives you pressure - to deliver, to focus, to make every next decision count. And that’s not a bad thing. It sharpens your sense of direction.
Because the people who invest don’t just buy into your product; they buy into your ability to learn faster than everyone else.
So yes - the round closed. But in a way, it also opened something new.
A new chapter. A higher bar.
And the same lesson I keep writing about here in Vestingnotes: the journey doesn’t start when you raise. It starts when you prove you can keep going after you do.
The Takeaways
Clarity beats complexity. A strong pitch isn’t about having dozens of slides - it’s about making people understand “why you exist” in one clear sentence.
Momentum over perfection. Progress beats polish. It’s better to test, iterate, and move forward than wait for the perfect timing.
“No” is part of the game. Rejections aren’t personal; they’re feedback disguised as friction - helping you sharpen your story and your thinking.
Defending your thesis is everyday work. Closing the round isn’t the end. It’s when the real pressure - and the real growth - begin.
Storytelling builds trust. Data convinces. Stories connect. When you tell yours with honesty, people believe in you before they believe in your numbers.
Closing Thought
In hockey, every shift matters - not just the final goal. What defines the game is how you play each minute on the ice: adapting, supporting your teammates, staying sharp even when you’re tired.
It’s the same in startups. Closing a round isn’t the victory; it’s just the next shift.
What truly counts is how you’ve played so far - with conviction, precision, trust in your team, and the willingness to adjust when the game changes.
Because just like in hockey, momentum is built one shift at a time.
Agree? Or maybe you see it differently - how do you build momentum? 👇🏼
Vesting Community
A space where first and early hires can share what the early days really feel like.
Where students and university associations curious about startups can ask questions directly to those already in the trenches.
And where founders and investors can exchange perspectives on what truly makes teams work.
Somewhere between stories and reality - a place for the lessons that never make it into pitch decks or headlines.
No slides, no polish - just honest talks.
So if this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, send me a message.
If you’ve made it this far, drop a like so I know you’re actually reading along 😉
And if you’re curious why I chose the name Vestingnotes, leave a comment and take a guess!
Why Vestingnotes
Why bother writing all this down?
Because the messy, unexpected, human lessons usually vanish in the rush of startup life.
I don’t want to forget what it feels like right now. And maybe by writing, I can give something back - to students curious about startups, founders searching for a first hire, and investors wondering what really happens in the trenches.
Thanks for reading - and if you subscribe, welcome to Vestingnotes! 🎉
See you next week 🕶️
Cheers,
Jona
nestermind
Here our last update: 🚀 nestermind Product Update – August/September 2025
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