the #1 mistake that founders make in a fundraise process is asking for too much $ out of the gate ALWAYS start with a lower number than you're targeting, work towards collecting the first term sheet, and then build up through competitive tension to your desired amount asking for too much and then circling back to investors who've passed with a lower ask is a death sentence. You're signaling that you don't have interest in the round some founders mistakenly think that the raise amount should be driven by your budget NO - your raise amount is driven by market forces: perceived strength of team, traction/execution to date and how good you are at fundraising