As venture firms mature and fundraising becomes more institutionalized, building the right investor relations function is increasingly becoming a critical part of long-term growth. The best time to hire an investor relations leader is before you urgently need one, according to a recent report from SPMB’s Suzanne Heske and Emily Leder.

“LP relationships take years to build, and waiting until a fundraise is underway leaves a new hire little time to develop the trust and institutional credibility that drive commitments,” said Ms. Heske. “For many venture capital firms, the natural window to hire is between Fund III and Fund IV. In fact, 52 percent of our IR searches occur at precisely that stage.” READ MORE