Presence: The Quiet Advantage in Fundraising, Leadership & Beyond

katrincharlton
Jul 26
4 min read

Updated: Jul 31

Back in my fundraising days, I had the privilege of working with some brilliant minds. Sharp thinkers. Committed professionals. Often exceptional investors — and great humans too.

But here’s what I came to see:

💡 Being great at investing didn’t automatically mean raising lots of capital or inspiring trust.

In investor meetings:

Some stayed quiet.

Others said too much.

Some had a strong story — but couldn’t connect.And when pressure mounted, ego sometimes took over.

A few just got it right — and those were the ones we could never quite ‘explain’ with CVs or numbers alone.

My role was to help with the pitch deck, refine delivery, and make the right introductions. We had the numbers. The track records. The networks.

But in challenging market conditions — or when the story didn’t land — these weren’t always enough.

What made the difference?

Presence.

What I now call executive presence.

What is Executive Presence — Really?

Sylvia Ann Hewlett defines executive presence as a combination of:

Gravitas (how you act)
Communication (how you speak)
Appearance (how you look)

Her research shows gravitas makes up nearly 67% of executive presence.

It’s the quiet strength that gives your message weight. It’s composure under pressure. It’s confidence without arrogance. It’s clarity of thought, emotional intelligence, and the ability to connect deeply. It’s knowing when to pause. When to listen. And when to let silence speak.

Back then, we tried to tweak the surface — polish the tone, fine-tune the slides, rehearse the answers.

Sometimes it helped. But the leaders who truly stood out had something deeper. A grounded, calm conviction that invited trust.

👉 Of course, presence isn’t the only factor. Timing, luck, momentum, and being in the market with the right strategy all matter. But in my experience, presence is one of the most overlooked ingredients for success in the room.

As behavioural scientist Vanessa Bohns puts it, “we consistently underestimate the impact we have on others — even in fleeting moments.” And Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman reminds us that “under pressure, our fast-thinking mind often overrides logic, undermining clarity and composure.”

A Moment That Stayed With Me

I remember one meeting clearly.

The fund manager was brilliant — but visibly nervous. Despite his credentials, the room felt flat. The message didn’t land.

Later, one of the investors shared with me in confidence:

“He didn’t seem confident in what he was saying.”

That moment stayed with me.

The numbers were strong. The strategy was solid. But something didn’t connect.

Now I understand why. He wasn’t aligned. His presence didn’t back up his words.

I also felt it — but couldn’t name it at the time.

A Client’s Turning Point

Fast forward to today. I recently worked with a founder — let’s call him Karim — preparing to raise his Series B.

Smart. Humble. Analytical. But every investor pitch felt off.

He said:

“I know what I’m talking about. But I don’t feel like I’m making an impact.”

Through our coaching, we discovered he was stuck in his head — focused on saying the right thing rather than showing up with clarity and belief.

We worked on his inner state: reconnecting with his purpose, grounding through breathwork, and building awareness of his energy.

Next pitch? A different experience. He didn’t change the script — he changed how he showed up. More calm. More human. More connected.

And the response shifted.

The Neuroscience Behind It

🧠 Your presence is shaped by your nervous system.

When you’re regulated — calm, focused, emotionally present — others feel it.Your body sends non-verbal cues (through facial expression, posture, tone) that signal safety and trust.

This happens through a part of the brain called the social engagement system, which influences how others read and respond to you — often before you say a word.

In contrast, when you’re stressed or overthinking, your prefrontal cortex — the part responsible for executive function — can struggle to stay online.

Your message may become jumbled. Your audience may disconnect.

That’s why grounding practices, mindset shifts, and inner alignment often matter more than rehearsing your script 20 times.

Three Simple Tips for Building Executive Presence

💬 You don’t have to become someone else — you just need to lead more intentionally from who you are.

Try these:

✅ Pause on purpose. A thoughtful pause can hold more power than a polished line.

✅ Ask for feedback on your presence. How do others feel in your company? Energised? Rushed? Heard?

✅ Do your inner work. Presence comes from within. The more connected you are to yourself, the stronger your impact.

Why It Matters

Because people don’t just invest in ideas. They invest in people.

Whether you’re raising capital, leading through change, or stepping into a bigger role — how you show up can shape the outcome more than what you say.

When presence is misaligned, people feel it.

And when it's real, everything shifts.

Final Reflection

If I could go back to those fund managers now, I wouldn’t just work on their pitch decks.

I’d help them connect to who they are — and bring that into the room.

Because presence isn’t a skill you layer on. It’s something you grow into.

And when it’s there, people listen differently.

And act differently, too.

Ready to Strengthen Your Executive Presence?

If you’re navigating change — stepping up, building a business, or preparing for more visibility — and want to increase your impact, inspire trust, and connect with authenticity…

👉 Book a complimentary discovery call

This is the work I love.