- Mollie Staretorp
- Mar 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 17
In most early-stage companies, missed follow-up doesn’t look like failure—it looks like silence. No one gets mad. No one yells. But an unreturned investor email, a dropped proposal thread, or a "Just checking in" from a potential client that goes ignored? That's invisible leakage.
According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review, companies that responded to leads within an hour were 7x more likely to have meaningful conversations compared to those who waited longer—and 60x more likely than those who took 24+ hours (source).
Where Follow-Up Breaks Down:
A reply gets drafted but never sent
A DM goes unanswered because it's not logged anywhere
Meeting notes never turn into tasks
The proposal gets sent but not tracked for viewing
The decision-maker gets left out of the loop
The Real Cost
Each one of these moments is a lost opportunity to build trust. In B2B deals, speed signals professionalism. In fundraising, responsiveness builds confidence. In partnerships, consistency opens doors. Every unanswered message erodes the perception of momentum.
Worse, founders often don’t know what they missed. These leaks don’t scream. They quietly drain pipeline, momentum, and reputation.
What Your VA Can Do
A Startup Scenario
You pitch a new retainer client. They say they'll review by next week. Your VA tracks this and sets a reminder. On Thursday, you send a thoughtful nudge—and close the deal the next day. Without that reminder, the thread dies in your inbox.
Or you meet an investor at a conference. They ask for a deck. Your VA logs the request in your CRM, sends the follow-up while you're on your flight home, and adds a task for you to check in three days later. The follow-up lands at just the right moment—making you look like the kind of founder who's always two steps ahead.
Further Reading:
Inbox vs. Calendar: Which Should You Offload First?
Managing a VA: Tools, Routines, and Boundaries That Work
The Difference Between a VA and an EVA—and Why It Matters
