The meeting is over. Your inbox contains a presentation, two attachments, and a promise to send more. Before moving on, build a small evidence log.
Use one row per material question. Record the original question, the sponsor’s answer, the supporting document, its date, and what remains unresolved. Keep your interpretation separate from the source text.
Suppose the sponsor says the loan can be extended for two years. Your log should not say “two-year extension confirmed” unless you have reviewed the relevant terms. It might say: “Sponsor describes two one-year options; conditions and fees requested.” That distinction prevents a tentative answer from becoming a remembered fact.
When new evidence arrives, preserve the earlier version. Explain what changed. A later projection should not silently replace the assumptions you originally evaluated.
Send a focused follow-up: “Thank you. The remaining items are the extension conditions, the affiliated-fee schedule, and a sample investor report. Please let me know what can be provided and when.” Avoid reopening every topic at once.
The log can also shorten your decision. If the most important evidence is unavailable, record that limitation explicitly. You do not need to resolve every question to decide that an investment is not one you can evaluate confidently.
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