Hi all!

I am an absolute beginner to the search space with an unorthodox background. I previously founded, raised outside capital for, and successfully sold a tech startup, but have not come through any MBA program (b-school undergrad). I have kept in good contact with the investors of my startup, and have acquired a couple of other close contacts that I believe would be good to approach about investing in a search fund, but want to make sure I am not approaching them too early.

What materials do I need to have ready before going to my first prospective investor? A firm thesis? Or do investors (particularly those you're already close to) prefer to help guide this? A website? A relationship with an SBA lender?

Basically, how early is too early to start discussions like this, and how long does it realistically take to go from an idea to a funded search? Are there resources I should read that cover these questions?