Josh Wand’s Post

Last night our Senior Partnerships Manager Hannah Gregory hosted our Founders Forum, welcoming the two founders of Kimaï, an ethical lab-grown diamond brand, who you may have recently seen on BBC’s Dragon’s Den! Here are Hannah's key takeaways from the evening: 📌 Find complimentary qualities in your team: The founders Jessica and Sidney are not only business partners but also best friends, have clearly defined roles within their company, proving that going into business with friends can be successful. 📌 Don't just take the money: When raising funds, it's crucial to carefully consider all options. Jessica and Sidney's strategic decision-making, as seen on Dragons Den, led them to choose Steven Bartlett, who fully invested in them as founders and their business mission. 📌 The power of persistence: Founded in 2018, Jessica and Sidney shared that cold emails are still a part of their business development strategy and have helped to secure investments. Their efforts were validated when Meghan Markle wore a pair of their lab grown diamond earrings, leading to interest from investors and a $1.2 million investment. Explore more of our upcoming events here: https://lnkd.in/d7EC2qT?

If you missed this excellent panel at the #FancyFoodShow on how to successfully raise funds for your company, that is a shame but I'll drop a few highlights here: - Relationships matter with investors and lenders. A lot. Too many founders and CEO's think about the $$ only, and cut corners on transparency, partnership, and trust-building. And, keep in mind that the investor community itself is pretty tight, and you want that community in your corner. - Brands focus too much on valuation. More focus should be on a true partnership, how to get value from your investor/debt partners, building strong communication, and getting terms right. - Too many brands undervalue and underutilize their investor or debt partners, who are well connected, want to be helpful, and very literally invested in the success of the brand. It's a bad look when moving up the ladder if your current investors don't play, or feel left out, or haven't added value. Use this partnership to the fullest! Thanks so much to the wonderful panelists for getting honest about what compels them to invest, and what makes them run away. Grace Gould Natalie Anna Borowski Roy Chin Jessica Bates were just amazing on panel and in follow up round table discussions. Specialty Food Association Naturally New York JPG Resources - Food & Beverage Innovation Dwight Funding North Castle Partners Coefficient Capital Touch Capital #wefancy

Looking for opinions! Last night, my wife and I had a pretty interesting chat about whether Fundme should be advertising our business relationships, especially the ones that send customers our way. There are some fairly big names there… We started thinking back to the early days, when things were tough and competitors weren’t always playing by the rules. Then, out of nowhere, she hit me with a Lil Wayne quote: “Real Gs move in silence like lasagne.” Amazing!!! 😂 Now I’m wondering, what do you reckon LinkedIn? Is it better to promote these partnerships, or should we keep things low key and let our work do the talking? #BusinessTalk #Partnerships #Fundme #StartUpJourney #LilWayneQuotes #GrowthStrategy #Opinions?

A couple of weeks ago I went to prison... Why? Because I, along with the 40+ volunteers and Defy Ventures staff with whom I had the privilege of joining, believe in the power of self-work and second chances. We spent the day at York Correctional Facility, the only women's correctional facility in Connecticut, working with Defy program participants (whom we refer to as EITs--Entrepreneurs in Training) to provide them with the tools and encouragement they need to positively contribute to our society when they return home. Here's what we accomplished: ✅ We helped refine their personal statements which provide value in situations ranging from pre-release parole interviews to post-release job interviews and potential business pitch presentations ✅ We workshopped their resumes ✅ We helped them think through ideas for businesses they may want to start when they are released ✅ We acknowledged each other as human beings -- united around our ambition to positively contribute to society, regardless of what poor choices we have made in the past We were there to help these women Defy the Odds -- the unfortunate reality that 30% of people who are released from prison in this country will return to prison within one year of their release. By embracing entrepreneurship, personal development, and career-readiness, Defy's programming, which takes place both in-prison and post-release, cuts that number down to less than 10%. It's a number to be proud of, but there's more work to be done. I proudly joined Defy's Tri-State Advisory Board earlier this year, and we need your help to amplify our message and expand our reach. 👉 How can you help? 1. Learn more: Message me to find out how you can help others Defy the Odds 2. Donate: Support our cause and help bring our programs to more communities around the country by donating here: https://lnkd.in/gakURNBz 3. Share this post: Help us spread the word and share with your network #DefyTheOdds #SecondChances #ReduceRecidivism #Entrepreneurship #DefyVentures

Great session for CEOs, senior leaders and Company Directors to learn more about the raising capital for your company. Whether it be for expansion, innovation or M&A, this session will provide practical tips on how to approach. Brought to you by Private Directors Association® - Colorado. #womenonboards #companydirectors

This email raised $500K from Mark Cuban. And yet you think cold email doesn't work? --- Stop waiting for a warm intro. Cold email works. You’re not “bothering” anyone—you’re giving an investor a chance to connect with a visionary founder. Every investor has taken a cold pitch before. Take control of your fundraising. Skip the waiting game and move your business forward. --- I've sent 1.5M+ cold emails this year - And I've gotten pretty good at making sure it lands in the inbox to be seen by investors. Follow me for more fundraising advice. B Found, Raise Fast.

TECH WEEK TAKEAWAYS: • As a founder, don’t forgot to do your due diligence on the investor as well • Founders help founders, so lean on other founders for intros and more!

Meet Sagar Moondra (Founder's Office - Fund Raising and Strategy). He shares his inspiring journey in this video, highlighting how our supportive and innovative environment has fueled his personal and professional development. #Culture #Testimonial #Inspiration #Stories #EverestFleet

2 days ago I spoke with a founder. I asked how much he wanted to raise. I was shocked. His answer? ‘$1M, I think.’ I was stunned. Think? When it comes to fundraising, confidence and precision are key Investors expect you to know your business inside and out, including exactly how much capital you need Uncertainty can make investors question your preparedness, and might cost you the opportunity So, if you're planning to raise funds, make sure you know your numbers inside out. P.S. We just launched a free pitch deck guide. It’s meant for entrepreneurs looking for help with building a pitch deck. You can get it on my profile!

James Watt—BrewDog's co-founder,—has been brewing a new business… in case you haven’t heard. We first raised money for BrewDog back in 2015, along with another four raises over four years. Witnessing its valuation soar from less than £25m to around £2b in 2024—a massive 73x return for investors. Now James is stepping down as BrewDog CEO to focus on his new venture, Social Tip—a platform which rewards users for posting about the brands they love. Social Tip has just launched a Crowdcube campaign, with a selection of top tier investors like Steven Bartlett taking part as well. You can invest on the same terms as they do and join James on his next journey founding and growing a business. -- Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 minutes to learn more: bit.ly/3u8ZTH0