In conversation with the Branson Centre

A pitch where your investors very willingly cut the red tape and roll out the red carpet for you is a pitch that gets you what you need. Telling the story of your business and its purpose is an art but not something that you can’t learn and master. Successfully getting your investor to be interested in you, your team and your journey is what a red-hot pitch is all about.

Join Milisa Mabinza, the UKSA Tech Hub Director, on this exciting part of the journey of getting funded. Milisa brings her red hot and relevant knowledge into this episode and will leave you inspired to get going with your pitches. Wishing you all of the success with your pitches!

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

It can feel counterintuitive to think about the investor exit whilst you build your investable business. Once you get over this, you’ll realise that it only makes sense to have the investor exit strategy top of mind as you articulate your pitch. An investor wants to know that they will be able to make a return on their investment and so being able to show the assumptions you have made, including some calculations and realistic plans will serve you well.

Meet Sihle Gumede, who is a Principal at Sanari Capital. Sihle packs a punch as she clarifies what is meant when investors talk about an exit strategy. This part of the raise process can quickly become overwhelming because of the dizzying array of acronyms - ROI, IRR.. - so let Sihle set you straight on this episode of Let’s Get Funded.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

It is easy to assume that scaling a business simply refers to getting more revenue. What investors are truly looking for is for a business that shows the ability to yes, grow its revenue, by gaining more customers and moving into new markets. That being said, it is equally important to understand that a business that is scaling is a business that is looking to be at the optimal size relative to its product, its competitors and unique selling points.

Join El-Shebah as she discusses the ins and outs of thinking about scale when building your business. El-Shebah is the New Business Development & Partnerships Executive at TymeBank. This episode delivers on insights and practical suggestions on how to think about how you scale your business and lose the focus you have on building a purpose-led business.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

Investors are really interested to see if your business is one that is set up to be on a path to profitability. Do the founders understand the brilliant basics that they need to obsess about every day? Do the founders have a process that allows them to adjust how they test their assumptions at different points of the life cycle of the business? These are some of the questions that an investor has in mind.

Meet Victoria Harris, an enabler of founders who currently serves as the COO at WomHub. Victoria masterfully takes us through the different planning and modelling requirements for a business as it moves through different stages. We are fans of her human-centred approach to all things scaling businesses too.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

Founders are filled with extraordinary ideas and have the most ambitious goals for the growth of their businesses. Investors are curious to find out if you show an understanding of who you know will part with their money to buy from you. The aim of the game isn’t necessarily to dominate industries but to understand who is realistically available to you as a potential customer.

We are thrilled to have Naadiya Moosajee, the co-founder of WomHub, in this episode of Let’s Get Funded. Naadiya is an engineer turned entrepreneur turned investor. She dives right into demystifying buzzwords and making the concept of identifying and describing a market to an investor accessible and easy to understand. This episode also marks the exact midpoint in our 9-part series, Let’s Get Funded.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

As a founder, you are likely to fall in hopelessly in love with what you have created as a solution. This is a good thing. What is even better is when you are able to demonstrate to investors that the solution you have on offer is something that will delight your customers. Investors are thrilled when you are able to show them that you have developed early and basic versions of your product that have allowed for you to collect critical feedback that helps you improve your product.

Sarah Dusek is the co-founder of Enygma Ventures. Sarah has built valuable businesses and is now an investor - it would be a very good idea to listen to her carefully. She provides clarity and and sage advice on how founders should prioritise their product when it comes to looking for funding. What she says may just surprise you - and bring some relief.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

The true test of a business is if there is a group of people who are willing to pay for the product or the service that is on offer. In other words, people are willing to pay money for the solution you provide because you are solving a real problem. Demonstrating the value proposition of your business will set you up for success as you seek funding and grow your business.

In this episode, we spend time with Barai Mahloele, who is the Venture Capital Fund Director at Tiger Brands. Barati concisely takes us through the importance and utility of having a clearly defined value proposition in your business. She leaves no room for ambiguity and we hope you enjoy this episode of Let’s Get Funded.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

Everybody is inspired when the meet someone who dreams big and reimagines a brighter future today. The same goes for an investor who is interested in making a contribution to the success of your business. It is important that you, as a founder, are able to show investors that you have a clear understanding of the problem you are trying to solve and that your vision will what guides you along your journey.

Lee Zuk is the COO at JAG Method and a co-founder of Dazzle Angels. She brings her experience as an angel investor into this episode. Lee keeps it very real and her straightforward manner will be sure to help founders looking for finance understand the importance of a well-articulated Problem & Vision in your raise journey.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

Founders cannot build investable companies by themselves; they need to be surrounded by a reliable team that understands the purpose of the company. Investors want to know that their involvement in a company is supported by the presence of a relevant and hardworking team.

Meet Ayanda Mzondeki, the founder and MD of the Liyema Group. Ayanda joins us on Let’s Get Funded to help founders understand the importance of building teams that drive rapidly growing and scaling companies. Ayanda delves into her personal experiences to bring the topic of Team to life.

Watch and/or listen to this whole episode and find out which investor Ayanda thinks is the most crucial to growing your company.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

About Let’s Get Funded

Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded.

We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness.

Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content.

Ayanda Talks Team

Lee Talks Problem & Vision

Barati Talks Value Proposition

Sarah Talks Product

Naadiya Talks Market

Victoria Talks Business Model

El-Shebah Talks Scale

Sihle Talk’s Exit

Milisa Talks Red Hot Pitching

More here: ⁠Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship⁠