Fast Five Friday: How to raise like Ramsay

Hey

Welcome to bankrolling tomorrow - your no BS guide to raising capital.

I was talking to someone in my team yesterday, and they asked me a question I get asked a lot. “How did I decide to start a business?”

Honestly, I’m never too sure about this question. Does it even matter how I started a business? I suppose they like to hear a story, everyone likes a good story. But the reason I think it doesn't really matter is because it's such a unique set of circumstances that I was in at that time.

Take someone else like Jeff Bezos - worked at that hedge fund until he was 30, then quit and drove to Seattle for his online bookstore. That's not a very useful story for a lot of people because it can create this illusion that you have to work at a hedge fund, have to be 30, and you have to drive to Seattle to set up your business. You don't.

That's backwards thinking.

I'm more interested in the principles behind the success, not the specific circumstances. Because circumstances are just excuses waiting to happen.

Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with my origin story today. If you've been reading these newsletters, you probably already know why I started this whole thing.

But now that I have started a business, and with that this newsletter to discuss capital raises, let me jump into the capital raise story I discussed in depth this week - which is actually useful.

Gordon Ramsay's fundraising secrets, minus the reading time (you're welcome):

1/ Sell eyeballs, not just assets: Stop pitching warehouses and machinery. Start pitching how many people are actually paying attention to what you do. A million followers buying £1 of stuff each year = £1M revenue potential. Just do the math for investors.

2/ Put a number on everything: "We have great engagement" means nothing. "We have 100K subscribers paying £10/month with 85% renewal rates" means everything. Turn your fuzzy metrics into actual cash projections.

3/ Build a business that works without you: If you disappeared tomorrow, would your business still run? If not, you're the bottleneck, not the CEO. Systems beat personalities every time - don't become your own worst enemy.

4/ Pick investors who bring more than money: Anyone with a bank account can write a cheque. Look for backers who bring networks, locations, distribution channels, or credibility. That's what actually scales your business.

5/ Don't hide your weirdness: Your quirks aren't bugs, they're features. Ramsay's temper became his brand. Playing it safe gets you forgotten. If investors can't explain what makes you different in one sentence, you need to sharpen your edge.

Most importantly, don't try to be someone else's version of success - figure out what makes you different and make that your biggest asset.

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox every week.

I’ve been having some amazing conversations around capital raises, If this is something you’re looking into, or is your area of interest, my inbox is always open. 

PS: If your business needs funding or funding advice, explore the options at my company FundOnion here. We’re amazing!

Talk soon,

James