This is the final post about my fundraising journey as a food business founder. It's about the role of a dear friend in supporting me to leave my full-time job as a partner at a sustainability manage consultancy.
I met J. through our sons, who had gone to the same all-boys prep school in Richmond. She moved to Europe to take on a big job at a global company. J. and her husband invited Brooks (my son) and me to visit them, which we did a few times.
She didn't need anything, but I would always take pickles and relish that I made for The Garden of Eva. J. never failed to say kind words about how delicious they were. She had been watching my food founder journey and was always supportive and gave good advice.
J. came to London in the spring of 2023 after I had won the Whole Foods Market UK listing. We met for dinner and I told her about all the exciting developments. She looked at me and said that I needed to quit my job to devote more time to The Garden of Eva. As a divorced mother with a son in private school I wasn't in a position to do that. My beloved parents had been dead for years so I couldn't ask them to support me. I said nothing in response to her statement.
J. knew my circumstances so I couldn't understand why she would propose something like that. What she said next shocked me. She told me that if I quit my job, she would provide financial support for a year in exchange for equity. "You're worried about running out of money when the year is up. If you do, come back to me and I'll help." I cried (notice how often I cry? 😀 ).
J. emphasised that she wasn't offering support in exchange for equity for the sake of it. She saw a real investment opportunity and believed that I could make the business successful with more focus. J. is a C-suite executive at a global company. She works hard, is super-smart, and I deeply respect her business acumen. I was encouraged by her belief in me. It took a few months for me to fully internalise what she offered and more time to actually quit my job. I did it, scared.
Having the additional time and space has made all the difference to my journey as a food business founder. Working on the business in the evenings and on weekends is what most founders do at the outset. But it's not enough. Focused time during business hours makes a huge difference. J.'s investment has enabled me to make more progress in the past several months than I did in the previous three years.
J. has been a key part of making my growth and development as a food business possible. I'm grateful.
Some reflections on my experience to date:
1. You never know who's watching you and your journey.
2. Support will come, maybe from unexpected quarters.
3. Building strong, trust-based, authentic relationships generates good will.
4. Support from friends and family will sharpen your focus and increase your resolve to succeed.
