how I raised $5.7m in seed funding: the pitch deck

[@Grace-Beverley]

thank you so much for watching, for all the lovely comments and the support to get us this far! i've added timestamps below to breakdown this hefty video & so you can watch the parts that most interest you. let me know if you have any questions or content requests and i'll do my best to get to them! 8:30 - Title Slide 10:22 - Founder Insight 11:53 - Founder’s Previous Ventures 13:12 - Key Business Statistics 14:36 - The Brand Story 19:12 - Sustainability 21:55 - Inclusivity & Diversity 24:28 - Market Size 24:50 - The Team 27:28 - The Business’s Timeline 28:31 - Social Engagement Statistics 29:19 - Testimonials 30:16 - Brand Partnerships 30:31 - Ambassador Program 31:37 - Competitors 36:35 - Global Market Potential 38:22 - The Unique Opportunity 46:05 - How did you know it was the right time to raise capital? 48:41 - How did you find the right people for the round? 54:48 - How did you manage your time, raising the round while also running the business? 56:46 - Hardest financial questions you were asked? 57:27 - What qualities were you looking for in potential investors?

[@katypriscott]

and she’s added chapters 🥺😭👏🏽 LOVE YA

[@princessleia9735]

This is incredible 👏 as a marketing data analyst professional & MBA student, your pitch deck is A++ top tier

[@NatalieBarbu]

This video came at the perfect time. I’m currently raising a $2M pre-seed round and we are starting the fundraising process. I’m anticipating a long journey, but this really helped hearing your thoughts going through it and how I related to it so much. Your content is 🔥🔥🔥

[@zoravukovic1]

Grace, we love youuuu. Thank you for constantly showing us the behind the scene of business and entrepreneurship

[@zoravukovic1]

And a huge congratulations!! 🥰

[@BLESSINGMARIEE]

Watching this as a young Black female founder who doesn’t know loads about funding has been SO USEFUL! Thank you Grace 🙌🏾

[@heatherking3391]

Don't follow it, raising money is not what real entrepreneurs do, it's a scam, sweatshop products, overpriced and overvalued. Just look at the debt wework are in now

[@shadyrrastubbs6978]

Same. Let’s connect!! Girl, I’m motivated

[@DeenaAde]

Same

[@aaronfarrell750]

Unbelievable transparency and honesty, so refreshing in a sector filled with trade secrets. I remember watching your videos years ago! Congratulations on everything!

[@BexMcInulty]

I am the furthest from being business savvy but I would trust you with my money. The numbers and stats are impressive - sure but I don't know much about that. But the competence, integrity, passion and confidence you exude when talking business ... That's something even I can pick up. Your success is impressive but not surprising to me in the least. You are so deserving!

[@AbbieJones-n5y]

You always say your videos are boring but I think they are really interesting. It’s nice to see how businesses can be so different. Xxx

[@msyvonnejay]

That comment made me laugh! Girl, your vids are not boring. I'm a business owner too and I feel like my vlogs are boring too but its really the reality of our day-to-day.

[@Thathijabivlogger]

Currently going after funding for my biz and learning all their is to know about the world of VC and every couple of weeks I come back to this video to see how much Ive learned/now understand ☺

[@katypriscott]

ok this was literally the most interesting thing on KZbin right now and i knew nothing about pitch decks until this video. you’re incredible Grace ~ your passion beams through and the way you articulate what you’re saying is really fascinating. You deserve every ounce of your success 🌍 🌷✨

[@mallorylaabs]

I have to do a "business in the news" project for one of my MBA classes and I chose my topic on Tala raising 5.7m!

[@Kate-J]

I'm only 15 mins into this but I'm so excited to watch the rest! I work in a small startup and I've been editing our pitch deck for like 1.5 years and we're finally ready to start getting serious about talking to investors!

[@schaunaghgleeson]

Appreciate this on a personal level but also because I'm studying TALA as a case of digital entrepreneurship for my Master's! Thank youuuu

[@ariellemondesir]

This is gold Grace, thank you! It has been so lovely seeing the business and you grow throughout this process! Thank you for your transparency and wealth of insights as always!! 💖☺️ and a massive congratulations!! ☺️🎉

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@Gia.Goodrich]

Thank you so much for this! This was I credible and yet another example of creating equity by being transparent. 🙌🏽

[@you_are_welcome97]

I could not have said it any better

[@toyinviola]

Grace im sooo happy you’re back on KZbin! I love your content so so much 🤍

[@rachelam18]

Girlll there’s no need to say “sorry if I sound full of myself” These are amazing achievements, shout about them!

[@Lamideelizabeth]

This is so so so amazing, thank you for being so transparent!

[@lilytwelftree4837]

this is the single most valuable video on youtube. I come back to watch it often.

[@amandagosio]

I truly think you bring such a poise and confidence to your business and the way you present it. Congrats on the success and thank you for so much transparency on the business side!

[@uvebeenbranded]

this could've been a master class. i've been watching your videos again these past few days and I love how educational, yet entertaining you make them. not to mention inspiring! I work in the environmental field and I'd love to hear more details on what sustainability best practices you focus on in manufacturing/shipping. p.s. love the sweater vest

[@niamhboyce2164]

I started Shreddy in January and absolutely love it!! Thank you so much for changing so many lives! I got shreddy dumbbells resistance bands, protein and daily dose which are all exceptional!! Thank you so much 💕✨

[@sunshineinabottle]

You deserve the all the glory, this took some EFFORT!

[@ToriFaust]

I love this content! Thank you for sharing!! I’ve been following for years and watching the journey of TALA, I’ve become much more interested in sustainable fashion as well as more mindful about my purchases and personal habits. So grateful that you’re challenging this industry and teaching all of your followers along the way. Can’t wait to see the amazing change you bring to this world.

[@Onlycindywong]

Amazing, Thanks Grace for sharing this invaluable video and taking the time to go through every single section in detail!!! Learning so much, and can't believe the low % of seed funding for women.

[@arlenetheresad8293]

I watched this till the very end and I'll be rewatching it. Thank you so so so much for this transparency, you'll continue to succeed because of your integrity and kindness. God bless you!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@afancyr]

love this! can't wait for more business content and just vlog bts of your personal day-to-day and business day to day

[@maddybarber657]

THANK YOU for sharing this. It's only in seeing this that I realise how little of this there is around - young entrepreneurs sharing what they do with a view to transparency and helping others in their own ventures. Always here for this content👌

[@alext-g]

Great breakdown Grace, thanks for sharing! Again, huge congratulations on the seed funding!

[@lucylambert]

Currently in the process of designing a pitch deck for the company I work for and this video is great!!!

[@rachelbaker960]

THANK YOU for sharing something so genuinely useful. Just starting on my funding bids for a grass roots charity myself and my pals have worked on and I can't wait to get into this.

[@rosiehenderson3689]

I am currently writing my dissertation on sustainability within the sportswear industry and I am using TALA as one of my examples- this video was so informative and useful! Thank you for producing such educational content

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@evamcinerney4577]

Thank you for sharing Grace! As a business student this pitch deck is one of the most educational pieces I have seen that applies the concepts and theory’s I am learning in class about an industry and business I am passionate about. I love the transparency, you are a true inspiration to women in business 🏋️

[@hollyvipond168]

Can you make all your old content available to re-watch please? I like to reminisce 😆 Great vid and I love your red top btw xxxx

[@laurenpos6146]

Thank you SO much for this Grace - I've always wondered how people raise investment (it feels so opaque) and can tell from the comments that I'm not the only one, so this is so interesting/exciting/useful/needed etc etc haha. Love that when you say transparency, you really mean it.x

[@mymomcallsmeblake]

I would love to hear more about how you choose new team members for TALA. Do you have a unique interview process, or is it more traditional? What stands out to you on a resume? etc. Hearing your perspective on that side of business as you’ve shifted from influencer to CEO would be awesome

[@ajahf]

Hi Grace! I am so over the moon that you are back on KZbin! ❤️❤️ I miss your old videos so much because I relate to your mindset and I love where you were at in life, because I love the education/university experience. I wanting to let you know how much help I got from your old videos about your time management during university, how you did your dissertation and how you organized your work. I wanted to ask if you would ever be willing to repost/make your old videos public again? I know there may be many reasons you have not made them available to watch on your channel anymore. And whatever reasons you have for that I completely understand. I just wanted to see if you may consider it in the future or if you would ever be able to do it in the first place (if the videos were deleted and cannot be retrieved). Lots of love! ❤️

[@zeni_zee]

Hey Grace! Can you please make a video about essential steps you went through to launch your first brand? I have no idea where to start as a 19 year old full time working and soon to be uni student and I feel absolutely stuck in my situation right now. It would be incredibly helpful! Honestly watching your videos and podcasts is what's been giving me inspiration and motivation lately :)

[@gabrielesidekerskyte3940]

Love this. More talks on startups, how to get it of the ground, strategy, management please!

[@ValerieDelaMarch]

Loved every minute of this! Do I have a business to fund? No, do I want to be an entrepreneur? Not necessarily, but this was such fantastic insight into quite a mystical world, thank you!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@PaulinaEmber]

Only Grace can make creating a pitch deck interesting!

[@rochellj9793]

If you are at this stage of a business than this will work great! But for those who need startup money to even start (hiring a team) and who are not already an influencer, then pull from your experience in your field and know your target market very well! Also, have in mind on who you want to bring on board to join your team etc.

[@Marthamariee]

Not that you need to, but I truly appreciate how you continue to emphasize your privilege and leg up even being part of a marginalized group (women entrepreneurs). Although I think you’re a bad ass ALL AROUND its wonderful to see someone also remain transparent in the crude reality of business funding etc.

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@Jasmillmelisa]

Amazing deck! Boss power! Would love to see more diversity in the leadership board but its your company so you can obviously do what you want. Good luck.

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@rochellj9793]

Not surprised! Every entrepreneur should go into business to include as much diverse as possible! It’s very important. Not as props to generate revenue 🙄 enough of that!

[@Acc8441]

This is gold, thank you Grace

[@cecileflavin5067]

This was so brilliant! Thank you for sharing - super interesting and full of insight. Congratulations on the investment!!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@stephaniemace2820]

I am LOVING watching all these videos! Thank you for sharing. I hope you continue to post. You're so motivating ☺

[@lucymarie9261]

You are incredible Grace! Your progress has just been inspiring!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@ifrog92]

So glad you have shown such reflection and insight into the acccess and truly made an effort to lower the barrier for others

[@leahsapaden_]

I found this video so interesting and would love to see some more BTS of running a successful business! You’re killing it, keep it up! ❤️

[@looseps]

As a 26 year old I don't say this often Grace, but you are literally my idol.

[@isabritpop]

Please get better idols

[@looseps]

You guys are such haters 😂

[@beenaturalbalm]

I almost didn’t watch this but I’m really glad I did as I prepare a pitch deck. As a brand also focused in sustainability and regeneration as core principles it was really valuable content and inspiration.

[@LaToyasLibrary]

I’m starting a small business and even though it’s more of selling services. I’ve been spending so many months learning so much and your videos are so helpful.

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@lindseyguyer]

Successful people sharing their knowledge to anyone is so much more inspiring than being successful alone. ❤️

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@LLiiizza]

First of all - a MASSIVE congrats! Well deserved! But also, it's amazing how you could chat about a topic for more than an hour and make it sounds SO interesting 😆 I am a 33 year old who has studied and worked in sciences all my life but would like to change career path - move into marketing. I'm hoping to do so without it having a big hit to my pay as I can't afford that. Do you have any tips or golden nuggets you can share given that you previous studied music so essentialy made that jump too and now have great insight in the marketing industry?

[@joanasolposto2598]

Your videos are never boring 💕💕

[@eanylook]

So refreshing to see more woman entrepreneurs in the space! Thank you Grace for being real and honest!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out

[@LaurenTickner]

SO GOOD TO SEE YOU LEADING THE WAY FOR FEMALE FOUNDERS. 💜 proud as heck and LOVE this content!!!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@carolineziegs3982]

This is so awesome - I just startet working as a performance marketing manager and just try to dive deeper into the business world . I loved your book and just seeing you growing your business an being on top of all these things at Such a young age is so inspiring ✨

[@vanillaxchip]

Grace! I have SO much respect for you. Not sure I can articulate how much, but watching your journey over the last 5+ years has been truly inspiring (to say the least). As for global expansion - 1000% yes! I absolutely love your products, however I live in Trinidad & Tobago so in order to get any products I have to order them to my skybox in the US, then they get shipped to Trinidad - which means it becomes financially inaccessible and at that point the footprint is massive! And lastly, thank you so much for content like this 🔥🔥🔥 and for your transparency in attempts to lift other women up. 🤝

[@IsaMutlib]

This is epic. We are preparing for an M&A so this is wonderful for getting any ideas!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@badgersack5303]

This is a fantastic asset to the creative industry for marketing and selling their business. A transparent case study that we can show.

[@you_are_welcome97]

Thanks Grace for sharing this is extremely useful and top grade content, it is even more inspiring hearing it from a women!!!

[@evanavazquez8625]

This is superb. Thank you sooo much. You’re truly so inspiring and intelligent.

[@irishzg2205]

Love this type of content! It’s so interesting!

[@DrivAbleSafe]

Very insightful, as a woman, I see what you're saying, and it's so helpful.

[@Ana-dq7lw]

Yes! As a business owner who is a woman of color the funding opportunities…smh just…there’s much prayer and a lot of hard work. You sort of just have the mindset “we’ll get what we need on our own” because there’s so many fights for what should just come to us, even when we have proof of success, there’s pushback. So kudos to you for sticking to it and pressing on.

[@nrophoto2165]

Brilliant video, brilliant ideas and love the ethos of the brand. PLEAASSSEEEE go on to DO A TALL RANGE thanks 😊

[@natalieclark8368]

Really enjoyed this Grace, thank you!

[@victoriaochoa8174]

This is so incredibly helpful thank you Grace!

[@itsmymy_xo]

Thank you so much for this! Would you be willing to share how much stake you gave away in your company? Also, it'd be so helpful if you could do a video explaining how you pitched your deck (like reading slides vs saying something different than what's on the slides), and did you do this whole funding round virtually or in person?

[@lauraf147]

Yes!!

[@TheBunnyDeveloper]

It's somewhere below 25% to the investors as stated on companies House I'd say she gave away 20% or so to the investors

[@kdubsies]

So proud and inspiring!!! Keep going! And also, remember to rest and treat yourself! Would love to see more behind the scenes!

[@jessbarnes2796]

Could you interview some angel investors for the podcast? It would be interesting to get a perspective from the other side of a pitch deck. 💙

[@Grace-Beverley]

already part of the plan!!

[@lilytwelftree4837]

loved this! but why have the uni vlogs been deleted 😭😭😭

[@Tiger.x801]

SENDING LOTS OF LOVE ❤️❤️

[@irinaroman9597]

So helpful and necessary - thank you for being so transparent!

[@model_me]

this was SO SO SO SO good and helpful, wooow!!! God bless you for sharing valuable and incredible info. so thankful!!!

[@NavigatingTheMatrix420]

Fair play eh you wanted something you made it happen. I'm 34 single dude big investor myself a business few properties etc love travelling the world nothing beats it. Anyway congrats Grace on all achievements stay well & safe be blessed.

[@zinizini2905]

Love this. Thank you Grace!

[@mywave.world.]

Love the value in this video - amazing insights and congratulations on the raise! 🚀We hope to hear you on Mywave soon!

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@pauht]

Loved the video! I hope you’ll open a warehouse in the EU because the customs fees are soooo expensive 😢

[@sammybwoy]

This exactly what I needed to see!

[@tania-paz]

Thank youuuuu, i just wrote 2 pages worth of notes x

[@Lolathebluesmartie]

thanks so much grace! would love some advice on how/where you found the investors? did they approach you? or you to them? x

[@izluc9378]

LOVED this!

[@Claudiadavena]

Thank you grace 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@intentionalexpressions2885]

Wow, thank you for sharing this Grace, you are a true inspiration.

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..

[@bella__shackleford]

Great insight, thanks for sharing 👏 also pls pls do a podcast with Jamie Genevieve 😍

[@EmilyGriffin]

Could you do a video on how shreddy is doing?

[@GraceAShipley]

Me: doesn't have a business Also me: watches the whole video anyways

[@britpowell]

thanks for the insight Grace!😃

[@sevimsoffice]

this is amazing! thanks for sharing!

[@haylor4793]

hopefully you have looked at the story of outdoor voices. I think it is entirely possible for that type of situation to happen to you. Wishing you luck and a huge congrats.

[@al.mander]

Thank you so so much!!! ❤️ this should show this in universities! 😅

[@msyvonnejay]

Appreciate this video hugely!

[@seerpou]

step 1: be generationally wealthy

[@equaloskat]

Hi what videos did you use to make? I don’t remember what I subscribed for but will be staying for the ride!

[@Babacar-sr]

please where did you found inestor

[@adox471]

are you looking to expand your sizing at all? the clothes are so beautiful but don’t fit me:(

[@delphine1107]

I live in France and ordered once from TALA, I had to pay 50€ of taxes when the package which sucked I would love for you to expand to France (or anywhere else in Europe) to avoid having to pay taxes due to Brexit

[@CleedenzonInstagram-k7t]

📥👆 Feedback appreciated. Wanting more info and insight? Endeavour to reach out..