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RAISE: The Female Founder's Guide To Securing Investment by Julia Elliott Brown

April 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

If you are a female founder, in need of investment to start or scale your business – and struggling to get it, author and entrepreneur, Julia Elliott Brown, says ‘You’re not alone.’ In her book, RAISE: The Female Founder's Guide To Securing Investment, she says that when it comes to funding, female founders are seriously up against it. In the pale, stale and male world of venture capital, less than 2 per cent goes to businesses led by women. But Julia says, it can be done.


In RAISE: The Female Founder's Guide To Securing Investment by Julia Elliott Brown, this pioneering book helps you smash through funding obstacles and fly through your fundraise. Through a tried-and tested five-step process, it shows you how to:

  • Create a winning mindset and unlock your authentic power

  • Prepare your financial information and pitch

  • Build a network of high-calibre investors

  • Speak their language, meet them confidently and handle gender bias

  • Negotiate a deal that delivers genuine value for you and your business.


RAISE is the very first book by a woman on securing investment, specifically for female founders. It is packed with real-world case studies of female entrepreneurs who have raised and taken their businesses to new heights. It gives you all the essential knowledge and support you need for yours.

Author Quotes

The journey to get my own high-growth, startup business off the ground and raise investment money was without doubt the toughest adventure of my life - out of which came significant learning and, ultimately, great success.

Female founders are seriously under-represented when it comes to securing investment.

Shockingly, less than 2 percent of venture funding goes to women-led businesses, and more than half of female founders experience gender bias in the fundraising process.

About the author

Julia Elliott Brown is the CEO and Founder of Enter The Arena, and the UK’s leading equity fundraising expert and specialist coach, working exclusively with female founders. With a history of building her own high-growth start-ups across multiple sectors, and having successfully raised millions of pounds in equity finance, Julia has a wealth of expertise in building an investor-ready business. Julia’s been there, done that and has the t-shirt (and scars) to prove it. Her purpose and passion are to bring her wealth of expertise to support female founders on their own journeys to successful equity fundraising and business growth. Julia hosts the Fundraising Stories With Female Founders podcast, is a seasoned keynote speaker at numerous start-up and fundraising events, and speaks regularly in the press, representing the voice of the female founder and levelling the investment playing field. She is a longstanding judge at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

www.juliaelliottbrown.com


Why LoA loves it…

Every woman entrepreneur knows how tough it is to try and get funding for a growth business, particularly on the African continent. You only have to look at the statistics to know how tough it really is. But this situation can only change as more and more women entrepreneurs get themselves and their businesses geared up for successful investment and growth, and importantly, secure that growth funding. Julia Elliott Brown’s book is a wealth of advice, practical information, and guidance for women entrepreneurs looking to make themselves funding ready. This is a must-read and a great resource to keep dipping into on the investment journey. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa

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Tech FoundHER AFRICA CHALLENGE

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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS


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Pure chocolate heaven…If you are a chocolate lover, then you need to experience raw chocolate at its finest, and Dana Mroueh, founder of MonChoco an artisan chocolatier in Côte d’Ivoire, has just what y
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Luxury statement accessories…We are big fans of luxury jewellery and accessories made with love and passion on the African continent, and Adèle Dejak in Kenya is the epitome of handmade luxury. The
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Made in Rwanda Accessories…A passion for handcrafted accessories, combined with a sense of pride for ‘Made in Rwanda’ products, inspired Dokmai Rwanda founder, Bernadette Umunyana, to create a comp Image of the Day / MonChoco

Pure chocolate heaven…If you are a chocolate lover, then you need to experience raw chocolate at its finest, and Dana Mroueh, founder of MonChoco an artisan chocolatier in Côte d’Ivoire, has just what y Image of the Day / Rokus London

Sculpted statement jewellery…If you want to make a statement with your accessories, then these uniquely crafted pieces by Rokus London, a fine jewellery brand founded by Marie-Paule Tano, are just for you. Roku Image of the Day / Eva Sonaike

Vibrant interior design…The striking new interior designs by Eva Sonaike caught our eye this morning. Like the rest of the world, we love the African aesthetic which is increasingly finding its way into global i Image of the Day / Kunjina

Statement designer fashion…We are big fans of Kunjina in Ethiopia, the fashion brand founded by the talented Kunjina Tesfaye in 2017. She launched the brand while she was a university student studying construction t Image of the Day / Dathonga Designs

Traditional craft elevated…We love the impact-driven accessories created by Márcia Nangy O’Connell, founder and artistic director of Dathonga Designs in Mozambique. Since 2010, she has establis Image of the Day / FiveStars Africa

African Cycling Style…Who says cycling and style don’t go together? If you are a cycling enthusiast and you want to look and feel good whilst you are are on the road, then take a look at the seriously Image of the Day / Adèle Dejak

Luxury statement accessories…We are big fans of luxury jewellery and accessories made with love and passion on the African continent, and Adèle Dejak in Kenya is the epitome of handmade luxury. The Image of the Day / The House of Agness

An elegant floral gifting idea… Mariana Agness Francisco Eria is a creative force in contemporary floral design. Her business, The House of Agness, is a luxury florist and gifting boutique nestled in Map Image of the Day / Abiola Olusola

Minimalism x artisan craftsmanship…If you are looking for a contemporary women’s ready-to-wear and bespoke fashion brand interweaving minimalism with artisan craftsmanship, then look no further than Abi

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