Why Brand Matters When Raising Capital

"If you wanna connect with the investors and they have some spare time at nine PM at night. Unfortunately, you can't pitch to them...So what I did was very different. I built an amazing brand"

Happy New Year from Malaga, Spain!

My newsletter it hitting your inbox later this #MisfitsMonday because I was out late last night, as you can imagine. Malaga is gorgeous, but they have the most anti-climatic countdown ever (as I shared on my Instagram stories). But good times nonetheless.

As this is episode will wrap up our first season of Misfits Mindset, I want to thank you for tuning in each week, and encourage you to keep innovating, keep daring, and remember, change starts with us.

Cheers to your prosperity and innovation in 2024!

Season 1 Final Episode

I'm thrilled to start 2024 by wrapping up Season 1 of Misfits Mindset with this brilliant episode featuring (Andy) Andrew Barlow , Founder and CEO of Chatloop .

Big THANK YOU to Joe Averill for introducing us!

Andy just closed a ￡2.1M investment round for the company has been featured on Sky News and scored the default browser status with Apple.

As someone who is passionate about brand building, I LOVE Andy's mindset in this area.

"He developed a really clear brand proposition, especially when he was seeking funding for this embryonic business"

?? That was my collaboration partner, Dan Pilling, sharing one of his takeaways for this episode.

Be sure to pay attention to how Andy leaned into brand to raise money, and build a scalable company.

This is Episode 10 of Misfits Mindset, sponsored by TSK Group

(Open in Apple or Spotify)

Just Do It

Andy has a true entrepreneur mindset.

Based in Manchester, England, Andy shares his journey from a pivotal moment on a train platform to closing his funding round and beyond.

From disagreeing with a sports pundit to attracting major brands for an open innovation program, Andy's story is a testament to the power of disruptive thinking and building meaningful connections.

He came up with the idea for Chatloop one day spontaneously after taking issue with a breaking transfer story about his favourite football team, Manchester United. Finding no way of responding to the report directly on the team’s website, he conceived of a new type of web experience, bringing in the best elements from social media and enabling conversations and engagements to happen at the source of the content, on the website itself.

By the end of the year, he had built a working demo, and Chatloop was born.

Boom! The rest is history...

Mindset Moments

• From Idea to Seed Funding: The journey of securing a $2.1 million seed round after identifying a gap in the market demonstrates the importance of recognizing opportunities, acting on innovative ideas, and the power of storytelling to secure funding, even in challenging times.
• Building with User Input: The creation of the open innovation program and collaboration with key potential clients in the product development stage underlines the significance of understanding customer needs and incorporating feedback, ensuring the product offers real value to its users.
• Flexible Work Culture for Growth: The discussion around building a team culture with a mix of remote and in-office work highlights the need for flexibility and trust in a team. This approach can enhance productivity and satisfaction, crucial for fostering a growth mindset within a rapidly expanding company.
• Importance of Balance in Meetings: The conversation highlights the value of face-to-face interactions for deeper connection and trust-building, suggesting entrepreneurs should strike a balance between remote and in-person meetings to foster better relationships and collaborations.
• Planning for an Exit Strategy: The conversation about exit strategies emphasizes the necessity for entrepreneurs to have a clear vision of their company's future, whether that involves acquisition, IPO, or other avenues. Understanding this early can guide decision-making and business structuring to maximize potential success and investor returns.

Connect with Andy

• Andrew Barlow on LinkedIn
• Chatloop Website
• Download the Chatloop App
• Chatloop on LinkedIn

Connect with your host Caleb Parker:

• Caleb's LinkedIn
• Caleb on X (formerly Twitter)
• Caleb on Instagram

Cultivate your own "Misfits Mindset"

Tap one of the links below to download, or find us in your preferred podcast app:

• Apple UK Users
• Apple US Users
• Spotify

SPONSORS

Headline Sponsor

TSK Group: Website | Dan Pilling LinkedIn

TSK Group makes workplaces better for fast growing companies by aligning physical places with their purpose and culture to attract the right talent as they grow.

Brave: Website

Brave is the community for those who dare to innovate. Join today to connect with like-minded innovators, receive invites to events like Misfits Mondays, and gain access to exclusive content, co-working spaces, and our Brave ecosystem to help you grow and inspire new ideas.

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