Hey! It’s Doone, your hype girl in business. It’s been a busy week of IRL events over here at FSC, and it’s reminded me both how much I love connecting with you in person & that I want to foster many more ways to make that happen. In that line of thought, hit reply to this email and let me know whether you’re Team Sydney or Team Melbourne for our next meet-up at the end of November.

Today we’re covering 👇

• I’m calling you out; what’s all this rush for?

• Fundraising tips from someone right in the thick of it

• Startmate applications are open for ambitious Aus/NZ founders

• Planet-friendly creators; here’s $2,000 for your next campaign

• Biz Owners: email us with your Cyber Weekend brand deals to be featured in our shopping guide 🛍️

Sorry to call you out sis… But are you rushing through things again? 💨

Today, we're in for a treat as we dive into the incredible journey of Eshita Kabra, the brilliant mind behind rental designer fashion app By Rotation. A story of patience, imperfection, and the sheer magic of focusing on product.

Eshita's lesson for us is a gem, so let's dive straight into it: you don't rush to a tech team and demand a perfect app on day one. Nope! It's all about building that initial skeleton, those foundation blocks. We should really be taking that way of thinking into every area of our business. Instead of chasing perfection, she encourages us to start slowly and build gradually.

In the world of instant gratification, Eshita's approach is refreshing. She reminds us that perfection isn't the goal; progress is. It's the art of crafting a solid foundation, and then carefully adding layers over time.

Here's where the real magic happens ✨ here’s where you’re building something from the heart (not just selling a product or a service). When you’re building thoughtfully (read: slowly) - a feeling is woven into every thread of your business. At the end of the day, “you’re not really selling someone a product or a service, but rather how you made them feel.”

So, as we're all sprinting through life, building our dreams, and getting frustrated it’s taking so damn long - take a moment to appreciate the journey. Embrace imperfections, learn from them, and cherish the process. Keep your focus on your product, and the world will recognise the magic you're brewing. Do you remember that thing they say about fine wine? 🍷

Listen to Eshita on the podcast →

FUNDRAISING 101:
From someone right in the thick of it 💸

Our Majic member Vanessa is the incredible mind behind the award-winning, ready-to-serve, non-alcoholic cocktail brand Tilden. Over the last couple of months, her focus has been all things fundraising for the next stage of Tilden’s growth journey. We’re lucky enough to have her pop by here today share all her top fundraising tips, from someone right in the thick of it:

1. Tap into your circle 👯 “Early on in our first fundraise, I was scared to ask friends and family for help. Once I did, everything changed.” Tell your friends that you're fundraising, ask for connections, and brainstorm with others. Fundraising can be very isolating, but reaching out to your network, whether it's for investment, connections, or just a vote of confidence, can be hugely helpful. You just have to ask.

2. Talk up the vision ✨ When it comes to fundraising, I try to channel my (non-fraudulent) Adam Neumann and paint the larger vision for Tilden. “We're transforming the way society celebrates! We're going to be the next big beverage company!” Don't ever lie, but also don't sell yourself short. Investors want to find the winners. Make them believe that you will take the world by storm.

3. FOMO is your friend 👀 Investors are like sheep and you have to both corral them and show them that the rest of the pack is moving along, or they won't come. They don't want to get left behind if everyone else is investing. So, whether or not you have an urgent deadline, make one up and stick to it. Update potential investors with progress to show that the round is moving along and they'd better hop on the train.

4. Don't get discouraged by the a**holes 💩 “I've been told that in order to succeed as a founder, I need to have dedicated 100% of my net worth to my business (this by someone who has never dedicated a cent to his own business). I've been called a cockroach by a Shark Tank investor. I've been told that only female investors will care about my business.” There are a million investors out there. You don't need a million investors. You just need the ones who share in your vision and can help you get to where you are going. Don't let the ignorant comments slow you down...let them push you forward.

5. Don't be too stubborn to edit ✋That said, if you're hearing the same feedback over and over from investors or connections that you actually trust, consider changing up your pitch. Figure out what's not resonating and switch things up. So many great investments get passed over because the vision isn't communicated clearly or the slides aren't jiving with the brand vision.

Join our Majic Community & connect with women like Vanessa → 

• Toastie Health won the Doone Roisin Business Innovation Award at UNSW’s New Wave cohort

• Catch reopens with new owners after acquisition 

• Defo adding this upcoming memoir to my reading list

• Europe has banned glitter & other microplastics

• & the FDA considers banning this in hair straightening products

• The EU saw just over 2,000 deals in Q3 - the lowest since 2015

• Maybe co-founder therapy is what your business needs

• Cardi B stars in the latest SKIMS campaign & we love

• The Eras Tour movie is already amongst the biggest all-time

• Bondi Blades lands across 12 stores in Canada

• Applications for the Startmate Accelerator ‘24 are closing Nov 5th

This week's grant...

Want to make your own tasty climate content? Pitch Earth Alliance your idea, and they’ll give you $2,000 to make it. Open to anyone, anywhere. Yes please!

This week's lineup...

This week's recommendations...

Ways I can help you this week…

REMOTE 🌴

• Pistachio milk brand TÁCHE is on the hunt for a Retail Sales Director (for the West coast of the states), apply directly here.

NYC 🗽

• Zola, the wedding vendor marketplace, is seeking an exceptional Account Executive to help their small businesses. Read more here.

LA 🌆

• The Quality Edit, curating the web’s best brands, is hiring a Performance Creative Manager to start ASAP. Apply here.

• High-quality sex toy brand Hello Cake is looking to hire a National Retail Sales Manager to drive alternative categories. More here.

That’s all for today folks! Don’t forget to hit reply to have your brand featured in our Cyber Weekend Guide 💸