Brewing Something Bold: What Good & Proper learned about raising Angel Investment
Tea, tenacity and a timely raise.
“It’s a terrible time to be raising investment.”
That’s what Emilie Holmes, Founder of Good & Proper and Tom Forsythe, Managing Director kept hearing as they embarked on their startups most recent fundraising journey. And yet - despite the economic climate, the headlines, and the hurdles - they did it.
This blog post is a celebration of that raise. But more than that, it’s a rallying cry for founders who are considering raising angel investment and wondering if now’s the right time.
Here’s what we can learn from the team at Good & Proper—and why your next step might just be creating your own set of angel investor personas.
Meet Good & Proper.
Founded in 2012 with a mission to get people drinking better tea, Good & Proper has built a loyal customer base and brand that blends substance with soul. Known for its high-quality loose-leaf teas, ethical sourcing, and beautifully branded brews, the business has steadily grown across DTC and retail channels.
Their mission? To elevate the everyday tea experience—and to build a business that’s good in every sense of the word.
So far, Good & Proper has raised over £1.2M in angel and crowd investment, fuelling its growth from a converted Citroën van to a trusted household name on the shelves of Waitrose, Selfridges, and online. As Tom describes:
“Getting through to the end of our investment round took a lot of hard graft, but I do feel strongly that, if you have a brand and proposition you believe in, a compelling business case where you have really sweated the details, then it’s a question of time and connecting with the right investors.”
That connection piece is key. Raising angel investment is more than building a killer deck. It’s about identifying the right investors for your mission and then getting smart about how to bring them on board.
9 Lessons for Founders Raising Angel Investment
Whether you're gearing up for your first round or knee-deep in it, these lessons from Good & Proper Tea’s fundraise are worth making a cuppa for and reflecting on:
1. Bring your existing investors on board early
Momentum matters. If you're already backed by people who believe in you, show it. Future investors want validation - social proof that others have already said yes. Even a small cheque early on signals confidence and conviction, making it easier for others to follow. Nobody likes joining an empty queue.
2. Choose your route wisely
Angel or VC? SEIS/EIS eligible or not? These aren’t just boxes to tick - they define your strategy. Emilie reflects that they spent too much time chasing institutional funds when they were still too early-stage. That time could have been better spent speaking to investors who were actually in their lane. Be honest about your stage and make your time count.
3. Find your anchor investor
Who’s your dream investor? The one who brings not just capital, but credibility, connections and conviction? Go to them first. If you land your anchor early, it gives your round weight, direction, and makes every subsequent conversation easier. Tom’s advice? Get the right people on board, early - it sets the tone for everything else.
4. Cold outreach? Low return
Spray and pray sounds efficient but it’s rarely effective. Cold emails and unsolicited messages have low hit rates because there's no trust, no context, and no credibility. Tom’s advice is direct: cold outreach was a waste of time. Your energy is precious - don’t squander it on approaches that rarely convert.
5. Warm intros? Powerful
A warm introduction is your golden ticket. It gets your email opened, your deck read, your call scheduled. If you don’t already know someone, find someone who does. LinkedIn is your friend. Your network is closer than you think and worth the time it takes to activate.
6. Hot intros? Game-changing
There’s warm and then there’s hot. A hot intro is when a current investor introduces you to someone in their network. They’re vouching for you with their reputation and skin already in the game. These intros are often the fastest route to meaningful conversations and term sheets.
“Ask every investor: “Is there anyone else in your network who might be a fit?”
7. Say yes to the chat
Not every conversation will lead to capital - but every conversation can teach you something. A new perspective, a better way to frame your pitch, a surprise connection. Emilie’s takeaway: say yes. Show up. Be open. You never know where it’ll lead.
8. Block out more time than you think
It always takes longer than you think. Two months to build the deck and financial model. Six months of conversations. Add in the delays of summer, holidays, people being away - it’s a marathon. Treat it like the full-time job it is. Plan for it. Make space for it.
9. Build resilience
You will get no’s. Lots of them. But that doesn’t mean your idea’s wrong. It means it wasn’t right for that investor. Raising investment is a test of belief, not just in your business but in yourself. Emilie’s advice?
“Don’t take the no’s personally. Keep going.”
Ready to Create Your Own Angel Investor Personas?
It’s a privilege when founders share the behind-the-scenes of their raise - what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently.
Big thanks to Emilie and Tom for doing just that. Their journey is a brilliant case study in resilience, clarity, and knowing who you’re looking for.
I believe, one of the smartest moves you can make - especially if you’re raising for the first time - is to get clear on who you're raising from. Angel investor personas help you do just that.
They’re a game-changer because they:
Help you pitch with relevance and resonance
Save you time by helping you filter out investors who were never a fit
Shift your mindset from “how do I get money?” to “who do I want on this journey with me?”
👉 Want to get started?
Download our free resource: Create Your Angel Investor Personas – Get the Workbook
This guide walks you through the process and includes a simple, powerful template to help you get clear and focused.
🎯 And if you’re serious about building your strategy, join our next Raise Ready Masterclass starting 5 June.
A final word.
Raising angel investment isn’t just about capital. It’s about momentum, clarity, and alignment. It’s about bringing the right people into your business - people who see the potential and want to help you unlock it.
So wherever you’re at in your journey: take a moment to reflect, recalibrate, and then go raise with intention.
Because if a cup of tea can spark a movement, just imagine what your idea could do - with the right investors behind you.