What does it really take to turn an idea into a consumer brand, and convince investors to back you before you've even finished the product?
Maya Bedeau is the founder of 'Onest Energy, a natural energy drink created to bring more transparency to a crowded category. Just eight months after launching, 'Onest won Best Sports & Energy Drink at the UK Soft Drinks Awards, competing against established brands with significantly more history and money behind them.
Maya joins Andy Oury and Jemma Hotta to talk about what building a physical consumer brand actually looks like behind the scenes - from raising £225,000 in early investment and establishing a valuation before launch, to manufacturing, distribution, marketing and finding the right audience.
They also get into the importance of authenticity in founder-led marketing, why your audience needs to see themselves represented in your brand, choosing investors for more than their money, and why listening to too many opinions can sometimes pull a founder away from the original vision.
And, of course, Maya faces Business or BS, with takes on first-mover advantage, revenue vs profit, VC investment, Bitcoin and more.
Think of this as a conversation with your lawyer and your accountant, you just don't have to pay for it. Honest opinions, practical insights and no unnecessary jargon.
In this episode:
• Building a consumer brand from scratch
• Raising investment before having a finished product
• SEIS and early-stage startup funding
• How founders value a business before meaningful revenue
• Breaking into a crowded drinks market
• Finding and understanding your target audience
• Authenticity and founder-led marketing
• Building in public and putting your team on camera
• Choosing the right investors
• Why founders shouldn't listen to every opinion
• First-mover advantage and competing with established brands
• Revenue vs profit
• Business or BS
About Maya Bedeau
Maya Bedeau is the founder of 'Onest Energy, a natural energy drink brand focused on transparency and providing an alternative within the traditional energy-drink category. Before launching 'Onest, Maya spent years working inside another drinks startup, where she gained hands-on experience across marketing and the realities of running a small business.
Connect with Maya
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-bedeau-08951a109/
'Onest Energy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkonest/?hl=en
Connect with Business Without BS
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bwblondon
Website: https://withoutbs.com
Connect with Andy Oury
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewoury/
