#100: How to Raise $50 Million+ & Scale Your Business by Starting Small (Laurel Taylor, Candidly)

Meet Laurel Taylor, the visionary founder and CEO of Candidly, the fintech company transforming how we tackle student debt while driving financial inclusion and empowerment. Laurel didn’t just raise $50M+ in funding—she’s leveraging policy changes, scrappy beginnings, and a mission-driven approach to scale a business that’s reshaping lives and industries. In this episode, Laurel shares her step-by-step growth playbook on how she built credibility, turned small wins into enterprise deals, and created traction that investors couldn’t ignore. Get ready to take notes because this one is packed with actionable insights. How to Win Early Clients: Use smaller wins as proof points to attract big-name partners. How to Leverage Policy Changes: Align with regulatory shifts to create scalable business models. How to Raise $50+ Million & Why Traction Matters: Learn why early proof points are critical for funding and how to achieve them. How to Pay Yourself as a Founder: Build sustainability for yourself and your business. How to Build a Mission-Driven Business: Stay true to your purpose while driving profits. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling to the next level, Laurel’s strategies are designed to help you build a business with impact and sustainability. Her story proves that scrappy beginnings and mission-driven leadership can unlock unimaginable growth. If you’re ready to activate AND get sh!t done, subscribe to our Growth Playbooks for weekly, actionable frameworks and strategies to help you scale smarter—no fluff, just results. 👉 Join our Growth Playbooks here: ⁠shegetsshitdone.com/join