Left a Well Paid Banking Job to Build a Fashion Brand Worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. Here's How.

From Goldman Sachs to a PhD in virology, Polly McMaster's path to founding The Fold was anything but a straight line, and the real story behind building the brand is one she's never fully told before.In this episode, Polly opens up about the parts of the entrepreneurial journey that don't make it onto LinkedIn: the panic attacks, the sleepless nights, and the wall of cash running out just as the business started to take off. She talks candidly about closing an angel round while quietly falling apart, signing a major funding deal 36 weeks pregnant, and being back in board meetings just five weeks after giving birth.We get into what it really took to raise money as a female founder, including the investors who "got it" instantly and the ones who asked if her products were even needed because "my wife doesn't work." Polly breaks down the brutal maths of fundraising, and why she now calls the mindset that got her through it "delusional conviction."Chapters00:00 Trailer: rejection, sacrifice and resilience00:49 Meet Polly McMaster, founder of The Fold02:44 Growing up across three countries05:00 Money lessons from her mother08:27 School days: science versus art19:57 Leaving private equity to start The Fold30:31 The wall of cash and 99 rejections33:52 Panic attacks and the lowest point53:03 Redefining success and building wealth1:04:56 Femme & Fortune FiveIf you haven't already, hit subscribe so you never miss an episode, and sign up to Ayesha's free weekly wealth newsletter to join tens of thousands of women who read it every week: https://ayeshaofori.com/newsletter/