Lucy Busk, a successful entrepreneur and new mother, is not only juggling her business and family life but also making waves in the crowdfunding world with her wine brand NICE, selling a can every five seconds.
With an initial crowdfunding goal of £750,000, Lucy and her co-founder Jeremy May surpassed all expectations by raising an incredible £1 million. NICE is now the fastest-growing canned wine brand in the UK, with plans to expand and inject fun back into the industry.
In this episode, Lucy shares her invaluable tips for cracking the crowdfunding code, creating innovative products, and getting your brand on the shelves of major retailers, both locally and internationally. Here’s her unfiltered advice:
“Firstly, congratulations are in order for both your new baby and the outstanding success of your crowdfunding campaign. Tell us a bit about how you managed to achieve so much in such a short span of time.”
“Thank you! Yes, I had my baby girl Elektra just six weeks ago, and she’s doing well. It was quite a whirlwind to have the crowdfunding campaign and a newborn simultaneously, but everything worked out remarkably well.”
“That’s impressive! Now, let’s talk about your crowdfunding journey. How long did it take to prepare for the campaign, and why did you choose crowdfunding as your funding route?”
“Crowdfunding is something Jeremy and I have always considered. We love how it democratizes investing and allows anyone to get involved with a relatively low entry point. For our campaign, the minimum investment was £50. We also appreciate how crowdfunding brings in brand ambassadors who support our journey. It felt like the right time to do it, especially for our third investment round.”
“NICE indeed! Your ability to act quickly is evident in your success. How did you manage to pull everything together in such a short time?”
“At NICE, we believe in doing things efficiently, almost like dog years. We decided about a month before the campaign launch that we were going for it. We divided tasks among our marketing team, with the main focus on creating a compelling promo video. However, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work involved, such as preparing documents and undergoing due diligence. Jeremy, my amazing business partner, took charge of that aspect.”
“Impressive teamwork! So, you aimed to raise £750,000 but ended up exceeding your target by raising £1 million. How did that happen, and how did it feel?”
“It was fantastic! Going beyond our target was a significant ambition for us, and it felt incredibly rewarding and exciting. The key to a successful crowdfunding campaign is generating momentum right from the start. We made sure to raise a substantial amount early on to create that buzz and attract more investors.”
Lucy Busk’s journey with NICE wine brand and her crowdfunding success is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs. By leveraging the power of crowdfunding and acting swiftly, she has achieved remarkable results. Whether it’s creating innovative products or navigating the complexities of due diligence, Lucy’s insights provide valuable guidance for anyone looking to crack the crowdfunding code and take their business to new heights.
