So you’ve got a great idea, you’ve done your research, spotted a market worth billions, and want to disrupt it.
But there’s one big problem… MONEY.
Last year alone, I mentored over 100 startups, and every single founder came to me with the same challenge. "
Bella, I have this amazing business idea I want to launch my own fashion brand but I don’t have enough money to get started. "
" Bella I have savings, but it’s not nearly enough to fully invest in the business."
I’ve even had a few of you reach out, asking if I could invest in your startups. While I’m truly flattered, I don’t currently invest in fashion startups unfortunately. But if you’re launching something in tech or A.I., you just might catch my interest and I may invest.
So How Do I Fund My Start-up? 💵
In theory, you'd start by investing your own capital and honestly, the best person to invest in you is you!
Bet on yourself... Take the initiative and just start.
You’d be surprised you might not need as much capital as you think. Especially if you’re going the wholesale route, you could save hundreds or even thousands on manufacturing costs. So in reality, inventory isn’t the biggest expense for most new brands.
Where Do Things Start To Get Expensive?
Marketing....
That's the real funnel the one you’ll have to keep feeding with money consistently if you want to grow, build brand awareness, and gain traction. It's not the product cost that breaks most early-stage founders it's the ongoing cost of getting people to care. Unless you’re already an influencer or someone with an established audience, you’re essentially starting from zero.
Zero Followers + Zero Traffic = Zero Trust.
That’s the uphill battle. Not creating the product but getting it in front of the right people, over and over again, until it sticks and that's where you may need to look for outside funding or take advantage of the free business grants out there.
So Can I Really Get FREE Money To Launch My Business??
Oh Hell Yeah!
The truth is, most people simply don’t look beyond the first page of Google. There are plenty of grants available specifically for new businesses, female founders, minority entrepreneurs, creatives, designers, and more. You just have to be willing to do the research, put in the work to find the right opportunities, complete the applications, and follow through. oh, and let’s not forget to actually start. Just because these big corporates are giving away free money doesn’t mean it’s a handout. You’ll still need to show proof of your business, real traction, and a clear plan. No one’s handing out cash because they are bored , they want to see that you’re serious, prepared, and ready to grow.
🎯 Before You Apply Read This!
Yes, there are a few rare grants that might fund just an idea. But even then you’re expected to come correct.
✅ Pitch deck
✅ Business plan
✅ Proof you’re the right person to make it happen
Your idea might sound amazing, but there’s always someone out there with an even better one or someone who’s just better at pitching it.
These funders aren’t handing out free money for nothing. You need to show traction, clarity, and confidence.
So before you apply, make sure you’re READY because the money is there, but so is the competition. 💼💰
💷 Free Grants You Can Start With 💷
Below are a list of well-known grants you can apply for to support your business.
These funding opportunities are trusted and designed to help entrepreneurs grow!
Whether you're just starting out or scaling up. Make sure to check each one’s eligibility and application deadlines carefully.
Lavi Rev - $1000 Free Grant
https://lavirev.com/dreamgrant/
Mogul millennial- $20,000- $120k Free Grants
https://www.mogulmillennial.com
Hello Alice - $10k- $50k Free Grants
https://helloalice.com/funding/grants/
Cartier Women - $100k Free Grant
https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com
Shopify Capital - $300-$10k Repayment
https://www.shopify.com/uk/capital
Google For Startups - $100k Grant
Target Accelerator - $10k- $120k Grant
https://accelerators.target.com/programs/target-takeoff/
What About VC Funding ? 💼
As for VCs.. They don’t care about your IDEA they care about TRACTION!
They want numbers: revenue, growth, users, retention. A brilliant idea without proof of execution won’t get you far in the fundraising room. People often forget that around 20% of businesses fail within the first year, and 60% by year three if they even make it that far. While I'd love to paint the beautiful illusion of you speeding in your Lambo, flying private to Cancun, and running a multi-million dollar empire… The truth is, that’s extremely rare. Most founders don’t make it. They grind for years, face constant setbacks, and burn out without ever seeing a real return. Raising millions in VC funding doesn’t mean you’re rich. That money isn’t yours. It’s for scaling the business, hitting aggressive growth targets, and delivering returns to your investors. You don’t “cash out” you owe them. Investors get paid first. Founders are often the last in line, and many never see a big payday at all. I know founders who’ve raised millions and privately told me they regret it. Sure, they get a decent salary, but they also carry the crushing pressure to scale fast. Growth isn’t optional it’s expected. Every quarter becomes a sprint, not just for survival, but to hit unrealistic targets. Some of them wish they had bootstrapped instead kept control, grown slower, and built something sustainable on their own terms.
You Raised BUT Now The PRESSURE Is On 🔥
Raising money might look like success from the outside but strip away the TechCrunch headlines and Forbes features, and a very different picture emerges behind the hype. Trust me, I’ve lived it. I turned down VC funding for Modestwist once I realised what was expected of me in that first year, chasing growth metrics that would push me away from creating high-quality garments and solving real problems in modest fashion, and instead force me into the fast fashion rat race. It wasn’t an easy decision and everyone said I was crazy to walk away from VC funding. However the burnout and stress hit me so hard, I packed my bags and took a year off in London just to reset and honestly, I don’t regret it one bit. My competitors who took VC funding... Most of them shut down a few years later. So in the end, I definitely dodged a bullet. God really had my back. I bootstrapped, stayed true to my vision and still succeeded. Now I’m running a global export business and about to launch a B2B A.I. export marketplace. From fashion to tech, I’ve found my lane, I love what I do and honestly, NBG and Sourcetoptan don’t even feel like work… they feel like fun, I honestly could do this in my sleep!
Just Bootstrap For Now And Work Lean! 🤌
You really don’t need to raise capital to launch a successful fashion brand. There are thousands of independent fashion companies thriving today, with founders earning millions annually while still owning 100% equity of their business. The truth is, unless you're trying to build the next SHEIN or ZARA (which, let’s be honest, doesn’t make much sense in today’s economic and ethical climate), you can absolutely grow and scale your brand organically. With the right strategy, strong branding, and a clear understanding of your market, you can generate enough revenue to reinvest and grow without relying on outside investors. Bootstrapping gives you full control, creative freedom, and all the profits. You don’t need massive funding. You just need a smart, lean approach and consistency, utilise those free grant opportunities above if you need more cash runway or need to scale, and if you really need a bit if a capital injection head to your local bank or even check out Shopify capital . Here’s the reality: you need to be cash-positive or at the very least, close to it. Banks aren’t going to just deposit money into your account overnight. They’re looking for signs of stability, a clear ability to repay, and often, collateral. A loan isn’t free moneyit’s a financial responsibility tied to your business performance. Our honest advice? Save as much as you can and invest that into your business. Build a strong foundation with your own capital before considering outside funding. It puts you in a much better position for long-term growth and control and remember to always ask yourself what is the long-term goal for your business .
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