What are you investing in?

Time is your most valuable resource. On Hot Takes, Big Stakes, host Natalie Holloway, founder of Bala, and co-host Lana Elie, founder of Floom, are here to help you turn that time into real value.

After speaking with founders across a wide range of industries, one thing became clear: we’re all getting asked the same questions. So we decided to create a space where we could actually answer them.

In our first ‘Deep Dive’ episode, you're getting exactly what you came for. Natalie and Lana get into the nitty gritty on the most pressing questions about raising money for your business.

Lana has taken little more than bold ideas and turned them into millions of dollars worth of funding. She's mastered the art of investment strategy, and her perspective on pitch decks, shareholder agreements, and attracting the right investors is clear, actionable, and seriously valuable.

Each episode of Hot Takes, Big Stakes features real conversations with founders like Natalie and Lana. No jargon, no sugarcoating. Just the truth about what it takes to build something from scratch.

Key Takeaways:

• Selling the “dream” is easier than selling the data.
• Do your research. You can find investors for almost any company online.
• Raising money is a numbers game… don’t be afraid to send a cold email.
• Focus on your momentum to keep excitement.
• There are so many great resources for crafting a Pitchdeck.
• Know your shareholder’s agreement front to back.
• Handle rejection by using it as motivation.
  
  

More on Natalie Holloway:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/
• “Bala” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bala/
• “Balacize” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balacize/
• Substack, “Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.com
• Book a 1-on-1 Call: https://intro.co/NatalieHolloway

More on Lana Elie-Meyers:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanaelie/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/
  
  

Who are you investing in?

On Hot Takes, Big Stakes, host Natalie Holloway, founder of Bala, and co-host Lana Elie, founder of Floom, are here to help you turn your time into real value.

In today’s episode, Natalie and Lana sit down with Zach Rosner, co-founder of Our Place, a nine figure business with a team of over 100 and more than 90 million dollars raised to date. Before building Our Place, Zach led hiring at brands like MeUndies and Everlane.

Zach is an incredible guest because he’s an open book. In this conversation, he walks us through the highs and lows of co-founding Our Place. From years of struggle in development and fundraising to a breakout moment during COVID, when the company saw over 5 million dollars in sales in a single day, Zach shares it all.

Now, having stepped away from Our Place, Zach is embracing whatever comes next. His story is a powerful reminder that everything in business has an expiration date, and sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come after letting go.

Each episode of Hot Takes, Big Stakes brings you real conversations with founders like Zach. No jargon. No sugarcoating. Just the honest truth about what it takes to build something from the ground up.

Key Takeaways:

• Protect your passions. They are your center of gravity
• Talk about your idea early and often
• When launching a product, something should be happening every day
• Everything has an expiration date
• Push for more ownership
• Don’t talk yourself out of it

More on Zach Rosner

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zachrosner
• “OurPlace” Website: https://fromourplace.com/

More on Natalie Holloway:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/
• “Bala” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bala/
• Substack, “Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.com
• Book a 1-on-1 Call: https://intro.co/NatalieHolloway
  
  

More on Lana Elie-Meyers:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanaelie/

Subscribe to listen to Hot Takes Big Stakes every week on Thursday.T