Session Three
Sharing different perspectives of a blended capital collaboration
The final session brought together Andrew Plastow, Head of School and Catherine Baldwin, Board Chair of Ngutu College, a culturally affirming school in which Aboriginal knowledges are seamlessly integrated with the formal curriculum and Pauly Vanderbergh, Director of 100 per cent Indigenous-owned commercial fishing venture Wanna Mar. Hosted by Jacob Habner of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation on Kaurna Yerta, session three delved into the ‘becoming investment ready journey’, focussing on those final few months as the wheels begin to turn and it becomes a juggling act of sequencing multiple, sometimes conflicting processes.
Key Takeaways from this session included:
Bringing in the right experience at the right time
The importance of a concise investment proposal and clear concept
Tranching down the vision or the big dream to enable people to see the pieces and the impact they could contribute to
Being open and adaptive to re-pitching your expectations around what is required to get operational
Knowing when and how to push back on funder requirements
Finding your allies and applying a networked approach
Reflecting on your learnings and finding ways to share your experiences to support others in the space
In final closing reflections our panelists had the following advice when becoming investment ready:
Some of the best social impact enterprises are the ones that are not yet investment ready – you’ve got to be willing to go on the whole journey.
Seek out supporters and peers in the space to be your critical friends and accountability support.
See the value in measurement and reporting and capturing impact as something to further your work and not just a requirement.
