Lesson: A smart raise keeps you in control, fuels growth, and earns investor trust.

When I started working on our current raise for Jivati, I wasn’t chasing capital just because we were ready to grow. I knew how we raise now would shape our long-term growth and the brand’s future. So, I looked closely at how other consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands approached this stage, not to copy them, but to benchmark where we stood and model a smarter path forward. From there, I tailored the raise to fit our unique position.

Two brands helped sharpen my thinking: Ghia and Gorgie, both raised strong early rounds while protecting founder ownership and brand identity. Each tapped into culturally-driven wellness through mood rituals, clean ingredients, and bold identity. Jivati sits at a similar intersection: Ayurvedic-inspired, alcohol-based, and built for a consumer who chooses intention over impulse. It’s more than a drink, it’s a cultural shift. And like them, we’re building something distinct enough to raise on strong terms, while protecting both the story and the cap table.

Ghia, a non-alcoholic aperitif brand built around herbal ingredients and social rituals, raised about $6.5 million at a $35 million valuation during its Series A. The founder retained roughly 57% ownership after the round, an impressive balance of capital, control, and clarity (source). It’s a strong example of how a brand with cultural relevance, clear positioning, and identity can command a premium valuation without giving up too much of the company.

Gorgie, a wellness energy drink founded by an experienced operator, raised $6.5 million in an early round led entirely by angel investors, without traditional venture capital. While the exact valuation wasn’t disclosed, reports suggest the founder retained majority ownership through flexible terms and a compelling early narrative (source).

These brands didn’t just raise money; they raised on their terms. That gave me a solid baseline to work from. I paid close attention to how they structured their ownership, who they brought in early, and how they positioned themselves to scale, without compromising control. Then I modeled different raise scenarios for Jivati to ensure our approach aligned with where the market is now and where it’s going.

I didn’t want to over-dilute too early or set a valuation so high that it would push away the right investors. Both mistakes tend to show up later, when the stakes are higher, the cap table is tighter, and the vision becomes more challenging to fund. Once I had a solid reference point, I shifted focus to designing a raise that made sense for us, not just today, but two rounds from now. I worked backwards from our long-term goals and pressure-tested different funding scenarios to understand how this round would affect not just my ownership, but also investor outcomes, future team hires, and long-term flexibility. That meant thinking through everything: how much equity to set aside for employees (the option pool), how much control to retain while still offering meaningful upside to early backers, and how the ownership pie might evolve by Series A. I wasn’t optimizing for optics; I was designing a cap table to support the next growth phase without becoming a liability.

We’ve already built the foundation and validated the demand. Online sales have reached 20+ states, we’ve landed in major retailers like 7-Eleven and Total Wine, and we’ve sold out at events where the most common question we heard was: “Where can I get more?” This next chapter brings in seasoned marketing and sales partners, people whose experience has led to multiple exits. Their expertise will help us scale distribution beyond early traction, build the right team, and expand into key markets for national presence.

What I Learned and How I Built the Raise

This raise isn’t just about capital, it’s about building a structure that holds up when the pressure’s real. Every part of it, valuation cap, SAFE terms (Simple Agreement for Future Equity), and option pool, was designed to protect founder ownership and offer real upside to long-term partners. I modeled both sides: how equity converts, how future rounds impact returns, and how to avoid short-term thinking. Because cap tables and valuations tell a story, it raises red flags if that story’s unclear, unbalanced, or overreaching. Set the valuation too high, and you lose the right investors. Too low, and you undervalue real progress. Too complex, and you stall momentum. The best raise isn’t the one that closes fast; it’s the one that still works when the stakes are higher.

Closing Thought

Raising capital isn’t the milestone; it’s the mirror. It clearly shows you understand what you’re building and whether others believe in your path. This round isn’t just about funding Jivati, it’s about setting the tone for how we scale, who we bring in, and what ownership means as execution takes the lead. The best raises don’t just close, they hold. They’re intentional, clear, and built to last when the pressure’s on.

If you’re raising money, don’t just chase a check. Build something people want to be part of today, and as the company succeeds, their trust in you will grow.

I’m still in it. Still building. But this time, with a sharper strategy and a stronger table.

Stick around. I’m just warming up.

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_{DISCLAIMER - All content by Devraj Patel, including The Weekly D-Brief, is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute business, legal, or personalized advice. No client relationship is created unless agreed upon in writing. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. You are solely responsible for your decisions—always consult appropriate professionals before acting on this content.}