Namaste Brown Girl,
While the year is still warming up, brown girls are already in motion - getting funded, getting acquired, getting recognized, and getting clearer about how we build and invest going forward.
Welcome back to Brown Girls, Money Moves - your bi-weekly dose of the headlines, insights, and cultural moments shaping business, capital, and community - the brown girl way. This issue is part celebration, part education, and part gentle nudge to think bigger about the role you want to play in what gets built next.
Here’s what’s inside this issue:
🔥 Fresh brown girl wins across beauty, fashion, wellness, and leadership
☕️ The brown girl–owned coffee & tea brands powering our mornings (and pitch decks)
😇 An Angel Investing 101 refresher - because writing cheques starts with asking the right questions
💅🏽 Gupshup: pop culture moments, podcast updates, and things we loved this week
Pour your chai, scroll slowly, and take notes. This one’s about celebrating the wins and stepping into your investor era with intention. 🤎☕✨
spicy money moves
👑
Another week, another reminder that brown girls are shaping what’s next - across business, culture, and capital. Here’s what brown girls have accomplished lately.
👑
💁🏽♀️ Good hair days, funded. Ayurvedic haircare brand Squigs just secured the inaugural Equity Studio Grant, backing women-led, early-stage consumer brands.
👗 Sustainable fashion platform By Rotation was named Disruptor of the Year by Drapers, spotlighting the power of circular fashion.
🎭 Big equity energy. Artswrk, the job platform built for artists, has officially been acquired by Ensemble Performing Arts.
🌱 Funding secured. D2C plant-based nutrition brand Earthful raised $3M in pre-Series A funding, led by Fireside Ventures and V3 Ventures, with participation from Atrium Angels.
🏆 Leadership goals. Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex, has been named Modern CEO of the Year by Inc. Magazine.
We love celebrating brown girl wins ✨ Got a recent win, milestone, or shoutout you want us to know about? 📩 Submit your win by filling out this form and let the BGA community hype you up. 🤎
the brown girl investors club
Meet the brown girls powering your next chai break. ☕️🤎
Get to know the brown girl–owned coffee and tea brands fueling our mornings, pitch meetings, and million-dollar ideas.
Save this. Share this. Sip responsibly.
angel investing 101
😇💰 Saturday, January 24th, was the International Day of Education - so we’re dropping an Angel Investing 101 refresher.
Angel investors don’t just write cheques. They back bold ideas early, share expertise and mentorship, open doors to valuable connections, and their willingness to take risks fuels innovation and creates opportunities for disruptive ideas to take off.
Thinking about becoming an angel? Ask yourself the following: 👇🏾
💰 Do I have enough disposable income to invest without affecting my financial stability?
Before diving into angel investing, ensure you have enough disposable income. Early-stage investments generally fall between $1K–$25K and should only be made with capital you’re prepared to fully risk. Translation: money you won’t miss if it takes years—or never—comes back.
🎯 What are my investing goals - returns, impact, or both?
Be honest with yourself. Are you here for outsized financial returns? To back founders you believe in? To help shape what gets built next? Getting clear on your “why” helps you make smarter decisions and say yes to the right deals.
👥 Do I want to invest solo or alongside a trusted angel community?
You’ll need to decide whether you want to invest alone or with an angel group.
Going solo gives you more control over where and how you invest. Joining an angel group like BGA gives you valuable support, shared expertise, and pooled resources. Same cheque. More brainpower.
⚠️ Am I comfortable with risk (yes, even losing it all)?
Real talk: early-stage investing is high-risk. Angel investors aren’t afraid to take chances on new business models and innovative companies. Some bets won’t pan out. A few might. One could change everything. If the idea of a zero makes you sweat, pause. Angel investing rewards long-term thinking, patience, and emotional regulation.
⭐️ What kind of impact do I want to make?
Angel investors step in to fill the funding gap, providing seed money when traditional sources like the bank, aren’t an option. This initial cash helps entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality, build prototypes, and test out their business models.
Ask yourself: do you want to help close funding gaps, support underrepresented founders, or shape the future of innovation? Your cheque can do more than sit quietly.
💡 What value can I bring beyond capital?
The best angel investors don’t just provide capital - they show up.
That could mean mentorship, industry insight, customer intros, hiring support, or simply being a thoughtful sounding board. Your lived experience is an asset. Don’t underestimate it.
Curious about angel investing, but not sure where to start? If you’re a South Asian woman who wants to learn, connect, and explore angel investing - the Brown Girl way - learn more here.
GUPSHUP
💅🏼 On a recent 10-hour flight to Fiji, I finally had my first under-eye mask moment.
👀 Season 2 of BGA’s podcast is launching this spring. Until then, here’s what you missed from Season 1 of Brown Girls, Bold Moves.
🇮🇳 Sisters Rhea Raj and Lara Raj of Katseye take us on a nostalgic trip to the homeland.
Spotted: Fable & Mane’s newest campaign star… and yes, you know and love her.
spread the love
📩Got a brown girl founder or product you love? Submit their info
🙋🏾♀️We love celebrating brown girl founders who are building bold, brilliant, and inspiring companies. Got something in the works or looking to raise soon? We’d love to hear from you.
🫱🏽🫲🏾If you’re looking to get your brand, product or service in front of a community of South Asian women who love to uplift, invest, and support each other—this is your sign. Reach out to learn more about our sponsored content opportunities
If you missed our poll last time, let us know now what you’re interested in!