What does it really take to build a mission-driven business, raise capital, and stay true to your values when the pressure is on? In this episode of UNMASKED: The Capital Raise Files, Alan sits down with Wayne Hennessy-Barrett, Founder and Executive Chairman of 4G Capital, a fintech company helping small businesses across Africa access the working capital they need to grow. Wayne shares his journey from 17 years in the British Army to building a business focused on democratizing wealth creation for entrepreneurs in Kenya and Uganda. In this episode, we explore: ➡️ How Wayne's military career shaped his approach to leadership and decision-making ➡️ The journey from the British Army to building 4G Capital ➡️ What investors really want to know during a capital raise ➡️ Why customer trust and company values matter when times get tough ➡️ Wayne's advice for founders building sustainable, mission-driven businesses The conversation dives into fundraising, leadership, investor alignment and the difficult decisions that come with building a growing company. Wayne also shares what he learned from raising capital during COVID, why choosing the right investors matters, and how staying focused on customers and values can shape a stronger business. 🔗 Connect with Wayne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynehennessybarrett/?isSelfProfile=false _______ UNMASKED: The Capital Raise Files: Real stories from CEOs who have raised capital, so other leaders can move through the process with more clarity, confidence and fewer wasted rooms. In this special series of Unmasked: The CEO Files, we sit down with CEOs and founders who have actually lived through a capital raise to uncover what happened behind the deck, the numbers and the polished story. Why was the money needed? How did they approach the market? How many investor rooms did it take? What questions created pressure? Where did trust form, and where did resistance show up? Most importantly, what would they do differently if they had to raise again? Because raising capital is never just about the business opportunity, the financial model or the pitch deck. Investors are evaluating the leader in the room, too. How clearly can a CEO communicate under pressure? Can they build trust? Can they respond when challenged? And how does the way they show up influence the outcome? The Capital Raise Files goes beyond fundraising advice to explore the lived experience of raising capital, giving CEOs and founders practical insight they can take into their own investor rooms. If you’re preparing to raise capital, considering M&A or moving toward an IPO, these are the real stories worth hearing. We’re researching why some capital raises move quickly in fewer investor meetings while others drag through extra meetings and follow-up. If you’ve raised capital, we’d value your input. It takes under a minute and all responses are aggregated and never attributed. Click here: https://tally.so/r/68yyZB If you are interested in the findings let us know at alan@strataoriginals.com 🔗 Connect with STRATA Website: www.strataoriginals.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/80453987