Angels Den Blog

So, congratulations: you’ve earned a meeting with a private investor. You must have done something right to impress him or her in order to get this far, so don’t stop now—keep impressing your business Angel throughout the pitch that you’ll be giving.

Think about what a private investor will be looking for in a prospective business partner. The private investor is looking for someone who’s professional, who carries themselves well, who’s comfortable in their own skin, and who’s in touch with what’s happening in the world. But he or she also wants to see if the person in whom they might invest is a risk-taker. The private investor wants to know that they are investing in someone with some ‘chutzpah’, some leadership—that is, someone who doesn’t just follow the herd.

So what should you wear to that first meeting with your private investor?

What you’re wearing is the first thing on which a private investor will judge you, before you ever open up your mouth, show them your graphs and your reports, and before you even flash that toothy smile for which you’re so famous. A private investor will be checking to see if you’ve dressed to impress—or if you’re taking the meeting lightly by dressing as though it’s just another night out at the pub.

The question, then, is this: who do you use as a role model for your business dress sense?

Are you a Richard Branson?
Sir Richard Branson always looks immaculately dressed, even when sporting a shell suit for his record-breaking attempts—but his favorite look is smart shirt, no tie, top button undone, and a jacket. Sir Richard pioneered the successful entrepreneurial ‘smart casual’ look. The man who started his first successful business when he was just 16 years old certainly doesn’t have to wear a tie if he doesn’t want to!

At Angels Den, we like this look: too casual and it looks as though you’re not taking your private investor meeting seriously; too trussed up in a suit and you’ll look out of place—most of our SpeedPitching events are relaxed affairs.

Are you an Alan Sugar?
For those who can’t pull off ‘the Branson’ for their private investor meeting (and let’s face it, not all of us are blessed with Branson’s innate sense of style), there’s always the look of Sir Alan Sugar.

The ‘Alan Sugar’ is a bit more formal than the Branson. Being comfortable is the most important thing for a private investor pitch, so if you feel more natural in a suit and tie, then go with that—although, at Angels Den, we would suggest that even if you love your pinstripe, you should probably lose the tie.

Are you a Deborah Meaden?
Deborah Meaden, of Dragon’s Den fame, has her own personal stylist, so it’s not surprising that she looks the part each week on the show. Often found in traditional black or grey, she goes for a very simple corporate style, with no flourishes of colour and no eccentricities—just clean lines.

A perfectly acceptable look for the successful businesswoman about town, the Meaden can seem a little bland to a private investor who is looking for the ‘wow’ factor in the person pitching to them—but it is certainly the ‘safe’ option.

Are you a Lois Cook?
Co-founder of Angels Den, the UK’s premier private investor and entrepreneur meeting place, Lois Cook has a very different view on style: ‘First impressions count, and how you present yourself to a private investor at your pitch will go a long way to opening the door of opportunity for you.’

Lois believes in presenting a smart and professional look—but adding a touch of creativity to suggest an innovative mind. The trick is to dress up without looking too formal, to be feminine without being distractingly sexy, and to stand out from the crowd.

Overall, when you meet your potential private investor for the first time, you want the way in which you’re dressed to send a message—and that message should read: ‘I’ve got what it takes.’