I Turned Down a $7 Million Deal After a Shocking Conversation With the Investor. My 'No' Led to a Surprise Email and $100 Million Exit. Sarah Dusek, co-founder and CEO of travel company Few and Far, learned an important lesson when venture capital negotiations fell apart.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Dusek was wary of her venture capital deal from the start, then a surprising turn solidified her distrust.
- She went with private equity investment instead, which led to the $100 million sale of her company.
- Now Dusek is committed to uplifting women entrepreneurs and growing her regenerative travel venture.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cape Town, South Africa-based entrepreneur and investor Sarah Dusek. Dusek is the co-founder of venture capital firm Enygma Ventures, co-founder and CEO of travel company Few and Far, and author of Thinking Bigger: A Pitch-Deck Formula for Women Who Want to Change the World. She is also co-founder and former CEO of travel company Under Canvas, which sold for $100 million in 2018.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Few and Far. Sarah Dusek.
I'm from the UK originally, but I spent my early 20s in Africa working for aid agencies. When I met my husband, who's from Montana, I went [there] for the first time and was struck by the big, wide open, vast spaces there: It reminded me of an African safari experience and being out in the wilderness in the bush and seeing lots of wildlife.
The rest of this article is locked.
Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.
Already have an account? Sign In