How a five-week sprint sharpened the vision, numbers and confidence behind Wellness Traveller
Stepping from pilot to platform
When Nicky (Nicola Brugnola), founder of Wellness Traveller, joined the Women to Women (W2W) Programme, she was not at the idea stage.
Wellness Traveller had already been running as a live pilot for over 18 months. The brand had launched, the market was being tested, and the signs were promising.
“We’d proven traction,” she explains. “We had more than 80,000 website visitors and strong buying signals. But as a small team, carving out focused time and headspace for investment was really hard.”
The vision was clear. Wellness Traveller had started as a single destination pilot in Mallorca, generating email enquiries. The goal now was far bigger – a pan-European platform, in multiple languages, offering instant booking and a fully supported concierge service.
“To make that jump, we needed resources. Investment became the obvious next step.”
What Nicky needed was structure.
“The idea of a five-week sprint to get investor-ready really appealed to me.
A concentrated period to step back from the day-to-day and focus on our raise.”
She was also drawn to the nature of the cohort itself.
“Wellness Traveller is a purpose-led, values-driven business. I felt a female cohort would understand that nuance and nurture it.”
Learning to speak “investor language”
Before W2W, Nicky and the team had already secured £250k toward their next capital raise.
“The big challenge for me was confidence and clarity in how to articulate our vision in investor language,” she says. “I know what we are building has real traction, but translating that into a compelling investment narrative needed refinement.”
Brand storytelling is firmly in her comfort zone. Fundraising felt different.
“I understand emotional storytelling inside out, but fundraising felt like a different language. I wanted to learn how to translate the purpose behind Wellness Traveller into a commercially focused investor story, without losing the heart of what we are building.”
The W2W Programme met that head on.
“Incredibly practical and highly supportive is how I would describe it. Each session peeled back a layer of the investment process. I learned a great deal from the speakers and other founders. Different businesses, same core challenges.”
The workshops on valuation, financial forecasting and investor psychology stood out most.
“And the advice on breaking down Q&A responses into succinct chunks was so helpful. It made the whole experience feel more manageable and structured.”
Interrogating the model, building the compass
Alongside the group sessions, one relationship has had a lasting impact.
“My one-to-one mentoring with Jen (Jennifer Nicoll – longstanding IWA member and mentor) was huge. We interrogated the financials in a way that felt safe and constructive rather than intimidating. Our model feels very robust now – a genuine compass for decision making as we move forward.”
That shift went beyond the pitch deck.
“I learned that investor readiness is not just about the pitch. It is about clarity on the business. The model, the assumptions, the numbers and a compelling story. Once those pieces aligned, everything else became easier.”
The programme also changed how she looks at her business.
“It taught me to see Wellness Traveller as an investor would. Market sizing, financial levers, the phasing of a raise. And instead of simply ‘getting ready to pitch’, we started putting in the foundations of a company that can scale.”
From persuasion to alignment
One of the biggest mindset shifts came from rethinking what fundraising actually is.
“I used to think fundraising was about persuasion,” Nicky reflects. “It is not. It is about alignment, communication and building the right relationships. Investors want honesty about both the opportunity and the risks, not a perfect sell.”
That clarity has influenced her funding strategy too.
“I am now looking for long-term partners rather than short-term funders. W2W helped us refine the sequencing of our raise, so our tranches support growth and help maximise valuation at each stage.”
Her own confidence has grown in parallel.
“I feel more grounded in the numbers and better equipped for investor discussions. The programme helped me step more fully into the CEO role, trust my judgement and make decisions.”
“I feel more grounded in the numbers and better equipped for investor discussions. The programme helped me step more fully into the CEO role, trust my judgement and make decisions.”
A community that feels like personalised coaching
For Nicky, the format of W2W was a welcome surprise.
“I was not expecting such an intimate setting, with founders and investors together in one space. It felt more like personalised coaching than a series of presentations.”
Across the five weeks, something shifted.
“We got closer, more honest, and there was a real sense of shared ambition,” she says. “From the investors and mentors, there was so much generosity of advice and a genuine willingness to help.”
Having focused time with leaders such as Elizabeth and Nicki added another layer.
“Having that tailored input was a real privilege. The experience was far more bespoke and hands-on than I imagined. And fun!”
Being part of an all-female environment has also stayed with her.
The network continues beyond the programme.
“I have stayed connected with Jen, and I already have meetings lined up with several investors from the cohort. I plan to keep grabbing coffees and continuing those conversations. We are all connected on LinkedIn now, so it is easy to stay in touch and keep supporting each other.”
“Refreshingly, the conversations were not centred on the challenges of being a woman in business. It was more about the importance of having women at the top table. The all-female vibe was really positive - women lifting each other up with encouragement has been one of the most energising parts of the journey.”
Real world impact for Wellness Traveller
The outcomes for Wellness Traveller have been both strategic and practical.
“We have definitely sharpened our pitch,” Nicky says. “Our financial model is more robust which gives us, and our investors, more confidence in our path forward. We have also reconsidered the phasing of our investment tranches to help maximise valuation over time.”
Day-to-day decision-making feels different, too.
“I am interrogating the assumptions within our financial model much more rigorously. We are planning our scale up with a framework that balances our ambition to grow quickly with what is feasible.”
Giving back to the next wave of founders
Spending time with experienced angels has left a mark.
“It was incredibly inspiring to be in a room with investors at the top of their game, with successful careers, who were still so open with their knowledge. The honest guidance and practical support they offered made a huge difference.”
Now, Nicky is keen to pay that forward.
“I have decades of marketing experience and would love to support other women – reviewing a deck, helping shape ideas, offering encouragement. It really can make a huge difference for a female founder raising for the first time.”
If she could go back and speak to herself before joining W2W, what would she say?
“I would tell myself: you do not know what you do not know. Be open, trust the process and let yourself be guided. The clarity comes quickly once you are in it.”
Her view on female-led investment has also evolved.
“Women investing in other women brings more than capital. There is emotional support plus a longer-term lens on returns. For start-ups, that is incredibly valuable.”
Why programmes like W2W matter
For Nicky, organisations such as AccelerateHER and Investing Women Angels play a crucial role in a founder’s journey.
“Having a great business idea is only the beginning. Scaling requires far more than capital,” she says.
“Programmes like AccelerateHER and Investing Women Angels help you grow into a leader. They give you the confidence to make decisions, assess risk, challenge assumptions and build a truly robust plan for growth. With that foundation, and with a community of women who genuinely want to see you succeed, the sky really is the limit.”
Interested in joining the W2W Programme?
Whether you’re a female founder in Scotland raising investment, or a woman exploring angel investing for the first time, this is your opportunity to learn, connect and grow alongside a community committed to lifting women up.
Discover the programme and apply today. Perhaps your next chapter starts here.
Spaces are limited – but the impact could be transformative.
