FOMO. Loyalty. Genuine belief. And the particular irrationality of having watched someone else's …
T=0: The Decision
Six years of savings. £32,000. A childhood friend building a B2B SaaS company that was generating early traction. I had watched his demo three times and believed in it completely. Due diligence was a dinner conversation. I wired the money in July 2022 with no documentation more formal than an email.
FOMO. Loyalty. Genuine belief. And the particular irrationality of having watched someone else's wealth compound from a distance for years. I am a solicitor. I draft investment documentation for a living. I did not apply any of that knowledge to this.
Hindsight is not a success definition. I thought I was going to make 10x in three years.
6 Months Out
The company is struggling. My friend asked for an additional £7k "bridge" in month 5. I provided it because I could not bear to watch the original investment fail. My total exposure is now £39,000.
“Never invest money you cannot afford to lose completely. That is not a metaphor. I knew this. I made the investment anyway.”