Ask the Experts 
Q&A with Lizzie Lord at Piper Private Equity

For many founders, taking private equity investment is a major turning point. The capital can accelerate growth, but it also changes the way a business is run, the decisions a founder makes, and the team needed around them.

In this Ask the Experts feature, Becky McCredie, Director, M&A Advisory at Cavendish, speaks with Lizzie Lord, Investment Associate at Piper, about what consumer investors look for and the questions founders should be asking before bringing in an external partner.

The conversation covers:

• What investors are really looking for in founders and management teams, beyond the numbers.

• Why cultural fit matters, and why founders need to be genuinely open to collaboration.

• How investors think about management teams, including when the right structure is not yet fully in place.

• Why long-term consumer behaviour matters more than chasing short-term trends.

• How businesses can scale into new channels, markets and geographies without losing what made customers love the brand in the first place.

• Why loyalty, advocacy and emotional connection can be such important indicators of future growth.

• How changing expectations around quality, sustainability, transparency and digital engagement are shaping consumer businesses.

For founders, the question is whether the business, the team and the founder themselves are ready for what that next stage requires.