Screw It Just DO It with Alex Chisnall How ANNA Money Built a £30m ARR Business for Small Businesses
On this episode of Screw It Just DO It I sit down with Boris Diakonov and Eduard Panteleev, the co-founders of ANNA Money, the UK-based business account built to make life easier for small business owners. ANNA combines finance, admin and tax tools in one AI-powered platform, complete with its trademark humour and cat logo. In this conversation we cover the “screw it” moment that pushed them to launch, how they chose the UK market despite being newcomers, and what it took to overcome major setbacks like the Wirecard crisis. We also explore how ANNA grew to 50,000 customers, nearly £30 million in annual recurring revenue, and an 80% gross margin. This is a real look at scaling a fintech startup, balancing co-founder dynamics, and keeping customers front and centre.
Key Takeaways:
Why the UK market was the right place to launch ANNA despite early fears
How a bold brand identity helped them stand out in a crowded sector
Lessons from surviving the Wirecard collapse and keeping customers onside
The importance of listening, adapting and maintaining trust as co-founders
How ANNA scaled to £30m ARR and what that means for the future of small business finance
🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday - so makes sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.
🔥 Want to take things further? Join me in person this October at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on the 8–9th October at the NEC in Birmingham. The Festival of Entrepreneurs is where 5-10,000 ambitious founders come together to learn from the people who've actually done it. I'm giving my listeners free 2-day passes.
Real entrepreneurs, real stories, real strategies – exactly like what you're hearing right now, but live and in person. www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk
Register her for FREE: https://eventdata.uk/Visitor/FestivalOfEntrepreneurs2025.aspx?TrackingCode=ACHISNALL
👉 Follow the show. Turn up in October. Screw It Just DO It!
#ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship