What It Takes to Build and Sell a Business Before 40 with Andrew Hulbert

My guest this week is Andrew Hulbert, founder of Pareto FM, who started his business from his bedroom at 27 with no name, network, or funding and grew it to a £42 million turnover before exiting less than a decade later.

Andrew’s story is one of calculated risk, relentless focus, and smart scaling. From landing his first £200,000 contract with the Bulgari Hotel to winning major clients like Twitter, ASOS, and Deliveroo, his approach to business growth was simple: do what big companies get wrong, and do it exceptionally well.

In this episode, we discuss the realities of starting from zero, why being “too small” can become your biggest advantage, and how creating sweet equity helped him retain every senior hire across nine years. Andrew also shares what life looks like post-exit. Family, friends, and purpose and what it truly takes to let go without losing identity.

If you’re at the stage where you’re thinking of starting, scaling, or selling, this conversation will help you think more strategically about risk, people, and purpose.

Key Takeaways:

Start with One Win: Focus on getting your first deal, not the perfect business plan. Momentum starts with movement.

People Are Everything: Hire for motivation, not CVs. Pareto’s 17 senior leaders stayed through to exit because they shared the vision and had skin in the game.

Be Willing to Bet on Growth: Andrew’s decision to reinvest £1 million into overheads helped double the company’s value in two years.

Know When to Step Back: The biggest challenge isn’t starting, it’s letting go. Learning to trust others is what takes a founder from operator to leader.

Redefine Success After Exit: Freedom doesn’t come from a payout, it comes from presence—being there for family, friends, and yourself.

🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make 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.

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