Join us for an inspiring conversation with Cecil Adjalo, founder of Foundervine, one of the UK's largest and most vibrant accelerators, having designed a high-impact training program that provides ambitious entrepreneurs with the skills, tools, and support they need to confidently scale their ventures. Cecil has a passion for operational efficiency, automation, and creating data-driven organisations which led him into the field of Data and Analytics. He began his career by troubleshooting issues with hospital database software and later transitioned to management consulting, start-up creation, business intelligence, and strategy, with his passion for data and analytics ultimately leading him to where he is now.In this episode, we cover:The importance of focusing on a big vision and not being afraid to think bigHow to overcome imposter syndromeThe challenges of pitching to VCs and the importance of showing tractionThe role of affinity bias in the startup space and how to overcome itThe power of community building and creating a supportive ecosystem for underrepresented foundersLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adjalo/?originalSubdomain=ukFoundervine: https://www.foundervine.com/#Startup Experimentation playlist: https://bit.ly/3D9k67j

Did you know that 20% of your employees, customers, and friends are likely to be neurodivergent? In today's episode, we're diving into the importance of neuro inclusivity in entrepreneurship, with Sasha Evans, a brilliant entrepreneur and expert in experience design and neurodiversity.Join me, Hattie Willis, as I chat with Sasha about her journey into entrepreneurship, from theatre to startups, and how she's helping founders design for neuro inclusivity. We'll cover practical tips for founders with autism, ADHD, and beyond, as well as how neurotypical founders can create more inclusive experiences for their customers and stakeholders. Plus, we'll explore Sasha's brilliant series on LinkedIn, where she answers your burning questions about neurodiversity.Links:Sascha's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saschaevans/?originalSubdomain=ukUncommon company: https://www.bemoreuncommon.com/Zinc incubator: https://www.zinc.vc/

In this engaging talk, Marcus Exall, a serial founder and angel investor at Virgin Startup, shares his entrepreneurial journey from childhood hustles to successful business exits. He dives into the myths surrounding investment and entrepreneurship, exploring the emotional side of startups, including ADHD struggles. With anecdotes about his experiences, he discusses the importance of resilience, mentorship, and the power of personal connections in the startup ecosystem. Marcus offers unconventional advice on design for viral growth, fundraising, and the complexities of scaling a business.

Storytelling is one of the most underrated founder skills! It’s critical for motivating your team, selling to customers, and of course, raising investment. It can also position you as a thought leader, which yes, helps all those things too. But it’s one of the things that trips sooo many founders up.From pitches that make it obvious they were created to follow a formula, to LinkedIn posts that show zero personality, to team talks that end with glazed eyes, it’s so easy to get it wrong. So in this episode, we're thrilled to have a very special guest who knows a thing or two about captivating an audience.Joining us is Pascalle Bergmans, the multi-talented founder of PresenTales, a Pitch Training company which empowers senior leaders and executives to deliver their stories with impact and passion. With an impressive background performing on the West End in musicals like Wicked, Mary Poppins, and Robin Hood, Pascalle is no stranger to the art of engaging storytelling and owning a stage.In this episode, we dive deep into Pascalle's wealth of knowledge and experience. We'll explore:Lessons from the West-End that you need in your startup storytellingPractical tips for overcoming stage fright and delivering presentations with confidenceWhat authenticity and vulnerability in leadership communication really meansGrowing through LinkedIn Content marketing and how to get over the “Cringe” that holds us back from getting startedLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalle-bergmans/?originalSubdomain=ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_presentales_/PresenTales Website: https://www.presentales.com/

In this engaging discussion, Ghita El Haitmy, founder of Tech Bible, shares her entrepreneurial journey from a corporate background to innovating for the visually impaired. She provides insights on leveraging TikTok and Instagram for B2B marketing, turning a seemingly unexciting space into engaging content. Ghita emphasizes the importance of authenticity in her educational yet entertaining videos, the challenges of avoiding burnout as a solo founder, and the value of mentorship in navigating the tech industry. Dive in for her top tips on building a following!

Sam Simpson, co-founder of FounderCatalyst, shares insider tips on SEIS/EIS, lessons from exiting tech startups, valuing early-stage startups, and navigating fundraising complexities. He discusses finding the right investors, angel investments, and what puts him off deals, offering actionable advice for all founders.

🚀 What’s it like to go Corporate Employee> Founder > Founder > Corporate Employee? At Not My First Guess we love a squiggly career path! 🏁That’s why we’re so excited to have serial founder, and once again corporate employee, Adam Goodall share his journey and lessons learned, from taking the first leap into full-time entrepreneurship, to deciding when to sell, to why he's enjoying being back in someone else's company. 🌐💡Adam is a serial founder with two startups under his belt - ProConfirm and Coconut. With a background in accounting at PwC, Adam has focused on innovating in spaces that may not seem “sexy” but have huge potential for growth. Adam first co-founded a startup with his room mate Samuel O'Connor (who he would also co-found Coconut with too), when their work at PwC led them to spot an opportunity to digitise the manual process of verifying client finances.They originally built ProConfirm as a side hustle while working corporate jobs but one of Adam’s biggest lessons was when to take the leap to full time. They soon gained traction, leading to acquisition interest from a major U.S. player.  Post-acquisition, Adam discovered his love for product management, setting him on the path to their next venture, Coconut, on a mission to simplify tax and accounting software for sole traders, landlords & their accountants. Since selling Coconut, Adam has now returned to employee life at Funding Circle and is brilliantly honest about what it was like to try to get a job as a serial founder (the hard and easy bits).🧠 Together we’ll explore:- How to find great ideas, when you are and aren’t looking for them- Adam’s hard won lessons on fundraising for Coconut, even as a second time founder with an exit under his belt- How to know when an acquisition offer is right for you- Advice on validating your idea before building the right product: what an MVP should and shouldn’t be- And how we build a robust identity as founders so we can fully embrace a squiggly career pathDon't miss it! #Entrepreneurship #StartupLife #FounderStories #fintech #startups #innovation #podcastLinks:Coconut: https://www.getcoconut.com/Adam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjgoodall/?originalSubdomain=uk

Are you worried you’re not using enough AI as a founder? I promise you’re not alone. In fact, after interviewing our incredible guest today, I went away and automated a LOAD of my own processes - sometimes you just need to understand the art of the possible!This episode is a GREAT start - we’re joined by AI advocate Cien Solon, who is on a mission to make “AI for All” with her latest startups Launch Lemonade and Scale that Thing! Cien is a Product-Led Growth expert, a start-up consultant and a constant builder. She is also a Techstars mentor and part of the Angel Investing School team.She has developed a portfolio of products from fintech, to AI tools to B2B SaaS and had a previous career in Marketing giving her an amazing view of the full journey.Today, with Launch Lemonade, she allows anyone to build AI chat bots to help with very specific tasks - from a sales chatbot to speak with customers, to creating marketing copy, writing reports, the possibilities are mostly bound by our own creativity; that’s why her consultancy startup Scale that thing helps  businesses build their AI and Product-led Growth strategies and implement them.So in this episode, as well as product building insights and advice  from an incredible expert, expect plenty of inspiration on how you can implement AI in your own business!Links:Cien’s Website:https://ciensolon.com/Launch Lemonade App:https://launchlemonade.app/Scale That Thing Website:https://www.scalethatthing.com/

Award-winning content creator and accountant Rachel Harris shares insights on community-building, founder finances, and company valuation. Topics include entrepreneur support, efficient founder compensation, tax strategies, valuing time, and improving productivity.

Ever wonder what it takes to transform from a passionate leader into a successful startup founder? In this episode, we'll uncover the secrets to building an innovative, AI-powered solution that's revolutionising the way managers drive team performance. Joining us today is Sarah Touzani, the brilliant mind behind Waggle, an AI co-pilot empowering managers with the tools and insights to excel. Building on Sarah’s 15+ years experience in finance and tech, Waggle has already caught the attention of major players like Techstars and JP Morgan. Backed by a talented, diverse team, Sarah has navigated the challenges of fundraising, fostering culture, and forging strategic partnerships to position Waggle for exciting growth across the US and Europe.In this candid, we'll dive into:Key lessons learned in the leap from leader to founderStrategies for assembling a powerhouse team and aligning them around your "why"Tips for securing funding and leveraging accelerators to catalyse growthSarah’s approach to product development that attracts an eager customer baseHow Sarah maintained the vision while keeping operations running smoothlyAdvice Sarah wishes she had when first starting outLinks:Founder Catalyst: https://www.foundercatalyst.com/Waggle: https://www.usewaggle.ai/