Joining us in this episode is Charlie Rosier, a seasoned entrepreneur and fourth-time founder. Her latest venture, Babbu, disrupts the early childhood education space with an innovative online platform tailored for children aged 0-5. Driven by personal experience and insights gained during lockdown conversations with fellow parents, Charlie recognized the overwhelming pressure parents face—spending 37 hours weekly on childcare concerns alone. Determined to alleviate this stress, she birthed Babbu. Rooted in science but crafted by parents, Babbu reimagines the parenting journey, providing a supportive community and expert advice to empower parents in nurturing their children.This episode we discuss:Lessons learned as a serial founderGrief that comes with failed businessesWhy we have to value our time differently as foundersLessons in linkedin marketingFundraising - what Charlie knows now but didn’t know when she startedBalancing being a mother with being a startup founder and the guilt that comes with itLinks to Babbu’s website:https://babbu.co.uk/

This episode we are joined by Simi Lindgren Founder of Yuty. Some of you may recognise Simi from our special episode on fundraising as an underrepresented founder, where she was joined by two other incredible guests. But we wanted to take the time to dive deeper into Simi’s story and insights building an AI startup. Simi initially went to med school thinking that she would become a doctor. However, she soon realised that she wasn’t there for the right reasons. This led her to dropping out of her degree and getting an internship at a magazine working in beauty, and ultimately leading her to following her own passions. Simi then built up her experience in the beauty industry, working in marketing communications where she matched brands and PRs with media celebrities and influencers. Having progressed really well, in 2020 she decided that it was time to do something herself, which led to the launch of Yuty.Founded in 2020, Yuty is a venture capital backed technology company that uses AI to redefine hyper-personalisation, transforming the way brands can engage with their customers. The app provides data backed product recommendations delivered through a quiz, in order to help all customers, regardless of race, gender or ability, to find the product that is right for them. Having had personal experiences of not feeling seen or understood, and not being able to find the right products, Simi wanted to create something that was accessible for all, and after teaching herself to code, Yuty was formed.This episode we discuss:Choosing a path for the wrong reasons and going off the “beaten path” despite pressure internally and from the familyWhy she went down the VC route with YutyChoosing an Investor Partner and how to manage themThe importance of constantly asking questionsAssumptions and why being curious is the ultimate founder traitPlus much much more!Links:Yuty website: https://www.yuty.me/

This episode we are joined by Kate Berski, Co-Founder of Curlsmith, a high performance, inclusive haircare brand which she started with her husband in 2018. It soon became one of the fastest growing textured hair brands and would go on to retail at Ulta Beauty, Target, Boots and many more. The idea for Curlsmith was formed out of a family struggle to find suitable haircare products for Kate’s nieces’ curly hair. Kate and her husband Michal soon realised that there was a gap in the market with lots of people unable to find appropriate products for their hair. Using her experience in advertising and brand consulting, combined with Michal’s experience working for some major beauty companies, they soon developed a community around an Instagram page that they launched, which shared advice, recipes and tips for people with curly hair, before they began the process of making their own product.In this episode, we discuss:The haircare industry and how Curlsmith was brought to lifeThe journey (and cost) of developing a productThe pros and cons of staying lean as long as possibleDigital vs retail channelsGoing down the VC route and how that helped grow the businessThe toll a startup has on your mental healthHaving a kid whilst running a business, and realising there’s more to life than workWhat it’s like to sell your company How entrepreneurship compares to becoming an authorAnd much much more…Links:Kate’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.berski/Curlsmith website: https://uk.curlsmith.com/

This episode, we are joined by Tess Cosad, the CEO and Co-Founder of Béa Fertility. As someone who takes much of her inspiration from injustice, Tess saw the pain and difficulties that many people were going through in their attempts to build a family, with access and affordability making the journey even more stressful and heartbreaking for many. In comes Béa Fertility, a company that provides clinical-grade fertility treatment that can be shipped straight to your door, and costs 1/20th of what IVF would.Tess has always been passionate about building businesses that make an impact. She was the first woman to lead a digital startup program to female entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia in 2018, and is also a pioneer of the FemTech industry having gained experience working with Hers By Design, and Emberson Ventures, a B2B marketing agency.Despite often being one of the few women in male-dominated VC circles, Tess persists in her commitment to bring about positive change and support impactful solutions, by pushing evidence-based strategies and supporting founders who adopt similar change driven principles.This episode, we discuss:Mistakes and lessons learnt from Tess’s previous start-up venturesThe importance of speaking to your users/customersThe importance of storytelling and how this became Tess’s skillsetWhy being the keeper of the context is your most important role as CEO of a startupThe process of finding mentorsThe struggles of finding investors and raising funds, and the importance of keeping your passion throughout the processAnd much more including hilarious stories that had our editor chuckling almost the whole way through the edit!Let us know what you think!Links: Bea Fertility website Brad Feld’s book Venture DealsFounders Pocket Guide to term sheets

This episode, we are joined by Andy Ayim MBE, a serial founder and Angel Investor who is known for his human centered approach to business. Over a decade ago, Andy cofounded Mixtape Madness, a proudly bootstrapped 7 figure business. When he left day to day operations there, he dove into Product Management with high growth startups such as WorldFirst, acquired for $700m by Ant Financial; and Series C startup Zilch where he was Head of Product Management. In 2018 he took his next leap, to become Managing Director at US based VC firm, Backstage Capital where he raised over $2.5M to deploy into underrepresented founders.As you’ll hear, improving equity in the startup ecosystem has been a huge driver for Andy, and led to his next startup, The Angel Investing School, a company on a mission to train the next generation of angel investors, including those who feel excluded by the current system, or haven’t seen typically  themselves represented among angels. Additionally, Andy supports startups, scaleups and corporates as an advisor; this is someone who knows what it takes to grow a company. Andy’s impact has seen him get voted as one on the top 10 BAME Leaders in Tech in the FT, as well as being awarded an MBE for his services to diversity in tech.Andy has also been one of our biggest supporters at IfWeRaise from the very early days, in fact even before I met my co-founder, and is now one of our Board Advisers, so it was extra special having him on the show.In this episode, we discuss:Andy’s personal user guide as his intro into the world of entrepreneurship (and why we probably all need one)Why Andy created Angel Investing School and how it’s evolvingThe importance of building social capital and a personal brand as a founderWhy fundraising isn’t always the best optionWhat Andy looks for in founders from an Angel's perspectiveThe importance of storytelling and how to nail itThe backwards relationship we have with failure in the UKLinks:Angel Investing School:https://angelinvestingschool.com/Andy’s Personal User Guide:https://andyayim.com/my-personal-user-guide/Mixtape Madness:https://www.mixtapemadness.com/

This episode we are joined by Nicola Ward, Co-Founder of CakeDrop. Having both worked in the City, Nicola and her sister Anna had a conversation about how awkward office birthdays can be. Often forgetting to buy a cake and having to resort to a cheap last minute one from the shop around the corner. They felt that something needed to be done to improve the employee experience in the office and uplevel celebrations at work. This gave way to the idea for CakeDrop. CakeDrop began by delivering artisan cakes to offices for employee birthdays, supported by an online calendar that allowed office managers and HR teams to pre-schedule key dates for the year ahead. 7 years on, and CakeDrop have worked with customers such as Disney, Meta, Netflix and LadBible.In this episode we discuss:Evolving her business ideaRunning a business with a siblingHow CakeDrop began and how they got to where they are nowHow they reacted to lockdownBuilding a team and finding the right peopleLearning the difference between how your gut is leading you and how your anxiety is leading you to make decisionsPublic speaking and founder confidence The importance of momentum in fundraisingManaging your potential investor baseLink to the Cake Drop website:https://cakedrop.london/

This episode we are joined by Felicity Halstead, founder of the company GoodWork. GoodWork is a not-for-profit that works with employers to create employment opportunities for young people from marginalised communities. Having had experience in youth programmes, as well as working with social mobility organisations and supporting entry-level recruitment in her job, Felicity saw first hand that a young person’s results on paper are not an accurate representation of how that person would apply themselves in the workplace. So often organisations would focus on past performance rather than potential. This led to the creation of GoodWork as Felicity hopes to breakdown systemic barriers to create more opportunities for young people.In this episode, we discuss:Preconceptions around what talent looks like and how to identify potentialTransitioning from only working in the public sector to the private sectorThe importance of finding your communityFundraising in the charity sectorThe community interest company (CIC) routeBeing a LinkedIn topvoiceThe impact of having an ADHD and Autism diagnosisLink to the GoodWork website:https://www.goodwork.org.uk/

This episode, we are joined by Robert Hayward, founder of GoodFX, an international payments B Corp that turns currency conversion into social good, using the profits they make every time their customers trade FX, to support charities and create meaningful job opportunities for refugees. For anyone who doesn’t know, The foreign exchange market, commonly referred to as the Forex or FX, is the global marketplace for trading currencies. Having spent 10 years in the city working in banking, Rob had started to wonder how he could put his skills to use and make a difference in the world. After initially rejecting an opportunity to work in FX, he realised that there could be a way to use some of the money the industry was making in lockdown to make a difference. This birthed GoodFX.In this episode we discuss:Rob’s journey into entrepreneurship and how he used his skills learned in the corporate world to get thereThe intoxicating nature of working with a “big fish” companyUsing a business model as a vehicle for social changeRaising money as a B Corp, and the value of B Corp applicationsThe importance of having self value as a fundraiserThe necessity of bootstrapping when making an impact businessLink to the GoodFX website:https://www.goodfx.co.uk/

   This episode, we are joined by the founders of Future Kind Collective, Alicia Grimes and Natalie Pierce. Having initially met when Natalie interviewed Alicia for a job, the two found themselves working in the same company on strategy and service design projects focused on culture change. What started as a working relationship soon blossomed into a friendship and the two bonded on a shared feeling that something wasn't quite right about traditional culture consulting and that a change was needed. Alicia and Natalie thought that a more holistic approach was called for, with a focus on a genuine care for the people behind the business, prioritising people over profit, with as much focus on employees as customers. These ideas paved the way for the Future Kind Collective to be born, where a team was built that focuses on turning around the Culture of companies to create a better environment for all involved, or helping startups create great cultures from day 1!In this episode we discuss:How Alicia and Natalie met and the birth of Future Kind CollectiveImposter syndromeThe definition of CultureHow founders can use values to make decisions about what they do and don’t doThe importance of saying no as foundersLink to the Future Kind Collective Website:https://www.thefuturekind.co/

In this episode we’re joined by James Roycroft-Davis. James is a Serial Founder, Angel Investor and Host of the UK’s #1 Founder and Investor Mental Health Podcast - Vulnerable.He’s previously started businesses around weightless and dog training, but hadn’t yet found his purpose and the business he wanted to build for the next 10 years, until in March 2023 he was diagnosed with Type 2 Bipolar Affective Disorder. When he started sharing about his diagnosis on his social media he was flooded with messages saying “there’s no support for me or my support networks”.It’s what led him to co-found Baseline, as he puts it:The first company building technology, content, and community in the Bipolar space, to help people on the bipolar spectrum and their support networks to live better. In this episode we dive into: - Why first time founders need to stop giving investors god like status- The shocking correlation between founders and the Bipolar spectrum- How getting his diagnosis led to Baseline- Building your first product on a shoestring with AI- The importance of building for mental health sustainability as a founder- The need for founders to nail content creation and personal branding- And much more!James’ Business Baseline:https://www.joinbaseline.co/James’ Podcast, Vulnerable:https://open.spotify.com/show/1K0x3TuxwlV8lhRhMJzcSD?si=3b8cb3208ce34ca2