40 Minute Mentor

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by George Robson, Partner at Sequoia, the fund helping daring Founders build legendary companies from idea to IPO and beyond. From Investment Banking to Revolut and becoming a Partner at Sequoia at the age of 25, George’s CV is nothing but impressive and minutes into today’s episode, you’ll understand where his incredible drive and entrepreneurialism comes from. 📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ The impact of education  [03:30]➡️ Foundations in Investment Banking [08:30] ➡️ Joining Revolut & lessons learned [16:00] ➡️ Navigating cultural fit [18:00] ➡️ More about our sponsors [20:20] ➡️ Joining Sequoia & investment approach [21:45] ➡️ What makes a great Founder [28:30] ➡️ Common mistakes during pitches [31:30] ➡️ Sequoia’s Arc Program [33:45] ➡️ The future of VC & the European ecosystem [36:00] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with George here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgerobson/ ➡️ Learn more about Sequoia: https://www.sequoiacap.com/ 📣Learn more about today’s sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by ECAP Financial, your trusted partner for fractional CFO services for companies looking to fundraise or go through an M&A process. Whether you’re a Founder looking to raise investment, planning for an exit, or navigating financial challenges, ECAP Financial, led by the brilliant Corinne Thompson, helps scaleups secure the right funding at the right time. 💡 Check out their latest fundraising course here: https://fundraising-academy2.teachable.com/p/fundraising-academy 💡 Don’t forget to follow them on YouTube for even more advice: https://www.youtube.com/@ecapfinancial/videos ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Molly Alter: Starting early in VC & building a transatlantic focus in vertical AI with NorthzoneDinika Mahtani: From Operator at Uber to backing early-stage startups at Cherry VenturesCorinne Thompson: Preparing for your fundraise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This 40 Minute Mentor VC feature season, we’re bringing you a special three-part bonus feature, brought to you by Ecap Financial and their Founder, Corinne Thompson. In today’s episode, Corinne shares helpful advice for setting up your company and team for an exit. We’ll discuss: ✅ What it actually means to “set up for an exit” as a Founder✅ When you should start thinking about preparing for an exit ✅ The do’s and don’ts of navigating the transition 📣Learn more about today’s sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by ECAP Financial, your trusted partner for fractional CFO services for companies looking to fundraise or go through an M&A process. Whether you’re a Founder looking to raise investment, planning for an exit, or navigating financial challenges, ECAP Financial, led by the brilliant Corinne Thompson, helps scaleups secure the right funding at the right time. 💡 Check out their latest fundraising course here: https://fundraising-academy2.teachable.com/p/fundraising-academy 💡 Don’t forget to follow them on YouTube for even more advice: https://www.youtube.com/@ecapfinancial/videos ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Bonus: Corinne Thompson on preparing for your fundraiseMolly Alter: Starting early in VC & building a transatlantic focus in vertical AI with NorthzoneDinika Mahtani: From Operator at Uber to backing early-stage startups at Cherry Ventures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Molly Alter, Partner at Northzone, the multi-stage fund partnering with Founders from Seed to Growth, across Europe and the US. Molly started her career in VC in 2016, straight out of Harvard University. Since then, Molly has worked with some of the biggest funds in the industry, including Insight Partners and Index Ventures. Now, at Northzone and back in New York, Molly focuses on vertical SaaS and AI, across early and growth stages. In today’s episode, we dive into her career in VC and her transatlantic focus. 📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ A foundation in theatre & first entrepreneurial ventures [04:00]➡️ Joining VC early on [09:00] ➡️ Characteristics needed in VC [14:45] ➡️ Advice for getting into VC [20:00] ➡️ Why Northzone [21:30] ➡️ Focusing on SaaS & AI [24:00] ➡️ Advice for Founders currently fundraising [28:30] ➡️ US vs European market [32:00] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Molly here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-alter-3ab1159a/ ➡️ Learn more about Northzone: https://northzone.com/ 📣Learn more about today’s sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by ECAP Financial, your trusted partner for fractional CFO services for companies looking to fundraise or go through an M&A process. Whether you’re a Founder looking to raise investment, planning for an exit, or navigating financial challenges, ECAP Financial, led by the brilliant Corinne Thompson, helps scaleups secure the right funding at the right time. 💡 Check out their latest fundraising course here: https://fundraising-academy2.teachable.com/p/fundraising-academy 💡 Don’t forget to follow them on YouTube for even more advice: https://www.youtube.com/@ecapfinancial/videos ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Dinika Mahtani: From Operator at Uber to backing early-stage startups at Cherry VenturesNicolas d’Audiffret: How To Build A $2 Billion Unicorn In Under 3 Years Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This 40 Minute Mentor VC feature season, we’re bringing you a special 3-part bonus feature, brought to you by Ecap Financial and their Founder, Corinne Thompson. In today’s episode, Corinne helps us take it all the way back to the beginning of the fundraising journey. We’ll discuss: ✅ The key steps you need to follow before your investor meeting ✅ Figuring out when the time is right to start fundraising ✅ What to keep in mind when choosing between VCs, angels or alternative funding routes ✅ How to mentally prepare for the fundraising journey ahead 📣Learn more about today’s sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by ECAP Financial, your trusted partner for fractional CFO services for companies looking to fundraise or go through an M&A process. Whether you’re a Founder looking to raise investment, planning for an exit, or navigating financial challenges, ECAP Financial, led by the brilliant Corinne Thompson, helps scaleups secure the right funding at the right time. 💡 Check out their latest fundraising course here: https://fundraising-academy2.teachable.com/p/fundraising-academy 💡 Don’t forget to follow them on YouTube for even more advice: https://www.youtube.com/@ecapfinancial/videos ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Dinika Mahtani: From Operator at Uber to backing early-stage startups at Cherry VenturesFrom Operator To VC – Busting Industry Myths with Rosie Barnett, Principal at Delin VenturesCatherine Lenson: From Being The First Female Managing Partner at SoftBank to Building a Portfolio Career Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Dinika Mahtani, Partner at Cherry Ventures, the early-stage VC firm led by a team of entrepreneurs with experience building fast-scaling companies, such as Zalando and Spotify. Prior to her move into VC, Dinika was an Operator, working across Banking, UberEats EMEA and Uber’s JUMP e-bike product in the UK. She also served as Director of Finance and Operations at ClimateTech startup, Kaluza. Today, we take a trip back down memory lane, discussing those fundamental years as an Operator and how she made the move into VC. It’s a conversation filled with mentorship for Founders and anyone considering the VC route as their next career step. 📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ From Banking to Uber [06:30]➡️ Key lessons from her time at Uber [11:30] ➡️ Moving into VC [15:30] ➡️ More about today’s sponsor [23:30] ➡️ Looking for raw ambition [24:30] ➡️ Going from Principal to Partner [27:30] ➡️ Promoting and hiring more diverse talent [30:00] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Dinika here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinika-mahtani-0a2494158/ ➡️ Learn more about Cherry Ventures: https://cherry.vc/ 📣 Learn more about today’s sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by ECAP Financial, your trusted partner for fractional CFO services for companies looking to fundraise or go through an M&A process. Whether you’re a Founder looking to raise investment, planning for an exit, or navigating financial challenges, ECAP Financial, led by the brilliant Corinne Thompson, helps scaleups secure the right funding at the right time. 💡 Check out their latest fundraising course here: https://fundraising-academy2.teachable.com/p/fundraising-academy 💡 Don’t forget to follow them on YouTube for even more advice: https://www.youtube.com/@ecapfinancial/videos ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Masha Bucher: Harnessing the power of storytelling in VC with Day One VenturesFrom Operator To VC – Busting Industry Myths with Rosie Barnett, Principal at Delin VenturesVC & Fundraising Advice – Series 6 Best Bits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re revisiting our popular episode with Ian Hogarth, Co-Founder and former CEO of Songkick, Partner at Plural Platform and Chair of the UK AI Safety Institute. In this episode, we talk about his rollercoaster ride with Songkick and how mentorship got him through the worst days, and what led him to building Plural, an early-stage platform dedicated to investing in Europe’s next-generation of tech companies with global ambitions.📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ Lessons from being a first-time CEO [11:00]➡️ Why some hires can completely change your business [14:30] ➡️ Grief & stepping away from Songkick [19:15] ➡️ Jumping back into the Founder seat with Plural [24:40] ➡️ Why Plural isn’t following the traditional VC model [28:15] ➡️ What it takes to be an incredible Founder [32:50] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Ian here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianhogarth/ ➡️ Learn more about Plural: https://pluralplatform.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Michelle You: From Exiting Songkick to tackling the climate crisisSophie Adelman: Creating access to opportunities for everyoneEleanor Kaye: Making VC more accessible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re revisiting our popular episode with the brilliant Alice Bentinck MBE, Co-Founder of Entrepreneur First and author of “How to be a Founder”. Frustrated by a business landscape that found latent talent shackled by predetermined career paths, Alice set out to challenge cultural norms when she co-founded Entrepreneur First in 2011 – an accelerator that celebrates and invests in talented, ambitious individuals and looks to match-make Co-Founders to launch successful businesses.In this episode, Alice shares everything from her early career to challenging the norms of entrepreneurship and backing diverse talent. 📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ The Birth of Entrepreneur First - [04:50] ➡️ Overcoming early challenges & building for growth [07:50] ➡️ Investing in Talent [17:00] ➡️ The Co-Founder dynamic [25:00] ➡️ Diversity & Inclusion in Tech [28:45] ➡️ Building Diverse Teams [32:30] ➡️ The importance of mentorship [42:00] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Alice here: LinkedIn ➡️ Learn more about Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/ ➡️ Get a copy of Alice’s book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/how-to-be-a-founder-9781399411608/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Amali de Alwis: Embracing a non-linear careerGary Izunwa: Driving Social Mobility through Referrals with Tangent Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon: Changing the face of STEM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hiring market has seen some major shifts over the past few years, and as businesses continue to navigate economic changes, evolving workplace trends, and shifting candidate expectations, staying ahead of these trends has never been more important, than in 2025. In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re diving deep into the key hiring and talent trends for the year ahead. You’ll hear from some of the JBM and the wider Amplified People Group teams who share their insights on how the Hiring and Talent market is shaping up for the year. We’ll be answering questions like: ➡️ How is the hiring market shaping up compared to 2024? ➡️ What new trends are we seeing, and what are candidates and clients asking more about? ➡️ What are our top predictions for hiring in 2025?Whether you're a Founder planning your next big hire, a talent leader navigating an evolving workforce, or a job seeker looking to understand the market, this episode is packed with insights to help you stay ahead.⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: How to successfully build a fractional career with Ben SandersFrom layoffs to lemonade with Abadesi OsunsadeThe future of flexible work with Molly Johnson-Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? Research shows that most of us drop our New Year’s resolutions by the second Friday in January. As we’re approaching the end of January, we’re resharing some of the best wellbeing and healthy habits advice we’ve received on the podcast from subject matter experts:  Dr Rupy Aujla, Founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen  Rhiannon Lambert, leading Nutritionist and best-selling author  Nikki Wicks, CEO of global fitness brand, The Body Coach  Lottie Whyte, Founder of Myomaster, a pioneer in recovery and wellness solutions.  📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ Building better habits through nutrition [02:00] ➡️ What a well-balanced diet actually looks like [10:40] ➡️ Balancing a busy lifestyle & exercising [16:30] ➡️ Building simple habits first [19:15] ➡️ Nurturing a healthy relationship with food [22:15] ➡️ The truth behind diets [24:30]➡️ Costs of eating healthier [34:45]  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: The accidental business that helps millions of people eat healthier every dayFrom the kitchen table to £100k investment on Dragons Den with MyoMasterThe Truth About Diets & Nutrition Advice For Busy ExecsBuilding An Accidental Global Fitness Brand Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Lo, one of our most popular 40 Minute Mentors and Co-Founder of Ethos, joins us for today’s 40 Minute Mentor, Where Are They Now feature. A lot has happened since the last time James came on the podcast. In today’s episode, we dive into every twist and turn in his journey since building and eventually exiting education platform, Mana, all the way through his latest venture - Ethos, the opportunity engine for humanity, currently in stealth. 📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ Pivoting & exiting Mana [02:00] ➡️ Digging deep for resilience during challenging times [06:00] ➡️ Jumping back into the Founder seat & building Ethos [10:00] ➡️ Learning from previous mistakes [18:00] ➡️ Fundraising advice [23:00] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Listen back to James’ original episode: 40 Minute Mentor ➡️ Connect with James here: LinkedIn➡️ Learn more about Ethos: Ethos⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Catherine Lenson: From Being The First Female Managing Partner at SoftBank to Building a Portfolio CareerZeynep Yavuz: Investing In Fintech, Crypto & Emerging MarketsGary Izunwa: Driving Social Mobility through Referrals with Tangent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices