40 Minute Mentor

“This is not necessarily a one-way transaction. Look at fundraising like it’s dating. The VC you’re going to choose, you’ll be stuck with for quite some time, so don’t play games and be honest, the whole way through…” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Abhishek Lahoti, Head of Platform at Highland Europe, a growth stage Venture Capital firm based in Geneva and London. Within his role at Highland Europe, Abhishek’s focus is to build a strong network of advisors and experts to help the portfolio scale at pace. In today’s episode, we won’t just take a deep dive into the role of Head of Platform, but also discuss Abhishek’s earlier career at Dropbox, how and why he made the move into VC and his advice for Founders navigating this current market. Episode Chapters: ➡️ The most challenging part of being a VC [1:56]➡️ Reflections on his years at Dropbox [5:30]➡️ Moving into VC [8:16]➡️ Transitioning from Operator to VC [11:17]➡️ Advice for breaking into the world of VC [12:50]➡️ A deep dive into the role of Head of Platform [17:45]➡️ Highland Europe’s investment thesis & portfolio [20:04]➡️ Treating your investors like dating [21:03]➡️ Team culture & hiring at Highland Europe [24:21]➡️ The US vs UK Tech markets [27:07]➡️ Founder advice for expanding into Europe [31:36]➡️ The biggest mistakes in fundraising pitches [32:53]➡️ Waterfall resolutions and the power of networking [34:12]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Abhishek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alahoti/ ➡️ Find out more about Highland Europe: https://www.highlandeurope.com/➡️ Read the European Expansion Playbook: https://sapphireventures.com/blog/a-startups-guide-for-opening-european-operations/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The whole industry is full of very successful people who have had this very standard path. It’s hard to look at your own [different] background and put yourself on an even level with them.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Hannah Leach, Partner at Houghton Street Ventures and Co-Founder of VentureESG. Hannah moved into the venture space after a squiggly career in and around the venture and entrepreneurship ecosystems, including building accelerator programs, teams within Scaleups and starting her own company or two… In this episode we explore Hannah’s route into VC, the partnership between Houghton Street Ventures and the London School of Economics, why VC funding isn’t always the best route to scaling a business, and how VentureESG is supporting the ecosystem with meaningful ESG integration. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Redefining the ‘traditional’ path into VC [04:47]➡️ Her squiggly route into VC [06:52]➡️ A love for building communities [09:34]➡️ Biggest lessons from Founder life [12:19]➡️ The power of vulnerability and authenticity [13:47]➡️ The challenges of transitioning into VC [17:54]➡️ Understanding where you are adding value [19:52]➡️ Advice for pivoting into VC [21:00]➡️ Life at Houghton Street Ventures [23:10]➡️ The do’s and don’t of VC pitching [26:50]➡️ The power of a unique thesis [29:43]➡️ Raising a first-time fund [30:55] ➡️ The drive behind building VentureESG [33:40]➡️ Collaboration over competition [36:40]➡️ The future of ESG [38:04]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Hannah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahleach/ ➡️ Find out more about Houghton Street Ventures: https://houghtonstreet.com/➡️ Discover VentureESG: https://www.ventureesg.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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I think 2024 is a great opportunity to back fantastic people and get more attention on things that are undervalued or don’t get enough attention to invest in.” Described as the ‘Queen of British VC’ by Fortune magazine, we are kicking off our new VC feature series with the brilliant Eileen Burbidge MBE.Eileen is a Founding Partner at Passion Capital, the pre-eminent early-stage technology venture fund based in London, where she backed some of the most successful Tech businesses, including Monzo Bank, Marshmallow, and many more. She is currently also Director at Fertifa, the UK and Europe’s leading reproductive benefits provider. Outside of Passion and Fertifa, Eileen has also served as the UK Treasurer's Special Envoy for FinTech for 8 years, was Tech Ambassador for the Mayor of London’s office and served on the former UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s Business Advisory Group. Eileen has extensive operational and investment experience, from roles at Tech giants including Yahoo!, Skype and Apple, so there is plenty to dive into in today’s episode.Episode Chapters: ➡️ Her proudest moment of backing Monzo Bank [2:11]➡️ Busting the biggest myths in VC [4:33]➡️ Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago & her perception of ‘diversity’ [7:59]➡️ Falling in love with Tech and working at Apple [11:33]➡️ Shazam V Skype: A Tech standoff [15:24]➡️ Being one of the first employees at Skype & reflections on being fired [17:04]➡️ Leadership lessons from Niklas Zennström [20:31]➡️ Journey from Operator to VC [24:00]➡️ Her early stage investment thesis & focusing on people [27:56]➡️ Indexing on integrity & trust when assessing Founders [30:59]➡️ Stepping into interim CEO roles [34:46]➡️ Why she feels like the board let Tom Blomfield down & succession plans [38:04]➡️ Stepping back into an executive role at Fertifa [42:26]➡️ Hiring advice for Founders [47:15]➡️ Taking a hard look at ourselves to improve DE&I [49:21]➡️ What to look forward to in 2024 [51:59]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Eileen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenburbidge/ ➡️ Find out more about Passion Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passion-capital/➡️ Explore the work of Fertifa: https://www.fertifa.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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Founders often don’t have someone outside of the business that they can be really vulnerable with…that’s where an advisor can help.”For our final episode in our career spotlight feature series, we’re taking a deep dive into an increasingly popular, yet often unspoken about role - the advisory role. To help us cover the ins and outs of the role, how you can land your first gig and the benefits to Founders, we’re joined by JBM Principal, Marina Maxwell and Chris Seigal, Advisor to D2C brands. So, whether you’re already an advisor, you’re starting to think about making the move into advisory work or you’re a Founder thinking about making this hire - this episode will cover some of the most frequent questions we get asked. Episode chapters: ➡️ What is a Startup advisor? [3:42]➡️ The rise and power of advisory roles [6:02]➡️ From side-hustle to full-time advisor [8:44]➡️ The rewards and benefits [9:39]➡️ What to expect from the day-to-day [11:57]➡️ How Founders benefit [14:28]➡️ Positioning yourself when starting out [17:26]➡️ Being transparent and navigating pricing [18:43]➡️ Working with headhunters [22:00]➡️ The value of high-quality advisors [25:24]➡️ Ready to hire? Advice for Founders [29:44]➡️ Building a curious culture [31:18]➡️ Hone the pitch, build momentum, gain confidence [33:28]➡️ Navigating imposter syndrome [35:24]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true➡️ Find out more about our team and mission here: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You need to be able to own what you do have, but even more so, what you don’t have.”Following last week’s episode on building a stand-out CV and personal brand on LinkedIn, we’re now focusing on the next crucial stage in the recruitment process - the interview.Very often, the interview stage can feel quite daunting, but a lot of it comes down to preparation and doing the work upfront. In today’s episode, we’ll hear from our wonderful JBM team who lift the curtain on the secret to nailing the interview stage and share some of the most common mistakes they see people make, when it comes to interviews. So, whether you’re job hunting right now or starting to think about the next step in your career, this episode will help set you on the right path… Episode chapters: ➡️ Different methods to prepare for an interview [1:05]➡️ Communicating your strengths [2:21]➡️ Getting your questions answered [4:19]➡️ Bringing relevant experience to the table [5:48]➡️ Getting the basics right [06:55]➡️ A reminder on working with your headhunter [07:25]➡️ Focusing on the human side in interviews [08:17]➡️ Key skills for Startups [08:48]➡️ The power of curiosity: a non-negotiable [10:54]➡️ How to let the conversation flow [13:21]➡️ Do you feel drained or energised? [13:59]➡️ Every failure is a redirection [16:58]➡️ Common interview mistakes [18:45]➡️ The biggest faux pas: Yes it happens! [20:23]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true➡️ Find out more about our team and mission here: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tips on creating an exceptional CV and building a personal brand on LinkedIn, communicating achievements effectively, creating a standout CV with a well-designed format, building a strong LinkedIn profile, and building confidence to start posting content online.

Just like that we’re closing another year of 40 Minute Mentor. This year, we surpassed our 200 published episodes mark and are fast approaching 1 million downloads. Before we kick off a brand new feature series in the new year, we asked some of our biggest 40 Minute Mentor fans for their nominations for the best episode of 2023.From scaling teams to Founder mistakes and investment advice, our guests may range across industries but they all align on one thing - sharing pocket-sized career mentorship with you all. So, for one final time this year, join us to discover the best episodes of the past 12 months. We’d also love to know YOUR favourite episode, so feel free to drop our producer Hannah a note on hannah@jbmc.co.uk ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true➡️ Find out more about JBM: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we’re nearing the end of the year, your 40 Minute Mentor Host, James Mitra, takes a moment to reflect on the last 12 months of podcasting and what the year ahead may have in store. A huge thank you for all your support over the last 12 months - we wouldn’t be where we are without you! If you have any feedback, topic or guest ideas for 2024, please get in touch on hannah@jbmc.co.uk - we always love hearing from you! For now, all that’s left to say is - Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas (if you’re celebrating!) and see you next Wednesday for more pocket-sized mentorship! ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true➡️ Find out more about JBM: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The thing I love a lot about startups, it’s like a personal self-development course at a rapid rate.”For our final episode in our Replay series, we’re joined by Sharmadean Reid MBE, Founder of The Stack World, a platform for the women’s creator economy to buy and sell from each other. In this candid episode, we chat about Sharmadean’s Founder journey from a nail salon to a global mecca for aspiring entrepreneurs, and ultimately starting The Stack World. We discuss the lessons she learned, the mistakes she’s made and her vision for the future, including: ➡️ How her childhood and education influenced her career [03:52]➡️ The start of her Founder journey, opening her first nail salon [06:27]➡️ First time challenges of a startup Founder [10:14]➡️ The problem with saying yes to everything [11:01]➡️ Reflections on her time at WAH London [12:14]➡️ The beauty of failing fast [14:26]➡️ Business trauma: the realities of starting a second venture [15:48]➡️ A closer look at VC backed startups [17:54]➡️ Leadership evolution: being a magpie of information [19:20]➡️ The core reason for friction in the workplace [20:20]➡️ Navigating a new business amidst the COVID pandemic [22:42]➡️ How the pandemic affected women in the workplace [26:36]➡️ The Stack World: Creating a network of mission-driven women [28:18]➡️ Gender equality and representation across industries [30:57]➡️ Finding the balance in mentorship [32:59]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Sharmadean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharmadeanreid/➡️ Find out more about The Stack World: https://www.thestack.world/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The importance of the team around you, having focus and discipline and the awareness of facing setbacks… it’s been great to bring the things I’ve learned from sport into the business world.”From the 2012 Olympic poster girl to Founder of FemTech brand, Jennis… today’s 40 Minute Mentor Replay episode is with none other than Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill.In this episode we talked about the ins and outs of Jess’s phenomenal sporting career and her pivot into the business world with Jennis - a women’s hormonal health platform, with the goal to help women understand what’s happening hormonally. Tune in to the full episode to explore: ➡️ The realistic road to success [04:32]➡️ Jess’ introduction to sport and falling into athletics [05:52]➡️ Dealing with pressure and making sacrifices [07:52]➡️ How to support children without being a pushy parent [09:39]➡️ Reliving the ups and downs of Super Saturday [13:03]➡️ Focusing on one event at a time and taking home Gold [15:04]➡️ Exploring the other side of success [16:40]➡️ Motherhood and Jess’s motivation to get back out there [17:23]➡️ Coping with retirement and starting again [23:05]➡️ From athlete to FemTech Founder, how Jennis began [26:56]➡️ The Jennis mission - putting women first [29:11]➡️ Closing the gender data gap in women’s health [30:55]➡️ Transitioning from sport to Startup life [32:18]➡️ Aligning personal values with company culture [34:09]➡️ The emotional rollercoaster of fundraising [36:37]➡️ Providing mentorship for the England Rugby team [39:13]➡️ The humble insights into being a role model [43:20]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Jess: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dame-jessica-ennis-hill-a84b5420b/➡️ Find out more about Jennis: https://www.jennis.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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices