The Bottleneck Podcast

Ben Francis, founder and CEO of Gymshark, shares the incredible journey of building a billion-dollar brand from scratch. He recounts the early days of sewing T-shirts at his nan’s dining table and the challenges of launching his business. The discussion dives into the importance of knowing your audience, the power of community, and the advantages of staying flexible in strategy. Ben emphasizes customer service as brand building and the long-term value of creator partnerships in marketing. His insights on maintaining a youthful mindset while scaling are truly inspiring.

Jess Butcher MBE, a tech entrepreneur and founder of ScrollAware, dives into the pervasive effects of our digital distractions. She shares how her journey from tech pioneer to advocate for healthier digital habits was inspired by her experiences as a parent. The conversation touches on how attention has become a commodity, the alarming amounts of time young people spend scrolling, and practical solutions to reclaim focus, like phone-free zones. Jess argues for a cultural shift towards valuing offline experiences, making analogue cool again as a rebellious act.

Max Osborne, co-founder of This That and an expert in brand lift and influencer marketing, joins Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba for a deep dive into modern marketing's relationship with creativity and data. They explore the limitations of short-term metrics like ROAS and argue for intuition in brand measurement. Max shares insights on influencer effectiveness across platforms and the importance of community-driven growth. The trio emphasizes the need for brands to embrace uncertainty and long-term thinking for true marketing success.

Timothy Armoo, founder of Fanbytes and Irrational Media, shares insights on the evolving landscape of influencer marketing. He discusses how the focus has shifted from personalities to niche content creators, particularly those aged 16-24 on TikTok. Timothy emphasizes the importance of community-driven growth and trust, while also exploring the power of niche audiences. The conversation touches on innovative marketing strategies, the art of storytelling, and why brands should aspire to become influencers themselves.

This episode of The Bottleneck Podcast explores how creators turn audiences into real businesses — and why many struggle to grow. Jordan Schwarzenberger, manager of The Sidemen, reveals how they built an empire that spans restaurants, vodka brands, and sold-out stadium shows. Together with Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba, they explore the forces reshaping the creator economy, the opportunities ahead, and the funding hurdles that hold many aspiring entrepreneurs back.Join Rory, Elfried, and Jordan for a deep dive into the business of creators and what it takes to turn cultural relevance into long-term success.Follow Rory:Instagram: @rorysutherland_clipsTiktok: @RorysutherlandclipsX: @rorysutherlandLinkedin: in/rorysutherland/Follow Elfried:Instagram: elfriedsambaLinkedin: in/elfriedsamba/https://www.butterflyeffect.xyz/Follow Jordan:Instagram: @jordanschwarz/Linkedin: jordanschwarzenberger/tiktok: @jordanschwarzenbergerX: jordanerschwarzhttps://www.jordanschwarz.com/https://www.thinklikeacreator.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Krish Ramineni, CEO of Fireflies.ai, shares insights on building an AI meeting assistant that has garnered 20 million users and reached a $1B valuation. He tackles common misconceptions about AI, emphasizing trust and human connection. The discussion delves into privacy concerns, the balance between automation and genuine interactions, and how AI is transforming the remote work landscape. With a humorous touch, the trio reflects on the origins of Fireflies and how it's revolutionizing business meetings by prioritizing discussion over note-taking.

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