In this 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by James Lo, Co-Founder of Ethos, and Anish Acharya, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, for a conversation about building the most human AI tech in a crowded market. 

Since their Series A just three months ago, Ethos has grown 84x, scaled to eight figures per month in revenue, and onboarded hundreds of thousands of experts joining the platform weekly. Not to mention, they’ve done all of this with a lean team of eight people. 

In this episode, we dig into what it actually takes to build an AI-native company from Day One, why differentiation emerges through shipping (not strategy), and the genuine strategic tension of choosing London over Silicon Valley to build. 

Episode Chapters: 

➡️ The origin story of Ethos & why Anish decided to invest in them [04:00]  
➡️ Growing 84x in just three months [14:15]
➡️ Differentiation in a crowded market [20:00]  
➡️ Mistakes Founders make when scaling fast [23:15] 
➡️ London vs San Francisco [29:00]

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In this 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Sujata Bhatia, former COO of Monzo and Executive in Residence at Index Ventures, for an honest conversation about what it actually takes to step into a business at its toughest moment and rebuild it from the inside.

Sujata joined Monzo in 2020, when the company was burning £10 million a month, had seen its founder step back, and hadn't shipped a new product in nearly a year. Over five years, she helped take it from a loss-making challenger bank with 3 million customers to a profitable business with over 11 million. 

In this episode, we dive into the real story of refounding Monzo, the momentum killers that quietly slow scaling companies down, why she believes going back into founder mode is increasingly relevant for any business navigating AI, and why setting out to hire a COO is almost always the wrong starting point.

Episode Chapters: 

➡️ Sujata’s career story & why she joined Monzo [01:50] 

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In this 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Joe McDonald, Co-Founder and CEO of tem., and Adam Chirkowski, Partner at Albion VC, to hear the unfiltered story of building one of Europe's fastest-growing energy companies and what it really takes to back, build and scale a mission-driven startup.

Joe has spent over a decade in the energy industry and has seen first-hand how broken the infrastructure underpinning it all really is. After selling his previous startup in 2019, he’s back in the Founder seat building the fix through an AI-native energy transaction infrastructure built for the way modern businesses actually operate - from Premier League clubs and Formula 1 circuits to local cafes and independent retailers. 

Adam was one of the earliest believers, spotting Joe at an online demo day and backing the team before almost anyone else would. Although ultimately a generalist investor, he has a particular focus on EnergyTech and has invested, advised, and sat on the board of companies across a broad range of sectors, including raising and deploying over £150m of funds into Renewable Energy. 

Together, they share a candid and honest account of the inception moment that launched tem., the early mistakes that nearly derailed it, the philosophy behind closing a $75 million Series B in two weeks, and why Joe spends 70% of his time on culture. 

Whether you're a founder, operator or investor, this episode is full of hard-won lessons on hiring, fundraising, mission, and what it actually looks like to build a generational company.

Episode Chapters: 

➡️ The origin story [05:45]

➡️ Early mistakes and what Adam saw in Joe and the team [09:15] 

➡️ Fundraising lessons [17:50] 

➡️ Building a people-first company [23:00] 

➡️  What the modern company stack actually looks like [26:20] 

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In this 40 Minute Mentor episode, James is joined by two leading voices in the talent ecosystem to unpack one of the biggest make-or-break factors in startup success: building high-performing teams in the AI era.

Between them, Sandra Schwarzer from Index Ventures and Charles Guillemet from Lovable have worked with some of the most ambitious Founders and fastest-scaling businesses in the world. 

Together, they share a candid and practical look at what hiring and team-building really looks like in 2026: How the best Founders attract exceptional talent, why speed matters more than ever, what companies get wrong when scaling, and how AI is changing the way high-performing organisations hire, operate and grow.

Whether you’re a Founder, Operator, Investor or Talent Leader, this episode is packed with actionable insight on hiring, culture, performance and leadership in a fast-changing market.

📚 Episode Chapters: 

➡️ 03:50 - Lessons from Elon Musk and what exceptional Founders look for in talent

➡️ 09:30 - Building AI-native teams and why speed is now a competitive advantage

➡️ 18:15 -  How to avoid expensive hiring mistakes

➡️ 31:15 - Predictions for 2026: AI, talent strategy and the future of high-performing teams

🤝A big thank you to our episode sponsors: 

To bring this conversation and event to life, we partnered with the team at Penfold - a modern workplace pension designed for today’s growing companies and their teams. While traditional pension providers often see engagement as low as 5-10%, resulting in a benefit that does almost nothing for your team’s financial wellbeing, Penfold is built to make pensions clear, intuitive, and genuinely useful, with over 80% employee engagement. 

Trusted by thousands of companies including the likes of Anthropic, Airwallex, Lendable and Capital on Tap, Penfold helps employees easily consolidate old pensions, choose funds that actually fit them, and understand how today’s decisions shape their retirement.. Companies benefit from dedicated support with fewer questions and less admin.  

Switching to Penfold only takes minutes, so take a look at how you can offer a pension that’s truly a benefit.

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Season 14 of 40 Minute Mentor has been one of our most special seasons yet, and in this short wrap-up episode, James reflects on the pocket-sized mentorship moments throughout this season and over the last 14 seasons. 

In this season alone, we’ve had some incredible guests joining us, and we covered everything from Co-Founder dynamics, High Performance, the realities of hyper-growth, AI and the importance of diversity in leadership. 

If you haven’t caught up on Season 14 yet, or you’re new to the podcast, make sure you dig through the archives of over 310 episodes. 

In today’s episode, you’ll also find out more about what’s next for 40 Minute Mentor and how you can get even more involved and benefit from our pocket-sized mentorship  in 2026….

🔍 Find out more: 

✨ Subscribe to our 40 Minute Mentor emails

✨ Follow JBM on LinkedIn

✨ Subscribe to the 40 Minute Mentor YouTube channel

🎧 You may also like:

Alex Depledge MBE on taking a Founder’s Mind into the Government & why the UK is a great place to scale

Shimona Mehta on scaling Shopify Plus to $1B & transitioning into the CEO role at F11

Murvah Iqbal on scaling one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups and disruption a billion dollar industry with Hived 

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What does it really take to build and scale Startups in the UK, even when the odds feel stacked against you?

Find out from today’s 40 Minute Mentor, Alex Depledge MBE, serial entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Resi, and Entrepreneurship Advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer - the first time an entrepreneur has ever sat at the heart of the UK Treasury.

After co-founding Hassle.com and scaling it to £8m in revenue across four countries in just two years, Alex sold it for €32m and not long after decided to jump straight back into the Founder seat. This time with Resi, the UK’s largest residential architectural firm, using technology to help solve the country’s housing challenges through extensions and renovations.

In today’s episode, Alex shares her journey from growing to building category-defining companies, why resilience and stoicism have shaped her leadership style, and why she believes the UK is brilliant at starting businesses, and we’re just about to see the next wave of change with doubling down on Scaleups. 

📚Episode Chapters:

➡️ Building resilience early on [05:20]

➡️ Choosing yourself & changing the narrative [08:20] 

➡️ Why the UK is a great place for Startups [14:40] 

➡️ Going again and building Resi [16:50]

➡️ Inside the Treasury [24:10]

➡️ The biggest blockers for UK Scaleups [28:30]

➡️ What changed in the Budget & why it matters for Founders  [30:50]

➡️ The emotional cost of entrepreneurship [39:30]

🔍 Find out more: 

✨ Connect with Alex

✨ Find out more about Resi

⭐ 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 like:

Talent Predictions for 2026: How to attract and hire the best talent in the year ahead with Amplified People Group’s Sophie Graci, Zach Rose, James Adams and Lisa Crane

Behind The Doors Of Number 10 Downing Street with Sam Gyimah 

Downing Street, Death Threats and DE&I with Baroness Oona King 

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What does the hiring landscape really look like for 2026, and how can founders attract and retain exceptional talent in a market that’s evolving faster than ever?

Continuing on from Wednesday’s episode on People Predictions for 2026, James Mitra is joined by more Amplified People Group team members, Sophie Graci and Zach Rose from JBM, James Adams and Lisa Crane from Foundation Partners, to unpack the biggest shifts shaping the talent market heading into 2026.

From the rise of player-coach leaders, to the renewed importance of human connection in an AI-enabled world, the team share their front-line insights on how founders can scale smarter, avoid costly hiring mistakes, and stand out to top candidates.

They also dive deep into the growing role of fractional talent, why alignment and clarity are still the most underrated parts of hiring, and how candidates can differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.

If you're hiring in 2026, or gearing up for your next role, this conversation is full of practical and actionable advice.

📚Episode Chapters:
➡️ The biggest shifts in hiring throughout 2025 [03:20]

➡️ The most common hiring mistakes [07:30]

➡️ Employer brand & attracting the best talent [12:30]

➡️ Fractional hiring - and when it doesn’t work  [17:20]

➡️ Scaling in 2026: Advice for founders preparing to grow  [34:00]

➡️ How candidates can stand out in a competitive market [37:00]

🔍 Find out more: 

✨ Find out more about Foundation Partners

✨ Find out more about JBM

⭐ 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 like:

People Predictions for 2026: The Future of Leadership and High-Performing Teams with Amplified Group’s Sophie Matthews, Nat Falconer, Mikael Nilsson and Logan Black

Alan Cairns on hiring in hyper-growth & a guide to culture and performance

Neda Sahebelm & Carla Hoppe: How to make fractional hiring & careers work

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What does the year ahead really hold for leaders, founders and people teams?

In this special 40 Minute Mentor roundtable, James Mitra is joined by Amplified Group’s people experts, Sophie Matthews, Nat Falconer and Mikael Nilsson from Foundation Partners, and Logan Black from Unleashed, to explore the biggest people and talent trends shaping 2026.

From leaner organisations and the rise of fractional talent, to more focus on high-performing cultures, the team unpack what high performance will actually look like next year, and why middle managers may become the most influential layer in your organisation.

If you’re looking to scale your team, embed new technology or simply want no-BS guidance on hiring and retaining top talent, then this episode is for you. 

📚Episode Chapters:

➡️ The rise of leaner and more efficient teams [05:10]

➡️ AI hype vs reality [12:00] 

➡️ Defining high performance [25:45] 

➡️ The biggest people challenges heading into 2026 [31:00] 

➡️ What top candidates are really looking for [35:00] 

➡️ Bold people predictions for the year ahead [40:00] 

🔍 Find out more: 

✨ Find out more about Foundation Partners

✨ Find out more about Unleashed

⭐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 like:

Murvah Iqbal on scaling one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups and disruption a billion dollar industry with Hived

Tamara Lohan MBE on scaling the iconic Mr & Mrs Smith travel brand from idea to exit 

Andrew Richardson on building high-performing businesses & leadership teams with Amplified Group

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What does it take to build one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups in a legacy industry? 

Find out from today’s 40 Minute Mentor, Murvah Iqbal, Co-Founder and CEO of Hived, the UK’s first customer-centric, all-electric, tech-enabled parcel delivery company designed for modern e-commerce.

Long before raising a $42 million Series B and rolling out an 100% electric fleet across eight UK cities, Murvah was captaining Manchester City’s women’s youth team, running marketing for her family’s fast-food chain, and hustling entrepreneurial ideas. 

Today, she leads a team transforming parcel delivery through world-class technology, operational excellence and a relentless belief that there had to be a better way.

This episode is a masterclass in leadership grit, co-founder dynamics, building high-performing teams, and scaling a moonshot idea from two founders on bikes to millions of parcels delivered for some of the UK’s biggest brands.

📚Episode Chapters:

➡️ Transferrable skills from football to entrepreneurship [06:05] 

➡️ The Silicon Valley spark that led to building Hived [08:00] 

➡️ Co-Founder dynamics & complementary strengths [13:00] 

➡️ From bikes to millions of parcels delivered [15:00] 

➡️ Fundraising realities [24:00] 

➡️ Scaling hiring and culture [30:00] 

🔍 Find out more: 

✨ Connect with Murvah

✨ Find out more about Hived

⭐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

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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

What does it really take to build an inclusive, high-performance culture in a fast-growing scaleup?

Today’s 40 Minute Minute Mentor is Alan Cairns, serial Chief People Officer and most recently CPO at GoCardless, the FinTech helping over 100,000 businesses get paid on time through bank payments and open banking. 

With 30+ years across operations, people and talent, Alan has led some of the UK’s most recognisable brands through intense growth and change, from Chapter 11 restructuring and mass redundancies to category creation and hyper-growth.

In today’s episode, he shares candid lessons from his journey from mechanical engineering to CPO and COO, and unpacks what high performance actually looks like in practice. 

📚Episode Chapters:

➡️ From mechanical engineering to People & Talent [01:20] 

➡️ The power of delegating and letting go [05:00] 

➡️ What great Founders have in common [10:40] 

➡️ CPO skills & building trust in the C-Suite [14:00] 

➡️ Moving from CPO to COO [20:00] 

➡️ What high performance really means [32:00] 

➡️ What makes or breaks culture in hypergrowth [39:00] 

🔍 Find out more: 

✨ Connect with Alan

⭐ 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 like:

Shimona Mehta on scaling Shopify Plus to $1B & transitioning into the CEO role at F11

Jevan Soo Lenox on building AI-first cultures & high-performing teams at fast-growth Unicorn WRITER 

Dinika Mahtani on going from Operator at Uber to backing early-stage startups at Cherry Ventures

Enjoyed this episode?

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