In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Angel Investor and Co-Founder of 10x10, Andy Davis.

From early employment as a presenter on Nickelodeon to being named one of Business Insider’s 100 People Transforming Business, Andy’s career is a truly inspirational one, which has found him enjoying success as both a founder and an investor.

Interestingly, Andy doesn’t see himself as an entrepreneur, but as a “problem solver” – whether that be in the form of his own startups or in helping first-time black founders find investment through 10x10.

In 2020, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement Andy also released the Black Report, which examines the landscape facing black founders in the UK. While much of it makes for grim, but unfortunately unsurprising, reading, it also points to a brighter future for D&I, with black founders more likely to build refreshingly diverse teams.

We cover some really eye-opening areas in our conversation, including:

How vanity won’t help your business, but honesty will.

How the word “and” can sound the death knell for a startup, with too many add-ons overshadowing the real point of interest.

And why Andy looks for obsession in his founders – the willingness to run through walls to get the end result.

If you’re thinking about launching a startup, particularly as a black founder looking for investment opportunities, you won’t want to miss this episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Andy, take a look at his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrandydavis/

If you want to find out more about 10x10, head over to – https://10x10.fund/

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