In this episode, we hear from James Pringle, Founder of Pringle Capital which has grown to become one of the UK’s most active angel networks. The Pringle Network has previously led raises in e-commerce, fintech and augmented reality startups, with James having become a leading figure within the UK tech space. 

We learn James’ advice for startups seeking investment from angel networks, his own experiences of launching a business and the challenges he has overcome on his entrepreneurial journey. 

James’ advice:

• “You’ve got to really want to do it” - but as long as you have energy and enthusiasm, go for it
• Never go into a meeting with anything that will shock or surprise people, because they will react and you will lose control of the meeting.  Make sure everyone is informed in advance and the meeting will be more constructive
• Concentrate on the basics: team, product and sales.  Worry about the admin later and don’t overcomplicate things.  Stay focussed.
• Administrative chores like tax returns are not that scary; you will be guided by HMRC
• Surround yourself with people who will celebrate your wins with you
• When managing people, concentrate on good communication at all levels
• Whether you need investment or not, putting together a 12-slide deck is a valuable exercise.  Air your pitch deck among friends/family/people in the industry as much as you can, and this will help you get a grasp of problems/solutions/market size/competition/business model etc.
• Keep the deck concise because this is more useful for a potential investor to make an informed decision about your product
• Speak to as many people as you can and don’t be afraid to ask questions

If you’d like to contact James you can reach him via LinkedIn 

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2021 founder of PR for startups advisory Fallow, Field & Mason. Edited by Renale Mathurin. MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

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