How To Start Up by FF&M

As defining your mission, vision and purpose statements is an important step when building a comprehensive brand for your business I was keen to speak to someone who has not only done this successfully but also recently. 

In this episode, I hear from Julian Parmiter, co-founder and CEO of Create Academy. Founded in 2019, Create Academy offers beautifully curated video courses providing unprecedented access to the expertise of today’s best designers, makers, gardeners and chefs - with a mission to help people build their creative confidence.

Having recently evolved Create Academy’s original proposition by launching an annual membership offering, Julian shares his advice on how to define your brand’s mission, vision and purpose and how to remain true to them as you scale. 

Julian’s advice:

• The mission is what you want to do/produce/create
• The vision is where you want to go with it/how you want to see the world changed by what you do/where you want to be in the future/ what will your impact be
• The purpose is your motivation/why you want to do it
• The “what” and the “how” will probably change.  The “why” should stay with you.  It’s the “why” - the purpose - which will bring investors and others with you, will lift you when you’re down.  So take time to articulate this one (even if privately, just to yourself)  early on.  It will represent your personality, your ethos, your creed
• You are the best person to articulate it
• Keep these three things distinguished one from the other
• Understanding your customers will inevitably lead to changing or adapting your vision in time but you need to stay relevant and be flexible
• You have to be able to answer the question: “who cares?”
• Don’t spend too much time and effort at the start on branding
• Find inspiration in other people and other places

You can contact Julian via email on [email protected]

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.
DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason
Host Juliet Fallowfield LinkedIn
Submit a guest via this link 
Submit a question for the next guest

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

With Statista reporting there are 35 million Instagram users in the UK, social media platforms are a powerful tool to build brand awareness and convert followers into loyal customers. 

Given this season is a focus on all things branding I was keen to speak to an expert content creator.

In this episode, I hear from Estée Lalonde, CEO and founder of bodycare brand MIRROR WATER. The brand champions mirror work and self-care, inspired by Estée’s quest to find effective relaxation tools during the pandemic.  Estée has enjoyed a long career working within social media building a following of over 677k before founding her brand in 2021 which has already amassed a following of 35k. 

She shares her advice on how to build your brand through social media, why doing the initial creative work on your brand is crucial for success and how DM’ing one of your idols (in this case Bobbi Brown) can be the motivation you need to keep going. 

Estée’s advice:

• Always start with a good business plan
• Branding so important; to start with, concentrate on aspirational visuals that can then inform further work
• Don’t rush this stage: 
• Create mood boards
• Take care of yourself and go with your intuition
• Get to the essence of what you want
• Settle on a name, which will take you in the right direction
• Look for a designer to support you and ensure you click with them, build that relationship to a point of trust 
• Be strategic on social; post regularly and expect this to be a slow build
• Social media can help you launch, it is a big time commitment however it will pay dividends 
• Brand instagramming is harder than being a social media influencer (owned content v earned, DM FF&M to find out more on this)
• Posting every day becomes a burden so look at process and systems to help you on this
• You can’t do it all so be clear on what success looks like and work backwards
• Keep it lean - less is more in all things in business, focus on one thing and do it well rather than trying to post on multiple platforms all the time
• Take time to reflect on what you’re doing and enjoy it
• Expect to be overwhelmed at times; but hang on it there!

If you'd like to contact Estée you can reach her via @esteelalonde on Instagram

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.
DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason
Host Juliet Fallowfield LinkedIn
Submit a guest via this link
Submit a question for the next guest

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

With Statista reporting there are 35 million Instagram users in the UK, social media platforms are a powerful tool to build brand awareness and convert followers into loyal customers. 

Given this season is a focus on all things branding I was keen to speak to an expert content creator.

In this episode, I hear from Estée Lalonde, CEO and founder of bodycare brand MIRROR WATER. The brand champions mirror work and self-care, inspired by Estée’s quest to find effective relaxation tools during the pandemic.  Estée has enjoyed a long career working within social media building a following of over 677k before founding her brand in 2021 which has already amassed a following of 35k. 

She shares her advice on how to build your brand through social media, why doing the initial creative work on your brand is crucial for success and how DM’ing one of your idols (in this case Bobbi Brown) can be the motivation you need to keep going. 

Estée’s advice:

• Always start with a good business plan
• Branding so important; to start with, concentrate on aspirational visuals that can then inform further work
• Don’t rush this stage: 
• Create mood boards
• Take care of yourself and go with your intuition
• Get to the essence of what you want
• Settle on a name, which will take you in the right direction
• Look for a designer to support you and ensure you click with them, build that relationship to a point of trust 
• Be strategic on social; post regularly and expect this to be a slow build
• Social media can help you launch, it is a big time commitment however it will pay dividends 
• Brand instagramming is harder than being a social media influencer (owned content v earned, DM FF&M to find out more on this)
• Posting every day becomes a burden so look at process and systems to help you on this
• You can’t do it all so be clear on what success looks like and work backwards
• Keep it lean - less is more in all things in business, focus on one thing and do it well rather than trying to post on multiple platforms all the time
• Take time to reflect on what you’re doing and enjoy it
• Expect to be overwhelmed at times; but hang on it there!

If you'd like to contact Estée you can reach her via @esteelalonde on Instagram 

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. 
Email: [email protected] or
DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason
Host Juliet Fallowfield LinkedIn 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &

Creating a brand story is a central part of building your overall brand identity. It’s crucial that your brand story is coherent and resonates with your audience to attract loyal customers. 

In this episode, I speak with Tom Marchant, Owner & Co-Founder of luxury travel company Black Tomato. Tom and his co-founders launched their business in 2005 after seeing first-hand how people had such little time to plan their own travel experiences. Since then, Black Tomato has grown exponentially and delights clients all over the world. 

Tom shares his advice on how to begin drafting your brand story and what you should and shouldn’t include within it. 

Tom’s advice:

• Your brand is fundamental to your business - it’s your identity - so it’s vital that you are sincere about it and believe in it
• Always keep in mind what you stand for
• Customers must trust your brand and feel comfortable with it
• Communicating your brand values will be easier if you use recognisable language that people can identify with
• Use language to convey feeling and emotion - and sincerity
• Keep it simple and truthful
• Share what matters
• Your brand story can communicate how it started/who with/what you were aiming for/your values
• When writing copy don’t be a slave to perfection; try ‘stream of consciousness’ to start off with.  The important thing is truthfulness

If you’d like to contact Tom you can reach him via [email protected]

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.
DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason
Host Juliet Fallowfield LinkedIn
Submit a guest via this link
Submit a question for the next guest

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

Once you’ve secured investment and used it to build and scale a profitable business, the time might be right to exit. However, when is the right time to sell? 

In this episode, I speak with Asher Moses, founder & CEO of Sherbet London, the capital’s leading electric taxi company. A serial entrepreneur, Asher grew his original small fleet of London taxis into one of London’s leading transport companies. Through Sherbet, Asher is future-proofing the iconic London Black Taxi for future generations. 

Having sold his commercial advertising company, Taxi Media, to US company VeriFone, Asher shares his advice on what to consider before exiting a venture and when he feels it’s right to consider selling up.

If you’d like to contact Asher you can reach him via [email protected]

Asher’s advice:

• A good exit is all about timing since you obviously want a high multiple return
• Operating companies are very different to tech companies in terms of multiples
• Hopefully you will have created a brand to out-compete others in your sphere
• Exiting from your company gives you financial freedom and the space to re-think
• It also gives you credibility when you start your next venture
• It gives you the time to make improvements and move with the times
• If you receive an offer, it’s probably wise to accept it as they don’t occur frequently 
• Make yourself part of a growth plan in the company (it’s you they’re buying)
• A CEO can always stay on, to give advice and support - not necessarily for very long
• You will inevitably find it hard to step back and phase out
• You must be hard-headed about the valuation
• Be very precise responding to the questions
• Know who to sell to

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

With Sifted reporting that European startup funding plummeted by 40% in 2023, maintaining open and transparent communication with your investors is vital to maintain such an important relationship. 

In this episode, I hear from Michelle Kennedy, co-founder and CEO of Peanut, one of the fastest-growing social media apps for women. Michelle launched Peanut in 2017 to help women combat the loneliness that comes with being a new mother. Peanut has raised over $23 million in funding since its inception. 

Having raised an exceptional amount of funding, Michelle has brilliant insights to share on the most effective ways to communicate with investors.

Michelle's advice:

• Avoid outside investment for as long as you can
• When communicating with your investors approach them on an equal footing; it’s not necessarily the case of you only reporting the good news
• Use them for help and dispassionate advice - they should be people who understand crises and will be able to be objective
• They may be able to help you with introductions
• A quarterly meeting with investors is probably enough; if necessary you can have ad hoc calls in addition
• Structure your meetings with investors: they will need to see metrics and hear about targets and performance; they will also want to know about your plans for the next quarter
• Have your list of questions prepared and make sure you ask for what you need
• Be open about any failures
• Generally only the founder needs to be present at these meetings; they are investing in you because they believe in you, the founder, and the founder’s voice is crucial
• Always be confident when communicating with your investors

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

With over 225 episodes of Dragons’ Den recorded so far, thousands of entrepreneurs have pitched their business ideas to leading investors. However, the show offers a lot more than just investment. 

In this episode, I hear from Déj Doherty, founder of The Wholeleaf Company, the sustainable palm leaf tableware brand. Déj co-founded his company to reduce the amount of plastic tableware going to landfill, while also creating employment opportunities in developing countries. Appearing on Dragons’ Den was a pivotal moment for the business which has since gone on to supply leading organisations including Waitrose, Glastonbury Festival and Buckingham Palace. 

Déj shares his experiences of Dragons’ Den, how he leveraged his appearance on the show and his advice for anyone thinking of applying. 

Déj's advice:

• The more you prepare the less nervous you will feel
• It’s not a comfortable experience, waiting to be interviewed
• You may be encouraged to ask for more than you actually want - to make your case more exciting - but this could work against you
• They prefer only one interviewee, even if you do have a co-founder
• Have confidence in your forecast numbers
• If you show you are genuinely passionate about your business, that is more likely to convince them
• Afterwards, do as much PR/social media as you can to maximise the effect of the show
• More than any investment, what you will be gaining is brand awareness for your business
• You will probably notice an increase in attention (from potential investors) as a result
• Raising money is a full-time job which is hard for a one-man band, so you may find it better in the long run to grow more slowly and do without outside investment

If you’d like to contact Déj you can reach him via
[email protected]

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

With episodes of Dragons’ Den often reaching millions of UK viewers, the show is a brilliant platform for entrepreneurs to seek investment while promoting their businesses. 

So in this episode, I wanted to speak to someone with first hand and recent experience of the show.  Rohan Radhakrishnan, is one of the co-founders of Quarter, the acclaimed quarter-strength spirits brand. Having founded their brand in 2021, Rohan and his co-founder Fabian quickly went after an appearance on Dragons’ Den as part of their marketing as well as investment strategy. Listen on to hear what happened to the duo and what goes into the preparation of Dragons’ Den before anyone steps inside the studio. 

Rohan’s advice:

• Entering Dragons’ Den can win you both publicity and investment
• Be aware that not everyone interviewed will be shown on the programme
• It took nine months of preparation and initial interviewing before the studio appearance
• You have to provide a video recording in advance of yourself pitching your product
• You are interviewed in advance by a panel of producers
• The due diligence is extremely rigorous; every claim you make must be verified
• Proving all your claims can be very time-consuming
• The recording will be halted immediately if you make a false claim
• In the studio you are interviewed for an hour and a half; only ten minutes of this gruelling ordeal will be shown
• The reach of the programme is huge and you will probably be very nervous
• But all of this is superb media training and valuable practice in pitching and raising investment - so even if you reject the Dragons’ offer it will not be a waste of time
• When accepting investment, remember that as much as the financial investment, you need investors who will mentor you, encourage you, and help you to assess objectively what it is you’ve achieved (the Dragons will not necessarily be this type of investor)
• When composing an investor deck, be concise; and aim for a personal rapport before you go into too much detail - it’s the personal relationship that matters

If you’d like to contact Rohan you can reach him via [email protected]

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

UK angel investors collectively invest £1.5 billion per year and are believed to be the largest source of investment for start-up and early-stage companies. Angel investors can bring cash to your business along with contacts and advice too. 

In this episode, I hear from Mathilde Lacombe, founder of French skincare and supplement brand AIME. Having previously co-founded beauty subscription service Joliebox, Mathilde founded AIME in 2018 to help others overcome similar skincare challenges to hers. AIME blends nutrition, supplements and cosmetic skincare and, amazingly, achieved €3 million in revenue in its first twelve months. 

With many founders wondering which type of investor to partner with, Mathilde shares how angel investment has helped her scale AIME and her advice on how to pitch to angel investors. 

Mathilde’s advice:

• Angel investors tend to be experts in their field, and will be more interested in you as an entrepreneur and what you will bring to that field that’s new
• VCs will be more focussed on the numbers and accurate forecasting
• When pitching to an angel investor it will be important to make an impression as a story-teller and an innovator with a vision
• The best angel investors are those who are entrepreneurs themselves
• It’s vital that you have a relationship with them in which you are comfortable asking for advice; you need this as much as you need their investment
• Ideally you will be able to consult them regularly
• Make a list of your dream investors/advisers
• Don’t be afraid to ask for introductions; use LinkedIn and network to try to gain first-hand introductions
• Be content with refusals; there is nothing lost
• Don’t waste their time; they are usually busy people with a job as well as an interest in investing
• Ask outright for what you need; explain that you’ll need advice as well as investment
• You can always start with small amounts which may gradually increase if they have confidence in you; you may not need to progress to VC investment
• Angel investors will usually understand your long-term vision and be less fixated on end dates
• Finally, if you don’t need investment, don’t look for it

If you'd like to contact Mathilde you can reach her on [email protected]

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

It has been reported that the value of UK venture capital deals in quarters one to three of 2023 fell by 43.1% year-on-year while the number fell by 25.9% in the same period. However, VC deals are still being struck by innovative businesses. 

In this episode, I speak with Steve Tidball, co-founder and CEO of Vollebak, the material science-driven clothing brand. Having co-founded in 2015 with his twin brother Nick, the brand has raised over $10m in outside funding, led by the London-based venture firm Venrex, with participation from Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, and Headspace CFO Sean Brecker, among others. This allowed Vollebak to create the world’s first solar-charged jacket and the first computer-programmable clothing. 

Given the uncertainty around raising VC investment, Steve offers his advice on the best ways to pitch to a VC fund and shares how his business has used VC investment to scale. 

Steve's advice:

• Build your network (if you can bring one from a previous career so much the better)
• Be original to be noticed
• Be prepared to tolerate some failure
• Be aware that Venture Capitalists tend to invest in just one area/type of business
• VCs are typically willing to take earlier and relatively speculative risks
• Whereas private equity investors are risk-averse
• And angel investors will take on even greater risks than VCs
• Another way of raising funds can be crowd-funding
• Because a VC can take over control, it’s important that you are compatible (apply the flat-mate test!)
• It’s a mutual commitment; they will care about your success, and help in a crisis
• It’s useful to read up on how big businesses work (always expect a crisis)
• You must learn to communicate quickly and have a coherent, compelling story which you can express in 30 seconds
• You need a good idea which will elicit a question in return
• Eventually there will probably be a full or partial sale/industry buy-out; know in advance what the likely time period for this is
• Always have an idea of what you want to achieve in the long term
• Allow your subconscious brain the chance to work things out (by exercise, meditation etc.)

You can reach Steve on [email protected]

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• 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.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show