In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair is joined by his co-founder Luke Streeter and seasoned entrepreneur Stuart McLeod, who opens up about his journey of founding, scaling and exiting two companies - PayCycle and Karbon.

Stuart sheds light on the unpredictability of entrepreneurship, the importance of resilience and introduces his latest venture, Waverly Studios. While discussing strategic opportunities, cap table complexities and all the challenges along the way, Stuart get candid about the setbacks and the moments of self-reflection.

The trio discuss seizing strategic opportunities, funding challenges and the impact of AI, This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and anyone navigating the complexities of start-up ventures!

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:30 - Introduction to Waverly Studios

00:04:02 - Building and selling PayCycle

00:09:47 - Selling to Xero

00:13:33 - Building for exit

00:14:19 - Unexpected opportunities with Xero

00:16:31 - Learning from Xero

00:19:24 - Transition to Karbon

00:23:43 - Scale and confidence

00:26:59 - Funding and early days

00:28:34 - Challenges in raising funds

00:32:37 - Lessons from PayCycle

00:35:04 - Board composition and value

00:39:46 - Navigating tough decisions

00:40:48 - Cap table challenges

00:43:04 - Venture studio vs. accelerator

00:45:43 - Youth sports management platform

00:49:21 - Market sizing and purpose-driven ventures

00:53:33 - Studio operations and business scalability

00:55:59 - Diversifying ventures

00:59:59 - Angel investing and personal focus

01:00:46 - The power of data and metrics

In this episode of Seed to Success Alastair sits down with Emma Rees, CEO and co-founder of Deployed, who shares her unique journey and insights as a female founder in tech. She opens up about her experiences navigating the complexities of a male-dominated industry and emphasises the need for allyship among women in business.

Emma highlights the importance of timing, mentorship and the lessons learnt from early ventures. Discussing the very specific challenges of building an enterprise SaaS, Emma shares valuable insights for fundraising, project management and maintaining a work-life balance.  

With a candid account of the struggles and successes she’s faced as a female entrepreneur, Emma offers practical ideas for real change. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about tackling gender imbalances and fostering inclusivity in the tech world!

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Redefining success

00:00:47 - Deployed's mission

00:01:50 - Growth and recognition

00:03:29 - From hairdressing to tech

00:09:08 - Lessons from early ventures

00:14:11 - Timing in business

00:17:08 - Managing a product team

00:20:59 - Building a strong engineering team

00:24:13 - Building an MVP for enterprise customers 00:28:07 - Working with enterprise customers

00:31:01 - CAC and sales cycle

00:32:20 - Benefits of mentoring groups

00:36:43 - Co-founding a business with family and friends

00:40:30 - Lack of female allyship

00:43:56 - Gender bias in business conversations

00:46:45 - Addressing gender roles and equality

00:48:26 - What is success?

00:51:28 - Advice for founders

00:55:22 - The struggle of present reflection

00:54:43 - Connecting with Emma

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair chats to Adam Oskwarek, founder of Zopeful Climate who shares his entrepreneurial journey building successful businesses with a climate-focused approach. He delves into the complexities of carbon removal start-ups, the significance of sustainable growth, and the impact of external funding on business growth, sharing alternative approaches to traditional start-up models.

Adam shares his lessons learned from previous ventures and provides practical and valuable insights for aspiring founders. His commitment to creating purposeful, impactful change is a driving force behind his venture and his journey offers a unique perspective for entrepreneurs seeking sustainable growth and climate-focused strategies.

Adam's experiences serve as a source of valuable lessons and inspiration for entrepreneurs looking to implement purposeful business sustainability.

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:18 - What is Zopeful Climate?

00:03:41 - The mission

00:05:00 - Evolution of carbon removal

00:08:37 - Building Zopeful Climate

00:11:48 - Lessons from previous ventures

00:15:49 - The resilience mindset of successful founders

00:18:31 - Embracing the gritty reality of entrepreneurship

00:22:32 – Alternative models for funding

00:27:03 - The impact of external capital on business direction

00:29:23 - Finding purpose through market research

00:31:12 - Quick iteration and feedback loop

00:34:50 - Personal passion and business success

00:38:33 - Tracking metrics and lead indicators

00:40:54 - Advice for founders

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair sits down with Laura Beales, COO and co-founder of Tally Workspace who shares her insights into the challenges and triumphs of building a two-sided marketplace model in the property business.

Laura’s journey from accountant to tech entrepreneur offers practical advice for founders navigating the complexities of scaling a start-up and creating a respected brand in business. Laura discusses the importance of adaptability, prioritising advice over money, and the significance of understanding strategic drivers in a two-sided marketplace model.

Tune in to hear about her experiences fundraising, building a strong co-founder dynamic, strategic pivots and leveraging grants for early-stage businesses!

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:00:39 - What is Tally Workspace?

00:01:44 - Laura’s background

00:02:54 - Transition to entrepreneurship

00:08:04 - Evolution of Tally Workspace

00:15:06 - The importance of user research and adaptation

00:16:26 - Co-founder relationship

00:21:50 - Funding and grants

00:27:53 - Fundraising tips

00:28:12 - Building trust with angel investors

00:32:44 - Investing in people

00:34:03 - Governance and reporting

00:36:32 - LTV to CAC ratio

00:43:24 - Tracking interactions

00:44:17 - Importance of GMV

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair chats to founder and CEO of Trust Keith, Rory Codrington, who discusses his founder journey and shares how the lessons from previous ventures shaped his strategic decisions for his latest business.

Rory discusses the importance of market validation, understanding customer value, and leveraging strengths to shape the direction and value proposition in B2B. His practical insights on navigating regulatory compliance, bootstrapping, and thoughtful business model considerations provides inspiration for listeners looking to embark on their own founder journey and those seeking strategic guidance.

If you’re keen to hear about the complexities of entrepreneurship and gain some practical advice to fuel your founder mindset, then this one’s for you!

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:16 - What is Trust Keith?

00:02:18 - The complexity of regulation

00:04:55 - Business growth and team size

00:05:53 - Founding principles and business evolution

00:12:23 - Entrepreneurial mindset and business strategy

00:15:04 - Passion vs. practicality

00:21:47 - Strategic planning and long-term goals

00:23:19 - All-you-can-eat business model

00:27:53 - Role of experts and technology

00:26:45 - Balancing technology and people

00:29:05 - Iterative product development

00:31:19 - Evolution of compliance solutions

00:34:52 - Technology development journey

00:36:40 - Bootstrapping and funding

00:41:00 - Building a business and understanding customer needs

00:46:22 - Overcoming hiring challenges and achieving efficiency

00:49:26 – Lessons learned

00:54:02 – Favourite metrics

00:56:06 – Advice for founders

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair sits down with Sebastian Trif, former CEO and co-founder of Aurelia, who shares his valuable insights on navigating the complexities of start-up growth, and the difference between searching for product-market fit and executing it.

In this candid chat, Sebastian discusses the dynamics between technical and non-technical co-founders, the importance of paying yourself today (not tomorrow), and the balance of vision with practicality in the founder journey.

Tune in to hear about the critical difference between idea and execution and learn from Sebastian’s own experience navigating the complexities of the early-stage start-up landscape.

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:59 - Introduction to Aurelia

00:03:16 - Origin story and vision

00:05:04 - Meeting my co-founder

00:08:11 - Technical founder advantage

00:13:04 - Securing funding in a tight market

00:16:37 - Investor process and quick deal closure

00:18:24 - Cash burn and revenue generation

00:21:23 - Team composition

00:24:04 - Importance of mentorship

00:26:58 - Underpaying yourself as a founder

00:29:51 - Recognising lack of product-market fit

00:35:30 - Early Adopters Hub

00:36:46 - Realising the need to pivot

00:38:36 - Emotions and decision making as a founder

00:40:31 - Intuition and team culture

00:43:49 - Involving investors in the decision

00:49:09 - Key metrics

00:51:08 - Learning from mistakes

00:52:29 - Vanity benchmarks

00:54:10 - Advice for early-stage founders

00:55:42 - Conclusion

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair explores the world of Venture Capital with Audrey Miller of Tapestry, a seed and pre-seed VC firm that focuses on repeat founders. Get ready for a deep dive into the pulse of early-stage funding as Audrey unveils the latest trends and sheds light on the market's countercyclical nature.

She discusses the need for VCs to go beyond just providing capital and answers the question we all want to know – what are VCs really looking for? This episode is a must listen for anyone navigating the complex world of early-stage VC funding.

Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or a start-up founder looking to secure funding, this episode offers actionable advice and takeaways.

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:13 - What makes Tapestry unique

00:07:57 - Repeat founders

00:13:32 - Importance of big TAM

00:14:34 - Technical founders

00:16:35 - Advantages and disadvantages of naivety

00:16:53 - Importance of founder experience

00:18:11 - Number of co-founders

00:20:26 - Team, product, or market?

00:27:36 - Investment process

00:33:40 - Team approach in investing

00:34:12 - Tapestry's investment focus

00:35:03 - Investment decision-making

00:38:00 - Deal sourcing

00:43:25 - Ongoing communication

00:47:11 - Key metrics

00:51:09 - Early-stage VC trends

00:52:32 - Impact of market downturn

00:54:54 - Hot sectors and trends

00:57:48 - Cyclical nature of VC

00:58:55 - Top tip for founders

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair chats to budding entrepreneur Andrew Jordan who reflects on his start-up journey as a solo founder. His vision for Connect4, a meeting management platform, stemmed from his experience in management reporting and business analytics, although he soon realised there was a lack of passion in his mission.

From the importance of embracing failure to navigating challenges in product development and fundraising, Andrew's experience offers a raw and candid look at the realities of starting a tech business and highlights the emotional and financial commitment often made by founders.

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur eager for insights into the complexities of start-up life and the reality of all the setbacks – this one’s for you! Andrew’s honesty and openness make this a must listen for those looking to implement valuable lessons for their own start-up.

_

Show notes: 

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:49 - The vision of Connect4

00:03:53 - Transitioning to entrepreneurship

00:06:20 - Impact of 2020

00:11:20 - Personal investment

00:13:38 - First customer

00:15:57 - Fundraising and investment

00:17:13 - Investor confidence

00:22:25 - Reflection and demise

00:26:32 - Tapping into network

00:28:19 - Early angels

00:29:46 - Mentorship and support

00:32:31 - Product challenges and market fit

00:36:50 - Pivoting and restructuring

00:40:31 - Prioritising mental health

00:42:11 - Facing setbacks

00:43:29 - Lessons from an unsuccessful venture

00:47:08 - Key metrics

00:48:20 - Conclusion

In this episode of Seed to Success, Jonathan Gaunt sat down with Alastair to share his journey of building and selling Xavier (now Dext Precision) in just 24 months!

They discuss the importance of founder-product-market fit, traction, strategic decision-making, and focusing on customer acquisition.

Jonathan’s first-hand experience provides a valuable lesson for entrepreneurs seeking to refine pricing strategies and grow their businesses. His experience highlights the significance of adaptability, quick decision-making, and a deep understanding of customer needs. If you’re navigating the complexities of building and selling a start-up – consider this episode a must!

_

Show notes:

00:03:38 - Catalyst for change

00:04:23 - The birth of Xavier

00:08:35 - Making tough decisions

00:15:46 - LinkedIn profile visits

00:17:29 – The competition

00:19:09 - Building to sell

00:21:55 - Exit strategy

00:25:34 - Land and expand

00:31:40 - Pricing strategy and challenges

00:32:30 - User testing and pricing

00:34:18 - Company growth and sale

00:41:20 - Valuation and EBITDA

00:47:41 - Bootstrapping vs. Venture Capital

00:48:25 - Keeping the business small and nimble

00:48:46 - Favourite metric 

00:49:35 - Satisfaction

00:50:00 - Looking ahead

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair sits down with Piotr Pisarz, the brains behind Uncapped, a revenue-based finance provider. He shares his journey from Venture Capitalist to founder/CEO and his insights into securing non-equity financing for start-up growth. Piotr's experience and out-of-the-box thinking led him to identify the untapped potential of the debt market, offering valuable lessons for start-up founders and CEOs seeking funding.

When Uncapped hit serious speed bumps trying to raise a Series B, Piotr and his team were forced to take a hard look in the mirror and make some tough decisions. Without easy access to piles of cash, Uncapped started operating more lean leading to profit and growth!

Piotr gets straight to the point in this episode - from handling cofounder breakups to the importance of sleep, diet and training like an athlete so you can go the distance as a founder.

If you're in the game of start-up financing or aiming to fund your venture without sacrificing equity, consider this a must-listen.

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Intro