The GBU - honest startup insights

THE INSIGHT

Governance - why it is important to help you grow your venture and how it is there to help define what directors can do, what the limits of what they can do are and how they can go about what they do.

Letting go - why it is so important for a founder to do, but why it is such a tough thing to actually do.

The long term - don’t look for the quick buck, the importance of a long term focus and vision.

Questioning - Never be afraid to ask a stupid question.

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

You can connect to Ian, you can also follow him.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

THE INSIGHT

Networking - the importance of networking, but truly altruistic networking and how to get this right

Skill sets - why it is key to understand what you are good at and where you have gaps

Fun - why you need to sometimes bring fun into a business

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

You can connect to Phil, you can also follow him and check out Podge Events.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

THE INSIGHT

Perseverance - looking from the outside in the startup world can be exciting but that isn’t always the case, you need to build strength for those lonely and tough days

Smoke and Mirrors - don’t buy into the hype in the space, why growing at your own speed is key and what happens when you grow too fast

Guides - the importance of having those around you that can help point out the pitfalls and be a critical friend to you when you need

THE PODCAST

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

You can connect to Samanah, you can also follow her and check out BEYOUROWN.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

THE INSIGHT

Promotion - the old and the new, from influencers to distributors, how to get the content out there

The talent - not on screen, but behind the camera, you need the very best people

Give back - the important in playing your role to give others a break, especially from BAME backgrounds

Freshen up - the importance of bringing in new teams to get a different approach to what you do

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

You can connect to Sheridan, you can also follow him and check out Running Films.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

THE INSIGHT

Your story - understand the narrative and how people engagement with this. Product market fit!

Data - Why data is key to drive business decisions and how it is simply your best asset

Customers - how to effectively engage, retain and get them to be a key new sales pipeline

Investment - What investor committees look for and what helps companies raise money

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

You can buy Simons book, you can also follow and connect to him.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

Find out all about Lilypads and follow them, you can connect to Alison.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

THE INSIGHT:

Handing over - as a founder when is the right time to focus on the areas you add value and that is not always leading the business.

Innovation - how you can take learnings from one area and use these as USP for a whole new market using your current product as a foundation

Pivoting - a widely used word right now, but how do work with your current customers to have a constant flow of conversation in an open mutually beneficial way

Finding your team - the importance of helping people grow with you and your business, helping your workforces develop and ensure they are truly invested in the business

Sorry:

Sorry for my sound quality… not sure what happened! It will be sorted out for next time :)

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

Find out all about Air Control Tech and follow them, you can connect to Kieran.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

COVERED:

In this episode we cover:

Creating your niche - how do you find, create and own your business niche

Influence - How do you build influence and engagement in your sector, especially when starting out

Remaining neutral - In the political space, how do you remain neutral to ensure you can work with all sides

Partnership - how do you target and acquire key partners that will be core to your success

Focus - when you come with brad experience, how do you bring this together under one roof

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

Find out all about Campaign Force and follow them, you can connect to Jonny.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

COVERED:

In this episode we cover:

Creative problem solving - how you overcome challenges faced when the odds are against you

Partnerships - how finding the right partners are key and some times you need to not look in the obvious place

Aiming global but keeping grounded - when solving a huge problem, how do you keep focused

Importance of data-led development - says it all, data is key, but you must listen to it and act on it

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

Find out all about Ideabatic and follow them, you can connect to Kitty.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots

WHAT IS COVERED

Resilience

Importance of team

Understanding the skill sets you need around you

Planning and being smart in what you do

Picking yourself up after failure

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT

The GBU podcast is a regular informal chat with a founder/ co-founder, finding out about their startup journey. Each episode is an honest and open conversation to unlock the good, the bad and the ugly (GBU... get it!!) in starting and growing a business. In the startup world, we all have good days, and we all have bad days, on those bad days, it can feel like the world has fallen out from under our feet.

The GBU podcast is here to celebrate successes and to champion failings. What didn't go according to plan in your journey, and what did you learn from it? Please share it with the GBU community here or with fellow startups in the comments below.

THE HOST

Alex Mitchell hosts the GBU podcast. Alex is the Founder of a charity that has had an impact in 60+ countries, and he runs a business that works with the likes of the United Nations and Santander. Alex is also the Founder of the UK's fastest-growing network for scaleup businesses, and he is credited with creating a business community, within three years, that brings in over a £1million ($1.5million) membership revenue per annum from an annual marketing budget of £20 ($28)!

THE LINKS

Find out all about Tanni and do follow her.

You can also follow Alex

THE THANKS

The GBU vlog is made possible by our awesome friends at What If Events and The Creative Roots