In this bitesize moment from our episode with Naeem Alvi-Assinder, Founder of Tech branding agency Notepad, Naeem talks through when is (and isn't) the right time to invest money into a branding agency as a Start-Up.
For insight into the biggest mistakes start-ups make when it comes to marketing & branding, as well as how to position yourself against competitors, avoiding common 'boring' marketing methods and becoming too product focused, check out Naeem's full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5GP2iQ5YqwxJtsa4IuKOAX?si=rUn5h3AASWSyxd91qb20Zg 

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Brett Shanley is the Founder & CEO of Knoma, which stands for 'The Knowledge Market'. This FinTech business offers  an ethical finance solution and marketplace for people looking to future proof their career or move into new areas of work via digital courses. 
In this episode, Brett explains how he started Knoma after returning from Australia, with no contacts, no network and no prior technical experience... He dives into the challenges of being a non-technical solo Founder and hiring for technical roles, as well as approaching investment & debt for a product with no userbase.
Brett also talks us through how Knoma is utilising open banking to change the future of education and better inform students on their future career prospects. 

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We can't believe we've made it to two whole years of The Start-Up Diaries Podcast! We'd like to say a massive thank you to all of the guests we've had on the show so far, to all of the guests we've got to come & a big big thank you to all of our listeners. We couldn't keep going without you!
To celebrate such a momentous occasion, we've flipped the switch and thrown host Chris into the hot seat! In this episode, producer Beth will be chatting to Chris all about the current recruitment market in the tech industry, from uncertainty and lay-offs, to preparing a hiring strategy and landing VC investment in a downturn. 
Chris also gives us an insight into the story behind The Start-Up Diaries podcast, his career in tech recruitment & journey to becoming Managing Director as well as how he is seeing both clients and Private Equity houses respond to the current macroeconomic situation. 
Of course, just as Chris got his big moment as interviewee we ran into some technical problems... so we apologise in advance for him sounding a little quieter than usual. We promise it wasn't nerves!
For more info on Burns Sheehan & our recruitment solutions, head over to www.burnssheehan.co.uk & follow us on LinkedIn.

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Engineius is the leading vehicle movement service in the UK. The business was founded in 2018 on the belief that it should be as easy to book and manage vehicle movements as it is to buy from Amazon or ride with Uber. 

In this episode, Managing Director Calum Slowther discusses their pivot from a tech platform to a tech enabled service and the decision making process that led to that transformation. As the very first hire for the business, Calum talks us through his journey to becoming MD, as well as the tech team's secrets to building a successful platform that has NEVER crashed!

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In this insights episode, Head of Investment for GC Angels, Jess Jackson talks through what 'cash runway' actually means and her advice for defining and adapting your action plan for it. She also talks through the most common pitfalls she experiences when it comes to pitching for investment. For more advice on all areas of the investment process and insider tips & insight, check out Jess' full length episode in Season 1!

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Whereby is a video conferencing tool that incorporates screen sharing, recording, chat, live reactions and integrations with Google Drive, Trello, Miro and YouTube. In this episode, Chris is joined by CTO, Andy Tyra and COO, Jessica Zwaan to discuss Whereby and it's decade long history.

Undoubtedly a successful scale-up, Whereby is currently undergoing a shift back to a 'Start-Up' mindset. Andy & Jess explain not only why, but how they have undergone such a pivot across the business both structurally and from a customer perspective, as well as their experience with change management as business leaders.

Jess and Andy also discuss how Whereby has had to deal with competition & volatility within the video conferencing marketplace as well us giving us plenty of insight and tangible advice from their incredibly interesting and diverse career histories. A fantastic episode that really dives into the technical stuff, not one to miss!

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In this bitesize episode, Chloe Barrett the Founder of EdTech Start-Up Immersify Education, shares her best advice for keeping your cool whilst pitching - from mindset, to preparation, to follow-ups. A quick 101 on not letting nerves get the better of you!

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What's the biggest mistake that start-ups make when it comes to marketing & branding? In this episode, Founder of Tech Branding Agency Notepad, Naeem Alvi-Assinder tells all - from how to position yourself against competitors, to avoiding common 'boring' marketing methods and becoming too product focused. 
Naeem also dives into his experience with & advice around building conditions for people to do their best creative work, as well as his opinion on what's wrong with the creative industry.  Finally he gives his honest opinion on when is the right time for a start-up to invest in a branding agency.

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Commenting on his experience with fundraising & investment, Ashely Lockwood - Co-Founder & COO of Oya Kitchens - shares his top tips for gaining early stage traction from investors, as well as the dos and don'ts of raising. 

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We're back with Season 4 of the The Start-Up Diaries podcast! To kick off the series, Chris is joined by Sho Sugihara, Co-Founder & CEO of Pave, the app that's on a mission to become the world's best credit builder.
In this episode, Sho takes us back to his previous career in consultancy at McKinsey & delves into what inspired him to leave such a stable job and become an entrepreneur. However making such a large career U-turn didn't come without its consequences, as Sho touches upon his experience with Imposter Syndrome, where it comes from & how to tackle it. 
We also dive into the more technical aspects of the product, what open banking is and how it's set to change the FinTech market. 
Finally, Sho opens up about what it's really like to be a Founder, the mental & personal challenges that come with it & shares his advice for anyone wanting to take the leap themselves.

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