Ventures

Most brand YouTube channels fail because marketers demand immediate ROI and micromanage creators into mediocrity. Chloe at JD Sports flipped this script with a talent-first approach that increased views by 230% and engagement by 125% since 2023, proving that authentic creator partnerships build something far more valuable than quick metrics: actual culture worth watching. Discover how she went from knowing nothing about YouTube to building one of the most successful brand channels in the UK, and why her counterintuitive approach of giving creators creative freedom is allowing brand content strategy to dominate. Thank you to www.gazettebrasserie.co.uk for letting us film this episode in their Clerkenwell location!🎯 On the Docket:00:00:00 - From zero YouTube knowledge to 230% growth: Chloe's unlikely journey00:05:30 - Why she called JD's original channel approach "shit" and what needed to change00:08:30 - The talent-first philosophy: letting creators create vs. corporate control00:15:00 - Building relationships with Beta Squad, Chunks, and top UK talent00:21:00 - Why brands don't understand the hidden power of YouTube creators00:26:30 - Taking JD directors to Qatar to witness creator fandom firsthand00:33:00 - Why YouTube builds culture and community, not immediate ROI00:39:00 - The six-figure budget reality: what it actually costs to run a brand channel00:45:00 - Production secrets: finding agencies that "get it" vs. those that don't00:52:00 - Analytics deep dive: retention spikes, music moments, and audience psychology00:58:00 - Behind the scenes: managing high-pressure shoots with million-view expectations01:04:00 - Creator management: why brands fail by not understanding creator motivations01:10:00 - Building JD's unique content strategy: where TV meets YouTube⚡ Key Insights:• YouTube creators are "the smartest people" Chloe has ever met—not your average influencers• Brands fail because they don't immerse themselves in the creator world• Minimum six-figure budget required for serious brand YouTube presence• Production partnerships take 2+ years to perfect—it's about culture fit, not just skill• YouTube doesn't generate immediate ROI like other platforms, but builds lasting community• The future opportunity: brands creating custom long-form content for their audiences• Creator relationships require understanding their world, not just business transactions• JD's success comes from being audience-first, not brand-first in content decisions• Analytics matter, but knowing your audience intuitively is what drives real growth• The "Mass Rapper" format shows what happens when TV production values meet YouTube authenticity💬 Notable Quotes:"I'm obsessed with creators, not content.""If you write a brief telling creators how to create, why are you working with them?""YouTube is a hidden universe that brands won't understand until they immerse themselves.""We don't typically watch brands on YouTube—there's a massive skill gap.""The real value isn't in metrics, it's in building culture worth watching.""Creators aren't just one person—their success comes down to how they're managed.""I'm the facilitator. I push the channel forward, but I don't create for it.""It's quite powerful for a brand to start something rather than follow something."🔗 Connect with Chloe:LinkedIn:JD Sports YouTube:

People don't buy drills. They buy holes.When pricing your services, focus on the outcome you deliver, not how you achieve it. Especially with AI - the moment you mention automation, people expect to pay less.Talk about value, not process.Today, we're venturing into the psychology of value creation and pricing strategy, exploring how what appears to be a simple discount model is actually a sophisticated framework for encouraging the right behaviours. As you'll hear, both Andrew and Kieran possess a rare ability to translate complex economic principles into practical insights about human decision-making.In our conversation, we discuss:The behavioural economics of pricing:How successful pricing strategies work more like restaurant menusguiding customers toward outcomes that genuinely serve them best rather than simply extracting maximum revenue.How AI is reshaping commerce from both sides of the transactionCreating opportunities for hyper-personalisation while potentially eliminating the emotional and aspirational elements that drive many purchasing decisions.The cyclical nature of corporate restructuring: Why understanding these patterns can help you build more resilient career strategies in an era of constant technological change.The surprising importance of asking "why" five times: How getting to the root of what people actually need rather than what they think they want opens up entirely different approaches to creating value.

In this episode, we challenge everything you think you know about building businesses with Jonny Davies, a talent manager who discovered that creators are flipping the traditional playbook. Forget building products first—learn why smart entrepreneurs now build audiences first, why stealth mode is dead, and how a 20-year-old with a camera can build the next generation of unicorns. 🎯 On the Docket:00:00:00 - Why creators are the future of business and AI's threat to entry-level jobs00:03:39 - How to use AI as enhancement rather than replacement in education and content00:04:34 - Jonny's journey from law student to esports agent to creative talent management00:06:57 - The broken economics of esports: why millions of eyeballs don't equal profit00:10:02 - Why educational creators command higher sponsorship rates than entertainment00:14:11 - The art of seamless brand integrations that audiences actually enjoy00:20:05 - Cracking the virality code: iteration vs. algorithm gaming00:25:11 - The creator-entrepreneur spectrum: from pure creative to business empire00:28:55 - How AI enables rapid product development for creator businesses00:33:34 - The future of white-labeled creator services (including banking with your favorite creator)00:36:58 - Why talent managers can't scale beyond 5 clients without losing effectiveness00:39:22 - AI talent agents vs. human relationship building: what's really at stake00:42:38 - Why TV advertising makes less sense than targeted creator partnerships00:45:48 - How brands are building their own creator channels to compete with traditional media00:49:47 - Jonny's stealth startup ⚡ Key Points:Creators provide "qualified eyeballs" while traditional advertising offers anonymous impressionsEducational content converts better because audiences come ready to take actionThe best brand integrations happen when creators have fun making the adAI will create three tiers: purely AI content, purely human content, and hybrid excellence in betweenBuilding audience first, then product, eliminates traditional startup risksWhite-labeled services will let you bank, shop, and do business with your favorite creatorsShowing the journey from idea to product is more valuable marketing than stealth modeThe lifetime value of a banking customer makes creator financial services incredibly lucrative"Sellable series" give brands easy integration points and creators predictable revenueTalent management becomes impossible beyond 5 clients if you're truly building businesses🔗 Where to find Jonny:LinkedInNewsletter

The best communities aren't built on transactions but on curation and forward-giving.Sigma has 1,000 founders across 35 countries who've raised $2.7B with no fund attached, just genuine connections and support.When you remove commercial incentives, people build deeper relationships that create more value.In this episode, we sit down with Assen Plevneliev, Chief of Staff at Sigma, for an exclusive deep dive into building the world's most selective entrepreneurial community. Discover how this invite-only network of 1,000 founders under 26 has generated over $2.7 billion in funding, why they intentionally rejected the traditional VC model, and the "third door thinking" that separates exceptional founders from the rest.Thank you to the team at Loaft Covent Garden for looking after us! 🎯 On the Docket:00:03:00 - Why personal spaces and authentic conversations trump traditional interview formats00:04:55 - The strategic importance of personal branding for early-stage founders00:07:20 - LinkedIn as the most undervalued platform (and how to win against weaker competition)00:12:10 - Sigma's curation philosophy: why quality trumps growth every time00:16:49 - The controversial decision to abandon their fund model (and why it saved the community)00:21:36 - Inside Sigma's brutal selection process: 500 nominations, less than 100 accepted00:23:58 - "Third door thinking": the resilience trait that predicts founder success00:31:04 - European vs American startup ecosystems: leveraging the talent arbitrage00:38:10 - Advanced networking tactics: why "what do you do?" kills conversations00:42:38 - Operating a 1,000-person community with 60 volunteers and one paid employee00:46:32 - Creating ego-free environments: how Sigma's Global Summit works differently00:51:06 - Scaling challenges and the financial sustainability question00:53:17 - The founder Assen would bet his life on (33% market share in 3 years, bootstrapped)⚡ Key Insights:Why forward-giving communities outperform transactional networks by massive marginsThe "arbitrage opportunity" European founders miss when scaling globallyHow automation can manage 1,200 angel investors with just two peopleThe psychology behind why curation creates exponentially better outcomes than growthWhy most networking advice is backwards (and what actually works)The hidden cost of mixing investment funds with authentic community buildingHow 95% of Sigma's $2.7B in funding happened after members joined the community💬 Notable Quotes:"Any two people we put in a room together should be able to have a great conversation - that's our hypothesis for 1,000 people across 35 countries.""If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others. But I'd say if you're working with others, you're not only going far, you're going much faster.""The third door is when you've been rejected from the first two, you run around the building, find an open window, jump through it, and you're in the club.""Don't start by asking 'what do you do?' - it shuts the conversation because you're asking someone to pitch what they've pitched 100 times before."📚 Resources Mentioned:The Third Door by Alex BanayanShow Your Work by Austin KleonChatGPT for Developers (prompt engineering course)🔗 Connect with Assen:Sigma CommunityLinkedIn

In this episode, we sit down with Johnny Inglis, Co-founder of WineDrops, for an unfiltered exploration of entrepreneurial resilience, the wine industry's hidden realities, and the surprising strategies that turned a pandemic pivot into a £20 million business. Discover how scrappy tactics built wine databases, implementing counterintuitive waiting lists, and choosing the right co-founder became the foundation for revolutionising wine discovery through AI-powered technology.🎯 On the Docket:00:00:00 - From failed food ventures to finding product-market fit during COVID00:06:26 - Why co-founder selection is life or death for startups (and the 95% failure statistic)00:09:14 - The pivot from Michelin-star meal kits to wine subscription platform00:16:49 - Marketing genius: How a 5-day waiting list increased conversions by 30x00:21:51 - Wine industry secrets: Only 9 regions actually matter to consumers00:27:25 - AI transformation: Natural language wine discovery replacing traditional search00:32:35 - Performance marketing vs brand building: Why they chose immediate ROI00:39:04 - The brutal math of subscription businesses and managing churn00:47:31 - Hiring philosophy: Paul Graham's "animal" test for early employees00:50:17 - UK vs US entrepreneurship culture: Immigration, ambition, and tall poppy syndrome00:56:03 - The 10-year vision: Becoming the world's best wine merchant⚡ Key Insights:How a scrappy tatic became their business foundationThe "golden period" of COVID internet marketing, they wish they'd caught earlierHow younger generations drink less wine but spend more per bottle on qualityWhy Meta advertising scales better than any other platform for consumer businessesThe counterintuitive truth that scarcity and urgency drive 30x better conversionsHow AI is eliminating wine expertise barriers through conversational searchWhy UK productivity culture needs American-style immigration and success celebration💬 Notable Quotes:"If there's any time to lose everything, it is now. I don't have a kid, I didn't have a wife at the time.""When you get product market fit, you know. We sold out within 7 minutes of our first launch.""People want what they can't have. If you're struggling, just try turning on some sort of scarcity.""You should be hiring people you can describe as an animal. If someone describes them as an animal and it doesn't make you laugh, they're not an animal.""We've lost our way, we were builders and creators and entrepreneurs.""95% of businesses that fail do so because of co-founder issues - a breakdown in the relationship."🔗 Where to find Johnny:Winedrops: https://www.winedrops.com/Jonny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-inglis-4761b888/

Brand Integrations on YouTube aren't about interrupting content, they're about enhancing it.

The best integrations feel invisible, maintaining viewer retention while delivering for brands. Creative concepts must come first, with the brand woven in naturally.

Too many, still don't get this fundamental truth.

In this episode, we lock in with Sammy, Calfreezy's brand partnership powerhouse, for a frank and fascinating look at the YouTube sponsorship scene. Uncover the surprising secrets behind seamless integrations, the startling platform gap holding brands back, and how clever AI voice tricks created one of the most natural ad transitions ever. Discover why the mantra "creativity first, commerce second" drives measurable results and how retention data reveals the real winners in the brand game.

🎯 On the Docket:

00:00:00 - Defining brand partnerships as real relationships with value on both sides

00:08:40 - Why only 15-20 UK brands invest heavily in YouTube compared to Instagram/TikTok

00:14:40 - Why brand integrations in the first 5 minutes cause significant viewer drop-off

00:20:00 - Case study: Using AI voice technology to create a seamless Manual brand integration

00:26:40 - The surprisingly low 5% retention drop during a well-executed brand integration

00:35:00 - Negotiating rates based on video series performance and audience demographics

00:44:30 - Debating the risks of selling your back catalog of content for short-term cash

00:53:00 - "It's an art, not a science" - why creativity must always come before analytics

⚡ Key Points:

• Why YouTube brand deals are fundamentally different from Instagram or TikTok integrations
• Integration placement matters - brands that demand placement in the first 5 minutes see higher drop-off
• The surprisingly small number of UK brands consistently investing in YouTube partnerships
• How to negotiate rates based on video type, audience retention, and long-term potential
• The importance of putting creative concepts first, then integrating brands second
• Why seamless integrations that feel part of the content outperform traditional ad reads
• How data and creativity must work together to create effective brand partnerships
• The value of honesty when setting expectations with brands about performance

💬 Notable Quotes:"People think, 'Oh, maybe you have to make a lot of noise about the brand to really cut through.' It's not. Because if we start sitting there going, 'Hey, buy this product,' you've watched the retention rate just drop, drop, drop."

"We're trying to make it more subtle. But actually, off the back of that, the more subtle we're making it, the more smooth we're making it, the better we're seeing retention."

"The way that we segue into an ad read is paramount. We're not filming it in a studio - we're doing it on-shoot as part of something that we're doing."

"Brands who work on YouTube frequently understand, but there can be a lot of education for those who are new to it."

"There has to be a concept that works without a brand first. The brand, unless it's a dedicated brand video, is built into that concept."

Where to find Sammy:

⁠Linkedin

Tech companies are obsessed with their technology instead of solving actual customer problems.

They build products that engineers love but customers don't understand.

Then they incentivise salespeople to push whatever makes the most commission this quarter.

No wonder 80% of software features are never used.

In this episode, Kieron and Andrew dissect the fundamental challenges plaguing technology companies today, revealing why brilliant technical capabilities often fail to translate into business success. From OpenAI's struggle to monetize their sophisticated AI models to the strategic chess match between tech giants, discover why focusing on features rather than customer problems is killing even the most innovative companies.

The conversation explores the fascinating contrast between OpenAI's vertical integration strategy (including their Johnny Ive acquisition) and Anthropic's horizontal utility platform approach. Plus, get ready for some entertaining detours, including Kieron's passionate hatred of AirPods and why he thinks Apple has lost its innovative edge.

🎯 On the Docket

• 00:00:00 - OpenAI's monetization struggles: sophisticated tech, unclear positioning
• 00:04:36 - Tech companies' core problem: focusing on technology instead of customer problems
• 00:08:26 - Apple's strategy: communicating benefits, not technical specifications
• 00:13:20 - The 80% rule: most software features are never used by customers
• 00:17:00 - Winning deals: understanding business problems vs. procurement games
• 00:20:48 - Strategy for tech companies: focus on doing one thing exceptionally well
• 00:23:36 - OpenAI vs Anthropic: two radically different go-to-market approaches
• 00:32:00 - Product vs services dilemma: why most companies struggle with both
• 00:36:58 - Sales remuneration plans: how incentives drive all salesperson behavior
• 00:44:22 - Post-sale neglect: why most tech companies fail at customer success

⚡ Key Insights

• Apple gradually steals markets until competitors become irrelevant (cameras, photography)
• "Man on Clapham Omnibus" principle: even CTOs don't understand deep technical details
• Sales remuneration plans drive behavior more than product quality or strategy
• Two AI strategies: OpenAI's vertical integration vs Anthropic's horizontal platform
• 80% of software features are unused, yet companies add more instead of focusing
• Procurement teams weaponize feature comparisons for negotiation, not genuine need
• Customer success has shifted from value delivery to cross-selling and upselling

💬 Notable Quotes

"I think even for companies that are as sophisticated as OpenAI... I think they're still working out exactly how they position this, right? They haven't made money out of it yet."

"They start with their capability or their technology, and then they go, 'What can we do with this?' And they don't do it the other way around."

"I can't tell you how much I hate the AirPods... They have shitty quality sound. They don't stay in your ears. They are a shit product as far as I'm concerned."

"So basically 80% of software features are never used. 80%. And 12% of software features account for 80% of the usage."

"Every single quarter, when the new remuneration plan came out, we would stop for a day and read it. And we would know absolutely everything we could do to maximize our sales."

"Salespeople don't sit there going, 'What's the best thing for executing the strategy of my employer?' They think about, 'What am I going to make the most money out of selling?'"

"We maxed out on every point in his selection criteria, and we had the highest score... The senior leaders said, 'Oh, we've not heard of those guys. We're going to go with these guys because we've heard of them.'"

🔗 Where to find A Few Good People:AFGP: https://www.afewgoodpeople.co.uk/

Andrew Radley

Kieron McCann

In this episode, we sit down with Chris J Smith, the "Ari Gold of Creators," for a deep dive into creator partnerships, YouTube strategy, and the new landscape of brand integrations. With over 1,000 deals closed in just three years, Chris shares his unique perspective on how brands and creators can build mutually beneficial relationships that deliver real value. Discover how the industry has shifted from valuing followers to emphasising formats and series, and why YouTube offers unparalleled audience connection compared to short-form platforms.🎯 On the Docket:00:00:00 - Introduction and Chris's background in partnerships00:03:36 - The psychology behind audience relationships: YouTube vs. TikTok00:10:24 - Why brands undervalue viewership metrics and the shift from followers00:17:27 - Format-driven content: Why series work for both brands and creators00:26:40 - The ABC method for sustainable content development00:32:00 - Building YouTube channels for brands as entertainment hubs00:39:20 - Productizing partnerships: Selling creative concepts vs. traditional ad spots00:47:04 - The business case for brand-owned YouTube entertainment00:55:04 - Emerging advertising models like "brand logo wrapping"01:03:20 - How to educate brands on the value of creator partnerships01:15:52 - Lightning round: Career lessons and dream partnerships⚡ Key Points:The creator economy has evolved from valuing followers to emphasising viewership and formatsYouTube creates deeper audience connections than short-form platforms through consistent viewing habitsInnovative approaches like "selling creative with a channel" transform how brands approach partnershipsFormat-driven content strategies help both creators and brands build sustainable content pipelinesBrands can develop their own entertainment hubs on YouTube as long-term investmentsEmerging advertising models like "brand logo wrapping" maintain viewer retention while delivering sponsor valuePersistence and adding value are crucial for breaking into and succeeding in the creator economy💬 Notable Quotes:"I used to be an ideas person. I've now gone to thinking it's about execution. You can have all the ideas in the world, but if you don't execute, you have no idea if it works or doesn't.""The market never lies, and the market's always changing and learning in any industry.""I'm not going to work with the creator. I'm going to work with the creator's video about X topic, and this is how we can integrate the brand.""A no doesn't mean never. And also at the same time, expectations. I did that process with a few other people, but I didn't expect Eddie to come back to me.""This is a serious, serious job. I think you can tell on some creators, the ones we have are great because they're like, 'I want to get better.'"🔗 Where to find Chris:⁠The Gold Studio

⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠

Product management isn't about building features. It's about orchestrating the entire lifecycle from idea to withdrawal.

The technical build is the easy part. 

The real challenge is changing organisations, processes, and people to deliver something customers actually want.

In this episode of "A Few Good People,"  we venture into a masterclass on the product development lifecycle with industry veterans Andrew and Kieron. With a combined half a century of experience in telecoms, tech, and more, they share invaluable insights on navigating the complex journey from idea conception to product retirement. 

🎯 On the Docket:

00:00:00 - Introduction to product lifecycle management

00:04:00 - Ideation: Where great ideas really come from and why some fail

00:20:00 - Strategy: Aligning the organisation and setting priorities

00:44:20 - Definition: Turning concepts into executable plans

01:01:20 - Build & Development: Why it's not just about the technology

01:20:40 - Launch: Strategies for successful market entry

01:35:20 - Early Life Support vs. General Availability

01:44:40 - End of Life: Recognising signals and managing withdrawal

⚡ Key Insights:

Why great ideas typically come from individuals but become "great" through team validation

How "exaptation" (repurposing something for a different use) drives major innovations

The critical difference between software product management and "full" product management

Why physical, in-person collaboration trumps virtual meetings for critical product decisions

How AI is shifting the bottleneck from technical development to organisational change

The importance of maintaining customer relationships during product withdrawal

Why portfolio management matters: Sometimes products exist just to complete your offering

💬 Notable Quotes:

"I don't believe great ideas come from committees. There's a time for a committee, but great ideas usually come from an individual having a moment where they think of something." - Andrew

"Much of the complexity in a launch is not about the technology—it's about the ability to deliver that technology in a way that's great for employees and customers." - Kieron

"For the same reasons, a product manager is the champion of their product. They commit blood, sweat, and tears to it, and it's hard to give up. It's almost like losing a child." - Kieron

"The most bullish thing would be to plan for your product's replacement from the beginning." - Andrew

"It's important to make sure the customer experience for the end-of-life phase is just as important as the launch phase. It's often the poorer sibling." - Kieron

🔗 Where to find A Few Good People:AFGP: https://www.afewgoodpeople.co.uk/ Andrew Radley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-radley-6ab365/Kieron McCann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieronmccann/

In this episode, we sit down with Cory Johnson from Synthesia for a candid exploration of content creation, email marketing psychology, and the surprising evolution of LinkedIn. Discover how his unconventional "anti-LinkedIn" approach has made his feed one of the most engaging on the platform and the strategies behind successfully sending 14 million emails last year.

🎯 On the Docket:

00:00:00 - LinkedIn's evolution from formal network to platform for authenticity and satire

00:05:40 - How Ken Chang's boundary-pushing corporate parody influenced a movement

00:10:20 - Navigating the fine line between workplace satire and potential offense

00:15:30 - Why LinkedIn's algorithm works fundamentally differently than other platforms

00:20:00 - Email marketing psychology: effective hooks vs manipulative tactics

00:29:40 - Creating genuine personal connection through automated communication

00:36:40 - Why AI-generated content "reverts to the mean" and fails at distinctive marketing

00:45:20 - How creative writing practice directly informs professional communication

00:54:00 - When to NOT email your customers (and why restraint builds trust)

⚡ Key Points: Why LinkedIn might unexpectedly become Twitter's true successor

Email remains resilient because it creates a personal space for one-on-one communication

The most effective hooks speak to individual motivations rather than corporate goals

Shorter emails with strategic bold text create dual reading paths for different attention spans

Great marketing requires understanding the human behind the work persona

AI-generated content typically produces generic corporate language that lacks engagement

Embracing "artificial constraints" in writing leads to more creative outcomes

The importance of asking "why should the customer care?" before any communication

💬 Notable Quotes:

"People are more intelligent than we give them credit for. People are more than ever aware that there's a lot of bullshit in the world."

"The most bullshit hooks are the ones that get flagged by spam filters."

"If you write a fundraising announcement email, you've lost a bunch of people to unsubscribes that you'll never be able to pitch with email again."

"Embrace the cringe. The cringe only exists if you give it power."

"The worst emails are the ones that have no point beyond corporate self-congratulation."

🔗 Where to find Cory:

LinkedIn