Startup Blueprint: Recent Episodes
Startup Blueprint
Long-form conversations with leading entrepreneurs around the world đ
Listen for tips on: launching your business, growing your business, finding startup ideas, cold outreach, social media tactics, making sales, effective networking, fundraising, and how to get started on the road to entrepreneurship. We also discuss global tech news & technologies of the future
For founders, investors, tech enthusiasts, scientists, and the curious!
NEW EPISODES WEEKLY đ
đ€ We're talking all things Robotics and AI with VCs Joseph Krause and Brannon Jones from AlleyCorp! Dive into the future of technology as we discuss how hardware can keep up with software, why most people are missing the point of driverless cars, what future human augmentation will look like, and whether all-out scaling of AI models at the expense of efficiency is the right approach. đ§
We answer your burning questions - will I ever have JARVIS in my home? When can I get my own humanoid assistant? In this exclusive interview, Joseph and Brannon share their unparalleled insights into robotics, including from which industries they expect to see the big winners emerge đȘ
đș Don't forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to the Startup Blueprint Podcast for exclusive interviews with industry leaders! đ€ đ
đ About AlleyCorp: https://alleycorp.com/
đ Connect with Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephfkrause/
đ Connect with Brannon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brannon-jones-487aa592/
đ Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
đĄ Join us on the Startup Blueprint Podcast as we delve into the inspiring journey of Jane, the founder of Ops Lab. Explore the reasons behind why Jane jumped ship from a startup to start her business, discover her secret sauce, and gain insights into the psychology of successful founders.
đ Connect with Jane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-davydiuk-b85046168/
đ Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
đ± Join Nadav Steinmetz, Founder & CEO of Climate First accelerator and Nomea climate tech fund, as he delves into the world of Climate Tech and the future of climate investing. Discover insights into why climate tech is gaining traction, how to identify promising startups, the role of batteries in the green revolution, and more!
đ Connect with Nadav: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadav-steinmetz-38bb9518b/
đ Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
đ Nadav's Businesses: https://climatefirst.vc/ | https://nomeainvestments.com/
Olu Taiwo is founder and CEO of Solideon, which 3D prints for the space industry!
3D printing allows for AI-optimised design, speedy iteration, and limitless personalisation đȘ Olu's vision is to be the "AWS of manufacturing" by upending the historically slow-moving and capital-intensive industry.
Olu has great stories about how he got his first startup funding, his lessons from the titans of the Space Industry at Virgin Orbit & RocketLab, the difficulties that comes with being a hardware founder, solving the problems of the space supply chain, and following his lifelong passion for space & manufacturing.
"If you're building a company on Earth, you're inherently a space company!" đ°
Olu's startup: https://solideon.com/
Follow Olu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluseun-taiwo-44b97910b/
Follow James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Stuart Pearce is an award winning sales trainer from the UK. From the words of his own website âStuart has spent over 20 years training and coaching people and is currently the UK Enterprise Awards 'Sales Trainer of the Year'. He has trained people and teams across the globe from Hong Kong to Manchester and everywhere in between.â đ
His wealth of experience in sales leads him to drop tons of valuable insights - how many times should you follow up? When is the right time to let a lead go? Where is the hidden value in your sales pipeline? Why are you losing leads? đ€
These questions and many more are explored in this episode and itâs a treat to hear them through Stuartâs straight shooting and fun delivery. đ„
Find Stuart here: https://thesalestrainer.uk/
Dr Ben Miles is a physicist, entrepreneur, startup investor and educational YouTuber (with over 100k subs) đ§Ź
**Key highlights of our convo: how scientists can be entrepreneurs, the downsides of too much technological progress, the eternal promise of nuclear fusion, how VCs should pivot into Deep Tech, and how to find your life's purpose!
Ben's YouTube: @DrBenMiles
Spin Up Science: https://www.spin-up.science/
Science Angel Syndicate: https://www.scienceangelsyndicate.com/
Connect with Ben here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbenmiles/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Raja Skogland drops top advice on - how to build your network from nothing, how to conduct customer interviews, how to sell your company's vision, fundraising strategies, and what "pre-totyping" is.
Raja broke free from the corporate lifestyle as an ex-private banker in Switzerland to become a founder & VC investor đ°
A big personality with an online presence to match, she currently helps startups, scale-ups, and SMBs access the expertise and network they need - check out her newsletter: https://rajaskogland.substack.com/
Raja's VC firm: https://www.thevisionaryvc.com/
Connect with Raja: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajaskogland/
Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Rajeshwar is passionate climate advocate and entrepreneur, having founded green streaming service Zero-Carbon, battery research company High-LES, and climate community 42hacks. đ± He offers top insights into how we can reverse the current climate crisis.
In episode 55 we cover - his climate startups, why different geographies need different climate solutions, localized & tailored climate solutions, the problems with resource-hungry data centers, global water shortages, climate solutions for the global south, the AI hype cycle and its implications, the future energy mix, climate policy from governments, the POV of the climate investor, the current state of the battery industry, battery supply chains, battery geopolitics, and what keeps Rajeshwar personally motivated.
Please like & subscribe to the Startup Blueprint Podcast for more exclusive interviews! đ
Rajeshwar's companies:
https://zero-carbon.de/
https://batchurajeshwer763.wixsite./highles
https://www.42hacks.com/
Connect with Rajeshwar here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bachu-rajeshwar/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Steve Bookbinder joins us from New York on this episode! Steve is a multi-book selling author with decades of experience in sales! He has done OVER 5000 workshops. He unleashes a unique perspective on sales. đ
Steve starts with the view that sales is a social process - knowing more people in a business and having deep rapport with prospects is a sure fire way to win champions of your product. đ
He then hits us with the reality - if your prospect hasnât even put your name in their calendar as a next step then what makes you think theyâre gonna buy from you? Always book next steps in and have a roadmap to securing the sale. â
Find out more such as âwhat do most salespeople do to make their lives harder??â (The clue: sell too much). Thereâs a reason this episode is one of our longest to date! Tune in. đĄ
Connect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stbookbinder
Connect with Suraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155
Find Steveâs most recent book here: https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Echo_Selling.html?id=oXgCzwEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y
Amos is Founder & CEO of Dovetail Finance - empowering the financial sector to invest in net zero by modelling the impact of climate change on every company. đ±
Amos' fascinating background is in financial crime journalism, before working at Peter Thiel's Palantir Technologies, teaching himself to code, and taking an eye-opening trip to America đșđž
We then discuss: how he founded his startup Dovetail Finance, how he found a co-founder, how he got his first customers, his passion for climate action, the pitfalls of climate change modelling, the threat of greenwashing, the pros & cons of the ESG spectrum, the role policy plays in climate action, UK vs US mentality towards startups & funding, climate solutions for developing countries, climate as an investment opportunity, the space sector, nuclear power, the philosophy of entrepreneurship, the Theranos debacle, managing ego, advice for startup founders, and Amos' must-read books.
Dovetail Finance: https://www.dovetail.finance/
Connect with Amos here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amos-wittenberg-88838b40/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Petra joins Suraj on this episode. Petra started her journey at leading sales roles at enterprises such as IBM, and Microsoft where she was a Corporate Sales Manager and Sales Director. She is also on the board of a Managers Association for Young Managers of Slovenia. But most importantly she has recently started her own Sales Coaching business working with a range of startups. đŻ
Petra talks to us about the importance of niching down your value proposition to nail the exact target market you want to sell to. An example we discuss is people who want to lose weight - but what for? Losing weight FOR a holiday. This directs sales branding and prospect profiling to a granular level. đŹ
She also speaks about how regionality can also not only effect product demand but also how your sales approach could vary based on cultural differences around the world. đ
Knowing how your customers feel and what motivate them as people - not as a company - is critical. She stresses the importance of empathy in sales. People sell to people they like. đ
All these and much, much more are laid out by Petra. Listen in for more! đ§
Connect with Petra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-wagner-0b45254
Find Petraâs website: https://petrasalesbooster.com/
Connect with Suraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155
Listen to more of our podcasts here: www.thestartupblueprint.com
Umesh Sharma joins Suraj this episode. Umesh has a history in sales starting in some of Indiaâs startups in the early 2000s working himself up to a wealth of experience in sales and moving to enterprise sales. He has led sales teams all over India. đźđł
Umesh drops his knowledge on what it takes to run a startup sales team and target customers with varying perspectives such as aiming an early stage product at prospect profiles with a willingness to experiment. đ§Ș
He later talks about the various perspectives that decision makers within an organisation will have from an enterprise sales angle. đ
The conversation moves onto how to structure a sales process with all the mayhem and chaos going on. The key being in identifying high urgency vs high importance task and properly planning ones day, quarter, and year within the businesses goals. đ„
Connect with Umesh here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/us0
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4...
Listen to more of our episodes: https://www.thestartupblueprint.com
How to automate the world? You need Robotics đ€
Abe Murray, General Partner at AlleyCorp Robotics, invests in early-stage companies that are making all our lives easier and propelling humanity forward đ
We lift the lid on robotics, covering: Abe's background working on a fishing boat, his time at Google, his approach to life, his purpose & passions, his lesson from Paul Graham, his love for practical building, how we can automate warehouses, the robot hype cycle (and where we are on it), whether robots of the future will be specialised or all-purpose, the real-world uses of robots today including medical devices and agriculture, whether he's bullish on robot butlers, and his conversation with Brett Adcock.
We then delve into: Whether robots should be given human characteristics, humanisation of robots, full stack robotics, the commoditisation of AI models, the AI hype cycle, how anyone can get started in robotics, and advice for founders. đȘ
Abe's Investments: https://alleycorp.com/verticals/robotics/ Abe's Substack: https://abemurray.substack.com/
Connect with Abe here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrahammurray/ Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
What is the Future of Clean Energy? đ±
Marcus Clover is a venture capitalist and hydrogen engineer, co-founder of Energy Revolution Ventures (ERV). He and his team invest in green technology startups powering the energy revolution, centred around electrochemistry - including hydrogen, energy storage, carbon capture, and advanced materials. These DeepTech solutions will drive breakthroughs in clean energy, wean the world off fossil fuels, and help us avoid a climate disaster.
We discuss: Marcus' diverse experience, his passion for DeepTech, how he's going back to the roots of venture capital, his venture fund Energy Revolution Ventures (ERV), his venture builder Prosemino, why now is the time for green hydrogen, what electrochemistry is and how it will change the energy sector, green hydrogen infrastructure, green hydrogen use cases, green hydrogen storage & distribution, electrolysis & electrolysers, the role of nuclear power, providing energy solutions to impoverished nations, the most promising new electrochemistry technology, green energy startups, and advice for first-time DeepTech founders.
Learn about Energy Revolution Ventures' mission: https://er-v.io/
Connect with Marcus here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-clover-47b463a7/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Ever wondered how to become better at finding and qualifying leads? What the key metrics you should be measuring and analysing when assessing your sales performance? And generally how to boost your revenue by building a more robust sales pipeline? Look no further!
This Sales Series episode is a run-through of the life and work of a senior SDR (Sales Development Representative) with Ryan Lundberg from LULA.
Ryan has deep experience at the 'top of the funnel' where he is responsible for finding quality leads that have a higher likelihood to convert and become paying customers. He breaks down the stages of the sales pipeline from an SDR's perspective, the math and psychology of cold calls, and how salespeople can use their own calls and technology to improve not only themselves but also their team's ability.
The latter half of the interview centered around a fascinating discussion on how to approach sales calls - Ryan's view is that the biggest mistake people make with Sales is overthinking! đ€ Listen for more insights!
Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanlundberg/
Connect with Suraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Startup Blueprint: https://thestartupblueprint.com/podcast
Green Hydrogen = hydrogen made from renewable resources â»ïž
Why isn't green hydrogen everywhere? Because making green hydrogen is still expensive đ°Â
Koji Muto is CEO of Ki Hydrogen, who are slashing the cost of making green hydrogen dramatically by reducing the energy needed by up to 75%. Listen in to hear how exactly they achieve this remarkable and innovative feat đ
Koji & James discuss: how Ki Hydrogen is making green hydrogen, how to reduce the energy required when making green hydrogen, why licensing out your technology can be a good idea as a deep tech founder, the future of hydrogen including infrastructure and storage, and why making green hydrogen is such a pressing issue.
We also cover: Koji's background in oil & gas, working with nuclear power and small modular reactors (SMRs), the carbon capture and direct air capture (DAC) opportunity, Koji's experience at startup accelerators, and why it's useful for technical founders to do an MBA.
More on Ki Hydrogen: https://ki-hydrogen.com/
Connect with Koji here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kojimuto/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Sandeep Shekhar is a sales coach at Sprinto with over 18 years of experience in sales. His passion and understanding of structuring conversations help his students all throughout the pipeline.
Sandeep talks to Suraj about various nuanced conversational techniques to structure questions and handle objections. A discussion around positioning during various parts of the sales pipeline from setting the tone when cold calling all the way to handling objections and closing.
Connect with Sandeep: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeep-shekhar-3737b24/
Connect with Suraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Startup Blueprint: https://thestartupblueprint.com/podcast
Denis is Founder of Space Ambition and a DeepTech investor at I2BF Global Ventures, focussing on startups digitally transforming boring and unsexy industries. đ€
Denis also does a huge amount of work around the wider startup consultancy arena, looking to inspire the next generation of DeepTech founders and VCs đ
His space origin story: while working in banking, he was approached to invest in an asteroid mining company, rekindling his childhood wonder for spaceflight, sci-fi and the cosmos - and he hasn't looked back since! đ°
Denis and James discuss: Denis' love for space, how to invest in the space sector, exciting moonshot SpaceTech on the horizon, SpaceTech low-hanging fruit, hardware investing, how most software is becoming commoditised, how to ride the AI wave, and a call-to-action for aspiring DeepTech entrepreneurs đȘ
His inspirational piece of advice: don't forget your dreams, follow your childhood passions! đ
Explore Denis' Projects here: SpaceTech Advisory: spaceambition.org
SpaceTech Blog: https://spaceambition.substack.com/
Ask VC: askvc.org
Connect with Denis here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-kalyshkin-b634592a/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
LaSean Smith has worked at Amazon, Microsoft, is currently a private investor & operator, and loves to produce movies - in his own words, he likes to taste the "buffet of life".
LaSean breaks down: the lesson we can learn from comedians, how to get constant startup ideas, how to validate these ideas, the 3 ways to approach being a founder, the indicators of entrepreneurial success, the future of AI, how AI will change education, how to incorporate automation into your startup, the value of the creator economy, why you need to grow an audience online, and the skills you'll need for the future of work.
LaSean's investments: https://cagr.com/
Connect with LaSean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laseansmith/
Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
How can we change the world for the better? đ Dr. Micol Chiesa Churchill and Dr. Chris de Koning recently launched Planet Positive Lab - a climate accelerator building world-leading climate startups in the Oxford ecosystem!
James sits down with the two heads of Planet Positive Lab, discussing: what skills the two guests each bring to the accelerator, what a good climate accelerator looks like, the state of the accelerator landscape, how accelerators can add value, where most accelerators lack, the Oxford University ecosystem, and the need for a specialised climate startup accelerator.
In the second half we cover the profile of a successful founder, what makes a good climate tech investment, the top climate trends, the hardware vs software debate, geographical considerations in climate, how to boost the Global South, the dangers of greenwashing, how to stop corporates from greenwashing, and why being a founder is harder than you think - plus a call to action for any current or wannabe climate entrepreneurs!
Change the Planet Here đ: https://www.planetpositivelab.com/
Connect with Micol: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-micol-chiesa-churchill-b7390035/
Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiaan-de-koning-phd-8171835b/
Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Jeremy Barr is a founder mentor, providing leadership advice to entrepreneurs with a unique and detailed approach. Jeremy has extensive experience as a software developer, was a chief technology officer, and is now CEO of his coaching platform Rocket Mindset as well being a VC.
Jeremy went from "super nerd" to "super social" through deliberate processes and actions - allowing him to become much more confident with time. He puts huge emphasis on micro-behaviours and technically breaks down what characteristics founders need to show to achieve success, which he delivers through his work as a founder mentor. Important takeaways include how to navigate investor conversations, how to improve bad social skills, and how to stop chasing the bag
We discuss Jeremy's background, how it molded him today, his approach to coaching, his framework for founders and leaders, his work as a mentor, how to train your mind to improve your skills, adopting the right mentality, the importance of body language, how to navigate investor conversations and pitches, how to improve social skills, putting yourself out there, the value of experiences and getting to know yourself, finding your purpose, having an expansionary mindset, and how to avoid chasing short-term dopamine hits. Plus, we talk about how he got bored with money (!), stopped chasing the bag and decided he wanted to be more impact-driven.
Access Jeremy's services here: â â https://www.rocket-mindset.com/â â
Connect with Jeremy here: â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremydbarr/â â
Connect with James here: â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/â â
Connect with Suraj here: â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/â
Leading the charge of next-gen composite materials manufacturing is Russ Vorobev, founder of Composite Vision. Russ has a PhD in Mechanics & Mathematics with a lifelong passion for DeepTech and composite materials engineering, and excels at making complex subjects easy to understand. His company turbo-charges non-destructive testing (NDT) of composites in aerospace by leveraging AI algorithms.
He discusses his DeepTech startup, the applications and end-markets for his technology, the playbook for securing big industrial companies as customers, next-gen composite materials innovation, the future global energy mix, his background in nuclear energy, electric vehicles (EVs), whether AI is on a hype cycle or not, how AI is used for composites, and how to excel at communicating complicated concepts to investors - a must-have tool in the arsenal of any DeepTech founder!
Learn more about Russ' company here: https://composite.vision/
Connect with Russ here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-v/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/Â
How do I build a Military startup?Â
Max Werner used his 7 years' experience in the German military to identify the missing pieces and launch his startup - high-tech drones for first man replacement on military operations.
Max's story from the military to entrepreneur to consultant, some misconceptions about the military, how he launched hisnext-gen military drones startup, military drones with guns, the role of AI at his military startup, how his military startup got acquired, next-gen military tech, exciting new military tech on the horizon, his personal lessons from the past, plus advice for hardware and DeepTech founders.
If you're looking to become a founder of a military startup or hardware startup - listen closely!
Connect with Max here: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmagwitz/â Â
Connect with James here: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/Â â
Connect with Suraj here: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/â
The manufacturing sector has some catching up to do. To make full use of the shop floor, physical infrastructure and digital solutions (including the likes of AI and computer vision) must integrate seamlessly with one another - there's no simple existing solution for this.
Alex KrĂŒger is looking to change this as co-founder and COO of United Manufacturing Hub - who are putting the most powerful IT tools directly in the hands of engineers. Through their open source model, they allow companies to manage IoT infrastructure to unlock the full potential of their manufacturing processes at scale.
We cover: Alex's company UMH, his journey from university straight into entrepreneurship, the benefits of open source, the manufacturing industry and how it lags other sectors technologically, how to sell to enterprise clients, marketing your software, different investing styles of VCs, European vs USA investment attitudes, the role of AI in manufacturing, and the shutting of the last Germany nuclear power plant.
Want to learn more about UMH? https://www.umh.app/
Connect with Alex here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-krueger/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Karl Swanepoel launched his first online business at 15 and is now founder of Revolancer, a freelance marketplace that lets you pay for services with your expertise rather than your money. Karlâs been a freelancer since he was a kid, making money from home part time as a student with no experience - his journey started when he tried to launch a YouTube channel at age 12.
We talk: how to make money online, freelancing, starting a business, how to create partnerships, Karl's background in graphic design and web development, his AI side-projects where he tracked Twitter user sentiment, how freelancers can use AI, the countless times he's tried and failed to start a business, the benefits of getting a head start on entrepreneurship, how to discover your purpose, how to know when to quit, how to deal with burnout, how Karl unwinds from work, and projects he'd like to pick up again in the future. Want to make money from home? Sign up Karl's platform Revolancer Today! - https://revolancer.com/
Connect with Karl here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlswa/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
The next big trend for Venture Capital? DeepTech & Innovation. Gus Badran has over 30 years' experience in DeepTech, innovation investing and manufacturing. We lift the lid on deeptech and cleantech investing, covering: his story from Imperial College to today, the historical interest in cleantech, case studies for how to analyse a deeptech investment, the future energy mix, and views on nuclear power.We then walk through Gus' investment philosophy, the drivers behind scientific innovation, how to construct a personal investment portfolio, what startups should be focussing on, and even touch on Elon Musk's recent roasting of the BBC interviewer đConnect with Gus here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gus-badra...Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-ban...Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4...
How to get new clients for your business? Zoltan Vardy has 30 years of experience and has closed $2 Billion in B2B sales. His masterclass service, The Launch Code, will help you add 3-5 enterprise clients per quarter through his bulletproof framework: Focus, Build, Execute. 200 B2B founders from 25+ countries have already used his service to achieve success - you could be next!Zoltan dives into the following on one of our favourite podcast episodes so far: how to nail your startup's elevator pitch, the trappings of a corporate lifestyle, his experience doing sales coaching, brand messaging case studies, how to know when you have product market fit, how startups can find their ideal customer, where AI is headed, where the Metaverse failed, and his warrior mindset with 7 Spartan Races completed so far!If you're a B2B startup founder looking to scale, sign up for Zoltan's program today: https://thelaunchcode.net/More on Zoltan: https://zoltanvardy.com/Connect with Zoltan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoltanvardy/Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Suzanne Noble launched Startup School for Seniors to empower less-conventional entrepreneurs to start a business.Â
She opens up about the barriers that seniors face when becoming founders, and the importance of venture inclusivity.
Connect with Suzanne here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannenoble/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Yogesh Gupta is CEO of Gaston - AI-powered food based on personal diet preferences straight to your door!Â
Yogesh shares a wealth of insight with us, not to be missed if youâre currently building a software startup - from his novel Go-To-Market strategy to the benefit of having your own proprietary database for machine learning.
Connect with Yogesh here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybgupta/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Deepak Shrivastava is a serial entrepreneur flipping biased credit checks on their head with Sunrise AI.Â
Deepak drops a bombshell on the real nature of the venture capital industry, his learnings from investment banking, and his experiences at the world famous AI fund.
Connect with Deepak here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-shrivastava-3baa12/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Mounir and Steve are co-founders of Puulse (formerly Cappi) - an app that turns the traditional gig economy on its head by getting payments into the hands of workers immediately.
We first discuss how to differentiate in a very crowded fintech landscape, before turning to the strong tailwinds behind temporary and freelance work. The founders give their insight into how to secure large clients who have an army of gig workers, the importance of branding and positioning, and we finish with a debate on how to find your âIkigaiâ.
Connect with Mounir here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mounir-felloula-3834811b5/
Connect with Steve here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-fep/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
AI can get more qualified leads, faster.
Gautam founded OneShot on the back of decades of his own experience as a sales leader, having scaled international sales teams from $1m to $50m. His personalised prospecting tool saves salespeople hours of time and increases response rates - all while gathering data and improving itself in real time.
Gautam outlines the inefficiencies with the sales outreach model today, before going into what makes a killer cold email. He gives advice to wannabe enterprise salespeople, and touches on why being great at sales will be a boon for any up-and-coming entrepreneur.
Connect with Gautam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grishi/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Blockchain is more than just a buzzword - it could be the future of commodities trading.
Electra Coutsoftides is todayâs guest - having worked in the waste industry all her career, she founded Techstars-backed XWorks that aims to create transparency and accountability around the trading of waste commodities.
Electra begins with the real-life use cases of blockchain, before discussing why keeping your pulse on the ever-changing regulatory landscape is pivotal in her industry. We then get personal on her background, what drives her, and share our thoughts on why working on your physical and mental fitness is so critical for founders.
Connect with Electra here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/electracoutsoftides/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Artificial intelligence is more than just ChatGPT - itâs been working its magic in industry for years.
We talk to Roey Mechrez - a seasoned vet in the world of AI - about his insights from a career as a founder to now Head of AI at Tulip. If youâre currently building: Roeyâs takes from a founderâs #1 headache to where AI is headed next are not to be missed!
Connect with Roey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roey-mechrez/?originalSubdomain=uk
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
How do I stand out from the noise when it comes to fundraising?
What makes a great piece of social media content these days?
Will all jobs eventually morph into just giving prompts to ChatGPT?
Join us and Rishabh Kaul - Head of Marketing of Appsmith, angel investor, and former Sequoia-backed founder - as we explore these pressing questions!
Connect with Rishabh here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishabhkaul/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Strong salesmanship + deep sector expertise = a founderâs winning formula
Meddy Ali discusses how he melded his professional sales skills with  his lifelong connection to the restaurant industry to launch his own  startup. We discuss: how to handle yourself on a sales call, how to  build trust with customers, and how to divide your time when youâre  running a business and a family while fundraising all at the same time!
Connect with Meddy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meddy-ali-971b3593/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
If youâre running your company on spreadsheets, 80% of your work can be automated.
Marcin  Kierdelewicz, founder of Biami.io, adds rocket fuel to a companyâs  scaling process through AI automation. âTurning employees into managersâ  is the name of the game, but how is this done? Â
Connect with Marcin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcin3/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Is bootstrapping the right choice for my business?
What is a good framework for validating business ideas?
What skills should I work on as a developer in todayâs market?
Pietro Saccomani, founder of 3 bootstrapped businesses, discusses all this and more.
Connect with Pietro here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pietrosaccomani/
Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Connect with Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Not all entrepreneurs are built the same - itâs up to you to discover the right path for success.
Cormac Finn launched SideTeams to inspire innovation through collaboration amongst young and hungry entrepreneurs. He got to where he is today by trying a wealth of stuff - from cleaning hotels to working as a manufacturing engineer in healthcare - to settle on what he truly wants to spend time on. All 3 of us dig deep into our past jobs and what we learned from them, why working smart always beats working hard, and how understanding your personality type is the first step to realising the best career path for you.
Follow Cormac here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cormacfinn1/
Follow James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Follow Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
If youâre passionate about launching a DeepTech startup, thereâs never been a better time.
Florian Richterâs robotics company, Muddy Machines, aims to solve farmer labour shortages and increase yield with precision harvesting. We cover his journey from finance to DeepTech, the problems facing farming, and why most founders start companies for the wrong reasons.
Follow Florian here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richterflorian/
Follow James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Follow Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Wondering what the future holds for AI? Driverless cars? Energy?
Join us for a fantastic discussion with Christopher Humphries, founder of cybersecurity startup Malizen, who loves to debate what the future might look like as much as we do. We explore everything from cultural differences in the Western World to the current startup fundraising climate.
Not to be missed if youâre a founder, tech worker, or simply curious about where the world is headed!
Follow Christopher here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/engleek/
Follow James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Follow Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
What problems do female entrepreneurs face? How can I maximise my chances of success as a founder? How should I even go about fundraising if I donât have a network?
We discuss all this and more with Ahana Banerjee, founder of Clear skincare social app, who at just age 21 was accepted into Y Combinator while still at university. An inspirational story on the power of diligence, resilience and self-belief!
Follow Ahana here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahana-banerjee/
Follow James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bannon/
Follow Suraj here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraj-t-4a9630155/
Tired of being rejected time and time again by investors?
Nathan Beckord is the go-to guy for founders when fundraising - a startup advisor and former investment banker at JP Morgan, he now offers help via his platform Foundersuite. He also hosts his own podcast How I Raised It where he gives you a fundraising playbook direct from VC-backed founders! Listen to this latest Startup Blueprint episode to learn how to pick the right investor, how to avoid all the common pitfalls while fundraising, and the hallmarks of any great pitch deck.
Nathan can be found here.
Why do so many products flop?
Ayo Onasanya - serial founder and product designer by trade - knows better than most how to make a winning product. If youâre keen to hear the number 1 tip for designers, how to craft an app consumers canât live without, or the secret networking hack we used to meet Ayo - look no further than this episode!
Ayo can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
In the current downturn, those with past experience of a recession certainly have an edge.
Mayank Mathur joined the world of finance at the worst (or most interesting) time - right at the start of the millennium. His unique rollercoaster in over a decade in finance have armed him for his more recent exploits as a serial founder - and heâs currently solving a problem thatâs gone under the radar in the property sector⊠listen to find out what!
Mayank can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Another fantastic example of mitigating risk by buying a proven startup:
Knowing the ins and outs of the startup world will 100% help you when buying a young company - Ranjit Bhinge is a serial founder who has this expertise in spades. We talk about his motivations for buying a company on the marketplace MicroAcquire, the future of no-code, and even explore the commercialisation of sports teams.
Ranjit can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
"New technology exists because someone didnât give up."
Kevin Martin is seeking to flip existing supply chains on their head with the bold, sustainable vision of Unspun. We unpack the stages of his masterplan, how his company incorporates deep technology, and the state of the climate in 2022.
Kevin can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Delayed gratification is sooo underrated.
Ex-Marine Christian Ferreira is a pure-blooded hustler. There isnât a thing this guy hasnât done - from buying and operating ATMs, building a property empire, and now growing a tech startup in the Remote Work space - press play to get his juicy insights firsthand!
Christian can be found on LinkedIn.
"I have potentially a very scary answer - people got used to it.â
The above is Ivan Kosyukâs answer to how Ukrainiansâ lives have changed since the Russian invasion. Meet a man driven by purpose: to drive technological innovation while providing jobs to his stricken country people. Tune in for a fresh perspective from someone invested in the ongoing situation thatâs dominating headlines.
Ivan can be found on LinkedIn.
"You have to understand everything, but be a specialist in only a few things."
General Partner at Pay It Forward VC, while running his own legal practice and building a startup on the side - Yair Udi is a busy man. We unlock his framework for finding the best companies, the power of in-person networking, and why the current investment landscape is broken.
Yair can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
"You can't just have a brilliant product and expect it to fly off the shelves..."
Jack Fullerton and Peter Gillan dissect the notoriously hard-to-navigate world of consumer apps. Their strength app makes gym progression fun and accessible for everyone (check them out here). We talk about  the art of gamification, how to interact with your customer directly, and why your social media presence is as important as your product itself. Join them on their journey towards becoming the Strava of strength apps!
Head to LinkedIn to find Jack and Peter.
I can't code and I don't have a business idea... where the hell do I start?
Here's where RJ Youngling comes in - a solopreneur and educator who has dissected the process to making reliable income, proposing reliable and repeatable frameworks that allow his clients to make money without needing sell their soul to the corporate world. We discuss how to find your niche, the importance of listening to your audience, the perils of over-studying without taking action, and most importantly... what the hell is a solopreneur?
RJ can be found on Twitter, and his blog can be found here.
We're often told success will come from being tunnel-vision on one goal - but what if you're naturally curious?
Luke Rynne Cullen has a CV that makes the eye water - a founder multiple times over, has worked at startups and corporations alike, and has grown a 900+ strong community of founders, investors and operators (and he's still in his 20s). We explore how he's preparing for the ongoing downmarket, his hot takes on consumer tech verticals, plus delve into a series of dramatic life events that have moulded who he is today.
Luke can be found here.
Wait, so I don't have to build my company from scratch?
Andrew Pierno, founder of XO Capital, has a novel approach to SaaS (software-as-a-service) businesses - instead of building them, he buys them, operates them, and sells them on. We discuss what makes a great acquisition, the pragmatic versus moonshot dilemma that most founders face when starting a company, and the most exciting tech use cases coming in the near future.
The SaaS veteran can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
For Claud Williams, it is to equip and empower people with the tools to fulfil their potential, which he does through his company Dream Nation. We discuss the importance of having a vision, how to motivate and inspire others, as well as more unconventional ways to make money and gain positive exposure.
Claud can be found here.
How can I get inspiration for a business idea?
Meet Sam Tukra, founder of Third Eye Intelligence, a predictive medicine artificial intelligence start-up which was inspired by a very personal story. We discuss Sam's long path to starting a company, the current state of healthcare, and the various methods you can use to fund your business idea.
Sam can be found here.
How do you know where to start on your entrepreneurial journey?
Meet Patrick Dobbs, who has been able to leverage his proactivity and people skills to best effect at various operational roles at young start-ups. We discuss finding your niche, uncovering your existing skills, and the importance of trying lots of things to see what sticks - especially when just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey.
Have you ever felt excluded or out-of-place at a new job?
Lack of support for overlooked talent is what Claudine Adeyemi seeks to resolve with CareerEar. We discuss juggling a side hustle with a full-time job, the importance of being authentic, and finding a co-founder.
Claudine can be found here.
How can you all but ensure your future success?
Meet Adil Malik, who after playing around with vehicles since his early teenage years, has turned his talents and hard work into a global technology hardware business. We discuss his almost decade-long journey running a company, his other interests, and trade opinions on current world events.
Adil can be found here.
How do you deal with setbacks?
Ronak Shah, founder of Nordstone, endured a significant life event that changed how he saw the world, and subsequently what he prioritised in life. We discuss leaving a stable office job, what drives people to be entrepreneurs, and what he looks for when hiring coworkers.
Ronak can be found here.
How do you spot the next big thing?
Patrick Reich predicted the rapid adoption of electric vehicles while at university, and has since built Bonnet which earlier this year raised âŹ5 million from venture capital. We discuss grasping opportunities as they come, the venture capital landscape, and the future of energy.
Patrick can be found here.
Stuck in your current office job, dreaming of a more fulfilling life?
Meet Ashley Staines, co-founder of Volunteero, formed in the midst of the pandemic. We discuss taking the leap from a 9-5 and overcoming the fear of failure, plus some great insight into running and growing an early stage start-up.
Ash can be found here.