Shows
GonstFM: Off AirWho is Hattie Erawan? (Interview with Ghost's "Judith")Today we welcome Hattie Erawan onto the podcast. You may know her as Frater Imperator's assistant "Judith" from the Clergy of Ghost, but we are getting to know a little more about the person behind the character. Musician, Model, and now, Ministry Employee, this is her story so far. Hattie Erawan on Instagram Hattie Erawan SoundCloud GonstFM LINKS linktr.ee/gonstFM Follow Papa X Papa X on IG Follow Uncle Ghoul Uncle Ghoul on IG Uncle Ghoul on TikTok ...2025-07-1648 min
Human and The MachineWho’s Allowed to Win?Why does venture funding still feel like an exclusive club and who’s paying the price? In this episode of Human and the Machine, I sit down with Hattie Willis: founder, community builder, and the driving force behind Guestworks and IfWeRaise. Hattie isn’t here to play by the old rules. She’s quietly redesigning how entrepreneurship is taught, funded, and made genuinely accessible, especially for the talent traditional systems leave out.We talk about why the VC model remains broken for most, how “pattern recognition” in AI can reinforce old biases...2025-07-0629 min
Not My First GuessBuilding a Business From Joy Not Fear: Featuring Thea BrookJoin me, Hattie Willis, as I chat with the incredible Thea Brook, a seasoned entrepreneur and CFO-turned-founder, about her remarkable journey from finance to founding her own businesses. We dive into Thea's unconventional background, from training as a dancer to opening a dance school at 20, and how she eventually found her way into finance and entrepreneurship. Thea shares valuable insights on mental health, personal branding, and her approach to social media as a founder. Get ready for a candid and inspiring conversation that will leave you feeling motivated to take control of your own entrepreneurial journey! 2025-02-251h 00
Not My First GuessThe Power of Calling it Quits: When to Step Away: Featuring Joy Mpofu and Cameron OrcuttEver felt the pressure to keep your startup afloat, even when it's not working out? In this episode, we dive into the tough topic of shutting down your business with Joy Mpofu and Cameron Orcutt, two founders who have been there, done that, and lived to tell the tale. They share their honest experiences of closing their companies, and how they supported each other through the process. We explore the stigma of failure in the UK, the importance of having a support system, and the lessons learned from their startup journeys.Join us as...2025-02-1155 min
Not My First GuessHow to Find the Right Funding For You: Featuring Daniel SawkoAre you tired of the painful process of finding investors for your startup? Today, I'm joined by Daniel Sawko, co-founder of ShipShapeVC, who's on a mission to make fundraising easier for founders. In this episode, Daniel shares his journey from consulting to entrepreneurship, and how he's helping founders navigate the complex world of investments. We dive into the importance of empathy in sales strategy, how to reduce the time to accessing capital, and the reasons why founders should focus on building meaningful relationships with investors.If you're struggling to find the right investors for...2025-01-2853 min
Not My First GuessGrowth vs Scale: Building Teams That Last: Featuring Neda SahebelmJoin us as we dive into the inspiring story of Neda, founder of Keshty, as she shares her journey of overcoming rejection, building a successful business, and investing in others. From her experiences as an only child to navigating the world of entrepreneurship, Neda opens up about the lessons she's learned along the way. Don't miss this episode as we explore the importance of org design, rejecting transactional relationships, and building a strong support network. Neda shares her story of starting Keshty, a business that was built on her mission to make a difference. She talks about t...2025-01-1458 min
Not My First GuessInnovators not Imposters: Featuring Cecil AdjaloJoin us for an inspiring conversation with Cecil Adjalo, founder of Foundervine, one of the UK's largest and most vibrant accelerators, having designed a high-impact training program that provides ambitious entrepreneurs with the skills, tools, and support they need to confidently scale their ventures. Cecil has a passion for operational efficiency, automation, and creating data-driven organisations which led him into the field of Data and Analytics. He began his career by troubleshooting issues with hospital database software and later transitioned to management consulting, start-up creation, business intelligence, and strategy, with his passion for data and analytics ultimately leading...2024-12-101h 04
Not My First GuessDesigning for Neuro Inclusivity: Practical Tips for Founders with Autism and ADHD: Featuring Sascha EvansDid you know that 20% of your employees, customers, and friends are likely to be neurodivergent? In today's episode, we're diving into the importance of neuro inclusivity in entrepreneurship, with Sasha Evans, a brilliant entrepreneur and expert in experience design and neurodiversity.Join me, Hattie Willis, as I chat with Sasha about her journey into entrepreneurship, from theatre to startups, and how she's helping founders design for neuro inclusivity. We'll cover practical tips for founders with autism, ADHD, and beyond, as well as how neurotypical founders can create more inclusive experiences for their customers and...2024-11-2655 min
Not My First GuessBuilding Bridges: Supporting Founders and Breaking Myths: Featuring Marcus ExallJoining us this episode is Marcus Exall, serial founder, angel investor, and investor in residence at Virgin Startup. In this episode, Marcus shares his journey from building and exiting a digital advertising company to supporting countless founders along the way. We dive into his early days as an entrepreneur, from running a paper round as a kid to selling tickets at a nightclub, and how those experiences shaped his approach to business. Plus, we debunk some common myths around investment and entrepreneurship, and discuss the importance of freedom and failure in the startup journey. Don't miss this episode...2024-11-1254 min
Not My First GuessPitch Perfect: Unlocking Your Inner Storyteller: Featuring Pascalle BergmansStorytelling is one of the most underrated founder skills! It’s critical for motivating your team, selling to customers, and of course, raising investment. It can also position you as a thought leader, which yes, helps all those things too. But it’s one of the things that trips sooo many founders up.From pitches that make it obvious they were created to follow a formula, to LinkedIn posts that show zero personality, to team talks that end with glazed eyes, it’s so easy to get it wrong. So in this...2024-10-291h 01
Not My First GuessToks on Tech Stacks: Building a Following Alongside Your Product: Featuring Ghita El HaitmyHave you ever wondered how to stay on top of the hottest new tech tools and trends as a founder? Curious how you can leverage platforms like TikTok and Instagram to market your B2B startup in a fun, engaging way?Get ready to learn because in this episode I'm joined by Ghita El Haitmy, the smart and sassy founder of Tech Bible, which empowers professionals to gain a competitive edge by keeping them up-to-date on the latest tech through bite-sized social media content. Ghita has an amazing entrepreneurial journey to share.2024-10-1550 min
Boxcars711 Old Time Radio PodMOVIE: Bob Camardella Remembers "Johnny Come Lately 1943 HD Starring James Cagney"Johnny Come Lately is a 1943 drama film directed by William K. Howard starring James Cagney, Grace George, Marjorie Main and Hattie McDaniel. It was the first film produced by Cagney's brother, William Cagney.The title is derived from the idiom "Johnny Come Lately", which refers to a newcomer who seeks to change an established system.[3] The film centers on a drifter who comes to a new town and is faced with the question of choosing integrity or financial gain.PlotIn 1906, Tom Richards, a drifter, arrives in the small town of Plattsville. He sits...2024-10-051h 37
Not My First GuessFrom Pitch to Payday, The Hidden Costs of Fundraising: Featuring Sam SimpsonHave you ever found yourself drowning in fundraising legals and language? This is the interview you’ve been waiting for… In this episode, we're joined by the brilliant Sam Simpson, Co-founder of FounderCatalyst, who's on a mission to simplify and accelerate the early-stage investment legal journey. Sam's not just talking the talk; he's walked the walk, having co-founded and exited several tech start-ups, including the 17th fastest growing company in Europe in 2017. Oh, and did we mention he took that company from £0 to £27m in less than 4 years? But Sam's not just...2024-07-161h 00
Not My First GuessFrom Entrepreneur to Employee: Lessons From Coconut Founder: Featuring Adam Goodall🚀 What’s it like to go Corporate Employee> Founder > Founder > Corporate Employee? At Not My First Guess we love a squiggly career path! 🏁That’s why we’re so excited to have serial founder, and once again corporate employee, Adam Goodall share his journey and lessons learned, from taking the first leap into full-time entrepreneurship, to deciding when to sell, to why he's enjoying being back in someone else's company. 🌐💡Adam is a serial founder with two startups under his belt - ProConfirm and Coconut. With a background in accounting at PwC, Adam has f...2024-07-0244 min
Not My First GuessHow Every Founder Can Use AI: Featuring Cien SolonAre you worried you’re not using enough AI as a founder? I promise you’re not alone. In fact, after interviewing our incredible guest today, I went away and automated a LOAD of my own processes - sometimes you just need to understand the art of the possible!This episode is a GREAT start - we’re joined by AI advocate Cien Solon, who is on a mission to make “AI for All” with her latest startups Launch Lemonade and Scale that Thing! Cien is a Product-Led Growth expert, a start-up consultant and a constant...2024-06-1845 min
Not My First GuessBecoming Business Barbie and Making Accounting Accessible for Founders: Featuring Rachel HarrisAs well as being “Business Barbie” to her followers on instagram, Rachel Harris, is an award-winning content creator, author, speaker, business owner, and most importantly, an accountant extraordinaire. Named as one to watch on the 35 under 35 list and recently crowned as the First Intuition Apprenticeship Mentor of the Year for 2023, Rachel is a true breakout star in the accounting world.Rachel's passion for empowering accountants and small business owners shines through in her remarkable journey. From building the thriving Accountant She community of over 25,000 people to becoming the youngest-ever director and trustee of AAT, Rache...2024-06-0459 min
Not My First GuessTransforming Management With AI Innovation: Featuring Sarah TouzaniEver wonder what it takes to transform from a passionate leader into a successful startup founder? In this episode, we'll uncover the secrets to building an innovative, AI-powered solution that's revolutionising the way managers drive team performance. Joining us today is Sarah Touzani, the brilliant mind behind Waggle, an AI co-pilot empowering managers with the tools and insights to excel. Building on Sarah’s 15+ years experience in finance and tech, Waggle has already caught the attention of major players like Techstars and JP Morgan. Backed by a talented, diverse team, Sarah has navigated the cha...2024-05-2158 min
Not My First GuessParenting Pioneers: Building Babbu Featuring Charlie RosierJoining us in this episode is Charlie Rosier, a seasoned entrepreneur and fourth-time founder. Her latest venture, Babbu, disrupts the early childhood education space with an innovative online platform tailored for children aged 0-5. Driven by personal experience and insights gained during lockdown conversations with fellow parents, Charlie recognized the overwhelming pressure parents face—spending 37 hours weekly on childcare concerns alone. Determined to alleviate this stress, she birthed Babbu. Rooted in science but crafted by parents, Babbu reimagines the parenting journey, providing a supportive community and expert advice to empower parents in nurturing their children.2024-05-1443 min
Not My First GuessThe Beauty of AI For Good: Featuring Simi Lindgren, Founder of YutyThis episode we are joined by Simi Lindgren Founder of Yuty. Some of you may recognise Simi from our special episode on fundraising as an underrepresented founder, where she was joined by two other incredible guests. But we wanted to take the time to dive deeper into Simi’s story and insights building an AI startup. Simi initially went to med school thinking that she would become a doctor. However, she soon realised that she wasn’t there for the right reasons. This led her to dropping out of her degree...2024-05-0756 min
Not My First GuessStrands of Success: From Instagram Community to Industry Game Changer: Featuring Kate BerskiThis episode we are joined by Kate Berski, Co-Founder of Curlsmith, a high performance, inclusive haircare brand which she started with her husband in 2018. It soon became one of the fastest growing textured hair brands and would go on to retail at Ulta Beauty, Target, Boots and many more. The idea for Curlsmith was formed out of a family struggle to find suitable haircare products for Kate’s nieces’ curly hair. Kate and her husband Michal soon realised that there was a gap in the market with lots of people unable to fi...2024-04-301h 00
The Graduate GuideHattie Willis, Co-Founder @ IfWeRaiseHattie Willis, Founder of GuessWorks and Co-founder of IfWeRaise, shares how she became one of the UK's brightest startup advisors just a couple of years after graduating from university. Hattie reflects on her first entrepreneurial experience as a student at Oxford University and explains what first-time founders can do to set themselves up for success from the very beginning.2024-04-2939 min
Not My First GuessFertile Ground for Founders: Changing Lives and Welcoming New Ones: Featuring Tess CosadThis episode, we are joined by Tess Cosad, the CEO and Co-Founder of Béa Fertility. As someone who takes much of her inspiration from injustice, Tess saw the pain and difficulties that many people were going through in their attempts to build a family, with access and affordability making the journey even more stressful and heartbreaking for many. In comes Béa Fertility, a company that provides clinical-grade fertility treatment that can be shipped straight to your door, and costs 1/20th of what IVF would.Tess has always been passionate ab...2024-04-2355 min
The Innovation ConversationGrowth Mindset, Testing Demand, and Startup Lessons with Hattie WillisInnovation Conversation: Growth Mindset, Testing Demand, and Startup Lessons with Hattie WillisIn this episode of Innovation Conversation, host Ricardo Pascual sits down with Hattie Willis, founder of Guessworks, If We Raise, and Angel Syndicate, to discuss her journey through the startup world and the lessons she’s learned from launching multiple ventures. Hattie shares how she teaches early-stage innovation skills, helps founders assess fundraising readiness, and fosters new groups of angel investors.They dive into:The importance of having a growth mindset and learning new skills as a founder.How to use a cr...2024-04-1846 min
Not My First GuessRethinking Start-up Funding for more Equitable Entrepreneurship: Featuring Andy Ayim MBEThis episode, we are joined by Andy Ayim MBE, a serial founder and Angel Investor who is known for his human centered approach to business. Over a decade ago, Andy cofounded Mixtape Madness, a proudly bootstrapped 7 figure business. When he left day to day operations there, he dove into Product Management with high growth startups such as WorldFirst, acquired for $700m by Ant Financial; and Series C startup Zilch where he was Head of Product Management. In 2018 he took his next leap, to become Managing Director at US based VC firm, Backstage Capital where h...2024-04-161h 03
Not My First GuessBaking in Loyalty: Cakedrop's Recipe for Startup Success - Featuring Nicola Ward, Co-Founder of Cake DropThis episode we are joined by Nicola Ward, Co-Founder of CakeDrop. Having both worked in the City, Nicola and her sister Anna had a conversation about how awkward office birthdays can be. Often forgetting to buy a cake and having to resort to a cheap last minute one from the shop around the corner. They felt that something needed to be done to improve the employee experience in the office and uplevel celebrations at work. This gave way to the idea for CakeDrop. CakeDrop began by delivering artisan cakes to offices for employee birthdays, supported by an online...2024-04-0949 min
Not My First GuessBreaking Barriers: Opportunities For All: Featuring Felicity Halstead, Founder of GoodWorkThis episode we are joined by Felicity Halstead, founder of the company GoodWork. GoodWork is a not-for-profit that works with employers to create employment opportunities for young people from marginalised communities. Having had experience in youth programmes, as well as working with social mobility organisations and supporting entry-level recruitment in her job, Felicity saw first hand that a young person’s results on paper are not an accurate representation of how that person would apply themselves in the workplace. So often organisations would focus on past performance rather than potential. This led to the creation of GoodWork as Fe...2024-04-0258 min
Not My First GuessChanging currencies, changing lives: Featuring Robert Hayward, Founder of GoodFXThis episode, we are joined by Robert Hayward, founder of GoodFX, an international payments B Corp that turns currency conversion into social good, using the profits they make every time their customers trade FX, to support charities and create meaningful job opportunities for refugees. For anyone who doesn’t know, The foreign exchange market, commonly referred to as the Forex or FX, is the global marketplace for trading currencies. Having spent 10 years in the city working in banking, Rob had started to wonder how he could put his skills to use and make a difference in the world. Af...2024-03-2653 min
Escape To The Most Edge-Of-Your-Seat Full Audiobook Today!The Georgia Alchemist by Dan Willis, Tracy HickmanPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/194288to listen full audiobooks.
Title: The Georgia Alchemist
Series: Dragons of the Confederacy Series, Book 2
Author: Dan Willis, Tracy Hickman
Narrator: Alex Knox
Format: mp3
Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
Release date: 03-21-24
Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 7 ratings
Genres: Steampunk
Publisher's Summary:
On the run! Union Engineer Braxton Wright thought his mission into the south was to extract the contents of a top secret Confederate train. Unbeknownst to him, he was a just a pawn in Alan Pinkerton’s plan to break his ace spy Hattie Lawton out of the Castle Thunder Prison. Now fr...2024-03-217h 58
UPFRONT Moment with Lauren CurrieMoment 68: The power of confidence in businessGet ready to level up your business game with our latest podcast episode! Join us as we delve into the transformative power of confidence in the world of entrepreneurship and business with Hattie Willis. Hattie Willis is a founder, facilitator, and host of Not My First Guess.Learn from an industry leader who has harnessed the strength of self-assurance to conquer challenges, drive innovation, and help hundreds of founders achieve remarkable success. From overcoming self-doubt to inspiring teams, this episode is packed with actionable insights and strategies to help you unleash your inner confidence and take...2024-02-2630 min
Not My First GuessDesigning company culture like a customer experience This episode, we are joined by the founders of Future Kind Collective, Alicia Grimes and Natalie Pierce. Having initially met when Natalie interviewed Alicia for a job, the two found themselves working in the same company on strategy and service design projects focused on culture change. What started as a working relationship soon blossomed into a friendship and the two bonded on a shared feeling that something wasn't quite right about traditional culture consulting and that a change was needed. Alicia and Natalie thought that a more holistic approach was called for, with a focus on a genuine ca...2024-01-3153 min
Listen to the Best Full Audiobooks in Mystery, Thriller & Horror, Police & DetectiveDead Pool by Blair HowardPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/738291 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Dead Pool Series: #21 of The Harry Starke Novels Author: Blair Howard Narrator: Tom Lennon Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 8 hours 33 minutes Release date: January 23, 2024 Genres: Police & Detective Publisher's Summary: Murder in Hilden Heights? Was Hattie Baker the victim of a serial killer? On a balmy, late summer morning in Hilden Heights, Hattie Baker is found dead in her pool, and she wasn’t the first. A socialite and successful business owner, Hattie was an excellent swimmer. Even so, her death was ruled an accident. Her boyfriend, Mason Willis, however, doe...2024-01-2303 min
Savor A Unforgettable Full Audiobook On Your Commute.Dead Pool by Blair HowardPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/157861to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Dead Pool
Series: The Harry Starke Novels, Book 21, The Harry Starke, Book 21
Author: Blair Howard
Narrator: Tom Lennon
Format: mp3
Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 01-23-24
Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 11 ratings
Genres: Hard-Boiled
Publisher's Summary:
On a balmy, late summer morning in Hilden Heights, Hattie Baker is found dead in her pool, and she wasn’t the first. A socialite and successful business owner, Hattie was an excellent swimmer. Even so, her death was ruled an accident. Her boyfriend, Mason Willis, however, doesn’t believe it was an a...2024-01-238h 33
Not My First GuessBusiness and bipolar: changing the future of mental health support, with James Roycroft-Davis, Co-Founder of BaselineIn this episode we’re joined by James Roycroft-Davis. James is a Serial Founder, Angel Investor and Host of the UK’s #1 Founder and Investor Mental Health Podcast - Vulnerable.He’s previously started businesses around weightless and dog training, but hadn’t yet found his purpose and the business he wanted to build for the next 10 years, until in March 2023 he was diagnosed with Type 2 Bipolar Affective Disorder. When he started sharing about his diagnosis on his social media he was flooded with messages...2024-01-1646 min
Not My First GuessHow to successfully exit your own company, with Tim DeesonThis episode, we're joined by Tim Deeson, serial founder and angel investor with over 20 years of experience building companies. He started his first company Deeson, which grew to be a multi-million pound digital agency, at age just 20. Tim successfully exited Deeson to co-found GreenShoot Labs, an innovative conversational AI consulting and product development studio. After exiting that, Tim became an Angel Investor and took up a role at LSE as an entrepreneur in residence, giving advice to students, alumni and staff on their start up ideas and business. Alongside all this work, Tim started to...2024-01-0945 min
Not My First GuessAn un-bae-lievable journey: featuring Amardeep Parmar, podcast host and Co-founder of The Bae HQIn this episode we’re joined by Amardeep Parmar, Co-founder of The Bae HQ which is the number one community for British Asian Entrepreneurs; curator of the Tedx Chigwell programme, and host of the Entrepreneurs Handbook. As if that wasn't enough, having written and edited hundreds of Articles around the subject of entrepreneurship, Amar is also an Angel Investor.Before lockdown, Amar was a technology consultant, having graduated with an economics degree. However, when covid hit, Amar decided to invest his time into more creative interests and began writing articles online. He became the second-fastest gro...2023-12-2154 min
Not My First GuessBanker to changemaker: empowering SMES in emerging markets featuring Alberta Asafo-Asamoah, Co-founder of LiquifyToday I’m joined by Alberta Asafo-Asamoah, a social entrepreneur and educationalist, and co-founder of Liquify, an invoice marketplace that enables SMEs in emerging markets to get quick access to affordable cash.Having started her career building deep expertise in the financial world, Alberta left banking in 2018 to pursue a career in impact investing because she wanted to combine her knowledge and experience in financing, with her passion for social issues and social change. This led Alberta to founding Algebra In The City (AITC), an educational tuition and consultancy business. Hav...2023-12-1448 min
Not My First GuessFundraising Special Part 2 (Back By Popular Demand)This episode is a little bit special. We're doing our second fundraising compilation, taking different tips and hard won lessons from our founders we've interviewed before. In this episode, we're going to focus on five founders:1. Jay Richards: At the time of interview, Jay's company Imagen had 25, 000 community members across 111 countries, having raised just 400k. Incredible growth. Here Jay talks about how some founders have a grit that means they can just go further with less. Curious about Imagen? Learn more here: https://imageninsights.com/2. Valentina Milanova: Valentina has raised several rounds of funding for h...2023-11-2845 min
Book Delight with Chrissie WrightEp 20 - Giftable Nonfiction with Melissa LaSalleThis week on Book Delight we are welcoming guest Melissa LaSalle aka @thebookmommy to discuss giftable nonfiction.Today, Melissa is book-talking high-interest, new-release browseable nonfiction. Melissa is a book blogger at www.whattoreadtoyourkids.com, and kids book buyer at Old Town Books in Alexandria, VA.Every year, Melissa puts together a holiday gift guide of great books to give to kids. Today, she's sharing some favorites from her roundup of Browseable Nonfiction & Novelty Books for ages 2-15.FEATURED BOOKS:STOMP AND CHOMP: MY FIRST BOOK OF DINOSAURS by Simon MolePIZZA, PICLES & APPLE...2023-11-2026 min
Not My First GuessWhat VCs don't tell you when you're raising with Jasmin Thomas, serial Founder & Angel InvestorToday I’m joined by Jasmin Thomas, Serial Founder & Angel Investor.After a successful career building the first teams of unicorns like Deliveroo, Algemy, Improbable and Dark Trace, Jasmin turned her hand to her own business.Having been diagnosed with MS, Jasmin had experienced the benefits of CBD oil first hand, from relieving period cramps to flare ups she was having.From this, she was inspired to start her own efficacious skincare company, Ohana Health. However, as she soon found out, having a CBD based product brings even more challenges than your regular st...2023-09-1937 min
Not My First GuessThe simple mantra you need to succeed with marketing featuring Jacqui Patton, Founder of Ink Blot CreativeToday I’m joined by Jacqui Patton, Founder of Ink Blot Creative.After training as an actress, Jacqui’s life took some twists and turns, including an eye-watering stint as the lady behind the number dishing out hair removal emergency advice at Veet, before finding her way into the world of marketing.A truly natural and masterful communicator, it’s no surprise that a simple (yet radically candid) conversation with the new CEO accidentally landed her the role of Head of Comms at RBS International.There she honed her craft and when life radica...2023-09-0541 min
Plumfield MomsOur Reading Life: September 2023Tanya's References:
Sun Slower Sun Faster by Meriol Trevor
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
The School that Escaped the Nazis by Deborah Cadbury
Landmark Books
Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson
Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley by Ann Rinaldi
Sarah's References:
In the Tunnel by Julie Lee
Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee
Medical Corps Heroes by Wyatt Blassingame
A Town Like Alice by Neville Shute
The House of...2023-09-031h 24
Not My First GuessThe truth about finance and overnight success with Abigail Foster, Founder of ElentToday I’m joined by Abi Foster, Founder of Elent.After becoming a qualified ACA Chartered Accountant, Abi began her professional career in the luxury magazine sector at Condé Nast, before moving on to Hearst Publishing's finance department.She enjoyed spending time outside of work supporting colleagues and friends to better understand their own personal finances, though through this experience Abi noticed that many people, specifically women and young people, had low financial literacy and had received little to no financial education in school or at university.From this realisation, Elent was born.2023-08-2253 min
Not My First GuessFlush with ideas to end pollution - period with Martha Silcott, Founder of FabLittleBagToday I’m joined by Martha Silcott, Founder of FabLittleBag.Martha invented FabLittleBag after she was forced to smuggle her used tampon from the bathroom to her handbag at a friends dinner party when faced without a bin in their downstairs loo. The experience was so awful that she decided to do something about it and the more she looked into it, the more she was horrified at the impact of flushing tampons and pads down the toilet.Determined to bring her invention to market she left the corporate world behind and set out to ch...2023-08-0856 min
Not My First GuessMake the earth move: how to build a sustainable sextech business with Farah Kabir, Co-founder of HANXToday I’m joined by Farah Kabir, Co-founder of HANX.One day, while enjoying a stable career in Asset Management at Goldman Sachs, Farah stood in line at her local Boots ready purchase a box of condoms when she realised her boss was standing behind her.Utterly mortified, Farah felt the very relatable pang of shame rise within her until… she suddenly thought “actually, why should I be embarrassed about this?” and so over a bottle (or two) of wine, she decided to jump into bed with her best friend Sarah (who also happens to be a doc...2023-07-2556 min
Not My First GuessSpecial Episode: FundraisingToday I'm very excited because we are doing a special episode all about fundraising.This is a topic I get asked about all the time from founders wanting to know who they should go to for investment, what investors are really looking for, and what they should be asking investors in turn.It's a topic we've talked about a ton on this podcast. We've had angel investors give their perspective, venture capitalists share theirs, and founders of all different stages talk about their journeys. So it seemed only right that we start to amalgamate some...2023-07-1134 min
Not My First GuessTrauma Tech, a real usecase for VR with Sanya Rajpal, Founder and CEO of AdagioVRToday I’m joined by Sanya Rajpal, Founder and CEO of AdagioVR.Sanya is an Activist, International Development Expert and Serial Entrepreneur dedicated to transforming systems that unleash individual potential - and a truly remarkable individual in her own right.She built her first company while at Law School, Dignifly, with the goal to empower people to transform their own lives and solve problems in their communities and the world.She then went on to the UN to focus on growing tech entrepreneurship ecosystems before co-founding her latest venture, AdagioVR with her father....2023-06-2759 min
Not My First GuessWhy being a generalist is a founder superpower with Milly Tamati, Founder & Chief Generalist of Generalist WorldToday I’m joined by Milly Tamati, founder and CEO of Generalist World.After growing up on a farm in rural New Zealand, Milly set herself the North Star of travelling the world in her twenties. Driven by a deep desire to keep moving, she found herself venturing down the path of entrepreneurship as a way of funding her wanderlust.Along her journey, she’s founded multiple businesses across the globe as a solo and a co-founder; including one of the largest hop on hop off wine tours in Victoria, Australia.Though it was...2023-06-1352 min
Not My First GuessWhat a founder of four learned about becoming founder fit with Victoria Armstrong, Angel Investor & Board Advisor for Female Founders RiseToday I’m joined by Victoria Armstrong, Angel Investor, Advisor and Mentor. Victoria is an inspiring player on and off the pitch with an impressive entrepreneurial background of 20 years worth of experience in rapidly growing start-ups including Biotech, Mental health and SaaS, and has the stories to prove it. She’s invested her journey across three very different markets (New Zealand, the US, and the UK), in seven different startups, four of which she founded and exited, with one being acquired out of the US. Victoria now holds multiple board and advisory positions in various tech businesses and immensely enjo...2023-05-3057 min
FounderTech DecodedFounderTech Decoded | The FounderTech Collective - Live 15th May 2023In this special edition of the FounderTech Decoded Podcast we document the first live in person gathering of the UK community at the invite only FounderTech Collective event in London - 15/5/23.
Over the course of the evening we explore via a 4 part fireside chat format, the key themes and strands that have emerged over 5 x Series over the past year of the FounderTech Decoded podcast.
It's a chance to intimately listen in to the emerging debate live the room, that is also hopefully shaping and informing the future of this important conversation for startup ecosystem.2023-05-162h 00
Not My First GuessRising from Dragons Den ashes to change the game for female founders with Emmie Faust, Founder Of Female Founders RiseToday I’m joined by Emmie Faust, Serial Entrepreneur, Investor, Advisor, Mum of four, Host of The Growth Podcast with Emmie Faust and Founder of Female Founders Rise.Emmie is an experienced exited entrepreneur with over 20 years in digital marketing, having personally scaled and sold not one, not two, but three businesses. She also has the rare and exceptional tale of facing modern day dragons on Dragons’ Den and winning - though her investment didn’t come without battle scars.Last year, Emmie decided to take on a new adventure and set out on a missio...2023-05-1659 min
Not My First GuessWhy confidence isn't one size fits all with Lauren Currie (OBE), Founder of UPFRONTToday I’m joined by Lauren Currie (OBE) Founder of UPFRONT and Host of the podcast UPFRONT Moment with Lauren Currie.UPFRONT is an organisation dedicated to changing confidence, visibility, and power for 1 million women and non-binary people. The idea was born of Laurens own frustration with the lack of women speakers and the dominance of all-male panels at conferences. She’s been doing this work since 2016 and wherever she goes, it’s her aim to take other women with her and amplify their voices. She and the UPFRONT team do this through Bonds (6-week course), The UPFRON...2023-05-0259 minFounderTech Decoded21 | Hattie Willis | Co-Founder @ IfWeRaise, Host @ Not My First Guess podcast, Founder @ GuessWorks | How To Challenge The Odds When They’re Stacked Against YouIn this episode of the FounderTech Decoded podcast we talk to Hattie Willie, who is deeply involved in the ongoing support and development of founders navigating the early stage ecosystem from a capital, personal narrative and wellbeing point of view.
Drawing on that broad experience, we explore how a typical founder has to experience and endure wave after wave of rejection. Which means that psychologically they to have a degree of resilience that is too commonly unacknowledged let alone understood, when charting a course to launch their startup and navigate trying to secure early stage venture.
Added to that, we di...2023-04-2436 min
Not My First GuessHow to find your perfect partner in life and business with Jessica Alderson, Co-founder and CEO of So SyncdToday I’m joined by Jessica Alderson, Co-founder and CEO of So Syncd.So Syncd is a dating app and website that matches compatible personality types.Based on the 16 personality types theory, So Syncd is the first dating app to connect compatible personality types by pairing couples who have just enough similarities to understand each other and just enough differences to create a spark.After breaking up with her boyfriend of three years (who she moved to Australia with) Jess returned to London ready to date again, but was left disappointed after meeting pe...2023-04-1859 min
Not My First GuessHow thinking like a monk can make you a better founder with Joyeeta Das, Co-founder & CEO of Samudra OceansToday I’m joined by Joyeeta Das, Co-founder & CEO of Samudra Oceans. Joy is a serial deep-tech entrepreneur who’s founded five startups, three of which have had successful exits. She’s also an influential and active member of the wider startup community with additional roles as an advisor and investor. She’s scaled projects to hundreds of million of dollars in revenue, managing teams of three to 800 strong so she has a lot to teach us from startup to scaleup.Our conversation is a little bit different again today as it focuses more on Joy’s collecti...2023-04-0459 min
Not My First GuessWhat a pig can teach you about serving customers with Matt Meeker, Co-founder, CEO and Exec Chairman of BarkThis episode is a little flashback for us, jumping back to a conversation Hattie had with Matt Meeker, Co-Founder, Executive Chairman and CEO (that’s Canine Enrichment Officer) at Bark, and former founder of Meetup. Today, when she’s teaching founders how to test their ideas in the early stages, Hattie still comes back to how Matt tested both Meetup and Bark with customers, and with so many valuable insights and lessons, it seemed rude not to have this available as part of this series! So with Matt’s kind permission, we’re thrilled to welcome the episode to its new...2023-03-2140 min
Not My First GuessGrowing to over £1million in annual revenue without funding with Lottie Unwin, founder of Copy ClubCopy Club is a community for marketers who want to help each other do great things. And there’s a lot of them out there with the Copy Club community having grown to over 1000 members from over 800 brands since Lottie founded it in 2014.After working with massive global brands including Proctor & Gamble, Lacoste, and Dolce & Gabbana, Lottie created Copy Club as a means to feel less lonely in her job as Head of Marketing for PROPERCORN, who were at the time one of the five fastest growing businesses in the UK.She didn’t know wher...2023-03-0757 min
Not My First GuessBuilding a business from one of life's toughest obstacles with Alexia Baron, founder of Porto&BelloPorto and Bello are an accessible clothing brand that seeks to help ease some of the fear and anxiety around cancer treatment by focusing on the person and not just the patient.Alexia launched Porto and Bello in 2021, with husband Josh, following her own experience of being treated for breast cancer which she was diagnosed with at 29, 34 weeks pregnant with her second child, in March 2020 - five days before the very first covid lockdown.This is a bit of a different episode for us as Alexia graciously opens up about her powerful and very personal...2023-02-2159 min
Not My First GuessGrowing a Gynae Startup and Tackling Tampon Taboos- with Daye Founder, Valentina MilanovaDaye are on a mission: to close the gender pain gap, and overcome historical gender biases in medical research and product innovation. They launched their first product, CBD tampons in 2019, with a focus on sustainability and pain relief, and have since branched out to other products supporting vaginal health, including their latest product- vaginal screening using a tampon sample.But they're not stopping there- hoping to democratize access to insightful gynaecological health information which is not typically available through other providers or through the NHS.At the time of recording, Daye have raised several rounds...2022-12-2053 min
Not My First GuessWhen it all goes wrong after the IPO, with former Eve Mattress Co-founder Kuba WieczorekMost founders dream of going public- but what happens after you ring the bell, if share prices tank, and the company you used to leap out of bed to run is destroying your mental health?For anyone who hasn’t heard of Eve mattresses, they were one of the first companies in the UK to offer a mattress in a box- and the countries fastest retail IPO at the time they went public just a couple of years after launching. They disrupted the standard business model of having to invest in retail stores where customers could try be...2022-12-0659 min
Not My First GuessFundraising as a Diverse Founder, with Guests Simi Lindgren, Nick Telson and Farah KabirRecorded live from Sifted Summit, this episode unpacks the challenges of fundraising as a diverse founder, practical tips on fundraising, and what we can do at individual, organisational, and systems levels to fix inequities in the startup ecosystem.Our incredible guests are:Simi Lindgren is the founder of Yuty, tackling bias in AI to match customers based on ethnicity, skin type and medical condition to the best beauty products. They raised £500k in their pre-seed, making Simi just the 10th black female founder to gain VC backing in the UK. Nick Telson took his first startup, De...2022-11-0147 min
Not My First GuessFounding the first female urinal with Amber Probyn, Founder of PeequalWhat is a female urinal and why does it matter? Ever walked past a massive queue for the ladies, while the queue for the mens is non-existent and wondered why? Ever wondered what the solution is? Women have to urinate more often and on average for longer than men. Plus, we have more reason to visit the loo (typically we take on more care duties for children or adults who need assistance, plus menstruation ). Our toilets also take up more space, so we tend to have fewer places to go, because venues focus on equal squ...2022-10-1851 min
Not My First GuessStartup wrecks, smarter fundraising, and rattling the accelerator model, Chris Howard, founder of the RattleMeet serial entrepreneur, angel investor, musician, physicist and self-professed big geek Chris Howard!Chris has raised millions in investment for his own startups, taught entrepreneurship by giving founders £100 and a raspberry pie, and started to invent an "anti-accelerator" at his new startup, The Rattle. In this episode Chris shares: How he wrecked his first startup after raising $2.2m for it, by ignoring product market fit3 questions every prospective founder should ask themselves (in the voice of batman)The difference between market and invention led entrepreneurshipTips on how to reach out to investors and what to...2022-09-2759 min
Not My First GuessMatching profit, purpose and sustainable growth, with Wai Foong Ng, founder of MatchableMeet Foong, reformed Consultant turned Founder, who loved her colleagues at PWC, but found she lacked Purpose in her work. When Foong made the leap, it was to Matchable, a company intent on helping people like her find more purpose by volunteering their specialist skills to startups and charities; which are impact heavy but resource poor.Today, Matchable has projects ranging from transforming Columbian farmers into cacao entrepreneurs using Blockchain, to helping children deal with grief using Augmented Reality and AI; and clients ranging from Seed funded startups like Heights, to massive names like Dentsu I...2022-09-0650 min
Not My First GuessStarting & scaling a thriving health startup, with Eliot Brooks, co-founder of ThrivaHow do you test a blood testing business, when none of the co-founders come from a clinical background? What happens when your entire investor pipeline disappears overnight? What do you do when customers just aren't buying? And what's it like scaling a health tech startup from 0 to 130 staff, and over a 100k customers? The person to ask is Eliot Brooks, co-founder of Thriva and former COO. We spoke the week Eliot stepped down to make space to explore new entrepreneurial endeavours; after 7 years spent building the company.Thriva have raised £11m so far, including £6m raise...2022-08-2342 min
Not My First GuessThe psychology of sales & making emails fun to write, with William Ballance, founder of LavenderWhat do you have to do to make your customers love you so much, they'll get a tattoo of your logo? Especially when it's a "boring" B2B tool for writing better cold emails... Lavender's founder William Ballance may not quite have gotten his own head around why customers love them this much; but he's certainly cracked building a product and brand customers rave about. There's a lot to learn along William's journey as a serial founder, whatever your industry or business model. In this episode we discuss: Pivoting businesses, fro...2022-08-091h 00
Not My First GuessDoing design thinking & rapid prototyping, with Nirish Shakya, host of Design FeelingDesign thinking is a buzzword we hear a lot in the startup space- but what is it really all about? Should you be trying it? Is it too late to get started? And how might it speed up your route to market and loyal customers who keep coming back for more? In this episode, Hattie is joined by Nirish Shakya, a design thinking and user experience design expert. For the past 15 years, he has been helping organisations across the UK, Europe and the Asia-Pacific create impactful customer experiences by empowering teams to put their customers first, collaborative...2022-07-2659 min
Not My First GuessVC turned social impact founder, with Anieke Lamers, founder of PeekabondAfter earning few thousand euros selling toasties at school, you may think founding a company would have been Anieke's first stop post university. But a horrendous hackathon experience initially put her off the no sleep, stinky side of entrepreneurship. Instead, she started out in the corporate world, though quickly made her way into Venture Capital, where she invested in Social Impact ventures at Rubio. Her desire to sit the other side of the table never wore off though, so she quit to start her own company, taking with her the VC mindset and key questions...2022-07-1242 min
Design FeelingEnd of Season 1 Recap: Learnings and ReflectionsIt’s the end of the first season of the Design Feeling Podcast! In this episode, host, Nirish Shakya, recaps the 12 guest interviews and shares his top learnings and reflections from them. If this is your first time listening to the Design Feeling Podcast, this might be a good start to start. It’ll give you a taster of all the conversations we’ve had in the show so far so you can pick and choose the episodes you want to listen to in full. Nirish also gives a sneak peak of what’s coming in Seaso...2022-07-0742 min
Not My First GuessDoing good through grief tech, with Emily Cummin, founder of UntangleThis week's interviewee, Emily Cummin, is carving out a new industry- not quite Death Tech, but Grief Tech instead. Her platform, Untangle was founded to help people dealing with big loss, whether bereavement or divorce, to cope with the emotional and practical fall out. Untangle are still pre-revenue, but are just about to turn on a series of income streams, having already built a more than 40k strong instagram community, and a user base of 12.5k people, with strong retention, engagement and referrals.In this episode Emily shares her entrepreneurship journey so far, including lessons l...2022-06-2845 min
Not My First GuessThe power of qualitative research & Gen Z, with Jay Richards, founder of Imagen InsightsHow do you unlock the opinions of a generation? And what does it change when you can tap into qualitative research at scale? The person to ask is Jay Richards, co-founder of Imagen Insights, which helps big brands like Amazon Prime, Sky, Puma, the NFL, Pepsico and many more, to access thousands of Gen Z opinions, within 48 hours. Not coming from a traditional marketing or research agency background, Jay hasn't felt he has to do things the traditional way. From creating a SaaS business model, instead of an agency bodyshop; to setting totally different working...2022-06-1457 min
Not My First GuessBehind the venture capital curtain, with Zoe Peden, Partner at Ananda Impact VenturesVenture Capital claims a lot of Techcrunch headlines, covers our Linkedin timelines, and eats months of our lives and runway, as founders fundraising. But, it can be hard to separate the celebrations of fundraises, from whether Venture Capital is really right for you as a founder, what it will cost you personally, and what is going to increase your chances of success if you do choose that path.Who better to help us debunk some of the myths around venture capital, alongside offering incredibly practical advice, than a former founder who has sat on both...2022-06-0754 min
Not My First GuessAngel investing to make a difference, with Ash Phillips, Angel Investor and Founder of DffrntWhat do you need to know as a founder raising early stage, pre-seed or seed funding? Who are angels? What do they care about? How do they make investment decisions? What should you be asking of them? And what can you do to increase your chances of a successful raise? In this episode we meet founder of entrepreneurial community Dffrnt, Ash Phillips, who became an Angel investor with Ada Ventures to invest in more diverse, typically underrepresented and overlooked founders. Together, we dive into: What Ash looks for in founders he invests inHow...2022-05-3147 min
Design FeelingRunning your own race, understanding your business model and making smart guesses with Hattie Willis#013 - Designing involves innovating. However, innovation requires a lot of guesswork. Making intentional guesses requires the right mindset, techniques and courage. In this episode, Hattie Willis, founder of the entrepreneurship education company, Guessworks, shares her biggest learnings from the world of venture building and corporate innovation. Hattie unlayers the real drivers that help changemakers innovate - exposing yourself to the right amount of risk and understanding not just designs, products and technologies, but also business models.In this episode:Pick your own race that gives you energyHave your own authentic story to tellBe aware of where...2022-05-261h 04
Not My First GuessSelling affordable luxury: from Secret Sales to 7879, with Sach KukadiaMany founders dream of the moment their company is acquired. But no-one imagines that post acquisition they may be forced to fire the employees who helped build the startup over 10 years, watch the company they built lose millions in value, and ultimately, have to buy it back to save their legacy. That was Sach Kukadia's journey in Secret Sales. Luckily, he was able to build back some of the value, for a second sale that was, as he describes "a gentle dismount". But, the process still left him and his co-founder/brother Nish, completely burned out. 2022-05-1759 min
Not My First GuessStocking supermarkets, building as a solo founder, and creating joy, with Ellie WebbIdeas often come from experiencing frustration first hand. That's exactly what happened to Ellie. While giving up alcohol for a month, she got fed up with the lack of options available in lieu of her traditional G&T. That, coupled with career frustration, that she couldn't get a job building a consumer facing brand, led her to create her own. She launched Caleño- a non-alcoholic drinks brand, to bring more joy to those choosing to go alcohol free. Today, Caleño has both d2c and traditional retail channels: including Sainsburys, Waitrose and M&S and rest...2022-05-1059 min
Not My First GuessKitchen to 40k+ community and £1.5m crowdfund, with Sophie Meislin Baron, founder of MamamadeEpisode #2: Meet Sophie Meislin Baron Sophie is a first time founder, who launched her startup after experiencing the pains of going back to work after having a baby, and finding no good options for easy weaning. She grew an incredibly engaged community by sharing candidly about parenthood, including her own lack of fulfilment when she had her first child. So far, Mamamade have built a community of more than 40,000 parents, sold 20,000 meals in 2021, and are on track for an annual revenue of £1m in 2020.But having not set out to found a startup, it took Sop...2022-05-0151 min
Not My First GuessLessons from Y Combinator, Burnout, Investing and Book Writing, with Devin HuntEpisode #1: Meet Devin HuntDevin is a serial founder, investor and startup mentor. His first startup was accepted onto Y Combinator, on a cohort with Dropbox, Songkick and Disqus, but ultimately failed. His second startup Lyst is still going strong, raising a pre-IPO round of funding at a reported $700m valuation in 2021. But Devin, having burned out and left the company, also went on to found two more startups. The first, Foundercentric, taught founders "how to suck less" by getting fast and continuous feedback from real customers, and his latest venture, Useful books, he...2022-05-011h 06
This Month in Biscayne TimesThe Race is on For City of Miami District 5There was a stack of household items in the corner of Miami City Commissioner Jeffrey Watson’s office, objects like a cooler, bottled water, bug spray, a portable fan, bleach, paper towels, masks, wipes and other items. They were part of a presentation by Communities United. To continue running the nonprofit organization’s Senior First Disaster Preparedness program in District 5, executive director Hattie Willis needed $30,000...Thanks for listening! For more local news visit BiscayneTimes.com.2021-10-0911 min
Paradise PodAlways Something Cookin' at Old Joe Willis' PlaceAnother OG pod - Josh and Don recap two Nashville SC draws.GARY used PREFERRED XI - It's not very effective?!?Blaise Matuidi makes his MLS debut against the danged Boys in Acoustic BlueNew man Alex Muyl-you-marry-me gets some praiseIs Nashville SC the grittiest, most lunch pail bringingest team in history?Are we still happy with our old friends from USL getting important minutes?Running plays on set pieces *taps head furiously* HATTIE JEAN!!! HATTIE JEAN!!!Lazy commentary from Alexi Lalas and the FS1 crewWhat will we look like this weekend with a full week of rest and pr...2020-09-081h 12
Embrace This Mind-Blowing Full Audiobook — Perfect This Weekend.History Of The Brain, A (Complete) by Geoff BunnPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/394173to listen full audiobooks.
Title: History Of The Brain, A (Complete)
Author: Geoff Bunn
Narrator: Jonathan Forbes, Paul Bhattacharjee
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 2 hours 16 minutes
Release date: December 8, 2011
Genres: Arts & Entertainment
Publisher's Summary:
Dr. Geoff Bunn presents a journey through 5000 years of our understanding of the most complex thing in the known universe: the brain, in this major ten-part BBC Radio 4 series.Human beings have long been fascinated by the brain and how it fulfils its many functions. This groundbreaking cultural history explores the development of our ideas about the mind from Neolithic times...2011-12-082h 16
Grab the Top Full Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir, Arts & EntertainmentHistory Of The Brain, A (Complete) by Geoff BunnPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/394173 to listen full audiobooks. Title: History Of The Brain, A (Complete) Author: Geoff Bunn Narrator: Jonathan Forbes, Paul Bhattacharjee Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 2 hours 16 minutes Release date: December 8, 2011 Genres: Arts & Entertainment Publisher's Summary: Dr. Geoff Bunn presents a journey through 5000 years of our understanding of the most complex thing in the known universe: the brain, in this major ten-part BBC Radio 4 series.Human beings have long been fascinated by the brain and how it fulfils its many functions. This groundbreaking cultural history explores the development of our ideas about the mind from Neolithic...2011-12-0805 min
Download Popular Titles Audiobooks in Science & Technology, Psychology & The MindA History of the Brain: Complete Series Audiobook by Geoff BunnPlease open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.
Title: A History of the Brain: Complete Series
Author: Geoff Bunn
Narrator: Paul Bhattacharjee, Jonathan Forbes
Format: Original Recording
Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
Language: English
Release date: 12-06-11
Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited
Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 16 votes
Genres: Science & Technology, Psychology & The Mind
Publisher's Summary:
Dr. Geoff Bunn presents a journey through 5,000 years of our understanding of the most complex thing in the known universe: the brain, in this major 10-part BBC Radio 4 series. Human...2011-12-062h 16