Join 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!

Timestamps:

• 05:00 - Thea's unusual background and how it influenced her entrepreneurial path
• 12:30 - The importance of talking to yourself kindly and reframing your self-talk
• 20:00 - How Thea transitioned from finance to entrepreneurship and found her calling
• 30:00 - Thea's approach to personal branding and social media as a founder

Links:

• Thea’s LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/theabrook
• Thea’s website: https://www.theabrook.com/

Ever 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 we shortcut our learnings as founders together! 🚀

Links:

• Joy’s LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/joy-mpofu-394a1655
• Cameron’s LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/cameronorcutt

Are 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 your startup, or simply want to learn more about the world of fundraising, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Timestamps:

• [02:15] Daniel's journey from consulting to entrepreneurship
• [10:30] The importance of empathy in sales strategy
• [16:45] How ShipShapeVC helps founders find the right investors
• [25:00] The benefits of having a sales strategy that includes SMEs

Links:

• Daniel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielsawko/?originalSubdomain=uk
• ShipShape.vc website: https://www.shipshape.vc/