In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair is joined by his co-founder Luke Streeter and seasoned entrepreneur Stuart McLeod, who opens up about his journey of founding, scaling and exiting two companies - PayCycle and Karbon.

Stuart sheds light on the unpredictability of entrepreneurship, the importance of resilience and introduces his latest venture, Waverly Studios. While discussing strategic opportunities, cap table complexities and all the challenges along the way, Stuart get candid about the setbacks and the moments of self-reflection.

The trio discuss seizing strategic opportunities, funding challenges and the impact of AI, This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and anyone navigating the complexities of start-up ventures!

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:30 - Introduction to Waverly Studios

00:04:02 - Building and selling PayCycle

00:09:47 - Selling to Xero

00:13:33 - Building for exit

00:14:19 - Unexpected opportunities with Xero

00:16:31 - Learning from Xero

00:19:24 - Transition to Karbon

00:23:43 - Scale and confidence

00:26:59 - Funding and early days

00:28:34 - Challenges in raising funds

00:32:37 - Lessons from PayCycle

00:35:04 - Board composition and value

00:39:46 - Navigating tough decisions

00:40:48 - Cap table challenges

00:43:04 - Venture studio vs. accelerator

00:45:43 - Youth sports management platform

00:49:21 - Market sizing and purpose-driven ventures

00:53:33 - Studio operations and business scalability

00:55:59 - Diversifying ventures

00:59:59 - Angel investing and personal focus

01:00:46 - The power of data and metrics

In this episode of Seed to Success Alastair sits down with Emma Rees, CEO and co-founder of Deployed, who shares her unique journey and insights as a female founder in tech. She opens up about her experiences navigating the complexities of a male-dominated industry and emphasises the need for allyship among women in business.

Emma highlights the importance of timing, mentorship and the lessons learnt from early ventures. Discussing the very specific challenges of building an enterprise SaaS, Emma shares valuable insights for fundraising, project management and maintaining a work-life balance.

With a candid account of the struggles and successes she’s faced as a female entrepreneur, Emma offers practical ideas for real change. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about tackling gender imbalances and fostering inclusivity in the tech world!

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Redefining success

00:00:47 - Deployed's mission

00:01:50 - Growth and recognition

00:03:29 - From hairdressing to tech

00:09:08 - Lessons from early ventures

00:14:11 - Timing in business

00:17:08 - Managing a product team

00:20:59 - Building a strong engineering team

00:24:13 - Building an MVP for enterprise customers 00:28:07 - Working with enterprise customers

00:31:01 - CAC and sales cycle

00:32:20 - Benefits of mentoring groups

00:36:43 - Co-founding a business with family and friends

00:40:30 - Lack of female allyship

00:43:56 - Gender bias in business conversations

00:46:45 - Addressing gender roles and equality

00:48:26 - What is success?

00:51:28 - Advice for founders

00:55:22 - The struggle of present reflection

00:54:43 - Connecting with Emma

In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair chats to Adam Oskwarek, founder of Zopeful Climate who shares his entrepreneurial journey building successful businesses with a climate-focused approach. He delves into the complexities of carbon removal start-ups, the significance of sustainable growth, and the impact of external funding on business growth, sharing alternative approaches to traditional start-up models.

Adam shares his lessons learned from previous ventures and provides practical and valuable insights for aspiring founders. His commitment to creating purposeful, impactful change is a driving force behind his venture and his journey offers a unique perspective for entrepreneurs seeking sustainable growth and climate-focused strategies.

Adam's experiences serve as a source of valuable lessons and inspiration for entrepreneurs looking to implement purposeful business sustainability.

_

Show notes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:18 - What is Zopeful Climate?

00:03:41 - The mission

00:05:00 - Evolution of carbon removal

00:08:37 - Building Zopeful Climate

00:11:48 - Lessons from previous ventures

00:15:49 - The resilience mindset of successful founders

00:18:31 - Embracing the gritty reality of entrepreneurship

00:22:32 – Alternative models for funding

00:27:03 - The impact of external capital on business direction

00:29:23 - Finding purpose through market research

00:31:12 - Quick iteration and feedback loop

00:34:50 - Personal passion and business success

00:38:33 - Tracking metrics and lead indicators

00:40:54 - Advice for founders