Introduction: The Funding Landscape
Raising your first investment round is hard work. Founders often spend months cold-emailing investors, refining pitch decks, presenting to rooms of sceptics, and navigating the long road of due diligence. 

It’s been a tricky two years for the deals market here in the UK and the FT’s recent article really emphasises how frustrated founders are feeling. I review and comment on the quarterly data for KPMG’s Venture Pulse reports (KPMG Private Enterprise quarterly global report on venture capital trends) and honestly, even as a glass half full type of person, it’s been hard to stay positive when looking at the stats. How many times can you say ‘there’s still plenty of dry powder which needs to be deployed, we’re just waiting for this period of uncertainty to pass’ before it starts to sound disingenuous? 

To onboard early users as a founder, start with direct, personal outreach. Message potential users through LinkedIn, Twitter, or email. Not with a hard pitch, but by asking for feedback and involving them in the journey. Focus your efforts on a very specific niche or ICP (ideal customer profile) so your messaging resonates deeply and you can be efficient with your time. Be laser-focused on speaking to the right people in the right levels of seniority so you can get higher conversions and stronger product-market fit.

I never set out to follow a traditional career path. In fact, I’ve spent most of my career doing the opposite—questioning the way things have always been done, stepping into stretch roles, and making bold career moves that didn’t always make sense on paper. Every defining moment in my career happened because I ignored the typical playbook.

I am a lawyer. Give me a set of rules. Give me a problem. Understand the problem. Apply former to the latter. Understand the client, the business, the industry and the technology. Horizon scan, be commercial, flex communication style. Deliver. I am good at it, and I enjoy it.

I remember my first “job in tech” well. It was my final year of high school, and a friend of my father needed his printing machine fixed. All I had to do was preinstall some drivers. Simple enough. But that small task unexpectedly landed me my first real job as a programmer at a small Bulgarian company owned by my father’s friend. 

Adopting a beginner’s mindset and sense of curiosity is a good place to start. Recognising that we are never the finished product I am always striving to surround myself by those more talented than me and those who inspire me to be better. That can take the form of informal mentors / advisors as well as peer communities of entrepreneurs to share experiences and learn from. Also being open to feedback and creating opportunities for colleagues to share openly, whether it be in a 121 or through a regular semi-structured feedback process is a great way of addressing any blind spots.

Burnout doesn’t strike like a lightning bolt out of nowhere. It builds over time as you push through exhaustion, override discomfort, and convince yourself that slowing down isn’t an option. 

As founders, we live under relentless pressure. Not just to succeed, but to keep on going. To lead the way. To carry the weight of our vision. That kind of pressure rewires you. You adapt, push harder, and tell yourself this is just how it’s meant to be. 

Building Businesses Together is a practical guide for aspiring entrepreneurs, packed with actionable strategies and real-world insights.

As a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of decacorn Blockchain.com the book is rooted in my experience mentoring thousands of startups through Skysthelimit.org and lays out a step-by-step framework covering everything from product-market fit to funding and scaling. With discussion guides, checklists, and case studies, it’s more than just theory—it’s a proven process for launching and growing a successful business. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining an existing venture, this book provides for practical, results-driven entrepreneurship.

What were your biggest learnings at MIP,IOD,Teneo and your time as Editor in Chief at City AM (2015 to 2020) and how have you sought to apply them this time?
I started my career at MIP, a small Westminster PR firm that was run by a former Fleet Street hack called Nick Wood. Nick ran the office like a newsroom and I gained a lot of experience in the mechanics and operations of the news industry. I even picked up the lingo and learned how to drink a lot at lunchtime. Those were the days. I left MIP to do a Masters in Journalism, from where I went to the IoD as chief spokesperson for the business lobby group, interacting with the media on a daily basis. That was good grounding for my move to City AM in 2025, though it’s fair to say it was still a surprise move. I had to learn on the job, and fast. After 5 years I moved into corporate comms at Teneo, advising some of the biggest companies on a range of complex issues. It was fascinating work, and useful to be on the other side of the fence for a while. On moving back to City AM last summer, it was immediately clear how much the job had changed in my absence. I returned to find new owners, a new office, new government, new team and a new commercial reality in the news industry. But I’m pleased to say that much of what of loved about the job the first time round remains; good old fashioned journalism with an entrepreneurial spirit.