Confounded TV – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back to Confounded, where we dig into the untold stories behind building businesses—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Today, I’m joined by someone whose name might not be immediately familiar, but whose influence on the UK’s automotive and tech scenes is undeniable.

David Edmonston is the founder of the legendary PistonHeads.com, one of those rare founders who built something before the world was ready for it, and made it work anyway.

Pistonheads was a site that not only transformed the way car enthusiasts connected in the early 2000s but did it before social media was even a thing. He built it from the ground up, bootstrapped the whole way, and eventually sold it to Haymarket Media in 2007.

Since then, David’s been quietly shaping some of the biggest names in the automotive and auction world—building platforms like Collecting Cars and Watch Collecting, and most recently launching Driving Masters, a project aimed at bringing the joy of advanced driving to petrolheads everywhere.

We talk tech, the grit behind going solo, what it takes to stay relevant across decades of change—and of course, a few tales from the road along the way.

In this episode of Confounded, we talk about:

• How he built PistonHeads from scratch in a pre-social media world

• Why he still loves bootstrapped businesses

• The inside story of Collecting Cars

• What drives him now, with his latest venture Driving Masters

This one’s for anyone who’s ever built something from nothing—and wants to do it again.

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In this episode of Confounded TV, Alastair sits down with David James, founder of Total Car Check and now Director of Special Projects at Motorway. What starts as a conversation between friends turns into a masterclass in building lean, lasting businesses — fuelled not by hype, but by persistence and purpose.

David shares how Total Car Check began with a personal crisis: his parents unknowingly bought a stolen car, losing over £4,000. Frustrated by the lack of affordable tools for car buyers, he set out to fix it — not to build a business, but to solve a problem. That mindset turned into one of the UK’s biggest car data platforms, delivering 50 million checks per year — all built solo, with zero marketing budget and a borrowed laptop.

We explore:

• How David bootstrapped from a personal project into a real business.
• Why giving away value (free stolen car checks) built long-term trust and growth.
• The role of SEO, user trust, and daily discipline in his success.
• Why persistence is the greatest competitive advantage.
• The real risks of chasing investment too early.
• His transition into Motorway, and how he applies small startup thinking at scale.
• What AI and no-code mean for today’s founders — and why understanding first principles matters more than ever.

We also get real about:

• Burnout, bootstrapping, and the mythology of overnight success.
• The danger of meetings, committees, and corporate theatre.
• Why most ideas fail not because they’re bad, but because people give up too early.

David’s advice to new founders?

“Pick something you genuinely care about. Stick with it longer than anyone else. Most people quit just before it gets good.”

Whether you’re building your first app with no-code tools, bootstrapping a SaaS, or just wondering how to turn a painful problem into a meaningful product — this episode is packed with lessons, humour, and real-world insight from someone who’s done it the hard way.

Just back in London from Copenhagen, we discuss on how normal life is in Denmark compared to UK and how people need to meet people to build real relationships.

For the last 3 years Mads has been building and championing his platform. A single API where consumer facing businesses and website can allow their visitors and clients can apply to multiple lenders simultaneously. 

A graduate of Copenhagen Business School, Mads honed his knowledge of lending at Zopa and Lendable growing a wide network of contacts and the knowledge and skills need to try and attempt a super complex API for financial lending. 

As a platform and by re-defining the broker model Accepty makes finance fairer for consumers and doesn’t keep the customer details leaving the lenders with the relationship from the beginning.

With over 30 lenders on the platform, his company now counts comparison sites, loan brokers, finance apps, lenders and banks as clients. Accepty is now the leading loans api for search and comparison engines in the UK. 

Mads has retained their independence so there are no vested interests  – this means their service is not favouring higher commissions to the detriment of customers and unlike other providers, they do not compete against our partners and we only succeed when our partners succeed.

News Flash ! – Quinoa isn’t pronounced the way you think or why you think… That’s one of many amazing things I learned from Meeting Kathryn and the most trivial.

Listen to this episode as Kathryn tells the story behind her success at Discount Vouchers and her amazing new startup Upside Savings , a single app that can save money in your bank account based on what and where you shop while you do nothing!

Since our recording their Seedrs campaign is now live and as of 19/09/2020 is at 87% of target – have a look and find out more at Seedrs as they “Reinvent cashback through Open Banking to build a nation of savers.”

Other subjects covered including maximising your email list open rates and being smart about which providers to use and why, how Honey won the toolbar / extension wars and ways to save while shopping online. 

Did you know there were 10,000 varieties of Champagnes in France you have never seen in the UK? Me neither! 

Peter and Dan are two of the most interesting people i’ve met – the depth and knowledge they have of the wine is amazing.

Add in their energy, humour and sense of mission and this podcast fizzes with energy 🙂

They have launched Sip Champagnes to bring you the very best wines from across France from small local vineyards. These champagnes are the very best they can find and the effort they put into to finding, tasting and importing these wines is immense.

Really worth a listen – their genuine care and passion shines through and it was a pleasure to interview them!

A fun and insightful chat with Tom Wood, the CEO and founder of Cazana. 

In a short space of time, he has built the company, raised crowdfunding and equity funding, bought https://carandclassic.co.uk and taken to Cazana to be a leading data company in the automotive space.

Tom hails from a business & innovation background having led technology teams within investment banking and pharmaceutical sectors and founded and sold companies in the marketing technology space. 

Cazana provides automotive insights for the future of vehicle ownership. Using big data and predictive analytics, Cazana analyses millions of automotive transactions daily to assess the value and risk associated with every vehicle on the road

Cazana’s systems are used by manufacturers, finance companies, dealerships and insurers globally. 

(Since this was recorded Cazana was sold to Cazoo)

Unlock the secrets behind powerful branding with branding guru Andrew King, the innovative force behind PJ Smoothies and Strike, who joins us to dissect the anatomy of a brand that not only captures attention but also accrues value. 

Andrew offers a treasure trove of wisdom for those looking to elevate their company’s market presence. Whether you're at the forefront of a fledgling startup or driving an established enterprise, our conversation with Andrew is packed with real-world examples and actionable advice, showcasing the undeniable link between a fortified brand and its ability to command higher respect and value.

As an expert in branding and positioning, I have learned a lot from this conversation. He explains in depth how to build your brand DNA and it’s not just about packaging.

Learn how your brand impacts the whole company, its ethos, beliefs and values.

WARNING – The sound quality is not as good as it could be. This was a recorded call without decent microphones, but it was worth listening to!

When the world ground to a halt, Lee's sabbatical in Thailand unexpectedly turned into the birth of PPE for People, a company now at the forefront of supplying vital protective gear during the global pandemic. Our latest episode spotlights Lee's remarkable journey, from navigating the turbulent beginnings with test kits to his company's intricate dance with the PPE supply chain. Step into our conversation as we traverse the complexities of managing a remote team, the scrutiny of sourcing products from China, and how time seemed to warp in the pandemic's early days, leading to rapid advancements in medical technology.

Imagine a marketplace where care homes can secure PPE not only swiftly and efficiently but also affordably through a smart reverse auction platform. That's the reality Lee's team crafted for the UK, revolutionizing the procurement process. Tune in to learn about the inception of this platform that balances cost, quality, and speed, and hear how it grew from one to thirty live RFQs in just two weeks. Discover the critical role of user feedback in shaping this evolving marketplace and the stringent supplier criteria that ensure care homes receive the best protection without compromise.

Finally, we unveil the global expansion of this PPE revolution, where Lee's vision to tackle price inflation and accessibility materializes into the largest global PPE marketplace. Beyond the economics, we reflect on the cultural shift in mask-wearing, from a symbol of pandemic response to a staple in daily life across the globe. Lee shares anecdotes from various cultures, illustrating the collective push towards normalcy. And as we celebrate the launch of PPTV, Lee gives us a glimpse into the platform's future, aiming to streamline the PPE buying experience even further. Don't miss this deep dive into how PPE for People is changing the landscape of global health and safety.

With Sarah Curran MBE helping me, I bring you the first Episode of Confounded TV, a lighthearted and energetic video podcast about life, lockdown, startups, business, and more.

This week, Dan Blatchford of SipChampagnes.com does a 60-second pitch for his new side hustle, and Will Bicknell of Felloh! tells all about starting a new (and amazing) social payments business using Open Banking to revolutionise online payments.

Listen and subscribe on Spotify  or watch the chaos on YouTube 

Confounded TV is the people podcast with amazingly successful and interesting guests and a high-octane energy blast to start the week

Cheers to the entrepreneurial go-getters! 

Dan Blatchford steps into  'The Elevator Pitch' spotlight to showcase his online venture, SipChampagne.com. With a clink of glasses and a pop of sustainably sourced bubbles from less well-known French vineyards, SipChampagne.com is revolutionizing the UK market. 

We also raise a toast to Will Bicknell, diving into his inspiring narrative of birthing a business while on furlough – a testament to his undying ingenuity. 

These stories aren't just about new ventures; they're a tribute to the spirit of supporting the underdog businesses and the emerging industries carving niches in a rapidly evolving marketplace.