Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia – Details, episodes & analysis

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Mona Tiesler is an investor at tokentus, a leading VC firm in the German blockchain ecosystem, where she invests in startups that leverage blockchain technology globally. She has several years of experience in venture capital, and has been involved in pre-seed to Series A deals across Europe, USA, UAE and Asia.
With a background in strategy consulting, venture building, and entrepreneurship, Mona has a passion for supporting innovators who are building the decentralized future of the internet.

She has co-founded and led companies in Fintech, Edtech, and Foodtech, and has an MBA from INSEAD.

In this episode, Mona and Steph discuss:

- How to re-invent yourself while navigating huge career changes
- The mental reframe required when facing rejection (after rejection, after rejection...) 

- Practical tips on learning the key skill *every* entrepreneur needs; SALES!
- The importance of strategy and how each step helps the next
- PLUS! What Mona looks for now as an investor

Mona is passionate about breaking down barriers to access - both for fundraising founders and equalising gender opportunities. In-line with her mission, Mona is a member of Global Women in VC, the world's largest community for women in venture capital to connect, collaborate, and create opportunities for each other. 

Discover more here:
https://www.women-vc.com/

Mona is also the Co-Founder of Distributed Funding, a platform for underrepresented founders in the Web3 space to submit pitch decks and a short survey in just a few minutes.

Learn more here: https://roomy-tailor-258.notion.site/Distributed-Funding-
b49508c6d2484d62b3c0calab286a132

Fundraising? Learn more about what tokentus looks for in their investments here:
https://tokentus.com/targets

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Want more?

Follow Steph:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videos

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author and TedX speaker. She's listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 list, and closing the gender investment gap with FemaleInvest by educating women on investing and personal finance through educational events, e-learning and strategic partnerships.

In this interview, Steph and Anna cover:

💰 Why getting more women into investing helps *everyone*
💰 What makes women better investors and where they can start
💰 Anna-Sophie's founder story, meeting her co-founders, and starting FemaleInvest
💰 From the brink of bankruptcy to being listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 - overnight!
💰 Top lessons learnt from fundraising $24M - and the biggest surprise
💰 Creative marketing tactics
💰 And more.

Learn more about FemaleInvest here: https://www.femaleinvest.com/en-gb

Get involved in the conversation:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XFx6rPcEAC0

🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Access special perks by supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Tom Adeyoola is the exited founder of Metail, the leading virtual try-on platform, now advisor, investor and Co-Founder of Extend Ventures and Capital Angel Network.

In this episode, Steph and Tom discuss:

🎙 Tom's journey leading up to Metail, and how he secured investment (including "£10k from a random guy at the top of the gherkin" LOL 🤣 )🎙 His exit story and big lessons learnt along the way - including a huge deal collapse right near the end 😫 🎙 Tom's grieving process and appreciation for health now 🙏 🎙 How he's promoting diversity in investment and what he looks for now as an investor 🤑 🎙 The importance of TIMING! ⏰ 

PLUS! What Tom has in common with TV celeb Richard Ayoade 😂 

Hope you enjoy listening to this episode and that you can take away a nugget of wisdom from Tom Adeyoola's story that helps you in your own entrepreneurial endeavour. If you liked this one, please rate & review the show! (Oh, and don't forget to subscribe to weekly episodes of course! 😉)

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Download the latest report from Extend Ventures on Diversity Beyond Gender (UK 2023), here: https://www.extend.vc/reports

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Thanks to our supporters at 50Pros.com, the no-noise platform where you can find highly-vetted partners in the creative industries. Learn more here: https://www.50pros.com/

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Follow Steph on social for more updates:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cCqckngoEeE

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Get access to special perks and support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

In this episode, Steph and Alex take their business brunch chats over to the podcast and discuss...

🖤 The highs and lows of entrepreneurship (hint: frustrations vs freedom)

🖤 The danger of "procrasti-planning" (listen to find out more!)

🖤 The importance of authenticity with your brand (business or personal)

🖤 The benefits of working with a business coach

🖤 Money mindset and overcoming limiting beliefs

I hope you enjoy this special episode and find business value in the entertaining chat between two friends too!

Don't forget to subscribe to listen to weekly episodes 🎧

👉🏼 Ready to kick start your side hustle? Get your FREE 7-step action plan here: https://www.buildyourmaverickbusiness.com/kick-start-hustle

🎥 Watch the show on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videos

💖 Follow Steph on social:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/

Access perks and support the show on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Geoff Wright is the CTO of Tembo, the only place in the UK where you can go to get a complete picture of your property purchasing power.

His path leading up to this position was anything but ordinary. Entrepreneurial as a kid, Geoff forged his own, alternative path. Instead of doing the usual by completing his studies, going to uni, and getting a job, Geoff realised he could make money doing what he loved...

Of course, there were lots of lessons along the way - the kind you DON'T get taught at school!

Ultimately, what Geoff has developed a deep appreciation for - across his various ventures and positions in eventual employment - is THE PROBLEM.

The bigger the problem, the more your customers will want it. The more painful the problem, the more they'll pay for it. And the more they'll forgive you flaws. (Particularly helpful in the early days when the tech is somewhat lacklustre!)

Tune into Geoff's fascinating story to hear how he went from schoolboy dropout to seasoned entrepreneur and now C-suite at a fast-scaling proptech.

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Discover more about Tembo, the online digital mortgage broker focused on helping first-time buyers, movers & remortgagers overcome the affordability gap: https://www.tembomoney.com/

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Follow Steph:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stephmelodia/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch the episode on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videos

Support the show on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Access special perks by supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Tanya Saha Gupta is the Founder & CEO of Resale Future, a fashtech SaaS product that enables fashion brands to add a P2P resale platform to their e-commerce store.

(Shoppers can easily resell their garments; the retailers get a cut where it would otherwise be sold on Depop, Vestiaire Collective, Vinted or eBay, and; it encourages everyone to get involved in the circular economy - win win win!!)

In this episode, Steph and Tanya discuss:

👗 The transition from cushty corporate life to uncertain entrepreneurship. (Hint: Tanya was pretty savvy about the steps she took);

👗 The impact of fast fashion, how the circular economy can help, and what we can all do to minimise our carbon footprint;

👗 The lessons learnt from Resale Future's early days, including a tech team that disappointed, and Tanya figuring things out the hard way.

Hope you enjoy listening to this special fashtech episode! Did you learn something new? Do you feel inspired by Tanya's story? Then hit the subscribe button to support the show and stay in the loop for new episodes published weekly 😉

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Are you a fashion brand keen to generate revenue from the circular economy AND reduce your carbon footprint? Discover more about Resale Future here: https://www.resalefuture.com/

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Follow Steph:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stephmelodia/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch the episode on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videos

Support the show on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Dom Fendius, now the Founder & CEO of Kiirsh, is a 5X serial entrepreneur - with the battle scars to show for it!

But the truth is, despite experiencing some real tragedies, Dom retains a surprising amount of kindness, patience, and optimism to keep going.

In this episode, Dom and Steph recap his venture timeline - from starting a magazine at uni to getting recognition for an exciting fashtech, from going into business with a risky partner, and everything in between.

We discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, what to look out for when starting a company, and how to stay positive when the going gets tough. (From one of the happiest entrepreneurs ever!)

About Kiirsh:

Kiirsh (https://kiirsh.co/) is a mobile-first tool that empowers content creators to monetise their own brands.

Interested in the concept? Kiirsh is currently fundraising, so get in touch if you're interested in owning some equity in this exciting startup. 

Follow Steph:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stephmelodia/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch the video episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD7YZDoaGQU&list=PLlV8JoK2z-iiFOW5Gw-FISA6rvBdR853z

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!! 🙏🏼💖

Heinin Zhang, co-founder of private chef hire platform, yhangry, recounts the highs and lows of her entrepreneurial journey; from CO-LIVING with her co-founder during lockdown, to going on BBC's Dragons' Den; from all their bookings drying up, to getting accepted to the lauded Y Combinator startup accelerator in San Fran 🎢

In this episode, Steph and Heinin discuss:

🍣 Heinin's transition from a corporate career in finance

🍣 Co-founder relationships (nothing like living together to bring you closer!!)

🍣 Overcoming setbacks like lockdowns and bookings drying up

🍣 The strategies that have paid off for her business. (Hint: MIC influencer marketing still works 😉

I hope you enjoy this episode of Strategy & Tragedy and PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!! 🙏🏼💖

Learn more about yhangry here:

https://yhangry.com/

💸 Use the code HEININ or simply click below to get £60 off  your next order 💸

https://yhangry.com/booking/ref/heinin

Follow Steph:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stephmelodia/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch the video episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD7YZDoaGQU&list=PLlV8JoK2z-iiFOW5Gw-FISA6rvBdR853z

Who would guess being a professional swimmer and climate activist would make you a successful startup founder?

Thomas Panton, Co-Founder & CEO of Canopey, embodies ALL the characteristics of a true entrepreneur. Determined, passionate, strategic, charismatic, and insightful, Thomas was always bound to be a success.

In this episode, Steph and Thomas discuss the following themes:

• How athleticism applies to entrepreneurship
• The solutions for climate change
• Founder mental health and mindset
• Entrepreneurship is not for everyone (and that's ok!)

Learn more about Canopey here: https://canopey.com/

Follow Steph:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stephmelodia/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Watch the episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD7YZDoaGQU&list=PLlV8JoK2z-iiFOW5Gw-FISA6rvBdR853z