Get involved in the conversation:

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

🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, rate, review, and share it with a friend!

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! 😉)

-

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

-

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/

-

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.

-

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/

-

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 😉

-

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/

-

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

Inspirational Womxn of the Year, Melissa Chambers shares her strategies and tragedies in business - from being pushed out of her own company during a time of personal polycrises, to running a successful cybersecurity business that built the world's fastest nanosecond encryption latency. Yup.

In this episode, Melissa and Steph discuss topics such as:

• Hiring and firing - what to do when one bad apple spoils the bunch
• The importance of contracts (hint: it's worth it to pay a lawyer) 
• Founder resilience and how to cope setback after setback

Learn more about Sitehop: https://www.sitehop.co.uk/

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

From interviewing startup founders in the back of a van to being interviewed himself in one of his very own studios, this episode is NOT one to miss!

Graham Hussey recounts his entrepreneurial journey including a failed business which made £3 profit, the early days of Startup Van, and how he built Dream Factory to a flourishing 350-member business with various locations and multiple revenue streams.

In this episode, Graham and Steph discuss topics such as:

• Monetisation inc. pricing strategies and multiple revenue streams
• How to foster a positive team culture in a fast-growing company
• Taking external investment - when it makes sense to take other people's money
• The importance of market research (picking up the buzzer and calling people!)
• Scrappy inspiration (how to achieve your goals in creative ways)
• What GaryVee is *really* like off-camera!

Discover more about Dream Factory here:

https://www.dreamfactory.ventures/

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

Bobby Idogho is a Forbes 30U30 Founder of Radically Digital.

In this episode, Bobby shares how he developed his resilience muscle, how he navigates the “feast & famine” cycle of agency life, and how his background helped propel him further in life.Please enjoy this episode and subscribe to the show!

TW: Contains themes of mental health including depression and suicide.

Founder of StoryCast®. Leadership Communication Expert. Global Keynote Speaker. Award-Winning Author of GLOW IN THE DARK 💡

Mark Leruste helps leaders harness the power of their stories to build trust and inspire action. He’s worked with the likes of Google, Microsoft, and Nike to communicate and connect in a way that resonates and drives real impact.

His TED talk, ‘What they don’t tell you about entrepreneurship,’ has amassed 1.3M views, and Steven Bartlett listed it as the number 1 TED Talk every entrepreneur should watch.

In this interview, Mark and Steph discuss:

🎤 Why storytelling matters

🎤 Practical frameworks (like the 3 C's) to help you become a better storyteller 

🎤 Inspirational examples from Mark's time at the Movember Foundation

🎤 The blurred lines between storytelling and the truth

🎤 Entrepreneurship and mental health

🎤 And so much more.

Transform your story into your most powerful asset through engaging talks,  masterclasses and coaching programmes for business leaders to leverage the power of personal storytelling to connect with their audience, build trust and inspire action with StoryCast®: https://www.storycast.co/

Book Mark to deliver a talk to your organisation: https://www.markleruste.com/

Get involved in the conversation:

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

🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Varun Bhanot is the Co-Founder & CEO of MAGIC AI, a connected fitness product that combines physical hardware with fitness technology to provide tailored workouts - just like your very own, at-home personal trainer.

Following a career in corporate law, Varun took a severe pay cut to join the founding team at Hubble HQ to learn the ins & outs of startup life. This entrepreneurial ambition combined with his own health in decline birthed the business idea for MAGIC, the smart home fitness system.

After many highs and lows, MAGIC is now stocked in Selfridges with press coverage in the likes of the Evening Standard, SheerLuxe, The Times and TechNation. Varun and his team are going from strength to strength following a successful fundraise - including angel investment from the likes of former CPO of Spotify, CEO of JustPark, former GM of Stripe, CEO of OLIO, former President of Citymapper, CEO of Heights, Dan Murray-Serter, Co-Founder of Signal AI and the former CMO of Tough Mudder - during one of the hardest times to secure venture capital investment.

Tune in to hear how he did it and learn the valuable lessons along the way.

Enjoy the show and don't forget to subscribe!

Charlotte Morley is the Founder & CEO of thelittleloop, the UK's first shared wardrobe for kids. (https://thelittleloop.com/)

Founded in 2019, Charlotte has achieved some enormous successes (like making history on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, winning the Junior Design and Made for Mums awards consecutively, negotiating a groundbreaking retail partnership with John Lewis, securing external investment as a solo female founder, and reducing the environmental impact of children's clothes by 80%) as well as some serious lows (like co-founder break-ups, investor rejections, last-minute let-downs, disappointments... )

If anyone knows the true GRIT behind entrepreneurship, it's Charlotte. Mission-driven, strategic, empathetic, warm, smart, and extremely likeable - Charlotte has all the ingredients of a successful business leader.

Tune into the full episode to hear her story and how she made it through those tough times.

Hope you enjoy this episode and don't forget to subscribe!

Tune in and subscribe to Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia, the new business podcast which spotlights the highs, the lows, the strategies and tragedies of what it *really* takes to build a successful business today.

***THANK YOU GIFT DETAILS BELOW***

About Strategy & Tragedy

This podcast is created based on three core beliefs:

1. The world of entrepreneurship has been overly glamorised

...and the truth is that building a business is often far from glamorous! Within this is the belief that often the best lessons can come from our biggest mistakes. So the interviews presented to you here on this show are raw, authentic, warts 'n' all accounts of the trials & tribulations of start up and scale up life.

2. There is no rule book when it comes to entrepreneurship.

Whether you took business studies at school or invested in an MBA, the truth is nothing compares to doing it for real. That's why these interviews are kept as down to earth as possible, sharing real world accounts (which I think also just so happen to make for the best stories!)

3. There has been a significant shift in the business landscape

...particularly for early stage tech, and now is the time to learn from others who have been there, done that so that you can shortcut your path to success. We've seen the rise and fall of some glorified unicorns, it's harder than ever before to raise venture capital investment, and huge world events have shaped our macroeconomic environment.

This all means that there's been a natural reckoning which is weeding out the tourist entrepreneurs and discouraging unorthodox business strategies. The silver lining to all of this is that the bar being raised means that we'll have better players in the space, many of whom I hope are listening to this exact podcast and coming on to that.

Upcoming guests include Simon Squibb, Nina Mohanty, Thomas Panton, Heinin Zhang, Charlotte Morley, Dom Fendius, Varun Bhanot... and many, many more incredible leaders.

***THANK YOU GIFT***

As your reward for being an early adopter and subscribing to my new business podcast, I am pleased to partner with Hussle, the singular fitness platform that enables access to gyms, pools, spas and health apps to help you work out in the most flexible way possible, and Huggg, who made the gifting possible.

FREE GYM + SWIM PASS: https://launch.huggg.me/super/25Z7mbFc90D7l2o

Select from your preferred location across 200 plus gyms nationwide. T&Cs apply.

Thank you all so much again for being here right from the very beginning.

Please subscribe and enjoy the show!

Nina Briance is the Founder & CEO of CULT MIA, the values-driven luxury fashion platform that retails conversation-starting, standout pieces with sustainability and minority-empowerment at its core. 

In this episode, Steph and Nina discuss:

🖤 The marketing mistake that taught Nina an unforgettable lesson
🖤 "Your network is your net worth" - the value of connections
🖤 How Nina took on the fashion giants - and won
🖤 The power of branding (and defending it to investors) 
🖤 A specific use case where Cult Mia empowered one of their female designers
🖤 And so much more.

Comment what resonated with you 👇

Discover new designers, support women in business, and shop your next conversation-starting piece all on Cult Mia: https://cultmia.com/

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

🎬 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/

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

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

Varun Bhanot is the Co-founder & CEO of MAGIC AI, the at-home personal fitness system crowned one of TIME's best inventions and featured in Sifted's top high-growth startups.

In this interview, we replay the first time Steph & Varun sat down to record in 2023, and catch up at the 31:34 mark, on...

🪞 What's been the biggest game changer for MAGIC AI
🪞 What Varun has now learnt having fundraised more venture capital
🪞 Which growth marketing hack has helped them scale faster
🪞 How the awards & accolades have impacted the business
🪞 Varun's updates now he's a dad!

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

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

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

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

Kim Innes Is the Founder & CEO of Humble Crumble - the country's most loved dessert that went viral! She is also a Forbes 30 under 30 winner of the Everywoman Scale Up award, and one of NatWest x Telegraph’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch.

In this interview, Steph and Kim cover...

🧁 Kim's passion for baking and particular love of crumble 
🧁 Applying 'The Lean Startup' principles to a food business
🧁 The near-misses and mistakes made along the way
🧁 How Humble Crumble unexpectedly went VIRAL
🧁 ...and maintained momentum as they grew

Visit a Humble Crumble near you: https://www.humble-crumble.com/pages/locations

What resonated with you from this interview?

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

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

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

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

Meet the first female CEO of a city stockbroking firm; Sam Smith. Founder and ex-CEO of finnCap, Sam is now the Co-Founder of SuperScalers and no. 1 bestselling author of The Secret Sauce: How to SuperScale. 

In this interview, you'll hear about...

🚀 Taking finncap public on the London Stock Exchange during tumultuous times
🚀 Top growth levers to go from £1m turnover a year to £1m turnover a week! 
🚀 Leadership pitfalls to avoid as you scale your businesses
🚀 Balancing a high-powered career with motherhood
🚀 What's in the secret sauce of how to SuperScale
🚀 How entrepreneurship can be a force for good
🚀 Resources for female founders fundraising

Are you ready to scale to £50m & beyond? Learn more about SuperScalers here: https://www.superscalers.world/

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

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

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

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

Akash Mehta is the Forbes 30 under 30 CEO of Fable & Mane, an Ayurvedic-inspired hair brand, which he Co-Founded with his sister, Niki, making it the first Indian beauty brand co-founded by siblings. 

Akash harks from beauty & fashion household names including Burberry, Estée Lauder, and Dior, before launching his own business with Fable & Mane in 2019, now stocked in the likes of Sephora, Selfridges and Cult Beauty.

Akash is also a wildlife Conservationist and Ambassador for Jane Goodall, passionate about wildlife and on a mission to save the animals.

In this interview, Akash and Steph cover...

🐯 How Akash started his successful FMCG brand (including a loan from Papa Mehta!)
🐯 How he and his team built a highly-engaged community
🐯 Social media mastery from the expert himself
🐯 Building a well-loved, purpose-driven brand
🐯 Getting stocked in Sephora

Discover more about Fable & Mane here: https://fableandmane.com/

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

Subscribe to the podcast:
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NuiaWjWsOXpsFx2euglVe
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia/id1711083280
🎧 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3N0cmF0ZWd5YW5kdHJhZ2VkeS9mZWVkLnhtbA?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwigy7m4mKOCAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg
🎧 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0239e1a6-027c-41c5-b80a-f51d80f49eb0/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia

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

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

The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0

Geoff Wright is the CTO of Tembo, but 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 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 school dropout to serial entrepreneur and now CTO at a fast-scaling proptech.

-

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

-

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

The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0

In this interview, Steph and Jeremy discuss...

💼 The serial entrepreneurship path that led to HomeServe
💼 Building it to a £4bn multinational and one of the biggest LSE IPOs
💼 His investment thesis for fundraising founders

Fundraising? Get in touch here: https://middletonenterprises.com/contact/

Jeremy Middleton CBE co-founded HomeServe, a multinational home emergency repairs & improvements firm which he, together with Richard Harpin, grew to a public FTSE 100 company in 2004 - one of the largest offers for a London-listed company that year - before getting acquired by Brookfield Asset Management in 2023 for £4.1 billion.

He is now the CEO of Middleton Enterprises which invests in ambitious founders and their profitable businesses. He is also a philanthropist as the founder of The Middleton Foundation, which provides social housing for people with learning difficulties.

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

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

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

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

The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0

Karen Barrett is the Founder & CEO of Unbiased, the leading B2B SaaS fintech platform that connects consumers with the best professionals and products for their financial needs. 

In this interview, Steph and Karen discuss...

What it was like to win the GB Entrepreneur of the Year

🏆 Transitioning from working in the financial services industry to starting her own fintech business
🏆 Karen's entrepreneurial journey from starting Unbiased in 2009
🏆 How discovering the world of R&D tax credits was a game changer for her business (and what else she wished she knew before!)
🏆 How to be the outlier inc. top book recommendations
🏆 Expanding from the UK into the US 
🏆 Karen's advocacy for financial inclusion and education

Want unbiased financial advice? Check out Unbiased here: https://www.unbiased.co.uk/

Get involved in the conversation:

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Olivia Parkes is the Founder & CEO of Persi, making fashion personalisation actually personal! With Persi, retailers can deliver highly personalised product recommendations based on what each customer owns, loves, and actually wears.

In this interview, you'll hear about...

👗 The £176K post: How Olivia raised almost £200k from a single LinkedIn post for her female-first cap table
👗 Resilience amidst a triple pivot to SEIS disaster recovery
👗 Scrappy MVPs and non-technical founder success (before meeting her perfect co-founder match!)
👗 Balancing motherhood & startup life (including pitching while pregnant and breastfeeding in the boardroom - normalising what it really takes to make it work as a working mother)
👗 And so, so much more inspirational wisdom and practical tips...

Discover more about Persi here: https://www.yourpersi.com/

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

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

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

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

Giuseppe Baidoo is the founder of Gusto Snacks - delicious, low calorie, high fibre apple crisps made from misshapen produce that’s not deemed pretty enough for the supermarkets.

Giuseppe’s entrepreneurial journey features the classic tale of starting a bootstrapped project from his kitchen and turning it into a £1.2 million business now stocked in the likes of Selfridges and WHSmith.

🏀 What his career in basketball taught him about resilience 
💪 Moving to the UK and overcoming obstacle after obstacle 
👀 How he started his first business - and picked himself back up again after it failed...
👥 Finding his co-founder and getting early investment 
🍏 Through to getting his product on supermarket shelves including Selfridges

Shop yummy fruit snacks here: https://snackgusto.com/

-

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

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

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

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

Join Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Cien Solon of LaunchLemonade


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

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

The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0

Cien Solon is the Co-Founder & CEO of LaunchLemonade, described as the "Canva of AI apps." Cien is on a mission to make sure that no one gets left behind in the time of AI.

In this interview, Steph and Cien discuss:

- The practical applications and use case examples of AI
- The feminist importance of women getting into AI
- Cien's career trajectory and biggest lessons learnt

Learn more about LaunchLemonade here: https://launchlemonade.app/


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

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

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

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

Join Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Lottie Whyte of MyoMaster.


Get involved in the conversation!

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

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

Lottie Whyte is the Co-Founder & CEO of one of the UK’s fastest growing wellness brands, MyoMaster - the home of human optimisation providing world-class recovery products including ice baths, at-home sauna pods, compression boots, and massage guns.

Tune in to hear about…

🚀 What makes Lottie Whyte the outlier (practical advice you can *actually* action)

🚀 Behind the scenes of BBC’s Dragon’s Den - and how Lottie and her co-founder & partner, Joe, received offers from FOUR investors

🚀 Going from 0 to 1 and scaling beyond 

🚀 Consumer growth marketing strategies

🚀 Lessons from mistakes (like retailing in Selfridges)

🚀 The case for the overlooked BAME / female founders 

🚀 Personal brand strategy & the cost of visibility as a female founder

🚀 How to curate your life for unshakeable self-confidence 

Check out MyoMaster here: https://myomaster.com/

Get involved in the conversation:

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Join Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Alex Merry of MicDrop.


Get involved in the conversation!

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

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

Alex Merry is a public speaking coach who turns founders into thought leaders. He runs MicDrop, the well-loved public speaking community and training resource. He’s also the author of Make It Count and Former TEDxClapham Founder.

In this episode, Steph and Alex discuss:

🎤 Why public is speaking *so* important for any leader
🎤 How Alex overcame his own fear of public speaking
🎤 What makes a GOOD talk (including the best talk Alex has ever heard!)
🎤 How to actually earn an income from public speaking
🎤 LinkedIn strategy + lessons from going viral
🎤 Behind-the-scenes stories

Curious to join Mic Drop? Mention Steph Melodia for a referral: https://alexmerry.com/micdrop

Get involved in the conversation:

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Serial entrepreneur, content creator, author, and investor, Simon Squibb is the founder of HelpBnk (https://helpbnk.com/) on a mission to make people's dreams come true.

Simon started his first company when he was homeless at 15 years old, and sold his last company, Fluid, to PwC. He has since invested in over 70+ startups, and is now on a mission to help 10 million people achieve their dreams.

Order Simon's new book 'What's Your Dream?' here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/whats-your-dream/simon-squibb/9781529935578


I'd LOVE to know, what resonated most with you from this interview? 

Join the conversation: 

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

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

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

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

Join Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Matt Lerner of SYSTM.

Listen to the Anthony Pierri interview to learn more about articulating your core value proposition here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/16KEMPnzJV1GabDtAmzwsw?si=4a35fa1d75a14ec6

Or watch on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwWh-IUxJg

Get involved in the conversation!

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

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

Matt Lerner is the Founder & CEO of SYSTM, an online program to help startups find their big growth levers. 

Before founding SYSTM, Matt was a Partner of 500 Startups, an early-stage VC fund, where he built & ran a seed-stage growth program for the portfolio companies achieving an average growth of 250% in 12 months. Prior to 500 Startups he was marketing director at PayPal, coming from the birthplace of startups: Silicon Valley.

In this interview, Matt and Steph cover...

🚀 What's wrong with "saving time"
🚀 Nailing your core value proposition
🚀 80:20? Nah. Identify the 10% that will drive the 90%.
🚀 What's NSM and why does it matter?
🚀 The power of good questions.
🚀 Team JFDI vs DFTU

And *SO* much more!

Find your big growth levers: https://www.systm.co/

Want more?

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Stuart Trevor is the founder of AllSaints, the high street brand he launched in 1994 and scaled to £15M turnover business & household brand name. 

Now, the fashion entrepreneur is on a mission to create the world’s most sustainable fashion brand, clothing brand that doesn't produce any clothes.

Discover more here: https://stuarttrevor.com/

In this interview, Steph and Stuart cover:

🖤 His journey from fashion student to AllSaints founder
🖤 How creative constraints led to an *iconic* brand identity
🖤 Organic growth without traditional investment
🖤 Surviving a near-fatal business crisis
🖤 ADHD as an entrepreneurial superpower
🖤 Stuart's mission now for sustainable fashion - building "the world's most sustainable fashion brand that doesn't produce any clothes"

Get involved in the conversation. What resonated most with you from this interview? What did you learn? What made you go, huh, I never thought about it like that? We want to hear from you!
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Join Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Nell Daly of Revenge Capital.

PLUS! Exclusive reveal of the next guest...


Get involved in the conversation!

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

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

TW: Themes of abuse and gun violence

Nell Daly is a social worker turned venture capitalist as Co-Founder of Revenge Capital, a £50M sector-agnostic, global impact fund that invests into overlooked founders and their big disruptive ideas. She describes herself as an advocate for underdogs and works with policymakers to help build a more just, free, inclusive and humane world.

In this episode, Steph and Nell discuss:

❤️‍🔥 Starting a fund NOT coming from the world of finance
❤️‍🔥 Nell's experience in media and what led to her "going dark"
❤️‍🔥 Overcoming adversity and practical tips on how to be the outlier
❤️‍🔥 How her training as a psychotherapist makes her a better investor
❤️‍🔥 The power of manifesting, and what to watch out for
❤️‍🔥 The importance of dreams and working towards your purpose
❤️‍🔥 What her VC fund, Revenge Capital, is looking for in fundraising startups

Fundraising? Apply for investment here: https://b1jxsdtzi9t.typeform.com/revengecapital?typeform-source=revenge.capital

Get involved in the conversation:

Follow on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

🎬 Watch the interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/

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

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

Join Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Georgie Hyatt, Founder & CEO of Rotaro.

PLUS! Fundraising tips, tricks and traps to avoid if you're looking to get investment for your startup.

Get involved in the conversation!

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

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

Georgie Hyatt is the Forbes 30 Under 30 Founder & CEO of ROTARO, the fashtech platform that worked with luxury brands & retailers to power their circular fashion revenue streams through rental & resale before consolidating with My Wardrobe HQ.

In this interview, Steph and Georgie discuss: 

👗 How insights from working at trends forecasting agency sparked Georgie’s lightbulb moment
👗 Getting early validation for Rotaro and testing different business models
👗 Practical lessons learnt the hard way including shareholder agreements (Tip: use Safe note ASA agreements!) 
👗 Fundraising and dealing with investors pulling out at the last minute (after 8 months of negotiations!) 
👗 Biggest business challenges including redundancies and burning out as an overwhelmed founder
👗The importance of personal values

Want more?

Follow on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Thinking of starting your own business? Entrepreneur coach, Stephanie Melodia, shares her advice for overcoming the most common blockers to entrepreneurship including the mental barriers and practical challenges.

Did any of this resonate with you? join the conversation:

Follow on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

🎬 Follow on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/

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

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

Daniel Botcherby is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kalda, the world's first LGBTQIA+ mental wellbeing app that provides self-guided therapy programs and daily reflection journaling. Formed in Antler and grown in Unrest, two top accelerators in the UK, Daniel recounts his rocky early-stage founder journey in this vulnerable interview.

Steph and Daniel discuss:

🏳️‍🌈 Early stage problem/solution validation 
🏳️‍🌈 Antler and Unrest accelerator experiences
🏳️‍🌈 The *new* MVP = Minimal Pathway to PMF!
🏳️‍🌈 The importance of an advisory board
🏳️‍🌈 Recovering from co-founder fall out

Try Kalda for FREE here: https://www.kalda.co/

UPDATE: Since recording, Kalda raised £300k as part of their round led by Growth Impact Fund. Now Kalda is working to deliver their groundbreaking therapy to over 200,000 individuals in the next 2 years. Follow their journey here: https://www.instagram.com/kalda.app/

-

Get involved in the conversation:

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Lamees Butt is the Co-Founder & CEO of RISER, the video-led AI career matchmaking app that puts the manager at the forefront of the job hunting process. Think Bumble, for your next boss.

She's also the host of the In Her Shoes podcast, on a mission to change the sad statistic that only 9% of the C-suite in the UK is filled by women. The show is in the Top 10 of UK podcasts, listened to in 64 Countries.

Tune in to Lamees and Steph discuss...

- Lamees' serial entrepreneur journey
- Why Lamees never thought she'd be a founder again
- Looking up to Baroness Karren Brady
- Fundraising vs growth and red flags to watch out for with angel investors
- Marketplace model prioritisation at pre-seed
- Helping female founders actually make progress

Ready to make your next career move? Download RISER for free here: https://riserapp.co/

See you at the Canva x RISER event in London on 12th Feb? RSVP here: https://events.canva.com/canvaxriser

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Podcasters Stephanie Melodia and Sina Sadrzadeh sit down for this special crossover episode of Strategy & Tragedy // The Millennial Entrepreneur, where they discuss...

🎙️ The behind-the-scenes of podcasting
🎙️ Unexpected surprises and lessons learnt
🎙️ Funny stories along the way
🎙️ The mission of their shows

We'd love to hear from you! What did you think of this episode?

Leave us a comment and follow us on social:

🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Join Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Joanna Montgomery, the Founder & CEO of Little Riot and creator of the viral sensation, Pillow Talk.

Steph also shares your answers from social media on what makes you HAPPY! As it's Blue Monday (Red Monday in the US) here's to injecting a bit of positivity in your world today.

Get involved in the conversation!

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

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

Joanna Montgomery is the Founder & CEO of Little Riot - behind the viral internet phenomenon "Pillow Talk,” a wristband that picks up your heartbeat and sends it in real time to your loved one, now used in over 70 countries.

Joanna has also spoken at TEDx and WIRED Conference. Fun fact: she's also Britain's former Strongest Woman!

In this interview, Steph and Joanna discuss:

👉 What it's like to have your product go VIRAL
👉 Achieving product validation early on
👉 The bittersweet experience of COVID-19
👉 Investor red flags and the disastrous story that nearly ended the company
👉 PLUS: Why you SHOULDN’T do a crowdfunding campaign!

Learn more about Little Riot here: https://www.littleriot.com/

Want more?

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/

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

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

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

Andy Ayim MBE is the founder of Angel Investing School, which has trained over 500 angels who have invested $5,000,000 globally, including the Black Angel Group's run out of Google's Black Network, which has invested over 3,500,000.0 in over 30 startups. Andy himself has personally invested in 17 startups, including Farmland, Patch, and Unplugged with 70% led by diverse founders. 

In this interview, you'll hear about...

💸 From Tottenham to Windsor Castle: Andy's incredible journey from a working-class kid whose dad traveled to neighbouring boroughs just to get him copies of the Financial Times, to receiving an MBE and training 500+ angel investors globally

💸 The £10K mistake that changed everything: How Andy's costly early investment blunder (putting more money than he could afford into a startup he didn't understand) led him to create Angel Investing School and democratise access to investment education

💸 Why angel investing is "one of the fastest ways to lose money": Andy reveals the non-financial benefits that matter more than returns, and why understanding your intrinsic "why" is crucial before writing any checks

💸 The Instagram success secret: How Kevin Systrom's £100K angel investment gave him the runway to pivot from restaurant app "Burbn" to Instagram - and why most startups fail because they don't have time to experiment

💸 Silicon Valley vs UK: Why American investors take bigger risks on consumer plays while UK investors stick to "predictable B2B software" - and what needs to change for Britain to compete globally

💸 The personal cost of entrepreneurship: Andy opens up about losing his father suddenly, how grief transformed his approach to life and business, and why he now optimises for family time over rapid growth - plus his 7-year digital journal practice that's like "Google Analytics for his personal life"

Learn more about Angel Investing School here: https://angelinvestingschool.com/

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

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

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

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

Top 20 Female Founder, Keynote Speaker, Growth Consultant & Mentor,  Stephanie Melodia, exclusively reveals some of the new guests coming in 2025 and some mantras to help you make the most of the new year.

Get involved in the conversation.

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Subscribe to the podcast:
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NuiaWjWsOXpsFx2euglVe
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia/id1711083280
🎧 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3N0cmF0ZWd5YW5kdHJhZ2VkeS9mZWVkLnhtbA?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwigy7m4mKOCAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg
🎧 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0239e1a6-027c-41c5-b80a-f51d80f49eb0/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia

🎬 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/

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

Top 20 Female Founder, Public Speaker, Mentor, and Podcast Host/Presenter, Stephanie Melodia, shares the Top 5 interviews of 2024 featuring her key takeaways and best soundbites from each episode.

Get involved in the conversation!

Follow Steph on social media:
🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/
🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/

Subscribe to the podcast:
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NuiaWjWsOXpsFx2euglVe
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia/id1711083280
🎧 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3N0cmF0ZWd5YW5kdHJhZ2VkeS9mZWVkLnhtbA?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwigy7m4mKOCAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg
🎧 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0239e1a6-027c-41c5-b80a-f51d80f49eb0/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia

🎬 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/

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