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Pitch Deck and Now We Build are available in video as well as audio format. Check out the latest episodes from both podcasts below.

32 mins

Pitch Deck - Kirsten Connell - Octopus Ventures

Kirsten Connell, an investor at Octopus Ventures, shares insights on pre-seed investing and what investors look for in startups. She discusses the importance of traction and metrics at the seed stage, but notes that pre-seed investments are less impacted by this shift.

53 mins

Now We Build - Anthony Thomson - Metro & Atom Bank

Anthony Thomson, the founder of Metro Bank and Atom Bank, discusses his journey in the fintech industry. He shares insights on the founding of Metro Bank, the importance of customer service and convenience, and the recruitment of the right team.

29 mins

Pitch Deck - Fred Soneya - Haatch

In discussion with Nick Telson-Sillett, founder of trumpet, Fred Soneya, an operator turned VC, discusses his approach to pre-seed investing and what he looks for in early-stage companies. He focuses on investing in businesses that have identified a pain in the present and are starting to identify a buyer who is willing to pay for a solution.

43 mins

Now We Build - Ann Hiatt - Former Chief of Staff to Amazon and Google Founders

Ann Hiatt, former chief of staff to Google and Amazon, discusses the role of a chief of staff and the different approaches to innovation taken by Jeff Bezos, Marissa Mayer, and Eric Schmidt. She emphasizes the importance of hiring the right talent, documenting decision-making processes, and setting long-term goals.

27 mins

Pitch Deck - Peter Nixey - AI Expert & Angel Investor

In this episode of Pitch Deck, Nick Telson-Sillett, founder of trumpet, interviews Peter Nixey, an operator, investor, and AI expert. Peter shares his interest in businesses with clear value propositions and emphasizes the importance of solving real problems that people are willing to pay for.

44 mins

Now We Build - Tommy Mermelshtayn - Former Chief of Strategy at Zip

Tommy Mermelshtayn, the former Chief of Strategy at Zip, discusses his career journey and the expansion of Zip into new markets. He shares insights into the decision-making process behind entering new markets and the factors considered, such as market size, competitive landscape, and regulatory environment.

28 mins

Pitch Deck - Annelie Ajami - Founder Anamcara Capital

Annelie Ajami, founder of Anamcara Ventures, shares insights on what she looks for in pre-seed startups and how founders can impress investors. She emphasizes the importance of the founding team, including their domain expertise, unique insights, narrative, technical capabilities, and clarity of thought.

41 mins

Now We Build - Matt Ford - Exiting to Tandem Bank, how to align product and marketing teams, and the future of fintech

Matt discusses his experience with building start-ups, focusing on his first start-up, Pariti, and his role as Chief Product Officer at Tandem. He emphasizes the importance of being product-focused and close to customers in order to deliver value.

32 mins

Pitch Deck - David Pakman - Co-founder Apple Music

David Pakman, Managing Partner at CoinFund, discusses his experience at Apple and the impact of the company on the music industry. He also shares insights into the future of crypto beyond coins and the exciting businesses in the crypto space.

44 mins

Now We Build - Heikki Haldre on exiting to Rakuten, how to build visionary products and why product-market fit should always be your starting point

Heikki Haldre, a serial entrepreneur with four exits, shares his insights on building successful startups and achieving product-market fit. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the problem and market before building a product.

31 mins

Pitch Deck - Andrea Pacini - Pitching and Presenting Expert

Andrea Pacini, a renowned presentation coach and Head of Ideas on Stage UK, shares tips on how to improve your pitching skills. He discusses the differences between in-person and online presentations, emphasizing the importance of technology setup, audience interaction, and delivery.

43 mins

Now We Build - Erin Anderson - Leading growth in the Lyft launch team, how to build innovative marketplaces and why the best founders obsess over their customers.

Erin Anderson shares her journey of joining the launch team at Lyft and the strategies they used to successfully enter new markets. She emphasizes the importance of building trust and community with both drivers and riders, and how Lyft differentiated itself from Uber through its brand and mission.

32 mins

Pitch Deck - Sarah Drinkwater - Founder Common Magic

Sarah Drinkwater, an influential pre-seed angel investor and founder of Common Magic, discusses the importance of community in technology companies. She defines community as a combination of utility and belonging, and emphasizes the role of community in connecting audiences to products and enabling long-term resilience.

41 mins

Now We Build - Simon Duffy - Scaling Bulldog, how to navigate retailers and why most consumer founders fail to expand globally.

Simon Duffy, co-founder of Bulldog Skincare, shares his insights on scaling a consumer brand and the challenges faced by founders. He discusses the importance of hiring experts and recognizing the value they bring to the business.

35 mins

Pitch Deck  - Dan Bowyer - Co-founder and Partner SuperSeed

Dan Bowyer, co-founder and partner at SuperSeed, shares insights on early-stage investments and what founders can do to differentiate their businesses. He emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and position in the market, rather than relying on technical moats.

34 mins

Now We Build - Dhiraj Mukherjee - Building Shazam, how to build hypergrowth products and why Dhiraj now focuses on impact above all else.

Dhiraj Mukherjee, co-founder of Shazam, shares the founding story of the music identification app and discusses the challenges and successes of building a tech startup. He emphasizes the importance of having a strong and defensible technology, as well as the perseverance and belief in the product during the early years.

36 mins

Now We Build - Tamara McMillen - Being the CRO of Virgin Media With Over £750m ARR, How to Build Sales Teams, and Why Most Start-ups Can't Make the Jump to £10m ARR

Tamara McMillen shares her journey into sales roles and discusses whether salespeople are born or trained. She highlights the importance of continuous learning, curiosity, collaboration, and a growth mindset in successful salespeople.

44 mins

Now We Build - Mark Ryan on leading product at Shopify, the importance of getting your product message right, and how to align design and engineering teams.

Mark Ryan, co-founder of Pavlov, shares insights on being a founder and the importance of curiosity in product development. He discusses his experiences at Intercom and Shopify, highlighting the emphasis on customer-centricity and the power of direct communication with customers.

33 mins

Pitch Deck - Mike Soutar - Media Entrepreneur and Angel Investor

Mike Soutar, a media entrepreneur and angel investor, discusses his approach to angel investing and what he looks for in founders and startups. He emphasizes the importance of learning new things and being attracted to ideas that make sense.

34 mins

Pitch Deck- Paul Lehair - Partner - Albion VC

Paul Lehair, Partner at Albion VC, discusses the key factors they look for when investing in startups, including product-market fit, revenue potential, and differentiation from competitors. He emphasizes the importance of clear storytelling, traction, and customer satisfaction.

32 mins

Pitch Deck - Tom Bradley - Partner Salica Investments

Tom Bradley, a partner at Salica Investments, discusses the importance of nurturing startups and specializing in specific sectors. He emphasizes the need for venture capitalists to provide assistance and expertise to help companies develop and scale.

49 mins

Now We Build - Mark Walker on leading growth at Eventbrite, how to build a content first GTM strategy and why creating winning content is becoming easier

Mark, the former head of growth at Eventbrite, shares insights on his experience and strategies for driving growth. He emphasizes the importance of building a great product as the ultimate moat and believes that distribution alone is not enough.

33 mins

Pitch Deck - Jason Kirby - Co-founder and CEO of Thunder VC

In this conversation, Jason Kirby, co-founder and CEO of Thunder VC, shares his insights on the venture capital landscape, the importance of understanding what it means to be a venture-backable business, and the various funding options available to startups. He emphasizes the need for founders to assess their goals, the market potential, and the implications of pursuing venture capital.

42 mins

Now We Build - Mike Soutar on scaling Shortlist Media, saving the Evening Standard and what makes resilient entrepreneurs

Mike Soutar discusses the challenges of building a founding team and the importance of complementary skills. He shares his experience as the CEO of the Evening Standard, a business that was losing 30 million pounds a year, and explains why he took on the challenge.

40 mins

Now We Build - Chris Wickson on building and exiting Akkroo, why launching a business as a student is a great decision, and the future of B2B SaaS

In this conversation, Chris Wickson shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting with the launch of his first business, RMP, during university. He discusses the challenges and successes of scaling the business, the transition to a new venture, A Crew, and the lessons learned along the way.

41 mins

Now We Build - Adam Spector on launching and exiting LiftIgniter before anyone cared about machine learning, lessons from over 200 angel investments, and why contentment as a founder is key

In this conversation, Adam Spector shares his extensive experience as a four-time founder and angel investor, discussing the evolution of AI and machine learning, the challenges of building startups, and the importance of focus and delegation. He emphasizes the need for founders to measure the value they provide, control their narrative, and recognize when to pivot or move on.

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