Bulletproof Entrepreneur

Send us Fan MailThis Inspired Conversation is in many ways why I launched the podcast in the first place - to explore the human side of the entrepreneurial journey, every bit as much as the financial side.Let me share a quick true story to  give you some context:Did you hear about the entrepreneur who sold his business and made a fortune and was miserable? Markus Persson is a Swedish tech entrepreneur and inventor of the wildly popular game Minecraft. Starting on a laptop in his bedroom, he went on to grow the company until Microsoft made him an offer to buy the company for $2.5billion from which he personally received $1 billion.He became a billionaire overnight. And that’s when his problems started.Sometime after completing the deal, he sent out a  series of increasingly desperate tweets, One said“Hanging out with a bunch of friends and partying with famous people, able to do whatever I want, and I’ve never felt more isolated”And another one; “The problem with getting everything is you run out of reasons to keep trying, and human interaction becomes impossible due to imbalance” Sudden Money SyndromeHe was suffering from something called Sudden Wealth or Sudden Money Syndrome, and before you say, ” I wish I had his problems; it must be so hard being a billionaire!'” you need to realise that it can be absolutely devastating for some people. Investopedia (Wikipedia of money) describes it as: “A type of distress that afflicts individuals who suddenly come into large sums of money. Becoming suddenly wealthy can cause people to make decisions they might not have otherwise made. Symptoms include feeling isolated from former friends, feeling guilty about your good fortune, and extreme fear of losing your money.”In my day job working with successful founders and entrepreneurs I’ve seen this play out first hand and it can be a real challenge.That's why I was so keen to invite Susan Bradley onto the podcast. Susan’s the founder of the Sudden Money Institute and she’s written 2 books on the subject.She’s also been advising her clients and other professionals for many years on this vital and deeply complex area. In this wide-ranging conversation, Susan talks about;The importance of thinking deeply and preparing well for the transition a long time in advance - years, not weeks and months.Considering the family dynamics between spouses/ and children and how to communicate well including creating your own “Bliss List”.Why it’s vital to create a “Brains Trust” and specifically, a “Thinking Partner” who can act as an independent Trusted Adviser to help you navigate the journeyThis is not a fluffy conversation, it’s full of practical advice and specific steps to take before, during and after a business sale or retirement and major life transition.So if you have the ambition to exit your business successfully on a personal basis as well as a financial one you will get a lot out of today’s conversation.Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Susan Bradley.Sudden Money Institute Book - Sudden Money; Managing a Financial WindfallSusan’s Ted Talk Susan Linkedin This podcast is produced by TribunistaSponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us Fan MailFrom a council estate in Hackney, London to an ‘8-figure exit’ by age 27. The most inspirational founder conversation you will hear in a long time.I’ve met a lot of entrepreneurs over the years but few are as impressive as Tim Armoo - or Timo as he’s better known. He knew he didn’t want to be poor and decided from an early age that being an entrepreneur and starting his own business was the way to create his own financial security.He started his first business while still at school before founding Fanbytes, aged 21 and at University. The business was built from day one to be sold. Timo was highly intentional about designing a company attractive for potential acquirers and shares the exact steps he took to secure a life-changing exit.So much positive energy, wisdom and intelligent thinking from one of the UK’s smartest young entrepreneurs.Links:Tim ArmooFanbytesSo Good They Can’t Ignore You22 Immutable Laws of MarketingUltimate Sales MachineChet HolmesNick Wheeler/Charles Tyrwhitt SI PartnersSign up to join our community of entrepreneurs and their advisers at www.entrepreneurtransition.comHelp us spread the word by leaving a 5-star review on Apple PodcastDrop me an email at alan@entrepreneurtransition.comThis podcast is produced by TribunistaSponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us Fan MailTom Manwaring is at the top of his game. He’s the leading Mergers & Acquisition advisor in the UK focused on the media sector and in particular television production companies.He’s advised hundreds of owners and completed almost 50 deals (including 13 in the last 2 years which is some going considering what’s been going on). The combined sale value is in excess of £1 billion so he’s definitely someone worth listening to.You’ll have watched many of the shows created by the businesses that he’s sold - they're as diverse as  Paddington Bear, Sex Education, Normal People and David Attenborough's Perfect Planet.If you’re a business owner in the television sector and you’re thinking of selling, you’ve probably already got Tom on speed dial.But regardless of what type of business you’re in, this episode is an education in the art and science of creating a successful business exit. Wherever you are on your own journey, you’ll find lots of practical takeaways and actionable advice.Please enjoy - ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr Tom Manwaring.Links:Tom Manwaring Helion PartnersTom’s Linkedin This podcast is produced by TribunistaSponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us Fan MailMy name is Alan Smith and I’m a founder, entrepreneur, investor, wealth manager and yes now a podcast host!Over nearly 20 years, my team and I have established our business, Capital Asset Management as the leading independent wealth advice business in the UK, focused on working with successful business owners.In that time, I’ve worked with hundreds of founders and have always been fascinated by their entrepreneurial journey and what’s got them to where they are today. I wanted to create a place where great content is available to help the current and future generations of business owners navigate their own journeys and learn from those that have gone before them.If you want to listen to be educated, entertained and inspired by outstanding entrepreneurs and the people who support them, you have come to the right place.Welcome to the Entrepreneur Transition Podcast.https://entrepreneurtransition.com/alan@entrepreneurtransition.comFind me on LinkedInFollow me on Twitterwww.capital.co.ukThis podcast is produced by TribunistaSponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us Fan MailFor this episode, we go to the Emerald Isle to speak with a serial entrepreneur from Ireland called Donal Daly.A self-confessed tech geek, he founded, scaled and sold 5 companies and is now on his 6th, most, the most exciting, and certainly on a personal basis the most rewarding.Over his 30-year entrepreneurial journey, he’s bootstrapped his start-ups, he’s raised external funding, and he’s bought a business from one of the biggest tech companies in the world.He’s gone on to exit to different types of buyers including to the team via Management Buy Outs - MBOs.Donal shares his views on what a founder should focus on, the importance of creating a nurturing environment for your team and also of Imposter Syndrome.It’s rare to meet someone who has this range of experience and you will certainly learn something from him - I give you Mr Donal DalyShow notes:www.futureplanet.comdonal@futureplanet.com Produced by George Barbov of GR Media Podcast supported by Capital Asset Management www.capital.co.ukNew episodes are out every fortnight- totally free and with no advertisements.This podcast is produced by TribunistaSponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us Fan MailThis episode is about courage.From the outside looking in, the life of an entrepreneur seems exciting and fun.Starting a business and growing it towards a successful exit appears to be fairly straightforward. However the statistics confirm that very few ever manage to do that.Nigel Shanahan is an extraordinary entrepreneur. Through tremendous ups and downs, he grew his tech startup to a £50m exit.Coming from a fairly traditional corporate role, he had the seed of an idea and wanted to ride the wave of the then-new mobile phone technology.So despite being married with two young children he took the entrepreneurial leap into starting his own business. The went on a 20-year journey that involved him getting private equity backing, a fairly brutal experience and then buying the business back from them and pivoting with a refreshed strategy.Nigel shares his thoughts on business mentors, on the importance of creating a future vision and looking after and taking your team with you. He also candidly shares some of the regrets he’s had and things he'd do differently if he had his time again.Nigel is quite understated but some aspects of his journey confirm that he is a man of great courage.This is a masterclass in what it takes to be an entrepreneur and take an idea to a successful conclusion despite all the inevitable challenges.Show Notes:https://makegoodgrow.com/https://1millstreet.com/homehttps://www.socialsupermarket.org/Nigel's LinkedInhttps://www.gpbullhound.com/https://www.eosworldwide.com/Traction: Get a Grip on Your BusinessStart Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You AreThe Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In BusinessThe 4 Disciplines of Execution: Revised and Updated: Achieving Your Wildly Important GoalsProduced by George Barbov of GR Media Podcast supported by Capital Asset Management www.capital.co.ukNew episodes are out every second Thursday - totally free and with no advertisements.This podcast is produced by TribunistaSponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us Fan MailMark Mills was- as he refers to it himself ‘one of those annoying kids at school, who started businesses buying and selling stuff  - and he’s been building them ever since.But there were several failures along the way.Listen to him talk about the opportunity he had back in 1999 to open the first franchise for Starbucks in Europe - and why he turned it down! He admitted that wasn't his best decision  - but he's done OK since then.He eventually started a business and grew it to over £100m in annual revenue and £20m in profits -  before selling out for a life-changing sum.Mark shares his thoughts on the importance of understanding and applying your business model - and his 5-point model to maximise your success and business value.He also reveals his 40-point checklist to prepare for business exit and ensure you significantly increase the value of your business.Mark now advises other business owners on how to scale towards a successful business sale and drops golden nuggets of knowledge throughout this inspired conversation.I hope you enjoy episode number one.Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr Mark Mills. Mark has kindly agreed to send a signed copy to the first 10 listeners of the podcast to go to Apple podcasts and leave us a 5-start review. (see the book HERE)If you want to secure yours, write the review, take a screenshot and email it to me at alan@entrepreneurtransition.com and give me your postal address and we will have your personal copy mailed to you.Show notes:https://mark.co.uk/Mark's LinkedIn pageMark's book on Amazon - Making Your Mark: How I built a fortune from £1.50 and you can tooGood to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don'tAnyone Can Do It: Building Coffee Republic from Our Kitchen Table - 57 Real Life Laws on EntrepreneurshipProduced by George Barbov of GR Media Supported by Capital Asset Management www.capital.co.ukThis podcast is produced by TribunistaSponsored by Capital Asset Management