Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don’t do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ Making the Difficult Decision to Shut Down Your Business w/ Daniya Stewart – Part Two What does it really feel like to walk away from a business you built from scratch? In this powerful Part Two episode, Greg McCallum sits down with Daniya Stewart to unpack the emotional, strategic, and financial layers behind closing her food startup, PHOMO . From pit...
Jul 02, 2025•59 min•Season 3Ep. 89
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don’t do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ From Banking to Food Startup: The Early Journey of a Founder w/ Daniya Stewart – Part One What happens when a corporate career collides with a deep craving for Vietnamese food? In this episode, Greg McCallum sits down with Daniya Stewart , founder of the food startup PHOMO , to explore her journey from banking and project finance to building a Vietname...
Jul 02, 2025•50 min•Season 3Ep. 88
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don’t do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ Scaling a Wellness Brand in an AI-Dominated World w/ Hector Hughes of Unplugged – Part Two In this episode, Greg McCallum and Hector Hughes , co-founder of Unplugged , explore what it means to protect our mental health, creativity, and sense of connection in a world increasingly shaped by AI and always-on technology. They discuss Hector’s plan to doubl...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 87
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don't do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ Building a Business That Encourages Digital Detox w/ Hector Hughes of Unplugged – Part One What if the key to building a successful brand… was encouraging people to do nothing ? In this episode, Greg McCallum sits down with Hector Hughes , co-founder of Unplugged , to unpack the story behind their fast-growing digital detox company—offering 3-day, off-...
Jun 23, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 86
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don't do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In Part Two of this conversation, Greg McCallum and Vasilis Stoidis , founder of 7L International, go beyond business tactics to explore the philosophy and responsibility of entrepreneurship . From reframing legacy as responsibility to unpacking how startups should approach market targeting and feedback, this is a thoughtful and practical guide to buil...
Jun 18, 2025•43 min•Season 3Ep. 85
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don't do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In this episode, Greg McCallum sits down with Vasilis Stoidis , serial tech founder and CEO of 7L International, to break down what separates real innovation from noise. From navigating generational shifts to staying relevant in the age of AI, Vasilis brings a clear-eyed, first-principles view to building products that actually solve problems—at scale....
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 84
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don't do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In Part Two, Greg McCallum sits down again with Frank Sondors , CEO of Salesforge, to explore the next phase of AI in sales—and the looming question: Where do humans still fit? From the rise of autonomous agents to the loss of nuance in hyper-efficient systems, this episode explores the delicate balance between scale and soul in the modern sales stack....
Jun 11, 2025•52 min•Season 3Ep. 83
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don't do it without them.🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ What happens when you apply ruthless efficiency, strategic delegation, and AI-powered SDRs to a broken sales model? You get Salesforge.ai —and a startup that scaled to $3M ARR in four months. In this episode, Greg McCallum sits down with Frank Sondors , CEO of Salesforge, to unpack how he’s building a smarter, leaner sales machine—and how founders can a...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 82
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don't do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ Why Understanding 'Why' Matters More Than 'How' in the AI Era w/ Olivier Soucy – Part Two In Part Two, Greg McCallum and Olivier Soucy , founder of Okube , explore the evolving role of developers in a world dominated by AI tools and LLMs. This episode isn’t just about new technology—it’s about a shift in mindset. From over-reliance on automation to the...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 81
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst If you're raising capital in the UK, don't do it without them. 🎯 Get 5% off their services → https://2ly.link/1zDIJ Olivier Soucy went from building helicopter flight simulators to designing open-source data tools that engineers actually want to use. Now the founder of Okube and creator of Lactory (an open-source ETL framework), Olivier joins Greg McCallum to share his transition from specialist to product builder—and why he values community, clarity, and clean docu...
Jun 02, 2025•52 min•Season 3Ep. 80
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst Get 5% off their services via this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In Part Two , Greg McCallum sits down again with Ben Borton—Co-Founder of PodPlay—to unpack how a content-first go-to-market strategy helped them grow to $1.5M in ARR without a sales team. Ben shares how PodPlay’s user-initiated video replay feature created viral momentum, the role fun plays in both product design and mission, and why franchising is their next big bet. 🎧 In this conversation: How replay...
May 28, 2025•48 min•Season 3Ep. 79
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst Get 5% off their services via this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In this episode , Greg McCallum is joined by Ben Borton—Co-Founder of PodPlay Technologies—to explore how autonomous, tech-driven venues are reshaping the way people play and connect through sports. Ben shares his unexpected journey from cultural criticism and hedge funds to building a vertically integrated SaaS platform powering venues like PingPod, Sharks, and more. They dive into the origin story behi...
May 26, 2025•58 min•Season 3Ep. 78
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst Get 5% off their services via this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In Part Two , Esteban Quintero returns to share the tough lessons behind his entrepreneurial journey—building a ticketing platform that scaled fast but collapsed during the pandemic, navigating legal and compliance issues, and learning how to start again stronger. That reset led to his latest venture, Abroad—a payment solution designed for travellers facing cashless systems abroad. From crypto payments t...
May 21, 2025•54 min•Season 3Ep. 77
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst Get 5% off their services via this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In this episode, Esteban Quintero—serial entrepreneur and founder of Abroad—shares how he turned a curiosity for tech and a passion for travel into a $1M smartphone business while still at university. From selling toys as a child in Colombia to launching global ventures across Asia, Europe, and Latin America, Esteban breaks down how he finds market gaps, builds fast-moving businesses, and navigates the h...
May 19, 2025•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 76
Sponsored by FounderCatalyst Get 5% off their services via this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ In Part Two of Greg’s conversation with Matt Copley—Co-Founder and CRO of HRIZN—the discussion shifts from startup origin stories to the often-ignored but mission-critical topic of management. Together, they explore why most founders struggle with people leadership, how AI is transforming roles, and why culture, execution, and curiosity are now more important than ever. The episode then shifts into a tho...
May 14, 2025•54 min•Season 3Ep. 75
This episode is proudly sponsored by FounderCatalyst.Get 5% off their services by clicking this link:https://2ly.link/1zDIJ------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt Copley—Co-Founder and CRO of HRIZN (Horizon)—joins Greg McCallum to share the highs, lows, and aha moments of building a generative AI platform in the automotive industry. From growing up rebellious to navigating career pivots, Matt opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, why ask...
May 12, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 74
This episode is proudly sponsored by AppUnite. The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3FCHQlm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is Part Two of the conversation with Jordan. Check out Part One here: https://youtu.be/QwTAVariPKA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------...
May 07, 2025•51 min•Season 3Ep. 73
This episode is proudly sponsored by AppUnite. The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3FCHQlm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this episode, Jordan Schlipf shares the raw lessons from building 15+ startups, leading a venture studio, and working with major corporates. He reveals why most startup studios fail, how corporate ...
May 05, 2025•59 min•Season 3Ep. 72
This episode is proudly sponsored by AppUnite. The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3FCHQlm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this dynamic conversation, Greg McCallum and Jonathan Keeling (JK) dive deep into the unique founder-centric approach of Haatch investment fund and explore the misunderstood world of crowdfunding. ...
Apr 30, 2025•56 min•Season 3Ep. 71
This episode is proudly sponsored by AppUnite. The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3FCHQlm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this insightful conversation with Jonathan Keeling (JK), we explore his journey from CrowdCube executive to partner at Haatch and founder of Edge. JK shares his experience scaling CrowdCube to £14M...
Apr 28, 2025•44 min•Season 3Ep. 70
This episode is proudly sponsored by FounderCatalyst. Get 5% off their services by clicking this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How does the UK’s most active pre-seed investor actually evaluate startups? In Part Two of this conversation, Joseph Zipfel, Chief Investment Officer at SFC Capital, lifts the lid on the principles, processes, and red flags that shape their investment decisions. He and...
Apr 23, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 69
This episode is proudly sponsored by Peer. Get started today with a free discovery audit + 20% off your first audit. 👉 Click the link to secure your offer: https://link.foundersunpluggedpodcast.com/peeraudits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this episode, Greg sits down with Joseph Zipfel, Chief Investment Officer at SFC Capital — the UK’s most active pre-seed investor — to unpack the realities of early-stage investing. ...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 68
This episode is proudly sponsored by FounderCatalyst. Get 5% off their services by clicking this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Part Two of our conversation with Yuru, founder of Hey! Food Is Ready, we dive into the realities of building a startup alone—from the struggles of fundraising to the emotional toll of entrepreneurship. This episode covers: - The hardest parts of being a solo founde...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 67
This episode is proudly sponsored by Peer. Get started today with a free discovery audit + 20% off your first audit. 👉 Click the link to secure your offer: https://link.foundersunpluggedpodcast.com/peeraudits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this episode of Founders Unplugged, we sit down with Yuru, founder of Hey! Food Is Ready, a platform connecting independent chefs—many from immigrant and refugee backgrounds—with com...
Apr 14, 2025•49 min•Season 3Ep. 66
This episode is proudly sponsored by FounderCatalyst. Get 5% off their services by clicking this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Part Two of our conversation with Alex Neill, co-founder of Consumer Voice, we dive into the legal battles brewing against AI companies, Big Tech, and Web3 scams. This episode covers: - How AI companies are using your data without consent. - The massive lawsuits tha...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 65
This episode is proudly sponsored by Peer. Get started today with a free discovery audit + 20% off your first audit. 👉 Click the link to secure your offer: https://link.foundersunpluggedpodcast.com/peeraudits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this episode of Founders Unplugged, Greg Mccallum sits down with Alex Neill, co-founder of Consumer Voice, a startup on a mission to help consumers get back money from rule-breaking ...
Apr 07, 2025•57 min•Season 3Ep. 64
This episode is proudly sponsored by FounderCatalyst. Get 5% off their services by clicking this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inside an Angel Investor’s Playbook In Part Two of my conversation with Jed, we dive deep into how he spots billion-dollar startups, builds investor networks, and navigates the evolving world of angel investing. We cover: The key traits of winning startups (and why mos...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 63
This episode is proudly sponsored by Peer. Get started today with a free discovery audit + 20% off your first audit. 👉 Click the link to secure your offer: https://link.foundersunpluggedpodcast.com/peeraudits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Jed Built a 1,400+ Investor Network from Scratch In this episode of Founders Unplugged, we sit down with Jed, a former startup operator turned angel investor, who built a 1,400+ str...
Mar 31, 2025•50 min•Season 3Ep. 62
This episode is proudly sponsored by FounderCatalyst. Get 5% off their services by clicking this link: https://2ly.link/1zDIJ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this conversation, Greg McCallum and Ben Beavers break down the realities of launching and scaling a startup, from raising £140K on Kickstarter to the challenges of hardware development, funding, and growth. Ben shares how data-driven decision-making, customer journ...
Mar 26, 2025•56 min•Season 3Ep. 61
This episode is proudly sponsored by Peer. Get started today with a free discovery audit + 20% off your first audit. 👉 Click the link to secure your offer: https://link.foundersunpluggedpodcast.com/peeraudits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Startup Making It Impossible to Kill Your Plants | Founders Unplugged In this episode, Ben Beavers, founder of Smarty Plants, joins Greg McCallum to share his journey from managemen...
Mar 24, 2025•52 min•Season 3Ep. 60
