Jack Zuliani

This is brilliant, out of the box thinking in application of AI

6

Do you remember Gorillas? 🚴‍♂️ They sold to Getir for $1.2bn, but the founders walked away with... Nothing (kind of) You may remember a few years ago when grocery delivery wars were dominating London. Getir, Gorillas, Zapp and others all battling it out to be the cheapest and quickest to deliver you a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream so you didn't have to get up from the sofa. Why did they get nothing? They guaranteed returns for their investors. It’s a cautionary tale that every founder should pay attention to. When you take on too much VC money, you can end up giving away more than just equity—you risk losing your entire exit. In the scramble for capital to fend off competitors, these firms were bringing on as much cash as they could find. Some of this VC money comes with strings attached (in this case, clauses which guaranteed a certain multiplier for the later investors). This means that, after those VCs have taken their chunk of the exit funds, there isn't always cash left for the early guys - usually the founders and angels! So when you look at big exits of VC-backed businesses and think "that's what I want", make sure you know the full story. $1.2bn sounds like a life changing exit (and it will be for many reasons aside from finances) but it's not all that meets the eye. In this case I believe the founders were given "management bonuses" by Getir when the acquisition happened but that definitely wasn't necessary! Not all money is good money. Make sure the deal you’re making is the one you actually want.

199

52 Comments

How do we make sure Auto Trader UK runs smoothly and the lights stay on? 💡 I'm so chuffed with this week's episode of Roadmap which digs into that question... 🎙️ We created Roadmap to give folks a platform to chat about areas of product & tech that they're super passionate about and dive into some interesting topics. This episode is a fab example of that. 💚 Balkrishna Gukhool and Ash Lovett, two of our Operations Engineers, chat about all things operations engineering, including out of hours alerting, incident management, how new tech and automation are strengthening the AT Platform, and how they try avoid being seen as harbingers of doom! 🙌 Seriously interesting and mind-blowing stuff to see what goes on behind the scenes to keep Auto Trader's marketplace up and running. Check it out, links in the comments below.

30

3 Comments

South Coast Startups: This is your moment!! I’ve got an incredible opportunity for startups on the South Coast of England. We’re talking intros to top-tier mentors and serious cash for growth—whether that’s through equity or loans. I’m on the lookout for standout startups to match with angel investors, CCs, and Ultra High Net Worth individuals who are ready to back the next big thing. If this sounds like you—or someone you know—tag them, DM me, or drop me an email at [email protected]. Let’s take your startup to the next level! #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship #Fundraising #VentureCapital #AngelInvestors #GrowthHacking #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #SeedFunding #ScalingUp #StartupJourney #EquityFunding #Disruptors #FounderLife #StartupCommunity #BusinessFunding #StartupMentorship #InvestorReady #PitchToInvestors #DreamBig

31

7 Comments

Monzo Bank is the latest tech unicorn to achieve profitable growth after years of depending on large amounts of outside funding to fuel its growth. The company has posted a very nice profit of £15m, with revenues growing 2.5x and deposits growing 88%. Of course, like many fintechs they were helped by the higher interest rates in the last couple of years. But Monzo can take credit for being at the right scale when the interest rates shifted (which they did mostly through building the best customer experience in UK banking) and for pivoting to profitable growth at the right time. I've been a Monzo customer since its alpha days and even invested a bit in one of its crowdfunding rounds, so it's safe to say I'm a diehard fan. Still, I have to say they have never been as innovative and productive as they have in the last couple of years, finally building some revenue-generating products popular with customers. We will have to see if this trend continues, as interest rates are expected to fall over the next few quarters. https://lnkd.in/eHZ5Ayf2

13

2 Comments

Today I fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine. ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS!🤯 I’ve always loved YouTube. As a creator and a consumer. It’s a platform which revolutionised distribution of content… It gave everyone the opportunity to create their own “show” about their passions and get paid to make it. The reason I love business is because it can make your passions and dreams sustainable. A way to monetise whatever it is that gives you meaning in life. And that for me is the key to living a happy life. Find what it is you love, then find a way of doing that thing sustainably. In other words… How can you get paid to do what you love? For me, I love showing people how to find their meaning in life. How to find a way of offering their gifts to the world and get paid for it. It might not be my name on the channel, but it certainly serves my mission. So for me, this milestone represents so much more than just a vanity metric or a brag on social media. This is symbolic of not just the fact that we made ‘making dreams happen’ sustainable. But it’s also proof that if I can do it, so can you.

63

33 Comments

🚀 Monzo's Incredible Journey! 🌍 Monzo, the UK-based digital bank, is now worth a whopping $5.9 billion! This news comes after Monzo confirmed selling some shares to give their employees more money options. Big investors like Singapore's GIC and StepStone Group bought more shares in this exciting deal. This kind of sale, known as a secondary market sale, is important because it helps employees have more financial flexibility. Monzo’s growth is a sign of how innovative fintech companies can attract major interest and spark big changes in the financial industry. Businesses can use fintech technologies like Monzo's to supercharge their growth, offer better services, and stay ahead of the competition. 🌟 #Fintech #Innovation #BusinessGrowth #Monzo #TechLeadership

1

Time to start planning for how to optimise your business growth during Black Friday/Cyber Monday - and don’t worry, I got you! Having participated for years in the sale of all sale periods, I’ve put together my top tips for how to make the most of this BFCM using Meta ads! You’ve got this 💪 Find out how to grow your business with Meta #metaforbusiness #ad https://lnkd.in/gMqGGjTb https://bit.ly/janelumsd2

119

6 Comments

This Norwegian bag brand got LVMH to invest, how did they do it? In the past 5 years, Douchebags has been killing with really LOW ad spend. How? Lots and lots of crazy stunts... Here are some of my favourites (which converted me): → Sold an igloo made of backpacks for $25K → Dropped Jay Alvarez out of a helicopter INSIDE a new suitcase → Removed the add to cart button during COVID to push retail sales All of this is amplified by Jon Olsson’s YouTube channel (one of the founders) with 1.5M+ subscribers. Every time did a new marketing stunt, they were all over my feed. It was a matter of time before I became a happy customer too. Here's the best part, Not only their marketing is outstanding - so is there onlineshop... No seriously. It’s my yearly ritual to visit the Douchebags store and break it down— —I just finished this year’s edition. It includes: ↳ Advanced Category Entry Points ↳ Pre-Sale Landing Pages ↳ Advanced AOV & CRO Strategies ↳ Editable Figma Templates ↳ Psychographics ↳ Full Funnel Breakdown ↳ Lowkey Genius Features LinkedIn wouldn’t let me upload the file, so if you want free access to this editable Figma file: 1. Like this post 2. Comment “🎒" or Db” 3. Repost for priority access (optional) And I’ll send it to you!

267

435 Comments

Financial Founders leave a generation of clients on the table because they're scared. I get it: - The older generation has money - They may be more responsive - Young people prefer to complain than listen Luckily, young people are more engaged with finance content. - Social Media - Finfluencers - Talking with their friends They're applying what they learn, but don't get the best advice. Young people want to hear from you. They want to know what you know and apply it to their lives. Creating video content with a pro gives your audience more ways to learn from you. The sooner they can do this, the more you'll stand out, narrow down a niche, and the easier it is for them to take action. If you wait too long you'll have to break the bad habits and manage their debt before they money. Start now and save yourself the trouble later. -- PS: I can help you conquer this fear and make you look like a superstar on camera.

6

9 Comments

3 Reminders for any start-up fundraising right now. (Lessons taken from the amazing panel at the EISA Founder x Networking event I attended 2 weeks ago - organised by Female Founders Rise) ↓↓↓ 1️⃣ Be ready to quiz investors/VCs properly - Ask them what they're looking for. - Ask what support they can make available. - Ask them more about their values and vision. Make sure you align for their investment to be a good fit. 2️⃣ Find out about their networks - Which people can they introduce you to? - What opportunities can they make available? - Who will notice you when you step into an agreement? People paying attention helps. But the RIGHT people paying attention matters more. 3️⃣. Be careful of using buzzwords (Like AI / BLOCKCHAIN) - How are you different from your competitors? - How are you using it every day? (be specific) - How does your business move beyond the buzzword? For us, with fashion in particular - 'sustainability' and ESG are already exhausted. "Circular Economy" is the current favourite. At Pip & Henry, we're genuinely striving to close the loop....and are investing significantly in R&D to this end. We constantly need to make our impact clear through storytelling. 5 years into the game these tips aren't just friendly reminders. They're key practices that define how we sell ourselves. What tips have you picked up? Drop them in the comments. XXXXXX PS: Pip & Henry is currently fundraising! We're genuinely focused on making a positive impact...By promoting circularity in the footwear space ♻ To be part of our brand, product and mission...Get in touch! 👏

40

3 Comments

🌳 Sycamore Gap - 1 year on since the felling 🤳🏻 TikTok: 790k views 📸Instagram: 18k views 🤔 What's going wrong? I heard this Philomena Cunk edit about Stonehenge and realised it would be ✨PERFECT✨ for Sycamore Gap - the dialogue matches up so well, so I only had to change a few captions to get my message across. I actually drove an extra 7 hours to film there as I knew the video had viral potential. To nail the lip-sync I had the audio playing in my pocket to get the timing, and then more importantly I'm actually saying the words in the same accent (it's similar to not over-enunciating with deaf people). And of course it had to loop as well. I've spent WAY too much time editing and perfecting this video, and subsequently learnt that jobsworth doesn't actually mean knobhead ! (the irony). 🤦‍♂️ I also thought that by jumping the gun and posting this video on Wednesday before the 1 year anniversary on Saturday, I might be the first video people see on the subject - looks like that's worked ✅ I've been posting near identical content on Instagram/TikTok, yet only had success on TikTok - an extra 10k views since writing this! This video is performing x50 better on TikTok.... I've seen similar creators only be successful on one of the apps, but can't work out any rules as they're seems to be exceptions for everything! 👋 Any one have any suggestions on growing Instagram? #sycamoregap #tiktok #instagram #contentcreator

21

Want to know a little more about Seven Legal and what we’re all about? Watch this lovely video to find out more :) ! Solving Legal Problems Simply #alsp #newlaw #fractionalgc #inhouselegal

13

2 Comments

You're not going to believe what Ronaldo just did He invested into the wearable tech start-up WHOOP Whilst the specific amount has not been disclosed, it has been described as "the biggest investment Ronaldo has made into a company" Here's why this is a great play for both parties: → Whoop x Ronaldo is authentic at the core → Ronaldo's been using Whoop for 2 years prior to this → Ronaldo's platform will help Whoop explore new markets and regions, such as expanding operations in Saudi Arabia “People are more likely to choose products that are endorsed by a celebrity rather than a non-celebrity, and they make that choice faster,” according to the Knowledge at Wharton business journal. Choosing a product advertised by a celebrity has a psychological effect, with consumers spending less time deliberating their choice and more confident about their decision, it said. Just another example on the power celebrity endorsements, investments and brands can have. Nice partnership Will Ahmed What are your thoughts on this investment? 🤔 #ronaldo #whoop #techstartups #techinvestments

21

6 Comments

It’s amazing to start talking about a project I’ve been working on for the past couple of months and ready to roll out into the world. Introducing Revuix Ai. A all-in-one, multi-purpose marketing, task flow & communications software empowering the use of Ai.📱 There’s no doubt artificial intelligence is here to stay and a lot of businesses are finally jumping onboard and embracing it to their advantage. However, it’s tiring having to constantly jump from platform to platform, with multiple monthly outgoings on all these available platforms. That’s why Revuix was born. One platform, one affordable payment, one marketing suite. The first 20 clients to onboard with Revuix is receiving it at 50% off! ‼️ Get in contact with me for more information. #AIinBusiness #FutureofAI #AIinnovation #AItechnology #AIintheWorkplace #AIforBusiness #AIinMarketing #AIinFinance #AIinHealthcare #AIinEducation #AIMarketing #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalMarketing #DataDrivenMarketing #MarketingAutomation #DigitalMarketingTips #SocialMediaStrategy #SEOStrategy #ContentMarketing #OnlineAdvertising

5

Welcome to the only 'LinkedIn Brand Awards' that matter. Some brands broke the internet. Others barely logged on. Here’s who stole the show this year—and the awards they didn’t even know they were winning: 🏆 Pineapple: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 “🇿🇦’𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐌𝐕𝐏” 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 SA's LinkedIn crown jewel. They just get it. 🏆 Monzo Bank: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 “𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰” 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 Proof that not all banks are boring. Monzo makes you want to open an account just for the vibes. 🏆 Semrush: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 “𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬” 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 SEMrush didn’t just get the joke; they wrote it, memed it, and made sure we all laughed (and learned). 🏆 SURREAL: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 “𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧” 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 Where there’s a Surreal post, there’s a punchline—and it’s always a knockout. 🏆 Apple: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 “𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫” 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 Apple has 18M followers but posts nothing. And somehow? Still iconic. 🏆 Liquid Death: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 “𝐔𝐧𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭” 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 Water shouldn’t be this wild. But Liquid Death makes it metal—and we’re all drinking it up. Think a brand got snubbed? Drop their name below—and make your case. Who knows? They might just make next year’s list. 🫡

64

15 Comments

I seem to be rolling merrily down memory lane a lot on LinkedIn at the moment, but I had to mark the A-Z of YouTube, which launched exactly 9 years ago today. Flying Object made it for YouTube's 10th birthday with the phenomenal Hoku & Adam at Partizan, and it remains one of my favourite things we've ever done. The brief was the (impossible?) task of summing up a decade of YouTube in a single video. Our idea was to celebrate the creativity of YouTube from A-Z, by recreating 75 different memes, creators and videos in 18 different filmmaking styles found on the platform. It was a mammoth production, with a lot of the animation and puppetry done in-camera - like a giant Harlem Shake zoetrope, animated sand art, and famous videos recreated as flipbooks. Tracking down and getting permission from all the original video creators was a herculean task in itself - I believe we had quite a long and strange negotiation with a representative of 'Dramatic Chipmunk'. Trying to encapsulate something as big as YouTube felt fraught with risk, and we were terrified of the comments it might get on launch. But the response was really positive, and it still gets nice comments when people come across it today. Looking back, I think it holds up as an authentic and genuinely loving portrait of YouTube, and users felt that in its execution. https://lnkd.in/eWH_NdiU Hoku Uchiyama Adam Bolt Alex Halley Grant LaFontaine Ross Warren Anna Bateson Tom Pursey

44

12 Comments

Slime Party UK, a Barnsley-based toy slime producer, has secured government-backed financing from Newable Commerce and UK Export Finance. The funds will support the opening of a new 15,000 square foot factory and the recruitment of additional staff. The company, which began in founder Ruby Sheldon’s kitchen, now caters to major global retailers and will use the investment to meet rising export demands in Europe and the Middle East. For more info, see the link in the comments. #Trade #GlobalTrade #Customs #TradeUpdates #CustomsNews #UKTrade #SupplyChain #Logistics

4

1 Comment

Strategic partnerships don’t just happen They’re built on shared values & goals to make an impact That’s why we’re beyond thrilled to announce our latest collaboration: luna is teaming up with Gymshark 😱 As a UK-based sportswear leader, Gymshark is the perfect fit as the headline partner for luna’s Wellbeing Challenge 4 weeks of in-app mini-challenges designed to help teens build healthy habits around: ✏️ Navigating mental health and school pressure 📱 Staying safe and balanced on social media 🩸 Managing periods with confidence 👟 Building a foundation for healthy eating and exercise When seeking partnerships, we focus on aligning with brands that share our values. For us, that means: ✅ Embracing inclusivity ✅ Staying authentic in our approach ✅ Showcasing positive role models ✅ Fostering health and wellbeing ✅ Encouraging everyone to stay active Creating iconic partnerships doesn’t happen overnight It takes time, effort, and a shared mission. But when the right one comes together, the result is magic. This collaboration with Gymshark is just the beginning. Watch this space as we continue to partner with brands that inspire teens & strengthen teen/parent relationships. ----- 👉 Follow Jas Schembri-Stothart for more on Entrepreneurship & Founder life 👉 Give luna a follow if you're a parent/guardian of a teen

133

41 Comments