Varun Balsara

🌟 Started angel investing at 25, building a diverse investment portfolio with dividends from my first business. 👩‍💼 Ended up as the main judge at the NatWest Group and Two Chicks Female Founders competition - congrats to cubbi and eNOugh for their wins! 🚀 Lessons from angel investing so far: - High risk, high reward - be prepared to lose it all and yet always have an interesting ride along the way. - Beyond finances - it's about relationships, knowledge, learning, and insights - Having an investing framework is crucial - adapted Ikigai guides my investments on the alignment and impact - Partner up with other angels for deal flow, due diligence, references and insights - Diversity is key for angels and founders - more work needed for underrepresented communities in this space! #notwithmymoney campaign launched to promote equitable investments in government-funded institutions. Check out www.notwithmymoney.info to sign the open letter! Let's continue to work towards a more inclusive and diverse investment landscape! 💪 #angelinvesting #diversityandinclusion #womeninbusiness #notwithmymoney 👼💰🚀🌈

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Why startup sales is the perfect founder 'grad scheme' 📈 If you want to be a founder someday there are (broadly) two options: build stuff or sell stuff. If the latter is the option that fits - working in a sales role at an early stage startup is the perfect way to learn the ropes 👩‍🏫 , here's why 👇 1️⃣ Building up a thick skin You will be rejected by prospects 95% of the time in a startup. Whilst this sounds pretty grim, it will build your resilience like NOTHING else, giving you an edge over others when it comes to founding. 2️⃣ Dealing with constant uncertainty Sales in scale-ups is nice and easy. Rinse and repeat the same playbook, all day every day. In startups you are constantly having to evaluate your outreach strategies, ideal customers, and with devs to refine the product - the exact skillset you will need as a founder. 3️⃣ Finding what makes people tick Building a knack of convincing people to buy an unproven product is a FAR better way of exercising the 'sales' muscle, one that you will need when talking to investors, customers, as well as prospective candidates you want to recruit into your future startup. The good news is that the Jumpstart sales programme is THE place to find these opportunities to set you up as a future founder. Oh, and you will even get access to a community of 400+ alumni at events like the one below if you are in need of a co-founder 😉 Check out the sales programme in the link below! #founders #startups #sales

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WomenInTech is more than just a program—it’s a diverse ecosystem that nurtures businesses with unique missions. Sharmeen Khan from Be Me.global, a wellness startup focused on mental health, highlights how WomenInTech empowers women entrepreneurs to drive positive change in their communities. BeMe is making a profound impact by tackling the mental health crisis through services like Individual Therapy, Group Therapy, Addiction Therapy, and Employee Well-being Packages. Their approach empowers individuals and businesses to prioritize mental well-being—especially where resources are scarce, and stigma persists. At BeMe, the mission goes beyond providing services—it’s about creating real, lasting change in mental health, and WomenInTech has been instrumental in making this vision a reality. Mental health remains a global issue. According to a Gallup Pakistan and WIN World Survey, 65% of people worldwide report suffering from stress, while in Pakistan, 31% experience it. Ready to be part of a program that empowers women to shape the future? Join WomenInTech and take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey. Let’s work together to create a more inclusive and innovative business world. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/epV2vpVc Talha Rehman Mohammad Zaidi Tasneem Mirza Cyrus Shah Yousuf Khan Reena Ebrahim Dr Ayesha Mian Vladimira Briestenska Asma Ahmad #SheOwnsIt #WomenInTech #MentalHealth #Entrepreneurship #CommunityImpact #Employeewellness

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#2 | On celebrated business stories One of my favourite genre of books is business biographies. Lee Iacocca and the Mustang. Steve Jobs. The Perfect Store about Ebay. Brick by Brick about Lego. The Barbarians at the Gate. There is something about these stories - the complex organisational setting, the challenges presented by circumstances - market, competitors, blinding success and finally the triumph. Of course, what is documented is infinitesimally small : almost every project has a story - good or bad. How does one make sense of each of these stories? The ones we live through and the ones we read about. I remember something I learnt back in the business school. Three things. The firm matters. The leadership matters. The choices matter. Given a situation (pre-pmf or a public company with slowing revenue growth), how the leadership (more specifically CEO) manages the firm ( its culture, its people, its cornered resources) through trade-offs to make choices ( "strategy" for the b-school nerds ) is ALL that every story is about. With the infinite context windows on the horizon, we are going to see the three things in play again and again, even more frequently than before. Does not have to be all glamorous and most stories wont make it to the socials BUT each would be VERY interesting for sure. Wear your seat belts, folks! PS : I had one of my very first phone calls with an AI - Boardy is interesting to chat with for sure.

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Founders - here are pitch-deck guidelines I spoke about in a previous post. Hope you find it useful. #venturecapital #founders #startups #funding

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No one teaches you how to be a founder. You learn as you go. When I started Sama Health, I thought building the product would be the hardest part. Turns out, the real work is figuring out who you need to become as a founder. Here’s what I’ve learned: 1/ Customer discovery is everything. 2/ Sales isn’t a dirty word. 3/ Your personal brand opens doors hustle can’t. Paul Graham said, “Startups don’t die from competition. They die from not having customers.” But in 2025, there’s more to it: They also die from founders not standing out. Look at leaders like: Naval Ravikant – “Your reputation is your moat.” Alex Hormozi – Built trust before he scaled. Sahil Bloom – Leveraged storytelling to grow. What I’ve realized? 💡 People trust people more than products. 💡 Thought leadership isn’t optional — it’s essential. So if you’re a first-time founder, focus on: 1. Talking to customers. 2. Selling your vision. 3. Building your brand. Because the best product doesn’t always win. The most trusted person does. What’s your biggest founder lesson? Let’s share and learn together. ♻️ Share with a fellow founder. 🔔 Follow for more startup + mental health insights. __ 👋🏽 I’m Misha Akbar, Founder of Sama Health, making mental health support in the UAE as relatable as karak chai and heartfelt conversations.

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Being a non-technical founder shouldn't be a roadblock. The real challenge is knowing how to tap into the expertise around you. I've learned that clarity and asking the right questions are crucial for turning ideas into reality. Surround yourself with the right people, and don't be afraid to seek the guidance you need—it's the key to moving forward. The link to the full episode is in the comments section below. ⬇ #BusinessofEducation #TBOE #EdTech #StartUps #Founders #Scaling #StartUpChallenges #BuildYourDream #Mindset

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Running a start-up is like juggling knives. Dropping one could be fatal. Master juggling these knives to stay alive👇🏻 Knife 1: Your current shareholders -Send regular updates on your progress. --> Building confidence sets a strong foundation. Knife 2: Your potential investors -Share material progress, as often as possible --> Building trust is essential for future rounds. Knife 3: Your team -Share the challenges and the opportunities --> A well-informed team keeps motivated. Knife 4: Your product -Pritoritise features from customer feedback --> Being responsive gains loyalty and cuts churn. Knife 5: Your competition -Set up Google News and App Store alerts. --> Track competitors to stay on your toes. Knife 6: Your culture -Create a positive, inclusive environment. --> A strong culture attracts and retains the best. Knife 7: Your customer relationships -Stay in front of customers to respond to needs. --> Loyal customers are your best brand advocates. Knife 8: Your finances -Manage cashflows like there's a few weeks left. --> Strong cost control lets you survive any weather. Knife 9: Your well-being -Set an alarm to get sleep, rest and exercise --> Stay healthy to make clear decisions. Knife 10: Your vision -Be prepared to pivot if market conditions shift. --> Being flexible lets you seize new opportunities. Running a start-up can be a hair-raising experience. It's less scary when you keep your eyes on the knives. #startups #strategy

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You will find the idea of “Founder Mode” obvious, yet unspoken, as soon as you read about it in the latest Paul Graham essay. No wonder this has gone viral. #foundermode https://lnkd.in/dUQiVpzB

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In this episode, we have Komal Ahuja, an influencer with 1,00,000 plus followers on LinkedIn who managed to finance her Masters via her freelancing undertakings during COVID-19. She now works as a product marketer in London. She gives insights on: 1. How to get started with content creation on LinkedIn 2. ⁠How does having an active LinkedIn helps in job search 3. ⁠How to apply for Marketing Jobs in London 4. ⁠Job application process/timelines/tips 5. ⁠How to leverage LinkedIn to get referrals 6. ⁠What is working in Marketing like 👉🏻 Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/gteafMPw We’ve been trying to bridge the gap between students in their undergrad/recently graduated students and people who’ve already been there, done that! Follow UniAdvise for more!

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I usually get to meet so many founders and one thing I noticed about the most effective ones is ⤵ They are ready to get their hands dirty and put in those hard yards themselves. Most do not do it and are adamant about getting specialists to help them with their work. (I am not saying that this is incorrect). But, I do feel the resilient ones fold their sleeves and try to learn new skills and resolve problems. Which is why they stand out! ⭐ What's the one trait you notice in effective leaders and founders? #founders #leaders #hatch #growth #learn #share #grow #learn #startup #startupgrind #growthmarketing #linkedin #effective #skillbuilding

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Simmer & 100DaysOfNoCode: Two of the UK’s best bootstrapped startups The days of growth at all costs are behind us. Bootstrapping is BACK. Lots of founders are now choosing to fund their ventures themselves rather than seek VC funding. These two british businesses have been doing it for a while and deserve to be celebrated! Simmer Simmer is a healthy takeaway meal subscription service offering nutritious meals without the hassle of prep. It was founded by brothers Simmy Dhillon and Jhai Dhillon in 2017 whose main ambition was to retire their Mum. In 2020, they were able to achieve their goal of retiring their Mum from her job at Tesco, and the following year they went all-in, quitting their jobs to run Simmer full-time. Since then the business has EXPLODED: 🚀 25k+ customers 🚀 1 million meals delivered in 2023  🚀 4.5* on Trustpilot from over 1000 reviews Based on Simmer’s website it looks like the average price of a meal is between £5 - £9. Given they hit 1 million meals delivered in 2023 they must have hit almost £10m in revenue 🤯. On top of that Simmy Dhillon has grown a huge following on Linkedin talking about the trials and challenging of growing a family orientated bootstrapped business! 100DaysOfNoCode In 2018 Max H. shutdown his tech startup. As a non-technical founder Max felt he was too dependent on developers which left him wishing he could code. As a result he created 100DaysOfNoCode to equip people with the tools they need to build their own ventures! Max has built an incredible community as well as a business and has seen incredible success: 🎓 An insane 21k people educated through the platform 💰 Received (and turned down) an acquisition offer 📤 Over 33k newsletter subscribers 100DaysOfNoCode offers free courses and paid bootcamps and sees an impressive 76% completion rate. These businesses are successfully bootstrapping and setting an example of how to do it! I can't wait to see where they go next! #tech #startups #bootstrapping

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Post #1: Prioritising Market Research: A Foundational Step for Sustainable Startup Growth Thinking of launching the next big thing? Hold on a second, entrepreneur extraordinaire! Before you build that revolutionary app or artisanal pickle empire, there's a crucial step many forget: market segmentation. Why is it so important? Imagine throwing a dart blindfolded. Segmentation helps you see the board, identify the bullseye (your ideal customer), and refine your aim. Here's how: 1. Laser-focused marketing: Craft messaging and target ads that resonate with specific customer needs and desires. No more scattershot marketing that fizzles. 2. Product development on point: Build what your target market ACTUALLY wants, not what you think they want. Say goodbye to features that gather dust. 3. Competition? Who, them? Understand your niche and tailor your offerings to stand out from the crowd. Become the big fish in a smaller pond, not a minnow in an ocean. Segmentation horror stories: Remember Ford Edsel, 1957, McDonald's McLean Deluxe, 1990s, Quibi, 2020? Classic case of ignoring who their customers truly were. By understanding their target market, they could have avoided a costly flop. So, how do you segment your market? Fear not, there's a whole toolbox of techniques! Consider demographics (age, income), psychographics (values, interests), and even buying behaviours. The bottom line? Do your research, identify your sweet spot, and watch your startup soar. #entrepreneurlife #marketresearch #startuptips #segmentation P.S. What are your favourite market segmentation tools? Share your insights in the comments! This series is inspired by Bill Aulet's "Disciplined Entrepreneurship" which was part of my master's program at Trinity Business School.

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90% of the founders I meet spend toooooooo much time perfecting their investment deck. Your deck is an amazing mechanism to clarify your thoughts, business model and product, however, it's not your final output as a founder. A big chunk of my work with founder is focused around evolving their investment deck, but I would stop them at a certain point and say - just send it over and move on to your important work of company building. Each VC or angel investor will have different views, and rules about what they look in a deck, and you cannot please everyone nor you should. Here is the truth - you investment deck will never be perfect, but it should be clear and convincing. Like your product you should let go and send it over even if it's not perfect. You should funnel your energy to building a great team, an amazing product, talk with your customers, experiment new ideas, do marketing and create partnership. You should work on your deck, but this should NOT be your full-time job as a founder or as CEO. Oh... and don't delegate it to the CFO for him to be his or her full time job. #VentureCapital #InvestmentDeck #Founders #CompanyBuilding #Investments #Startup #Fundraising

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What happens when you try to bring the mindset of board-driven large organisations to startups? Startups fail. The post below is for running board-driven startups.

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Startup investors are constantly on the lookout for the next big thing. But how do you know which startup will achieve unicorn status? With five years of experience in the tech startup industry, I've had the opportunity to interact with thousands of founders in both the UK and US, from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, I've conducted extensive research on the world's most successful tech entrepreneurs. ➡ Here are the key traits shared by unicorn founders: 1️⃣ Immigrant Background: Remarkably, 80% of American unicorns are founded by immigrants or their children. 2️⃣ US Market Presence: The majority of unicorns are based in the US. Startups without plans to penetrate the US market may face diminished chances of reaching unicorn status. 3️⃣ No Plan B: Unicorn founders exhibit an unwavering commitment to their startups, with no fallback plans. 4️⃣ Strong Family Role Models: Many unicorn founders come from not wealthy but upper-middle-class backgrounds. Conversely, individuals inheriting vast wealth often lack the drive to build businesses. Moreover, those from lower-middle-class backgrounds encounter other challenges, such as basic needs like food and shelter that prevents them from thinking big. 5️⃣ Female Founders: In 2023, 17% of new unicorns had a female founder, indicating a growing diversity trend. 6️⃣ Top University Education: A significant majority, 53%, of unicorn founders possess degrees from prestigious universities. 7️⃣ Unicorn founders were usually unfairly treated and felt limited. They strongly believe in themselves and have superiority complex - thinking they deserve better than everyone else. Interestingly, I meet all the criteria mentioned above. 🤔 #StartupFounders #UnicornStatus #TechEntrepreneurship #DiversityInTech #Innovation

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Thrilled to share that I have been shortlisted for the The VC Fellowship! This opportunity aligns perfectly with my passion for innovation and supporting visionary entrepreneurs. Excited to contribute to the startup ecosystem and learn from the best in venture capital. #VCFellowship #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #PassionForGrowth 🚀

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