The Naked Founder

Episode 11: I underestimated the power of Dragons' Den

Derry Green knew his Dragons' Den appearance would transform the fortunes of his business, The Secret Garden Glamping, but even he underestimated its power.
Green had become a social media sensation when he built a glamping pod for his kids in his back garden during Covid and turned it into a business.
The success of The Secret Garden Glamping saved Green from financial ruin, but even he had no idea what would happen when he walked into TV's most famous Den in 2023.
In this episode of The Naked Founder, Green also discusses:
• The REAL reason he went on Dragons' Den• How appearing in the Den changed his life• Why The Secret Garden Glamping saved him from financial wipeout• How wanting to spend more time with his kids resulted in a multi-million-pound business• Overcoming his fear of public speaking• What he'd say on his deathbed
This episode of The Naked Founder is a product of BusinessCloud. It is sponsored by Financielle, the home of money for women, and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
Chapters:00:00 – Welcome to The Secret Garden: Glamping on Location01:04 – What He Wishes He'd Known Before Starting01:59 – Building Dens in the Woods as a Kid02:50 – When He Started Treating It Like a Business, He Stopped Enjoying It04:23 – Before the Glamping: The Haulage Company04:50 – Christmas Day, Sky News, Half a Million Gone: The Citilink Collapse07:37 – Building the Den That Started Everything08:44 – Lad Bible, 10 Million Views & 150 Airbnb Bookings Overnight09:59 – Why He Went on Dragon's Den10:49 – "I Want to Make Less Money" - The Pitch That Won Over Four Dragons12:01 – One Site, Half a Million Turnover: The State of Play Before the Den12:34 – What Deborah Meaden Actually Brought to the Business13:25 – Five Sites, 47 Staff, Nearly £2M Turnover - and Six More in the Pipeline14:26 – Why He Doesn't Think of It as a Glamping Business14:48 – Competing With Everyone Making Content, Not Other Glamping Sites16:09 – Never Spent a Penny on Advertising: UGC Methodology18:10 – The Site Tour: Treehouse, Tiki Bar & Why Units Cost What They Do19:50 – Inside the Retreat: Hot Tubs, Outdoor TVs & What Guests Actually Share22:21 – Boot Fair Décor, Three-Quid Props & When to Actually Spend Money23:45 – The Guest Who Couldn't Get In - and Became His Partner24:59 – The Hardest Part: Letting Go of Control26:17 – How AI Fits In (and Where It Doesn't)27:15 – Why Mums on School Hours Make the Perfect Workforce28:14 – Public Speaking Terrifies Him - So He Keeps Doing It29:10 – Letter to His Younger Self: Chase Passion, Not Money30:25 – The Netflix Series31:18 – 47 Guests on Site, Haven't Seen One: Why He'll Never Overcrowd It31:50 – Wrap-Up

Episode 10: How a vicar's daughter Is rethinking mental health

Vicar's daughter. Accidental entrepreneur. Published author. Founder. Award winner. Disruptor.
There are plenty of ways to describe myHappymind CEO Laura Earnshaw. Another would be: in demand.
Last year, 16 investors wanted to back myHappymind before Earnshaw eventually chose LDC. 
She has also spoken out about the lack of women in the investment world and her mission to equip every child with the mental health skills they need to thrive.
In this episode of The Naked Founder podcast, Earnshaw also discusses:
• Why she walked away from a successful corporate career to launch myHappymind
• Why founders should ignore advice from people who haven't done what they're trying to do
• How she secured investment in just four months
• Going from a kitchen table startup to a multi-million-pound business
• Why assumptions about female founders still persist
This episode of  The Naked Founder is a product of BusinessCloud. It is sponsored by Financielle - The Home of Money for Women - and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction – Laura Earneshaw, founder of My Happy Mind (and Max, Head of Happiness)0:30 What didn't they tell you about founding a business?0:46 Working every weekend for 10 years and never switching off1:12 The M25 moment: visiting a loved one in a mental health hospital and deciding to act2:09 Career before My Happy Mind - Accenture, AstraZeneca, PwC, and meeting her husband in Swindon3:53 Quitting a six-figure salary at 35 to fix a problem nobody was preventing4:31 Prevention over cure: why all the money goes to fixing mental health, not stopping it5:28 From kitchen table to Alderley Edge offices - the early days of winging it6:16 Purpose before profit: led by passion, and the profit followed7:36 'My Happy Mind' cards8:33 The science behind the cards9:38 From 2 pilot schools to over 2,00010:05 Resilience and focus: never take advice from someone who hasn't done what you're trying to do10:46 Was there ever a moment she wanted to quit?11:05 Female founder, mother of two, no nanny - and bootstrapping by choice12:22 How she'd describe herself13:49 NHS endorsement 15:45 The My Happy Mind book published by Penguin - and why they came to her17:00 Husband Tim joining as COO - rules, balance, and making it work18:14 The King's Award - Windsor Castle, a scroll, and 100 schools celebrating together19:52 Raising investment: 16 offers, exclusivity to LDC on 1st December, deal closed the 23rd21:16 No one will ever drive her harder than she drives herself21:21 How LDC have been as an investor - and why terms matter more than promises22:45 Assumptions made about female founders - and how she squashed them quickly24:21 The gender investment gap and the shortage of female investors in the room25:51 Vision for My Happy Mind: every child, every school in the UK - and going global26:50 Letter to a younger Laura26:59 Wrap-up

Episode 9: Female founders need self-belief to scale their business

Jen Atkinson is a legend in the travel industry and has grown her business, Travel Seen, to nearly £60m turnover.
She told The Naked Founder podcast that female founders need more self-belief if they want to scale their business.
“One of the reasons that women particularly struggle in the world of scaling a business is investment and that self-belief that they can ask for £10m and get £15m, as opposed to asking for £5m and getting £1m,” she said. “Women tend to struggle with asking in a way that men don’t.”
Atkinson made her name at ITC Travel Group, where she grew turnover from £40m to £90m.
2020 marked Atkinson’s professional and personal ‘annus horribilis’, which saw her split from her husband and take a huge financial hit from Covid.
In this episode of The Naked Founder podcast, she also discusses:
• Going from marketing manager to CEO at ITC Travel
• Having to make 40 redundancies to turn around ITC’s fortunes
• Why so many female founders get divorced
• Becoming a first-time founder at 48
• Why founders should always ask for more investment than they need
• Dealing with imposter syndrome, ADHD and the menopause
This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk
 
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Jen Atkinson & Travel Scene00:36 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business01:03 Would You Do It All Over Again?01:33 Founding a Business vs. Running Someone Else's01:56 Having a Dog Is Like Starting a Business03:40 Are You Impulsive? The Entrepreneurial Trait04:15 A Million Reasons Not to Launch — Why She Did It Anyway05:07 The Idea: A Social-Led Community in Travel06:42 The USP: Building Travel Scene on Instagram08:43 From Zero to £20M Turnover: The Buy & Build Model09:11 Growing Up in Leeds: Mum, Dad & Where It All Came From10:18 The Mentor Who Changed Everything: Drew Foster at ITC11:30 Women, Self-Belief & Asking for More Money12:02 Starting at ITC as Marketing Manager, Becoming CEO12:24 Making 40 People Redundant as a First-Time CEO12:42 Making Tough Decisions: It's in Her DNA13:26 Always Choosing the Hard Option14:08 Living Without Regrets: Lessons from Dad15:44 Growing ITC from £40M to £90M — Then COVID Hit16:24 Losing Millions in COVID & a Marriage Falling Apart17:51 Why So Many Successful Female Entrepreneurs Are Divorced19:02 Hiding Under a Stone or Launching a Business?19:46 Why She Was Unemployable & Had to Go Again21:16 ADHD as a Superpower22:48 Imposter Syndrome, the Menopause & Being Open About It23:35 Are Female Founders More Emotionally Open Than Men?24:55 Being a Role Model to Her Son and Daughter26:12 How Do You Deal With Failure?27:20 Failure Is Just a Signpost on the Way to Success28:41 Targeting £100M in Two Years: Weight or Ambition?30:16 Key Lessons for Founders: Funding, Your Why & Your Team32:09 Pick People You'd Go Over the Top With33:06 Letter to a Founder: Back Yourself Above All Else

Episode 8: 'AI will wipe out hundred million pound companies'

Matthew Scullion is the founder of British unicorn Matillion and told The Naked Founder about the ‘crazy’ world of AI.
His business joined an exclusive club of only 41 UK unicorns in 2021 when a $150m Series E funding round took its valuation beyond the magical $1bn mark.
He estimates Matillion has invested ‘many, many tens of millions into Maia’, which is its AI data automation platform.
Scullion predicted that AI could mean multi-million turnover companies could have only one or two members of staff, and that established hundred million pound companies could disappear because AI makes their business model irrelevant.
In this episode of The Naked Founder podcast, he discusses:
• Starting his first business aged 17• Proving his GCSE French teacher wrong• Why AI will change businesses forever• Why achieving unicorn status was just ‘a moment in time’• The relentless nature of being a founder• Why his wife is behind his success
This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk
 
Chapters:0:00 Introduction – Matthew Scullion, co-founder of Matillion, Manchester's last unicorn0:49 Opening question: what didn't they tell you about founding a business?1:59 15 years of overnight success – and a career in software entrepreneurialism since age 172:41 What is Maia? The AI data automation platform that Matillion has reinvented itself around6:14 Why AI agents need data and context – and how Maia provides it at machine scale7:00 Will we say "Maia that" instead of "Google it"?7:37 Mrs Scullion's physiotherapy website: built from scratch in two hours using AI tools16:25 Multi-million pound companies with one staff member – and the macro impact of AI21:24 Jack Dorsey halving Block's workforce and where AI disruption is really heading22:25 The French GCSE story: E forecast, 24 hours of cramming, A grade24:50 Founding his first software business at 17 – and how he thinks about risk27:13 Pivoting vs staying relevant – and the corporate graveyard of companies that didn't28:41 Inside the Matillion Manchester office: a 2026 Victorian factory for software29:31 Giving up a six-figure salary in 2011 to launch Matillion with co-founder Ed Thompson30:32 What you're really signing up for: all in, every ounce of energy, for as long as it takes34:13 The real risk isn't failure – it's living to regret not doing it at all35:29 What drives him: building something beautiful that makes a dent in the universe37:09 Nine digits of recurring revenue and 400-500 staff – how Matillion got here37:40 The three acts of Matillion: managed services, then ISV software, now Maia40:42 Fewer unicorn CEOs than people who've been to space – and what the moment really felt like44:36 Do UK founders sell too early? The cultural and structural reasons Britain doesn't build big48:34 "There are two types of problems in business – people problems, and people problems you haven't spotted yet"52:14 Letter to a founder: make sure you really want this, then start – and don't stop55:19 Roger Federer only wins 54% of points – and what that means for building a business56:22 Wrap-up

Episode 7: ‘Big thud in my chest turned out to be a panic attack’

Russell Teale was juggling the pressures of business and family life when he thought he was having a heart attack.
Tests later revealed he was having a panic attack but the near-miss changed his life and his outlook.
He’s the founder and CEO of Vivify, which today employs 500 people and is set to grow turnover from £8m to £12m this year.
At the same time, the startup has given more than £10m back to schools and raised £2m in investment.
In this episode of The Naked Founder podcast he discusses:
• Living with panic attacks• Having former Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy as an investor• Coping with the death of his mum while building Vivify• Giving £10m back to schools• Why your network is your net worth
 
Chapters:0:00 Introduction – Russell Teale, founder & CEO of Vivify0:43 Opening question: what didn't they tell you about founding a business?1:42 The highest of highs and lowest of lows – what founding really feels like2:04 Fitter: the Uber-style fitness app, hockey stick projections, and the brutal reality of traction3:54 Money running out, wife pregnant, and a terrifying thud in the chest4:22 Panic attacks in his early thirties – and learning they never fully go away5:33 How panic attacks manifest and how he manages them now6:02 School Letting Solutions: landing on his feet, then made redundant when it went into liquidation6:46 What he learned from failure and why there's no point looking backwards7:39 Founding Vivify in 2020 – the problem: 27,000 schools full of empty facilities9:48 Where the name Vivify came from – meaning "to breathe life into"10:12 Mum Janice: single parent, two jobs, rehoming stray cats, and a lesson in resilience11:58 Janice dies of blood cancer on New Year's Day 2022, aged just 5612:25 How do you manage personal trauma, COVID, a startup, and a young family? You just get on with it13:04 Co-founders leaving, bootstrapping, and raising £1m from Arete in 202213:44 Choosing the right investor and the full-circle moment of pitching to the former Tesco CEO15:26 Founder vs CEO – two very different skill sets16:47 Total Fitness, rising through the ranks, and how far Vivify has still to go17:43 The global opportunity: 27,000 schools in the UK, and the same problem everywhere18:30 Do's and don'ts for scaling: never lose sight of cash19:16 The importance of a commercially-minded CFO20:02 Hiring for passion and pride over skill set – and why attitude always wins21:19 Building a network from scratch and the power of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme22:53 Founders he admires and why ego-led founders put him off24:21 Letter to a younger Russell: go easy on yourself24:56 Wrap-up

Episode 6: How rugby league’s unluckiest player created £6.5m turnover business

James Laithwaite has been described as rugby league’s unluckiest player after fracturing his left leg four times and breaking his neck during a career that saw him play for Warrington Wolves, Toronto Wolfpack and Bradford Bulls.
However, from the depth of despair, he launched premium meal prep delivery firm FuelHub in 2019 with his wife Michelle.
Today the company is working with some of the UK’s most talented sports stars and clubs and now makes 20,000 meals a week.
FuelHub has now grown turnover to £6.5m and forged a partnership with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, James and Michelle Laithwaite discuss:
· Fearing he was paralysed after breaking his neck· How his spells out injured inspired FuelHub· How love blossomed after an online date and turned into a business· Raising £1.2m from AJ Bell founder Andy Bell and former director Fergus Lyons· Partnering with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom· How their son was born on their launch day· The secret of working with your partner
This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk
 
Chapters:0:00 Introduction – Michelle & James Laithwaite, founders of Fuel Hub0:20 What didn't they tell you about founding a business?0:51 From 10,000 meals to £5 million – how the weight of responsibility grows1:50 The story: single mum meets rugby player, and an unlikely partnership begins3:10 Watching James break his leg at the AJ Bell Stadium on their second date4:22 Wanting to eat healthy but not being able to find the quality – the light-bulb moment5:37 Launching Fuel Hub eight months pregnant – and Stanley arriving early6:31 Brand story, green identity, and the three pillars: premium, trust, quality8:49 Starting with £20k, a £20 eBay desk, and a red swivel chair10:34 Selling the family home, moving into a two-bed flat, and taking no wage11:11 The landlord connection: how Fergus Lyons led them to a £1.2m investment from Andy Bell12:41 Warrington Wolves, Chelsea, England Rugby – leveraging James's sporting contacts14:08 Eddie Hearn ordered off his own back: how the Matchroom partnership came about17:19 Never racing to the bottom – why staying premium builds loyal subscribers18:51 The subscription model and the power of authentic LinkedIn storytelling20:08 Michelle reads their five-year anniversary LinkedIn post live22:15 The reality of being a female CEO – school calls, tiredness, and raw honesty24:04 Co-founder dynamics: CEO vs COO, and why being so different makes it work25:50 Drawing the line between work and home life with kids and a clear 8pm rule27:48 Date nights in the Lake District and trusting the team enough to switch off28:59 Michelle on public speaking, BBC Radio 5 Live, and getting comfortable being visible30:32 James's turn: Michelle doesn't like being told what to do (he nods vigorously)31:38 Transitioning from professional rugby to business – resilience, injuries, and broken necks34:53 Starting from scratch: learning emails, invoicing, and everything from the ground up36:33 An insatiable appetite to learn – podcasts, people, and being a sponge37:27 Advice for couples thinking about co-founding: sacrifice, hard work, and plan A only37:54 Vision for Fuel Hub: 100,000 meals a week, a forever home, and B2B growth41:24 Letter to a younger Michelle: always trust your gut and never deviate41:59 Wrap-up
 

Episode 5: ‘I still think about my late business partner every day.'

As the co-founders of Pareto Law, Jonathan Fitchew and Andy Sawer were inseparable.
For 26 years they shared the same office and, when away on business trips, even shared the same bed rather than book separate rooms.
One look at his best friend’s empty desk after he died in 2021 was enough to convince Fitchew that he could never work there again.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, he discusses:• The grief of losing your best friend and business partner• Going again with the launch of Apprentify• Growing Apprentify to £25m turnover and 250 staff• His regrets at selling Pareto Law to Randstad• Being kicked out of school for being rebellious• Relaxing by keeping chickens and building Lego
This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle' - The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Jonathan Fitchew & Apprentify00:28 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business00:53 Would You Do It All Over Again?01:39 Losing a Co-Founder: The Story of Andy Sawyer02:25 Andy's Illness, COVID & Keeping the Business Alive04:00 Friend First, Founder Second: How Andy & Jonathan Met05:11 You Can't Force a Business Partnership05:47 Risk Taking vs. Gambling: The Entrepreneurial Mindset07:03 Borrowing 15 Grand & Pitching a Bank Manager07:47 Why They Named It Pareto Law09:52 Hiring Graduates Over Experienced Salespeople10:07 Starting in a Broom Cupboard in Salford (1995)10:51 Sharing a Room, Sharing a Business: Life with Andy11:57 Did You and Andy Ever Disagree?12:45 Pareto Law Grows to £40M & 400 Staff13:25 When Randstad Came Knocking (2008)15:02 Selling Part of the Business: The Air Was Sucked Out16:06 Visiting Andy in Hospital While Running a Business17:52 Do You Still Think About Andy? Every Single Day18:27 Leaving Pareto Law & Going Again: Launching Apprentify18:52 The Embryo of Apprentify Started Before Andy Died20:38 Still Hungry: The Eye of the Tiger21:18 How Apprentify Grew to £25M & 250 Staff23:25 AI: The Biggest Opportunity Jonathan Has Ever Seen25:27 AI Won't Replace You If You Add Value26:23 Top Tips for Anyone Thinking of Starting a Business27:51 Getting Kicked Out of Boarding School28:13 The Itch That Always Needs Scratching29:44 The Chickens: Mary, Latte & Cappuccino30:57 Chickens as a Decompression Valve31:21 Building Lego as a Switch-Off: 4,000-Piece Ferrari & Concorde32:12 Whatever You Do, You're a Builder32:43 Letter to His Younger Self

Episode 4: Rubbing shoulders with De Niro and Kylie and living with OCD

In the events industry, Holly Moore is almost as big a name as the stars she rubs shoulders with.From Robert De Niro to Kylie Minogue, and from Gary Barlow to McFly, Moore has worked with them all.
However, behind the confident exterior, Moore has wrestled with crippling OCD.
At one point, on New Year’s Day 2012, Moore was unable to carry on and rang the Priory to be admitted.
Moore has battled back from the depths of despair to build a multi-million-pound turnover business, partly thanks to a chance call with billionaire Fred Done.
Professional success has been matched by personal happiness, and she talks about falling in love with a member of her team and their fairytale wedding.
This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk
Chapters
0:00 Introduction – Holly Moore, founder of Make Events0:36 Opening question: what didn't they tell you about founding a business?1:30 Living with OCD – how it really manifests and what it feels like4:33 Pure OCD: rumination, reassurance-seeking, and intrusive thoughts5:20 OCD relapses – the tornado that pulls you back in6:21 The darkest moment – calling the Priory on New Year's Day 20118:09 Becoming OCD-free and the new lease of life that followed9:11 Handing in her notice at AstraZeneca and testing herself12:26 Launching Make Events in 2012 – spotting the gap in Manchester13:27 Pounding the pavement: giving out business cards to venues14:26 The Fred Done call – landing a billionaire's 70th birthday party16:35 Working with Robert De Niro, Kylie Minogue, Gary Barlow and more19:10 Behind events and the mindset behind never cutting corners20:15 Building the right team and trusting them to deliver21:34 What kind of founder is Holly? Leadership style and high standards23:56 The 5am Club – early mornings, discipline, and wine with Lily Shippen25:09 Is she a workaholic? The constant fear of a clean slate each year26:44 Bootstrapping to a multi-million pound business – looking back with pride28:32 COVID and the events industry – pivoting with gift boxes and creativity30:37 Marketing through the downturn: the 10X mindset31:19 Social media, LinkedIn, and changing her name to Holly Bennett32:38 Meeting Joel – falling for someone from the team35:29 "Anything is Possible" – her personal development brand and podcast36:22 Burnout, health scares, and an OCD relapse37:30 Acquiring the PA Club with Joel and the vision ahead39:56 The importance of networks and why she's saying yes to more in future42:33 Letter to a younger Holly: work in the industry first and hire well early43:36 Wrap-up

Episode 3: Building a £100m company without the b*llocks

James Cole is the straight-talking founder of Panache Cruises.
He founded the luxury cruise retailer during Covid and believes in authenticity and honesty, and is partial to the odd swear word.
A two-time founder, he’s on track to build his second £100m turnover company, but this time it won’t be at the expense of his family or by turning to drink.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, he discusses:
• How he nearly lost it all with his first startup Cruise118• How stopping drinking on New Year’s Eve 2018 transformed his life• Launching Panache Cruises during Covid• Turning 50 by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for charity• Growing to £50m turnover in five years• Why his family will always come first• Meeting his hero Sir Richard Branson
This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk
Chapters0:00 Introduction: James Cole & Panache Cruises00:35 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business02:09 Christmas Day & Drinking to Cope: The Cruise 118 Crisis03:24 Launching Into Lehman Brothers: Nearly Going Bust04:26 Giving Up Alcohol: New Year's Eve 201805:40 Building Panache on Better Foundations06:52 How to Build a £100 Million Turnover Company07:21 The Entrepreneur's Playbook Is Bollocks08:21 Launching Cruise 118 With Everything on the Line08:49 Hour to Hour Survival: The Early Years11:17 Why Launching Panache During COVID Was the right move11:39 Leaving Cruise 118: Was There Any Sadness?12:59 What James Did Differently Second Time Around14:27 Vision 2020: Colleagues, Customers, Cruise Lines15:12 A Tour of the Panache Cruises Office16:09 What Is a Connoisseur? The Panache Sales Model16:46 Top 40 Customers: £8 Million in Bookings17:05 Thriving With Your Back Against the Wall18:20 Turning COVID Into an Opportunity: 12,000 Leads19:21 Influencer Marketing & Richard and Helen Tallew20:58 Anna Perra, CCO: Why Panache Is Different21:42 Giving Customers the CEO's Mobile Number23:18 A More Content James Cole: Family, Balance & Growth24:14 Work-Life Balance Is Bollocks — Life Balance Isn't25:47 Being Authentic on LinkedIn as a Founder27:15 Turning 50 & Climbing Kilimanjaro for Rubens Retreat28:52 Reaching the Summit: What It Meant30:07 The Road to £100 Million & Going Global30:40 Expanding Into the US, Australia & Canada32:14 Meeting Richard Branson on Necker Island33:14 The 5km Open Water Swim: Visualise It First34:31 Staff Perks, Pensions & Doing the Right Thing36:53 Long-Term Goal: World's Biggest Luxury Cruise Seller38:53 Letter to His Younger Self: Look After Yourself

Episode 2: I had it all and then I got divorced

Hayley Roberts had it all. And then she didn’t.
She founded cybersecurity business Distology in 2015 and has grown it to £63m turnover, 50 staff and offices in the UK, Netherlands and Germany.
Roberts is one of a growing number of female founders who get divorced and has opened up on the price she paid for going it alone.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, she discusses:• Why female founders can’t have it all• Why women and mothers always put themselves last• The shock realisation that having three amazing kids wasn’t enough to fulfil her• The cost of divorce, both financial and on the business• Launching Distology and why the business has never been in a better place• Why she’d tell her younger self not to worry and celebrate the little winsChapters00:00 Introduction: Hayley Roberts & Distology00:28 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business00:57 Childhood Dreams: Wanting to Be an Actress01:28 Dad's Influence & the Academic Route01:53 Divorce, Growth & Evolving Apart03:43 Being a Mum vs. Being a Founder05:56 Can You Have It All?08:24 How Divorce Impacted the Business09:57 Masking Your Emotions as a Leader11:00 A Hard Father & Never Feeling Good Enough12:35 Resilience: The Gift of a Tough Upbringing14:09 Mum: The Stay-at-Home Opposite14:36 First Jobs: From IBM to Toiletries16:50 The Road to Founding Distology (2015)18:29 Telling Dad She Was Starting a Business20:11 The Founding Years: Easy Bit, Hard Reality21:10 Building the Business from Scratch23:04 Juggling Three Kids & Running a Company24:11 Giving Up a Six-Figure Salary25:00 Raising Private Equity Investment (NorthEdge, 2021)27:03 The Investment Process: Did It Hurt the Business?28:17 Navigating Divorce & a PE Round at the Same Time30:34 Where Is Distology Today?31:33 How Far Ahead Does Hayley Plan?32:46 Setting Goals, Not Resolutions33:18 Key Lessons for Founders34:36 The Friday Night Review Ritual35:47 Mindset: Stop Attracting the Negative37:14 Letter to Her Younger Self: Don't Worry