Joining us this episode is Marcus Exall, serial founder, angel investor, and investor in residence at Virgin Startup. In this episode, Marcus shares his journey from building and exiting a digital advertising company to supporting countless founders along the way. We dive into his early days as an entrepreneur, from running a paper round as a kid to selling tickets at a nightclub, and how those experiences shaped his approach to business. Plus, we debunk some common myths around investment and entrepreneurship, and discuss the importance of freedom and failure in the startup journey. Don't miss this episode packed with insights and laughs!

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusexall/
• Monese: https://monese.com/gb/en/
• Up and to the Right: https://www.u2r.co/

Storytelling is one of the most underrated founder skills! It’s critical for motivating your team, selling to customers, and of course, raising investment. It can also position you as a thought leader, which yes, helps all those things too. But it’s one of the things that trips sooo many founders up.

From pitches that make it obvious they were created to follow a formula, to LinkedIn posts that show zero personality, to team talks that end with glazed eyes, it’s so easy to get it wrong.

So in this episode, we're thrilled to have a very special guest who knows a thing or two about captivating an audience.

Joining us is Pascalle Bergmans, the multi-talented founder of PresenTales, a Pitch Training company which empowers senior leaders and executives to deliver their stories with impact and passion. With an impressive background performing on the West End in musicals like Wicked, Mary Poppins, and Robin Hood, Pascalle is no stranger to the art of engaging storytelling and owning a stage.

In this episode, we dive deep into Pascalle's wealth of knowledge and experience. We'll explore:

• Lessons from the West-End that you need in your startup storytelling
• Practical tips for overcoming stage fright and delivering presentations with confidence
• What authenticity and vulnerability in leadership communication really means
• Growing through LinkedIn Content marketing and how to get over the “Cringe” that holds us back from getting started

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalle-bergmans/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_presentales_/
• PresenTales Website: https://www.presentales.com/

Have you ever wondered how to stay on top of the hottest new tech tools and trends as a founder? Curious how you can leverage platforms like TikTok and Instagram to market your B2B startup in a fun, engaging way?

Get ready to learn because in this episode I'm joined by Ghita El Haitmy, the smart and sassy founder of Tech Bible, which empowers professionals to gain a competitive edge by keeping them up-to-date on the latest tech through bite-sized social media content. Ghita has an amazing entrepreneurial journey to share.

Ghita started out working in a corporate role but always knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur. Her first startup was an AR app for the blind and visually impaired. When that wound down, she realized there was a huge need for someone to test and recommend the best new software tools for businesses. So Tech Bible was born, helping busy professionals cut through the noise and discover the tools and trends to boost their productivity. Ghita has grown a big following by making fun, relatable videos on TikTok and Instagram sharing her tech tips.

In our chat, Ghita and I dive into:

• Her winding path to finding her calling as a founder and content creator
• How she's making a "unsexy" space engaging and growing a community on TikTok
• Her hard-won lessons on hiring, delegating, and avoiding burnout as a solo founder
• Ghita's top tips for making content that educates while still being entertaining and relatable
• How to find great mentors by leading with value
• Why focus and trusting your own vision is crucial as an early-stage founder

Stay tuned for an illuminating conversation packed with tactical advice and plenty of laughs along the way!

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghita-el-haitmy-a9ab7767/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Instagram: @techbible.ai
• Tech Bible Website: https://www.techbible.ai/
• My Finder App: https://www.myfinder.uk/