Founders with Nick

🟣 Join The Notice Club!: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FvGUgLQbnSgJciB7yJDqxX Charles McManus took the stage at our very first Founders With Nick LIVE event to tell a different kind of startup story. After decades in traditional finance, he stepped away to build ClearBank, the UK’s first new clearing bank in over 250 years. Not a flashy app or consumer brand, but the infrastructure beneath the surfac...

Callum Woodcock spent seven years dreaming about starting a company while working at JP Morgan. He had zero investor connections, was searching for a perfect co-founder who didn’t exist, and kept reading entrepreneurship books instead of actually getting started. In this episode of Founders With Nick, Callum reveals how he went from corporate paralysis to building a wine investment platform that’s...

Otto and Claudia Boyer didn't set out to revolutionise London's café scene. What started as evening conversations over dinner became weekend pop-ups, then a bootstrap journey that would take them from making £15 at Brick Lane Market to opening permanent bars across London. In this episode of Founders With Nick, Otto and Claudia Boyer share the unglamorous reality of building from nothing, why they...

Lucy Baird didn’t leave her job with a clear plan. She left because she knew staying was no longer an option. What followed was the slow, quiet build of Studio LGB, an interior design practice rooted in clarity, trust, and work that speaks for itself. Less than two years in, her studio is already earning attention from the likes of Architectural Digest. In this episode of Founders With Nick, Lucy...

When Alex Marks left her law career, she didn’t have a clear roadmap. Just a small payout, no restaurant experience, and a hunch that something better was on the other side of risk. That hunch became Sushi Counter. 🟣 In the latest episode of Founders With Nick , we’re unpacking how she went from a law firm in Manhattan to running Sushi Counter, an Aussie-style grab-and-go sushi brand now expandin...

Sam Winsbury , founder of Kurogo, joins the show for a sharp, tactical conversation on building a personal brand that actually drives business, especially on LinkedIn. Forget vanity metrics or recycled advice; this is about creating content that positions you as the go-to in your niche, not just another voice in the feed. Sam's unpacking the systems behind building authority at scale, how founders...

Starting a winery in a city with no vineyards is bold —but doing it as a trio of first-time founders takes a different level of trust and tension. In this episode, I’m joined by Ross McLauchlan and Matt Smith—two of the three minds behind The Austin Winery (Cooper in spirit)—to unpack what co-founding really looks like behind the scenes. From blurred roles and creative conflict to growing pains an...

Founders With Nick is on the move—this week, we're in Austin, TX with Abel Olmos, founder of The Barbashop, to break down the truth behind building a brick-and-mortar brand from scratch. Far beyond clean fades and cool interiors, Abel reveals what it really takes to scale a people-first business in a saturated space. From team dynamics and toxic hires to co-founder trust and learning how to let go...

Ross Neal —former professional rugby player turned performance consultant—brings a refreshingly honest take on ambition, burnout, and the myth of high-performance culture. We often assume elite athletes are relentlessly driven from day one, but Ross admits he coasted early, only stepping up when the risk of failure became real. In this episode, he reveals what finally lit the fire, why pressure is...

Everyone thinks starting a fashion brand is about aesthetics and creativity —but Ben Hurren knows it's about obsession, patience, and operational grit. After two decades leading menswear at Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, and REISS, Ben’s now building Vingt Quarte : a denim brand four years in the making, born from a gap he saw and couldn’t unsee. In this episode, Ben shares the reality of launc...

Starting a business with no experience sounds like a risk—but for this week’s guests Nicklas Vang & Leopold Henriksen, it became their greatest advantage. With no background in supplements, the co-founders of SUPPLME questioned everything the industry took for granted—from outdated pill formats to poor absorption rates. In this episode, they share how a lockdown routine in Copenhagen sparked t...

🎙️ Founders with Nick – Episode with Ross Neal In this episode, I sit down with Ross Neal , ex-professional rugby player turned high-performance coach. We dive into his journey—starting rugby at a young age, the struggles of not fully applying himself, and the challenges of breaking into the first team. Ross shares his insights on what separates top performers, the mindset shifts that changed his...

Summary In this episode of Founders with Nick, Joey Speed, a seven-time founder, shares his journey from a supportive childhood to navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. He discusses his early influences, the lessons learned from his first business failures, and the transition into the recruitment industry. Joey emphasises the importance of mentorship in sales and the unique challenges fac...

Summary In this engaging conversation, Harry from Hartex shares his journey from a vintage shop owner in London to understanding his neurodivergence. He discusses the challenges of running a business, the importance of community, and his aspirations for the future. Harry reflects on his educational experiences, the evolution of the vintage market, and the cultural landscape of London, providing va...

Episode 4 - Alexander MacDonald - Co Founder Alex is building the first SDR cold calling A.I appointment setting business for the financial services industry. We dive into how he came up with the idea, his past and why building a business is not for everyone.

On this episode of Founders With Nick, I am joined by Harry Turpin of The Savourists Ltd. Harry is trying to conquer the healthy snack isle and disrupt and entire industry. He speaks about how he got into the snack game, what he thinks of the consumer and how his business is going to be the go to brand of healthy snacking. Enjoy the show!

Founders with Nick | Episode 2: Navigating the VC Landscape with Daniel Sawko In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Sawko , the founder of Ship Shape VC , to explore his journey from the world of finance to launching a platform that simplifies venture capital fundraising for startups. He is a hugely likeable individual, who is intelligent, driven and focused to ensure ShipShape is authority in s...

Founders with Nick - Episode 1: Tom Cullen, Founder of Zoplo In the debut episode of Founders with Nick , we sit down with Tom Cullen, the visionary founder of Zoplo, the largest Gen Z polling app in the world. Tom takes us on an inspiring journey, from his humble beginnings growing up on a council estate to his academic pursuits at Newcastle University. We delve into his early career experiences...