#founderhacks

In this Founder Hacks episode, Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alex Moore interview Irish entrepreneur and Scaling Up coach Brian Keegan, who recounts learning entrepreneurship by watching his father bring back ideas from overseas and apply practical rules of thumb. Keegan discusses how inspiration comes from relatable role models and broad horizons, and highlights Jim Collins’ Good to Great—espec...

Founder Hacks hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alex Moore welcome Maya Vertigens, founder of Planner Bee, a remote virtual assistant team supporting sustainable and ethical businesses. Maya’s theme is “keep going,” emphasizing consistent action even when results lag, using the Dunning–Kruger effect to explain confidence dips and the need to push through the “valley of despair,” while also kno...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alex Moore welcome guest James Bates, founder of QVO Hospitality. The discussion delves into how character, resilience, and humility contribute to entrepreneurial success. Bates shares insights from personal experiences, relevant readings, and learned lessons, emphasizing the importance of sitting with discomfort to foster gro...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Antony, Ben, and Alex explore the intricate dance between luck, timing, skill, and hard work in the entrepreneurial journey. They discuss how regulatory changes and seemingly bad luck can be transformed into learning experiences that fuel business growth. Through various anecdotes, including a dive into Lando Norris's path in F1, they highlight the impo...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Antony Enright and Ben Thomas welcome Simon Ursell, a seasoned entrepreneur and founder of Tyler Grange, an environmental consulting firm. They explore Simon's core belief in 'people-led' businesses and how prioritizing employee well-being and engagement can significantly boost performance. Simon shares insights from his journey, including the...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, Ben Thomas and co-hosts Alexander Moore and Antony Enright interview Joss Tasker, the founder and CEO of Sync Savings. Joss shares insights from her journey in entrepreneurial leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and detachment from specific outcomes. They discuss Joss's inspiration from 'The Law of Detachment' by Morris Schwartz,...

In this episode of 'Founder Hacks,' the hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alexander Moore, discuss the necessity for younger generations to master reinvention and adaptation in our swiftly changing world. The conversation covers insights from their collective 50-year experience in starting, growing, and leading businesses, as well as wisdom gathered from other entrepreneurs. Key topi...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alexander Moore discuss the importance of keeping an open mind to evolve as a founder. They explore how founders can reinvent themselves at different stages of growth, how paying attention to global trends like China's low-altitude economy can spark innovation, and the benefits of exposing oneself to new and unexpected ex...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, the hosts discuss the importance of embracing authenticity and effectively managing change within businesses. Alex shares insights on leading change by involving team members to ensure success, while Antony highlights the pitfalls of following motivational content that claims to have all the answers. Ben emphasizes the power of being genuine in business interactio...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas, Alexander Moore, and Antony Enright discuss the complex dynamics of leadership and how embracing vulnerability can enhance team trust and growth. They explore the notion that sometimes leaders must allow small failures to foster learning and decision-making within their teams. The trio also delves into the importance of having a 'plan B&apos...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, the hosts delve into the importance of recognizing unseen aspects in businesses, particularly when familiarity breeds ignorance. They discuss strategies to maintain fresh perspectives, such as bringing in external advisors or working from different locations. The conversation also touches on the authenticity of LinkedIn posts and the gap between perception and rea...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alexander Moore discuss the importance of undertaking hard tasks and difficult conversations in business. They explore how addressing cultural issues within a company through effective line management can yield positive transformations. The team underscores the value of organization, emphasizing checklists as a tool for compre...

In this episode of FounderHacks, hosts Ben Thomas and Antony Enright welcome entrepreneur Ben Goldsmith, who shares his wisdom on simplifying business strategies and the power of relationships. Ben talks about the impact of Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle on his company’s purpose, the benefits of using Vern Harnish’s Scaling Up methodology, and how focusing on building authentic relationships has fuel...

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas and Antony Enright are joined by Aingaran Pillai, CEO and founder of Zaizi. Over the past 18 years, Aingaran has navigated his business through various challenges to become a leading technology provider in the public sector. The discussion focuses on the theme of 'grit' and how enduring struggles can lead to success. Aingaran shares less...

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Turnaround. Can you develop the discipline to focus on controlling the controllable when you are turning things around? Removing those emotions and frustrations, rage, or anger that can paralyse us might prompt us not to fight back but to fight forward.

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Reaping what you sow. Do you keep your reputational bank account a healthy balance? You never know when you may find yourself making a withdrawal when you need it the most. Do you appreciate messages of support? Are you someone ready to send a message of support when a friend or a colleague needs it. Could you build it into the culture of your business...

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Engineering. When do you need to step in and engineer a new approach? How do we engineer a deal? Finding a way to shine a light with little and often and create a new rhythm can throw challenges into a whole new relief. 

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Legacy. What is the legacy you want to leave? Your role is to find yourself better at everything. Can you replace yourself? Are you a founder with a shelf life? Overcoming the the 10 year mark seems to be a curious challenge for many entrepreneurs. Do you take the time to reflect and make sure you do make the right choice to step away from your business...

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Time and a Place. What does it take for a business to endure? Does place affect your brain? Is different thinking always something of inherent value. Could you leverage place to break your patterns and generate newness and energy and discover what that could offer you?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Getting it wrong. Who is your tribe to test where you are? A trusted inner circle perhaps who you trust to believe in you, but also to be honest with you and keep you grounded. Being open to challenge may perhaps also help you have the best chance of not getting it wrong and surrounding yourself with people who look and think like you and only want to a...

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Bide your time or Blow up the room. Do you force a resolution or wait for things to naturally come to a head? AI will transform our working lives and our societies within our lifetime so how do we engage with these technologies, these huge paradigm shifts?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Interpersonal. Do you listen with your eyes? Do your team look and feel ready to win? How can you play your part in making sure that they are? Do you speak emotion? Can you use a textured understanding of emotion to gather more data and make better decisions?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Feedback Revisited. What do you want? Do you know? Is it critical for you as a founder of a business to be clear about what you want in terms of the relationship with your business and your expectations of those within it? Can you make a commitment to learn how to give feedback brilliantly well?

In this week's #founderhacks we talk about coping with the imperfect. Can you dispel the myth of the perfect employee? How do you manage your natural instinct to make the fundamental attributional error? Can we assess our staff as we do ourselves?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Clarity. How do you contract with your team? There is always that initial opportunity to put on the table the realities of being part of a business and a team. How do you feedback to your team and does the feedback have the impact that you intend? How do you measure that? Do you balance your criticism and celebration?