Ventures

Most companies are still buying Google ads like it's 2010. Meanwhile, AI platforms with half a trillion dollars invested are building commerce models that completely bypass traditional advertising channels. Kieron and Andrew are weekly regulars on Ventures, bringing decades of business strategy and marketing expertise to dissect how AI will reshape commerce forever.🎯 On the Docket:00:48 - Ripping...

AI adoption fails when you focus on the tech instead of the humans using it. Middle managers are the key to successful implementation, not executives. Show people how it solves THEIR problems, and they'll sell it to themselves. Jo is an Enterprise Customer Success leader at Microsoft, where she guides some of the world's largest organisations through their AI transformation journeys with C...

Every solution we create becomes tomorrow's problem. When Google solved search, they created monopoly concerns. When telecoms solved communication, they created customer experience nightmares. When AI solves thinking, it creates cognitive dependency. This isn't a bug it's human nature. Today, we're venturing into what appears to be innovation is actually an endless cycle of problem...

Most brand YouTube channels fail because marketers demand immediate ROI and micromanage creators into mediocrity. Chloe at JD Sports flipped this script with a talent-first approach that increased views by 230% and engagement by 125% since 2023, proving that authentic creator partnerships build something far more valuable than quick metrics: actual culture worth watching. Discover how she went fro...

People don't buy drills. They buy holes. When pricing your services, focus on the outcome you deliver, not how you achieve it. Especially with AI - the moment you mention automation, people expect to pay less. Talk about value, not process. Today, we're venturing into the psychology of value creation and pricing strategy, exploring how what appears to be a simple discount model is actually...

In this episode, we challenge everything you think you know about building businesses with Jonny Davies, a talent manager who discovered that creators are flipping the traditional playbook. Forget building products first—learn why smart entrepreneurs now build audiences first, why stealth mode is dead, and how a 20-year-old with a camera can build the next generation of unicorns. 🎯 On the Docket:...

The best communities aren't built on transactions but on curation and forward-giving. Sigma has 1,000 founders across 35 countries who've raised $2.7B with no fund attached, just genuine connections and support. When you remove commercial incentives, people build deeper relationships that create more value. In this episode, we sit down with Assen Plevneliev, Chief of Staff at Sigma, for an...

In this episode, we sit down with Johnny Inglis, Co-founder of WineDrops, for an unfiltered exploration of entrepreneurial resilience, the wine industry's hidden realities, and the surprising strategies that turned a pandemic pivot into a £20 million business. Discover how scrappy tactics built wine databases, implementing counterintuitive waiting lists, and choosing the right co-founder became th...

Brand Integrations on YouTube aren't about interrupting content, they're about enhancing it. The best integrations feel invisible, maintaining viewer retention while delivering for brands. Creative concepts must come first, with the brand woven in naturally. Too many, still don't get this fundamental truth. In this episode, we lock in with Sammy, Calfreezy's brand partnership powerhouse, for a fra...

Tech companies are obsessed with their technology instead of solving actual customer problems. They build products that engineers love but customers don't understand. Then they incentivise salespeople to push whatever makes the most commission this quarter. No wonder 80% of software features are never used. In this episode, Kieron and Andrew dissect the fundamental challenges plaguing technolo...

In this episode, we sit down with Chris J Smith, the "Ari Gold of Creators," for a deep dive into creator partnerships, YouTube strategy, and the new landscape of brand integrations. With over 1,000 deals closed in just three years, Chris shares his unique perspective on how brands and creators can build mutually beneficial relationships that deliver real value. Discover how the industry has shift...

Product management isn't about building features. It's about orchestrating the entire lifecycle from idea to withdrawal. The technical build is the easy part.  The real challenge is changing organisations, processes, and people to deliver something customers actually want. In this episode of "A Few Good People,"  we venture into a masterclass on the product development lifecycle...

In this episode, we sit down with Cory Johnson from Synthesia for a candid exploration of content creation, email marketing psychology, and the surprising evolution of LinkedIn. Discover how his unconventional "anti-LinkedIn" approach has made his feed one of the most engaging on the platform and the strategies behind successfully sending 14 million emails last year. 🎯 On the Docket: 00:00:00 - L...

Product management isn't just about building something new. It's about managing the entire lifecycle from idea to obsolescence. Most technology vendors obsess over creation but forget to plan for death. The best ones eat their own children before someone else does. In this episode of A Few Good People, we dive deep into the world of technology productisation and the complete product lifecycle. And...

Elaf Deyab, co-founder @ Caspa AI shares how AI-generated imagery is affecting e-commerce product photography. With deep expertise spanning engineering, Goldman Sachs, and digital marketing, we unpack the surprising truths about traditional product photography costing brands over $200,000 annually. Discover why hyper-personalisation drives 40% higher conversion rates, how a simple AI upload can re...

In this episode, we dive deep into the evolution of marketing and how brands can leverage productisation to transform their marketing operations. Kieron and Andrew share their expert insights on creating effective service catalogs, the changing landscape of marketing roles, and how AI is ushering in what they call "the third age of marketing." 🎯 On the Docket:00:00:00 - The historical evolution o...

Jay Singh, CEO @ Casper Studios explains how product development in the creator economy is ripe for building. With years of experience from LinkedIn's verification team to his own venture, we unpack the surprising truths about building profitable products with creators. Discover why professionals avoiding AI tools will soon be left behind, how voice interfaces create our most natural technolog...

From burnout to breakthrough! Andrew and Kieron of "A Few Good People" reveal how shifting from time-based billing to value-based offerings is transforming the agency landscape. With 40+ years of combined experience, we unpack the counterintuitive truths about client relationships that most service businesses miss. Discover why "people-pleasing" destroys value, how a simple men...

I'm joined by Matthias, co-founder of Avalana, who shares his journey building a startup in the video editing space & the lessons learned from previous ventures. We discuss how building in public has driven surprising growth, his approach to remote work, and his perspective on AI's impact on creativity. Timestamps:00:00 - Intro and rap01:26 - Experience from previous startups and focusing on o...

I just spent some time with the latest NotebookLM update, and I'm genuinely excited about how it's changing the way I consume and share information. Let's break it down: ⏱️ Key Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to NotebookLM's rapid evolution 00:20 - Overview of the new audio control features 00:39 - Benefits for different learning styles 01:05 - NotebookLM basics for new users 01:24...

Just wrapped an deep dive into OpenAI's new image generation capabilities in GPT-4o, and wow - the game has completely changed. It's got really good at realistic images and copying styles, so I might have to rethink the way I make thumbnails in the future !Key Learnings 🧠The leap from prompt engineering to conversational image creation is a game-changer for workflowContent creators should...

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of marketing technology with Gabriel Sayers, co-founder of Briefly – an AI-powered briefing platform revolutionising how marketers create campaign briefs. Gabriel shares how a frustrating problem he experienced firsthand in advertising agencies led to building a solution that's now saving major brands from wasting marketing budgets on poor briefs. Key T...

Alex Banks shares his fascinating journey from LinkedIn creator to founder of Grow Hub, exploring how AI is transforming personal brand building in 2025. We dive deep into the story behind this powerful tool that is helping professionals find and amplify their authentic voice online. Check out Grow Hub: https://growhub.ai/?via=virajKey Timestamps00:00 - Welcome and catching up00:12 - Introduction...

Just wrapped up an awesome chat with Alex Banks on the pod - the kind of conversation that makes you excited about where tech is actually heading. What I love about Alex is how he cuts through all the AI hype and gets down to the real stuff. We riffed on everything from using AI to handle those annoying freelance receipts you know, the ones sitting in your drawer right now, to this wild idea about...

Ana Pricop is the co-founder @ Outdid.io, the B2B start-up building a world where people trust each other and are safe online. Before starting Outdid, Ana was studying at Sciences Po France's leading university in the social sciences. 🛠️ Building something cutting edge with ZK Proofs 🚀 Raised $2.5 Million dollars in 3 days 👥 Incredible co-founder relationship In Today’s Episode with Ana Pric...