Special Edition: Burnout, Breakthroughs & the Power of Saying No

Welcome

Hey friends,

We're back with a bumper edition after a jam-packed fortnight! Between the buzz of London Tech Week and deep dives into defence and space innovation, it's been non-stop energy (and caffeine). This issue is loaded with insights, strategy, and stories from both sides of the startup-VC table. Let’s dive in!

🌟 Weekly Spotlight

A gentle nudge: if your default answer to "How's it going?" is "busy," that’s your cue to pause.

After the madness of London Tech Week and its 100+ side events, it's time to reset. Write down your true priorities. Be ruthless with time and energy. Say "no" to 90% and "yes" only to what really matters.

You’ll gain more clarity, progress, and peace. Give it a go. Let me know how it changes your week.

📈 VC Perspective

1. Operating at Peak Performance The Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS), built by Gino Wickman, is still a game-changer 20 years on. Grateful to Victoria Moffatt from EOS Worldwide for the walkthrough. 🎥 Watch the intro video. More on this soon!

2. Fundraising = Human Connections Loved catching up with Manish Patel from Jiva.ai. When it comes to raising capital, it's less about spreadsheets and more about stories, networks, and empathy. Fundraising is personal. Read more.

Also big thanks to Jonathan Hollis and team for a brilliant Mountside Ventures Summer Party at the Barbican!

3. The Value Creation Ladder Only got time to watch one video? Make it this: 🎥 The Value Creation Ladder. A must-watch that will level up your fundraising. Thanks Jerome Engel for the wisdom and Hattie Mellor for letting me share it.

4. The Valuation Game Want a better valuation? Create competition. It's basic supply and demand. Competitive tension is your secret weapon. I talk about this often with founders at UKI2S. Momentum drives valuation.

🎥 Watch how to play the VC-startup game better.

🤝 Entrepreneur Corner

UKI2S isn't your average "golden triangle" investor. We’re scouting globally.

Last week, Thomas Storey and I got hands-on with space-tech (yes, our engineering degrees are finally paying off). We even attracted a startup from Australia.

This site visit reminded me of the first £100m startup I joined. Our boat trials were so vivid you could see boat wakes on Google Earth (check out the left hand side of the dam)! Throwback to this blog.

Anyway, if you’re building in defence or space, get in touch.

📊 Common Ground / Industry Trends

Not everyone is driven by money. A great CEO knows how to unlock each team member’s true motivation.

Thanks to Kieran O'Connor from Place for the conversation at Foresight Group and Clif P Lewis, PhD for the follow-up chat on People Analytics.

Empathy, self-awareness, and EQ win in the long game.

LinkedIn post or watch below.

@thetippytopblog

Not everyone is motivated by money 💵 A key role of the CEO is to understand what motivates everyone else, even if money is your god. That... See more

🧐 Ask Alex

“How did you get to where you are?”

It’s been a decade since I made London my home. By choice, not because I was born here. The journey has been anything but easy, but it’s shaped me.

• Lessons? Bring your A game. You’re competing globally.

• It’s about who you know. Relationships > resumes.

• London doesn’t hand out success. You earn it.

Being an expat means home is no longer a place. It’s you. You carry it wherever you go.

Still here. Still learning. Still hustling.

Read the full post here.

Want your question featured? Just reply or DM me on LinkedIn or TikTok!

📅 Prior Events

ICYMI: HSBC Innovation Banking webinar on non-dilutive funding.

Panel:

• Dr Susanne Coles (Innovate UK)

• Jonathan Memel (Ayming)

• Emily Wood (HSBC Innovation Banking)

• Yours truly (Future Planet Capital)

We unpacked the Investor Partnerships Programme. Where grants meet matched capital. A funding combo that’s startup rocket fuel.

Check out the post here and a snap of the panel.

🌏 Closing Thoughts

Thanks for sticking with us through this mega two-week edition. Whether you're in deep space or deep in a fundraise, remember: your vision matters. Let’s keep building, together.

Onward and upward,

Alex

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