The Naked Founder

Episode 8: 'AI will wipe out hundred million pound companies'

Matthew Scullion is the founder of British unicorn Matillion and told The Naked Founder about the ‘crazy’ world of AI. His business joined an exclusive club of only 41 UK unicorns in 2021 when a $150m Series E funding round took its valuation beyond the magical $1bn mark. He estimates Matillion has invested ‘many, many tens of millions into Maia’, which is its AI data automation platform. Scullion predicted that AI could mean multi-million turnover companies could have only one or two members of staff, and that established hundred million pound companies could disappear because AI makes their business model irrelevant. In this episode of The Naked Founder podcast, he discusses: • Starting his first business aged 17 • Proving his GCSE French teacher wrong • Why AI will change businesses forever • Why achieving unicorn status was just ‘a moment in time’ • The relentless nature of being a founder • Why his wife is behind his success This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned. To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk [news@businesscloud.co.uk]   Chapters: 0:00 Introduction – Matthew Scullion, co-founder of Matillion, Manchester's last unicorn 0:49 Opening question: what didn't they tell you about founding a business? 1:59 15 years of overnight success – and a career in software entrepreneurialism since age 17 2:41 What is Maia? The AI data automation platform that Matillion has reinvented itself around 6:14 Why AI agents need data and context – and how Maia provides it at machine scale 7:00 Will we say "Maia that" instead of "Google it"? 7:37 Mrs Scullion's physiotherapy website: built from scratch in two hours using AI tools 16:25 Multi-million pound companies with one staff member – and the macro impact of AI 21:24 Jack Dorsey halving Block's workforce and where AI disruption is really heading 22:25 The French GCSE story: E forecast, 24 hours of cramming, A grade 24:50 Founding his first software business at 17 – and how he thinks about risk 27:13 Pivoting vs staying relevant – and the corporate graveyard of companies that didn't 28:41 Inside the Matillion Manchester office: a 2026 Victorian factory for software 29:31 Giving up a six-figure salary in 2011 to launch Matillion with co-founder Ed Thompson 30:32 What you're really signing up for: all in, every ounce of energy, for as long as it takes 34:13 The real risk isn't failure – it's living to regret not doing it at all 35:29 What drives him: building something beautiful that makes a dent in the universe 37:09 Nine digits of recurring revenue and 400-500 staff – how Matillion got here 37:40 The three acts of Matillion: managed services, then ISV software, now Maia 40:42 Fewer unicorn CEOs than people who've been to space – and what the moment really felt like 44:36 Do UK founders sell too early? The cultural and structural reasons Britain doesn't build big 48:34 "There are two types of problems in business – people problems, and people problems you haven't spotted yet" 52:14 Letter to a founder: make sure you really want this, then start – and don't stop 55:19 Roger Federer only wins 54% of points – and what that means for building a business 56:22 Wrap-up

Episode 7: ‘Big thud in my chest turned out to be a panic attack’

Russell Teale was juggling the pressures of business and family life when he thought he was having a heart attack. Tests later revealed he was having a panic attack but the near-miss changed his life and his outlook. He’s the founder and CEO of Vivify, which today employs 500 people and is set to grow turnover from £8m to £12m this year. At the same time, the startup has given more than £10m back to schools and raised £2m in investment. In this episode of The Naked Founder podcast he discusses: • Living with panic attacks • Having former Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy as an investor • Coping with the death of his mum while building Vivify • Giving £10m back to schools • Why your network is your net worth   Chapters: 0:00 Introduction – Russell Teale, founder & CEO of Vivify 0:43 Opening question: what didn't they tell you about founding a business? 1:42 The highest of highs and lowest of lows – what founding really feels like 2:04 Fitter: the Uber-style fitness app, hockey stick projections, and the brutal reality of traction 3:54 Money running out, wife pregnant, and a terrifying thud in the chest 4:22 Panic attacks in his early thirties – and learning they never fully go away 5:33 How panic attacks manifest and how he manages them now 6:02 School Letting Solutions: landing on his feet, then made redundant when it went into liquidation 6:46 What he learned from failure and why there's no point looking backwards 7:39 Founding Vivify in 2020 – the problem: 27,000 schools full of empty facilities 9:48 Where the name Vivify came from – meaning "to breathe life into" 10:12 Mum Janice: single parent, two jobs, rehoming stray cats, and a lesson in resilience 11:58 Janice dies of blood cancer on New Year's Day 2022, aged just 56 12:25 How do you manage personal trauma, COVID, a startup, and a young family? You just get on with it 13:04 Co-founders leaving, bootstrapping, and raising £1m from Arete in 2022 13:44 Choosing the right investor and the full-circle moment of pitching to the former Tesco CEO 15:26 Founder vs CEO – two very different skill sets 16:47 Total Fitness, rising through the ranks, and how far Vivify has still to go 17:43 The global opportunity: 27,000 schools in the UK, and the same problem everywhere 18:30 Do's and don'ts for scaling: never lose sight of cash 19:16 The importance of a commercially-minded CFO 20:02 Hiring for passion and pride over skill set – and why attitude always wins 21:19 Building a network from scratch and the power of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme 22:53 Founders he admires and why ego-led founders put him off 24:21 Letter to a younger Russell: go easy on yourself 24:56 Wrap-up

Episode 6: How rugby league’s unluckiest player created £6.5m turnover business

James Laithwaite has been described as rugby league’s unluckiest player after fracturing his left leg four times and breaking his neck during a career that saw him play for Warrington Wolves, Toronto Wolfpack and Bradford Bulls. However, from the depth of despair, he launched premium meal prep delivery firm FuelHub in 2019 with his wife Michelle. Today the company is working with some of the UK’s most talented sports stars and clubs and now makes 20,000 meals a week. FuelHub has now grown turnover to £6.5m and forged a partnership with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom. In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, James and Michelle Laithwaite discuss: · Fearing he was paralysed after breaking his neck · How his spells out injured inspired FuelHub · How love blossomed after an online date and turned into a business · Raising £1.2m from AJ Bell founder Andy Bell and former director Fergus Lyons · Partnering with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom · How their son was born on their launch day · The secret of working with your partner This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned. To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk   Chapters: 0:00 Introduction – Michelle & James Laithwaite, founders of Fuel Hub 0:20 What didn't they tell you about founding a business? 0:51 From 10,000 meals to £5 million – how the weight of responsibility grows 1:50 The story: single mum meets rugby player, and an unlikely partnership begins 3:10 Watching James break his leg at the AJ Bell Stadium on their second date 4:22 Wanting to eat healthy but not being able to find the quality – the light-bulb moment 5:37 Launching Fuel Hub eight months pregnant – and Stanley arriving early 6:31 Brand story, green identity, and the three pillars: premium, trust, quality 8:49 Starting with £20k, a £20 eBay desk, and a red swivel chair 10:34 Selling the family home, moving into a two-bed flat, and taking no wage 11:11 The landlord connection: how Fergus Lyons led them to a £1.2m investment from Andy Bell 12:41 Warrington Wolves, Chelsea, England Rugby – leveraging James's sporting contacts 14:08 Eddie Hearn ordered off his own back: how the Matchroom partnership came about 17:19 Never racing to the bottom – why staying premium builds loyal subscribers 18:51 The subscription model and the power of authentic LinkedIn storytelling 20:08 Michelle reads their five-year anniversary LinkedIn post live 22:15 The reality of being a female CEO – school calls, tiredness, and raw honesty 24:04 Co-founder dynamics: CEO vs COO, and why being so different makes it work 25:50 Drawing the line between work and home life with kids and a clear 8pm rule 27:48 Date nights in the Lake District and trusting the team enough to switch off 28:59 Michelle on public speaking, BBC Radio 5 Live, and getting comfortable being visible 30:32 James's turn: Michelle doesn't like being told what to do (he nods vigorously) 31:38 Transitioning from professional rugby to business – resilience, injuries, and broken necks 34:53 Starting from scratch: learning emails, invoicing, and everything from the ground up 36:33 An insatiable appetite to learn – podcasts, people, and being a sponge 37:27 Advice for couples thinking about co-founding: sacrifice, hard work, and plan A only 37:54 Vision for Fuel Hub: 100,000 meals a week, a forever home, and B2B growth 41:24 Letter to a younger Michelle: always trust your gut and never deviate 41:59 Wrap-up

Episode 5: ‘I still think about my late business partner every day.'

As the co-founders of Pareto Law, Jonathan Fitchew and Andy Sawer were inseparable. For 26 years they shared the same office and, when away on business trips, even shared the same bed rather than book separate rooms. One look at his best friend’s empty desk after he died in 2021 was enough to convince Fitchew that he could never work there again. In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, he discusses: • The grief of losing your best friend and business partner • Going again with the launch of Apprentify • Growing Apprentify to £25m turnover and 250 staff • His regrets at selling Pareto Law to Randstad • Being kicked out of school for being rebellious • Relaxing by keeping chickens and building Lego This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle' - The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned. To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk   Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Jonathan Fitchew & Apprentify 00:28 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business 00:53 Would You Do It All Over Again? 01:39 Losing a Co-Founder: The Story of Andy Sawyer 02:25 Andy's Illness, COVID & Keeping the Business Alive 04:00 Friend First, Founder Second: How Andy & Jonathan Met 05:11 You Can't Force a Business Partnership 05:47 Risk Taking vs. Gambling: The Entrepreneurial Mindset 07:03 Borrowing 15 Grand & Pitching a Bank Manager 07:47 Why They Named It Pareto Law 09:52 Hiring Graduates Over Experienced Salespeople 10:07 Starting in a Broom Cupboard in Salford (1995) 10:51 Sharing a Room, Sharing a Business: Life with Andy 11:57 Did You and Andy Ever Disagree? 12:45 Pareto Law Grows to £40M & 400 Staff 13:25 When Randstad Came Knocking (2008) 15:02 Selling Part of the Business: The Air Was Sucked Out 16:06 Visiting Andy in Hospital While Running a Business 17:52 Do You Still Think About Andy? Every Single Day 18:27 Leaving Pareto Law & Going Again: Launching Apprentify 18:52 The Embryo of Apprentify Started Before Andy Died 20:38 Still Hungry: The Eye of the Tiger 21:18 How Apprentify Grew to £25M & 250 Staff 23:25 AI: The Biggest Opportunity Jonathan Has Ever Seen 25:27 AI Won't Replace You If You Add Value 26:23 Top Tips for Anyone Thinking of Starting a Business 27:51 Getting Kicked Out of Boarding School 28:13 The Itch That Always Needs Scratching 29:44 The Chickens: Mary, Latte & Cappuccino 30:57 Chickens as a Decompression Valve 31:21 Building Lego as a Switch-Off: 4,000-Piece Ferrari & Concorde 32:12 Whatever You Do, You're a Builder 32:43 Letter to His Younger Self

Episode 4: Rubbing shoulders with De Niro and Kylie and living with OCD

In the events industry, Holly Moore is almost as big a name as the stars she rubs shoulders with. From Robert De Niro to Kylie Minogue, and from Gary Barlow to McFly, Moore has worked with them all. However, behind the confident exterior, Moore has wrestled with crippling OCD. At one point, on New Year’s Day 2012, Moore was unable to carry on and rang the Priory to be admitted. Moore has battled back from the depths of despair to build a multi-million-pound turnover business, partly thanks to a chance call with billionaire Fred Done. Professional success has been matched by personal happiness, and she talks about falling in love with a member of her team and their fairytale wedding. This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned. To sponsor the show, email news@businesscloud.co.uk Chapters 0:00 Introduction – Holly Moore, founder of Make Events 0:36 Opening question: what didn't they tell you about founding a business? 1:30 Living with OCD – how it really manifests and what it feels like 4:33 Pure OCD: rumination, reassurance-seeking, and intrusive thoughts 5:20 OCD relapses – the tornado that pulls you back in 6:21 The darkest moment – calling the Priory on New Year's Day 2011 8:09 Becoming OCD-free and the new lease of life that followed 9:11 Handing in her notice at AstraZeneca and testing herself 12:26 Launching Make Events in 2012 – spotting the gap in Manchester 13:27 Pounding the pavement: giving out business cards to venues 14:26 The Fred Done call – landing a billionaire's 70th birthday party 16:35 Working with Robert De Niro, Kylie Minogue, Gary Barlow and more 19:10 Behind events and the mindset behind never cutting corners 20:15 Building the right team and trusting them to deliver 21:34 What kind of founder is Holly? Leadership style and high standards 23:56 The 5am Club – early mornings, discipline, and wine with Lily Shippen 25:09 Is she a workaholic? The constant fear of a clean slate each year 26:44 Bootstrapping to a multi-million pound business – looking back with pride 28:32 COVID and the events industry – pivoting with gift boxes and creativity 30:37 Marketing through the downturn: the 10X mindset 31:19 Social media, LinkedIn, and changing her name to Holly Bennett 32:38 Meeting Joel – falling for someone from the team 35:29 "Anything is Possible" – her personal development brand and podcast 36:22 Burnout, health scares, and an OCD relapse 37:30 Acquiring the PA Club with Joel and the vision ahead 39:56 The importance of networks and why she's saying yes to more in future 42:33 Letter to a younger Holly: work in the industry first and hire well early 43:36 Wrap-up