E7: Dan Kieran: Publishing founder described by Richard Branson as a 'true disruptor', on using fear as a compass

In this episode, we chat with author and entrepreneur Dan Kieran.

Through a magical twist of fate he found himself on the doorstep of the Idler magazine in 1997, embarking on a journey that took him from work experience to Managing Editor.

In 2010 he conceived Unbound – bringing an innovative crowdfunding model to publishing - as co-founder and CEO he led the business for 11 years, being described as 'a true disruptor' by Richard Branson,

Dan is also the editor of 14 books including his latest, Do Start: How to create and run a business (without it running you).   He stepped down as CEO of unbound but remains on the board as NED and now teaches publishing entrepreneurship at UCL.

All of this – and more – gives Dan a uniquely perceptive voice on adversity, creativity and self-expression... subjects that are very close to the heart of this podcast.

Dan shares his unique journey, offering rich insights on all of this and more:

• Recognising and treasuring your flow states, connecting to the process of creativity
• How his battle with agoraphobia brought him to The Idler, where he was always destined to work
• How 'Crap Towns' put him on the map
• How the adventure of driving a milk float across the country taught him how to be an entrepreneur
• How travelling has lost the art of the journey and how getting lost is where the magic is 
• Conceiving and founding a genuinely disruptive business that changed the publishing industry
• Why fear is the compass to where you need to go
• What the ‘founder journey’ means when you’re building a business
• The value our lives get from creating a pause

Dan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-kieran-b49a3329/

https://www.dankieran.com/

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian-07789a1

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/