The Everyday Founder

James Farnfield
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The Everyday Founder

Welcome to the everyday founder podcast with James Farnfield 👋🏽 James chats with everyday founders and ask them questions across a range of serious and lighthearted topics. It’s time that we celebrate those everyday founders doing incredible things. Celebrating their successes, learning from their journey and supporting their future. Enjoy 🚀 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. FEB 27

    From Startup Struggles to Successful Exits: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Winning Big | Jordan Schlipf

    Entrepreneurship isn’t just about raising VC money—it's about playing your own game. In this episode of Everyday Founder, Jordan Schlipf, co-founder of Rainmaking and Startup Bootcamp, shares the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey, from bootstrapping businesses to scaling and exiting a consulting firm to Bain & Company. 🚀 We dive deep into startup failures, venture building, risk diversification, and why boring businesses can be the most profitable. If you're thinking about starting or scaling a company, this is a must-watch! 🔔 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more founder insights! 📌 Chapters: 00:00 - The Bigger Picture of Entrepreneurship 00:54 - Introducing Jordan Schlipf 01:18 - What is Rainmaking? 02:45 - The Rainmaking Business Model Explained 03:35 - Success Stories from Rainmaking 04:56 - Notable Startup Exits & Failures 06:19 - The Ego vs. Team Success in Startups 08:11 - Risk Mitigation in Entrepreneurship 09:40 - Capping Upside to Protect Downside 13:30 - How Jordan Joined Rainmaking 14:52 - Accidentally Building a Consulting Firm 16:46 - The Corporate Innovation Opportunity 20:28 - Scaling and Selling a Consultancy to Bain 21:23 - How to Sell an Agency or Professional Services Firm 25:45 - Hiring a CEO & Exiting Operations 31:59 - When to Pull the Plug on a Startup 34:47 - Balancing Risk and Resilience as a Founder 38:26 - From Investment Banking to Entrepreneurship 44:10 - Execution Over Novelty: Why Ideas Don’t Matter 49:53 - The Myth of Unicorns & VC Culture 52:18 - Profitable ‘Unsexy’ Businesses That Win 56:07 - Structuring Leadership Transitions 01:07:16 - The Future of AI & Vertical Applications 01:09:44 - Picking the Right Startup Idea: Don’t Rush 01:17:24 - Why Jordan Joined Opus & Founder Community 01:20:28 - Luck vs. Skill: What Really Matters? 01:26:31 - Where to Connect with Jordan 💬 Join the conversation: Drop a comment below—what was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 27m

  2. FEB 20

    Finding the Right Co-Founder, Scaling a Startup & Building a Unicorn from Scratch | Andrew Humphries

    On this episode of Everyday Founder we sit down with serial entrepreneur Andrew Humphries, formerly of The Bakery. Andrew shares his insights on building and scaling businesses, finding the right co-founder, securing funding, and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. With a track record that includes leading sales at Adeptra (sold for $135M), advising the UK government on tech talent, and co-founding The Bakery, Andrew's wisdom is invaluable for any founder looking to grow their business. How do you find the right co-founder?When should you raise funding vs. bootstrap?What are the key ingredients to building a unicorn?How do you manage burnout as a founder? Tune in to hear Andrew's raw and real insights on startup life, leadership, and making the right bets as an entrepreneur. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome Andrew Humphries 00:07 - From Adeptra to Government Advisor 00:31 - The Bakery: A Corporate Accelerator 01:51 - The Secret to Building Unicorns 04:43 - Why Andrew Stepped Away from The Bakery 06:41 - Finding the Right Co-Founder 12:16 - The Three Questions to Ask a Co-Founder 15:36 - When Should You Raise Funding? 22:26 - The Reality of Big Fundraising Rounds 29:05 - Lessons from The Bakery and Beyond 37:37 - The Trade-Offs of Being a Founder 45:03 - Managing Burnout & Founder Mental Health 50:32 - What Business Would Andrew Build Today? 54:46 - The Role of Luck vs. Talent in Entrepreneurship 58:53 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up If you're a founder or aspiring entrepreneur, hit subscribe and turn on notifications for more insights from top business leaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min

  3. FEB 13

    The crazy story of this former teacher who has raised over $10M scaling his AI HR SaaS | Anton Boner

    In this episode of Everyday Founder, we sit down with Anton Boner, CEO & Founder of Screenloop, the first AI-powered applicant tracking system (ATS) with an auto-generated scorecard. Anton shares his incredible journey—from being a high school teacher to climbing the ranks at Stack Overflow (promoted 7 times in 8 years!) to launching a venture-backed SaaS startup that’s redefining hiring and recruitment. In this episode: ✅ The leap of faith from teaching to enterprise sales ✅ How Anton helped grow Stack Overflow before its $1.8B acquisition ✅ The evolution of Screenloop—from an AI note-taker to a full hiring platform ✅ The challenges of building a SaaS startup as a non-technical founder ✅ How AI is reshaping the hiring process (and why the CV might be dead by 2025) ✅ Fundraising insights—raising $10M and choosing the right investors Whether you’re a founder, recruiter, or just fascinated by the intersection of AI & hiring, this episode is packed with insights on entrepreneurship, scaling, and the future of recruitment. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and drop a comment below—what’s your take on AI in hiring? 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & Anton’s Background 01:08 – What is Screenloop? 01:39 – From Teacher to Tech Sales at Stack Overflow 02:54 – Making the Leap: Career Change & Relocation 05:05 – The Birth of Screenloop 07:23 – The Challenges of Being a Non-Technical Founder 08:56 – Building the First Product & Early Growth 10:59 – The COVID Hiring Boom & Market Shift 13:09 – Pivoting from AI Note-Taker to Full ATS Platform 15:48 – The Power of Remote Teams & Culture at Screenloop 20:26 – Remote Work vs. In-Office Collaboration 23:23 – Scaling from $100K to Seven Figures 27:33 – How a Founder Switches Off & Avoids Burnout 34:15 – AI & The Future of Recruitment 39:34 – The Death of the CV? 42:54 – Raising $10M & Choosing the Right Investors 47:16 – Founders: Luck vs. Skill? 55:02 – What’s Next for Screenloop? #AI #Startups #Recruitment #SaaS #TechEntrepreneur #Screenloop #EverydayFounder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    56 min

  4. FEB 6

    How This Founder Went From Retail Manager to Building an AI Startup & Raised £2M | Martin Mason

    Ever wondered how someone goes from working as a Floor Manager at Halfords to raising £2M for an AI startup? In this episode of The Everyday Founder Podcast, Martin Mason, CEO of Talent Mapper, shares his unconventional journey, from retail and HR to building a high-growth HR tech company. We dive deep into: ✅ The struggles of fundraising (and why it's a nightmare) ✅ How Talent Mapper landed enterprise clients from Day 1 ✅ The truth about founder burnout and why therapy helped ✅ Why internal promotions can save companies £450K+ If you're a founder, entrepreneur, or just curious about the startup grind, this episode is packed with insights, lessons, and hard truths you won’t want to miss. #StartupJourney #Entrepreneurship #HRTech #FounderLife #BusinessGrowth 📍 CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Intro: Who is Martin Mason? 01:19 – The accidental entrepreneur: From Halfords to HR Tech 05:32 – Building TalentMapper: A problem worth solving 10:57 – The truth about fundraising (and why it's brutal) 15:40 – Landing enterprise clients as a startup 21:13 – Internal promotions vs. external hiring (£450K savings!) 28:05 – The challenges of scaling a startup 35:40 – The dark side of entrepreneurship: Burnout & therapy 42:22 – AI & the future of HR Tech 50:01 – Martin’s advice for founders: Hiring, growth & resilience 55:15 – What’s next for TalentMapper? 🎧 Listen & Subscribe for More Everyday Founder Stories! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 18m

  5. JAN 30

    From Failed Startup to $500K Raise: The Future of Sustainability Consulting | Nick Valenzia

    In this episode of Everyday Founder, we sit down with Nick Valenzia, co-founder of Leafr, a London-based platform transforming sustainability consulting. Leafr connects mid-market businesses with top-tier climate and ESG consultants, offering expert solutions at a fraction of traditional consulting costs. 🚀 Key Takeaways from This Episode: ✅ The rising demand for sustainability expertise in business ✅ How Leafr built a 500+ consultant network with a growing waitlist ✅ Navigating the challenges of fundraising in a high-interest environment ✅ Finding the right co-founder and building a lean, scalable team ✅ The role of AI in sustainability and the future of climate solutions ⏳ Chapters00:00 - Intro to the Episode 00:35 - What Is Leafr & Why It Exists 01:46 - The Growing Demand for Sustainability Consulting 03:23 - How Leafr Built a 500+ Consultant Network 05:50 - Raising $500K in a High-Interest Market 07:25 - The Biggest Challenge: Bridging the Sustainability Skills Gap 09:19 - Lessons from a Failed Startup & Founder Fit 12:07 - Balancing Work, Life & Founder Burnout 14:45 - Building a Lean & Scalable Business Model 18:04 - Why Advisors Are Critical for Growth 22:19 - The Future of Sustainability & AI’s Role 26:07 - How Leafr Plans to Scale Next Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min

  6. JAN 23

    This Founder Raised $10M Without a Tech Background in 5 Years | Olga Dogadkina

    What if you could build a tech empire without writing a single line of code? 🚀 In this episode of The Everyday Founder, Olga Dogadkina, Founder & CEO of Emperia, shares her journey of turning an ambitious idea into a multi-million-dollar business. From partnering with global brands like Walmart, Bloomingdale's, and L'Occitane to raising $10 million in funding, Olga proves that success isn’t just about coding—it’s about vision, resilience, and the right team. In this episode: ✔ How Olga built a tech-driven company without a technical background ✔ The tough decision to relocate to the U.S. for growth ✔ Fundraising challenges and what she learned from them ✔ Building a diverse, international team across 13 countries 🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to Olga Dogadkina 00:33 – From an idea to a global business 01:46 – Challenges as a non-technical founder 06:03 – Moving to the U.S.: The make-or-break decision 10:55 – Raising $10 million: The reality of fundraising 16:04 – Building a diverse, global team 22:30 – Lessons learned from scaling Emperia 28:01 – The future of virtual retail experiences 34:16 – Olga’s advice to aspiring founders 40:45 – Final thoughts and where to find Emperia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min

  7. JAN 16

    Are Dua Lipa, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran costing creators $millions in Licensing Fees? | Paul Sampson

    🎵 What if you could use your favourite chart-topping songs legally in your YouTube videos? In this episode of The Everyday Founder, we dive into the future of music licensing with Paul Sampson, Founder & CEO of Lickd. Paul shares his incredible journey in creating a groundbreaking platform that makes mainstream music accessible for content creators while navigating the complex world of copyright claims. 🔥 What we cover: - The problem with using mainstream music on platforms like YouTube and TikTok - How Lickd bridges the gap between creators and music rights holders - The secrets to building a scalable business in the creator economy - Don’t miss this insightful conversation packed with actionable takeaways for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands alike! 📍 CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction to Paul Sampson & Lickd 02:15 – The music licensing problem for creators 06:45 – Why copyright claims hurt creators’ revenue 10:30 – Building trust with major labels and publishers 14:20 – How Lickd democratizes music for creators 18:40 – The importance of licensing for future monetization 22:15 – How Lickd attracted major partnerships (e.g., Warner Music, Epic Games) 27:50 – Scaling the Lickd platform for creators and brands 33:10 – Advice for founders raising investment for a new business 38:45 – How to build a strong team and culture 44:15 – Future of music licensing and new media innovations 50:30 – The role of luck vs. skill in entrepreneurship 56:15 – Final thoughts and call to action Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min

  8. JAN 9

    This 23 Year Old Founder is Fixing the Broken Graduate Job Market with Content | Peter Wood

    Ever wondered how fresh graduates can successfully transition into the professional world? In this episode of The Everyday Founder Podcast, we sit down with Peter Wood, the inspiring CEO and founder of The Graduate Guide. Peter shares his journey from a recent UCL graduate to a full-time entrepreneur reshaping early career opportunities through community, storytelling, and innovation. We dive into: 📌 The challenges graduates face entering the workforce 📌 Breaking traditional career paths and redefining success 📌 Building The Graduate Guide: from podcast idea to powerhouse media platform 📌 Collaborating with industry giants like Google to foster young talent 📌 Practical tips for leveraging LinkedIn to unlock career opportunities 📖 Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 00:25 - What Is The Graduate Guide? 01:12 - Addressing the UK Career Crisis 03:12 - Breaking the Transition Barriers from University to Work 07:05 - The Birth of The Graduate Guide Over a Pint 10:14 - Building Confidence Through Curiosity 13:41 - Peter’s Childhood and Entrepreneurial Influences 16:00 - Podcast Milestones: 200 Episodes and Counting 18:14 - Leveraging LinkedIn for Building Connections 22:24 - Balancing Online and Offline Relationships 27:34 - Exciting Collaborations with Google 32:08 - Perspectives on Entrepreneurship in the UK 36:00 - Addressing Corporate Job Descriptions vs. Startup Appeal 42:30 - Revolutionizing Career Storytelling for Students 47:16 - The Importance of Personal Branding for Employers 50:38 - Building a Team: Meeting Co-Founder Molly 54:41 - Sustaining Yourself as a Young Entrepreneur 56:37 - Luck vs. Skill in Entrepreneurship 59:14 - Where to Find Peter and The Graduate Guide 📲 Connect with Peter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterwood Instagram: @GraduateGuide 💼 About The Graduate Guide: Helping students and young professionals navigate the transition from university to the working world through inspiring content, networking events, and career insights. 👉 Subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators reshaping industries! #TheGraduateGuide #YoungEntrepreneur #CareerAdvice #StartupJourney #Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr
See All (20)

About

Welcome to the everyday founder podcast with James Farnfield 👋🏽 James chats with everyday founders and ask them questions across a range of serious and lighthearted topics. It’s time that we celebrate those everyday founders doing incredible things. Celebrating their successes, learning from their journey and supporting their future. Enjoy 🚀 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    James Farnfield
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © James Farnfield
  • Show Website
    The Everyday Founder

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada