Open Equity With Thomas Cornwall

Thomas Cornwall
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Open Equity with Thomas Cornwall takes you inside the world of scaling companies, private equity, exits and wealth creation. Every week, Thomas - founder of Open Equity, who has helped scale companies to $200M+ revenue and exit for up to $1.75BN - shares unfiltered conversations and actionable insights featuring top founders, investors and dealmakers.

  1. 09/23/2025

    Ronaldo Invested In My Company: The Biggest Lessons I’ve Learned About Scaling

    Vadim Fedotov, CEO of Bioniq, the leading personalised health supplement brand, learned brutal scaling lessons as Groupon Eastern Europe CEO in the fastest-growing company in history, then applied those insights to build a successful health company that caught Cristiano Ronaldo's attention. We’re diving into how Bioniq went from founder-led hustle to systematic scaling across 73 countries and why Vadim nearly quit multiple times before breakthrough partnerships transformed the business into the global success it is today. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and help grow: https://www.openequity.co.uk Join the Open Equity newsletter for weekly insights: https://www.openequity.co.uk/newsletter 00:00 Introduction01:20 Joining Groupon at its peak and the Rocket Internet playbook04:57 Cold calls, sales culture and the IPO rollercoaster09:01 What intense urgency actually looked like in practice13:52 The doctor visit that broke his faith in traditional medicine15:41 Discovering a performance protocol used by Olympic athletes17:41 Buying the IP and starting Bioniq from scratch19:23 Going all-in on the Bioniq brand21:22 Hustling to 1,000 customers without a website23:34 Why early partnerships mattered more than marketing25:40 Realising a hustle-only model wouldn’t scale27:14 Cracking different countries’ go-to-market strategies28:28 Raising the first funding round with pure conviction31:46 Almost walking away to take a big corporate job35:22 How Cristiano Ronaldo became a surprise customer37:06 Turning Ronaldo from user to investor38:56 5-10x growth and the risk of over-partnering40:29 Wasting time chasing logos and too many verticals43:08 Returning to simplicity with two core products45:41 Future plans: acquisitions and a Bioniq-powered clinic → Follow Thomas & Open EquityLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomascornwall/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/open.equity/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@open.equityWebsite: https://www.openequity.co.uk/ → Follow VadimLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vfedotov15/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vadim_bioniq/?hl=enWebsite: https://www.bioniq.com/

    47 min

  2. 09/15/2025

    What It Takes To Win In Business: Trust, Relationships & Discipline | Mohammed F. Mostafa

    Actor, entrepreneur and investor Mohammed Mostafa, known for his roles in international productions like Hijack and building Versatile Synergy, has mastered the art of ecosystem development in the UAE. Rather than pursuing traditional business approaches, he leverages his position as a prominent local figure to create partnerships with family businesses, government entities, and entertainment industry leaders through deal-making. You'll hear why he believes doing business with friends strengthens relationships, his honest approach to government support systems in the UAE, and how entertainment industry experience translates into business resilience. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and help grow: https://www.openequity.co.uk Join the Open Equity newsletter for weekly insights: https://www.openequity.co.uk/newsletter 00:00 Introduction01:20 Starting Versatile Synergy04:04 Pivoting from high street focus to scaling a full agency07:00 Joining the family business and finding synergy with Versatile11:41 Business with friends and when it works (or doesn’t)12:36 What people get wrong about UAE go-to-market16:14 Product placement in film as a subtle, lasting brand strategy19:42 Using AI to mock up film ideas and pitch brands22:03 Cross-territory filmmaking and building global partnerships26:08 Lessons from acting and sport in handling rejection29:22 Almost becoming Aladdin and finding direction in acting33:40 Acting prep, emotional stamina, and becoming a character38:04 Impact of Khataf character on Emirati youth39:15 Journey Flow yoga and poetry as a tool for mental health42:47 Depression, perspective, and designing a lifestyle that heals46:27 Sharing struggles and the power of good people around you49:23 Gratitude, reflection, and staying grounded with self-awareness → Follow Thomas & Open EquityLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomascornwall/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/open.equity/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@open.equityWebsite: https://www.openequity.co.uk/ → Follow MohammedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-mostafa-870745178/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohammedfmostafa/?hl=enWebsite: https://mohammedfmostafa.com/

    54 min

  3. 09/08/2025

    My Biggest Lessons From Taking 100+ Companies Public | Callum Laing

    Callum Laing co-founded Unity Group along with Jeremy Harbour after discovering that most entrepreneurs are terrible at fundraising because they think like operators instead of investors – focusing on client value while ignoring shareholder value entirely. Most capital raising advice hasn't evolved in decades: build a deck and knock on a thousand doors. Callum's approach reverses this by building networks first, adding value through introductions, and creating five-year lockup structures that control supply and demand in public markets. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and help grow: https://www.openequity.co.uk Join the Open Equity newsletter for weekly insights: https://www.openequity.co.uk/newsletter 00:00 Introduction 04:31 Shifting mindset from client value to shareholder value 07:46 How advisory boards can 10x your company valuation 08:46 The Elon Musk text that explains real investing dynamics 11:57 Add value before pitching and build investor circles 14:24 Using introductions to build trust and accelerate deals 17:15 Partnership strategy built from being bad at sales 19:32 How low-stakes partnerships lead to high-value deals 21:15 Why board members should avoid solving problems themselves 24:43 The upside of launching companies in unfamiliar industries 26:22 Why public markets clash with entrepreneurial instincts 30:13 Building the investor-friendly IPO by rewiring supply and demand 34:02 Constrained stock model and creating long-term upside 37:19 Why public stock is a powerful tool for acquisitions 40:13 How the agglomeration model de-risks acquisition roll-ups 44:23 Reverse engineering private equity deals with guaranteed buyers 48:37 Taking chips off the table and building freedom 52:59 Most first-time founders get outplayed at the exit stage 57:17 How low expectations make long-term partnerships thrive → Follow Thomas & Open Equity LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomascornwall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/open.equity/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@open.equity Website: https://www.openequity.co.uk/ → Follow Callum LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callumlaing/ Website: https://callumlaing.com/

    1h 3m

  4. 09/01/2025

    How To Ride The $1TN+ AI Wave For Business Success

    The difference between founders who build hundred-million-dollar companies and those who plateau isn't luck or timing - it's having a systematic approach to reverse engineering exactly what success looks like. This week on Open Equity, we're going over the four-step framework for reverse engineering success for building companies that buyers actually want to acquire. You'll hear why great companies are bought not sold, the specific valuation mechanics most founders get wrong, and how to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be using 100-day sprint plans. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and help grow: https://www.openequity.co.uk Join the Open Equity newsletter for weekly insights: https://www.openequity.co.uk/newsletter → Follow Thomas & Open EquityLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomascornwall/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/open.equity/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@open.equityWebsite: https://www.openequity.co.uk/

    14 min

  5. 08/25/2025

    Marketing Expert Reveals His Playbook To Scale Your Company | Raoul Plickat

    Raoul Plickat scaled multiple companies by solving the creator economy's biggest problem , talented creators with massive reach who couldn't convert audiences into profitable businesses. Most digital brands plateau around $1 million because they're doing what everyone else does. Raoul's methodology starts with deep customer research to find the specific metaphors and language patterns that create instant emotional connection. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and help grow: https://www.openequity.co.uk Join the Open Equity newsletter for weekly insights: https://www.openequity.co.uk/newsletter 00:00 Introduction 01:40 Launching in the creator economy after early agency success 04:57 Why creators struggle to monetise their massive reach 08:32 Performance marketing meets brand storytelling to drive growth 12:42 Most brands plateau because they stop thinking creatively 16:12 Building teams that complement your strengths, not clone them 18:22 Letting go and hiring CEOs without losing company culture 21:20 Scaling a business from $10M to $100M with insights 25:30 Real examples of turning customer research into strategy 29:31 What great copywriting really looks and feels like 31:32 How personal frustration led to launching CopeCard 33:47 Scaling SaaS by eliminating friction from day one 35:20 What Whoop got right about gamification and product education 38:27 Next moves in software, advertising and building with AI 42:26 Trying to clone himself through AI to scale expertise 46:30 Why asymmetric leverage beats following the hype → Follow Thomas & Open Equity LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomascornwall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/open.equity/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@open.equity Website: https://www.openequity.co.uk/ → Follow Raoul LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raoulplickat/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raoulplickat/

    50 min

  6. 08/11/2025

    Building A $100k/mo Business Plan For A Founder In 24 Minutes

    This week on the Open Equity show, we’re doing something a little different. I’m joined by Jasper the founder of Nalu, our podcast production partner, and we’re breaking down the exact three-step plan to take his agency from $20K to $100K monthly and potentially position for exit within 12-24 months. You'll hear why moving from small business to enterprise clients unlocks scale, the specific hiring and onboarding framework that removes founder dependency, and how to identify your five most likely acquirers before you're ready to sell. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and scale: https://www.openequity.co.uk Join the Open Equity newsletter: https://www.openequity.co.uk/newsletter → Follow Thomas & Open EquityLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomascornwall/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/open.equity/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@open.equityWebsite: https://www.openequity.co.uk/

    25 min

  7. 08/04/2025

    Learn These 7 Lessons To Become A Great Leader | Shada ElBorno

    Shada Elborno has built a 29-year career at Standard Chartered, rising to Managing Director while maintaining a value-based leadership approach in an industry known for aggressive cultures. Join us this week on the Open Equity show, as we're discussing how she defied stereotypes as an Emirati female in investment banking, why kindness became her leadership superpower rather than a weakness, and her framework for staying grounded in values while navigating the pressures of scaling responsibility across billion-dollar transactions. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and help grow. Join the Open Equity newsletter for weekly insights. 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Leading with soul and staying aligned to core values 05:18 Embracing self-awareness and defying cultural stereotypes 09:07 Evolving leadership through decades of purposeful work 13:38 Learning confidence through discomfort and public speaking 16:56 Staying rooted while adapting to constant change 19:43 Value-based investing and creating long-term impact 23:06 Personal responsibility as transaction scale multiplies 26:34 Shifting investment flows and future-focused sectors in MENA 29:06 Being a visible example without chasing titles 31:24 Loyalty to one organisation and learning through hard seasons 35:23 Staying steady as a leader in uncertain times 39:34 Navigating digital noise and social media 41:30 Founders approaching investment banks with new ideas 44:46 Mentorship, legacy, and staying open to reinvention 48:16 Seven lessons from a career rooted in kindness and grit → Follow Thomas & Open Equity LinkedIn Instagram TikTok Website → Follow Shada LinkedIn

    50 min

  8. 07/28/2025

    The 5-Step Plan To Grow Your Business To $100M+ (Acquisition Method)

    Building through acquisition seems intimidating, but it's often faster and less risky than organic growth. In today's video, we'll go over five simple steps to scale through acquisition. You'll hear how to structure deals with minimal upfront capital, the sourcing strategies that work better than traditional sales outreach, and why most founders already know their first acquisition targets but haven't approached them yet. Do you want to scale? We’re looking for more great companies to invest in and scale: https://www.openequity.co.uk Join the Open Equity newsletter: https://www.openequity.co.uk/newsletter → Follow Thomas & Open Equity LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomascornwall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/open.equity/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@open.equity Website: https://www.openequity.co.uk/

    10 min
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About

Open Equity with Thomas Cornwall takes you inside the world of scaling companies, private equity, exits and wealth creation. Every week, Thomas - founder of Open Equity, who has helped scale companies to $200M+ revenue and exit for up to $1.75BN - shares unfiltered conversations and actionable insights featuring top founders, investors and dealmakers.

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