"Wow! That must be so purposeful!" This is a common reaction when I reluctantly tell people what it is my business does. We are a developer of carbon abatement and carbon removal projects at large scale to create a healthier earth (also our company name). In a world that is obsessed with purpose, this appears to be a holy grail of work. However, for me personally, it has been highly anxiety inducing. On top of building a business, I am also reminded daily about the reality of the challenges ahead of us.
09.07.2024
It’s time to stop focusing on the AI takeover of human expertise in business development and distribution. There is a thesis du jour that from the rise of AI and automation will soon emerge relatively autonomous, billion dollar companies operated by a single individual. While this thought is captivating, we believe this is fundamentally unrealistic as it underestimates the complexity of business operations - such as business development and distribution - that extend beyond the capabilities of AI, and still requires human nuance and expertise.
05.07.2024
Paul Graham, Y-Combinator’s founder, excels at simplicity. His essays are crisp, his sentences are short and his ideas are clear. A visit to YC’s FAQ page shows that his ethos irrigated the institution he created. Answers are crisp, sentences are short and ideas are clear. Despite the diversity of startups it deals with, YC seems obsessed with simplifying how it accompanies them.
03.07.2024
In a business world urgently focused on sustainability, organisations are discovering the limits of their ability to create meaningful progress alone. More than ever, senior leaders need to develop the vision, will, and skill to create radical collaborations – they need to start joining forces with their competitors.
02.07.2024
The only positive aspect of the increase in cases of stress during the past decade is that people are at least talking about them. Conversations about stress and mental health have moved out of the shadows and into the light. This is important progress as a greater understanding of cause and effect can lead to more meaningful conversations about where stress comes from and the different ways in which it can affect people.
27.06.2024
At the end of March, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) took action against two investment advisers for making false and misleading claims about their use of artificial intelligence.
26.06.2024
As a team leader, the single most important thing I can do is support my employees' wellbeing, motivation, and health.
25.06.2024
Venture capital (VC) has served as the lifeblood of the startup ecosystem, providing the necessary funds for young companies to grow and scale. Unlike institutional investors, VCs are often more willing to take on high-risk investments, such as tech startups, providing the vital funds these companies need to hire staff, develop products, and market to customers.
21.06.2024
Chairing meetings in the latter stages of my NHS career, I remember being exasperated that more and more people would mutter and mumble their way through meetings. I had no idea the problem was actually mine.
21.06.2024
A stubborn sector reliant on manual processes has contributed to Europe’s housing market disarray. However, the real estate industry is finally recognising the opportunities that powerful new technologies, like AI, Machine Learning (ML), and automation, bring to the entire industry, from investors all the way down to the tenants themselves.
20.06.2024
I recently read an interview in the Financial Times with Harry Hyman of Primary Health Properties, who was asked the question ‘what is your basic business philosophy?’ His response was ‘to run a business with recurring profits and a positive social impact.’
20.06.2024
At the peak of the dot-com boom, I managed a $200M venture fund. Though we didn’t have much experience as investors, we managed to get five exits from a portfolio of 27 early-stage businesses. I learned a lot of lessons. Here’s one of them.
19.06.2024
No one needs to be told that the climate crisis gets more serious by the day. Every year is hotter than the last one. Extreme weather events are becoming commonplace.
19.06.2024
The COVID-19 pandemic, the fallout of Brexit, supply chain disruptions, spiralling inflation, geopolitical conflicts, rising fuel and energy prices, and a cost-of-living crisis are just some of the contributors to the UK’s widely documented economic downturn. Amidst all this external turmoil and uncertainty, the nation officially entered a recession, with the economy contracting since early 2022.
18.06.2024