But before we get into that, let me share a quick story with you...
There I was, a first-time founder in 2000 teaming up with a so called "experienced" co-founders and raising $30m from "experienced" VC's.
The thing is, at the time I was sure that building a successful market driven digital business was just about getting to market and finding great investors.
I used all my technical, strategy, marketing, product, operations knowledge, and experience to develop the plan that got us funded to the tune of $30m. A decade of living out of a suitcase, split between the top global technology management consultancy and a top global investment bank had taught me how to do that.
To illustrate this, at age 25 I was in command of a 300-module banking system going live and designed complex systems for many years after. I lived and breathed code, UI/UX design, testing, data and cold server rooms.
After growing the business to $Millions and a healthy 5X revenue multiple valuation the board and my co-founders voted to sell out to a company (that later got bought by GoDaddy).
The realities of private investments and opportunistic co-founders had resulted in a cocktail of problems that could only be resolved by cashing out. More than anything, complacency had set in rather than the drive for constant reinvention.
Shortly after the market turned south and so despite having a string of great ideas there was no way to get something else up and running.
I joined a second high growth business in consumer goods and we built sales to $5m within just a few years fuelled by Hollywood celebs and a skyrocketing market.
But... completely unexpectedly out of the blue the financial crisis of 2008/9 wiped out that market and I lost everything. And I mean absolutely everything. Unknowingly, I had run into a metaphorical tree head-first. I was in a perfect storm, not being able to see the challenges of the market until I was in the eye of the hurricane.
It was devastating. My only saving grace is that investors tell me they've never learned anything from successful investments... so my experience was something very valuable for my future success and ability to help others. And I've been able to turn that into multiple digital revenue streams.
So if you're in a difficult spot today, low on cash, belief, skills, time and connections, know that I've been there. Landing in my mother's spare room back in England after all of that taught me incredibly valuable lessons.
Over the past decade my big question has been...