“We scaled way too fast…and the result was that we mis-hired quite a lot. It was not a sustainable way to scale.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Peter Specht, General Partner at Creandum, one of the leading early stage VCs that have invested in over 120 companies, of which 20 are unicorns today.  Following career chapters at Rocket Internet Group, Google and Bain, Peter joined the firm as Investment Manager in 2017, as one of the firm’s first hires in the DACH region, building out its Berlin hub.  Now based in London, Peter primarily focuses on investing into SaaS and B2B marketplaces, with notable investments led for Factorial, CarOnSale, cargo.one, Timberhub, to name a few.   With such a wealth of experience across markets, there’s lots for us to discuss in this final VC feature episode…  Episode Chapters: ➡️ The deal he is most proud of: A Unicorn story [2:03] ➡️ Explore in the early days, specialise later on [6:06] ➡️ Scaling lessons from Lazada [9:01] ➡️ Moving into VC [10:40] ➡️ Creandum’s origin story [12:17] ➡️ Multi-local presence and adapting to global markets [15:52] ➡️ The growing Tech scene in Spain [18:35] ➡️ A Deep dive into the London ecosystem [21:34] ➡️ Rising through the ranks & becoming General Partner [25:18] ➡️ Advice for Founders perfecting their pitch [30:04] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Peter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pspecht/  ➡️ Find out more about Creandum: https://creandum.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

“Team sports are a great proxy for working in companies, where often the power of the collective is way stronger than any individual.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Davor Hebel, Managing Partner at Eight Roads Ventures, the global VC firm backed by Fidelity.     Eight Roads backs and partners with game-changing tech and healthcare companies across Europe, Asia, Israel and the US. The platform has 50+ years of venture investing experience, $11bn in AUM, over 300 portfolio companies and they’ve had 60+ IPOs. Reflecting on 18+ years in venture capital, Davor shares tonnes of insights in today’s episode, including…  Episode Chapters: ➡️ His proudest deal to date [1:51] ➡️ A realistic view on how many companies raise VC funding [3:25] ➡️ Growing up in Croatia with athletes turned educators [6:02] ➡️ Making the move from consulting to VC [10:37] ➡️ The challenges of a multi-faceted role [12:27] ➡️ Expecting things to go wrong in the Startup world [14:13] ➡️ Characteristics of a great Investor [16:19] ➡️ The history of Eight Roads Ventures [21:58] ➡️ Successful portfolio companies & exits [24:06] ➡️ How to really impress a VC [26:10] ➡️ Entrepreneurs at the heart of company culture [29:27] ➡️ Evolution as a leader and investor [31:22] ➡️ Predictions for the Tech ecosystem in 2024 [32:49]  ➡️ Young Generation in Tech survey findings [34:34] ➡️ The impact & future of AI [37:24] ➡️ Opportunities in VC [38:40] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Davor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davorhebel/  ➡️ Find out more about Eight Roads Ventures: https://eightroads.com/en/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

“If you’re not ready to commit to VC for at least 10 years, it’s just not worth trying…”  This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Masha Bucher, Founder & General Partner at Day One Ventures.  The firm backs Founders from AI and Climate, to future of work and Deeptech, helping customer obsessed and mission-driven Founders win, by harnessing the power of storytelling.  With a background in communications and PR, Masha is pioneering a new model in VC by spearheading public relations in Day One Ventures portfolio, which is one of the many topics we dive into in today’s episode…  Episode Chapters: ➡️ Busting a big VC myth [2:52] ➡️ Growing up with a winning mentality [5:24] ➡️ The outcome of going viral on Twitter, now X [7:37] ➡️ Life as Head of Comms in VC [9:22] ➡️ Scaling her PR Consultancy [11:19] ➡️ Finding and owning her niche [13:13] ➡️ The investment thesis of Day One Ventures [14:29] ➡️ The power of patience and listening to yourself [16:51] ➡️ A deep dive into assessing culture [19:47] ➡️ Tips for early stage Founders [21:11] ➡️ What turns a good pitch into a great one [24:15] ➡️ A culture built on love, freedom and truth [27:35] ➡️ The value of working with Day One Ventures [31:49] ➡️ Making a habit of building your personal brand [38:03] ➡️ Trusting your intuition [41:37] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Masha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mashadrokova/  ➡️ Find out more about Day One Ventures: https://dayoneventures.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to

“You need to figure out what you really need. Not just the role now, but looking at the future and at the competencies you need in your organisation. Figure out how you build a very complementary team, rather than having people who are all the same.”  This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Sandra Schwarzer, VP C-Suite/Board & EU Talent/Community & Insights Team leader at Index Ventures.  Sandra works with Founders and executive teams on people related issues, including talent strategy, culture and DE&I, and advises Index’ portfolio on their most senior hires.  Before joining Index, Sandra has had a really varied career, including being a headhunter, leading the Global HR, Security & Facilities functions at Open Society Foundations, George Soros’s $23bn private philanthropy, and led INSEAD’s Career Services.  In today’s episode, we unpack the realities of transitioning careers, the complex relationship between recruitment, culture and organisational strategy, and we bust some VC myths along the way. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Why VC is far from transactional [2:01] ➡️ Growing up in East Berlin [3:20] ➡️ Stand out moments from her earlier career [10:56] ➡️ A passion for people [14:25] ➡️ Lessons from being a headhunter [16:19] ➡️ Her perception of VC & why she joined Index [18:54] ➡️ The power of relationship building in VC [20:13] ➡️ How to transition from headhunting to VC [22:54] ➡️ A deep dive into the Index structure [26:01] ➡️ Working with Founders who own their story [29:36] ➡️ Hiring top talent: secrets to success [34:04] ➡️ Getting to know candidates outside of work [39:22] ➡️ Retaining talent in uncertain times [41:19] ➡️ Working with headhunters - the recipe for success [44:54] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Sandra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwarzer/  ➡️ Find out more about Index Ventures: https://www.indexventures.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

“This is not necessarily a one-way transaction. Look at fundraising like it’s dating. The VC you’re going to choose, you’ll be stuck with for quite some time, so don’t play games and be honest, the whole way through…”  This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Abhishek Lahoti, Head of Platform at Highland Europe, a growth stage Venture Capital firm based in Geneva and London.  Within his role at Highland Europe, Abhishek’s focus is to build a strong network of advisors and experts to help the portfolio scale at pace.  In today’s episode, we won’t just take a deep dive into the role of Head of Platform, but also discuss Abhishek’s earlier career at Dropbox, how and why he made the move into VC and his advice for Founders navigating this current market.  Episode Chapters: ➡️ The most challenging part of being a VC [1:56] ➡️ Reflections on his years at Dropbox [5:30] ➡️ Moving into VC [8:16] ➡️ Transitioning from Operator to VC [11:17] ➡️ Advice for breaking into the world of VC [12:50] ➡️ A deep dive into the role of Head of Platform [17:45] ➡️ Highland Europe’s investment thesis & portfolio [20:04] ➡️ Treating your investors like dating [21:03] ➡️ Team culture & hiring at Highland Europe [24:21] ➡️ The US vs UK Tech markets [27:07] ➡️ Founder advice for expanding into Europe [31:36] ➡️ The biggest mistakes in fundraising pitches [32:53] ➡️ Waterfall resolutions and the power of networking [34:12] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Abhishek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alahoti/  ➡️ Find out more about Highland Europe: https://www.highlandeurope.com/ ➡️ Read the European Expansion Playbook: https://sapphireventures.com/blog/a-startups-guide-for-opening-european-operations/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

“The whole industry is full of very successful people who have had this very standard path. It’s hard to look at your own [different] background and put yourself on an even level with them.”  This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Hannah Leach, Partner at Houghton Street Ventures and Co-Founder of VentureESG.  Hannah moved into the venture space after a squiggly career in and around the venture and entrepreneurship ecosystems, including building accelerator programs, teams within Scaleups and starting her own company or two…  In this episode we explore Hannah’s route into VC, the partnership between Houghton Street Ventures and the London School of Economics, why VC funding isn’t always the best route to scaling a business, and how VentureESG is supporting the ecosystem with meaningful ESG integration.  Episode Chapters: ➡️ Redefining the ‘traditional’ path into VC [04:47] ➡️ Her squiggly route into VC [06:52] ➡️ A love for building communities [09:34] ➡️ Biggest lessons from Founder life [12:19] ➡️ The power of vulnerability and authenticity [13:47] ➡️ The challenges of transitioning into VC [17:54] ➡️ Understanding where you are adding value [19:52] ➡️ Advice for pivoting into VC [21:00] ➡️ Life at Houghton Street Ventures [23:10] ➡️ The do’s and don’t of VC pitching [26:50] ➡️ The power of a unique thesis [29:43] ➡️ Raising a first-time fund [30:55]  ➡️ The drive behind building VentureESG [33:40] ➡️ Collaboration over competition [36:40] ➡️ The future of ESG [38:04] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Hannah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahleach/  ➡️ Find out more about Houghton Street Ventures: https://houghtonstreet.com/ ➡️ Discover VentureESG: https://www.ventureesg.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

“I think 2024 is a great opportunity to back fantastic people and get more attention on things that are undervalued or don’t get enough attention to invest in.”  Described as the ‘Queen of British VC’ by Fortune magazine, we are kicking off our new VC feature series with the brilliant Eileen Burbidge MBE. Eileen is a Founding Partner at Passion Capital, the pre-eminent early-stage technology venture fund based in London, where she backed some of the most successful Tech businesses, including Monzo Bank, Marshmallow, and many more. She is currently also Director at Fertifa, the UK and Europe’s leading reproductive benefits provider.  Outside of Passion and Fertifa, Eileen has also served as the UK Treasurer's Special Envoy for FinTech for 8 years, was Tech Ambassador for the Mayor of London’s office and served on the former UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s Business Advisory Group.  Eileen has extensive operational and investment experience, from roles at Tech giants including Yahoo!, Skype and Apple, so there is plenty to dive into in today’s episode. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Her proudest moment of backing Monzo Bank [2:11] ➡️ Busting the biggest myths in VC [4:33] ➡️ Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago & her perception of ‘diversity’ [7:59] ➡️ Falling in love with Tech and working at Apple [11:33] ➡️ Shazam V Skype: A Tech standoff [15:24] ➡️ Being one of the first employees at Skype & reflections on being fired [17:04] ➡️ Leadership lessons from Niklas Zennström [20:31] ➡️ Journey from Operator to VC [24:00] ➡️ Her early stage investment thesis & focusing on people [27:56] ➡️ Indexing on integrity & trust when assessing Founders [30:59] ➡️ Stepping into interim CEO roles [34:46] ➡️ Why she feels like the board let Tom Blomfield down & succession plans [38:04] ➡️ Stepping back into an executive role at Fertifa [42:26] ➡️ Hiring advice for Founders [47:15] ➡️ Taking a hard look at ourselves to improve DE&I [49:21] ➡️ What to look forward to in 2024 [51:59] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Eileen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenburbidge/  ➡️ Find out more about Passion Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passion-capital/ ➡️ Explore the work of Fertifa: https://www.fertifa.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

“Founders often don’t have someone outside of the business that they can be really vulnerable with…that’s where an advisor can help.” For our final episode in our career spotlight feature series, we’re taking a deep dive into an increasingly popular, yet often unspoken about role - the advisory role.  To help us cover the ins and outs of the role, how you can land your first gig and the benefits to Founders, we’re joined by JBM Principal, Marina Maxwell and Chris Seigal, Advisor to D2C brands.  So, whether you’re already an advisor, you’re starting to think about making the move into advisory work or you’re a Founder thinking about making this hire - this episode will cover some of the most frequent questions we get asked.  Episode chapters: ➡️ What is a Startup advisor? [3:42] ➡️ The rise and power of advisory roles [6:02] ➡️ From side-hustle to full-time advisor [8:44] ➡️ The rewards and benefits [9:39] ➡️ What to expect from the day-to-day [11:57] ➡️ How Founders benefit [14:28] ➡️ Positioning yourself when starting out [17:26] ➡️ Being transparent and navigating pricing [18:43] ➡️ Working with headhunters [22:00] ➡️ The value of high-quality advisors [25:24] ➡️ Ready to hire? Advice for Founders [29:44] ➡️ Building a curious culture [31:18] ➡️ Hone the pitch, build momentum, gain confidence [33:28] ➡️ Navigating imposter syndrome [35:24] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ Find out more about our team and mission here: https://jbmc.co.uk/  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

“You need to be able to own what you do have, but even more so, what you don’t have.” Following last week’s episode on building a stand-out CV and personal brand on LinkedIn, we’re now focusing on the next crucial stage in the recruitment process - the interview. Very often, the interview stage can feel quite daunting, but a lot of it comes down to preparation and doing the work upfront.  In today’s episode, we’ll hear from our wonderful JBM team who lift the curtain on the secret to nailing the interview stage and share some of the most common mistakes they see people make, when it comes to interviews.  So, whether you’re job hunting right now or starting to think about the next step in your career, this episode will help set you on the right path…  Episode chapters: ➡️ Different methods to prepare for an interview [1:05] ➡️ Communicating your strengths [2:21] ➡️ Getting your questions answered [4:19] ➡️ Bringing relevant experience to the table [5:48] ➡️ Getting the basics right [06:55] ➡️ A reminder on working with your headhunter [07:25] ➡️ Focusing on the human side in interviews [08:17] ➡️ Key skills for Startups [08:48] ➡️ The power of curiosity: a non-negotiable [10:54] ➡️ How to let the conversation flow [13:21] ➡️ Do you feel drained or energised? [13:59] ➡️ Every failure is a redirection [16:58] ➡️ Common interview mistakes [18:45] ➡️ The biggest faux pas: Yes it happens! [20:23] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ Find out more about our team and mission here: https://jbmc.co.uk/  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

“The CV is not the one thing that will or will not get you hired, there is a whole interview process…” New year, new job? January is a month of reset, refresh and for many, the time to scope out a new opportunity…  No matter whether you’re in the middle of hunting for a new role, are just starting to think about it or are looking to hire into your team in 2024, our ‘Career Spotlight’ feature series has something for everyone.  For our first episode, we sat down with JBM's team to share their top tips when it comes to building a CV that will help you secure an interview.  Plus, we also discuss the importance of building and optimising your personal brand on LinkedIn, featuring a contribution from former 40 Minute Mentor and Founder of personal branding agency, Klowt, Amelia Sordell.  Episode chapters: ➡️ Rethinking the purpose of your CV [1:12] ➡️ Communicating your achievements [2:41] ➡️ The winning structure [5:29] ➡️ First impressions and the importance of layout [7:51] ➡️ To tailor or not to tailor your CV [9:16] ➡️ Say goodbye to paragraphs [10:14] ➡️ Numbers, metrics and demonstrating data [10:45] ➡️ Addressing career gaps [11:29] ➡️ Owning the impact you’ve made [12:37] ➡️ How long should your CV be? [15:37] ➡️ Bringing your personality to paper [17:33] ➡️ Harnessing the power of your LinkedIn profile [18:07] ➡️ Getting the most out of LinkedIn [21:29] ➡️ Passion, authenticity and being realistic [23:25] ➡️ Striking the balance between personal & professional [26:40] ➡️ What do you want to be known for? [27:07]  ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ The full episode with Amelia Sordell: https://jbmc.co.uk/insights/40-minute-mentor/the-power-of-personal-branding-with-amelia-sordell-founder-of-klowt/  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm