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Richard Lucas hosts a compelling discussion with celebrated British entrepreneur and author David Cleevely. In this insightful podcast, Richard and David dive into Cleevely’s book, 'Serendipity: It Doesn't Happen by Accident,' exploring how environments can be engineered to foster luck. Richard guides the conversation as David explains the puzzle that inspired the book: why significant entrepreneurial ventures repeatedly emerge from seemingly chance encounters in hubs like Cambridge. They discuss the characteristics, systems, and culture—including the crucial role of values of generosity and kindness—that enhance the likelihood of serendipitous, high-impact collaborations. David Cleevely's book, 'Serendipity: It Doesn't Happen by Accident,' explores the idea that environments can be engineered to foster luck, leading to entrepreneurial success through serendipitous, high-impact collaborations. LinksHis book 'Serendipity: It Doesn't Happen by Accident” is available here and from all major booksellers,David Cleevely CBE FREng, FIET is the Chairman of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. He is the founder of telecoms consultancy Analysys (acquired by Datatec International in 2004). co-founded the web based antibody company Abcam (ABC.L) with Jonathan Milner and was Chairman until November 2009 which was acquired by Danaher for US$5.7 billion in 2023. He has co-founded several other companies and is Chairman of two of them..He has been active in promoting Cambridge. He was a prime mover behind Cambridge Network, co-founder of Cambridge Wireless, co-founder and Chairman of Cambridge Angels, Founding Director of the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge and Vice Chair of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Commission. Other policy work has included membership of the IET Communications Policy Panel, the Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board and the Enterprise Committee and the National Engineering Policy Group at the Royal Academy of Engineering. From 2001 to 2008, he was a member of the Ministry of Defence Board overseeing information systems and services (DES-ISS, formerly the Defence Communications Services Agency). In addition to Raspberry Pi, his charitable work includes the Cambridge Science Centre, which he helped set up and fund in 2013 and continues as Chair. Richard Lucas, the host of this NBN channel, is founder of CAMentrepreneurs—a network supporting entrepreneurship globally among Cambridge University Alumni and others through locally led chapters. CAMentrepreneurs - Peter Cowley legacy  Books and articles mentioned in the podcast Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives by James H. Fowler PhD (Author), Nicholas A. Christakis The Strength of Weak Ties Mark S. Granovetter Gov. Pritzker Commencement Address: Kindness is intelligence Cambridge Angels Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own start-up seem too risky? There is a radical third path open to you: You can buy a small business and run it as CEO. Purchasing a small company offers significant financial rewards--as well as personal and professional fulfillment. Leading a firm means you can be your own boss, put your executive skills to work, fashion a company environment that meets your own needs, and profit directly from your success. But finding the right business to buy and closing the deal isn't always easy. In the HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business: Think Big, Buy Small, Own Your Own Company (Harvard Business Review Press, 2017), Harvard Business School professors Richard Ruback and Royce Yudkoff help you: Determine if this path is right for you Raise capital for your acquisition Find and evaluate the right prospects Avoid the pitfalls that could derail your search Understand why a "dull" business might be the best investment Negotiate a potential deal with the seller Avoid deals that fall through at the last minute Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges. Listen to the Think Big, Buy Small podcast. Richard S. Ruback is the Willard Prescott Smith Professor of Corporate Finance at Harvard Business School. Royce Yudkoff is a Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School. Yudkoff cofounded and served for over 20 years as Managing Partner of ABRY Partners, a leading private equity investment firm. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

In this conversation, we hear about how Jonathan transitioned from a corporate career, through digital nomading, to becoming a podcast producer and community enabler. We hear about how his somewhat isolated upbringing as a foreign in rural Belgium created a lifelong desire for connection and being in contact with the wider community. We hear about the impact of having worked on the Tim Ferriss podcast if only in a minor role, impacted his later business, and he shares lessons learned along the way. We hear how and why Jonathan set up the Jackson Heights Insider newsletter• a “new in-town meetup for newcomers in Jackson Heights”, his focus on community engagement and local events. experimental communal dinners using the Dnnr platform, and how he explores potential collaborations with local businesses and community leaders to enhance the newsletter's reach and impact.He tells us about his agency, Spotlight Podcasting, which focuses on business podcasting for mission-driven organizations.• He emphasizes the importance of strategy in podcast production, differentiating from competitors who focus solely on execution.• Jonathan shares insights on client acquisition, including cold outreach and the Dream 100 client approach. Jonathan closes with words of appreciation to his family, and reflects on the importance and value of getting involved in community events,He is not just benefiting from other community activities but building and contributing. He is a living example of someone who is enjoying the journey of entrepreneurship.Jonathan Baillie Strong https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbstrong Spotlight Podcasting http://www.spotlightpodcasting.com Jackson Heights Insider https://jacksonheightsinsider.com “New in the hood” coffee meetups https://luma.com/trkl4j1f?tk=4MKuBC Jackson Heights Insider Dinner Club https://jacksonheightsinsider.dnnr.io Adrian Cepeda https://www.theworldsboroughbookshop.com/ Rob Simmelkjaer New York Runners https://www.nyrr.org/Jonathan Forgash http://queenstogether.orgLouis Howes School of Greatness podcast https://lewishowes.com/Charlie Hoehn ... Recession-Proof Graduate https://www.charliehoehn.com/ Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Stanford educator and renowned creativity expert Tina Seelig joins Richard Lucas on the New Books Network’s Entrepreneurship & Leadership channel to discuss her new book What I Wish I Knew About Luck (coming April 2026). As the host found himself agreeing with everything Tina said, he asked for examples of people who disagreed with her. First, they discussed the value of respectful disagreement, and the fact that Richard’s father, the late Oxford philosopher JR Lucas routinely took the opportunity to disagree with his son, no matter what point of view was being put forward. Tina shared that her father, aged 99, still thinks that good things just happened to him over the course of his life, whereas she outlines all the actions he took to create that good luck. Tina dismantles the myth that luck is purely random. She distinguishes fortune (things that happen to you) from luck (something you can actively cultivate), and explains why clichés such as “the harder I work, the luckier I get” or “fortune favors the prepared mind” are true but incomplete. What is the “hard work” required to create luck? What exactly is a “prepared mind”? Key highlights: Why entrepreneurship and creativity are teachable skills that everyone can improve, just like sports, music, art, math, or science. The value of keeping a “failure résumé” and viewing failure as a trampoline rather than a lava pit. Real stories of ethical dilemmas early and late in her career. Full details in the book and podcast. Why showing genuine appreciation (especially thank-you notes) is one of the highest-ROI habits for creating luck. A thank you note she wrote was read out at a funeral 20 years later. How to build trust, have difficult conversations, and surround yourself with the right “crew” The foundational role of self-awareness, values, resilience, risk-taking, and patience in manufacturing your own luck Tina also shares the inspiring origin of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program (co-founded by John Hennessy, former Stanford President, and Phil Knight, founder of Nike) and reflects on teaching leadership to some of the world’s most promising graduate students across all disciplines at Stanford University. Show Notes & Sources Pre-order “What I Wish I Knew About Luck” by Tina Seelig Tina’s earlier books: “What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20”, “inGenius”, “Creativity Rules” Tina’s LinkedIn Tina’s Bio, Books, Talks Knight-Hennessy Scholars KHS LinkedIn Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) Tina Seelig’s famous TED Talk and the legendary “$5 entrepreneurship challenge” Books mentioned: “The No Asshole Rule” – Robert Sutton; “The Course of Love” – Alain de Botton; “Radical Candor” – Kim Scott Tina Seelig’s Stanford Profile Essential listening for anyone who wants to stop waiting for luck and start building it. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

In this podcast interview, Richard Lucas hosts Ben Bradbury, founder of Reading Rhythms, to discuss the back story leading to founding Ben's his unique reading-themed events. Ben sharing his entrepreneurial journey, including early influences and the inspiration behind Reading Rhythms, which aims to reduce loneliness through shared reading experiences. We learn about the early role model and nudges Ben had from his mother and uncle, his first steps in entrepreneurship and work as a teenager. We hear about the positive and importantly negative lessons he learned from those experiences. We hear how Reading Rhythms emerged from Ben solving a problem he had in his own life, of finding time to read, and making connections with other readers in New York, and their “breakthrough moment when the New York Times published an article about what Reading Rhythms/ Richard and Ben explore the operational aspects of the business, highlighting its growth, revenue model, and the implementation of a management structure to address coordination challenges across multiple chapters, and work on efficiency and processes. We learn about their use of the Clifton Strengths assessment process, their rigorous and demanding approach to taking on and supporting new Group leaders and Ambassadors, and discuss similarities between Reading Rhythms, the TED-TEDx network and the NBN. The NBN as an organisation and Richard as the host of this channel, and very aligned with what RR is doing, and their enthusiasm is clear for the tone of the podcast Links: 3 steps to turn everyday get-togethers into transformative gatherings - Priya Parker Mark McKergow Host Leadership - book Host Leadership - why "hosting" is an important type of leadership | Mark McKergow  How Village-in-the-City builds micro-local communities worldwide | Mark McKergow Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Robert Rosenkranz was described by Bill Bowder as “the most powerful titan on Wall Street you’ve probably never heard of." As CEO of Delphi Capital Management the value of its assets under management grew to U$20 billion, and its value grew 100 fold. While his book The Stoic Capitalist (Bloomsbury, 2025) – has the tag line “advice for the exceptionally ambitious” there are powerful lessons that anyone can take from his story. In the podcast, we hear about the power and impact of the negative role models his unemployed father and communist mother played, leading to intense financial stress Robert wanted to avoid in his own life. Robert shares many aspects of how a stoic philosophy guided him and can guide others. --The positive influence of his extensive reading of the biographies of those who succeeded --The important of regarding obstacles as opportunities for growth --The value of focussing on areas we have control over --The value of time --The importance of reason over emotion, without ignoring the importance and impact of emotions on decision making processes --When and how to take risk and go “all in” --How to interview people --The important of selecting the right partners in life and business --His own approach to philanthropy, including his work supporting research into Longevity, modern art, and the debate of ideas Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

In this podcast, Matthew talks about his late entry into entrepreneurship, taking advantage of opportunities that emerged as Kindle offered a new way to distribute books. In his career as a journalist with well known business publications he enjoyed talking to entrepreneurs, even having his editor turn down his pitch to interview Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Starting a business was something he had always been open to, but journalism came first until quite late in life. He shares how his initial idea of publishing short-form books from well-known authors pivoted into the bigger opportunity of publishing back catalogues. Matthew describes how and why larger publishers missed the boat due to conservative pricing and a feeling that ebooks might just "go away." He discusses the importance of a "problem-solving mindset," persistence, and being ready to hustle. We learn what being a fiction author has in common with being an entrepreneur, and how crucial it is to handle and manage rejection. Matthew also delves into his path to an exit, the loyalty he felt to his authors and staff, and the challenges of management and leadership. He particularly highlights the learning process of dealing with the fact that the founder is often more motivated than the people they hire. Links relevant to the interview. Matthew’s books Death Force series Lume Books  Joffe Books - acquired by Lume Books Matthew’s Bio Daily Telegraph - columnist - 2013-2024 Money Week - columnist - 2008-2024 Bloomberg - columnist - 1999-2012 The Sunday Times - Reporter and columnist - 1992-2000 Business magazine - reported - 1988-1991 Asiaweek, Hong Kong - 1986-1988 Financial Adviser magazine - 1985-1986 Founder - Lume Books - 2013- 2023 Author Death Force - Hodder Headline - 2010 Fireforce - Hodder Headline - 2011 Shadow Force - Hodder Headline - 2012 Ice Force - Hodder Headline - 2013 Insecurity - Random House - 1997 The Watchmen - Random House - 1999 Education: Balliol College, Oxford. Politics, Philosophy & Economics. Richard Lucas’s TEDx talk on Opportunity Readiness and on Why everyone should embrace rejection Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Richard interviews BBC Journalist Dougal Shaw about his book CEO Secrets based on the BBC Series CEO secrets in which he interviewed 100s of CEOs. When Dougal first began as a business journalist at BBC, he wasn’t particularly interested in the topic. Prior to his new career, he was training for doctorate in history. He began creating content for social media, interviewing CEOs who found themselves in the BBC offices. He then shifted to producing miniseries, talking to different CEOs every single week. Dougal has taken years of interviews and analyzed them for patterns in the lives and behaviors of CEOs. The pattern that stood out most was the difference between CEOs who founded their own company, and CEOs who hadn’t, what Dougal refers to as “corporate climbers.” The founders were brasher, more prone to extemporaneous speech, and sometimes quite eccentric. Meanwhile, the corporate climbers were highly-prepared and behaved like participants in a job interview. He also noticed certain traits among the younger founders. Many of them, reassuringly, appeared to be wise beyond their years. This early maturity was frequently catalyzed by a traumatic event in their family like divorce or death. Entrepreneurship for some became like a coping strategy. It was something they could throw themselves into at an early age. Dougal also discusses the challenges of interviewing CEOs, especially when they bring along their PR teams to coach them. Getting past the censors is one his goals, especially when his agenda differs from the CEO’s. Dougal views himself as somewhat of a psychologist, attempting to coax real and authentic answers out of his interviewees. The best answers for the audience are ones that surprise, not boilerplate jargon.  As well as focussing on ideas in the book they discuss who he would have liked to interview, and what Dougal is going to do next. They were introduced by Peter Cowley, whose extraordinary story was featured on the NBN a few months ago here, or go to to the Public Success Private Grief website here  Listeners can get get a 25% discount if they use the code ‘CEO25’ on the Bloomsbury website here Get the latest on the CEO Secrets series by subscribing to the newsletter CEO Secrets is now out as a book! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

In this episode Richard interviews not an entrepreneur but a business journalist with detailed knowledge of the Polish and British business landscape from the perspective of someone who has helped facilitate business between Poland and the United Kingdom in both directions. Listeners will learn of examples of Polish entrepreneurs acquiring British companies post-Brexit, and hear a discussion of whether the next generation of Poles will be as hungry for success as the first generation of post communist entrepreneurs. Michael Dembinski, born in London to Polish émigré parents, studied at Warwick University and The City University London; worked at the CBI, for nine years as editor of monthly magazine CBI News, before moving to Poland with his young family in 1997. In Poland he worked on several publishing projects before setting down with the British Polish Chamber of Commerce, where he’s been for over 20 years. Since 2007, Michael has been blogging about Poland and matters metaphysical on his blog, W-wa Jeziorki. Linkedin  British Polish Chamber of Commerce Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Richard and Kimon speak with Faisal Kanji, co-founder of hungerhub, an innovative catering company. Based in Canada, hungerhub combines the quality of traditional catering with the convenience of a delivery service like UberEats.  With typical business or party catering, companies and planners will order communal trays from a single restaurant. This is often unsanitary and inconvenient, especially for those with dietary restrictions and allergies. With hungerhub, each attendee receives a log-in ahead of time where they can select customized meals from restaurants of their choice. Hungerhub compiles these orders together and handles delivery and logistics.  Founded in 2018, hungerhub has grown considerably, generating over $10 million CAD in revenue this past year with 30 employees. Part of what makes hungerhub different than UberEats or other delivery services, is the ability to plan ahead to minimize the number of drivers required to complete a delivery. Instead of needing 100 drivers for 100 different meals, hungerhub is able to serve 100 meals with just a few drivers.  Currently available only in the English-speaking parts of Canada, hungerhub is looking to expand internationally. Faisal discusses the challenges of international expansion, especially into the United States. He highlights the competitive nature of American market and the significant amount of research required to launch there. Faisal speaks on balancing growth versus stability. He wants hungerhub to grow, but most importantly, he wants it to grow in a way that maintains quality.  Also in the interview, Faisal describes how he met his co-founder, Sari Abdo, on Angel List. Sari already had the idea and was looking for a partner to help implement. Part of the idea arose from seeing the common practice of free lunches offered by tech companies. In Toronto, most tech companies did not offer this perk, so Faisal and Sari saw an opportunity to find an affordable solution.  Faisal also talks about the importance of their first client. This client provided significant and “tough” feedback, which helped them improve their methods and rethink issues quickly. Great clients that are willing to constructively criticize can be essential for businesses as they try to grow and solve issues that might not be obvious. To find their first clients, Faisal and Sari went about cold-calling and showing up in person to pitch their product to companies. Once they started getting clients to agree to trial periods, they ensured that they were generating efficiencies beyond how companies were already going about lunch catering.  Faisal’s journey to running hungerhub was years in the making. At an early age, he worked in restaurants. When he turned 18, he got his real estate license and began selling. He then opened and ran a coffee distribution business, which taught him many of the lessons he would need to run hungerhub. Towards the end of the conversation, Faisal talks about his competitive nature and how he stays motivated. He’s a true entrepreneur in both spirit and deed. Faisal Kanji is co-founder of hungerhub, a Canadian-based catering solutions business. Richard Lucas is a business and social entrepreneur who founded, led and/or invested in more than 30 businesses. Kimon Fountoukidis is the founder of both Argos Multilingual and PMR. Both companies were founded in the mid 90s with zero capital and both have gone on to become market leaders in their respective sectors. Kimon was born in New York and moved to Krakow, Poland in 1993. Listen to his story here. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Richard and Kimon recently interviewed Gonçalo Consiglieri, the co-founder of Visor.ai, a company specializing in AI and automation solutions for customer service teams. Initially focused on chatbots customized for specific industries, Visor.ai has evolved into a prominent player in the field. Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Gonçalo worked as a consultant, adapting to the corporate structure. However, driven by a desire for a new path, he left Deloitte to establish his first company in Portugal. Facing a less robust entrepreneurial community initially, Gonçalo witnessed its growth over time. Notably, Gonçalo and his co-founders faced the setback of a failed first company. Undeterred, they chose to persevere as business partners, leveraging the lessons learned for a second attempt. Gonçalo attributes part of their success to a shared passion for the same soccer team and the resilience gained from previous defeats. Mostly boot-strapped, Visor.ai also secured small rounds of investment from public sources in the EU and various startup incubators. The company, now with around 30 business clients, serves major entities such as the largest private bank in Portugal and a significant insurance company. Visor.ai specializes in creating automated chat tools, both utilizing existing market tools and developing proprietary ones. While currently focused on the Portuguese market, Visor.ai aims to expand into the Spanish market in the coming year, emphasizing growth and investing in operational expansion. In the interview, Gonçalo shares insights into his childhood, highlighting his entrepreneurial grandfather as a major inspiration. Despite success in consulting, Gonçalo felt the importance of carving his own path. As an executive of a company with approximately 60 employees, Gonçalo emphasizes the challenges of ensuring alignment. Delegating responsibility and offering stock options to high-performing employees are crucial aspects of his management strategy. He discusses the enjoyable and challenging aspects of executive roles. Offering advice on finding investors, Gonçalo suggests avoiding "make or break" funding situations. He values investors who contribute not just financially but also help connect Visor.ai with new customers and experienced business professionals. Knowledgeable investors play a crucial role, especially when expanding into new markets like Brazil. Gonçalo advocates for embracing failure, viewing it as a valuable lesson. He stresses that solving problems is the key to entrepreneurial success, emphasizing the importance of humility in the face of challenges. Gonçalo Consiglieri is the COO and co-founder of Visor.ai, bringing over a decade of expertise to the team. Holding an MBA from Universitat de Barcelona, Spain, he previously worked as a Management Consultant at Deloitte and KPMG, specializing in Banking and Insurance where he also had an active role in launching two new banks in Africa. For the past six years, he has been overseeing the financial and operational aspects of the venture initiated with co-founders Gianluca Pereyra and Bruno Matias. Richard Lucas is a business and social entrepreneur who founded, led and/or invested in more than 30 businesses. Kimon Fountoukidis is the founder of both Argos Multilingual and PMR. Both companies were founded in the mid 90s with zero capital and both have gone on to become market leaders in their respective sectors. Kimon was born in New York and moved to Krakow, Poland in 1993. Listen to his story here. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Richard and Kimon talk to Peter Cowley, angel investor and author of the book, Public Success, Private Grief. Peter started his career as a software engineer, moving to Germany after graduating from college. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1984, where he embarked on a career as an entrepreneur. He’s started over a dozen companies, worked closely with 7 different charities, and angel-invested in over 70 companies. Peter also has late-stage cancer, launching Project Cancer to document his experience and increase awareness. Now 68, Peter was recently diagnosed with a type of lung cancer that affects non-smokers and is difficult to detect. Peter does not expect that current treatment will be effective, and is dedicating much of his remaining time to passing on the life lessons he’s learned. Peter’s bravery in the face of terrible illness is most visible in vulnerability talking about the challenges he’s faced in life.  Too often in the world of entrepreneurship and business, people downplay their struggles. Peter is an example of a business person with a holistic worldview, recognizing that there is more to life than mere monetary rewards.  Through Project Cancer, Peter documents his own experience with cancer. He’s featured interviews with researchers, and his personal oncologist, and examined the UK’s healthcare system, the NHS.  In Public Success, Private Grief, Peter opens up about more than just his ongoing struggle with cancer. He also discusses his family life, including bravely sharing his experience of losing two children. Peter is also a recovering alcoholic, having a family history of addiction.  Along with his wife, Peter wrote Public Success, Private Grief to show how people can process experiences of extreme tragedy and still maintain love and a sense of optimism about the positive aspects of life.  Peter has created a 350-day plan of the things he wants to do while he is still able. Public Success, Private Grief is slated for publication on April 17, 2024. Much of his time will serve in the release and promotion of this deeply personal self-help memoir.  In addition, Peter is planning a trip to Antarctica and has begun arranging short one-on-ones with various close friends. Some of his plans include taking a stand-up comedy course and eating at Michelin-star restaurants.  Peter describes the medical regimes he’s undertaken, highlighting how through his treatment, he’s remained active. Peter has run and half marathon and gotten married in the Galapagos. While many people suffering from a terminal illness might become less active, Peter credits his entrepreneurial taste for measured risk as an inspiration to keep living life fully.  Truly a one of a kind, Peter is unlike any guest Richard and Kimon have ever had on the Entrepreneurship and Leadership podcast. He has managed to turn his adversities into strengths, portraying the messy realities of life to contribute more value to others.  Preorder Public Success, Private Grief About Peter Cowley Invested Investor Invested Investor on the New Books Network Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

In this episode, Kimon and Richard speak with Philipp Legner, founder of educational software Mathigon. After graduating from the University of Cambridge with a degree in Mathematics, Philipp worked as a software engineer and developer at Bloomberg.  In 2017, Philipp founded Mathigon, which was acquired by Amplify in 2021. Philipp continues to run Mathigon under the aegis of Amplify.  Mathigon has developed several educational products. The overarching experience that ties them together is an interactive one. As students engage with different problems, they are prompted to explore different avenues. The courses are intended to be fun and interesting, and to engage students as much as possible.  All of the content on Mathigon is completely free to use. One of the main throughlines is to make math exploration visual and creatively engaging. In addition to Philipp’s insights into education, he has worked with educators to develop different aspects of the curriculum offered by Mathigon. Mathigon seeks to educate based on students’ interests. So, if a student is interested in sports, questions will use sports examples.  Because Mathigon is free to use, its primary source of revenue comes from licensing content to other educational companies. IBM, for example, licensed Mathigon. Part of the business plan, which Philipp successively executed, was to build the product as an acquisition target for a larger educational company.  While Philipp loves education, technology, and building products, he does not love running a business. This was part of the main motivation for selling his company to Amplify. His only condition for the sale was Mathigon, as it existed at the time of signing, would remain free forever.  Philipp Legner is VP at Amplify and Founder of Mathigon. Richard Lucas is a business and social entrepreneur who founded, led and/or invested in more than 30 businesses. Kimon Fountoukidis is the founder of both Argos Multilingual and PMR. Both companies were founded in the mid 90s with zero capital and both have gone on to become market leaders in their respective sectors. Kimon was born in New York and moved to Krakow, Poland in 1993. Listen to his story here. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Richard and Kimon speak with Oliver Webb-Carter, co-founder and editor of Aspects of History, a magazine and website that showcases great writing and research in history and historical fiction.  Prior to starting Aspects of History, Oliver had a varied career as an archaeologist and a banker. As a young man, Oliver worked at a dig site in Belize for six months, which helped shape his interest in the past.  In 2002, just after graduate school, Oliver got a job working in IT at JP Morgan. He loved IT and worked in this department until 2010. He moved into change management, helping intra-company contract negotiations. After, he worked in controls management, an important compliance department. He never worked in trading, but had significant experience in many parts of banking world.  In 2010, he started taking night classes, learning Ancient Greek. Oliver found himself growing disinterested in his day job, regularly waking up at 3am unable to get back to sleep. After a few more years, Oliver began to explore other ideas for work.  As a fan of history, Oliver saw that authors had difficulty promoting their works beyond initial book launches. He points out that publishers are increasingly less interested in promoting their authors. To help with this problem, Oliver co-founded Aspects of History. Aspects of History is subscription-based, and the main purpose is to introduce readers to great historians and their new books. Every year, Aspects of History publishes 6 issues with articles, interviews, and reviews.  Oliver also discusses the challenges that came with quitting a stable, well-paying job to pursue his passion. He discusses his wife’s support, and how this was integral to making the entrepreneurial leap. At the end of the interview, Oliver talks about the future for Aspects of History and plans for growth. Oliver Webb-Carter is co-founder and editor of Aspects of History. Richard Lucas is a business and social entrepreneur who founded, led and/or invested in more than 30 businesses. Kimon Fountoukidis is the founder of both Argos Multilingual and PMR. Both companies were founded in the mid 90s with zero capital and both have gone on to become market leaders in their respective sectors. Kimon was born in New York and moved to Krakow, Poland in 1993. Listen to his story here. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership

Richard and Kimon speak with James Green, one of the co-founders of DQ Ventures, a company that assists experienced professionals launch their own businesses. Originally hailing from Northampton, England, James now lives in Sweden. During his earlier years, James didn't show much interest in business; his passions lay in art and writing. However, as he got older, he realized that entrepreneurship was a fantastic way to express his creativity. Following his college education, he rose to the role of managing director at a creative agency in the UK. However, in 2009, at the age of 33, he decided to become an angel investor. While he did have some successful investments, he gained his most valuable lessons from a failed venture that cost him $2 million. This setback taught him crucial insights about what not to do in business. James now advises against three key pitfalls: (1) getting carried away with one's own success, (2) building a product before understanding the market demand, and (3) failing to network and learn from others in the industry. Overcoming these challenges made James a more thoughtful investor and entrepreneur. With DQ Ventures, James and his partners follow a strategic approach to launching new businesses. They start by identifying a product that people want to buy before creating it. Once they find the right partner, they work together to refine a compelling business idea. Once the entrepreneurial journey begins, they develop a solid business plan based on thorough market research and other methods. James emphasizes the importance of scrutinizing the idea and pinpointing the first ten potential customers. They then seek out these customers, gather feedback, and integrate it into the product development process. During the initial year of supporting the entrepreneur, DQ Ventures provides starting capital and incubation services. If the business shows promise after this period, DQ leads a seed funding round, and the entrepreneurial partner is expected to leave their current job and work on the venture full-time. At the moment, DQ Ventures is involved with 13 companies, six of which have secured seed funding. In his day-to-day role, James serves as the co-founder for around a dozen companies, taking on various tasks, from conducting user interviews to raising funds. Additionally, DQ Ventures has developed educational modules to guide founders through the entrepreneurial journey. Towards the end of the interview, James, Kimon, and Richard emphasize the significance of finding excellent mentors and connecting with individuals who can provide valuable insights on running a successful business. James Green is co-founder of DQ Ventures. DQventures de-risks entrepreneurship for professionals who want to start their own business. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/entrepreneurship-and-leadership