You're more inspiring than you think, getting advice, and making yourself replaceable đ
My take on building and exiting businesses, questions every founder should ask, things worth treating yourself to, and insights I learn along the way.
âIt is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness, that is life.â
- Jean-Luc Picard
This week I talk about being inspired by others, take advice from Jim Hawker about taking advice, and been keeping my gear safe with the Scapade AirPack backpack.
I also want to say a personal hi đđ» to all the new subs this week including people from Intentful.ai, Their Perfect Gift, and my father whoâs also started reading - hey Dad! Thanks for signing up. If you know someone that might be interested, please forward them this email.
Youâre more inspiring than you think
Last week at a networking drinks I met several founders who had achieved a lot. It was an inspiring evening. I heard of successes in data, in wine, in coaching, and in telling stories, but I also heard of hardship, challenges, and difficulty.
They had all created something out of nothing, made it a going concern, but for the most part, they all struggled to shout about the success theyâd created:
âOh that, sure, I suppose weâre doing okayâŠâ
Most of us are guilty of downplaying our successes.
Building momentum
But whether weâre having good days or bad, I always believe one of the strongest character traits founders have is their sheer determination to keep going; to have a bad day, and realise that tomorrow is exactly that, a chance to start again and have another go.
And sometimes the next day is a bad day too, but with determination comes momentum and with momentum comes success, and with success comes the chance of an inspiring story.
But truth be told, that can be hard. There will be uninspiring and uninspired moments to get through whether we like it or not.
âOh, The Places Youâll Go!â
As Dr. Seuss reminds us in one of my favourite childrenâs books (itâs also great for us adults): sometimes youâll be ahead and sometimes youâll be behind. Some days youâll feel like youâre winning at everything, other days the hang-ups and bang-ups will get you.
So, whether youâre feeling inspired or having a tough day, know that by creating something you are more inspiring than you probably realise. Those founders I met last week? They have bad days too. The difference is they show up anyway. And so do you.
Founder advice: Donât be afraid to ask for advice
Top tips from successful founders
Iâm Jim Hawker, an advisor to founder led and PE backed businesses with a focus on growth marketing. I started my own PR agency, Threepipe, in my twenties and built it into a ÂŁ8 million income marketing business employing 90 people and working with the likes of Ocado, Lotus, the FA and Oracle. I oversaw a merger and two acquisitions before selling the company to a global tech consulting firm.
The best advice I would give would be to identify mentors or advisors that can help you at the different stages and challenges that you will inevitably have as you launch and scale your business.
Over the years, Iâve worked with lots of different mentors for different stages of my companyâs development, and itâs been so helpful to have someone to be able to lean on and provide that advice, but also provide emotional support as well. Donât try and do it all on your own, even if you have co-founders, itâs useful to have an external perspective.
Questions every founder avoids (but shouldnât) - #6
Key questions you should challenge yourself to answer
Are you replaceable?
Ouch. But itâs a valid question and one thatâs really important if youâre looking to exit.
As much as you want to believe you are irreplaceable, you arenât, and the quicker you realise that, the better your business will do.
Thatâs not to say youâre bad or need replacing, but by handing off some if not all your day-to-day responsibilities, the more your company benefits.
The instant reward is that your time is freed up to push forward with new ideas or work to improve other areas of the business. Perhaps more importantly though, by bringing in others to cover your weaknesses you get to upgrade the business.
A win-win for everyone.
Treat yourself
Hot gadget announcements and my take on something worth buying
Star Trek Lego, backpacks, and the PlayStation Portal gets a worthy upgrade.
The PlayStation Portal, the companyâs handheld gaming console that has previously only worked on the same Wi-Fi network as the PS5, received a huge update giving you access to cloud gaming and more, making it much more useful out of the home.
DJI levels up mobile filmmaking with the new Osmo Mobile 8. It can now track pets and spin 360 degrees.
Lego has always been famous for its amazing Lego Star Wars sets, but is about to launch its first Lego Star Trek set, The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, at the end of the month. Now youâll be able to boldly go where no brick has been before.
Fans of the John Lewis Christmas ad can buy the featured LP, âWhere Love Livesâ, by Alison Limerick, including the cover by Labyrinth.
Get into your Only Murders in the Building podcast vibe with Rodeâs new Rodecaster Video S: a smaller, cheaper production console for creators.
Apple has teamed up with celebrated fashion designer Issey Miyake to create a sock for your iPhone. Yours for ÂŁ139.95.
Nomad has upgraded its Tracking Card with a pro version that allows you to find your wallet when you lose it.
Xbox gamers keen to play on their iPhone can now get the Backbone Pro Xbox Edition controller.
And finally, need more storage for your laptop? SanDisk has launched the Extreme Fit USB-C Flash Drive in sizes up to 1TB. The talking point; itâs about the size of a cufflink.
Reviewed: Scapade AirPack Backpack
Combining Find My technology, TSA-approved security, and sleek, contemporary design, the AirPack is built for digital workers, globetrotters, and tech-savvy travellers.
What I liked
I really like the clean lines, secure nature, and serious vibes the backpack delivers. Inside my laptop and iPad welcomed the scratch-free and inviting furry-lined pockets, while the built-in Apple Find My module means itâs trackable without you even really having to think about it. When hotel travelling, the ability to fully open the backpack to get your clothes out quickly without feeling like you are burrowing down a rabbit hole is a true time saver.
What I didnât like
While security fans will love the extra loops to lock the side pockets and the magnetic flap to cover a TSA-approved security combo lock on top, outside of airport travel, I found both, and the full rear opening approach, frustrating when needing something en route while travelling at speed.
My verdict
The Scapade AirPack backpack was at times cumbersome when it came to needing constant quick access on the daily commute as I grabbed various things from various pockets. However, if youâre travelling from A to B through an airport for an overnight stay and need your stuff secure, safe, and smart, this is a great way to go.
Buy it - Scapade AirPack Backpack
About Me
If you donât know me, Iâm Stuart Miles. I founded the popular consumer tech site Pocket-lint in 2003, which I bootstrapped taking it from an audience of zero to over 12m monthly readers before successfully selling it in 2022.
I chair two forums at founder community Helm, advise businesses, universities, and industry bodies on strategy and storytelling, and comment on the biggest stories in consumer tech for LBC News in the UK every Friday morning.
Never one to stop, Iâm also having a second go, building Squirrel, a suite of tools that help publishers grow and understand their affiliate revenues (as you might expect, if you purchase through links in this newsletter, I may earn an affiliate commission).
Oh, and now write this newsletter đ.
Thanks for reading.