The Startup Diaries (Ep.10) - Side Hustle Struggles

This week I’m joined by Jon Conradi, founder of Wild Mosaic, a nature startup on a mission to make rewilding something everyone can be part of, not just landowners or ecologists.Jon’s journey into entrepreneurship is one I think a lot of aspiring ecopreneurs will relate to. He didn’t start out in conservation or business. In fact, for a long time he completely switched off from environmental news. But through a mix of rediscovering wonder, a career shake-up, and a push from the Year Here programme, he slowly built an idea that turned into a real business and a hopeful vision of what rewilding can be.In this conversation, we talk about:What made Jon feel like an outsider in the nature world (and why that became his strength)How he turned redundancy + new parenthood into a startup launchpadWhat rewilding has taught him about building businesses differentlyThe hard truths about funding, identity shifts, and learning to sell your missionWhether you're working on your own planet-positive idea or still figuring out where to start, Jon's honest, thoughtful reflections will give you something to hold onto and hopefully, a nudge to take your next step.🔗 Learn more or get involved:🌱 wildmosaic.eco📬 Contact Jon directly: [email protected]📚 Book mentioned: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell🎧 Bonus reading: Jon’s blog on the 3 Horizons model📷 Also worth following his journey on LinkedInAnd if you enjoy this episode, don't forget to share it with someone else trying to build something meaningful. This one’s all about starting small, thinking big, and staying human.Do head to www.nolongerknown.com to find out what I am building too.

In this episode, we go deep on two big questions every early-stage founder faces:👉 How do you build a real community (not just an audience)?👉 And how far should you go in chasing the perfect product — even if it’s made of banana fibre?Matt shares insights from the Future Fabrics Expo - where pineapple, kelp, and even alpaca fibres were on display — and we wrestle with the pros and cons of pushing for perfection in sustainable fashion. Rob introduces the "Founding 50" concept and explains why Discord might just be our next big step.We also talk:🧵 What even is a "launch" when you’re building in public?💬 Discord vs. WhatsApp vs. Instagram — which is best for community?🎯 The 1,000 True Fans theory and how we’re applying it🧠 Growing without relying solely on ads (hello, podcast swaps 👋)🎉 A surprise birthday nature quiz for Matt👇 Join the movement:🌍 Sign up to the launch list → https://www.nolongerknown.com💬 Drop us a message → [email protected]📣 Share this podcast with someone building a sustainable venture

In this episode, Emily Power shares her honest, inspiring journey from a corporate career at Microsoft to founding Oceanmade, a regenerative business with global ambitions. We explore how seaweed could be the most underrated material in the climate fight - not just for oceans, but for land too.We also cover:Why the first version of Oceanmade (the "green Amazon") failed and what Emily learnedThe gardening eureka moment that changed everythingWhy plastic plant pots are a hidden environmental problemHow to build a product without being an expert and why that can be an advantageThe challenge of marketing to real customers, not just eco-enthusiastsThe land and sea benefits of seaweed from soil health to carbon sequestrationWhy building in public with imperfect products might be your startup's secret weaponThis episode is packed with lessons for aspiring founders, regenerative thinkers, and anyone ready to turn anxiety into action.🔗 Learn more:🌿 Oceanmade → https://oceanmade.co🌊 Follow Emily → https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybpower/📬 Planet-positive founder's newsletter: The Ecopreneur Collective → https://robwreg.substack.com/subscribe🧵 Follow the startup journey at → https://www.nolongerknown.com

In this episode, Rob and Matt dive into the real-world challenges of trying to build a mission-driven startup in the margins of day jobs, family commitments, and, well… life. From navigating sleepless nights with a baby to the admin hell of blocked Instagram ad accounts, they reflect on how easy it is to lose momentum — and how they’re trying to get it back.They unpack what’s been working (and what hasn’t) in their marketing experiments, the psychology of going full-time vs. staying part-time, and the tricky balance between polish and authenticity when building an audience.If you’ve ever tried to build something meaningful on the side and felt stretched thin, this one’s for you.💡 Mentioned in this episode:Why low-fi content sometimes converts better than polished adsCreating a marketing funnel that actually worksUsing resistance as a signpost, not a roadblockRob’s favourite quote from The War of ArtWhy YouTube might be NLK’s long game👉 Learn more about No Longer Known at nolongerknown.com📬 Join The Ecopreneur Collective newsletter: robwreg.substack.comFollow on instagram: @robwreg @nlk_clothing @nlk_matt

What if the key to restoring nature lies in uncovering the past?In this episode, I’m joined by Iris Kramer, founder of ArchAI and Forbes 30 Under 30 scientist-turned-startup-CEO, who’s pioneering the use of AI and LiDAR to rediscover lost landscapes, from medieval furrows to ancient orchards and turn them into assets for nature recovery.We talk about:How Iris went from archaeology to AI entrepreneurshipWhy historic maps and burial mounds matter for modern biodiversityWhat it's like bootstrapping a deeptech startup without VCHer vision for a national (and global) “map of the past” to guide future regenerationIt’s a fascinating story of tech, nature, and startup grit — and a must-listen for anyone building at the intersection of climate, data, and land use.To learn more about ArchAI head to www.archai.io🌱 Subscribe to my newsletter for more founder stories + tools for building planet-positive businesses: The Ecopreneur Collective🧵 Follow my own journey building a regenerative clothing brand at: www.nolongerknown.com

In this special on-location episode of Startup Diaries, we’re recording from Andalusia – the birthplace of the No Longer Known idea. Sitting together for the first time in person, we reflect on our journey, test some early merch, and dive into the big strategic questions every startup should be asking.We explore:🔹 What makes our conservation fashion brand truly different🔹 Why scarcity can be a force for good🔹 The trade-offs we're making by rejecting fast fashion🔹 The tension between profit and purpose🔹 How we're trying to build a community, not just sell clothesPlus, we share early insights from our t-shirt sampling process and preview upcoming community features like Discord polls and artist spotlights.And stick around for the Iberian Wolf Quiz 🐺 🎧 Whether you're an early supporter, aspiring founder, or just curious about combining creativity with conservation, this episode gives an honest behind-the-scenes look at building a meaningful brand from the ground up.👇 Drop your feedback in the comments or join the conversation by signing up to the NLK launch list at NoLongerKnown.com

In this episode, I speak with Alex Kornelsen — a former startup and innovation strategist who left the corporate world to co-found Mission to Marsh, a storytelling-led non-profit restoring wetlands and rebranding peatlands as climate heroes.We talk about how it all started with a Tinder date and a one-sentence peatland pitch, and go deep into what it takes to launch a mission-driven organisation from scratch — from faking a film to raise €50K, to securing Patagonia support, to building a community using marketing, humour, and open storytelling.Whether you’re looking to launch something planet-positive or just curious about how skills from marketing and innovation can be redirected for nature — this episode is packed with insights, honesty, and energy.00:00 Intro01:00 From Tinder to Peatlands — how it all began04:00 The one-sentence pitch that changed everything06:45 Why a documentary came before the non-profit09:30 How they raised €1M and got Patagonia’s support13:00 Behind the scenes of making the film16:40 The power of storytelling in conservation20:10 “Fake it till you make it” — lessons from launching25:30 From GoFundMe to corporate partnerships30:00 AI + grant writing: how they raised €20K in 30 minutes32:00 Why LinkedIn beat Instagram for traction36:45 Personal branding in nature restoration40:15 Disrupting the non-profit model44:00 Co-founding with your life partner — the real talk50:00 Starting a for-profit arm with peatland tech57:00 Final thoughts on optimism, failure, and what nature teaches us01:00:45 The billboard quote, book recommendation & business idea👉 Connect with Alex Kornelsen on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/k0rnelsen/👉 Explore Mission to Marsh and watch the filmhttps://missiontomarsh.org/📷 Follow the Mission on Instagram and LinkedIn to see where the film is touring next.🛠️ Interested in building your own planet-positive venture?Check out The Startup Diaries episodes — where I document the behind-the-scenes journey of building No Longer Known, a new nature-led brand from scratch.Subscribe on your favourite platform and come along for the ride.

In this episode of the Startup Diaries, we’re joined by video creative and marketing agency pro Jack Edwards to help us answer a huge question: how do we turn our early-stage startup into a story people actually understand and care about?We dig into:Why storytelling (not stock footage) makes a brand stand outHow to explain your mission in 30 seconds (without sounding cheesy)The 4 types of video we’re planning for the No Longer Known launchWhether your startup really needs an animated dodoWhy the unboxing experience is the productPlus: a deep dive into dog actors, content ideas that made us stop scrolling, and a quiz on the extinction of the dodo (naturally).👕 Want to be first in line for our launch? Sign up at NoLongerKnown.com

In this episode of the Startup Diaries podcast, hosts Rob Wreglesworth and Matt explore the challenges of sustainable clothing production, the impact of fast fashion, and the importance of ethical sourcing. The conversation delves into their research on sustainable suppliers, the logistics of production, and the significance of transparency in their business model. They emphasise the need for a balance between sustainability and practicality, aiming to create a brand that resonates with consumers while making a positive environmental impact.Thanks to everyone who has signed up to the waiting list so far, if you haven't already, you can do so at www.nolongerknown.com

In this episode of Innovate Eco - The Startup Diaries, hosts Rob and Matt discuss their progress with No Longer Known, their planet-positive fashion brand. Matt shares insights from his "research trip" to the Caribbean where he scouted local artists, sparking a deeper conversation about authentic art versus AI-generated images. The hosts explore how partnering with regional artists adds cultural value to their endangered species apparel and debate the ethics of AI in creative work. Plus, enjoy a fun quiz about hummingbirds! If you haven't already please do sign up for the mailing list at www.nolongerknown.com to guarantee your chance to get one of our first drops!