The Startup Game

Episode 5 already of the Startup Game podcast! The Startup Game Podcast talks to founders of new and small businesses to understand what they get up as they try to create their business, and how the world of business, entrepreneurship and just everyday life all impact their bottom line.Episode 5 is with Siseko Siwali, Founder of the Baobab community platform.About Siseko:Siseko Siwali is a South African entrepreneur and founder of Virtual Operative Services OÜ and baobab, a location-based, encrypted social networking mobile app designed to strengthen community, local communication, and business. His work sits at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and impact, with a focus on building digital infrastructure that serves rather than exploits. Siseko has built ventures across multiple sectors and is currently pursuing Masters at Eastern Mennonite University, exploring how technology, human relationships, and connection can contribute to better humanity.https://www.instagram.com/siseko.voshttps://www.facebook.com/mrsiwali https://www.x.com/seesaykoTo follow future episodes of The Startup Game podcast, subscribe and like the videos - one posted every week!To be part of the show, contact us on [email protected] find out more about advertising on the show, please contact us at [email protected] @thestartupgamepodcast

Episode 4 of the Startup Game podcast! The Startup Game Podcast talks to founders of new and small businesses to understand what they get up as they try to create their business, and how the world of business, entrepreneurship and just everyday life all impact their bottom line.Episode 4 is with Catherine Ann Reid, founder of Doqit About Catherine Ann and Doqit:Life admin isn’t just messy anymore. It’s structurally harder than it used to be.Subscriptions, auto-renewals, fragmented providers and digital accounts mean households are now managing dozens of ongoing recurring obligations - often without a system designed for it.Doqit exists to solve that.As a SEND parent, the consequences of missed renewals and unmanaged paperwork weren’t abstract - they were real. That experience shaped the way I think about building systems that people can rely on.Doqit brings life admin - documents, deadlines and renewals - into one secure place, with reminders when something needs action.It’s not just about organisation. It’s about reducing mental load and preventing costly admin mistakes in a world where modern life continuously generates new obligations.Available on iOS, Android and desktop, Doqit supports individuals and families navigating everything from insurance and utilities to school records and compliance paperwork.We are exploring partnerships with forward-thinking financial services and member-led organisations to deliver Doqit as a scalable, low-friction benefit for customers and employees.Recent recognition includes:FinTech Scotland Challenge winner 2024UK StartUp Awards 2025 finalistFeatured in the Financial TimesFeatured in the Female Founders Rise campaignI speak on:• Digital innovation in life admin• Structural shifts in household admin• Female founder journey• Building user-focused systemshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineannreid/https://www.doqit.io/https://www.instagram.com/doqithq/https://www.facebook.com/doqithq/https://www.tiktok.com/@doqithqTo follow future episodes of The Startup Game podcast, subscribe and like the videos - one posted every week!To be part of the show, contact us on [email protected] find out more about advertising on the show, please contact us at [email protected] @thestartupgamepodcast

Episode 3 of the Startup Game podcast! The Startup Game Podcast talks to founders of new and small businesses to understand what they get up as they try to create their business, and how the world of business, entrepreneurship and just everyday life all impact their bottom line.Episode 3 is with Nicolas Medicamento About Nicolas:Nicolas Medicamento is a keynote speaker, Master in Communication and Neuroencoding coach. He helps CEOs, executives, sales teams and hospitality front of house teams communicate more effectively, save money and increase revenue. Website: https://nmctc.github.io/website/Instagram:   / nicolas.medicamento   Linkedin:   / nicolas-medicamento-49536394  The Leadership Edge, my weekly newsletter on leadership and communication: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relati...To follow future episodes of The Startup Game podcast, subscribe and like the videos - one posted every week!To be part of the show, contact us on [email protected] find out more about advertising on the show, please contact us at [email protected] @thestartupgamepodcast

Welcome back to Episode 2 of the Startup Game podcast! The Startup Game Podcast talks to founders of new and small businesses to understand what they get up as they try to create their business, and how the world of business, entrepreneurship and just everyday life all impact their bottom line.Episode 2 is with the wonder Miffy Wilson of Just Ask Miffy!ABOUT JUST ASK MIFFY:Are you a business owner, consultant, or freelancer who is looking to take your business to the next level? Are you bogged down or overwhelmed by admin meaning you have neither the time nor headspace to focus on growing your business? Is the energy, time and expense of hiring someone preventing you from getting some help?Do you want to offload some of the admin overwhelm so you can focus on growing your business? Do you want the support of someone who has a wealth of experience and someone you can trust? Do you want to know that support can be scaled up or down as you need, and to know you are not tied in to paying and managing employees? You have come to the right place. I can help. After more than 20 years experience in administration and project management in a variety of industries ranging from digital photography, and tourism to financial services I set up Just Ask Miffy in November 2019 to provide virtual business support to small business owners, coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs.My aim is to create business owners the space to focus on growing their business by taking away the necessary admin tasks that just get in the way. The core services I offer include general admin support, database management, data entry, typing/transcription, event support, project coordination, creating business documents and templates, creating and updating spreadsheets and reports, and online research. The list goes on! So if you could do with more hours in your day then Just Ask Miffy to see how I can help you free up more time to focus on growing your business.https://justaskmiffy.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/miffywilson/To follow future episodes of The Startup Game podcast, subscribe and like the videos - one posted every week!To be part of the show, contact us on [email protected] find out more about advertising on the show, please contact us at [email protected] @thestartupgamepodcast

Welcome back to the Startup Game podcast! We are back, now with added va va voom because we are in video AND audio now!The Startup Game Podcast talks to founders of new and small businesses to understand what they get up as they try to create their business, and how the world of business, entrepreneurship and just everyday life all impact their bottom line.Episode 1 is with Nilanjana Sensarkar of Kraft Gurus and we talk about how to keep control when your ideas are getting bigger all of the time!.Here's Nilanjana's 60 second intro to her and Kraft Gurus:'Through my company, KraftGurus, I promote Indian aesthetics and traditional knowledge through talks, workshops and curated experiences featuring grassroots artists and heritage art forms. I am now evolving KraftGurus into creative reflection workshops that use Indian aesthetic principles and art practices to help people slow down, think more clearly, reconnect with purpose and see new possibilities.My upcoming workshop, “Seeing Differently” (10 October 2026), combines my LOTUS creative reflection framework with Madhubani art as a reflective process. Participants explore how creativity can support self-awareness, wellbeing and fresh perspectives—without needing any previous artistic experience.As part of my business journey, I enjoy sharing practical lessons with other entrepreneurs, including the importance of understanding regulations, protecting creative ideas through copyright awareness, building ethical partnerships, valuing your expertise, and creating sustainable business models that align with your values.I would love to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, creatives and organisations interested in the intersection of heritage, creativity, wellbeing and purposeful business.Find out more:KraftGurus (@kraftgurus) • Instagram photos and videosLinkedIn: KraftGurus Ltd https://www.linkedin.com/company/kraftgurus-ltd and Nilanjana Sensarkar 'To follow future episodes of The Startup Game podcast, subscribe and like the videos - one posted every week!To be part of the show, contact us on [email protected] find out more about advertising on the show, please contact us at [email protected] @thestartupgamepodcast

Welcome to the latest episode of The Startup Game, where we have honest conversations about running a business – the incredible highs and the terrifying lows and how it takes hearing the stories from another business owner to understand why on earth we do it to ourselves.We can fight it as much as we like, but for many smallbusinesses, LinkedIn is where we go to meet our next new leads – or at least we hope it is.  Often, the interactions wehave on social media platforms like this can leave a lot to be desired, and my guests Jodie Newman and Sasi Krishnan and I discuss the finer points of how you reach out to new connections, how to build a rapport with them before you go in with the big sell and in one case, how it is not advisable to engage with Harley Davidson riders.Just before we head into the conversation I just wanted toput a shout out to founders everywhere listening in – I want you to come and join the conversation! I’m looking to bring as many new and seasoned founders onto the show, to give you a voice but most importantly, to help listeners hear the reality of running your own business and to feel less like they are theonly one going through it.  If you want to come on or you have any questions, please reach out to us on Instagram @thestartupgamepodcast and we can get it sorted.  Come and join us.Now onto the episode. Guests:Jodie Newman, The Business AllotmentIt's the place where businesses grow creatively.It’s an Allotment, but for businesses.It’s about growing, using the power of ideas. It’s for business owners and freelancers who want a different way of looking at business growth.I’ve been running the Business Allotment for over 23 years, building it on my belief that great ideas grow businesses. Creativity is the bedrock on which you can create a business that does things differently, stands out from the otherbusinesses around it, and let’s not be shy, allows you to have fun. (May the God of Gravitas strike me down, but there is no creativity without fun).I'm not an expert in your business, but I am an expert in helping you see your business challenges in a whole new way, and working creatively with you to come up with shedloads of fresh, practical ideas to move your business forward.Ideas that actually work.A quick get-to-know me word collage: trained RCA furnituredesigner, mother of two family/business juggler, book writer (two so far), amateur ceramicist obsessed with cacti, craft obsessive.https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodienewman/  Sasi Krishnan, Sasi SamyalMy name is Sasi Krishnan, and my passion for healthy livingand good friendship has always been connected with the kitchen. A healthy and well-presented meal of delicious food has always been the centerpiece of healthy and warm conversation and community. I am a passionate cook. Good food is my passion. I enjoy cooking for friends and family, sharing recipes and conducting forums for those who also love good food.    Inventive cooking, injecting healthyalternatives without sacrificing brilliant flavour. This is Sasi Samyal.   Whether you are curious to learn aboutIndian Food or to have a go at tasting and joining in the conversation, Sasi Samyal welcomes you to experience the very best flavors from the most natural and classic dishes.   I’m also a speaker and love presenting on Philosophy of Indian food and/or mindset and motivation, where I share my journey from “Sasi to Sasi Samyal. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasi-krishnan-81ba583/.*+--8

Welcome to the latest episode of The Startup Game, where we have honest conversations about running a business – the incredible highs and the terrifying lows and how it takes hearing the stories from another business owner to understand why on earth we do it to ourselves.Sometimes the conversation I have is so interesting it wouldbe hard to edit it down to the usual length of half an hour or so and today’s is one of those.  My chat with CatherineAnn Reid of Doqit and Nils Welham started talking about the challenge of balancing business life and home life especially during school holidays, and ended talking about how maybe sometimes, telling people they are doing a good job would be a really good idea. Hopefully you have a listen today and decide to send that testimonial, give that feedback, make someone feel like what they are doing in their business is making a difference.  Let me know if it does! Guests:CatherineAnn Reid, DoqitCatherine Ann is the founder of doqit, a cutting-edge life admin management app designed to empower busy individuals, particularly working parents. With over 30 years of experience in sales, businessdevelopment, and strategy within the communications industry, Catherine Ann combines her extensive expertise with a passion for alleviating the everyday struggles of life management. A proud Scottish entrepreneur based in Berkshire, she drawsinspiration from trailblazers like Dame Steve Shirley. Her mission is to help people reclaim their time and mental space, enabling them to focus on what truly matters. When not driving doqit forward, she loves spending time with her daughter, Chloe, and husband, Gary.Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineannreid/https://www.doqit.io/life-admin-app  Nils Welham, The Uncaged ExistenceYou're ambitious yet unfulfilled. My clients have itchy feet, innovative ideas and want to ditch the rat race. Breaking free from corporate shackles they're ready to live life on their own terms and experience more success, freedom, and joy.You know what you want but don’t know what road will take you thereYou are an explorer at heart with big dreams but are afraid to let goYou love challenging the status quo and doing things differentlyYou are ready to invest in yourself and fulfil your true potentialYou are ready to get your hands dirty and put in the workhttps://theuncagedexistence.com/attend-a-workshop-3/#Bendingtimehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-welham-acc-icf-cpc-eli-mp-7929a051/

Welcome to the latest episode of The Startup Game, where we have honest conversations about running a business – the incredible highs and the terrifying lows and how it takes hearing the stories from another business owner to understand why on earth we do it to ourselves.This week’s episode is on the topic close to so manyfounders’ hearts – social media and in particular, LinkedIn.  My guests today are Nina Young of Surveyors UK and Vikash Chohan of Responza Marketing and we get into the nooks and crannies of using LinkedIn as a business tool – is it good to be seen, is it useful to your business to be recognised in real life and what to do with the chatbots and rage baiters that reside on the platform.  I guarantee there is something in this episode that you will have seen from your own use of the social media, don’t forget to let me know in the comments!Just before we head into the conversation I just wanted toput a shout out to founders everywhere listening in – I want you to come and join the conversation! I’m looking to bring as many new and seasoned founders onto the show, to give you a voice but most importantly, to help listeners hear the reality of running your own business and to feel less like they are theonly one going through it.  If you want to come on or you have any questions, please reach out to us on Instagram@thestartupgamepodcast and we can get it sorted.  Come and join us.Now onto the episode. Guests:Nina Young, Surveyors UKChampioning the Surveying Profession with Community andCollaborationAs the founder of Surveyors UK, my mission is to unite, empower, and elevate the UK surveying profession through a dynamic digital platform. Surveyors UK connects surveyors, academia, and industry leaders, creating a vibrantecosystem that fosters promotion, collaboration, and growth."Our goal is not to replace professional bodies but to complement them by creating a space where the entire profession can connect, collaborate, and thrive."We support surveyors at every career stage by offering 📚CPD resources, training, job opportunities, events and industry insights. By working with professional bodies, we amplify their great work while breaking down silos to connect the entire profession. We’re also committed to raising public awareness of surveying’s critical role in shaping the built and natural environment, enhancing its value and recognition.This year, we are rolling out the Surveyors UK platform in carefully planned stages. These include professional directories, training resources, and 🤝 partner tools to deliver maximum value. This phased approach ensures that the platform evolves into the definitive digital space for the surveying profession.https://surveyors-uk.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-young-surveyors-uk/ Vikash Chohan, Responza MarketingStruggling to get customers to buy again? Most brands lose85%+ of first-time buyers.At Responza Marketing, we help self-care & wellness brands doing $30k–$3m/month turn one-time shoppers into repeat buyers with retention-focused email & SMS marketing.Our 6-Point Retention System is designed to:→ Recover 20–40%+ more revenue from repeat customers – guaranteed, or we work for free→ Tap into lost traffic and turn it into long-term buyers→ Reduce reliance on ads by maximizing customer lifetime valueWhat makes us different?→ Fully done-for-you retention strategies tailored to your brand→ Real guarantees (if it doesn’t work, we don’t get paid)→ Proven track record: 41% revenue increase in week 1If you want predictable, scalable revenue beyond traffic struggles, let’s chat.→ Book a free call: https://calendly.com/vikjc-responza → DM me: Connect and message me→ Email me: [email protected]

Welcome to the latest episode of The Startup Game, where we have honest conversations about running a business – the incredible highs and the terrifying lows and how it takes hearing the stories from another business owner to understand why on earth we do it to ourselves.Sometimes things just work out and today’s episode is justthat, when through random selection of founders, I chatted with Janine Coombes, a brilliant coach who is finishing up a book based on her methodology and Kaye Freeman, who runs an agency that supports and promotes speakers and – you’ve guessed it – writers.Writing a book is seen as one of the steps to take to getvisibility for you and your business but it is not as easy as sitting down in front of the screen with a big mug of coffee – there is a lot more to it being effective.  We had a great conversation about the process, the way to stay motivated and the essence of why writing your thoughts down matters so much.  Let me know if it helps you can the writing bugJust before we head into the conversation I just wanted toput a shout out to founders everywhere listening in – I want you to come and join the conversation! I’m looking to bring as many new and seasoned founders onto the show, to give you a voice but most importantly, to help listeners hear the reality of running your own business and to feel less like they are theonly one going through it.  If you want to come on or you have any questions, please reach out to us on Instagram @thestartupgamepodcast and we can get it sorted.  Come and join us.Now onto the episode. Guests:Kaye Freeman, Andromeda TalentAndromeda Talent was founded by Kaye Freeman when she saw a gap in the Speakers and Personal Appearances market for a more bespoke, personal approach to sourcing, suggesting and booking Talent, one that grew out of her Talent Management background. Andromeda Talent works with, books and manages Speakers, Performers,Presenters and Experts for all kinds of Events including but not limited to Conferences, Seminars, Awards Ceremonies and Comic Cons but also works across Radio, Television and other media.  Kaye holds a MA from Royal Holloway, University of London and a BA (Hons) from UCN.She has spent over 17 years working in Talent Management and the Creative Industries, including The Artists Partnership and Ken McReddie Ltd. the agency home to talent such as Idris Elba, Emily Blunt, Aneurin Barnard, Joseph Fiennes, Anna Friel, Sue Johnston and David Suchet.  She has worked across Film, TV & Theatre Talent, Commercials, Voiceover and Radio Departments, as well of course as Speakers and Personal Appearances. Alongside this she oversaw the re-brandingof TAP from the original KMA and set up one of the original ‘ethical’ Internships in London Talent agencies.Website: https://andromedatalent.com/Facebook: www.facebook.com/andromedatalentInstagram: www.instagram.com/andromedatalentX: www.x.com/AndromedaTalentTikTok: www.tiktok.com/agentkayeandromeda Janine Coombes, Marketing CoachJanine Coombes is a marketing coach and an offer positioning expert for coach-shaped-people. She’s worked with big brands like EE, Orange and Europcar. She has a business degree, a post-graduate marketing diploma (CIMDip) and regularly speaks on stages like Atomicon, You Are The Media and MarketEd.Live.She now offers marketing consultancy/ coaching for coachesand mentors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janinecoombes/

Welcome to the latest episode of The Startup Game, where we have honest conversations about running a business – the incredible highs and the terrifying lows and how it takes hearing the stories from another business owner to understand why on earth we do it to ourselves.After last week’s episode on the amazing Standing Tallcharity, we are very much back to normality with my two founder friends, Becca Teers of Healthy Habits Hypnosis  and David Hatch of Griffon Consulting discussing the ins and out of using a whiteboard – yes or no?I promise the conversation was a lot more interesting than itprobably sounds, as we were talking about we keep our massive to do lists straight in our heads and whether all of the time management technology out there actually helps. We also talked about how we effectively guilt ourselvesinto getting stuff done.  There’s also a super interesting segment on project delivery and time tracking and how ittakes away from the value you are offering.Enjoy! Guests: Becca Teers, Healthy Habits HypnosisBecca is a Rapid Transformational Therapy Practitioner,Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner, Holistic Therapist and holds a certificate in EMDR Therapy and Coaching. She is the author of the book "Unlimited; 7 Habits to Unleash Your Full Potential & Get the LifeYou Want." Using a combination of RTT, cognitive behavioural and advanced hypnotherapy techniques, NLP and EMDR, Becca is passionate about empowering people to achieve their goals and full potential.  She is the founder of The Achievement Wound™️ Healing Method, supporting women in business to get unstuck and rewire subconscious blocks that may be holding them back. https://www.healthy-habits.me/heal-achieve-programhttps://www.instagram.com/beccateerstherapist/ David Hatch, Griffon ConsultingDavid has spent his career in small businesses & start-ups, primarily in the aerospace sector, previously co-founding a UK ‘new space’ company and more recently starting his own business and developing Leading with Integrity as a 'solopreneur'. He has broad knowledge in leadership, team-building, project delivery, satellite imagery, servicedefinition, and implementing innovative new services; as well as working with international partners. He's also a podcast host and enthusiast!In his previous role as Client Services Director in a space sector start-up, David was a part of the executive management team and grew a new department while leading the delivery of the company’s contracts, a portfolio of ~£10 million total value, including commercial contracts and grant-funded projects working with organisations including the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency, and InnovateUK. He has an MSc in Business & Management, is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership, and has completed several project management qualifications. Today, David works with new leaders, first-time founders and emerging managers who want to improve their leadership skills, so they can become leaders not bosses, lead with integrity, and build happier, higher performing teams, more effective organisations, and, ultimately: successful businesses. To learn more about how, visit: https://www.leadingwithintegrity.co.uk/ or find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhatch-leadernotaboss/