#founderhacks by Atomex

In this episode of 'Founder Hacks,' the hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alexander Moore, discuss the necessity for younger generations to master reinvention and adaptation in our swiftly changing world. The conversation covers insights from their collective 50-year experience in starting, growing, and leading businesses, as well as wisdom gathered from other entrepreneurs. Key topics include the unforeseen impacts of AI on platforms like Pinterest, generational differences in workplace expectations, and the importance of continual innovation in maintaining business uniqueness. Through real experiences, readings, and learnings, the hosts emphasize the value of listening, being curious, and staying ahead in the evolving business landscape.

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alexander Moore discuss the importance of keeping an open mind to evolve as a founder. They explore how founders can reinvent themselves at different stages of growth, how paying attention to global trends like China's low-altitude economy can spark innovation, and the benefits of exposing oneself to new and unexpected experiences. Along the way, they share personal anecdotes and professional insights, all aimed at helping entrepreneurs navigate the dynamic landscape of business growth.

In this episode of Founder Hacks, the hosts discuss the importance of embracing authenticity and effectively managing change within businesses. Alex shares insights on leading change by involving team members to ensure success, while Antony highlights the pitfalls of following motivational content that claims to have all the answers. Ben emphasizes the power of being genuine in business interactions. The conversation underscores the value of human relationships and the need to balance ambition with realistic expectations, fostering a supportive and dynamic business environment.

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas, Alexander Moore, and Antony Enright discuss the complex dynamics of leadership and how embracing vulnerability can enhance team trust and growth. They explore the notion that sometimes leaders must allow small failures to foster learning and decision-making within their teams. The trio also delves into the importance of having a 'plan B' to ensure calm and rational decision-making in business. Additionally, they highlight the balance between leading decisively and creating space for others to take responsibility. The conversation is enriched with real-life experiences, offering listeners valuable insights into the intricate journey of leadership in growing businesses.

In this episode of Founder Hacks, the hosts delve into the importance of recognizing unseen aspects in businesses, particularly when familiarity breeds ignorance. They discuss strategies to maintain fresh perspectives, such as bringing in external advisors or working from different locations. The conversation also touches on the authenticity of LinkedIn posts and the gap between perception and reality in social media. Finally, they explore the concept of narrative identity and how the stories we tell ourselves can shape our business decisions and personal growth. Through these discussions, the hosts emphasize the value of vulnerability and genuine connections in achieving business success.

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas, Antony Enright, and Alexander Moore discuss the importance of undertaking hard tasks and difficult conversations in business. They explore how addressing cultural issues within a company through effective line management can yield positive transformations. The team underscores the value of organization, emphasizing checklists as a tool for comprehensively managing tasks and avoiding future problems. Alex shares his personal experience of a difficult cycling journey, stressing the benefits of taking time for physical and mental challenges to reset and reenergise. The discussions offer insights and practical advice on achieving business growth and personal fulfillment through perseverance and strategic problem-solving.

In this episode of FounderHacks, hosts Ben Thomas and Antony Enright welcome entrepreneur Ben Goldsmith, who shares his wisdom on simplifying business strategies and the power of relationships. Ben talks about the impact of Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle on his company’s purpose, the benefits of using Vern Harnish’s Scaling Up methodology, and how focusing on building authentic relationships has fueled his success. Ben emphasizes the importance of adapting strategies, leveraging strengths, and the vital role of timing in implementing effective business practices.

In this episode of Founder Hacks, hosts Ben Thomas and Antony Enright are joined by Aingaran Pillai, CEO and founder of Zaizi. Over the past 18 years, Aingaran has navigated his business through various challenges to become a leading technology provider in the public sector. The discussion focuses on the theme of 'grit' and how enduring struggles can lead to success. Aingaran shares lessons on the importance of culture, as reflected in his experience of creating a 'winning culture' at his company. He also references Ben Horowitz’s book, 'The Hard Thing About Hard Things,' particularly the section on 'The Struggle,' which resonated deeply with him during tough times. The conversation further explores the complexities and loneliness of being a solo entrepreneur and the continuous journey of learning and storytelling to maintain and scale company culture.

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Turnaround. Can you develop the discipline to focus on controlling the controllable when you are turning things around? Removing those emotions and frustrations, rage, or anger that can paralyse us might prompt us not to fight back but to fight forward.

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Reaping what you sow. Do you keep your reputational bank account a healthy balance? You never know when you may find yourself making a withdrawal when you need it the most. Do you appreciate messages of support? Are you someone ready to send a message of support when a friend or a colleague needs it. Could you build it into the culture of your business so your whole team can learn to show gratitude and help everyone to feel part of your mission. 

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Engineering.When do you need to step in and engineer a new approach? How do we engineer a deal? Finding a way to shine a light with little and often and create a new rhythm can throw challenges into a whole new relief. 

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Legacy.What is the legacy you want to leave? Your role is to find yourself better at everything. Can you replace yourself? Are you a founder with a shelf life? Overcoming the the 10 year mark seems to be a curious challenge for many entrepreneurs. Do you take the time to reflect and make sure you do make the right choice to step away from your business and move onwards?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Time and a Place. What does it take for a business to endure? Does place affect your brain? Is different thinking always something of inherent value. Could you leverage place to break your patterns and generate newness and energy and discover what that could offer you?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Getting it wrong. Who is your tribe to test where you are? A trusted inner circle perhaps who you trust to believe in you, but also to be honest with you and keep you grounded. Being open to challenge may perhaps also help you have the best chance of not getting it wrong and surrounding yourself with people who look and think like you and only want to agree with you might not always be the best choice.

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Bide your time or Blow up the room.Do you force a resolution or wait for things to naturally come to a head? AI will transform our working lives and our societies within our lifetime so how do we engage with these technologies, these huge paradigm shifts?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Interpersonal. Do you listen with your eyes? Do your team look and feel ready to win? How can you play your part in making sure that they are? Do you speak emotion? Can you use a textured understanding of emotion to gather more data and make better decisions?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Feedback Revisited. What do you want? Do you know? Is it critical for you as a founder of a business to be clear about what you want in terms of the relationship with your business and your expectations of those within it? Can you make a commitment to learn how to give feedback brilliantly well?

In this week's #founderhacks we talk about coping with the imperfect. Can you dispel the myth of the perfect employee? How do you manage your natural instinct to make the fundamental attributional error? Can we assess our staff as we do ourselves?

In this week's #founderhacks we look at Clarity. How do you contract with your team? There is always that initial opportunity to put on the table the realities of being part of a business and a team. How do you feedback to your team and does the feedback have the impact that you intend? How do you measure that? Do you balance your criticism and celebration?

In this week's #founderhacks we talk about Changing the Lens.  When the fields you plough go from fertile to baron, how do you change lenses? Leading from good times to the bad is of course a challenge to your leadership and how do you manage that shift of perception that is going to determine that outcome?

In this week's edition of #founderhacks we talk about all things stress.

As our 2nd series continues we bring you the concept of "choosing the right attitude". 

We are delighted to introduce "business owner" and award winning "entrepreneur" Caroline Strachan to #founderhacks. 

So, after a bit of a break we are back in the saddle with a new series of #founderhacks.

On #founderhacks this week we are joined by entrepreneur Nat Rich to discuss how people choose to show up at work compared to how they show up at home.

Serial entrepreneur Chris Hughes joins us on #founderhacks this week to talk about, "What Inspires?"

In this edition of #founderhacks we are joined by social entrepreneur Amar Dani to debate how he chooses to "show up" in his business.

This week we discuss something that some founders aren't particular good at - managing themselves. Topics include knowing when to read things at face value, accepting when your confidence outstrips your ability as well as a founder-hack that might help you better manage your business when you get sick. Enjoy

In this weeks episode we welcome fellow entrepreneur Dr Richard Guyver to #founderhacks. We get to hear Richard’s all time, “Seen, Read & Learned” with some fascinating shares concerning how to keep level headed during times of high stress. 

So, as the Beatles once sang, this is Christmas. After another challenging year for many of the world's small businesses we decided to take a look back at some of the things we didn't have time to talk about during 2021 and celebrate some of the good stuff.

In this weeks episode Ben, Alex & Antony discuss as founders do you have the choice as to when to fight or when to take flight? Sometimes is it better to go against your instinct and take flight rather than always be fighting? 

Three serial entrepreneurs in Antony, Ben and Alex take time in this weeks episode to discuss the power of endless possibilities of reframing! 

Antony, Ben and Alex, three founders of businesses are joined by special guest Pia Muggerud to discuss the lessons she has learned about finding her voice in the world.

Antony, Ben and Alex, three founders of businesses are joined by special guest Jennifer Quigley Jones to discuss the lessons she has learned whilst growing a successful business during the Covid pandemic.

Antony, Ben and Alex, three founders of businesses shares their experiences on the topic of when and how a business founder should change gears in their business.

Antony, Ben and Alex, three founders of businesses shares their experiences on the topic of building and managing teams.

This week Ben, Antony and Alex, three founders of companies, are joined by entrepreneur Jim James where they discuss how to be resourceful when you are lacking resources  - Jim’s “seen” is all about Genghis Khan, Jim’s “read” is about Sun Tzu’s 2,500 year old book the Art of War Influence and Jim’s “learned” amplification.

#founderhacks 43: This week Ben, Antony and Alex, three founders of companies, are joined by solopreneur Steve Bruce where they discuss the importance of focus in business - Steve’s “seen” looks at focusing on what we choose to measure, Steve’s “read” is about Dan Priestly’s excellent book Key Person of Influence and Steve’s “learned” is a about lifestyle focus.

This week we are joined by Ed Francis. Our theme is great corporate culture - our “seen” is looks at Dan Pink’s seminal thinking on autonomy, mastery and purpose, our “read” looks Michael E Gerber’s book the E-Myth and our “learned” is about being the dangers of working by a success/fail criteria. Enjoy.

#founderhacks 40: Our “seen” is about returning to offices, our “read” looks at self doubt and our “learned” is about being in control of your own bus!

This week our “seen” involves a hard working team that made us ponder if sometimes knowing yourself means realising it’s not all about you, our “read” is about who gives you an unvarnished perspective on your performance as a leader and our “learned” looks at the different personas people bring to the workplace and home. Enjoy.

This episode is all about bias and assumptions - the impact of dumbing down a conversation on the assumption that a colleague won’t understand the detail, the pitfalls, and benefits, of something called illusory superiority before ending up with a discussion on the benefits of getting to know people before using biases to write them off. Enjoy.

#founderhacks: A podcast by founders for founders, this week Antony, Alex & Ben talk about one thing they have seen, one thing they have read and one thing they have learned – this week we talk about how a company’s moral code can be good for business, Elon Musk’s Neuralink and its experiments on animals as well as the benefits of owning up to your mistakes (and yes, we’ve made a lot of these between us). Enjoy. 

#founderhacks 36: A newsletter and podcast by founders for founders, this week Antony, Alex & Ben talk about one thing they have seen, one thing they have read and one thing they have learned – this episode is all about helping people you work with to be brilliant - topics include “tooling up” external advisors when they miss the mark, a founder hack about scoring interactions and the benefits of asking people how we stop them being great..

#founderhacks 35: A newsletter and podcast by founders for founders, this week Antony, Alex & Ben talk about one thing they have seen, one thing they have read and one thing they have learned – this episode is all about getting things done - topics include what tidy files might have say about how a company is run and the person who runs it, getting more from your colleagues and how to use trust to boost productivity.

#founderhacks 34: A newsletter and podcast by founders for founders, this week Antony, Alex & Ben talk about one thing they have seen, one thing they have read and one thing they have learned – in this episode is all about innovation - topics discussed include a new twist on an old idea, painting by numbers and a founderhack about start and end of day rituals.

#founderhacks 32: A newsletter and podcast by founders for founders, this week Antony, Alex & Ben are joined by guest speaker Richard Robinson where they about one thing they have seen, one thing they have read and one thing they have learned.

This week's #founderhacks are on the theme of thinking. Founders often use processes to manage the thinking. However, the process isn't the point, the outcome is…

This week's #founderhacks are on the theme of making the big decisions.  How do we navigate a proliferation of possibilities - and is picking better than paralysis?

A podcast by founders for founders. In Episode 29 we talk about being bold in business and life.

A podcast by founders for founders. In Episode 28 we talk about advisors, preparing for better times and business myths.

A podcast by founders for founders. In Episode 27 we talk about innovation, growth curves and sausages.

A podcast by founders for founders. In Episode 26 we discuss how driven people achieve great things - even in difficult times, people saying they want to start a business and what to focus on when running a business.

A podcast by founders for founders. In Episode 25 we discuss an old Steve Jobs story about stones and friction, finding your mojo and learning things from young kids. Enjoy.

A podcast by founders for founders. Our Christmas special looks back at a challenging year and finishes up with a quote, “An easy life fashions a mind that can only handle ease. A challenging life builds a mind that can handle challenge. Like a muscle that atrophies without use, mental strength fades unless it is tested”. Enjoy.

A podcast by founders for founders. You should listen to this if you are running your own business or would like to one day. We shine a light on listening founders, forming partnerships - even with competitors - and the drag on mental clutter. Enjoy.

A podcast by founders for founders. You should listen to this if you are running your own business or would like to one day. We look at honest communications, keeping an eye on your colleagues’ mental health and one way of getting things done. Enjoy.

A podcast by founders for founders. You should listen to this if you are running your own business or would like to one day. In this edition we chew the fat about the Special Boat Service, inter-connected brains and the role emotions can play during negotiations – we hope you enjoying listening to it.

A podcast by founders for founders. You should listen to this if you are running your own business or would like to one day. This time out we discuss what can happen to a business when you shift its focus, the benefits, and necessity of, sometimes doing the hard stuff yourself and how allowing others to see your own frailties can be a useful thing to do.

A podcast by founders for founders. You should listen to this if you are running your own business or would like to one day. This week we talk about Richard Branson’s initiative and giving your employees the trust and space they need to shine. 

A podcast by founders for founders. You should listen to this if you are running your own business or would like to one day. This week we discuss dodging bullets, seeing clearly and being kind - all in less than 25 minutes!

A podcast by founders for founders. You should listen to this if you are running your own business or would like to one day. This week we discuss fast growing businesses, a concept about learning and the joys of running a business without a plan - all in less than 25 minutes!

Listen to this podcast if you work for yourself or run a business - a podcast by founders for founders. This week we discuss running fast, working from home and letting people do their own things - all is less than 25 minutes!

As a business grows its founder often has to change their role within it. But, can doing this trigger a founder to fall out of love with their business? We also discuss how simple things can transform companies and finish up talking about a secret weapon called humility.

The Atomex team look at staying ahead of the curve and how we navigate through current times of profound uncertainty and deep chaos. Can we spot the patterns, decide fast and keep moving towards where we want to be?

We're leading through unprecedented times. How do you keep your spirits up, and where does that come from? Can we own our motivation - and our ambition - as we grow our businesses?

This weeks hacks connect with how we communicate and get stuff done. Is emotion the way to unite, can words create or impede culture and can computing inspire us greater productivity?

This weeks stories are connected by tenacity and passion. We look at and celebrate the creativity and contribution of founders - and realise that it has never been more important and more needed.

Entrepreneurs tend not to think linearly. We share some stories about entrepreneurs connecting the dots, and learn that connection is what truly drives people.

This week’s stories are about people. We discover unexpected support from our nearest and dearest, the value of people who think differently, and whether a paperclip can save a whole lot of pain and heartache.

Times are tough and getting tougher. We look at three examples of founders coping with tough times. When do we get cross, and when do we keep our cool? How do you know when to say no? And in the quest for solutions, how do you differentiate salvation from snake-oil?