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He survived a bomb at four years old. Lost everything in his thirties. Then built a group of companies employing nearly 100 people and sold his media business for 32 x EBITDA.

I sat down with Belfast-born entrepreneur Andrew Scott for one of the most honest conversations about failure, resilience, and reinvention you’ll hear anywhere.

Andrew shares the full story - from growing up during the Troubles, to arriving in London at 18 with nothing, to the moment he sat in a clapped-out BMW on a beach and thought it was all over. And what happened next.

Topics covered: surviving childhood trauma, the power of work ethic, building and losing businesses, the Purpose Plan Execute framework, creative deal-making, company culture, AI in business, and achieving a 32x EBITDA exit.

Links

🔗 Connect with Andrew: https://www.andrewscott.bio/

🔗 Subscribe to the Bulletproof Entrepreneur newsletter: https://alan-smith-bulletproofentrepreneur.kit.com/newsletter

🔗 Follow Alan on LinkedIn: CLICK HERE

This podcast is produced by Tribunista

Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

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Scott Ellam started with a £13,000 basic salary, cold-called his way into closing a company acquisition at 22, and then built a thriving international executive search firm from his kitchen in 2014.

Then he did something almost no UK founder has done - he put Bitcoin on his business balance sheet, and then took the whole thing public - listing it on the stock market.

In this episode, Scott tells the full story:

• Why he believes the £230 billion sitting in UK business bank accounts is quietly losing value every year,
• How he held his nerve watching Bitcoin drop from £60k to £16k while still buying daily,
• Why he believes the IPO structure he’s built solves one of recruitment’s oldest problems - attracting and retaining top billing talent.

This isn’t really a Bitcoin episode. It’s an episode about what you do with the profits you’ve worked hard to build - and whether cash in the bank is actually as safe as it feels.

Whether you agree with the strategy or not, this conversation will challenge how you think about incentives, capital allocation, and long-term value creation.

What’s the “don’t get poor slowly strategy” for your business?

Links

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/scott-p-ellam-5a097449

https://www.spencer-riley.com/about-us/meet-the-team/scott-ellam

https://xce.io/

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFOxNbmD38

https://bitcoincollective.co/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Principles-Bitcoin-Technology-Economics-Philosophy/dp/023122012X

This podcast is produced by GR Media
Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

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Episode Overview

Rachel Murphy sold her company during lockdown. While building the national COVID-19 digital service. Without ever meeting the buyers in person.

This conversation is equal parts masterclass and madness - covering everything from selling timeshare at 13, to negotiating 50% equity in a struggling business, to achieving an eight-figure exit in under three years, to why every founder her acquirer bought has since left.

Rachel now runs The Grafter, helping entrepreneurs navigate exits with the playbook and emotional support that didn't exist when she needed it.

Guest Bio

Rachel Murphy is a multi-exited entrepreneur and founder of The Grafter, a business that helps entrepreneurs build, scale, and exit their companies. After building and selling her first company in her 20s, she spent 10-15 years as a high-level interim executive (CIO for Department of Education, leading NHS.UK digital transformation and launching the NHS app).

In 2015, she negotiated 50% equity in consultancy Difference and sold it for eight figures in 2020 - during lockdown, while simultaneously building the national COVID-19 digital solution.

She now leads a community of 200+ entrepreneurs and has helped facilitate 5 exits, 12 revenue doublings, and a £44M non-dilutive raise in just 38 months.

Key Takeaways

1. Build Your Exit Strategy Before You Need It

Rachel had a complete sell pack ready 18 months into the business. When unsolicited buyers called, she didn't scramble - she sent comprehensive documentation immediately, putting her in a position of strength.

Action: Start documenting your strategy, financials, and exit roadmap now - even if exit is years away.

2. Creative Deals Beat Starting From Scratch

Instead of building from zero, Rachel negotiated 50% equity in an existing struggling business by bringing her expertise, network, and turnaround strategy. One plus one equalled ten.

Action: Look for businesses adjacent to your skillset that need what you have. Equity partnerships can accelerate your journey.

3. Use Objective Frameworks for Emotional Decisions

Rachel used Wardley mapping to objectively assess three acquisition offers. The result: she chose the best fit for her team, not the highest bidder or her personal preference.

Action: Remove emotion from major decisions with frameworks. Work backwards from outcomes. Be brutally objective.

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachthegrafter/?originalSubdomain=uk

The Grafter

The 5 Types of Wealth: The life-changing international bestseller, a guide to building a happier, healthier, wealthier life

This podcast is produced by GR Media
Sponsored by Capital Asset Management