St Andrews Innovation’s Post

Keynotes: Inspiring. Insightful. Boring. Snooze fest. Not relevant. I'm one of the organizers of the week long entrepreneurial conference Founded in FoCo. We're working on our programming strategy, hopes and dreams, with new ideas already flowing in for our March 2025 event. So... what do you love about keynotes? What bugs you? What have you wanted to try? When there's a diverse audience, what have you seen work (multiple keynotes by track, thematic keynote, mix of both)? Appreciate your thoughts/ideas/suggestions, even hot takes. Gus Vieweg Candyce. Edelen Ali Raza, MS, CPC Leigh Chesley 💙💜⛓️ Nick Armstrong Jacob Molz

This week, I had the privilege of attending an event hosted by LearningLoop.com community, where a founder shared insights on his amazing journey as an entrepreneur that resonated deeply with me. A question was posed: "Do you regret anything in your journey?" His reflection on personal life and relationships struck a particularly strong chord, prompting me to ponder over my own recent experiences. On a personal note, this week marked my wife's birthday, a day I had hoped to make special for her. The plan was heartfelt yet simple: take our kids to a playground, granting her some precious "me time" at a nearby cafe. However, life's unpredictability intervened. An unexpected HFMD diagnosis for our child redirected our day towards the doctor's office instead. With the original plan off the table, I pivoted to Plan B, aiming to give her a relaxing day at home while I took care of our children. Yet, as fate would have it, my metaphorical child, Fr8Labs demanded my immediate attention, pulling me away into a day of unforeseen challenges. The day unfolded far from what I had envisioned, leaving me with a sense of having fallen short in giving my wife the celebration she deserved. Reflecting on this, I'm setting a personal and professional mission: to dedicate the coming year to strengthening Fr8Labs to a point where it can stand more independently. My hope is that this will allow me not just to fully honor my wife's next birthday with the attention and celebration she merits but also to possibly mark a quiet milestone of achievement in my professional journey. I share this story not in search of sympathy, but to open a dialogue about the challenging balance between personal commitments and professional responsibilities. I'm asking everyone here for support to keep me on track with this mission and hold me accountable. Your encouragement, advice, and reminders would mean the world to me as I navigate this journey. Week 8 of 26 Weekly Posts Challenge (https://lnkd.in/gXTFNTHT). #EntrepreneurshipJourney #PersonalGrowth #Fr8Labs #StartupChallenges #LeadershipGoals #AccountabilityPartners #BusinessResilience #EntrepreneurialLife #PersonalReflections #TeamFr8Labs #InnovationLeadership

In our recent interview, Montana Bilger shared how an unplanned journey led to major breakthroughs in AI and space biology. His insights on the importance of networking and adaptability are lessons every entrepreneur can learn from. 💬 "You never know what kind of thing can break open that first big deal or opportunity.” Dive into Montana’s inspiring story and discover how unexpected opportunities can transform your business. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dHaCGqVn 📌 What’s the most surprising connection that’s impacted your entrepreneurial journey? #EntrepreneurStories #Amplomedia #Networking #Innovation #AI #SpaceResearch 

Montana Bilger’s journey from coding enthusiast to accidental entrepreneur is a testament to the power of curiosity and networking. In our latest interview, he shares how unexpected connections led to groundbreaking opportunities in AI and space biology. 💬 "You never know what kind of thing can break open that first big deal or opportunity.” Discover how Montana's story can inspire your own entrepreneurial journey. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dGEKZUi4

"Why are you here?" 🧐 It’s the question every founder must answer. Purpose drives progress, and your startup’s story should make your audience think, “Wow, we need this.” In the first session of this 5-part winter webinar series, newkid® helped founders define who they are by capturing their big ambitions in one simple, memorable sentence. Get ready for Part 2 coming up next week! 💡 Join newkid® and DMZ to clarify your “why” and inspire investors, clients, and customers alike. 🚀 REGISTER: https://lnkd.in/genKpd4D 

Ever feel like you need to shout into the void to get noticed? Tim Ferriss proved you don’t have to. Before The 4-Hour Workweek became the book everyone was talking about, Tim wasn’t trying to reach everyone—he was laser-focused on a specific audience. Instead of casting a wide net, he zeroed in on entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts, refined his message, and watched it take off. What we can all learn from Tim: 1️⃣ Find your tribe—Speak directly to the people who need what you offer. 2️⃣ Solve their problems—The more specific your message, the more it resonates. 3️⃣ Grow organically—Once you’ve nailed your niche, expansion becomes a natural next step. So, why try to please the masses when you can focus on your specific audience and make a bigger impact?

Great to attend the BESAxBett event today which had a diverse range of speakers and lots of thought provoking insight! Some key take-aways for me: 1. "Not all pain points make a good business". Love this quote from Pedro Vasconcellos of Pearson Ventures. As a start-up everyone's asking what's the problem you're solving, but there's a bigger picture out there. 2. He also mentioned "smart business models". It's an obvious one, but sometimes one gets so focused on making the product great, or defining the business model, without actually stopping to think is it the best one possible. 3. Benoit Wirz from Brighteye said that everyone in edtech wants to "drive more learning". His point however was that everyone wants to learn more, but no-one like to learn! So how do we make it easy/more engaging for them? 4. Ben also talked about gauging the enthusiasm of pilot users when evaluating potential. Mental note for me with our MVP play test coming up in a couple of months time! 5. The serial entrepreneur James Weatherill said in his mind "hard problems attract great people". Love it. 6. James also mentioned his passion for making an impact with Arbor. Despite having worked in several different sectors, none of them really equate to the positive impact one can make in education; something my fellow co-founder wholly agree with. 7. I could go on.... but for the sake of brevity, here's a pic of me with Kim Antoniou, who I first met a couple of years ago. What she is doing with Fonetti in helping children read is phenomenal. #EdTech #BESA #Bett

Instagram founder Kevin Systrom explains three common startup mistakes! 1. Not Launching Fast Enough ➡️ Staying in private beta too long delays critical feedback. ➡️ Early user feedback is essential for learning and improvement. ➡️ Overcome the fear of rejection to gain valuable insights. 2. Not Focusing on Problems ➡️ Founders often develop technology without solving real problems. ➡️ Identify and focus on key problems: * Making photos beautiful. * Easy sharing on multiple networks. * Fast photo uploads. ➡️ Clear problem-solving distinguishes successful products. 3. Maximizing Features Instead of Depth ➡️ Avoid adding unnecessary features. ➡️ Focus on perfecting core functionalities. ➡️ Enhance what users love about the product. Full Interview - https://lnkd.in/gNTcCTWK Sources: Startup Archive Video Source: Kevin Rose #founders #startups

Something to watch...  At Fuck Up Nights, failure is not just acknowledged—it's celebrated. This global movement is transforming how we perceive and respond to professional and personal setbacks. Attendees are treated to an evening of raw and inspiring stories where speakers candidly share their biggest blunders and the powerful lessons they’ve learned from them. Fuck Up Nights offers a unique platform to connect, laugh, and gain profound insights from the experiences of others. This event is a testament to the strength found in vulnerability and the invaluable growth that comes from embracing our imperfections. Pic: Leticia Gasca is co-founder of the movement Fuckup Nights and Executive Director for the Failure Institute, the first think tank in the world devoted to studying business failure and the reasons behind it. #selfdevelopment #idiscover360