Founders Matter

About Founders Matter

Hosted by Jase Smith, Professor Pablo Munoz and Kat Sykes, Founders Matter is a podcast about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. Founders are more likely to experience mental ill being than people in traditional employment, yet for many years there was little research explaining why this happens or what founders can do to change it. This podcast was created in response to that gap. Born from award-winning academic research into founder self-worth, Founders Matter challenges dominant myths of entrepreneurship and focuses on the emotional and psychological realities of business ownership. If you are building a business and are looking for support that goes beyond hustle culture and heroic startup narratives, this podcast is for you. Subscribe now to listen to all episodes of Founders Matter. And access all the resources from the research and training of Mind Your Business® at https://mindyourbusiness.uk/ (https://mindyourbusiness.uk/) Links The Business Behind It All: https://mindyourbusiness.uk (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljSEZDejd6UWZZUVQ4azRGZHp1dG9yV3xBTl9pYzRkVmc5Ym5yZW9EeDlhMmdpRDNMZHkwSkIxdy1rQXduYTJNMEdMWlFDRW1sR0gzMVphbWhtSWpqak9weFlQZ0FTX2hGOHZCOFhiZkJidEUtZG5MYnNXdXFfd2lxLWJV&q=www.mindyourbusiness.uk) E-mails for up to date info: https://mindyourbusiness.uk/contact/#mailing-list (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljR091STZ6blEwQ0E3NlZpMTNHbHd1TXxBTl9pYzRlQXBDbndxdHA5QlEyLTZNcU9jam9PelA2bk1ibkhnUk5kLURqa0RpNk5DYUZxSEpMZDk5eHNDMDFuYWFuT3A1OHhET3ZlOEtGNkw1X2Y3YmtKUGFqRDlHTTRhNHJN&q=https%3A%2F%2Fmindyourbusiness.uk%2Fcontact%2F%23mailing-list) Pablo's LinkedIn profile: https://linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljR2xTNlZ5aFEycEhOX25rWjVJQXJ1b3xBTl9pYzRkaWhma2U4cm9NYWtpLV8wY2xPTGxVZkxpODVsOXNKWTQ1Q3k2UFBrem5PemVWLW5vQzdOM3lveEJIU1FkUkVjNzNvVTJ2MDNBN2dyWkdSV1lUX2ZHUnRpWkJuQ2Nw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fpablomunozroman%2F) Jase's LinkedIn profile: https://linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljSEJxdmNqZzNXMDUzUE5PWUFhdDNkSHxBTl9pYzRjRC1HaG8xd3FNSXNsS3VaVVJrS1h6dEx5WmtITWppbzREWk1rYy1vdUMxZFNHRVlQVHp2eEFQMlRDcVJ1LWxvMTVYVzBhLXpIa3liUnRPRGVsdFR4bkZ1Q1dWdk1M&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjase-smith-zero78training%2F) Kat's LinkedIn profile: https://linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljRTVWcVl4NzZDcWlsaVJrSkVMQXFBOXxBTl9pYzRmcDlURXY1VGpJdUx2WmkzV0pOU0wwWTU5VmVQV05kVExWMks1dzYxS3lEZW9fbjFzRk9HWXZMeHVDdkdFbzJKWkhvT1pMTFhSd2h0YXlsTEpoMDFEQV9kNWoxbU05&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fkat-sykes-business-not-as-usual%2F)

Publisher

Mind Your Business®

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Jan 2026

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   S2E5: The narrative is rigged to focus on the minority of businesses, rather than the majority

   Jase wants to know how entrepreneurs should define success on their own terms - not by unicorns, hype, or external validation. Romain Pouzou explains how the narrative is rigged to focus on the needs of the tiny minority of businesses, rather than the overwhelming majority. And why the most sustainable founders start small, measure risk, and stay connected to their original purpose. We discuss how geography, culture, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem shape the journey, especially in Mexico, and why the hardest transition is often moving from founder mode into CEO mode. The reflection we hope listeners will take away You have more chance of winning the lottery than becoming a unicorn. So why is everyone told that is what they should aspire to be? Timestamps 01:06 — Why entrepreneurs celebrate fundraising, growth, and external recognition 01:50 — Success depends on the entrepreneur’s personal goals 03:35 — Why success rarely feels final in the entrepreneurial ecosystem 05:24 — Returning to your “why” through introspection 06:56 — Entrepreneurship is risky, but risk should be controlled 07:26 — Why blitz scaling can be a dangerous model 08:19 — Measuring risk through profitability and cash flow 09:52 — The main challenges facing entrepreneurs in today’s volatile world 11:13 — Start small, validate, and scale with profit 12:29 — The hardest internal challenge: moving from entrepreneur to CEO 13:30 — External pressure from the ecosystem and vanity metrics 15:23 — Why entrepreneurship looks different in France and Mexico 16:23 — Family business culture and low wages in Mexico 18:13 — The romanticized story of entrepreneurship versus reality 19:10 — Why breaking even and paying taxes matter 20:33 — Why the current entrepreneurship narrative is broken 22:42 — Why founders should not fear failure—but should calculate risk 25:15 — What Mexico does well in social entrepreneurship 27:09 — How finance became more creative inside entrepreneurship 29:31 — Early cash injection versus waiting until viability is proven Who is Romain? Romain Pouzou holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the European Business School in Bordeaux, France, and a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering from Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is currently pursuing his PhD at Durham University in the United Kingdom. He has worked as an entrepreneur and CFO for several startups—including Limonetik, which is ranked among Forbes' top 100 technology companies. Since 2012, he has been affiliated with the Tecnológico de Monterrey, serving as an instructor and consultant in finance and entrepreneurship, as the Regional Director of Social Entrepreneurship for the South-Central region, and currently as a faculty member at the School of Entrepreneurship. Additionally, he has served as a consultant for the social entrepreneurship incubator "México Irrazonable" since 2013 and is the co-author of the books *México: 10 emprendedores sociales* and *Emprendimiento en acción*. He has been recognised three times by the QS-Wharton Reimagine Education Awards for his work in educational innovation - as a finalist (2019 and 2023) and a third-place global winner (2021) - and was named a Distinguished Professor at the Tecnológico de Monterrey School of Business in 2022 and 2023. Furthermore, he serves as a Lead Facilitator for continuing education, developing and implementing courses on financial reasoning for decision-making aimed at business leaders.

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   S2E4: Does bigger valuation = bigger success?

   Pablo speaks with Gladis Nair and Apoorv Arora about what gets valued, who gets supported, and how success is actually measured. We discuss how Indian startups are often judged by valuation, pedigree, and investor attention, while the people working inside the ecosystem argue that real success is closer to survival, sustainability, and impact. Timestamps 00:33 - Why this episode focuses on entrepreneurship in India 01:14 - Introductions: ISBAP and entrepreneurship research in India 02:47 - What entrepreneurship success looks like in India 03:35 - Why valuation and funding often overshadow business sustainability 07:40 - Pedigree, investor bias, and why elite credentials matter 08:57 - Rural founders, brownie points, and co-incubation support 10:46 - How incubators evaluate whether a startup is genuinely viable 12:11 - Training, pitching, and funding decisions inside incubation programs 13:06 - Why many startup ideas die after college or under family pressure 14:31 - What “societal pressure” means for Indian entrepreneurs 16:14 - Why neighbourhood attitudes often dismiss entrepreneurship as a career 17:04 - Family resistance, gender expectations, and women founders 19:17 - Common metrics used to measure startup success 20:21 - Measuring impact through lives changed and jobs created 22:17 - Whether metrics reflect what founders actually care about 23:58 - Emotional investment, satisfaction, and knowing when to quit 25:01 - Founder mental health as a taboo topic 26:01 - Team conflict, trust, and the role of incubation support 27:54 - How teams form and why friendship does not guarantee partnership 29:42 - Supporting hidden entrepreneurs through grants and outreach 31:12 - Rural schools, student projects, and early entrepreneurial exposure 33:27 - School entrepreneurship curriculum and government-funded projects 34:29 - Tinkering labs, student competitions, and rewards for prototypes 35:21 - Why entrepreneurship education matters in the AI era 36:53 - Skill development beyond degrees and qualifications 37:40 - What school-age students actually value in entrepreneurship 39:26 - How Indian entrepreneurship has shifted over the last decade 41:05 - India’s young population, long-term solutions, and the value of jugaad Who is Gladis? Gladis Nair is Head of Operations for Indian STEPs and Business Incubators Association (ISBA) She leads operations and strategic execution, working closely with incubators, accelerators, government bodies, corporates and ecosystem partners to strengthen India’s incubation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. ISBA: https://isba.in (https://isba.in/) LinkedIn:  https://in.linkedin.com/in/gladis-nair-a44135119 (https://in.linkedin.com/in/gladis-nair-a44135119) Who is Apoorv? Apoorv is a PhD researcher focused on driving lasting change to the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem through education and innovation. An example of how he has brought research into practical long-term interventions is building self-sustainable maker ecosystems in rural communities, fuelled by the belief that equipping rural kids with the skills and resources they need to become makers and problem-solvers, we can create a brighter future for entire communities.

3. 

   28 Sept 2026

   S2E3: Success Is a Moving Target, So You Will Never ‘Arrive’

   As a business owner in one of the happiest countries in the world (Denmark), Jase wanted to know how Peter defines and responds to success and failure, personally and professionally. Overview of episode This episode is a conversation about the real emotional mechanics of entrepreneurship: success, failure, pressure, and identity. Peter Kofler shares a grounded view of what it takes to build a business without losing yourself, including why mental resources matter as much as cash runway. The reflection we hope listeners will take away Build your own dream instead of someone else’s. Timestamps 00:00 - What this conversation is really about: success, pressure, and entrepreneurship 01:03 - The half-empty mindset and why founders often become their own harshest critic 02:00 - When external success and internal motivation stop matching 03:27 - Freedom, positive change, and building your own dream 04:42 - Why success is not a final destination 06:12 - How Peter learned to reduce emotional extremes 07:10 - The “rule of five” and protecting your inner life 08:53 - Why business and personal life can support each other, but should not collide 09:36 - Teaching kids, founders, and teams to live with uncertainty 10:35 - Why certainty is a myth and entrepreneurs must enjoy the fog 12:03 - Vulnerability, mental resources, and hidden runway 13:32 - Why people rarely ask founders how they feel 15:21 - External crisis as opportunity, internal crisis as danger 16:57 - Why a third place matters outside work and family 18:33 - Learning more from failure than from success 19:24 - Breaking the taboo around all the emotions of building a business 20:50 - Why founders are a rare species that need active support 22:40 - Denmark’s safety net, ambition, and risk-taking culture 23:40 - What hygge does and does not do for entrepreneurs 25:04 - How different cultures treat failure and ambition 26:53 - Small-market thinking and building globally from day one 28:25 - What Peter would tell his younger self Who is Peter? Peter is a leading advocate for startups, shaping policy and growth in Denmark and beyond. Peter has spent more than two decades at the forefront of entrepreneurship and business growth. For 21 years, he has worked to empower startups and scaleups, first through the business initiative IVÆKST, and for the past seven years as Chairman of Danish Entrepreneurs, where he has played a key role in shaping the voice of the Danish start-up ecosystem, and entrepreneurs. Earlier in his career, Peter worked as a management consultant, advising on strategy and analysis across the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors. His expertise has been sought at the highest levels, including the European Commission, as well as Denmark’s Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Ministry of Culture, where he contributed to developing forward-looking digital scenarios. Today, Peter focuses on public affairs and strategic relations, working to strengthen the conditions for entrepreneurs, both in Denmark and internationally. His work bridges policy, business, and innovation, making him a powerful advocate for the next generation of companies.

4. 

   23 Sept 2026

   S2E2: Conditioning, freedom, and what founders need to unlearn

   We want to hear from someone in the UK who has started, run and sold many successful businesses and helped many other people do the same. What are the key things to focus on that propel you forward and hold you back from success in work and life? Overview of episode Kat talks with Liza Knight about the hidden conditioning that shapes how business owners think, work, and define success. We discuss the mental cages entrepreneurs build for themselves, why freedom matters more than following conventional rules, and how to strip away beliefs that keep founders stuck. Liza also explains why entrepreneurship can be a path out of poverty, burnout, or misalignment, especially for women and for people who have never seen someone like them run a business. The reflection we hope listeners will take away Entrepreneurship is a path OUT of what DOESN’T work for you. The key, deep work is deciding and implementing what you want entrepreneurship to be a path IN to, for what DOES work for you. Who is Liza? Liza Knight is a Business Coach, Mentor and Director of Mint Business Club. She has more than 20 years’ experience of running and growing small businesses, alongside an ILM Level 7 qualification in Coaching and Mentoring. Through Mint Business Club, she works with small business owners to help them make clearer commercial decisions, understand what is getting in their way, and build businesses that work for their brains, values, capacity and lives. A big part of her  work is what she calls semi-feral business: interrogating the inherited rules about how business is “supposed” to be done, looking at what those rules are actually trying to achieve, and deliberately choosing the structures and standards that fit the founder and the business. She is particularly interested in founder self-trust, sustainable business, neurodivergence, decision-making, boundaries, and creating businesses that support health, wealth, happiness and choice. Mint Business Club: https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/ (https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/) About me: https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/about-liza (https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/about-liza) 1:1 coaching: https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/1-1-coaching (https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/1-1-coaching) Join Mint Business Club for free: https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/joinmint (https://mintbusinessclub.co.uk/joinmint) Want to know more? Find other videos on the Founders Matter channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast) Go here to learn about how we aim to improve our business owner support system with the UK Healthy Capital Coalition: www.mindyourbusiness.uk (http://www.mindyourbusiness.uk)

5. 

   22 Sept 2026

   S2E7: What should a founder actually be doing with their time, money and effort?

   There is no fixed job spec, so the real work is figuring out your strengths, your gaps, and the networks that can support you. It matters because the founder journey is different for everyone, and trying to copy a generic entrepreneur template can lead to frustration, inauthenticity, and a suspicious amount of time spent pretending to enjoy networking. The discussion focuses on self-awareness, skills-gap analysis, and building small, useful networks that help with technical, emotional, and business needs. Timestamps 00:00 - What founders really need instead of a job spec 00:34 - Why a founder role cannot be defined like a corporate job 01:35 - Every business is different, even in the same trade 02:05 - The “never-ending toilet roll” problem of founder responsibilities 03:03 - Why rigid specifications work in traditional workplaces but not for founders 03:59 - Authenticity as the foundation of trust 04:56 - A better approach: skills gap analysis 05:49 - Knowing when to learn, when to get help, and when to outsource 07:00 - Technical skills versus social and emotional skills 07:58 - Confidence gaps and speaking about your business 08:27 - What a founder person spec should really say 09:27 - Why “authentic” is the most important founder trait 10:27 - Adapting your presentation to the audience without faking it 12:06 - Why founder support networks matter 13:02 - How to build a core network without forcing it 14:00 - Networking as a two-way relationship 15:08 - Different networks for technical, emotional, and practical support 16:34 - Why founders need time alone as well as time with others 17:33 - What a founder should be doing, in one answer 18:37 - The freedom of doing what feels right for you Who is Jase? Jase spent over 35 years in the military and has more than 20 years’ experience designing and delivering training in leadership, management, mental health, wellbeing and resilience. Jase draws on his multinational training and organisational development experience to equip trainers with everything they need to meet MYB’s high standards, ensuring theory translates into practical, real-world impact. Jase is the Jackanory of Mind Your Business®. He brings a bank of relatable and often amusing anecdotes to bring theory to life. He also has a rare gift for distilling complex ideas into simple, memorable sentences, making change feel achievable. Want to know more? Find other videos on the Founders Matter channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast) Go here to learn about how we aim to improve our business owner support system with the UK Healthy Capital Coalition: www.mindyourbusiness.uk (http://www.mindyourbusiness.uk)

6. 

   22 Sept 2026

   S2E6: Could entrepreneurial skills save the flawed UK curriculum and make businesses better off?

   There are many arguments for teaching entrepreneurial skills at school. Pablo asks Kat questions based on her experience as a former primary school teacher and current business owner. Discussions include: 1. The trigger game Pablo and Kat play because we like seeing each get on our high horse about subjects we believe in 2. What did you have to unlearn from your previous jobs when you became a founder? 3. 'Entrepreneur' is supposed to be used as a verb, not a noun. 4. The curriculum and SATs measure the wrong things, and that is severely harmful to kids' development. Hence the current “behaviour crisis”. 5. The curriculum is built for government, not kids 6. Enterprising skills could help re-engage kids with the point of being at school 7. Why is enterprise education in schools always based on Dragons Den, when real life as a founder is not about competition, but collaboration? 8. How Kat would design enterprise education that matches the real life experience of a founder 9. How enterprise skills are useful for everyone in education, not just people who want their own business 10. Enterprise skills learned in school will help people be INtrepreneurial in someone else's business, not just ENtrepreneurial in their own. 11. NASA did a study. Decades ago. The results were jaw-dropping. But no-one knows about it and acts on the findings...Let's change that. This is what Kat hopes Andy Burnham knows about what the UK curriculum and business owners really need. Do you agree? What would you add to the discussion? Who is Kat? Kat has been described by clients as the Mary Poppins for Projects. In her varied career, she has been: • a primary school teacher, specialising in emotional and behavioural barriers to learning, • a construction project manager in London, delivering projects ranging from £1m to £75m, • and a regional digital change project manager in the NHS Kat’s professional background, personal experience of depression as a teenager, and her journey through the uncertainty of business ownership shape her contribution to Mind Your Business®. She ensures the content and delivery are practical, engaging and tailored to individuals, helping participants translate insight into meaningful action. Her work is all about engaging others (and yourself) to do what needs doing. Want to know more? Find other videos on the Founders Matter channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast) Go here to learn about how we aim to improve our business owner support system with the UK Healthy Capital Coalition: www.mindyourbusiness.uk (http://www.mindyourbusiness.uk)

7. 

   22 Sept 2026

   S2E1: Why Entrepreneurship Is More Than Startups

   What we want to find out in this discussion Cultural norms and values affect the performance of founders. Which cultural factors are helpful? Which ones are detrimental? How can we create and foster more helpful cultural factors? And how can we dispel less helpful ones? Overview of episode This episode explores entrepreneurship as a culture rather than just a startup category. Pablo speaks with Ewald Kibler, sociologist and entrepreneurship scholar at Aalto University, about how norms, values, and local context shape who gets counted as an entrepreneur, who gets left out, and why the dominant founder story still centres high-growth startups. Key topics ·        In this episode, Ewald Kibler explains why entrepreneurship should be understood as a set of cultural meanings, norms, expectations, and values, not just a business model. ·        The conversation digs into the persistence of regional differences, including moral norms around entrepreneurship and why some places sustain higher entrepreneurial activity over long periods. ·        Ewald argues that the current founder narrative overvalues high-growth startups and creates pressure on entrepreneurs to become “big” instead of simply building useful, sustainable businesses. ·        He discusses how venture capital, media, and founder celebrity reinforce a narrow image of entrepreneurship, while small and medium-sized businesses are often overlooked despite their long-term importance. ·        The episode also examines the “hero founder” myth and why society needs to celebrate different kinds of entrepreneurial contribution, including community-based and social entrepreneurship. ·        Ewald highlights overlooked groups such as late-career entrepreneurs, migrant entrepreneurs, refugee entrepreneurs, and women founders, and explains why each deserves more attention in research and support systems. ·        The discussion closes with the case for a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem that lowers the threshold for participation and better reflects how entrepreneurship actually works in everyday life. The reflection we hope listeners will take away Entrepreneurship is not mainly about startups. So why do UK policy makers and mass media treat it like it is? Who is Ewald? Ewald Kibler is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Head of the Entrepreneurship Unit (ENTU) at Aalto University School of Business. His research and teaching focus on how entrepreneurship shapes people, organisations, and society, with particular interests in entrepreneurial wellbeing, new venture creation, business failure and recovery, prosocial entrepreneurship, and regional development. He also works closely with policymakers and international organisations to translate entrepreneurship research into practice. Want to know more? Find other videos on the Founders Matter channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast) Go here to learn about how we aim to improve our business owner support system with the UK Healthy Capital Coalition: www.mindyourbusiness.uk (http://www.mindyourbusiness.uk)

8. 

   22 Sept 2026

   S2:Founders of different countries walk into a bar…do they celebrate & commiserate the same things?

   Pablo has been doing work in Mexico and India. Jase and I have been doing work in Denmark. It’s fascinating to see similarities and differences between them and the UK. Social expectations. Cultural narratives. Support systems. Markets. So, Season 2 of the Founders Matter podcast is all about typical founders look like in different continents. What are the universal and unique challenges? What troubles them? What does success look like for them? In this video We predict from our recent observations what we think we will find from the discussions. If you want to know what we actually find, you’ll need to watch the episodes. Who is Jase? Jase spent over 35 years in the military and has more than 20 years’ experience designing and delivering training in leadership, management, mental health, wellbeing and resilience. Jase draws on his multinational training and organisational development experience to equip trainers with everything they need to meet MYB’s high standards, ensuring theory translates into practical, real-world impact. Jase is the Jackanory of Mind Your Business®. He brings a bank of relatable and often amusing anecdotes to bring theory to life. He also has a rare gift for distilling complex ideas into simple, memorable sentences, making change feel achievable. Who is Kat? Kat has been described by clients as the Mary Poppins for Projects. In her varied career, she has been: • a primary school teacher, specialising in emotional and behavioural barriers to learning, • a construction project manager in London, delivering projects ranging from £1m to £75m, • and a regional digital change project manager in the NHS Kat’s professional background, personal experience of depression as a teenager, and her journey through the uncertainty of business ownership shape her contribution to Mind Your Business®. She ensures the content and delivery are practical, engaging and tailored to individuals, helping participants translate insight into meaningful action. Her work is all about engaging others (and yourself) to do what needs doing. Want to know more? Find other videos on the Founders Matter channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersMatterPodcast) Go here to learn about how we aim to improve our business owner support system with the UK Healthy Capital Coalition: www.mindyourbusiness.uk (http://www.mindyourbusiness.uk)

9. 

   2 Apr 2026

   Where control really lies for small organisations

   Welcome to the Founders Matter Podcast. The podcast where we talk openly about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. In this episode, Jase Smith and Pablo Muñoz explore how founders approach growth, risk and business modelling, and why so many startups are still shaped using frameworks designed for large corporations rather than early-stage ventures. Drawing on research into founder wellbeing and entrepreneurial thinking, the conversation examines the limits of traditional risk management when applied to startup environments. While established organisations often operate in relatively knowable conditions, founders are creating businesses in spaces shaped by uncertainty, reaction and constant change. As a result, planning tools based on prediction, control and fixed outcomes can often feel misaligned with the lived reality of building a business from scratch. The episode explores the difference between causal and effectual thinking, showing how founders can make decisions based not on perfect forecasts, but on the means already available to them, including their experience, knowledge, relationships and resources. Jase and Pablo also reflect on how using models that do not fit the realities of entrepreneurship can affect confidence, self-worth and the connection founders feel to the businesses they are trying to build. Rather than encouraging founders to follow someone else’s formula for success, the discussion highlights the importance of shaping a business in a way that reflects who they are, what they value, and what is realistically within their control. In doing so, the episode challenges the assumption that every startup should be run as a small version of a corporation and instead offers a more grounded way of thinking about growth, risk and sustainability. Access the episode resources here (https://t9005154309.p.clickup-attachments.com/t9005154309/234f4b07-ff4e-44be-89b3-cea06cae24e3/FM%2520Podcast%2520PDF%2520s1%2520e6.pdf?view=open) Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn: Jase Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/) Pablo Munez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/) Kat Sykes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/)

10. 

    19 Mar 2026

    The freedom and curse of self-management

    Welcome to the Founders Matter Podcast. The podcast where we talk openly about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. In this episode, Jase Smith speaks with Kat Sykes about KPIs, targets and goals, and why so many founders end up measuring their businesses in ways that do not reflect what really matters to them. Drawing on her experience in the corporate world, including project work in the NHS, Kat explains how traditional KPIs often measure the wrong things. In many organisations, there is a disconnect between the targets handed down from above and the actions that actually create meaningful change. When founders leave employment and start their own businesses, they often carry those same inherited ideas about performance with them, even though they now have the freedom to define success differently. The conversation explores what happens when founders rely on goals that are shaped by investor expectations, external advice or societal conditioning rather than their own values. When business owners try to make themselves or their businesses fit someone else’s model of success, it can create frustration, misalignment and a loss of purpose. Instead, Jase and Kat discuss how founders can start with their values and their “why”, then work outward to create goals and KPIs that genuinely support the business and life they want to build. By focusing on the parts of the process they can actually influence, rather than outcomes that sit outside their control, founders can create measures of success that feel more meaningful, motivating and sustainable. Access the episode resources here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:7dd6294f-c6a1-4b7b-8889-db6c7f7ac45c (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:7dd6294f-c6a1-4b7b-8889-db6c7f7ac45c) Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn: Jase Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/) Pablo Munez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/) Kat Sykes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/)

11. 

    5 Mar 2026

    Modelling your business for you, not others

    Welcome to the Founders Matter Podcast. The podcast where we talk openly about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. In this episode, Jase Smith speaks with Kat Sykes about how founders measure success and why many end up using KPIs that reflect external expectations rather than what actually matters to them. Drawing on her experience working across education, construction, the NHS and digital transformation, Kat explores how systems such as schools and traditional workplaces condition people to work within predefined metrics and performance measures. When founders start their own businesses, they often carry these inherited ideas of success with them, even though entrepreneurship offers the freedom to define success differently. The conversation examines the consequences of relying on indicators designed for investors, institutions or external validation. When founders measure their performance against metrics that do not align with their own values, it can create a disconnect between the business they are building and the life they hoped it would support. Instead, Jase and Kat explore how founders can begin by identifying what truly matters to them such as freedom, variety, impact or personal growth and then work outward to design businesses and KPIs that support those goals. By focusing on behaviours, actions and outcomes within their control, founders can create measures of success that reflect both the business they want to build and the life they want to lead. Access the episode resources here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:7383a4e1-af82-472a-8489-0918c88e99dd (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:7383a4e1-af82-472a-8489-0918c88e99dd) Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn: Jase Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/) Pablo Munez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/) Kat Sykes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/)

12. 

    19 Feb 2026

    Making the most of the resources available to you

    Welcome to the Founders Matter Podcast. The podcast where we talk openly about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. In this third episode, Pablo Munoz is joined by Jase Smith to explore how founders can create more value by using the resources they already have. Drawing on the research behind the Mind Your Business programme, the conversation takes a holistic view of entrepreneurship. The founder and the business are deeply connected. When one is under pressure, the other feels it. Pablo and Jase discuss how many founders focus on financial capital while overlooking internal and relational resources such as values, strengths, networks, discipline, and emotional support. The episode looks at why overwhelm often comes from trying to add more. More courses, more tools, more expectations. Instead, founders are encouraged to pause and take stock of what is already in their toolkit. What are you naturally good at? Where are the gaps? Should you build the skill or bring someone else in? Jase reflects on his transition from a 35 year military career into business ownership, including the emotional highs and lows and the loneliness that can come with autonomy. The conversation also explores how personal values translate into business value, why constraints can become creative turning points, and how to recognise the early signs that it is time to delegate or seek support. Rather than chasing constant growth, this episode invites founders to build sustainably by protecting their own wellbeing and leveraging the networks and strengths already around them. Access Episode Three resources: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:b1f2e2f2-0a7d-4b50-a1a8-4e767cf6f299 (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:b1f2e2f2-0a7d-4b50-a1a8-4e767cf6f299) Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn: Jase Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/) Pablo Munoz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/) Kat Sykes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/)

13. 

    5 Feb 2026

    Why, I

    Welcome to the Founders Matter Podcast. The podcast where we talk openly about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. In this second episode, Kat Sykes is joined by co-host Jase Smith to explore self awareness and why it matters for founders who want focus and a business that supports the life they are trying to build. Drawing on the research behind the Mind Your Business programme, the conversation starts from a holistic view of entrepreneurship. The founder and the business are not separate entities. Kat and Jase discuss how overwhelm can reduce a founder’s sense of purpose, autonomy, and achievement, and how that loss can show up as decision fog and a feeling of drifting away from what the business was originally for. The episode looks at common wellbeing pressures that appear consistently in workplace research, including rising demands and stress, the impact of culture and management behaviours, and the challenge of finding a workable work life mix. Kat and Jase explore how these pressures can be intensified for founders, who often carry every responsibility in the business, rebuild cultures they hoped to leave behind, and struggle to switch off without clear boundaries. Instead of offering quick fixes, this episode encourages founders to slow down, reflect on what matters most to them, and define success on their own terms, because protecting your self worth is part of building a sustainable business. Access Episode Two resources here (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:01a76ec3-12cd-41ad-93e2-4b86d62d6706) Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn: Jase Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/) Pablo Munoz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/) Kat Sykes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/)

14. 

    22 Jan 2026

    The Myths, Fads and Fairytales of Business

    Welcome to the Founders Matter Podcast. The podcast where we talk openly about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. In this first episode, Jase Smith and Pablo Munoz examine the UK Government’s Backing Your Business strategy and related national and regional business support policies, asking whether these frameworks are designed for founders as people, or for an idealised version of entrepreneurship. Drawing on research into founder wellbeing, the conversation questions the continued focus on operational skills, leadership capability, funding access and growth targets, and highlights what is often missing from these approaches. Jase and Pablo explore how growth first narratives, early stage funding, and constant expectations to ‘do more’ can contribute to over optimism, pressure, and the decline of founder self-worth. The episode also challenges the assumption that more startups and more funding automatically lead to better outcomes, raising questions about profit-first strategies, long-term sustainability, and why many viable businesses are excluded from support because they do not fit narrow definitions of success. Rather than offering simple solutions, this episode asks uncomfortable but necessary questions about how entrepreneurship is supported, who that support is really for, and what happens when founder wellbeing is treated as secondary. Access episode one resources here. (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:c6b984a8-102c-4851-9cc0-d1ea07e7a4f1) (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:c6b984a8-102c-4851-9cc0-d1ea07e7a4f1) Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn: Jase Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jase-smith-zero78training/) Pablo Munoz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablomunozroman/) Kat Sykes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sykes-business-not-as-usual/)

15. 

    22 Jan 2026

    Founders Matter Trailer Episode

    Welcome to the Founders Matter Podcast. Hosted by Jase Smith, Pablo Munoz and Kat Sykes, Founders Matter is a podcast about what it really means to build a business on your own terms. Founders are more likely to experience mental ill being than people in traditional employment, yet for many years there was little research explaining why this happens or what founders can do to change it. This podcast was created in response to that gap. Born from award-winning academic research into founder self-worth, Founders Matter challenges dominant myths of entrepreneurship and focuses on the emotional and psychological realities of business ownership. If you are building a business and are looking for support that goes beyond hustle culture and heroic startup narratives, this podcast is for you. Subscribe now to listen to all episodes of Founders Matter, and access all the resources at https://mindyourbusiness.uk/ (https://mindyourbusiness.uk/)

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.