Corey Harrower

GigPig has just secured a £1.3m seed investment round led by Notion Capital and Haatch 🎉🔥 This investment will revolutionise the live music scene and create thousands of new gigging opportunities nationwide in the hospitality sector to help those venues facing unprecedented challenges in the industry. Live music improves customer satisfaction, drives footfall and increases sales while giving thousands of artists an easier way to earn money gigging. The latest round of investment means that GigPig can bring these benefits to more communities in towns and cities across the UK. This will help us deliver on our mission of boosting live music in the hospitality industry through the power of technology and data to grow the hospitality music scene collectively and create opportunities for every artist and venue. The investment led by Chris Tottman and Mark Bennett, alongside angel investors and music industry experts Richard Flint, Chris Meehan, Wolfgang Allisat and Andreas Mihalovits will ensure that GigPig can continue to grow and establish the business as the definitive live music platform for venues, artists and UK cities. Follow the link for the full details on the investment: https://soamp.li/lwQ0 #GigPig #LiveMusic #Hospitality #Investment #MusicIndustry 🎵🎤

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Exciting news to share

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Molly Macgregor and I are going to be out and about quite a bit more over the coming months (including London for several days next week) showing people Juralio and its newest, financial functionality. A few notes on what it's all about: - Juralio is software which has for a while now helped people to capture legal work as structured phases and tasks in ways that can be as layered, rigid or flexible as required. It's highly visual - work is presented as easy-to-understand maps. - You can also capture your maps as templates, to the level of detail required in your context. You can link this up at whatever level is useful to documents and other knowledge resources. This helps people to come across them naturally when engaging with the relevant work. It also makes their lives easier by making the latest process immediately available to them without having to read docs, flowcharts etc and figure it out for themselves. - Our design approach emphasises simplicity - 'minimum valuable structure' as it were. Just enough to enable people to see the forest as well as the trees but without becoming micro-managey (ick) and generally tedious. - And maps can be quickly built up by anyone, without the need for specialist training. Importantly, Juralio's maps aren't rule-based in the usual sense (which has a certain overhead and rigidity making it unsuitable outside 'volume' work and highly repeatable tasks) - Our financial functionality allows you to plan what work is going to take to deliver and apply different pricing models. Unlike a spreadsheet or purely financial tool, it's linked up effectively to how the work actually develops. - With this in place, you also have the basis for creating much better information for analysing what happened in matters so that you can reinforce success and deal with problems. The fact it's simple, structured and joined-up allows you to see that directly as well as giving you better data for analysis elsewhere. - A final thing to mention is that Juralio isn't about maximising positions for just one side (law firm or client) in the familiar rather adversarial way. It's about breaking away from that world, increasing meaningful collaboration and conversations about what needs to be done by whom and the financial implications of this, capturing it all conveniently and then keeping on top of it when things change materially. That can be a real win-win, reducing friction and improving financial and other outcomes for firms, clients and the individuals working for each, all the while helping with the sharing and improvement of knowledge of what's going on, and how to do things. We're mainly focused on UK medium and large law firms and legal departments at the moment. We've also recently announced a partnership with GUIRBADEN (Eric Eck) to promote Juralio's adoption by similar organisations in continental Europe. Please DM Molly, Eric or me if interested in discussing. Juralio website - https://www.juralio.com/

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My She Founds podcast interview with Esme Verity , Fundraising coach and Alternative Funding Expert, was super insightful. Esme launched Considered Capital in 2021 and has since taught 260 founders through her 8-week programme. If you are thinking about fund raising or actively fund raising this episode is for you. Esme shares:  *Her story of starting Considered Capital *Her biggest mistake in her start up journey *How to reframe failure *Why to numbers aren’t a measure of success  *Insights on building a zebra over a unicorn *Common mistakes in finding funding *Why startups should explore alternative funding *Considerations for safeguarding the mission of your startup  *Trends in Funding  *Importance of of reaching out to your network for funding  *Her experience of women’s confidence in fundraising

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Really happy this piece with the BBC has gone live. Not only does it showcase our mission but also features key testimonials from our founder Jamie Johnston and successful users of Mattr! 🤩 Jamie felt addicted to the dopamine rush from matches, especially after discovering he is #AuDHD. Research showed that 80% of people felt dating apps didn't represent them, and 94% of neurodivergent users felt misunderstood. 😲 Jamie wanted change. "I wanted a space where everyone feels comfortable being themselves, without judgment." That's why Mattr exists—to foster meaningful connections without addictive dopamine spikes. Mattr users share their positive experiences with authenticity and understanding, easing the anxiety around neurodivergence. Mattr is the first neurodivergent-friendly dating app, encouraging inclusive conversations and connections. Because #YouMattr 💗 Article: https://lnkd.in/eYQDhnwR #InclusiveTech #EthicalTech #InclusiveDesign BBC News

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We're looking for feedback on a new concept we're exploring. It's a bit out there, so hang onto your hats. Would you book a digital version of a band? Here's what I mean... So let's pick one of our bands to demonstrate the point. The Big Papas are arguably the busiest band in the country. Because of this, they're unavailable for most of the enquiries that come in for them. So here's what we're exploring... ✅ We professionally video the band performing a full wedding set ✅ The songs would be recorded individually, so the client would have the option of choosing the order in which they were played. ✅ Generic welcome messages, inviting wedding couples onto the floor for the first dance, end-of-night sign-offs, etc, would all be recorded and baked into the performance. ✅ All the banter/crowd participation and callback dialogue for each song would be captured as well. ✅ A technician would arrive at the venue with a PA system, 4 K projector, and scrim/screens. ✅ He /she would essentially be a video DJ, seamlessly blending the video/tunes together and augmenting the digital Big Papas performance to your specific requirements. ✅ You'd then dance the night away and interact with a digital version of the band. ✅ The digital product would be way cheaper than the band. Somewhere in the £650-£750 price range. ✅ Essentially an option for someone who was stuck between a DJ or band, or had space / sound restrictions at the venue. ✅ The benefits would be your favourite band at a much lower price point that never gets sick, sounds AWESOME every night, never pulls out of a gig and accommodates every song request (from the setlist) Oh, and never raids the buffet! We're still fleshing out the edge cases, but at this point, we're looking for candid feedback on the general concept. Really appreciate EVERYONE chipping in here.

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News is a bizarre business where you make a product for one crowd – then look for another to pay for it. Only about 1 in 6 UK indie news publishers turns to their readers for funds. (That's from the Public Interest News Foundation Index 2024 we launched this week.) What I've always loved about reader revenue is it's the only model where you serve a single master. No need to interrupt the user experience to please an advertiser, no need to shoehorn your editorial projects into the list of requirements of some foundation or philanthropist, no need to satisfy the changing whims of an algorithm. Make the better product your audience wants and your revenue will increase. That simple. Sure, putting the principle in practice gets a tad more complex. It can rarely be your –only– revenue source. But name me another business model that gives you instant and constant product feedback and a direct relationship with the audience. I'll wait. All that to say, 16% of indie newsrooms using reader revenue methods is puny and I'm sure we can up that number.

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🚀 It’s finally time to come out of stealth! In the last few months, I’ve been fully immersed in the retail operations world and its inefficiencies, and it quickly became clear that I can apply my 10 years of experience in building large-scale B2B SaaS products that power over 100,000 businesses globally across hospitality, energy and beauty & wellness industries to disrupt the retail space. I’m building frnt, to help retail businesses unify their disjointed systems and significantly reduce the time spent on manual processes by delegating them to our AI-powered digital workers, enabling focus to be redirected towards higher-value tasks. Embarking on this journey with Boran Cakir, backed by the leading early-stage VC Antler, couldn't be more fitting. Want to learn more about frnt or know a retail business that would be a good fit? Let's connect! 👨🏽‍💻 https://lnkd.in/evKhxTrS #RetailTech #AI #FutureOfRetail #Startup

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Yesterday's Inkpact event was as engaging and insightful as always. We heard from the CRM leads at Huel and Bloom & Wild about what works for them, and what doesn't, when it comes to Customer Retention. Most interesting to me were the conversations on how to take your customer from their 1st to 2nd purchase. Both Huel and Bloom & Wild exclude their customers in this stage from their BAU campaigns, so that the communications really focus on the next action they want the customer to take. For Huel, this is a key time to focus on finding out their customers goals so they can tailor messages to them, and also provide them with added value with editorial emails. We also discussed wrap up emails (in the style of Spotify) and how much customers engage with these across email and social. If you haven't got the customer data to create something like this, an alternative that works well for Waitrose & Partners is taking some of their best customers and showcasing their behaviour eg. someone bought a tiramisu every single week last year! Thanks to Charlotte Pearce and team for having me. I'm looking forward to the next one (especially when there's Tony's Chocolonely in the goody bag!)

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Couldn't get to eCom Collab Club™ 🥞 London today? Or you were there but it's all a bit of a blur? Well worry not, the latest episode of Recap from Cogent2 is here to break down the knowledge and share the wealth. The centrepiece of May's session was a panel on Data Driven Decision Making, chaired by Nathan Lomax. Taking part were: Angelica Olszewska from NAYDAYA Andre Brown from Advanced Commerce Valeria Granda from rebuy Hannah Herlihy Lowe from Conjura Iain Coplans from Stok.ly You'll have to watch for the full nine yards, but the WHY (thanks to Hannah's offspring) featured heavily throughout and there were some really interesting and actionable insights from everyone on the panel. That theme of Why fed through into Val's session with Adam Pearce on the Airfryer, which was engaging and thought-provoking as per. And just to prove that dreams do come true, stoked to have bagged a £100 Amazon voucher for my post-event selfie (if a piece to camera counts for that). Already considering far too many data points and in danger of being paralysed into purchasing nothing... Thank you to everyone that puts the eCom Collab Club events on - as per this was really enjoyable and if you're in (or around) eCom and can get to London on 12th June I heartily recommend it. As ever, please leave your thoughts, suggestions and feedback in the comments. #dontbeapancake #ecommerce #data #why #dontlookaroundtheeyes

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A fantastic campaign from RBR legflow™ highlighting the risk of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) in the gaming community. You can read more here in our recent article detailing this issue https://lnkd.in/eYx5shKs #gamesafe #rbrlegflow #dvt #deepveinthrombosis #biomaster

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The sweetness of doing nothing, a meditation teacher shares how embracing periods of doing nothing enhances productivity and well-being. Thank you Dora Kamau for bringing this knowledge to more people via podcasts. If you are like me and have worked for hours without a break to perfect a component across your design system, made plans just to know that you have them, said yes to every social invite with reckless abandon for your own schedule🤣, or felt proud about grinding through the weekend, then the practice of "Il Dolce far Niente" (the sweetness of doing nothing) will replenish you. "Doing nothing can be one of the sweetest things in the world. It can often make you more productive, relaxed, and ready to cherish and savor the things you really want to do." To practice this set aside time where you have "no plan and no agenda, it's about living in the moment relaxing and allowing things to unfold with zero expectations. We often believe that a busy mind is a productive mind or a busy life is a product life, but it's those moments when we are present and connected to the flow and unfolding of life that we find a greater sense of meaning and fulfillment" Thank you Dora for the wisdom and thank you Headspace for expanding meditation content into more areas outside the app. https://lnkd.in/gakutn6d

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Huge thanks to Luke Dalton for taking the time and having the patience to deal with the team on this. Lukes professionalism and SEO Strategies are first class and will definitely put your organisation ahead of your competitor's. I'd highly recommend his work to any of my connections. Feel free to reach out if you need an intro! #SEO #J6S #Strategy

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Welcome to the Scale with Strive podcast, the place where you come to listen to some of the world’s most influential leaders of the SaaS industry. 🚀    Today, we're very pleased to welcome Ellen Chisa, Partner at boldstart ventures   Boldstart's speciality is partnering with Founders at inception, and our conversation was centred around advice for Early-Stage Founders when looking to build a company.    Some of the key takeaways:   💡 The first steps that a Founder should take when they have an idea.    💡 The specific qualities that VCs look for in Founders when considering investment.    💡 Some of the common mistakes that Founders make when pitching to Venture Capitalists.    🎥 Watch the full episode on our website: https://lnkd.in/epKRGDtz 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eArQi4tP 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/ekb2qZdt    Let’s Dive In!    #saassales #scalewithstrive #podcasts #gtm #vc #venturecapitalist

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Exciting News! Walk Ailly is now in the App Store UK store link ; https://lnkd.in/esinDqER Today marks a momentous occasion as I’m thrilled to announce that Walk Ailly is now available for pre-order on the Apple App Store! I would be grateful for supporting us and pre-ordering the app!!! For nine years, we’ve poured our heart and souls into research and development, pushing the boundaries of software to create something truly groundbreaking. Walk Ailly marks the 1st of our 7 developed apps to go live and is our proudest achievement,, designed for everyone. Young or seasoned, athlete or novice, meeting you where you are and propelling you towards a healthier you. Meet Walk, Ailly, not just your average step-counter. Walk Ailly, doesn’t just count steps; it measures how fast you walk because speed, matters. * Why Walk Ailly? Why Now? * You’ve been misled. Step counts aren’t the sole measure of health benefits from walking. Walk Ailly, underpinned by rigorous science and advanced tech, is designed to boost fitness, improve health, and promote sustainable fat loss by focusing on walking speed not the number of steps.   * It’s time to forget 10,000 steps, What if just 2,000 to 3,000 targeted, brisk walking steps could transform your health and extend your life? That’s not much, right? * Walk, Ailly, the world’s most advanced walking app, and virtual stride assistant, and the first app engineered to target your walking pace. It’s not just about counting steps, it’s about making every step count. With Walk, Ailly, you don’t need extra gym time. Your daily routine is your new fitness regime. Whether it’s walking to work, pacing through your lunch break, or stepping lively on your way home, Walk, Ailly is there to guide you. Imagine an app that does more than just track steps, but also coaches you to walk at the right pace on every walk, helping you to build exercise consistency for maximum health benefits. That’s Walk, Ailly #WalkAilly #FitnessJourney #Health #Wellness #Innovation #AppStore #PreOrderNow

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Good nicknames tend to stick. That’s how PSV became the unofficial name for PreSeed Ventures.   So yesterday, we made it official. Going forward, we’ll just be PSV and wave a last goodbye to PreSeed Ventures 👋🏼 Does that also mean we’re turning our back to the pre-seed stage, you might be wondering? Not at all. Our mission remains the same. It’s at the heart of everything we do to clear the path for founders building companies that matter ✅ 🦄 With our new hybrid venture house, comprising PSV Foundry, PSV Lab, and two independent venture funds, PSV Tech and PSV DeepTech, we’re doubling down on just that 🏠 This setup sets us free from adhering to a singular method. Rather, we rethink existing ways and models to maximise our impact beyond any individual firm or investment 🚀 Read much more about it on our updated website www.psv.xyz

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🐾 Black Friday Chaos? Not at www.petshop.co.uk 🐾 Here are more customer stories that went to different levels at Wayflyer we rise by lifting others. Thanks to our partners at Wayflyer, we’ve mastered the art of cash flow wizardry! 🧙‍♂️💰 This Black Friday, we're ready to fetch every opportunity without a hitch. #Challenge: Cash flow crunch during peak sales 🐶😬 #Solution: Wayflyer’s cash flow magic 🪄 #Result: Pawsome deals and smooth sailing! 🐾🚀 https://lnkd.in/eBfC9QAW Here’s to a tail-waggingly successful Black Friday! #BlackFriday #Petshop #Wayflyer #CashFlowMagic #BusinessGrowth #Partnership

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Political change is almost here but what does the future hold for UK startups? No one knows for sure, but startups must be a crucial part of any new government's agenda. Thankfully, Dom Hallas and the team at the Startup Coalition have produced a comprehensive Startup Manifesto to guide our new leaders on what needs to be done. With the UK ranking third globally for VC investment, our AI sector valued at £72bn and our ClimateTech sector worth over £26bn, there’s plenty to suggest we're on the right path. But there's so much more to address – across talent, funding, regulation, and innovation. 📈 So that British startups can remain competitive at the forefront of the global tech revolution. 🌍 Have a read of the full manifesto below and do your bit to promote it, so that whoever is in charge on Friday hears about it too. 📢

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Just had a great chat with Michael Williams from KellyDeli, ranked one of the most flexible companies in the UK by Flexa, about how they're reshaping the concept of workplace flexibility. Here’s their playbook: 🌟 Flexibility: A Core Part of the Brand At KellyDeli, flexibility isn't just a perk—it's a fundamental part of their employer brand. "Giving as much choice for the individual as possible to balance work-or-life priorities," Mike explains, is what sets them apart. This approach not only attracts talent but also resonates deeply with current employees who expect and value this flexibility. 📉 Stability Through Flexibility Flexibility has contributed to stability within KellyDeli. Mike notes a significantly lower turnover rate since the implementation of their flexible work model. This stability is crucial for maintaining the agility needed in their entrepreneurial and fast-paced environment. 🛠️ Tackling Common Flex-Work Challenges When it comes to the typical hurdles of remote work—collaboration, relationships, and onboarding—KellyDeli has innovative solutions. They leverage a hybrid model, encouraging in-office collaboration during designated days. For building relationships and company culture, they organize annual all-hands events and local social activities, ensuring that team bonds remain strong across all levels and locations. 👥 The Leadership’s Role in Flexibility Leadership at KellyDeli actively promotes and participates in the flexible work culture, setting an example and ensuring policies are lived and breathed across the organization. This leadership commitment helps cement the flexibility culture, making it a lived experience rather than just a set of policies. 👉 How does your company integrate flexibility into its core operations? Do you see it as an integral part of your culture or just a nice-to-have? Drop your insights below! 🌐 #WorkplaceInnovation #Flexibility #CorporateCulture #Leadership

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