No Entrepreneur is an Island
London, while often feeling like the centre of the universe, can be a cold mistress. It’s a city of eight million people and growing, and while its lightning fast pace of life is often cited as the key to its allure, sometimes London can feel very lonely.
Being a global tech hub, entrepreneurs are bountiful in London. By definition, entrepreneurs are people who embrace challenges and thrive from taking risks, but it doesn’t mean that they are – or should be – going it alone.
Feeling isolated can take its toll on entrepreneurs, emotionally, physically and financially. Starting a business can be incredibly stressful, which is why entrepreneurs need to build a helpful and sympathetic support network for when they need feedback, advice or just a friend who understands.
Underneath its tough, atomised exterior, London beholds a rich network of resources for lonely entrepreneurs. I spoke to some real life London entrepreneurs to find out about the organisations, events and networks that support them.
“3 Beards put on great events for entrepreneurs,” says Ed, founder of Business Tours UK. “I really like their approach – honesty and no bullshit. They give you frank feedback at their pitching events, which is far more useful than the standard ‘sounds like a great idea!’ line. It gives me the feedback I need to really iterate my product.” 3 Beards also run Silicon Drinkabout, weekly (often free) drinks for startups.
Eddie Holmes, co-founder & CEO of Launch22, waxes lyrical about the freshly launched Digital Business Academy. “The Academy is an incredible resource for entrepreneurs. It offers free online courses in finance, marketing, branding and how to scale your idea. It bridges gaps in your knowledge and helps you to train staff.”
Eddie’s co-founder, David, tells me about sotak.co.uk. “Sotak is awesome because it lists all tech events in the area. Other sites tend to be selective about what they list. You can find some really good stuff on sotak – talks, meet-ups, conferences, and of course, free drinks.”
A sense of solidarity is important for entrepreneurs. “I really recommend Google Campus,” says Jen, a budding entrepreneur, without hesitation. “There’s a real community vibe there. It feels like the heart of Tech City. You can work for free in the cafe and there are always interesting events going on. They also offer office hours, where you can get one to one advice from an expert on something you’re working on.”
Jordan, an engineer at Lumi, points to Entrepreneur First (ef). “If you’re a graduate with tech skills and big ideas, ef is a really great programme to apply to. It recruits on talent – you don’t need an existing team or product to apply – then acts as an accelerator for startups formed from the cohort. I started my first startup on the programme. It failed, but I’m not discouraged. Being part of the programme connected me with incredibly talented, like-minded people and mentors who prove invaluable when you’re trying to do your own thing.”
Encouraging the digital economy is a big priority for the government and entrepreneurs should take advantage of it. Tom from Lines.io is a fan – ”the government offers a lot of advice to young people starting companies. HMRC’s guides on business and tax are really useful.”
No entrepreneur needs to be alone. Whether you’re looking to network, need to pick up a new skill or find yourself in the murky waters of self-doubt, there are a wealth of resources at your fingertips – both online and offline. Take advantage. There really is no better time to be an entrepreneur.
