15,000 Hours Later...

Seven years ago Sohrab Jahanbani and Daniel Stuart invited me to join them in an idea. Like me, they believed technology could make our lives easier and they thought the professional service space was ready for disruption. Having worked with these two before, it wasn’t a difficult decision and we found ourselves around Dan’s dining room table working on the beginnings of what would eventually become Bidvine.

Being a co-founder of a business has been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life. Over the last 7 years, we’ve done a lot. We participated in top global accelerators, built a team across five countries, developed an amazing product, managed substantial growth, helped people complete hundreds of thousands of personal projects, and so much more.?

This month my journey with Bidvine comes to an end. Despite all that we’ve accomplished, due to circumstances beyond our control (i.e. Covid 19) and after a period of restructuring, we have had to sell Bidvine’s technology and discontinue our involvement in the business.

Although this outcome wasn’t something we hoped for, there is still so much that I am grateful for:

• The Bidviners that have joined us over the years to deliver such an exceptional product and experience. From those who have been with us since the beginning to those who joined us in the last year, your dedication and hard work is something I will always appreciate. On that note, we have some amazing people looking for their next role. Feel free to learn more about them and connect with them here.
• The hundreds of thousands of people across the UK that used Bidvine to complete personal projects or grow their business. Some of my fondest memories have been sitting down with small business owners in the UK and, over a coffee, learning how Bidvine has helped them grow and giving us invaluable feedback.
• Our investors. The individuals and organisations that believed in our vision and backed it up with mentorship, advice, networking connections and, of course, the funds that allowed us to grow.
• My cofounders who have been a huge part of this entire journey. From celebrating successes to regrouping after pitfalls, it was great to work with two people that always have your back.
• The various organisations that have partnered with Bidvine over the years. We’ve always worked with businesses that were aligned in delivering value to the people who used Bidvine and I couldn’t be happier with what we’ve done.
• My partner Helen who, if it wasn’t for Covid, would now be my wife. It is an amazing thing to have someone alongside you when you are navigating the sometimes turbulent world of a startup. It probably helps that she’s a psychologist ;)

I can safely say, that there isn’t anything I have spent more time on in my professional life than starting and running a business. Rest assured that this post only scratches the surface when it comes to all of the experiences I’ve had with Bidvine over the years. However, now is the point for me to look forward. I am looking forward to finding a new role with a stellar organisation where I can continue to learn and grow. I am also looking forward to being a father to my daughter who was born just 2 days ago and eventually teaching her a thing or two about entrepreneurship.

Thank you to everyone who climbed the vine,

Russ