Stop Chasing Trophies, Start Building Value
Alex Leigh ????
Defence & Space VC @ UKI2S - Future Planet Capital | Helping 100M Entrepreneurs @thetippytopblog
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Welcome
Dear Reader,
Awards, vanity metrics, and distractions are everywhere—but real success comes from building something valuable. This week, we’re cutting through the noise and focusing on what truly moves the needle: hitting milestones, raising smart money, and scaling with purpose. Let’s get into it!
?? Weekly Spotlight: Say No to Startup Awards ??
Startup awards aren’t a real thing—they rob you of your most precious resource: time. One or two for PR? Fine. But chasing them sends a red flag to investors that you’re not focused on what truly matters.
The real prize?
?? Hitting technical milestones
?? Winning commercial contracts
?? Getting the right investors around the table
Build something valuable, not a trophy collection.
?? Watch my LinkedIn video and dive into the conversation
?? VC Perspective: Your Backstage Pass to Future Planet Capital Filming
Most founders don’t actually know how VC works. Here’s the inside scoop:
Investor Directors like me go to great lengths to build conviction in startups—then we sell that dream internally, pick up the phone to other investors, and make the round happen.
?? Stressed founders = bad business. That’s why we help however we can—because when you raise VC, you’re not just getting money. You’re getting an investor who cares and wants you to win.
P.S. Brilliantly organized as always, Sara Banares .
? Entrepreneur Corner: The Task Prioritisation Hack Every Founder Needs
Starting a business? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But not all tasks are created equal.
That’s where the Task Prioritisation Chart comes in. It helps you sort tasks by impact and effort, so you can work smarter, not harder.
? High Impact, Low Effort → Quick wins. Do these first.
?? High Impact, High Effort → Big moves. Prioritise strategically. Start soon.
?? Low Impact, Low Effort → Only if you have spare time.
?? Low Impact, High Effort → Avoid at all costs.
If your to-do list is out of control, this chart is your lifeline.
?? Full breakdown & video here (1.6 million views in 12 hours - clearly a problem for lots of people!)
?? Spouses Aren’t Cofounders!
Ever thought starting a business with your spouse was the perfect recipe for success? Think again.
When the exit timeline for a startup stretches 7-10 years and the average marriage lasts around 8 years, you’re left with at best a one-year window to gracefully exit and separate your business from your personal life.
That narrow escape route means you’re either racing against time for a clean exit or risking a catastrophic clash—imagine gearing up to exit your business while simultaneously navigating a divorce, or worse, having to work with your ex.
Just don’t do it.
?? Common Ground / Industry Trends
Barclays Demo Directory: A Game-Changer for Founders & VCs
Come backstage with me, and check out the demo directory here.
It’s a great way for founders to upload their deck once and get access to loads of VCs. For VCs, it’s an excellent way to quickly filter for relevant dealflow. You could even use it for your CRM too!
?? Click here and here for your backstage passes!
Great spending the morning with Benjamin Storey —thanks again for having me, both to you and Mark Walker .
?? Ask Alex: "Alex, You’re So Talented at Video."
? Wrong! I just put in the work.
Here’s a video from March 2021. It features:
?? Covid long hair – haha.
?? Bad audio from an Android phone with no plug-in mic.
? Nervous energy that made me rush to the end.
?? A mechanical ending that didn’t land.
?? Manually added subtitles – which took way too long.
And this was actually one of the better ones after loads of attempts.
Fast forward 4 years, and now it looks (and is) easy—but only because I did the reps and built the muscle memory. ??
The LinkedIn algorithm now wants your video. Feed it, and it will reward you.
This week I achieved 1.3M views in less than 12 hours, twice - check it out ??
?? Personal Safety Announcement: Copycat Shenanigans!
Apparently, my TikTok profile was such a hit that someone decided to make a “me 2.0”—complete with boosted videos and a suspiciously similar look.
While I’m honored that my style inspired an imitation, this isn’t me, and it’s definitely not a trend I want to set.
So, before you hit that follow button, double-check the profile.
Let’s keep our community scam-free and share a laugh at these cheeky copycats—just don’t get duped by their fancy boosts!
?? Stay safe—watch my PSA
?? Closing Thoughts
Building a startup is a game of focus and resilience. Attested to by the Sifted stats saying 49% of founders wanted to quit last year!
There are no shortcuts—only smarter decisions that compound over time. This week’s takeaway? Cut the distractions, lean into what actually moves the needle, and keep going.
Here’s to reaching the Tippy Top—together! ??
Best,
Alex
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