Callum Laing

I take companies public and run a $100m MAS regulated fund. 
I am a partner at the Unity Group, the founder of Global Investment Leaders Directive (GILD) for capital raisers.  And I run the Veblen Director Programme, for first time board members.  
Author of 'Boardroom Blueprint - Boost your career with a board seat in 60 days'
My exclusive network of UHNW individuals meet every quarter for lunch at the 'Captable' Singapore (coming to Dubai soon) 

Founder & former CEO / Chair of MBH Corporation PLC, an agglomeration of small, profitable companies from around the world.  Grew it to $180m in revenue.
Advisor to multiple public and private boards.  

Involved in more than 100 M&A transactions and $500m in shareholder value creation.

Best selling author of 3 other business books, I've published over 2500 interviews with Entrepreneurs and Investors around the world. EnterpriseZone.cc
Host of the daily 'CallumConnects' micro-podcast (top 5% worldwide, top 25 for entrepreneurs, 500+ episodes).

Previously served as Singapore High Commissioner to the World Business Angel Investment Forum, an Ambassador to DealGateway.com and on the Board of Advisors to Kinguin, a $100m turnover eGaming business.

The Agglomeration model helps small businesses to scale using publicly listed holding companies.

If you're interested in taking your business, investments or career to the next level, press the blue Follow button above.  

Author of: 
"Progressive Partnerships - The Future of Business" 
"Entrepreneurial Investing - Connecting sophisticated capital to talented small business"
"Boardroom Blueprint - Boost your career with a board seat in 60 days"
Co-author of:
"Agglomerate - Idea to IPO in 12 months"

Member

The Veblen Director Program is designed to get you that elusive first PLC Director position and to provide you with an enviable global network of other Directors that you can call on at will for the rest of your career.

There is no point pitching Richard Branson, even if you get the chance.
(Genuinely that is my book he’s pretending to read, not AI generated!) 

I once spent a week with Sir Richard on Necker Island.

One by one, people worked up the courage to corner him and pitch their big idea.

And without fail… nothing happened.  He smiled politely, nodded, and edged away slowly.

Not because their ideas were bad. But because they didn’t understand the process.

One person, one conversation, one shot is almost never how big opportunities happen.

The real value isn’t in getting 20 minutes with a billionaire.

The real value is in having 20 conversations with people he already trusts. 
 
People who can open doors. Or 20,000 conversations that build a movement he can’t ignore.

People love to say ‘Quality trumps quantity’.  I would argue: “Volume is Value”
A large network of “ordinary” people can be far more valuable than a small network of people with titles.

The goal isn’t one shot with Branson, it’s creating so much value that Branson can’t ignore you!


Send me a connection request for more…

Successful Investor / Entrepreneur and M&A practitioner. I also help ambitious people to raise money, get board seats and take companies public.

The wealthiest people I know ask one question first: "How can I help you?"

Through CapTable, I organize events for ultra high net worth individuals. And here's what I've noticed every single time.

The more successful someone is, the faster they flip the conversation to contribution. They're not there to pitch. They're not there to take. They're genuinely curious about how they can add value.

Compare that to most networking events where people are climbing the ladder. 
It's all about what you can do for them. Their needs. Their problems. Their next opportunity.

Now, it's easy to look at this backwards and think: "Well, of course successful people help others. They've got time and resources to spare."

That's missing the point entirely.

They didn't become successful and then start helping people. They became successful because they've always focused on creating value for others.

It's not charity. It's strategy.

When you understand someone's real needs, you can see where value lies. Maybe you can't deliver it directly, but someone in your network can. That connection becomes valuable to both sides.

The people coming up are asking: "What can you do for me?"
The people who made it ask: "What can I do for you?"

Guess which approach builds stronger relationships?

Can you tell the difference when you meet someone for the first time?

I am Non-exec Chair of MBH Corporation PLC, an agglomeration of small, profitable companies from around the world.

Best selling author of 3 business books, I've published over 2000 interviews with Entrepreneurs and Investors around the world. EnterpriseZone.cc
Host of the daily 'CallumConnects' micro-podcast.

Previously I have served as Singapore High Commissioner to the World Business Angel Investment Forum, an Ambassador to DealGateway.com and on the Board of Advisors to Kinguin, a $100m turnover eGaming business.
I am the founder of Veblen Directors Program, helping women and minorities to get their first Board seats.

At MBH we help take public established, profitable businesses ($1m EBITDA and above) in a range of industries around the world.

If you're interested in taking your business or your investments to the next level, press the blue Connect/Follow button above.  (no startups or early stage so please don't ask)


Author of: 
"Progressive Partnerships - The Future of Business" 
"Entrepreneurial Investing - Connecting sophisticated capital to talented small business"
Co-author of:
"Agglomerate - Idea to IPO in 12 months"

My best productivity hack came from something I used to dread: long-haul flights.

Running a global business means you’re always “on.” There’s always a message, a meeting, or a family obligation pulling at your attention. Real downtime is rare.

Years ago I realised the one environment I couldn’t escape was business travel. And while I never enjoyed long-haul flights, I discovered they gave me something I couldn’t get anywhere else: uninterrupted deep work.

No WhatsApp messages. No email notifications. No Zoom calls. No clients, staff, or family competing for my attention. Just me, my laptop, and hours of clear space, with someone occasionally bringing food and coffee.

It turned into the perfect environment for writing my books and getting my best work done.

I admit this hack isn’t practical for most people. But it worked for me.
What’s the best hack you’ve found for doing deep work?

–
Send a connection request if you would like to get access to a bunch of free resources!

Stop Chasing. Start Growing.

I used to look at successful people 30 years older than me and think: "How do I get into their circle?"

Wrong question.

Many of those relationships I envied weren't built at networking events or LinkedIn DMs. They were forged years ago - through shared risks, late-night strategy sessions, and watching each other's backs when nobody else cared.

So I flipped the strategy. Instead of just chasing established power, I started investing in ambitious peers who were hungry but hadn't arrived yet.

Ten years later, many of those "nobodies" are now the "somebodies".

The insight: networks compound like investments. The earlier you get in, the bigger the returns.

There are ways to engineer access to those with established networks, but it’s even more powerful to build a network of your peers and grow up together.

Look around your peer group today. 
Who's showing up consistently? Who's solving real problems? Who has that restless energy that says they won't stay where they are?  

Start placing bets, not all will pay off, but this is an investment you won’t regret! (and will probably be more fun along the way!)


For a bunch of free resources, send me a connection request.

Most businesses are still hiring like it's 1995. I do it differently.

After nearly 20 years and hundreds of freelancer hires, I've completely abandoned traditional recruitment. 

Every single person on my team started as a freelancer. Here's the system that has worked incredibly successfully for me, hopefully it can work for you too:

The Attraction Phase:  
Don't post "$10/hour for admin work." Post "Virtual Assistant role - $10,000" i.e. the amount you would pay them if they work for you for a year.  And even if it is your least favourite job, take the time to make it sound interesting.  Will you give them training?  Will there be other opportunities if they are good?

They have choices, you need to sell the opportunity, not just try and buy time.

The Filter:
(Be Ruthless) Your role here isn't to give someone their first break. Look for:
$10,000+ already earned on platform
90%+ ratings or 4-5 stars
Clear effort in their application

Skip the lengthy interviews. Pick 3-5 candidates and give each a paid trial task ($50 is fine). Different tasks, similar complexity. You're testing responsiveness, communication, and results.

Try and guess who will deliver the best work.  In 20 years, I’ve never guessed right.

The Reality Check:
The best proposal rarely delivers the best work. For example, many many people (outside of sales and marketing!) often undersell themselves but over-deliver on results. Stay open-minded.

The Smart Scaling: 
Found 2-3 good people? Hire them all on short contracts. Some will fit your culture, others won't. That's fine - end contracts that don't work, expand roles for those that do.

I've had $10/hour VAs grow into company directors because I could see their actual performance, not just their CV.

Why this beats traditional hiring:
Past performance doesn't predict future fit with your team
Personal circumstances change
Company culture fit is impossible to assess in interviews
Short-term contracts let you scale up or down without drama
The labour market is shifting toward freelancing whether you adapt or not. Smart businesses are already there.
What's worked (or failed) in your freelancer hiring experience?


Send a connection request if you would like to get access to a bunch of free resources!

Nobody Cares. And That’s a Gift.

Ben Horowitz wrote a piece years ago called Nobody Cares. His point: no matter how tough your circumstances, nobody cares. Not your investors, not your employees, not even your mother. All that matters is whether you find a way through.

I should have learned that lesson earlier.

When I launched an IP Engineer recruiting company at the height of the dot com bubble, and that bubble burst, I told myself the timing was the problem. 

When I tried to scale a sports events company off the back of banking sponsorship, just before the Global Financial Crisis, I blamed the market. 

When white collar criminals destroyed $250m of shareholder value on my first IPO, I convinced myself it was “bad luck.” 

But the truth is nobody cared about the reasons. They cared about results. More specifically they cared about how I reacted to the circumstances.

Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time lost 42% of points he played.  But it was how he handled that loss that made the difference.

You can waste energy justifying or you can get busy solving.

Today, I look back and realise those failures were just stepping stones. Each one, and many more, were painful and humiliating, but they trained me to focus on what I can control and keep trying to help the people I was trying to help.

Ben Horowitz is right:

“The press doesn’t care, your investors don’t care, your board doesn’t care, your employees don’t care, even your mama doesn’t care. Nobody cares.
And they are right not to care. A great reason for failing won’t preserve one dollar for your investors, won’t save one employee’s job, or get you one new customer. “

As my fellow New Zealander’s have a habit of saying ‘Just toughen the %^&* up!’

Ever felt sorry for yourself when you should be focused on moving forward?

The Wealth Hack Nobody Talks About.

"AI will kill your job. Start a business or stay broke forever."

That's the story everyone's selling. And it's missing the biggest opportunity of the next decade.
You don't need to quit your job. You don't need to risk your savings. You don't need to become the next Elon Musk.

You just need to stop thinking like an employee.

Here's what I mean: while everyone's panicking about AI or debating whether to start a business, there's a third path hiding in plain sight.

Equity through introductions.

The smartest people I know aren't grinding 80-hour weeks or betting their mortgages on startups. They're making strategic introductions and taking equity stakes in return.

At Unity Group, we start introducer equity at $150,000. No capital required. No business plan. No sleepless nights. Just the right connection at the right time.

Think about it: every major deal needs smart introductions. Every growing company needs the right partners, investors, or clients. Every successful transaction has someone who made the critical introduction.

That someone could be you.

Connections aren't just networking. They're assets. And assets generate wealth.

The question isn't whether you know valuable people. It's whether you know how to monetise those relationships ethically.

What's the most valuable introduction you could make right now?

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If you would like free access to a global capital raising platform send me a connection request with ‘GILD’ right now.

Most partnerships fail because people design them to need the other person to succeed.

Yesterday I spoke with a business owner who'd built something fantastic over 14 years. When she got to the part about her journey from A to B, she laughed: "And you can imagine, it's been very smooth."

Every partnership she'd tried had gone sideways. Cost her money. Let her down. Now she needed big partnerships to scale, but she was gun-shy.

Here's what I told her: the number one reason partnerships fail is misaligned expectations.
We assume the other person is as enthusiastic as we are. Sometimes they start that way. But stuff happens. Priorities change. They get distracted.

If you expect them to deliver what you're hoping for, you'll be disappointed more often than not.
But all partnerships can be structured so you win even if they underdeliver.

Leverage the announcement. Leverage the signing. Leverage the credibility of shaking hands with them. Design it so that partnership works for you whether they show up or not.

This makes partnerships simple. You always win, never lose.

And sometimes, just occasionally, you get a partnership that delivers even more than you expected. That's just a bonus.

Most people design partnerships hoping the other person will make them successful. Smart operators design partnerships where success doesn't depend on hope.

What's the worst partnership experience that taught you the most?

Four extraordinary people. One unexpected lesson: even winners wish…?

People think success comes from chasing opportunities. The real shift happens when opportunities start chasing you.

I hosted a webinar with four guest speakers who each had an extraordinary year. More than 500 people registered to hear them.

On paper, their bios make it look effortless.

But what they shared were the doubts, fears, and false starts they fought through before taking action.

And when I asked what they’d do differently, every single one said the same thing:

“I wish I’d started sooner or moved quicker”.

Yet from the outside it already seems like they had moved mountains in an incredible short time period.

If you’re serious about your future and want to move from chasing opportunities to attracting them, I strongly recommend you carve out time for the replay:

https://lnkd.in/g-V2pJ8C

What’s something you’ll look back on a year from now and wish you had started today?

When a deal looks terrible, maybe you’re looking at it from the wrong angle.
I once looked at buying a $1bn fund where the manager was earning $30m a year.

For holding money in a bank.

My first reaction? This guy's a genius salesman or these families are getting fleeced.

Turns out I was asking the wrong question entirely.

The question wasn't "What's he doing with their money?"

The real question was "What problem is he actually solving?"

Those 10 families, $100m each, didn't want alpha. They wanted certainty. 

They'd explicitly told him: make money if you can, but never lose money.

He'd started with a strategy getting 8-9% safely. When that stopped looking safe, he moved it to a bank getting 4-5%. Families got 1-2% after his fees.
And they were happy.

Because he solved the actual problem. Peace of mind on $1bn has a price tag. Apparently it's $30m a year.

Here's what I learnt: When something looks like a terrible deal from the outside, you're probably measuring the wrong thing.

You're valuing what you would want. Not what they actually need.

Most of us are so busy judging other people's choices through our own lens that we miss what's actually being bought and sold.

The families weren't buying returns. They were buying sleep.

What looks overpriced to you might be solving a problem you don't have.
(And yes, I know in real terms they were losing money to inflation, but it wasn’t critical to them with this particular cash allocation).


–
Send me a connection request if you would like to know about the regular events I hold for UHNW individuals or would like other free assets.

Perfect leaders are forgettable. Authentic leaders are unforgettable.

I’ve interviewed over 2,500 Leaders over the past 15 years on EnterpriseZone, in this series I’ll share some of my learnings.

"I am brilliant and imperfect."

Trina Kennedy RSW, BAHSA's belief transformed her entire approach to leadership. Instead of chasing perfectionism as a measure of worth, she stepped into authentic self-expression.

"This shift liberated me to take risks, share my story authentically, and focus on the impact of my work rather than chasing unattainable standards."

The pattern shows up across every successful leader I've interviewed:

Moyo O.: "I've witnessed the power of vision and alignment... These moments reminded me that belief, clarity, and preparation can open doors beyond your wildest imagination."

Dr Darren Chua openly discusses his stroke: "My own struggles have shaped my passion for guiding others toward better health and performance."

Barbara Hales, M.D. admits her early mistake: "For years, I believed that doing good work would naturally lead to recognition, referrals, and opportunities. But I had an 'if I build it, they will come' mentality."

This connects perfectly to building genuine Authority in the CARES framework for getting ahead:
Connections
Authority
Reach
Equity
Service

 - people don't follow perfect leaders, they follow leaders who've overcome challenges they recognise.

Your vulnerabilities aren't weaknesses to hide. They're connection points that make your expertise credible.

What struggle have you overcome that could help others facing the same challenge?

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Send a connection request if you would like to get access to a bunch of free resources!

They Let You in the Room. Now What?

Access without authority is just expensive networking.

You finally get that invitation. The one you've been working toward. You're sitting at the table with people who matter.

And then someone asks your opinion.

Silence. Polite nods. The conversation moves on without you.

Here's what nobody tells you: getting in the room is the easy part. Staying relevant once you're there? That's the real challenge.

Authority isn't what it used to be. Your MBA doesn't impress anyone anymore. Your job title gets you through the door, but it won't keep you in the conversation.

Today's authority is earned in real time. 
Are you solving problems that matter? 
Publishing insights that change how people think? 
Sitting on boards where your judgment gets tested under pressure?

Study the people you want to influence. What do they respect? What makes them lean in when someone speaks?

Then build that deliberately.

Because access gets you noticed. Authority gets you remembered.

And there's a big difference between being in the room and owning it.

What's the fastest way you've seen someone build real authority?

You've Got It Backwards.

Most people are waiting. "Once I make it, then I'll give back."

Wrong sequence.

Service isn't what you do after success. Service is how you build success.

Look at anyone who's genuinely made it. They didn't climb to the top and then start helping people. They helped people climb with them.

Here's what changes when you flip the script: instead of asking "what can I get from this relationship," you start asking "what problem can I solve for this person?"

That shift? It's everything.

Because when you lead with value, three things happen fast:
People remember you when opportunities arise
Your reputation spreads through their networks
You become the person others want to partner with

This is why the CARES framework works. It's not about building connections to extract value. It's about building connections to create value.

Connections become deeper when you serve first. 
Authority grows when you solve real problems. 
Reach expands when people want to share what you're doing. 
Equity follows when you're essential to the outcome.
Service is the ‘why’ behind everything you do.

The people making real money aren't chasing deals. They're creating so much value that deals chase them.

Stop waiting for success to give you permission to serve. Start serving to earn your success.

Who could you help right now that would change everything for them?



Send me a connection request with ‘Inner Circle’ to learn when my next free event is

The best leaders don't just manage time. They engineer energy.

I’ve interviewed over 2,500 Leaders over the past 15 years on EnterpriseZone.

"I long ago learned that having leisure activities that are challenging are just as important to me as having difficult business challenges."

Allen Pierce plays guitar, uses a Peloton, and reads detective novels. Not because he has extra time, but because he's learned that peak performance requires peak recovery.

The pattern shows up everywhere:

Darren Chua: "I unwind by listening to music, connecting with people through networking, and staying active through para sports."

Trina Kennedy: "Engaging in physical fitness is a big part of how I recharge, whether it's through challenging workouts at Orange Theory Fitness, hiking in the Canadian Rockies, or playing pickleball."

Rynette Joyce Tan: "Exercise! A sweaty gym session or a few quiet laps in the pool do wonders... Movement clears my mind and helps me show up better for both work and family."

This isn't about work-life balance - it's about sustainable competitive advantage. The leaders who compound success over decades have learned to treat their energy as their most valuable asset.

Tariq Syed combines "squash, hit the gym, and stay hands-on with emerging technologies - it helps me clear my head while staying sharp."

Your body is your business infrastructure. How are you maintaining it?

Most people network backwards. They wait until they're desperate.

You know that moment when you suddenly need a hiring manager, an investor, or a board connection? And you start scrambling through LinkedIn trying to build relationships from scratch?

That's networking from a position of need. And it rarely works.

Relationships built from desperation feel transactional. 

People can sense when you're only there for what they can give you.

You already know you should start building your network before you need it.  But how?

Right now you might need a hiring manager. In five years, you'll need board chairs and investors. The connections you make today shouldn’t be for today's problems.

Most of us aren't natural networkers. We'd rather get stuff done than make small talk. But if you want to get ahead, you need to get strategic about this.

The online world makes it easier than ever to build relationships. But it also makes it easier to get distracted by quick wins instead of playing the long game.

Here's the question I ask all my clients: In five years, who do you want in your network? 

What value do you need to build today so they actually want to know you?

Start there. Build that value. The relationships will follow.

What's the one relationship you wish you'd started building five years ago?

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If you would like to learn how you can build a profitable network in 7 weeks send me a connection request with ‘Get Launched’

You know that moment when you hit retirement and think "finally, freedom" ... only to realise you're not done yet?

That's exactly where Leon Rubinstein found himself.

After decades scaling high-tech startups across borders and managing a corporate VC fund for Xerox Europe, he had the experience. He had the expertise. But retirement? That felt like sitting on the sidelines.

Then he discovered something most executives miss: board work isn't consulting with a different title.

Here's what Leon learned (and what most first-time directors get wrong):
The "Nose In, Fingers Out" principle You're not there to do the work. You're there to help CEOs see what they can't see from the trenches. Strategic altitude beats operational involvement every time.

You don't need all the answers. Your job? Ask better questions. Point to blind spots. Then leverage your network to bring in the real experts. Value comes from connections, not just knowledge.

Industry expertise is overrated When Leon was offered a board seat in an industry he knew nothing about, he asked "why would you want me?" The response? "Why not." Fresh perspective often beats insider thinking.

Knowledge without action is just theory. You can read every book on board governance (including my Boardroom Blueprint!). But real progress happens through community. The accountability. The introductions. The spark that comes from meeting people across continents and industries who push you forward.

Leon's now building his board portfolio in Portugal, using everything he learned about intentional networking to open new doors.

Your experience has value beyond your last job title. The question is whether you'll deploy it.

What's stopping you from pursuing board opportunities? Is it clarity on the role, access to the right networks, or something else entirely?

Think Graham Norton's couch meets LinkedIn Live - unscripted, dynamic conversations with business leaders at the cutting edge of entrepreneurship, investment, and growth

Tune into the conversations that normally happen behind closed doors.  Learn about some of the big breakthroughs in 2025 and some of the plans for '26.

Format: 45-minute live streamed panel.  No script. No agenda.  Just a chance to hear business leaders on a virtual couch discussing what's working for them.

This episode's guests:

Archita Fritz - Commercial and Leadership Activation Partner to Private Equity CEO’s

Elton Leung - Strategic Investor & Scale-Up Partner

Christian Secci - CEO at Alfred24 & Global Board Leader

Where The Most Influential Voices Have the Conversations That Matter

Stop Hiding. Start Getting Lucky.

If you think personal branding is narcissistic, you're watching the wrong people.

While you're staying silent to avoid looking self-promotional, someone with half your experience just landed the opportunity you wanted. Why? Because they were visible when it mattered.

Luck might be random, but you can engineer more access to it.

Every business breakthrough I've seen started the same way. Right person, right time, right visibility. 
But that "right person" had to know you existed first.

Most people get this backwards. They think reach means shouting "look at me." Wrong. 
Reach means sharing what you know that others might value.

What did you figure out the hard way that could save someone else years of mistakes? 
What insight keeps coming up in your conversations that makes people say "I never thought of it that way"?

Share that. Consistently.

Not because you're building a personal brand. Because you're increasing your surface area for the opportunities that are already looking for someone like you.

The person who could change your career is scrolling right now. The question is: will they find you?


Send me a connection request and I’ll send you some resources to help you scale.

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