Luke Tobin

Founder & CEO

Cadastra

- $50M revenue 
- 900+ global team 
- 40% average growth rate for 5+ years
- Operating in 9 countries globally

Co-CEO EMEA

Tobin Capital

- Investment portfolio totalling £5+ mil
- Companies include: SpaceX, THIS, Earthly, FreeTrade, &Sisters, Psykhe AI, Plum & LEO

We offer advisory & investments services. 

Reach out to Luke@tobincapital.co.uk to discuss opportunties...

Founder | Investor

Virgin StartUp

Startup Mentor

SpaceX

Investor

THIS™

grtfl®

Board Advisor

PSYKHE AI

The next‑generation personalization AI for e‑commerce.

Earthly

Strategic Advisor | Investor

&SISTERS

Freetrade

I started freelancing from my spare bedroom in 2016. 

In 2022, I sold that business in a multimillion pound deal. 

It’s been a crazy ride. Highs, lows, and everything in between. 

I learnt entrepreneurship the hard way, after founding seven businesses. Four that failed and three that succeeded with an exit. 

It’s now my mission to share the good, bad, and ugly of entrepreneurship. 

The real truth. Not some clickbait glamorisation.

I’m now Co-CEO of Cadastra, with 900 global employees and $50M revenue. We are a performance marketing powerhouse working with Samsung, Unilever, Reckitt, NHS & Flutterwave. 

I also run Tobin Capital, a £5mil+ investment portfolio helping scale up the next generation of exciting companies. 

Interested in collaboration/investment/advisory/speaking/podcasts? Drop me a message on here...

I've sold my business for 8-figures. 

But it took me 20+ years to get to that point ↓

At 16, I left home and went to drama college.

At 17 and 18, worked evenings and weekends at three different jobs

At 18, I launched my first company, which failed.

At 19, I started working in charity fundraising,
And travelled all over the UK & Ireland (so much fun!)

At 20, I worked for a commission-only sales job and learnt the meaning of hard work 

At 23, I built a company for ‘home installations’ in Australia 

At 24, I went to Southeast Asia for 6 months.
I travelled 7 countries.

At 25, I launched a company ‘Xperience This’.
Sold that company 3 years later to the market leaders in that industry 

At 28, I started working in a marketing agency.
Found a new passion for marketing.

At 29, I launched a small dev company 'Quick2Design'.

At 30, I became a country manager for ‘Adcurve’.
I sold Quick2Design for £50k

At 31, I left AdCurve.
I started working for 'ePages'.

At 32, I launched Digital Ethos as a lifestyle business.
Worked with freelancers (£200k revenue in year 1).

At 33, I started hiring full-time staff.
Grew revenue to £500k revenue in DE.

At 34, I went all in at DE.
Grew revenue by 140% to 1.4m that year.
I launched Tobin Capital to support founders.
Awarded fastest growing agency in UK by the Drum.

At 35, I won Creative Industries Entrepreneur of the Year at GBEA.

At 36, I acquired 2 agencies.
I also launched DE in Germany and Canada.

At 37, I hit £5m in revenue.
I sold majority stake to the largest independent agency group in South America in an 8-figure deal. I joined the board of 900 strong businesses and will be part of the IPO in 2025.

My journey was anything but linear.

But did I learn a lot? Absolutely.

Every stumble and victory has been a lesson.

And the journey continues...

Things that make a GOOD company:

 → Diversity
 → Work-life balance
 → Clear communication
 → Empowering employees
 → Honesty & transparent pay-reviews

Things that make a GREAT company:

 → Challenging their team
 → Making the people, their priority 
 → Clear communication & responsive
 → Giving the team a sense of ownership
 → Giving people freedom to explore new ideas
 → Going above and beyond, dare to be different
 → Clear directions and stepping stones for personal growth

The difference between GOOD and GREAT is huge.

They don't just see employees as workers.

They're the main the fabric that makes up the organisation.

The little things add up to make a big impact.

I built an 8-figure company.

Here are the mistakes I made along the way ↓

(So you can avoid making the same mistakes)

1. Took on difficult clients that made our team cry.
2. Under-priced and had too many clients to handle.
3. Didn't build culture and leadership into our strategy.
4. Should've delegated way sooner than I thought necessary.
5. Didn't have any advisors or senior leadership team around me.
6. Didn't realise  how much time and energy goes into client relationships.
7. Kept moving productivity tools which caused employees to slow down.

But you know what?
↳ It was all part of the process. I learnt a lot.

If you’re experiencing some of these things, know this:

Success is not a straight line.
It's a path filled with twists and turns.

Every mistake is a step closer to success.

The entrepreneurship narrative says: Go fast and break things.

But… Slowing down 5% makes you move 10x quicker.

 → Rushing into things.
 → Moving without purpose.
 → Charging ahead with no direction.

That's not the path to success.

The true disruptors know when to speed up,
 ↳ And slow down.

In the world of entrepreneurship,

It's not just about who's the fastest.

It's about who's the smartest.

Remember: the tortoise beats the hare.

I didn't stumble upon success. I chased it.

My journey in entrepreneurship was not a walk in the park.

→ I struggled with micromanagement,
→ I have had two failed businesses,
→ My health was on the back burner.

But I didn't give up.

I put in the work. I made the commitment.

And now?

We've hit millions in revenue,
And sold the majority stake in my company..

I've found a balance between work, family, and health.
↳ I've found my purpose.

You see, success isn't a destination you can reach by taking a shortcut.

It's a journey that requires hard work.

Remember, there's no elevator to success.
↳ You have to take the stairs.

I'm going to challenge some beliefs here, but:

If you aren't taking risks,
It's because comfort has made you stagnant.

Trust yourself.

You've got the power to create and grow.

You will learn as you go.

Every stumble,
Every step,
Every fall,

It's all part of the journey.

Failures aren't the end,
↳ They're the beginning.

They give you the tools to deal with things as you grow up.

And that risk you’re afraid to take,
↳ It could be the one that changes your life.

Freelancers try to squeeze more hours into a day.

Entrepreneurs strategise to free up their calendars.

Two different mindsets.
Two different approaches to time and tasks.

I've been both.

I've hustled as a freelancer,

Then, I shifted gears.

I became an entrepreneur.

I learned to delegate,

And guess what?

I’ve sold three businesses for a combined total of 8-figures. 

Not because I worked more hours.
 ↳ But because I worked smarter.

Because I understood that the freelancer's
mindset of selling time for money is capped.

There's only so much time in a day.

Only so many tasks you can accomplish.

But the entrepreneur's mindset? It's limitless.

Harsh truth: hard work is necessary. 

Throughout building my business, people always said: 
"You're working too hard."

They looked at me as if it was a bad thing.

But hard work is a testament to your drive and ambition.

Here’s my advice when you’re told you’re working too hard: 

→ Block out the noise
→ Set your own course
→ Never lose the hunger 

Put in the reps. 
Keep your head down. 
And you’ll be rewarded. 

Regret. It's a heavy word, isn't it?

My biggest regret: not fully committing.

Not diving headfirst into my dreams.

Not going all-in.

I've had my fair share of failures.

Specifically, two businesses that didn't make it.

And I know if I went all-in,

They would have been successful businesses.

Remember:
Anything in life worth doing, is worth over-doing.

Because at the end of the day, you're left with 2 things:

→ The regret of not trying.
→ Or the satisfaction of giving it your all.

So, what's it going to be?

In 2024, retail investors are flooding in like never before.

But here's the thing: many are making big mistakes.

Here are 7 big mistakes you need to avoid ↓

1. Don’t become too overconfident.
2. Focus on where there is value, not hype.
3. Not understanding how it works - do research.
4. Most people never become interested to learn it.
5. Not viewing cash as a commodity - cash is a tool to grow.
6. People often act like  sheep, they follow the crowd. To win, do the opposite.
7. Getting too emotional. Investment is a game of rationality and numbers.

The opportunity is out there.

Don't let these common mistakes hold you back.

Invest wisely and learn continuously.

What would you add as mistake 8?

I've learnt one thing through investing in Bitcoin:

People follow crowds.

They panic and run in the opposite direction when things take a downturn,

Although that may be the best time to buy.

Investing is cyclical.

It's not about following the herd,
 ↳ It's about knowing when to hold on and when to let go.

So, when everyone else is panicking,

That's when you need to stay calm.

If you're avoiding the pain,
You're missing out on the gain.

Remember: in investment, fortune favours the brave.

Here are 7 uncomfortable leadership truths you need to know ↓

(Having grown my team these are some key things I learned the hard way)

1. Don't keep toxic people around
2. If someone has a great idea, let them bring it to life
3. Have conviction to follow your own heart & decisions
4. Deliver feedback in-person - people respect that more
5. Be transparent with numbers and tell the team the truth
6. Give people ownership & freedom. It encourages innovation
7. Be willing to make the tough decisions without procrastinating

What’s a leadership truth you’ve learnt?

You may have a revolutionary idea,

But if you can't sell it, it's just an idea gathering dust.

Here's the truth:

Everything starts with selling,
Even if we don't realise it.

And simply waiting for customers isn't the way to go about it.

Sales isn't just a department,
 ↳ It's a mindset.

Here are my 6 to-do’s to cultivate a commercial mindset:

 1. Plan a clear route to profitability.
 2. Know the numbers inside out, revenue and profit.
 3. Give all members of your team growth numbers to hit.
 4. Be transparent with all team members and update them MoM.
 5. Create a culture of commerciality with shared incentives for all.
 6. Get everyone involved in the sales process, pitching & upselling. 

Remember, an idea is only as good as the ability to convince others about it. 

I've just invested in SpaceX.

Here is what I look for when investing ↓

Firstly, it's not just about the numbers.

Sure, profitability is key. But there's more to it:

1. Innovation
I crave the new, the groundbreaking.

2. The moat
A robust, defendable market position is a must.

3. Good founders and management
I'm talking about those who've been there,
Done that, and exited successfully.

4. Future exit position
It has to be promising.

And finally, a firm grasp of numbers is a non-negotiable.

What do you look for in your investments?

Heartfelt post incoming—fair warning. 

A few weeks ago we helped launch something truly special - the NHS Joy initiative. This was a massive effort, encompassing everything from out of home to social media and PR, all aimed at launching a vital new service for social prescribing here in Leicestershire.

Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what really drives my career satisfaction. It used to be all about the direct impact I could make through my own efforts. Now, I find the real joy in seeing my team flourish and achieve truly outstanding work.

And you know what? Seeing this campaign go live has filled me with immense pride. I am BEAMING. From my initial concepts, I’ve watched the team pour their talent and hard work into a campaign that truly resonates with the local community. This wasn't just about merging search, data, and creativity—it was about creating something that feels as familiar and welcoming as a friendly nod on the street.

A massive shout out to Andrea Cooper and Lauren Gray - your late nights and relentless dedication in crafting this concept has really paid off. And to the wider team (Kiran Kaur, Drew Fores, Hannah, Charlie Pickering Jorim and Tássia P.) you've helped turn a vision into something tangible that will genuinely benefit a lot of people. 🤘 

Well, I think that's enough emotion for now. 

📸 Our talented Drew Fores

Social Commerce is revolutionising online retail!

Did you know that the UK's social commerce market is projected to reach US$31.27 billion by 2024, with an impressive 26.6% annual increase?

Additionally, the forecasted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2024 to 2029 indicates a significant expansion, with the gross merchandise value (GMV) set to soar from US$24.71 billion in 2023 to an impressive US$83.27 billion by 2029.

This growth reflects the evolving landscape of the industry, particularly among younger consumers. Currently, 2 out of 3 TikTok users are likely to make a purchase while on the app.

With this in mind, we've invited TikTok Shop to share their insights at our upcoming webinar on Social Commerce on May 2nd. TikTok stands out for its distinctive approach to social commerce, and we're thrilled to collaborate with them as we delve into the latest trends and strategies shaping the future of online retail.

Register today via the link below 🛒📱 

#TikTokShop #SocialCommerce #TikTokMarketing #WebinarAlert 

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