Mark Zwinderman's Linkedin Analytics

The mistake people make is using the weekend to switch off. It takes 90 minutes to change your life. In 90 minutes you can grab a coffee or tea. Sit down on your own or with a friend or partner. What would a good week look like five years from today? You have your own home? Where would you live? Are you on vacation? Where? Doing what? What type of work are you doing? Who are you working with? What are the skills you need to live that life? Who do you need to know to live that life? Start putting down in a notebook these thoughts. You are not going to do it all this weekend. You are making a start. It will make all the difference on Sunday night. #Moonshot #ZCL

The five keys to getting any project or challenge completed. Intention - What is important to you? Focus on that. Awareness - What are you good at? What trips you up? Boundaries - You need boundaries to create space for your best work Courage - Show up despite your fears Discipline - Take action & be consistent

Lovely walk through Oxford today with a short wait before my meeting on solving oil waste with AI tools. Love this museum. Old fashioned fossils in cabinets with notes. My kind of museum. Not bad weather either.

You know what the problem is with women? They lack ambition.   Let’s face it, we all know it.   That, my happy Linkedin friends, is a comment I have heard many times.   So, lack of ambition. Is it true?   Following on from a post by Phil McSweeney (who was not claiming anything like this.) I’ve been asking ChatGPT DeepResearch some questions. Today: “One of the arguments why female led startups raise less VC funding is because women setup fewer rocket ship businesses. I.e. women start businesses with less growth potential or women have less ambition compared to male founders. Is there evidence for this?” ChatGPT DeepResearch went away for 15 minutes and returned with the below. Part 1. START ChatGPT content One hypothesis for the funding gap is that women tend to start businesses with lower growth potential which attract less investor interest. Research shows women entrepreneurs are overrepresented in certain models and sectors that yield slower growth or require less capital. A World Bank review of female entrepreneurship: women-owned firms are often smaller, home-based, and concentrated in service sectors. These businesses have lower capital requirements and do not fit the VC profile. In the UK, an industry report observed that male-dominated fields like software attract the most VC deals, whereas only about 26% of employees in the UK digital industries are female, limiting the pipeline of women-led software startups. This imbalance can partially explain why fewer women-owned companies reach VC investors. A difference is solopreneurship. Global surveys find women are more likely than men to be “solopreneurs”. In almost all countries studied by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) in 2020, women’s rate of solo-business ownership exceeded men’s. Many women start businesses to gain independence and flexibility, often citing a desire to “be your own boss”. This smaller venture size and different sector focus contributes to lower growth trajectories on average. There are simply fewer women-led startups in the high-growth VC arenas. Female investors report they are eager to back women entrepreneurs but “there simply aren’t enough of them”(HSBC study).   It is critical to recognize that these patterns reflect averages and societal norms, not an inherent lack of capability. The World Bank analysis cautions that women's concentration in lower-growth sectors is partly driven by social expectations that channel women into “acceptable” industries or into businesses that can be balanced with family responsibilities. Limited access to finance can cause women to start smaller, less capital-intensive firms. In fact, women often excel in high impact startups. The point is that sector and model differences do exist. We must also examine whether female founders are truly “less ambitious”. END ChatGPT content Next up will be ambition. Are women really less ambitious compared to men?

Does your team see AI as "cheating" at work? Some of them do for sure. You need to implement an AI policy. You have to be explicit that you expect people to use AI tools AND to share the knowledge of what works with each other. Your competition will crush you if you don't. Ask ChatGPT to help you create one. For example: CHATGPT Content: 1. Our Position on AI We see AI as a powerful assistant that helps us: Work smarter and faster Improve quality and creativity Free up time for high-value work AI is a team resource, not just an individual tool. 2. What You Can Use AI For You are encouraged to use AI for: Drafting emails, reports, proposals, or content Brainstorming ideas or solving problems Summarising long documents or meetings Translating or rewording text Creating checklists, plans, and frameworks Research support (but verify sources) END ChatGPT Content There's more. The most important element is your attitude as leader. Many are still worried that using AI tools is considered cheating or lazy. YOu must set the tone by explaining how you use AI and by asking for ways others use it. Have a 30 minute online meeting each week for people to share use cases. Don't delay.

Do you have a referral program? Your highest quality leads and opportunities come from referrals from your customers and network. Yet, almost no business has a high quality referral program in place that is consistently applied. Create one. Don't know how? Ask ChatGPT or go to Google. Example prompt (Start ChatGPT Content): I run a fictional B2B SaaS company called BuildFlow, which helps mid-sized construction firms manage subcontractor scheduling and compliance on large building projects. Our product integrates with existing project management tools like Procore and MS Project, and is sold via annual licenses starting at £15,000. Our target users are project directors, site managers, and operations leads. Sales cycles are typically 2–4 months. We want to set up a referral program to encourage happy customers, industry consultants, and project management trainers to refer BuildFlow to new clients. We’re looking for non-cash incentives — things like free months of service, priority support, or branded gear. We want the program to feel professional and useful, not gimmicky. Can you design a referral program with the right structure, messaging examples, incentive ideas, and an easy process for tracking and managing referrals? End ChatGPT content Ask right after they buy. They are excited about the purchase! Do you have a referral program?

I have a sales meeting coming up and I need a good set of questions to ask so I can get closer to the sale and move the customer forward. What are the 25 best questions and follow up questions I can ask in order to flesh out what my customer needs and wants? Based on what I have provided to you, what are they points to discuss and which ones should I leave out? Stick that in your AI of choice and see what comes out. Ask it to help you. Experiment with this new support tool we have.

Part 2 of why would women not invest in female led businesses. My study this week in the "why is still so little money flowing into female led startups and growth businesses?". I asked DeepResearch at ChatGPT. ChatGPT: • Limited Capital and Influence: Especially on the angel side, female investors often have less capital on average (since ultra-high-net-worth individuals skew male) and may invest smaller ticket sizes. The Women Angel Insights report noted that fewer than 0.5% of UK female angels have portfolios of 10+ investments (implying many are occasional investors). In the VC realm, with women holding only ~11–15% of decision-making roles, a lone female partner may champion a female-founded company but still need buy-in from an investment committee that is mostly male. In some cases, unconscious biases or different risk perceptions among colleagues can thwart deals – research has shown VCs sometimes ask women founders more risk-oriented questions, leading to lower evaluations . Female investors must navigate these dynamics; while they may be inclined to back female founders, they might not always succeed in persuading a fund to invest if biases aren’t shared by co-investors. • Avoiding Tokenism: Some female investors resist being pigeonholed as “the female VC who only invests in female CEOs.” They want to be seen as generalist tech investors, not limited to a gender mandate. As a result, they might consciously ensure their portfolio includes male-founded companies as well, and evaluate all pitches evenhandedly. The upshot is that, even though statistics show a tilt toward female founders, many women VCs will emphasize that their standard for investment is the same for any founder. This professional stance can sometimes be misconstrued as lack of support for women, when in reality it’s about maintaining a fair and rigorous investment process. Several female angels similarly report that while they love to back women, they “won’t invest out of charity” – the business case needs to hold. This reflects the nuanced balance female investors strike between advocacy and prudence. In summary, the qualitative landscape reveals that female investors often bring a perspective and commitment that benefits female-led tech startups, but they operate within the same market constraints as others. Many actively champion women entrepreneurs out of both idealism (closing the gap, mentoring others) and realism (untapped market potential, solid returns). At the same time, being a female investor doesn’t automatically translate to supporting every woman founder – decisions still hinge on business merit, and female investors face their own hurdles in a male-heavy investment environment. END ChatGPT Content. Surprised?

With the kind of money these football players make I hardly think a £100 fine will make a difference. I think a dashboard showing names and performance on these items would be more effective. Then add bonuses for the best performers and deduct team bonuses if the lowest scoring 10% go below a certain line. Peer pressure to stay at the right standard and some incentive to do well.

Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon and did a bunch of other super amazing things.

Everything you do displaces something else you are not doing instead. This forces you to make better choices IF you are aware of it. Everything worth pursuing will take 5 years of focused effort to accomplish. What is the age difference between your current age and 80? Divide that number by 5. There you go, that is the number of ambitious projects you can work on with real focus and drive (assuming good health). Once you reach 50 you realise you have 6 of those projects left at best. There are only so many Boards to serve on, startups to launch or other projects to pursue. How many 5 year slots do you have? Are you using them to your greatest benefit?

How do we increase investment into female led businesses? Here are five approaches to increase the investment into these businesses AND stimulate more of the high growth companies. 1. Enhanced SEIS/EIS for Female-Led Startups What: Introduce a “Diversity EIS Bonus” – increase the income tax relief from 30% to 50% for investments in female-led startups (where 50%+ of founders or executive directors identify as female), with a higher annual investment limit. Why: Tilts investor incentives toward backing women-led ventures without mandating quotas. Levels the playing field where bias or risk aversion deters investment. 2. Childcare as a Startup Cost – 100% Tax Deductible What: Allow childcare expenses for founders and early employees of registered startups to be claimed as allowable business expenses, up to a capped monthly amount per child. Why: Makes childcare a legitimate startup cost – recognising it as foundational infrastructure for building ambitious ventures. Gives women greater flexibility to scale faster. 3. National Entrepreneurial Parental Leave Scheme What: Provide a government-funded parental leave package for entrepreneurs, allowing founders to take 3–6 months leave with grant support, a startup “carer-in-chief” subsidy, or mentoring coverage. Why: Enables female (and male) founders to plan for family life without derailing a growing business. Normalises parenthood among high-growth entrepreneurs. 4. LP-Led Mandates for Diverse Funding What: Require UK public funds (British Business Bank, pension funds, Innovate UK, etc.) to allocate at least 30% of capital into VC/PE funds with a clear, independently verified strategy for investing in female-led or underrepresented startups. Why: Redirects power from fund managers to capital allocators. This forces diversity into the core investment thesis, not just side programs. 5. Equal Pitching Act: Anonymous First-Stage Screening What: Require any publicly funded investor or accelerator to use blind first-round assessments for pitch decks and executive summaries (i.e. without founder names, photos, or bios), before live pitching. Why: Reduces unconscious bias at the critical filtering stage. Already proven in academic publishing and orchestras to boost representation.

When to stop pursuing an opportunity? Some years ago during our Business Development meetings I made a consistent effort to push the team to the clarity of an opportunity. Are they likely going to buy? Why? What can we influence? At one point I jumped on a plane to fly to Malaysia for a 45 minute meeting. That's a long way to go and the size of the opportunity justified it. I didn't even make it past the reception desk. I was politely told on arrival that it was a no. On return I was making the case for trying to see what we could do. I had flown 28 hours in three days! I was sure it had to happen. That's when one of the other guys asked "If it was me coming back from Malaysia with that clear No, would you suggest I go back and make another trip? Or would you tell me to drop it?" That's called putting the finger on the sore spot. He was right. A good business development meeting is not an update on activities. The aims are to examine and investigate where the resources should go. Then it's all about asking questions. "I'm working on this opportunity, this is what I'm doing. Am I missing anything? What else could I do? Could I speak to someone else?" Ask for help. Offer help.

Yesterday I spent in lovely Coventry for some excellent sales training. Really wonderful, small group of folks from industrial sales, scientific sales, and to high end watches in London. 😀 (did not manage to get a discount voucher) You learn so much from people who do sales in another market and industry. The emotive side of sales, the managing of information, customer needs exploration. Great trainer as well. I do a few workshops myself and definitely picked up some interesting ways to organise a workshop. Go get some sales training. The value of taking a whole day away from work to just discuss and think about how you sell, how your customers buy and where you can improve is huge. Check out MTD Training. I had an excellent day.

The Moonshot Mindset is a practical, structured approach to achieving big, bold goals. Not through wishful thinking or vague ambition, but by committing to a clear mission and systematically building the skills, support, and systems required to reach it. I was inspired by the original NASA moon program, where they didn’t start by launching a rocket to the moon. They started with Mercury missions. These were basically small steps of focused learning. Then this built up through Gemini and finally Apollo. I believe most people and businesses aim too small, not because they lack capability, but because they have not been shown a process for thinking bigger and executing with discipline. This Moonshot mindset is: • Mission-driven – anchored in a personal or business “why” that’s worth striving for. • Stage-based – recognising that breakthroughs come through learning, iteration, and building momentum over time. • Systems-focused – built around Navigation (clarity and direction), Propulsion (energy and progress), and Life Support (stability and resilience). • Universally applicable – useful whether someone’s scaling a company, building a new career, or transforming their life. Above all, the Moonshot Mindset is not motivational fluff. This is an actionable structure.

Not everything happens for a reason.

Business Awards for Startups: Waste of Time and Effort? I think there are some great benefits to certain awards. For example Converge Challenge has world class training attached. I do think too often founders care too much. So what? You won an award. Who cares? Try and sell something. Less time on applying for awards and more on building a business please. So, I tried the new ChatGPT DeepResearch and asked the question. "Is there a link between winning startup awards and creating successful businesses? Perhaps measured by revenue or headcount or exit value. Many startup founders chase awards. If you look at these companies 5-10 years later do the winners get out better or worse?" Here's the summary of the outcome as written by ChatGPT (the whole research output is a lot more detailed) "Looking at UK tech startups from 2010–2015, the answer appears to be yes. Award winners consistently showed stronger growth in both revenue and headcount compared to non-winners. Companies like Darktrace saw a 450% revenue increase and over 200% headcount growth while racking up accolades – far above average for early-stage firms. In contrast, fewer than half of UK startups survive beyond five years, and only a small proportion achieve scale-up growth. Award winners were also more likely to raise large funding rounds and achieve successful exits. Startups such as Wonga, BeatThatQuote.com, and The Book Depository all secured significant investment or were acquired by global giants like Google and Amazon. Others, like TransferWise and Farfetch, reached unicorn status. In fact, a University of Leicester study found that award-winning companies experienced 36% higher share value growth after just three years. Why the difference? Part of it comes down to visibility. Awards bring credibility, media attention, and help attract customers, investors, and top talent. The validation that comes with winning often results in more inbound interest and easier conversations – things that can accelerate early traction. It’s a reputational boost that can be hard for non-winners to replicate on their own. Of course, there’s a selection effect at play. Awards tend to go to companies already showing promise. But research suggests the impact of winning goes beyond just recognition – it actively boosts performance. Founders report that awards helped them land investment, attract talent, and open doors. The result is a reinforcing cycle: strong startups win awards, and awards help them grow even faster. So if you’re building a startup and wondering whether awards matter — they do. Not just for the trophy cabinet, but as a potential accelerant for growth, funding, visibility, and long-term success." Basically, awards can help and tend to help the ones that are already doing well the most. Perhaps all those experts and judges do know a thing or two about startups!

Is it better to be a solo founder or to have one or two co-founders? I’ll leave this to Winston Churchill who knew one or two things about partnerships. “there is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them”

Do women invest in women? Everyone’s favourite “Bro” Phil McSweeney asked some questions the other day about the crazy persistent issue of only 2% of VC funding ending up with female led businesses. Since ChatGPT doesn’t get angry at me (yet) and because I am curious I decided to use the new DeepResearch function. This week I’ll be posting some of the data it dug up for me. What I asked first: In the UK is there evidence that female angel investors and female VC are more likely to invest in female led businesses? If so by how much? What are the reasons? And if not, what are the reasons given by female investors for not investing in female led businesses? ChatGPT went away for 20 minutes and then returned with a big file, many interesting facts and all with sources. Let’s see what the first bit of info tells us. CHATGPT: Out of an estimated ~36,800 UK angels, only about 14% (5,064) are women . Nonetheless, the number of active female angels has grown. Deal Participation and Volumes: Over the past decade, women angels were involved in deals totaling £2.34 billion, backing over 4,000 businesses – including 1,000+ female-founded companies – and helping create 10,000+ jobs . In 2023 alone, 85 UK startups with female founders raised angel funding that included at least one female angel. Investment Bias Toward Female-Led Startups: Data indicates that female angels are indeed more likely to invest in female-led companies compared to their male counterparts. According to the UK Business Angels Association’s Women Angel Insights study, ~25% of the companies backed by female angels are female-founded, versus about 19% for the broader angel community. In other words, women angels fund roughly one-third more female-founded businesses (as a share of their portfolio) than the average angel. Consistently, PitchBook found that 28% of female-founded startups raising angel finance in 2023 had at least one female angel investor on board (up from 25.3% in 2021). This suggests female angels play a disproportionately large role in financing women entrepreneurs at the seed stage. Sector Focus: Female angels tend to favor technology and innovative sectors, aligning with the tech-focus of this analysis. The UK Women Angel Insights report found that women angels have a “strong appetite for technology innovation,” with fintech, AI, adtech, edtech, and digital health among the most popular sectors . Many female angels actively seek out high-growth tech startups – and within that, often those addressing markets they understand or see as underserved (for example, femtech or products for female consumers, which historically struggle to gain support from male investors ). END ChatGPT Content Surprising? Anything new in here for you?

Scotland at its very best.