Start and grow your business
I make it fun and easy to set up a business step-by-step
What I Offer
I provide startup & growth coaching for new businesses.
I work 1-to-1 with people on their business plans, and help make the process of starting and growing easier.
In addition to business check-in sessions, I also work with clients long term so they can overcome the range of challenges that arise at different stages of their business journey.
The action days I run go deep into specific areas of the business, and provide clients a complete strategy and action plan for achieving results.
About Pirate Startups
When was Pirate Startups founded?
Pirate Startups was founded in early 2015 while spending some time in LA, also known as ‘Silicon Beach’.
Watching the stars and the light gleaming on the Pacific Ocean, I decided that Pirate Startups would make a fun brand name for a business.
How I chose the name?
I was already familiar with the ‘Pirate Metrics’ acronym AARRR, which stands for Attention, Activation, Retention, Revenue and Referral.
Following the pirate theme, I also came up with a productivity system which I also call ARR – Achieve RAPID Results.
I thought if I combined both, I could do a lot of useful work with startups and small business owners using these two frameworks. Thus Pirate Startups was born.
The brand concept
Most business coaches are friendly but boring…!
The Pirate Startups brand concept injects a healthy dose of cheekiness back into the business coaching world.
Pirate Startups is about adding colour, adventure, and laughter back into the process of starting and growing a business. Developing a business is already an adventure, with many highs and lows along the way.
Using our structured, action-focused approach, you’ll be able to stay on track and reach your desired destination successfully.
My story
Green Beginnings
My first foray into business was mowing people’s lawns and cutting hedges. We lived on an estate where every house had a big privet hedge. It was easy to see which hedges needed cutting, and which lawns needed mowing, just by walking around the estate.
One day I drew a little picture which I used on a small leaflet. I photocopied the leaflet and cut it out with scissors. I walked around to every house that had an overgrown hedge or lawn that needed cutting.
Before I even got home, the phone started ringing.
The money I earned from doing the first customer’s garden was enough for me to buy some equipment and that helped me to do bigger hedges. I did that as a summer job for several years, and had a number of repeat customers.
This got me started on the path of learning, discovering.
I learned more about the tools and processes that serial entrepreneurs use to set up one successful business after another.
I learned about the business lifecycle, business models, CustDev, Lean and Agile. I learned about market research techniques, marketing and more.
With this newfound knowledge I was able to help a series of people to develop their business.
Business coaching is work that I love doing, as there is so much variety and room for creativity.
Since going into coaching I’ve never looked back, and have helped a string of clients to launch and grow!
Graphic design
At the same time that I was doing gardens for people, I was also at college learning about graphic design.
Later, while at university, people started asking me to do graphics for them. This mostly involved flyers and album covers for rap artists, and graphics to go on social media.
I was keenly into rap music, especially music from local rappers in Manchester and the States. I made lots of graphics promoting Manchester artists back in ’06/07.
Some of my graphics clients also needed ideas on how to promote their albums and concerts.
It’s at that point I became involved with providing business and marketing advice. This was the primary seed for what later turned into my career as a business coach.
Business coaching
Although I had worked in an advisory role working with graphics clients, I never set out to become a business coach.
I fell into business coaching by happy accident.
I knew being a business coach was the right path for me when my first client insisted on paying me and bought dinner too.
I love talking with people.
I also love talking about business.
I want to help people as a career, and completed a degree in Youth and Community Work to pursue my goal.
I knew I wanted a career as a facilitator and advisor from the age of 20 after helping some friends through some difficulties.
Business coaching is a natural career progression from Youth Work, focused on supporting people 1-to-1 to reach their goals.
While I am no longer involved in youth work, supporting people to find their path forward toward a health outcome is part of my DNA as a coach.
I met my first business coaching clients in London while attending various Lean Startup events.
Later in 2015 I went on to organise many of my own business events in Manchester.
Business events
After spending some time in Los Angeles, I went to Manchester and organised a wide range of business events.
This included many practical workshops, regular business networking events and the Free Business Startup Clinics which you can still join today.
My goal has been to connect people and facilitate their journey toward a happy, profitable business.
My promise
I promise that working with me, you’ll always know exactly what to do next to develop your business.
Read more about my core mission to help people earn a good living doing something they enjoy.
Also check out my key principles which can help you achieve success in your business.
If you’re wondering how I help clients reach their business goals, learn more about the proven methods I use to support clients develop their business profitably.
My ethos
The Pirate Startups ethos is to be friendly, inclusive and helpful. The aim is to make starting and growing a business as fun, practical and easy as possible.