In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair sits down with Piotr Pisarz, the brains behind Uncapped, a revenue-based finance provider. He shares his journey from Venture Capitalist to founder/CEO and his insights into securing non-equity financing for start-up growth. Piotr's experience and out-of-the-box thinking led him to identify the untapped potential of the debt market, offering valuable lessons for start-up founders and CEOs seeking funding.

When Uncapped hit serious speed bumps trying to raise a Series B, Piotr and his team were forced to take a hard look in the mirror and make some tough decisions. Without easy access to piles of cash, Uncapped started operating more lean leading to profit and growth!

Piotr gets straight to the point in this episode - from handling cofounder breakups to the importance of sleep, diet and training like an athlete so you can go the distance as a founder.

If you're in the game of start-up financing or aiming to fund your venture without sacrificing equity, consider this a must-listen.

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Show notes:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:07 – What is Uncapped?

00:02:50 - Benefits of debt vs. equity

00:06:31 - Transition from VC to Founder

00:13:55 - Pitching strategy

00:15:32 - Fundraising lessons

00:17:20 - Hiring and customer acquisition

00:21:54 - Rapid product development

00:24:59 - Business growth and expansion

00:28:53 - Expansion challenges and mistakes

00:29:31 - Investor pressure

00:33:40 - Founder breakups

00:35:14 - Managing stress and self-care

00:37 :11- Dysfunctional team dynamics

00:44:08 - Series B process

00:45:24 - The intersection of fast growth and profitability

00:45:42 - Key metrics for business success

00:46:27 - Long-term perspective in entrepreneurship

00:46:53 - Balancing work and personal life

00:47:36 - Conclusion