Alex Depledge MBE on taking a Founder’s Mind into the Government & why the UK is a great place to scale

Alex Depledge MBE on taking a Founder’s Mind into the Government & why the UK is a great place to scale

Author: JBM, James Mitra December 17, 2025 Duration: 40:59
What does it really take to build and scale Startups in the UK, even when the odds feel stacked against you? Find out from today’s 40 Minute Mentor, Alex Depledge MBE, serial entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Resi, and Entrepreneurship Advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer - the first time an entrepreneur has ever sat at the heart of the UK Treasury. After co-founding Hassle.com and scaling it to £8m in revenue across four countries in just two years, Alex sold it for €32m and not long after decided to jump straight back into the Founder seat. This time with Resi, the UK’s largest residential architectural firm, using technology to help solve the country’s housing challenges through extensions and renovations. In today’s episode, Alex shares her journey from growing to building category-defining companies, why resilience and stoicism have shaped her leadership style, and why she believes the UK is brilliant at starting businesses, and we’re just about to see the next wave of change with doubling down on Scaleups.  📚Episode Chapters: ➡️ Building resilience early on [05:20] ➡️ Choosing yourself & changing the narrative [08:20]  ➡️ Why the UK is a great place for Startups [14:40]  ➡️ Going again and building Resi [16:50] ➡️ Inside the Treasury [24:10] ➡️ The biggest blockers for UK Scaleups [28:30] ➡️ What changed in the Budget & why it matters for Founders  [30:50] ➡️ The emotional cost of entrepreneurship [39:30] 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Alex ✨ Find out more about Resi ⭐ Enjoyed this episode? ⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also like: Talent Predictions for 2026: How to attract and hire the best talent in the year ahead with Amplified People Group’s Sophie Graci, Zach Rose, James Adams and Lisa Crane Behind The Doors Of Number 10 Downing Street with Sam Gyimah  Downing Street, Death Threats and DE&I with Baroness Oona King  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered what a conversation with a truly groundbreaking founder or an elite performer actually sounds like? 40 Minute Mentor captures exactly that, offering intimate, structured dialogues designed to unpack the real journeys behind extraordinary success. Hosted by James Mitra, this podcast operates on a simple but powerful premise: profound insight doesn't require hours of your time. Each episode is a focused, forty-minute session with a different leader, from purpose-driven entrepreneurs building unique companies to Olympic athletes who have mastered their craft. The conversations move beyond theory, delving into the pivotal decisions, personal challenges, and practical lessons that have shaped their paths. You'll hear not just about their triumphs, but the resilience required during setbacks, providing a honest look at what building a brilliant career or venture genuinely entails. As one of the UK's prominent business podcasts, it serves as a direct source of mentorship, aiming to elevate ambitions by sharing these powerful career narratives. Tune in for a regular dose of inspiration and actionable wisdom, all within the span of a single commute or workout.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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Duncan Clark on staying purpose-driven in a $42 billion company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:05
Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Duncan Clark, Head of EMEA at Canva, the world-leading visual-communication platform on a mission to empower the world to design. Before joining Canva, Duncan co-founded Flourish, the data-sto…