From Classical Percussionist to £20M Immersive Empire: Eddy Hackett's Bootstrapped Business Story | Brave Bold Brilliant

Jeannette sits down with Eddy Hackett, co-founder and executive producer of the Lost Estate, who shares his fascinating journey from training as a classical percussionist to scaling a thriving, multi-million-pound immersive theatre business.  He dives deep into the realities of bootstrapping, the strategic value of looking for capital before you absolutely need it, and how an organisation can build a uniquely resonant brand by leading with its core, human centric identity. You'll Learn Why: A non-linear career shift can introduce creative squiggles that open unexpected and highly lucrative doors. Bootstrapping forces an organisation to adopt a lean, resource-aware mindset that naturally drives creativity. The optimal time to raise capital is when your business is at its strongest, rather than when cash is running low. Elevating your core brand promise is essential for building consumer trust in a highly volatile market. Whether you're a founder, CEO, small business owner, entrepreneur, startup leader or executive, these lessons will help you make smarter hiring decisions and build a stronger, more successful business. 🚀 Want to accelerate your business growth? Join Rise Academy today and gain access to expert business coaching, leadership training, proven growth frameworks, live coaching sessions, and practical strategies designed to help you build a thriving business. ABOUT THE GUEST Eddy Hackett is a classical musician turned entrepreneur and Co-Founder & Executive Producer of The Lost Estate. Founded in 2017 alongside fellow classical musicians Rowan Bell and William Kunhardt, The Lost Estate has grown into one of the UK's largest independent immersive theatre and hospitality companies, entirely self-funded and profitable, without outside investment. The company has hosted over 200,000 guests across 14 experiences, including 58th Street, Paradise Under the Stars, The Great Christmas Feast, and its latest production, CHAT NOIR!, set in 1890s Montmartre. Prior to entrepreneurship, Eddy trained at the Royal Academy of Music and Manhattan School of Music, and worked as a professional percussionist, including as Head of Percussion at Qatar Music Academy. 🔗 The Lost Estate: https://thelostestate.com/ 🔗 CHAT NOIR!: https://chatnoirlondon.com/ 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddy-hackett-10209aab/ About Jeannette Linfoot ABOUT THE HOST Jeannette Linfoot is a highly regarded senior executive, property investor, board advisor, and business mentor with over 30 years of global professional business experience across the travel, leisure, hospitality, and property sectors. Having bought, ran, and sold businesses all over the world, Jeannette now has a portfolio of her own businesses and also advises and mentors other business leaders to drive forward their strategies as well as their own personal development.  Jeannette is a down-to-earth leader, a passionate champion for diversity & inclusion, and a huge advocate of nurturing talent so every person can unleash their full potential and live their dreams. Podcast Description Jeannette Linfoot talks to incredible people about their experiences in business and life, gaining first hand insight into how they unleashed their potential to become Brave Bold Brilliant. From the boardroom tables of big international businesses to the exciting world of entrepreneurs it's all about stepping up to the next level while staying true to yourself.