She left BlackRock to build an AI startup in London | Sofia Hamilton | Souk

Why would you leave BlackRock as an investor to become a startup founder? What does it actually take to find co-founders at an accelerator? And which AI tools should every early-stage founder have permanently open on their desktop?London founder Sofia Hamilton, COO and co-founder of Souk — the world's first AI partner development manager — joins Coffee & Oysters with business tips on leaving a prestigious finance career to build, fundraising as a female founder, and turning B2B partnerships into a real growth channel. Sofia breaks down how she went from marketing to BlackRock active equities to building a VC-backed AI startup through the Antler accelerator. She shares advice on when to hire (spend the money sooner than you think), what investors actually care about at early stage, why product-led growth is her current obsession, and how being an ex-investor changes the way you pitchPlus explore why Uniqlo is her secret weapon for emergency meeting outfits, why Claude and Lovable have become non-negotiable in her tech stack, and her favourite Somali restaurant in Finsbury Park. Additionally, learn about Dealer's Daughters - the niche London poker nights for women in finance and startups.---Steal Sofia’s “stack” of recommendations (along with all guests) in the Coffee & Oysters Guide.Sofia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofia-hamilton-sambrano/Souk Website: www.joinsouk.com---00:00 Intro 03:03 What Souk Is & The B2B Partnerships 04:19 Leaving BlackRock & the Antler Story) 11:37 Hiring, Spending Money & VC-Backed Pace 13:43 Investor vs Founder - What Changes When You Switch Sides 22:25 Finding Customers Through Referrals & Partnerships 29:29 Top Tip for New Founders 43:25 Claude, Lovable & The Founder Tech Stack 55:31 London Gems: Best Somali Food & Hotel Lobbies for Coworking---💬 Become a guest📓 2026 Journal Template🪄 Partnerships & Questions: [email protected]💌 Never miss an episode: Sign up to Substack🎓 The Big Notion Energy Academy📺 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@CoffeeandOysters📸 Instagram: @coffeeandoysterspod📱TikTok: @coffeeandoysterspod Get full access to Coffee & Oysters: The London Business Babe Podcast at coffeeandoysters.substack.com/subscribe