The Brutal Truth Behind Scaling to £1.3M: the YaYa story is one of burnout, determination & triumph

What if the only thing standing between your startup and success… was clarity?Phil Keaney-Bolland is the co-founder of YaYa — the UK’s Best Start-Up Consultancy and one of the fastest-growing companies in its space, as listed on the 2024 Fast Growth Index.With over $1.2M in revenue and clients ranging from cybersecurity to AI, YaYa helps early-stage founders cut through noise and build brands that actually grow their business — no fluff, no vague storytelling, just strategy that works.He reveals:▫️Why most early-stage branding is a distraction.▫️What to do when you lose a major client overnight.▫️The one question every founder should ask about longevity.▫️How to turn founder obsession into a competitive advantage.▫️Why building for everyone is the fastest way to fail.▫️What startups can learn from security-first industries.Our Show Chapters! We breakdown the key factors of success for the ultimate Founder toolbox. Check out your B2B resources and question timestamps below:00:00 *Intro*✅ *Solving the Problem* - https://www.wolfpack-digital.com01:22 How did you know the market needed your service?05:35 Did you have any fear when choosing which service to offer?07:45 Would you recommend choosing a product that delivers revenue quickly? 🤝 *Founders & Early Team*09:05 How did you decide to who to found your company with? 🛠️ *Delivering on a limited budget*12:05 How do you decide where to spend money?15:12 What tips would you share?16:37 What advice you recommend for managing a lean budget?17:56 What tools would you recommend?🧾 *First Customer Acquisition*19:00 How did you secure your first customer?22:01 Were you transparent with your first customers?💰 *Securing Funding & Investors*23:44 Why did you decide to bootstrap? 26:01 Would you have grown faster with more capital?💸 *Managing Finances* - https://www.scaleup.finance28:30 What practices do you implement to feel confident with cash flow?💌 *Brand Building*33:15 How does Yaya help companies in the security space stand out?🧳 *Company Culture, Values & Hiring* - https://www.workable.com40:20 What criteria do you look for in the people you work with?42:56 How did you find great candidates?46:30 Can you have culture in remote only workplace?🤖 *AI in Business*47:25 What are your thoughts on AI in Business?52:49 Do you have any predictions about AI?🪧 *Advertising*54:20 How do you decide how much to spend and where? 🏖️ *Personal Well-being & Burnout*59:48 Have you experienced burnout?1:05:30 Is there something on a daily basis that helps you?🔮 *Long Term Strategy*1:10:02 What is your long term strategy? 📸 This episode was kindly hosted by UCL’s School of Management.Home to a world-class Entrepreneurship programme that supports the next generation of founders: https://www.mgmt.ucl.ac.uk/entrepreneurship.Fuelled by Neutonic. For 10% off head to https://www.neutonic.com/chin-wag or use code CHINWAGSubscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrFraJCcsQOlTjAdgGt97A?sub_confirmation=1⁠Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/chinwagcoFollow us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/chin-wagFor more on Phil and Yaya, head to:https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillbolland/https://www.yaya.co/