Zero.24%

Kris Jones: Getting Underestimated Founders Funded and Investor Ready​In this episode of Zero.24%, Michael Livingstone speaks with Kris Jones, the CEO of Magic Sauce Online, an innovative platform aligning undervalued entrepreneurs with investors.​Many founders face the same challenge: they need to secure investment to scale, but they struggle to navigate an ecosystem filled with systemic barriers and friction.​Magic Sauce Online is working to break that cycle by reducing the friction between founders and investors, with a clear focus on getting underestimated founders funded and helping investors access better deal flow.​Michael and Kris explore how practical guidance not fluffy motivation can help founders build the things that actually move the needle before they pitch to investors.​They also discuss the barriers faced by underrepresented founders, the importance of clarity and traction, and how to communicate an offer without sounding like a generic pitch deck.​In this episode, they discuss:​How to reduce friction between founders and investors​Why underrepresented founders struggle to access capital​The relationship between clarity, traction, and true investor readiness​How founders can communicate their offer without sounding like a generic pitch deck​The difference between practical guidance and fluffy motivation​Why focusing on the metrics that actually move the needle creates stronger alignment with investors​How to help investors access better deal flow by presenting stronger opportunities​The systemic barriers facing underestimated entrepreneurs​Kris’s experience mentoring across programs like Carbon13 and Raise Ventures​Why hands-on founder education is critical for securing capital​How a more inclusive startup ecosystem could unlock overlooked ideas and talent​About Kris JonesKris Jones is the CEO of Magic Sauce Online and Head of Founder Education at Diversity X.​With a wealth of experience, Kris, an esteemed startup expert, has mentored in renowned ecosystems like Raise Ventures, Black Valley, Diversity-X, Carbon13, and NeoITO. His impactful guidance has led early-stage startups to secure £50m.​He is publicly credited for helping founders raise significant capital through practical guidance, helping them build clarity, traction, and investor readiness.​About Magic Sauce OnlineMagic Sauce Online is an innovative platform aligning undervalued entrepreneurs with investors. The platform aims to reduce friction between founders and investors, getting underestimated founders funded while helping investors access better deal flow.​Learn more about Kris Jones:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-jones-kinnovate/​About Zero.24%Zero.24% explores the experiences, strategies and resilience of Black and underrepresented founders building businesses within an investment ecosystem where access to funding remains deeply unequal.​Hosted by Michael Livingstone, the podcast features honest conversations with founders, investors and ecosystem leaders about building businesses, overcoming barriers and creating meaningful change.​Follow, subscribe and share the episode with someone who is building a startup, searching for investment or considering how to navigate the venture capital landscape.​Listen and subscribe to Zero.24% on your preferred podcast platform.

Judy Leung: Building Startups Through Talent, Ownership and Sweat EquityIn this episode of Zero.24%, Michael Livingstone speaks with Judy Leung, founder and CEO of Sweqlink, a platform helping early-stage founders access the skills and expertise they need through fair and transparent sweat equity partnerships.Many founders face the same challenge: they need a strong team to develop their idea, build a product and demonstrate traction, but they cannot afford to hire experienced professionals before securing investment.Sweqlink is working to break that cycle by connecting founders with talented individuals who are prepared to contribute their time and expertise in exchange for a share in the future success of the business.Michael and Judy explore how sweat equity can help founders make progress before investment, while giving skilled professionals an opportunity to become more than employees or volunteers—they can become owners and long-term partners in the businesses they help build.They also discuss the barriers faced by women and underrepresented founders, the importance of making entrepreneurship more accessible, and why early-stage partnerships must be built around transparency, realistic expectations and shared values.In this episode, they discuss:What sweat equity is and how it worksWhy early-stage founders struggle to access experienced talentThe relationship between investment, talent and startup growthHow founders can build an initial team before raising fundingThe difference between sweat equity, employment and volunteeringWhy ownership can create stronger alignment and commitmentHow to protect both founders and contributors in equity-based arrangementsThe importance of clear expectations, responsibilities and agreementsThe barriers facing women and underrepresented entrepreneursJudy’s experience building Sweqlink as a first-time technology founderWhy a founder’s background should not determine their potentialHow a more inclusive startup ecosystem could unlock overlooked ideas and talentAbout Judy LeungJudy Leung is the founder and CEO of Sweqlink, a Manchester-based platform connecting early-stage businesses with skilled professionals through sweat equity opportunities.With more than two decades of experience across digital marketing and project management, Judy founded Sweqlink to help entrepreneurs overcome the financial and talent barriers that often prevent promising ideas from progressing.Her mission is to make entrepreneurship more accessible by enabling founders to build capable, committed teams while giving professionals the opportunity to invest their skills in businesses they believe in.Judy is a recipient of the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award and is an advocate for greater representation, fairness and accessibility within the startup ecosystem.About SweqlinkSweqlink is a sweat equity talent platform that helps pre-investment startups find skilled people who are prepared to exchange their expertise and time for equity.The platform aims to make sweat equity arrangements clearer, fairer and more transparent while opening up business ownership to a wider range of professionals.Learn more about Sweqlink:https://www.sweqlink.com/About Zero.24%Zero.24% explores the experiences, strategies and resilience of Black and underrepresented founders building businesses within an investment ecosystem where access to funding remains deeply unequal.Hosted by Michael Livingstone, the podcast features honest conversations with founders, investors and ecosystem leaders about building businesses, overcoming barriers and creating meaningful change.Follow, subscribe and share the episode with someone who is building a startup, searching for a co-founder or considering contributing their expertise to an early-stage business.Listen and subscribe to Zero.24% on your preferred podcast platform.

Episode summaryIn this episode of Zero.24%, Michael Livingstone sits down with Manoj Ranaweera, founder of Techcelerate, Deal Lite and SkilledUp Life, and one of the people credited with helping build Manchester’s tech startup ecosystem.Manoj’s story is not the polished founder fantasy. It is about failure, rebuilding, bootstrapping, community, exits, and the uncomfortable truth that most founders do not have unlimited access to capital, talent or networks.From launching his first tech startup in 2004, to building founder communities, creating the Northern Tech Awards, exiting ventures, and now helping startups access skilled volunteer talent through SkilledUp Life, Manoj has spent two decades inside the real machinery of startup survival. His work has focused on founders, commercialisation, investment readiness, and building ecosystems before they become fashionable. For founders operating in the 0.24% reality, this conversation matters. Because when funding is limited, your network, your credibility, your commercial discipline, and your ability to build with what you have can become the difference between giving up and staying in the game.Why you should listenThis episode is for founders who are tired of being told to “just raise money” when the system was never built with them in mind.Manoj brings a direct, experienced and sometimes uncomfortable perspective on what it really takes to build a startup when you do not have easy access to capital. He has built, failed, exited, restarted, and supported thousands of founders across the UK tech ecosystem. His journey shows why community, consistency, commercial thinking and founder resilience matter long before investment arrives.In this episodeMichael and Manoj explore:The reality of building when you do not have funding Why Manoj’s first fintech failure became the foundation for everything that followed How Manchester’s tech startup ecosystem was built through events, relationships and founder energy Why founders need to understand commercialisation before chasing investment The role of SkilledUp Life in helping startups access global volunteer talent Why talent, not just money, is one of the biggest barriers for early stage founders What underrepresented founders can learn from ecosystem builders Why sharing what you are building can create more opportunity than hiding your idea The difference between looking like a startup and actually building one What founders need to do when the investment landscape does not favour themGuest bioManoj Ranaweera has been building tech startups and related ventures since 2004. He is the founder of Techcelerate, Deal Lite and SkilledUp Life, and has been closely associated with the development of Manchester’s tech startup ecosystem. His ventures include Northern Tech Awards, acquired by GP Bullhound, and edocr.com, acquired by Accusoft. Through SkilledUp Life, Manoj helps tech startups access skilled volunteers from around the world, supporting founders who need talent but may not yet have the resources to hire full teams. Zero.24% angleThis conversation goes to the heart of Zero.24%.Black founders received just 0.24% of venture capital funding in 2024, but founders still have to build, survive, sell, hire, learn, and grow. Manoj’s journey reminds us that the startup world is not only shaped by investors. It is also shaped by founders who create ecosystems, open doors, build communities and help others keep going when money is not available.This episode is not about pretending funding does not matter. It is about what founders do when funding is not coming fast enough.Pull quote options“When funding is limited, community becomes infrastructure.”“Some founders wait for permission. Manoj built the room.”“The startup game is not just about raising money. It is about learning how to survive long enough to matter.”“If the system will not build around you, sometimes you have to build the ecosystem yourself.”SEO keywordsZero.24% podcast, Manoj Ranaweera, SkilledUp Life, Techcelerate, Deal Lite, Manchester tech startup ecosystem, Black founders, underrepresented founders, startup funding, bootstrapping, venture capital, startup survival, founder journey, UK tech startups, startup volunteers, early stage founders, startup ecosystem, investment readiness, founder resilienceSuggested Captivate tagsManoj Ranaweera SkilledUp Life Techcelerate Startup Funding Bootstrapping Black Founders Underrepresented Founders Manchester Tech Startup Ecosystem Founder Journey Zero.24% Venture Capital UK Startups Startup Survival EntrepreneurshipSuggested categoryBusiness Entrepreneurship Technology Society and CultureShort episode descriptionMichael Livingstone speaks with Manoj Ranaweera, founder of Techcelerate, Deal Lite and SkilledUp Life, about startup failure, bootstrapping, ecosystem building, volunteer talent, and what founders do when investment is not available.Social media captionWhat do you do when the funding does not come?You build anyway.In this episode of Zero.24%, Michael Livingstone speaks with Manoj Ranaweera, founder of Techcelerate, Deal Lite and SkilledUp Life, about startup survival, bootstrapping, Manchester’s tech ecosystem, and why founders need more than money to succeed.This is a conversation for every founder building outside the usual networks.#ZeroPoint24Percent #BlackFounders #StartupFunding #Bootstrapping #FounderJourney #TechStartups #ManchesterTech #SkilledUpLife #Entrepreneurship #UnderrepresentedFounders

Episode title Why Brilliant Women Founders Are Still Overlooked, Lisa Maynard Atem Exposes the Real ProblemEpisode summary In this episode of Zero.24%, Michael Livingstone speaks with Lisa Maynard Atem, founder of STYLISA, an ecosystem focused on increasing the visibility, capital, and influence of women.Lisa sits at the intersection of storytelling, positioning, and access, helping ambitious founders, especially women and underrepresented entrepreneurs, present themselves at the level they are already operating at so they can unlock funding, partnerships, and long term growth.This is a powerful conversation about why so many brilliant founders are still being overlooked, what it really means to be seen and valued in business, and how better positioning can change the opportunities that come your way.From founder visibility to investment readiness, this episode unpacks the hidden gap between talent and recognition, and why closing that gap matters more than ever.Why you should listen If you are a founder, particularly from an underrepresented background, this episode will challenge how you think about branding, visibility, and access to opportunity.This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt that their ambition, talent, or business has not been fully recognised. Lisa shares insight into why that happens, and what founders can do to position themselves more powerfully in rooms where decisions are made.In this episode How Lisa built STYLISA to increase the visibility, capital, and influence of womenWhy so many brilliant founders are still overlookedThe connection between narrative, positioning, and accessWhy having a strong business is not always enough on its ownHow founders can better reflect their true value through their brand and presenceWhat holds women and underrepresented founders back from funding and partnershipsThe role of storytelling in shaping perception and opening doorsWhy conversations around money, visibility, and influence matterLisa’s wider work across innovation, STEM, education, and future opportunityAbout the guest Lisa Maynard Atem is the founder of STYLISA, an ecosystem designed to increase the visibility, capital, and influence of women. Through her work, she supports purpose driven founders in positioning themselves for funding, partnerships, and sustainable growth.She also leads STYLISA FoundHers, a storytelling platform spotlighting bold female founders, and FoundHer FundHers, which explores how women engage with money, investment, and long term financial positioning.Alongside STYLISA, Lisa contributes to wider conversations around innovation, skills, and global opportunity, including board level involvement with The Blair Project and support for Verciti, an immersive EdTech platform focused on net zero skills.Listen if you care about Women in business Founder visibility Investment readiness Personal branding Underrepresented founders Storytelling for business growth Access to funding Entrepreneurship and influenceFollow and connect If this episode resonates with you, follow Zero.24% for more honest conversations on investment, survival strategies, and the founder journey.You can connect with Lisa here: [email protected] #Zero24Percent #WomenFounders #FemaleFounders #FounderVisibility #StartupFunding #UnderrepresentedFounders #Entrepreneurship #PersonalBranding #InvestmentReadiness #StorytellingInBusiness #WomenInBusiness #LisaMaynardAtem

Episode summary In Episode 2, Part 2, Michael Livingstone continues the conversation with Eric Masaba, and this time the story gets even more shocking. After 17 years of fighting for recognition, Eric opens up about the real cost of being overlooked, the pain of seeing innovation go uncredited, and what his journey says about how Black inventors are too often pushed to the margins. This is not just a story about a patent. It is a story about power, erasure, and refusing to give up.Why you should listen If you have ever felt ignored, underestimated, or robbed of your moment, this episode will hit hard. Eric’s story is a wake up call for founders, innovators, and underrepresented builders trying to succeed in systems that were never built with them in mind.In this episode What really happened during Eric’s 17 year fight for recognition The hidden emotional and financial toll of protecting innovation Why this story is bigger than one inventor or one patent How Black innovators can be written out of history What founders must do to protect themselves, their ideas, and their future The uncomfortable lessons this story holds for investors, institutions, and policymakersGuest Eric Masaba, inventor and founder, patent holder for Taxi Dispatch System, US11586999.Host Michael Livingstone, founder of Dustid.com, building the addressing architecture for the digital economy and beyond.Keywords for discoverability Black founders, Black inventors, underrepresented founders, startup story, patent battle, innovation, intellectual property, founder resilience, business injustice, venture capital, bootstrapping, startup struggles, recognition, UK startups, inclusive innovation.Resources mentioned Eric Masaba patents listing, including Taxi Dispatch System, Patent 11586999 Patent publication page for the Taxi Dispatch System Eric’s post describing his 17 year journey, in his own wordsCall to action If this story moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Follow Zero.24% on Amazon Music, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms for more real stories about founders who refused to be erased. You can also listen hands free on Amazon Music with Alexa.Here is an even more aggressive headline style version of the episode summary if you want it punchier:Episode summaryThey nearly wrote him out of the story. In Episode 2, Part 2, Eric Masaba reveals the brutal reality behind his 17 year fight for recognition, exposing the personal cost of protecting innovation while being overlooked by the very systems meant to reward it. This episode is raw, powerful, and a must listen for anyone who has ever had to fight twice as hard just to be seen.

Ep 1, Eric Masaba, The 17 yr patent battle behind ride hailingEpisode summaryIn our opening episode, Michael Livingstone sits down with Eric Masaba, inventor behind the Taxi Dispatch System patent, to unpack a story that will hit home for black and underrepresented founders building with limited access. Eric shares what it took to keep going through a long patent journey, the personal cost of protecting IP, and what founders should know about innovation, resilience and power.Why you should listenIf you're building a startup in the UK, raising pre seed or seed, bootstrapping, or fighting to protect your ideas, this episode is a reminder that the system is not always designed for you, but your conviction still matters.In this episodeEric’s origin story, what problem he was trying to solveThe invention, and what his Taxi Dispatch System patent coversEric’s account of a 17 year patent process, and what that did to his life and momentumThe founder reality of IP, legal cost, mental load, and staying in the gameLessons for underrepresented founders on protecting your work, documenting everything, and building leverageWhat Eric wants innovators, investors, and policymakers to learn from his experienceGuestEric Masaba, inventor and founder, patent holder for Taxi dispatch system, US11586999.HostMichael Livingstone, founder of Dustid.com, building the addressing architecture for the digital economy and beyond.Keywords for discoverabilityBlack founders, underrepresented founders, venture capital, fundraising, bootstrapping, startup growth, intellectual property, patents, USPTO, innovation, resilience, UK startups, founder story, investor readiness, product strategy, go to market.Resources mentionedEric Masaba patents listing, includes Taxi dispatch system, Patent 11586999Patent publication page for the Taxi Dispatch SystemEric’s post describing his 17 year journey, in his own wordsCall to actionIf this episode resonates, share it with one founder who needs encouragement today, and follow Zero.24% on your podcast platform so you never miss an episode. New episodes every two weeks.