40 Minute Mentor

The honest journey of taking on a trillion-dollar market with Joe McDonald (tem) and Adam Chirkowski (Albion VC)

In this 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Joe McDonald, Co-Founder and CEO of tem., and Adam Chirkowski, Partner at Albion VC, to hear the unfiltered story of building one of Europe's fastest-growing energy companies and what it really takes to back, build and scale a mission-driven startup. Joe has spent over a decade in the energy industry and has seen first-hand how broken the infrastructure underpinning it all really is. After selling his previous startup in 2019, he’s back in the Founder seat building the fix through an AI-native energy transaction infrastructure built for the way modern businesses actually operate - from Premier League clubs and Formula 1 circuits to local cafes and independent retailers.  Adam was one of the earliest believers, spotting Joe at an online demo day and backing the team before almost anyone else would. Although ultimately a generalist investor, he has a particular focus on EnergyTech and has invested, advised, and sat on the board of companies across a broad range of sectors, including raising and deploying over £150m of funds into Renewable Energy.  Together, they share a candid and honest account of the inception moment that launched tem., the early mistakes that nearly derailed it, the philosophy behind closing a $75 million Series B in two weeks, and why Joe spends 70% of his time on culture.  Whether you're a founder, operator or investor, this episode is full of hard-won lessons on hiring, fundraising, mission, and what it actually looks like to build a generational company. Episode Chapters:  ➡️ The origin story [05:45] ➡️ Early mistakes and what Adam saw in Joe and the team [09:15]  ➡️ Fundraising lessons [17:50]  ➡️ Building a people-first company [23:00]  ➡️  What the modern company stack actually looks like [26:20]  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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

Building High-Performing Teams in the AI Era with Charles Guillemet & Sandra Schwarzer

In this 40 Minute Mentor episode, James is joined by two leading voices in the talent ecosystem to unpack one of the biggest make-or-break factors in startup success: building high-performing teams in the AI era. Between them, Sandra Schwarzer from Index Ventures and Charles Guillemet from Lovable have worked with some of the most ambitious Founders and fastest-scaling businesses in the world.  Together, they share a candid and practical look at what hiring and team-building really looks like in 2026: How the best Founders attract exceptional talent, why speed matters more than ever, what companies get wrong when scaling, and how AI is changing the way high-performing organisations hire, operate and grow. Whether you’re a Founder, Operator, Investor or Talent Leader, this episode is packed with actionable insight on hiring, culture, performance and leadership in a fast-changing market. 📚 Episode Chapters:  ➡️ 03:50 - Lessons from Elon Musk and what exceptional Founders look for in talent ➡️ 09:30 - Building AI-native teams and why speed is now a competitive advantage ➡️ 18:15 -  How to avoid expensive hiring mistakes ➡️ 31:15 - Predictions for 2026: AI, talent strategy and the future of high-performing teams   🤝A big thank you to our episode sponsors:  To bring this conversation and event to life, we partnered with the team at Penfold - a modern workplace pension designed for today’s growing companies and their teams. While traditional pension providers often see engagement as low as 5-10%, resulting in a benefit that does almost nothing for your team’s financial wellbeing, Penfold is built to make pensions clear, intuitive, and genuinely useful, with over 80% employee engagement.  Trusted by thousands of companies including the likes of Anthropic, Airwallex, Lendable and Capital on Tap, Penfold helps employees easily consolidate old pensions, choose funds that actually fit them, and understand how today’s decisions shape their retirement.. Companies benefit from dedicated support with fewer questions and less admin.   Switching to Penfold only takes minutes, so take a look at how you can offer a pension that’s truly a benefit. 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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

James Mitra on Season 14: Reflecting on 300+ episodes & what’s next for 40 Minute Mentor

Season 14 of 40 Minute Mentor has been one of our most special seasons yet, and in this short wrap-up episode, James reflects on the pocket-sized mentorship moments throughout this season and over the last 14 seasons.  In this season alone, we’ve had some incredible guests joining us, and we covered everything from Co-Founder dynamics, High Performance, the realities of hyper-growth, AI and the importance of diversity in leadership.  If you haven’t caught up on Season 14 yet, or you’re new to the podcast, make sure you dig through the archives of over 310 episodes.  In today’s episode, you’ll also find out more about what’s next for 40 Minute Mentor and how you can get even more involved and benefit from our pocket-sized mentorship  in 2026…. 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Subscribe to our 40 Minute Mentor emails ✨ Follow JBM on LinkedIn ✨ Subscribe to the 40 Minute Mentor YouTube channel 🎧 You may also like: Alex Depledge MBE on taking a Founder’s Mind into the Government & why the UK is a great place to scale Shimona Mehta on scaling Shopify Plus to $1B & transitioning into the CEO role at F11 Murvah Iqbal on scaling one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups and disruption a billion dollar industry with Hived  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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

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

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  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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

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

What does the hiring landscape really look like for 2026, and how can founders attract and retain exceptional talent in a market that’s evolving faster than ever? Continuing on from Wednesday’s episode on People Predictions for 2026, James Mitra is joined by more Amplified People Group team members, Sophie Graci and Zach Rose from JBM, James Adams and Lisa Crane from Foundation Partners, to unpack the biggest shifts shaping the talent market heading into 2026. From the rise of player-coach leaders, to the renewed importance of human connection in an AI-enabled world, the team share their front-line insights on how founders can scale smarter, avoid costly hiring mistakes, and stand out to top candidates. They also dive deep into the growing role of fractional talent, why alignment and clarity are still the most underrated parts of hiring, and how candidates can differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market. If you're hiring in 2026, or gearing up for your next role, this conversation is full of practical and actionable advice. 📚Episode Chapters: ➡️ The biggest shifts in hiring throughout 2025 [03:20] ➡️ The most common hiring mistakes [07:30] ➡️ Employer brand & attracting the best talent [12:30] ➡️ Fractional hiring - and when it doesn’t work  [17:20] ➡️ Scaling in 2026: Advice for founders preparing to grow  [34:00] ➡️ How candidates can stand out in a competitive market [37:00] 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Find out more about Foundation Partners ✨ Find out more about JBM ⭐ 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: People Predictions for 2026: The Future of Leadership and High-Performing Teams with Amplified Group’s Sophie Matthews, Nat Falconer, Mikael Nilsson and Logan Black Alan Cairns on hiring in hyper-growth & a guide to culture and performance Neda Sahebelm & Carla Hoppe: How to make fractional hiring & careers work 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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.