This week, Nick talks to Magnus Houston.

Magnus has diverse career background that spans professional motorcycle racing for Suzuki GB, where he competed in a support race to the World Superbikes, and self-taught creel fishing. He has founded and managed multiple seafood companies and has experience in the alternative investment sector. Additionally, Magnus is a graduate of MIT's Sloan School of Management.

With Magnus’ previous company, Fishbox, he digitized a traditional business model, creating a system with four times as many data collection points as Tesco Club Card Points. The real driver of subscription numbers was his comprehensive approach to marketing; handling every aspect of the process, from crafting the brand to creating aspirational videos, working with influencers, and managing social media posts.

Nick and Magnus talk about his extraordinary career to-date, including a serious accident in his motorcycle racing career that put him in a wheelchair, to then becoming a fisherman without any prior experience.

Magnus' book choices where:

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers Hardcover by Ben Horowitz
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205

The Pyramid of Lies: Lex Greensill and the Billion-Dollar Scandal Hardcover by Duncan Mavin
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pyramid-Lies-Greensill-Billion-Dollar-Scandal/dp/1529088887

The World for Sale by Javier Blas
https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/javier-blas/world-for-sale/9781847942678

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

This week Nick talks to Marc Adams

Marc Adams is the CEO of Acquisitions4you, a specialized business consultancy firm that focuses on facilitating mergers and acquisitions (M&A) for small to mid-sized companies. They provide end-to-end support throughout the acquisition process, ensuring that their clients achieve strategic growth objectives. The firm's services include identifying potential acquisition targets, conducting comprehensive due diligence, negotiating terms, and managing the integration process post-acquisition. By leveraging their extensive network and industry expertise, Acquisitions4you helps businesses navigate the complexities of M&A transactions, ensuring that both the financial and operational aspects are thoroughly addressed to maximize value and minimize risks.

Before Acquisitions4you, Marc served as an Advisor at Flatworld Solutions, having significantly enhanced client profitability by outsourcing specialized tasks in financial service and insurance, creating over $100M in value. As a NED at JBTM Group, Marc achieved similar value creation through strategic growth and productivity improvements. As MD EMEA at RSA Security, Marc led a team to deliver $25M in software sales with significant year-over-year growth. Marc's tenure at Thomson Reuters involved turning around the EMEA business and expanding in emerging markets. Earlier roles include senior sales and engineering positions at Centennial Software, Clearswift, EMC Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Monotype, and Intersolve, where they consistently drove successful mergers and acquisitions, brand equity, and exit strategies.

Nick and Mark talk about Marc's life and his career and focus on Marc's new book - Secrets to 10xing Your Business and Cashing Out Tax-Free, the book gives guidance on how you can reshape the destiny of your business with strategies proven to not only multiply its worth but also to ensure a lucrative exit when the time is ripe. They cover chapters from the book, Power of Digital Marketing and Tax-Free Selling: Preparing for the Exit.

Marc's book choices where -
Secrets to 10xing Your Business and Cashing Out Tax by Marc Adams
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-10Xing-Your-Business-Tax-Free/dp/B0CRXPBB4T
DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online by Russell Brunson
https://www.amazon.co.uk/DotCom-Secrets-Underground-Playbook-Growing/dp/1630474770

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

This week Nick talks to long time friend of the show, Hugh Hendry the Acid Capitalist.

Hugh Hendry is a prominent investor and hedge fund manager, best known for founding Eclectica Asset Management. Hendry gained considerable attention for his contrarian investment style and outspoken personality. He began his career at Baillie Gifford before moving to Credit Suisse, where he honed his skills in asset management. Hendry's reputation for making bold, unconventional bets was solidified during the 2008 financial crisis when his fund profited significantly from positions that anticipated the market downturn. His ability to foresee economic shifts and his willingness to take high-stakes risks have marked him as a distinctive figure in the world of finance.

Despite stepping back from active fund management, Hendry remains an influential voice in finance, leveraging his deep understanding of market dynamics and his contrarian mindset to provide a unique perspective on economic developments as the Acid Capitalist.

Hugh guides Nick through a macroeconomic maze, exploring the markets, gold, the Kobayashi Maru test, Dollar/Yen, Euro/Dollar, the Federal Reserve, Japan's devaluation and yelling at Yelland plus where Hugh invests his money.

Fancy a ACID CAPITALIST SUMMER CAMP MACRO RETREAT with Hugh? Click here for details.

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

In the 50th episode of A Different Perspective, Nick talks to Mark Sheppard.

Mark is a certified chartered accountant with previous experience at Deloitte and ABN Amro Hoare Govett. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Exeter and a BSc (Honours) in Computing & IT from the Open University. Mark is the Co/Founder of Manchester and London Investment Trust. Manchester and London Investment Trust is a global equities fund with a bias towards blue chip, high quality, global, growth stocks that are primarily developed market listed.

In this episode, Nick and Mark explore the transition from human labour to automation and all aspects of AI. Leveraging Mark's expertise in computing, he guides the conversation beyond the usual news headlines, providing deep insights into the stages of the Ai landscape and its effects. Mark says we need to pay attention, the world changes when we sleep.

Mark's book choices were Investing with Keynes: How the World's Greatest Economist Overturned Conventional Wisdom and Made a Fortune on the Stock Market by Justyn Walsh and The World without Work by Daniel Susskind.

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

Brian R. Cook is a seasoned entrepreneur with nearly three decades of experience, having launched close to 200 locations for various boutique fitness brands. He holds a B.S. in exercise physiology from Northeastern University and an M.B.A. from Babson College. His latest venture is StretchMed, a franchise specialising in 1-on-1 stretching sessions, which he established in November 2019. StretchMed now operates over 20 locations across five states, focusing on relieving chronic pain, enhancing mobility, rejuvenating the body, and promoting better movement.
Outside of work, Brian, a former hockey player, divides his time between Boston and Puerto Rico and enjoys boating.

Brian and Nick discuss Brian's career and work in the fitness space.

Brian's book choices where -
E-Myth Mastery by Michael E. Gerber, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter and Good to Great by Jim Collins.

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

In this week's episode Nick talks to Houman Ashrafzadeh

Houman is a serial entrepreneur with diverse experiences in business, finance, and management consulting, Houman has developed a unique skill set and a problem-solving approach to business challenges. Houman has current roles as Co-Founder of Urban Greens and CEO & Founder of Padium.

Nick and Houman discuss his career start moving from Sweden to London to study and Houman’s move into finance and brokering. Houman later found that he needed to strike out on his own setting up his brokerage firm 360 in 2013. Now in 2024 Houman partners in Urban Greens, a salad bar franchise, with 4 locations across London. Recently, Houman launched Padium, a pay and play club for padel in Canary Wharf. Padel was invented in the 1960s in Mexico and is a racquet game that combines the tennis scoring system with the tactical ricochet shots of squash.

Houman's book choice was The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries.

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

Giles and his brother Nick co-founded the Bremont Watch Company in 2002, specialising in the creation of luxury mechanical watches. As one of the select British watch manufacturers, Bremont was, in 2008, awarded the title of Best British Emerging Luxury Brand. By 2009, Bremont’s reputation for crafting classic aviation-inspired watches propelled them to become the 20th largest chronometer manufacturer globally, reflecting the growing demand for our distinctive designs. Last year Giles and Nick sold a stake to the US hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.

Nick and Giles delve into Giles' early business ventures, highlighting his passion for flying. They recount Giles' initial foray into the financial sector, followed by the bold move of reviving a struggling aircraft business alongside his brother, Nick. The brothers' early involvement in an internet business, which concluded with a successful exit, paved the way for them to establish Bremont. This venture was deeply rooted in their lifelong fascination with clocks, watches, and timepieces, a passion inherited from their father, whose tragic death in an aircraft accident served as a poignant inspiration.

Giles book choice was Gipsy Moth Circles the World by Francis Chichester.

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

This week, Nick talks to Judith Batchelar OBE.

Judith Batchelar OBE is a distinguished figure with over 35 years of experience in the food and drink industry. Her career began in manufacturing before she transitioned into retail, working at Marks and Spencer. From 2004 to 2021, she was pivotal at Sainsbury’s as the Director of Sainsbury’s Brand, overseeing all aspects of the company's product offerings, including policy formation on ethical and sourcing issues, product technology, development, safety, and packaging, as well as corporate responsibility and public affairs. Batchelar's academic background includes being a biochemist and nutritionist, holding an Honorary Doctorate in Agriculture from Harper Adams University, and affiliations as a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology and the Royal Society of Arts and Manufacturers​​​​.

Nick and Judith discuss Judith's career in the food industry, Judith's passion for food and dietary improvements and the reduction in ultra processed foods. Judith also looks at how the UK needs to adapt for climate change and the effect on our food production, and finally the recent IPO of Micrsosalt, of which Judith is chair.

Judith's favourite book choices were:

Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard, The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey and Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.