In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Roger Wade, the visionary founder behind Boxfresh and Boxpark, two iconic British brands. Roger shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings on a South London council estate to building successful companies, including scaling Boxpark into a cultural landmark in East London. He discusses the importance of having a clear destination when starting a business, emphasising that entrepreneurship is not just about quick wins but enjoying the journey. Roger highlights the significance of migrant stories in the UK and advocates for a 'less is more' approach in venture capital. He also sheds light on the philosophy of transparency in investment terms and the importance of innovative thinking in business. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about purpose-driven entrepreneurship and the power of community.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Roger Wade
00:00:10 - Roger Wade's Background and Achievements
00:00:32 - Founding BoxFund and Views on Venture Capital
00:00:42 - Journey from Rags to Riches
00:01:39 - Importance of Knowing Your Destination in Business
00:01:54 - Host Introduction and Podcast Purpose
00:02:36 - Starting the Conversation with Roger Wade
00:02:49 - Roger Wade's Early Life and Challenges
00:03:12 - Moving from Malaysia to the UK
00:04:06 - Experiencing Racism in 1970s Britain
00:04:39 - Struggles with Identity and Education
00:06:00 - University Life and Early Career
00:06:34 - Transition to Entrepreneurship
00:06:54 - Building BoxFresh from a Market Stall
00:07:48 - Selling BoxFresh to Pentland
00:08:09 - Early Motivations and Drive
00:09:02 - Challenges of University and Entrepreneurial Traits
00:09:23 - Shifting Motivations with Age and Success
00:10:14 - Ego and Purpose in Business
00:10:31 - Financial Stability and Legacy
00:11:04 - Building BoxPark and Achieving Financial Freedom
00:12:19 - Eastern Philosophy and Life Stages
00:13:30 - Learning from Business Exits
00:14:33 - Planning for an Exit
00:15:20 - Importance of Knowing Your Business Destination
00:16:02 - Building a Team for Exit
00:17:01 - Rapid Growth of BoxPark
00:18:03 - Differences Between BoxFresh and BoxPark
00:18:28 - Connecting the Dots of Life Experiences
00:19:18 - Belief in Physical Retail
00:20:00 - Evolution and Adaptation in Business
00:21:02 - Pivoting BoxPark to Street Food
00:22:23 - Taking Over Alcohol Licenses at BoxPark
00:23:06 - Launching BoxHall Concept
00:23:30 - Relationship with Enough
00:24:09 - Period of Reflection and Therapy
00:25:08 - Controlling the Monkey Mind
00:26:01 - Working Three Days a Week
00:27:06 - Importance of Calmness and Experience
00:28:01 - Time as the Most Precious Commodity
00:29:20 - Life as a Dance Floor
00:30:40 - Realizing Money Doesn't Define Happiness
00:31:11 - Practicing Stoicism and Simple Living
00:32:05 - Focusing on Health, Relationships, and Legacy
00:33:00 - Celebrating Migrant Contributions
00:34:02 - Multicultural Britain
00:35:06 - Migrants and Entrepreneurship
00:36:00 - Personal Reflections on Being a Londoner
00:37:05 - Potential Political Shifts and Immigration
00:38:03 - Positive Impact of Immigrants
00:39:02 - Personal and Family Contributions to the Economy
00:40:11 - Migrant Necessity for Entrepreneurship
00:41:14 - Critique of Traditional Venture Capital
00:42:07 - Broken VC Model and BoxFund's Approach
00:43:11 - Hands-On Investment Approach
00:44:49 - Rejecting the Herd Mentality in Investments
00:45:10 - Issues with Liquidity Preference Shares

Find Roger Wade online at:

LinkedIn:https: //www.linkedin.com/in/rogerwade1/
BoxFund VC: https://www.boxfund.co.uk/

This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B.
Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/

Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe


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Roger Wade: Streetwear, street food, and the streets of South London

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