Ventures

I grew up financially poor but rich in love from a close and supportive family. From an early age, I was determined to change the direction of the Waller family for years to come. Like many entrepreneurs, I sometimes tell stories of early ventures — selling things at school to make a bit of pocket money. But the truth is, I’m not a big fan of those tales. They can sound like it was all easy or that I was somehow “born an entrepreneur.” It wasn’t. Entrepreneurship has been tough, and my journey has been more than 30 years of ups and downs. I’ve simply been fortunate to win more times than I’ve lost.

I launched my first business at 16 with more enthusiasm than experience. Those early attempts weren’t always successful, but they gave me lessons I still draw on today. In my early twenties, I built a company that I scaled over 15 years before selling to one of the largest companies in the world in 2016. Alongside it, I spun out and later sold its technology arm in 2017.

Since then, I’ve gone on to start new ventures, acquire others, and sell a few along the way. In select cases, I’ve also invested in businesses I believe in, helping founders and teams grow. Today, I manage a portfolio that spans the UK, the US, and Australia.

Although I left school at 16 without any qualifications — my dyslexia made traditional education almost impossible for me — I’ve always been curious about learning. Later in life, I studied at Cranfield, Berkeley, Stanford, and London Business School, where I began but didn’t complete my Executive MBA. Each of these places, in their own way, helped shape my outlook and contributed to my success.

For me, ventures aren’t just about profit or transactions. They’re about building things of substance, solving problems, and creating opportunities for others to thrive.

My ventures are always looking for brilliant people to join the journey. You can see my active businesses on LinkedIn — and if one sparks your interest, I encourage you to reach out to them directly.