<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[C7 Ventures Ltd]]></title><description><![CDATA[Navigating Success Through Expertise]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:37:06 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.c7ventures.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[What’s luck got to do with it?]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the many privileges I have in my role at Mercia Ventures is speaking on a daily basis with people who have been very successful in their field who are either in Executive roles or now developing a portfolio of Non-Executive roles, having been successful as a Leader.   I was chatting recently to a Chair of one of our portfolio companies who has been very successful over their career as a Chief Executive and the subject of luck came up.  He very modestly mapped out how he felt that what...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/what-s-luck-got-to-do-with-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3160b27ce5e131934ecfb0</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:41:58 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Focus is Key]]></title><description><![CDATA[Apple CEO Tim Cook was once asked shortly after Steve Jobs died what was the key thing he had learnt from Jobs - his answer was that “Focus is Key”. However, with so many things going on in a business what should a leader focus on? Over the past few weeks The Founders Mentality book has been mentioned a few times in meetings I have been in, and I think there is a strong argument to say that from a behaviour perspective focusing on maintaining a “Founders Mentality” is the most important thing...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/focus-is-key</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3160816e3aac0bcf9b318d</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:41:12 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Power of Meetings]]></title><description><![CDATA[Someone once said to me that if you want to judge a surgeon, watch them operate.  If you want to judge a pianist or a sports person watch them perform live and if you want to judge a leader watch how they operate a meeting. I spend a lot of my time in meetings both internally at Mercia Ventures and with our portfolio companies and I do believe meetings are a cornerstone of effective leadership. In my coaching conversations with leaders, I often enquire about the meetings for their team and...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/the-power-of-meetings</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3160227ce5e131934ece81</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:39:40 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[None of us can win all of the time]]></title><description><![CDATA[In business, the idea that competition is essential for a functioning market is a core concept in economics. Sometimes losing to your competition is inevitable as I don’t think any company, regardless of its size or success, can win every deal, dominate every market, or outpace every competitor at all times.  We had a team meeting this week where we discussed some recent missed opportunities and most importantly how are we reacting and what we were going to do about it.   I was delighted that...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/none-of-us-can-win-all-of-the-time</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315fee53bc3e35ee166f9b</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:38:48 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What is the most important number?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Whilst the natural thing for many to focus on is revenue or bottom line profit, the one number I have always focused on which I think is the most important is gross profit.  In the recent ZIRP years, many software companies (often encouraged by their VC investors) have layered on huge cost bases in order to chase ARR.  Most SaaS companies should be attractive with a strong gross margin of 80% + but as investors assessing new opportunities, we often find it a challenge to assess the actual...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/what-is-the-most-important-number</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315fbba3833966018bd2e4</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:37:51 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The importance of Customer Experience (revisited) – Do you have a JDCE?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I have written previously about the importance of customer experience and since I also wrote that not enough time and attention on the voice and experience of the customer is discussed at company board meetings, I thought I would write about it again. In part it was triggered by a podcast I have been listening to “Invest like the best” which I would definitely recommend.  This week their guest was Neil Mehta, a very successful VC investor and Managing Partner at US based Greenoaks Capital. ...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/the-importance-of-customer-experience-revisited-do-you-have-a-jdce</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315f6d6e3aac0bcf9b2ef3</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:36:38 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Art of Active listening]]></title><description><![CDATA[At the end of every year I review what we have achieved and how I have personally performed, always looking at area’s I can work on for the next year. At the start of last year, I decided that amongst other things, I wanted to improve my active listening skills.  Active listening is when you not only hear what someone is saying, but also attune to their thoughts and feelings. It turns a conversation into an active, non-competitive, two-way interaction. Robin Abrahams and Boris Groysberg in...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/the-art-of-active-listening</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315f2c6e3aac0bcf9b2e62</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:35:34 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Are you ready to sell tomorrow?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I often say that companies are most often bought rather than being sold. What do I mean by that?   It is good business practice to review strategic growth options and specifically which additional markets or products/services or capabilities are required to drive growth.  Many companies do this across the globe and once decided on the requirements there are three strategic choices:  To develop the territory/product/service/capability internally and grow organically; To develop it by some form...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/are-you-ready-to-sell-tomorrow-1</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315ee7655fbab8670fd82b</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:34:19 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Succession – the dual significance of risk management and team development]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of my favourite series I have watched on TV recently is Succession on Sky Atlantic.   For those who have not seen it, the series focuses on a media billionaire with three adult children all vying for being their fathers successor. Succession is a challenge that is faced by all businesses whether they be a family owned business or not. I personally believe succession planning is a fundamental element for all organisations for two key reasons – risk mitigation and team development. From a...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/succession-the-dual-significance-of-risk-management-and-team-development</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315ebc6e3aac0bcf9b2d62</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:33:37 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sharing my favourite words……]]></title><description><![CDATA[“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” I first came across these words when reading about Margaret Thatcher and wrote them down in my notes I keep on my computer for personal development.  It is apparently attributed to a US businessman Frank Outlaw in the 1970s and I think these words sum up so many...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/sharing-my-favourite-words</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315e92d98cc147601dfd35</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:32:52 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is Risk prioritised enough by leaders?]]></title><description><![CDATA[When I was running my first business nearly 20 years ago, I was a member of the executive coaching group, Vistage. One of the many things I picked up, and have utilised multiple times since, is a simple plan on a page template which captures and communicates internally key components of the plan of any business, which include initiatives and objectives relating to sales, product, customer, finance, operations and also and importantly risk. Embracing risk is critical as an entrepreneur and a...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/is-risk-prioritised-enough-by-leaders</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315e5d53bc3e35ee166c1d</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:32:02 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Leading by example and with Perseverance]]></title><description><![CDATA[I was having dinner with the Chief Executive and Chair of a Mercia Ventures portfolio company recently where we were discussing the challenges of running a company.  We  collectively concluded that of all the qualities required to succeed, grit or perseverance was the biggest one. We know that founding and growing a company is tough really tough.  Steve Jobs once said “I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/leading-by-example-and-with-perseverance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315e240e52c32cbe2f8fc6</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:31:10 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A New Year Resolution or a New Year System?]]></title><description><![CDATA[We are now midway through January and one of the most common questions asked at this time of year is “What are your new years resolutions?”  According to the website Statista the Top 5 most popular resolutions for the UK population this year were “To eat healthier, to save more money, to exercise more, to spend more time with friends and coming in at number five to improve my performance in my job.”  But by February most resolutions have not been followed and the goal not achieved! But this...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/a-new-year-resolution-or-a-new-year-system</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315dd1655fbab8670fd595</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:29:42 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is resilience the most important factor for success?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last week, Jensen Huang the co-founder, President and CEO of Nvidia which is now the fourth most valuable company in the world was interviewed at an Economic Summitt at Stanford and provided some fascinating insights into his journey building the company and his thoughts on the future of Nvidia and AI over the next 5-10 years (you can see this interview on YouTube). One answer he gave to the popular question at University events “what advice would you give to Stanford graduates to improve...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/is-resilience-the-most-important-factor-for-success</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315d95a3833966018bcdba</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:28:49 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Eldership: The Next Step for Experienced Business Leaders?]]></title><description><![CDATA[This week I attended two events that were both really enjoyable and thought provoking. Firstly, our team at Mercia Ventures concluded a series of dinners that we have held throughout the UK where we invited a group of Non-Executive Directors to join us for a great meal and a wide ranging discussion and secondly I joined a webinar with US based coaches Chip Conley and Jerry Colonna. At the Dinner we had experienced and successful business leaders from a variety of backgrounds who are now...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/eldership-the-next-step-for-experienced-business-leaders</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315d55a3833966018bcd15</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:27:41 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What’s your BHAG?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I often ask leaders during my discussions this question (pronounced BEE-HAG) and I am often met with a confused/quizzical look.   First of all what is a BHAG?  It stands for a Big Hairy Audacious Goal and was first coined in their book Built to Last over 30 years ago by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras where they explained that companies with a clear BHAG tended to outperform their competitors.  In the book, their studies demonstrated that those with ambitious, long-term goals were more likely to...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/what-s-your-bhag</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315d0ea3667807a6576ea7</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:26:53 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Power of Storytelling]]></title><description><![CDATA[Storytelling is a powerful tool that has been used for thousands of years to convey information, emotions, and ideas. If you want to break down walls with people, truly connect with them and make an impact , few things beat a well-crafted , well-told story. This week I have been at a number of events where I have either been delivering a presentation or in the audience.  As a leader, presenting to groups of people internally and externally is part of the role and whilst I do not relish it, I...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/the-power-of-storytelling</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315cd753bc3e35ee166895</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:25:38 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The importance of Customer Experience]]></title><description><![CDATA[Jeff Bezos once said “Start with the customer and work backward. That is the best way to create shareholder value.” I think without continually focusing on your customer experience whether a product or service business you simply will not have a business long term.  However, it is often voiced as a criticism that company boards and executive leaders do not focus enough time and attention on the voice and experience of the customer.  Two people I admire for their customer focused philosophies...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/the-importance-of-customer-experience</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a315ca6a3667807a6576d88</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:24:45 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[I think if we called it GSE we would all think differently!]]></title><description><![CDATA[ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) has seen a noticeable decline in popularity and enthusiasm over the past couple of years in both public and private markets as well as politics (well certainly US Politics!).  This has been due to a variety of issues but I think mainly to the fact that when we think ESG, it tends to mainly centre on the E and environmental issues. I have had a number of conversations with board members of small companies where they say that ESG does not apply to...]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/i-think-if-we-called-it-gse-we-would-all-think-differently</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3147ef21920c994c76ba29</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:56:33 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Managing Inevitable Growing Pains]]></title><description><![CDATA[As a kid, I remember occasionally whilst watching TV being hit by what felt to be cramp in my legs which was incredibly painful.  “What is wrong with me?” I would cry to my mom and dad.  “Don’t worry they are just growing pains” they would tell me. Growing pains in teenagers I now know are caused by a mix of biological, hormonal, and neurological issues that cause a misalignment under rapid growth something whilst for different reasons companies in rapid growth inevitably suffer from as well....]]></description><link>https://www.c7ventures.com/post/managing-inevitable-growing-pains</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3147aa0e52c32cbe2f5b4e</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:55:24 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>matthew0268</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>