In this special end of season episode, Jez reflects on the themes and lessons learned from the past season of the podcast and 31 interviews with business founders, CEOs and entrepreneurs. The three main themes of business failure across the season were: 1) Getting in your own way due to fear and lack of trust, 2) Unexpected events that lead to business downfall, and 3) People issues such as partnerships and suppliers. Jez emphasises the importance of self-awareness, vulnerability, due diligence, and building contingencies to mitigate these failure patterns.

The podcast’s season 2 will be back in Autumn 2024. 

Takeaways: 

• Failure can be a valuable learning experience and an opportunity for growth.
• Self-awareness and vulnerability are key to overcoming fear and getting out of your own way.
  Expect and prepare for unexpected events by building contingencies and robustness in your business.
• Conduct due diligence and ensure fit when choosing business partners and suppliers.
• Plan for worst-case scenarios and avoid single points of dependency.
• Reflect on failures, learn from mistakes, and maximize the learning experience.
• Books mentioned: The Black Swan