Welcome to Edition 3 of The Fast Track, our SOAR monthly newsletter, where we share tips, insights, and fresh ideas to supercharge your business growth. This month, we’re asking what’s stopping you from moving forward with your business, sharing how to make your personal story shine when pitching, and discussing what it takes to win £25,000 for a big business idea. 

What’s holding you back from business greatness?

On the Ladies Who Launch podcast, the powerhouse behind billion-dollar brands Good American and Skims, Emma Grede, tapped into the real difference between founders and dreamers:

“What makes an entrepreneur isn’t the ability to think about something, it’s the ability to do something.”

As a founder who has built businesses through hard graft, grit, and determination, Emma wants to see more people focus on action rather than planning. As she explains, “to anyone thinking about starting a business, have a crack, get it going, do it on the smallest scale, figure out a way to test, fail quickly and go again.”

• What’s stopping you from moving forward with your business idea? Rather than getting caught in a loop of overthinking, what’s one small step you can take today?

Are you missing the most important element out of your pitch? 

During the judging day for our recent Launchpad competition, we noticed something interesting. After each pitch, the judges kept returning to one simple question: Why you?

When evaluating which businesses had the most promise, the judges really wanted to know:

• Why YOU spotted this opportunity when others didn’t 

• Why YOU are the right person to solve this problem

• What makes YOU care so deeply about this solution

Investors back people just as much as products. Without bringing forward the personal story behind the business vision, even the best concepts can fall flat during a pitch.

• Before your next pitch, pull together a one-sentence statement on exactly why this is the right time and you are the right person to solve this problem. 

How would £25,000 help you turn your dream into a reality?

The AXA Startup Angel competition returns for a fourth year offering vital startup capital and first-class mentoring to two lucky winners. By the 6th July 2025, entrants need to upload a 1 minute video or a 600 word answer to 3 questions. But what are the judges looking for?

• Showcase a mix of creativity and commercialism: You need a bold idea, but you also need to know how to make it commercially viable

• Start with your business why: Open up about what’s going to drive you through the long hours required to get a business off the ground

• Know what will help you grow: Be honest about where you need help to scale your business and where mentorship could make a real difference

  • If you’re ready to shoot your shot, then apply for the AXA Startup Angel competition here. We’re rooting for you!

Are you creating products your customers actually want?

Ama Amo-Agyei, Founder of Plant Made, joined us to share her hard-won insight on how to develop products that genuinely connect with customers. Discover how to understand exactly what different customers are looking for, find out how to iterate your product design through testing and feedback, and learn how to stand out in saturated markets. If you’re ready to master product development, then this is the webinar for you. Watch the webinar here.

We hope you have a great week ahead!

The SOAR Team