146: Lessons from a Business That Didn’t Make It

Have you considered starting a business—or do you run one now? In either case, my conversation with Sylvana Caloni and Paul O’Donnell is a must-listen. They share essential lessons learned from the starting up and closing down of a premium pie business. Their insights can help you avoid pitfalls and increase your chances of long-term success.

Sylvana and Paul co-authored Humble Crumbles: Savouring the Crumbs of Wisdom from the Rise and Fall of Humble Pie to tell the story of Paul’s failed business venture. Paul provides a raw account of his journey as an entrepreneur with his company, Humble Pie, and Sylvana supplements his narrative with observations and suggestions based on her dual lenses as an equity analyst and leadership coach. They embrace the one word we tend to avoid in life and in business: failure.

You’ll discover:

Why “failure” is not a negative
The importance of self-awareness for entrepreneurs to be successful
Why you must consider the downsides when creating a business plan
How to make the most of mentors and advisors when starting and running a business
The value of making a BIG ask