Tom Pullen’s Post

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The INNOVATOR Guy | Director of Innovinco® | Author of 'INNOVATOR' [February 2026] | Award-winning keynote speaker | Creator of the INNOVATOR Way®

Every year, I have the privilege of being invited back to my business school to share a few lessons with a new wave of bright, ambitious executives - many of whom are thinking of starting their own business. As any entrepreneur knows, we spend most of our time looking forwards, not backwards. So preparing tonight's session was a rare moment to pause, reflect & try to distil some of what I’ve learned from the past 8 years of building Innovinco®. Here are a handful of those lessons I shared with them: 👇 1️⃣ Build a diverse team Complementary skills, shared values & mutual trust matter more than job titles. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” 2️⃣ Start selling BEFORE you feel ready Perfection is a trap. You’ll learn faster from your first customers than from your first business plan. 3️⃣ Surround yourself with peers & mentors Incubators & entrepreneurial networks are worth their weight in gold - for perspective, support... and also sanity! 4️⃣ Cash is critical Profit is a concept. Cash is oxygen. Always know your runway. 5️⃣ Pivoting is positive Every successful business evolves. Stay open, stay humble & keep your eyes on the long game. 6️⃣ Learnings, not failures Things inevitably go wrong. The key is to learn fast, adapt faster - and NEVER stop testing! 7️⃣ Be visible People can’t buy from you if they don’t know you exist. And that requires putting yourself (& your ideas) out there. In my experience, building a company is one of the most intense, humbling & rewarding experiences there is. You’re designing & building something that didn’t exist before, brick by brick. Just 1 important thing to remember: 👉 that Rome wasn’t built in a day! --- 🔔 Follow Tom Pullen for more practical tips on innovation & growth 🔁 Repost to help others boost their innovation & growth

  • Tom Pullen from Innovinco®
Clare Kitching

Transform your AI & data ambition into action | xQuantumBlack, xMcKinsey | Global top 100 Innovators in Data & Analytics ’24 | Founder & Director, Cambiq

1w

A fantastic list of reflections Tom. Your last one resonates - I have to keep reminding myself of that one!

Lucy Patterson

Design Thinking Expert. Award-winning podcast host. Life design & business innovation facilitator. Advocate for Gen X women leading in the longevity space. Let’s play!

1w

So do all roads still lead to Rome...or back to your business school? 😉 Great that returning to support future entrepreneurs gives you time to reflect aswell.

Julie Smith

Leadership Coach | Speaker | Multi 🏆 winning Author of ‘Coach Yourself Confident’

1w

Great list Tom Pullen. I think number 2 can be generalised: 'Start before you feel ready. Perfectionism is a trap.' (Just making a quick note to self...)

Luís Rodrigues

Helping Leaders Turn AI into ROI | CPTO at Lab49 | Leading Digital Transformation Across FS, Telco & Government | Follow for posts on AI & business

6d

Your perspective on cash flow is particularly relevant; understanding financial health is vital for long-term success and stability.

Tash Durkins 🦋 CPC

Award-Winning Author, Fiercely Joyful | Leadership Strategist & Consultant | Keynote Speaker | Helping Organizations Align Strategy, Truth & Humanity for Performance That Lasts | Book a Strategy Call ↓

6d

Too many founders stall trying to “get ready” instead of getting real-world feedback Tom Pullen

Dr. Nilesh Satguru

10 years as a doctor, now helping visionary leaders find peace, abundance & freedom through the power of compassion.

6d

Thanks for sharing these important lessons. I agree that pivoting is positive Tom. It’s about listening and being prepared to course correct.

Tonya Donohue MBA

Corporate escape artist | Fractional Exec | ex-LinkedIn - Follow me for frameworks, AI experiments, and lessons learned from my corporate-to-entrepreneur journey

6d

Tom, thanks for sharing this! Really useful for all of us. Also, good luck.

Raphaelle Hernu

Executive Coach 🇬🇧 🇫🇷 | Turning pressure into clarity so you decide fast & lead on your own terms

1w

great refresher, thank you!

Rob Llewellyn

The Transformation Advisor | Redefining Professional Development Beyond Courses | AI-Powered Systems That Equip Enterprise Leaders & Consultants for Execution | Trusted Counsel to F100 Execs.

1w

Tom, each point rings true from hard-won experience. Entrepreneurship’s less about speed and more about stamina, humility and learning to find strength in uncertainty.

Melisa Buie

Author, Thinker, Learner, Explorer, Experimenter & Engineer | #opentoconnect | "All of life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." - RWE |

6d

This is all sound advice, of course. Thank you for summarizing these key points. My personal fave "Start selling before you are ready."

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