Ben works as start-up advisor to SaaS software businesses to help entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders reach their next business milestone. For some that will be raising an angel or seed round, others will be looking to scale-up with a Series A or potentially make the case for an exit. Ben has experience in all of the above situations and can help coach you and your team to the best outcome.
Ben’s experience as a startup advisor is born out of the real-world experience, not academia or investment banking. Whilst he’s at home in the world of HR tech and Learning tech specifically, Ben’s knowledge and experience is equally relevant to other SaaS software businesses.
Becoming a start-up advisor
Back in 2005, Ben helped to launch HT2 Labs in to the world of e-learning. Initially, Ben experienced the highs and lows of running sales at a bootstrapped startup, including developing an initial presence in the UK and HT2’s first offices and employees in the US, before becoming CEO in 2010.
In 2013 HT2 Labs raised its first seed round having decided to pivot into a SaaS model with a new platform idea, Curatr. Over the coming years HT2 Labs would raise two further ‘Series A’ rounds, launch another award-winning platform (Learning Locker) and go on to exit the business to Learning Pool in 2019, giving shareholders great returns.
From there, Ben joined the leadership team at Learning Pool (first as Chief Product Officer, then as CEO) and helped to navigate their secondary exit from CCI Capital to Marlin Private Equity in 2021.
Together with an exemplary management team, Learning Pool grew to more than double in size over the coming 3 years, employing more than 450 people by 2023.
Along the way Ben has been involved on the buy-side of businesses in the UK, USA and Europe. All-in, he’s been involved in transactions worth in excess of a quarter of a billion dollars over the last decade.
An independent start-up advisor
Today, as an independent advisor, Ben can help your start-up or scale-up reach your next level. He can either provide input or feedback on a project basis or as an on-going retained advisor to the business.
Project work
Typically Ben is engaged to help on a particular process involving Funding, M&A activity or Exit. He’s best placed to advise companies that are between £1m – £10m in ARR, either headquartered in the UK, USA or Western / Northern Europe. Whilst his experience is in HR tech, the same best practice principles are applicable to other SaaS software businesses. Ben can work independently or as part of your team for the duration of the project. Typical activities include IM development, market positioning, due diligence, investment cases and management presentations.
Funding
Ben is an investor himself and has raised money via both equity and debt markets in the UK and USA.
M&A
Ben has bought and sold businesses worth in excess of $250m and has experience of M&A in the UK, USA and Europe.
EXIT
As a founder and later as a CEO, Ben understands what investors and strategic acquirers are looking for in an exit process.
Retained services
Ben is also available to provide start-up advisor services on an on-going basis. Sometimes this works best as a non-executive board member, others a more ad-hoc and informal approach to strategic advice is appropriate.
board member
Ben has served on the boards of both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. He brings specialist knowledge of HR & L&D practices and the wider learning technology market.
Strategic Advisor
Ben has designed strategies for multi-million dollar ARR businesses and can quickly offer insight and feedback on your chosen path as a start-up advisor.