It has been a full-on week here at Innovator Pulse, and we are glad to have you with us. Our financial webinar brought a wonderful turnout and some brilliant conversation, we have published two pieces we think you will enjoy, and there is a session coming up that is worth putting in the diary. Pop the kettle on, and let us bring you up to speed on everything you may have missed...

Your money questions, front and centre

Yesterday we held our financial webinar, and it was wonderful to see so many of you there. The session was really well attended, and the chat box was busy from start to finish. The questions from founders were thoughtful and honest, and the team answered them either live on the call or with written replies in the chat as the session went on.

The £50k spend was a big talking point, and the team went into great detail on funding, investment, staffing and how it all fits together. If you could not make it, please do not worry. We will be publishing the full recording and a written recap very soon, so you can catch up in your own time. In the meantime, you can read our pre-webinar piece which tackles some of the most common money questions we hear:

We will be answering your financial questions on Wednesday
If you have joined one of our recent Q&A webinars, you will have noticed a pattern. However the session starts, whatever the advertised topic, the conversation almost always turns to money. Because, the financial side of the Innovator Founder route is genuinely one of the least understood parts of
Innovator PulseInnovator International

Change isn't failure, it's feedback

Every founder reaches the moment when the business plan they wrote with such certainty no longer quite matches what is in front of them. It can feel uncomfortable, but it is often the first sign that you are paying attention.

Our latest piece looks at the difference between a minor and a major pivot, and why checking in honestly with your business is always worthwhile, even if you decide nothing needs to change. It is a reassuring read, and a good one to take a quiet half hour over this week.

Change isn't failure, it's feedback
Sometimes the bravest thing is to change course... There's a moment that most founders have, and that is the moment you look at your business plan, the one you wrote with such certainty months or years ago, and you realise it doesn't quite match what's in front
Innovator PulseInnovator International

You don't have to do it alone

A group of friends at a coffee shop
Photo by Brooke Cagle / Unsplash

Running your own business can be one of the most rewarding things you do, and one of the loneliest. Harriet wrote about this from her own experience as a solo founder, and about the simple idea she is trying: booking a co-working space with a fellow self-employed friend and getting their heads down side by side.

It is a small plan with a big effect, and you do not need to wait for the next event to try it. Our community WhatsApp group is a lovely place to find company, and if you are planning to work from somewhere and would like others to join you, send us the location and timings and we will happily share them in a future newsletter.

You don't have to do it alone: why solo founders need each other
Running your own business is one of the most rewarding things you can do, however it can also be one of the loneliest. When you are a solo founder, there is no colleague to turn to when a decision feels too big. There is nobody to groan with when an
Innovator PulseHarriet Fuller

Coming up

Our next session is Applying For Your Next Endorsement (ILR or Same Business) on Thursday 29 October at 11am. If your next endorsement is on the horizon, this one is well worth saving the date for. Find out more and register here:

Applying For Your Next Endorsement (ILR or Same Business) || Thursday 29 October @ 11am
Date: Thursday 29th October Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm (UK Time) Attendees: Applying For Your Next Endorsement (ILR or Same Business) This sessions is open to current visa holders only, registration required via Zoom. Our applying for your next endorsement sessions are a MUST attend for anyone who is in
Innovator PulseInnovator International

You can always see everything we have planned on our Upcoming Events page, and we will keep adding to it as new dates are confirmed.

Upcoming events - Innovator Pulse
Innovator PulseInnovator International

Founder stories, whatever the stage

framed eyeglasses on top open book
Photo by Dariusz Sankowski / Unsplash

A little reminder that we continue to share Founder stories from across our community, no matter which stage of the journey a founder is at. Whether someone is just getting started, mid-way through, or settled into ILR, their story has something to offer someone else.

We also have some revisit stories in the pipeline, a "Where are they now?" focus catching up with founders we have featured before. We cannot wait to share how their journeys have unfolded. If you would like to share your own story, just get in touch - harriet@innovatorinternational.com

Founder stories - Innovator Pulse
Innovator PulseHarriet Fuller

Thank you, as always, for being part of the Pulse community. See you next week.