Using Your Network To Build A Business | Founder & CEO @ Slinger | Theo Lee Houston

Slinger is a job platform offering fun and fair hospitality shifts to side-hustlers, students and hospitality professionals around the UK. In this episode, Founder & CEO Theo Lee Houston talks us through how he has built  business entirely self utilising his network, already acquiring over 5000 workers and 600 businesses as users of the app. Theo shares his thoughts on the power of the ‘network effect’ and how using this concept he plans to build the app as a recruitment tool. Theo shares his experience as a non-technical solo founder, and how receiving the Google Black Founder’s Fund has impacted his vision for the business going forward. Finally, Theo shares his experience fundraising in a market downturn and building out his entire team in just one month, as well as wrapping up with his experience with mentoring and why he believes its so crucial in driving careers. Questions asked: 1. Tell us a bit about yourself and the story behind Slinger2. You mentioned when we were putting the episode together that you built the business entirely self utilising your network, and from this you’ve already acquired 5000 workers and 600 businesses as users of the app. Can you talk us through how you did that?3. Building on this idea of the ‘networking effect’, you also mentioned that more recently you’ve taken on a slightly new concept for the app, based on the solid network of users you’ve got - both in terms of workers and businesses. Can you explain how the idea of utilising the app as a recruitment tool came about and what the vision is going forward?4. What has your experience been like as a solo, non-technical founder? How have you navigated that?5. You’ve recently received the Google Black Founders Fund. Can you talk us through what that has meant for you as a business and how it’s impacted the vision going forward?6. You’re also about to close on your fist round of investment. What has that fundraising journey been like, particularly in a market downturn? 7. You also mentioned that in the last month you’ve built out your whole team. What does that mean for you as a founder in terms of your role and day to day responsibilities and how did you adjust to the culture change of such rapid expansion? 8. You’re very passionate about mentoring and personally dedicate a significant amount of time out of your schedule to mentoring others. Why is mentoring so important to you and what do you think other founders and entrepreneurs can get from doing it?9. What has been the biggest challenge in your career to date?10. And finally, what one piece of advice would you give to someone looking to start their own business or join a start-up? Follow The Start-Up Diaries Podcast on LinkedIn, Instagram, or find more free content from the Tech Recruitment Specialists powering The Start-Up Diaries - Burns Sheehan.