In this episode of Seed to Success, Alastair sits down with Piotr Pisarz, the brains behind Uncapped, a revenue-based finance provider. He shares his journey from Venture Capitalist to founder/CEO and his insights into securing non-equity financing for start-up growth. Piotr's experience and out-of-the-box thinking led him to identify the untapped potential of the debt market, offering valuable lessons for start-up founders and CEOs seeking funding. When Uncapped hit serious speed bumps trying to raise a Series B, Piotr and his team were forced to take a hard look in the mirror and make some tough decisions. Without easy access to piles of cash, Uncapped started operating more lean leading to profit and growth! Piotr gets straight to the point in this episode - from handling cofounder breakups to the importance of sleep, diet and training like an athlete so you can go the distance as a founder. If you're in the game of start-up financing or aiming to fund your venture without sacrificing equity, consider this a must-listen. _ Show notes: 00:00:00 - Intro00:01:07 – What is Uncapped?00:02:50 - Benefits of debt vs. equity00:06:31 - Transition from VC to Founder00:13:55 - Pitching strategy00:15:32 - Fundraising lessons00:17:20 - Hiring and customer acquisition00:21:54 - Rapid product development00:24:59 - Business growth and expansion00:28:53 - Expansion challenges and mistakes00:29:31 - Investor pressure00:33:40 - Founder breakups00:35:14 - Managing stress and self-care00:37:11- Dysfunctional team dynamics00:44:08 - Series B process00:45:24 - The intersection of fast growth and profitability00:45:42 - Key metrics for business success00:46:27 - Long-term perspective in entrepreneurship00:46:53 - Balancing work and personal life00:47:36 - Conclusion