Andrew Hulbert

From starting with nothing to building a multimillion-pound business

What does it really take to build a successful business when you have no funding, no established team and no guarantee that your idea will work? Andrew Hulbert knows the answer because he has lived it. At 27, he started a business from his bedroom, bootstrapped its growth and eventually built a company generating £50 million in annual turnover.

In this keynote, Andrew shares the realities of starting from scratch, finding your first customers and creating momentum without relying on external investment. Drawing on his journey from a working-class background to a $100 million business exit, he explains the decisions, challenges and lessons that shaped his early entrepreneurial success.

With practical insights and personal stories, Andrew shows audiences how resourcefulness, determination and a willingness to take risks can turn an ambitious idea into a thriving business.

Key takeaways:

• Discover how to start a business with limited resources and turn an idea into a commercially successful operation.

• Learn practical approaches to winning your first customers, building trust and generating revenue without an established reputation.

• Understand the opportunities and challenges of bootstrapping, including how to reinvest revenue and maintain momentum.

• Gain insights into the mindset, resilience and decision-making required to grow a business from the ground up.

From bedroom startup to leading 550 employees and generating £50 million in turnover

Starting a business is one challenge. Scaling it into a multimillion-pound operation with hundreds of employees is something entirely different. Andrew Hulbert experienced this transformation firsthand as he grew his company from a bedroom startup into a business employing 550 people and serving some of the world's most recognisable organisations.

In this keynote, Andrew explores what happens when a business begins growing faster than its founder ever imagined. He shares the realities of hiring great people, building an effective team and managing the pressures that come with rapid year-on-year expansion. He also examines one of the most important transitions in entrepreneurship: moving from being the person who does everything to becoming the CEO who leads the entire organisation.

Drawing on his experience of selling £250 million worth of services to clients including Netflix, Microsoft, Facebook and Buckingham Palace, Andrew provides an honest perspective on the decisions that make sustainable growth possible.

Key takeaways:

• Learn how to attract, hire and retain talented people while building a team capable of supporting ambitious business growth.

• Understand the leadership challenges that arise when scaling from a small startup to an organisation with hundreds of employees.

• Explore the transition from hands-on founder to CEO, including the importance of delegation, trust and strategic decision-making.

• Discover how to manage rapid year-on-year growth while maintaining performance, company culture and a clear direction.

• Gain firsthand insights into the opportunities, pressures and unexpected challenges of building a £50 million business.

Building a £50 million company, negotiating a $100 million exit and experiencing life-changing success

For many entrepreneurs, selling their business is the ultimate goal. But what does it actually take to build a company someone wants to buy? And what happens when years of hard work result in a life-changing amount of money arriving in your bank account overnight?

In 2023, Andrew Hulbert exited the business he had started from his bedroom for $100 million (£81 million), retiring at just 37 years old. Having navigated rapid growth, raised investment and worked through the complexities of private equity, Andrew brings a rare firsthand perspective to the process of building and selling a valuable company.

In this keynote, Andrew takes audiences behind the scenes of his entrepreneurial exit. He explores the journey from creating a profitable, scalable business to understanding its value, navigating negotiations and preparing for the moment ownership changes hands.

He also shares the personal side of the experience, including the emotions, expectations and realities of suddenly achieving extraordinary financial success.

Key takeaways:

• Discover what it takes to build a business with long-term value and make it attractive to potential buyers and investors.

• Gain insights into raising investment, working with private equity and understanding the financial decisions involved in scaling a company.

• Learn about the complexities of structuring and negotiating a major business exit, drawing on Andrew's $100 million transaction.

• Understand the importance of preparing for an exit, both from a business perspective and on a personal level.

• Hear what it really feels like to experience an eight-figure financial windfall overnight and how such a moment can change your outlook on life.

When you've achieved financial freedom at 37, what comes next?

Imagine spending a decade building a business, growing it to £50 million in annual turnover and eventually selling it for $100 million. At 37, you have achieved financial freedom and can finally stop working. But what happens when the ambition that has driven your life suddenly disappears?

For Andrew Hulbert, selling his business in 2023 marked the beginning of an entirely new chapter. After years of relentless entrepreneurial growth, he bought a large farm in Oxfordshire, retired and dedicated himself to being a full-time dad to his two children.

In this deeply personal keynote, Andrew explores the realities of life after a major business exit. He shares what it means to step away from the company you built, how sudden wealth can change your relationship with work and ambition, and why achieving financial success does not automatically answer the question of what gives life meaning.

Having spent the past two years focusing on his family, Andrew offers a perspective on freedom, identity and the changing definition of success. His experiences encourage audiences to reflect on their own priorities, whether they are building a business, pursuing ambitious career goals or considering what they want their achievements to make possible.

Key takeaways:

• Explore the emotional challenges of stepping away from a business that has shaped your identity, daily routine and sense of purpose.

• Understand how financial freedom can transform your priorities, ambitions and relationship with work.

• Hear Andrew's personal experience of retiring at 37 and transitioning from leading 550 employees to becoming a full-time father.

• Discover why achieving major financial milestones can raise unexpected questions about fulfilment, happiness and personal identity.

• Reflect on what success means beyond money, professional recognition and business achievements, and how to identify what truly matters.