She left BlackRock to build an AI startup in London | Sofia Hamilton | Souk - Coffee & Oysters: The London Business Babe Podcast | Lyssna här

Why would you leave BlackRock as an investor to become a startup founder? What does it actually take to find co-founders at an accelerator? And which AI tools should every early-stage founder have permanently open on their desktop?

London founder Sofia Hamilton, COO and co-founder of Souk — the world's first AI partner development manager — joins Coffee & Oysters with business tips on leaving a prestigious finance career to build, fundraising as a female founder, and turning B2B partnerships into a real growth channel. Sofia breaks down how she went from marketing to BlackRock active equities to building a VC-backed AI startup through the Antler accelerator. She shares advice on when to hire (spend the money sooner than you think), what investors actually care about at early stage, why product-led growth is her current obsession, and how being an ex-investor changes the way you pitch

Plus explore why Uniqlo is her secret weapon for emergency meeting outfits, why Claude and Lovable have become non-negotiable in her tech stack, and her favourite Somali restaurant in Finsbury Park. Additionally, learn about Dealer's Daughters - the niche London poker nights for women in finance and startups.

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Steal Sofia’s “stack” of recommendations (along with all guests) in the Coffee & Oysters Guide.

Sofia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofia-hamilton-sambrano/

Souk Website: www.joinsouk.com

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00:00 Intro

03:03 What Souk Is & The B2B Partnerships

04:19 Leaving BlackRock & the Antler Story)

11:37 Hiring, Spending Money & VC-Backed Pace

13:43 Investor vs Founder - What Changes When You Switch Sides 22:25 Finding Customers Through Referrals & Partnerships

29:29 Top Tip for New Founders

43:25 Claude, Lovable & The Founder Tech Stack