i had lunch with a billionaire... here’s what I learnt about biz

Happy New Year my Wonderful Darlings

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas?

Stuffed your face good n’ prowpaaa?

2026 we are IN YOU.

I’m in PhatFuck mode, on the large n’ charge in Thailand.

Recording a poddy out here with a chef who’s changing Thai Food in London.

Currently writing this newsletter in McDonald’s, Bangkok airport after chopping a McMuffin.

Phuck It, Manz goin’ Phuket.

I love plane journeys. Get a serious amount of writing and reflection done. Mile High Club for Curiosity.

Reflecting on the lessons from Tech Billionaire and owner of London’s famous Italian Restaurant Bocca Di Lupo, David Cleevely.

A conversation I hold in scintillating reverence, a galaxy of mind-shattering business wisdom.

here’s some tingz I learnt, init, brev.

1. You only understand the “Golden Ages” in retrospect - Morgan Housel

Jimmy Carr couldn’t be a comedian if he was born in 1902.
David Beckham couldn’t be a footballer if he was born in 1708.
Mark Zuckerberg couldn’t build Meta if he was born in 1650.
Dua Lipa couldn’t be a PopSta if she was born in 1870.
Jake Paul couldn’t be a Youtube super star if he was born in 1978.

Aaaaaaaaaaand, guess what?

If Leondardo Da Vinci was born 400 years later he’d (probably) invent the helicopter and bicycle. LDV was too early, the technology and infrastructures and networks were too young.

Check his early designs below from the 1500’s below.

SO WILD.

And, you, my friend.

You couldn’t build a challenger brand if you were born in 1703.

Actually, you’d struggle to build a challenger brand if you were born in 1953.

If you’re reading this on the bog or the train…

CONGRATULATIONS… you’re living the Golden Years of Challenger brand building

It’s NEVER been easier.

1. Amazing networks - Buyers have never been closer to brands. Brands have never been closer to buyers.

2. LinkedIn - it’s never been easier to build a relationship with another founder/ ping a DM to a buyer/ wangle a meeting or build a contact

3. Accelerator Programmes CoOp Apairy, Tesco Accelerator, Sainsbury’s Future Brands, Waitrose Brand thingy

4. Coopetition (when competition and co-operation coalesce) - competitive categories are a GOOD thing, your competition force you to improve. Boats rise with the tide mindset.

In 100 years time, people will look back at the UK in 2026 and think Fuck Me, that was a great time to be ALIVEEEE if you’re building a challenger brand.

Remember: You only understand the “Golden Ages” in retrospect - Morgan Housel

this IS the golden age.

Business Wisdom from Abraham Lincoln Pt. 1

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe” - Abraham Lincoln.

The two biggest mistakes brands make when trying to create a new future.

1. Failing to understand humans are storytelling animals

2. Trying to extrapolate the future on excel using numbers

David says, a Future Business Story beats a Future Business Plan.

because:

Humans are homonagens (the storytelling being). From Toddlers we’re read bed time stories, to Tubby Truculent Adults we obsess over cinema and books and Netflix and gossip.

In business, for some bewilderingly strange reason, we neglect stories for visions of the future and supplant them with the crutch of rationality - excel spread sheets, numbers, graphs.

In real life, stories are the currency we use to interact and interface with the world.

Writing your Future Business Story and thinking of the prudent-pitfalls is Abraham Lincoln’s “I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe”.

here’s 4 steps how:

1. Write a story in prose of where you want to be in 5 years. Prose because Humans are Homo-nagens the storytelling being.

2. Write a list of everything that could go wrong? Remember Wisdom Is Prevention. Work hard to avoid the prudent pitfalls

3. Use Claude.ai or ChatGPT to unearth other prudent-pitfalls on your journey your vision of the future?

4. Use Excel and numbers and forecasts as pillars to inform the story of the future

Business Wisdom from Abraham Lincoln 2

"I don't like that man. I must get to know him better” - Abraham Lincoln

So crucial in business.

Too often we judge people before even knowing them.

David’s rift on this was:

Head Side of Coin: “I’m not going to judge you, but, I will understand you”.
Tails Side of Coin: “your gut instinct is a vital indicator whether someone is good or not”

Use both sides of the coin, wisely.

4.THE MOST underrated business weapon of ALL time

Everyone talks about product differentiation.
Everyone talks about brand as a moat.
Everyone talks about social media followings.
Everyone talks about product-market fit.
Everyone talks about some wanky intellectual property.

No one talks about your network.
Your network is your net worth.

The trick that most people get wrong?

Be hugely generous to your network.

Being generous to your network comes back in spades a la Robert Cialdini’s “The Rule of Reciprocity”

Network + Generosity = Greatest Unfair Advantage of all time

Let’s GET AFTER 2026… going to be a mutha fucking great year

Popey xx

p.s. still wanna eat out at banging resto’s during January?

January is a fucking pony month.

Cold. Wet. Miserable. Blah. New Year, New Me… shaaat appp.

BUT…

Food makes me so happy.

So I’ll still be smashing restaurants in January

During December, I used EatClub religiously (yes, they are a sponsor) and saved SERIOUS wonga at London’s top restaurants.

If you wanna take your family or your team or yourself out for a January pick me up?

Deeply implore you to download the app here to save serious dough

xx

Still Hungry? Course you are…

Please feel free to gorge on the most downloaded podcast episodes of all time (these are CERTY: BANGERS)

1. Rory Sutherland: Why Challenger Brands Must Never Follow Logic to Truly Disrupt Categories 

2. Waitrose CEO: How Challenger Food & Drink Brands Can Win and Build Profitable Partnerships with Waitrose - James Baile

3. Spencer Matthews: How Spencer Matthews Built Unshakeable Resilience and Raised + £10m to Launch Clean Co. in Sainsbury's, Tesco and the U.S.A. 

4. How Grenade Exited to Mondelez for £200 Million and Lessons in Unapologetic Authenticity- Juliett Baratt

5. Tyrells Tycoon: How William Chase built and sold Tyrells for £50 million and sold Chase Distillery to DIAGEO 

Or read our most read articles of all time

1. Quick quick - we must escape the Middle

2. You moron you let the disease infect your mind

3. do you like bad sex?

4. raving in Ibiza taught me six brand building lessons