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Alex Lennon
Head of Talent
Alex spent the last 8 years scaling startup teams, focusing predominantly on technology and product skill-sets from Junior to C-Level. He has worked across the UK, Germany and Australia and is responsible for identifying, selecting and qualifying potential startups for Black Nova, whilst launching Black Nova into the UK and Europe as part of our continued global growth. Alex is a mentor to startups in the North West via the Tech Manchester program.
Outside of work you can find me at?
The beach with my four legged friend Hugo
Best thing about startups?
Everyday is a massive opportunity. Move fast, act fast, learn fast.
Top piece of advice for founders?
Love what you do. If you’re genuinely passionate about what you do it will come through to clients, staff, investors, everyone.
What do I look for in a founder?
Realism. Startup life is often over-glamorized, and every friend’s, cousin’s dog walker’s pal is a CEO these days. The reality is that startup life is hard, and the statistics show you’re very likely to fail at running a business. If this is a throwaway idea and you’re doing it to have the CEO title, then tread with caution. Founders who are obsessed with what they do, aren’t afraid to leap first, and are pragmatic about challenges are the most exciting to me.
Two truths and a lie?
- I can kick myself in the head
- I hold the County Record for Hertfordshire for the longest bow and arrow shot
- I was once nearly deported from the UK despite having dual citizenship there and in Australia.
Favourite Quote + why?
A long one but here goes;
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Everyone’s an armchair critic these days, and it’s been accelerated and compounded with social media. But very few people front up and do the hard yards for something like starting a business. So having an opinion is one thing, but don’t tear others down because they took the risk.
Top 3 podcasts or books?
The Joe Rogan podcast.
I’ve never found another resource for listening to some of the most interesting people on the planet speak for hours, uninterrupted so you can hear ideas as they were meant to be, in a conversation, not a 5 second Youtube advert or high pressure media interview.
Boys Don’t Cry with Russell Kane
A great show that gets together comedians and breaks down the stigma around males, stuff about relationships, mental health, fitness, everything. And it does it all with a smile.