In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Natalie Pearce sits down with COAT Paints co-founder Rob Abrahams to explore how a startup can take on an established industry without trying to compete with everyone in it.

From spotting a frustrating customer experience in a market dominated by longstanding brands to building a made-to-order paint business around a clearly defined audience, Rob shares why narrowing your focus can give challengers an advantage. He explores finding the right co-founder, listening closely to customers, raising venture capital, scaling sustainably and why building a bigger business can sometimes be harder than starting one.

Whether you're entering a crowded market, building a challenger brand or deciding how ambitious you want your startup to become, this episode offers practical founder lessons on differentiation, customer insight, funding, sustainability and staying focused as you scale.

In this episode:

• Finding the right idea after exploring plenty of wrong ones
• Why founder-market fit helped Rob and his co-founder choose COAT
• Combining complementary skills when choosing a co-founder
• Taking on established competitors without trying to win the entire market
• Why narrowing your audience can make a challenger brand stronger
• Starting with founder instinct, then evolving through customer feedback
• Why COAT doesn't think of itself as simply selling paint
• Choosing between building a profitable independent business and pursuing venture-backed growth
• What changed after taking institutional investment
• Why becoming profitable was a major milestone after raising capital
• Building a made-to-order model around reducing waste
• Protecting sustainability commitments when cheaper alternatives emerge
• Why Rob believes scaling can be harder than starting
• The founder mental health conversations that startup culture needs to have more often

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

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