The hosts

Two founders who still do the maths on napkins — because that's where every business they've built started.

Mike Bandar

CEO & Co-Founder, Waybook

Mike is Co-Founder of Waybook, the business playbook tool helping growing teams document their systems and knowledge so leaders can get their business on the same page. Waybook grew from Turn Partners, the startup studio Mike co-founded in 2013 to acquire, turn around and create digital businesses, including Hopper HQ, Toyboy Warehouse and Enterprise Academy.

A graduate of Aston Business School, Mike has been building businesses since the age of 15. His background spans sales, marketing and startup enterprise, from Head of New Business at a global advertising agency to consultancy work for PETRONAS, PwC and AXA.

Today he is a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at UCL, Chair of the Aston Business School advisory board, and an angel investor in companies including Monzo, Nothing and Grind. He has received a British Empire Medal for services to young entrepreneurs and an honorary Doctorate of Science from Aston University for his contribution to enterprise and entrepreneurship.

“The best businesses are built on a system.”

Co-Founder, Waybook
Co-Founder, Turn Partners
Lecturer, UCL
BEM recipient
Angel investor

On the show you'll hear…

Asks the question everyone in the room is thinking but nobody says
Pries out the pricing and product decisions behind the story
Keeps the maths honest when the story gets too good

Ask him about: pricing, product, and getting a business out of your head.

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Amin Hamzianpour

Founder & CEO, Qube

Amin is Founder and CEO of Qube, a members' club and studio network for music and content creators. Qube was born from Amin and co-founder Nicholas Sonuga's experience as neighbouring music producers working in expensive, isolated basement studios. They set out to build the flexible, professional and community-led creative home they wished existed.

Amin studied Human Sciences at Oxford before working at Morgan Stanley. He left finance to pursue music production as A-Minor, with records played on BBC Radio 1, before co-founding Qube.

Today Qube gives musicians, podcasters and content creators access to purpose-built studios, premium equipment and a curated community across London. For Amin, the equipment is only half the story: the aim is to create a culture where ambitious creators meet, collaborate and push one another to make their best work.

“It's the community that interests me most.”

Founder & CEO, Qube
Oxford alumnus
Former Morgan Stanley analyst
Music producer, A-Minor
Creator community builder

On the show you'll hear…

Does the napkin maths live, pen squeaking on the paper
Chases the first customer, the first pound, the first hard no
Speaks fluent 'starting from zero' for anyone at the beginning

Ask him about: starting from zero, sales, and knowing when to jump.

Connect on LinkedIn →

The gallery

Behind the napkins

Mike Bandar speaking into a podcast microphone during an interview — Mike mid-interview

Amin Hamzianpour speaking on stage with a handheld microphone — Amin on stage

Mike Bandar with a fellow founder — Mike and a founder, trading notes

Amin Hamzianpour speaking into a microphone against a blue backdrop — Amin on the mic

Amin Hamzianpour speaking into a microphone — Amin in conversation

Portrait of Amin Hamzianpour — Amin — Qube founder

Portrait of Mike Bandar — Mike — Waybook co-founder

In conversation, on stage and in the studio.

Beyond the mic

The businesses they built

Waybook

Mike Bandar · Co-Founder

The playbook that helps growing teams get their know-how out of people's heads and into one place.

Qube

Amin Hamzianpour · Founder & CEO

Studios, equipment and a community for people making music, podcasts and content.

Why we started the show

Every good business we know started as a scribble — on a napkin, a receipt, the back of a train ticket. We kept having the same conversations with founders: the real story behind the idea, and the handful of numbers that decided whether it lived.

So we bought a microphone and put those conversations on the record. One idea, one guest, and the napkin maths behind it — every Monday.

See what's coming →