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For many seasoned corporate leaders, leaving behind the stability of an established career to pursue the uncertainty of a startup may seem daunting. Yet, this leap could be one of the most rewarding moves they make.
Antler recently hosted an Ask-Me-Anything session to explore what it takes for corporate leaders to successfully navigate this shift. The session features James McClure, corporate executive-turned-General Partner at Antler in Australia, in conversation with two Antler alumni: Vandana Chaudhry, Founder of Andisor, and Ben Chamberlain, Co-Founder of Authentified. These founders, once corporate leaders, share invaluable advice and experiences for those contemplating a similar path.
Why should you leave the corporate comfort zone?
The decision to leave a stable corporate career for the uncertainty of a startup is daunting for many. Not only do founders often make a significant salary sacrifice for the first few years before their startup is revenue generating and raising major rounds, but the time and mental fortitude required to build a startup outweighs what many have ever experienced in their careers. So what prompts individuals to leave their corporate comfort zones for this founder-path less travelled?
For Ben Chamberlain, Co-founder and CEO of Authentified, the allure of building something impactful and fulfilling outweighs the risks. Reflecting on his transition, he shares, “There was a disconnect between what I felt was the effort that I was putting into my career and the return that I was able to generate.”
Ben explained that in his corporate roles across finance and retail, while successful, he found himself yearning for a more meaningful investment of his time and energy - founding a startup.
“I became more confident as I advanced in my career that perhaps there was a way for me to generate a higher return on my investment - not just a financial return but also an emotional return.”
For Vandana, Co-founder and CEO of Andisor, her former careers at Walmart and Deliveroo showed her the potential for impact beyond traditional corporate structures. “I developed this understanding of… managing and navigating complex ecosystems,” she shared. This experience prepared her to identify gaps in the retail marketplace, which inspired her to launch Andisor.
“I wanted to do something that had a massive impact on the industry - not limited by the hierarchies of the organisations I was employed with.”
The founders agree that readiness is crucial, both financially and emotionally. Ben stresses the need for financial preparation before taking the plunge: “Make sure that you do have a really clear sense as to what your next 12 or 24 months look like and feel comfortable… operating at a much lower income level than you would otherwise be expecting in your careers.”
Ben and Van also recommend discussing the shift with family and other close supporters, who will be as much a part of the journey as you, with Vandana noting, “Your investment is not just yours; it’s your family’s as well.”
How Corporate Skills Translate to the Entrepreneurship Path
One of the significant advantages corporate leaders bring to startups is the ability to apply cross-functional skills to tackle a wide array of startup challenges.
Vandana points out that “One of the big strengths that a lot of us in corporate have is that ability to drive cross-functional impact and leadership and the ability to… solve complex problems.”
However, she admits that while corporate roles often come with support from various departments, startups demand self-sufficiency. “I had to unlearn the ability to…not depend on specialised departments but really wear multiple hats,” she explained.
“One day I’m looking through agreements without the support of a legal team, the other day I’m looking at contracts, then I’m going out selling but then I’m also working with the brand agency to develop marketing.”
This is why Antler stresses the importance of a co-founder who can help straddle these demands and bring their own complementary skillsets - technical or commercial - to the table.
Ben also shares how the Antler residency helped him shift his mindset to approach problems using corporate skills without traditional corporate limitations. “When you find yourself free of all of those [barriers], it’s a daunting experience, but if you need to go and do research, you just go and do research,” he explains. These skills and the freedom to test and validate allowed him to scale Authentified quickly, transitioning its first major fashion brand to pilot and acquiring over 100 customers within its first six months.
Leveraging Networks: A Secret Weapon for Ex-Corporates
Corporate professionals often possess extensive networks across industries that can provide a significant advantage when building a startup.
Ben explains that his network allows him to access potential clients and investors who are already familiar with his work ethic and expertise. “With a few text messages and LinkedIn introductions, I was able to meet with C-suites across a raft of fashion brands,” he shared, describing how years of building relationships in corporate Australia paid dividends in his early days with Authentified.
He also asserts the importance of being proactive and not just waiting for your connections to come to the party.
“It’s not enough just to innovate the product; you have to innovate in your network… ask somebody for a referral, ask for an introduction.”
While industry connections are a great advantage when reaching out to potential partners and customers, Vandana notes that founders still need to be gritty and resilient, as “Irrespective of whether you have the background or not, there’s a lot of cold outreach and physical hard work.” As such, she encourages founders to leverage both warm and cold connections to reach their ideal customers and build credibility in the market.
Antler amplifies this network effect by connecting founders with a global list of mentors and advisors who provide strategic guidance, which Vandana emphasises is particularly helpful.
“Antler exceeded my expectations with the mentors they connected me with…these were people who could really walk me through how investors think and what they like to see.”
The Antler Advantage
Antler’s emphasis on thoroughly understanding a problem before jumping to solutions proves to be a defining element of the founder's experience in the residency.
Ben shared how Antler’s rigorous approach pushed him to spend more time exploring the root of the issue he wanted to address. For Ben, this problem-centred approach was essential, as it helped him develop a more precise understanding of the value Authentified could bring to fashion brands.
“The Antler program taught me to stay in the problem for as long as possible; the longer you’re in the problem, the better the solution will be.”
Vandana describes her early weeks in the Antler residency as a time of deep discovery and validation. “I was the domain expert,” she says, “but Antler encouraged us to think in terms of design sprints and diverging of ideas, converging of solutions.” Antler’s structured process of ideation helped her refine Andisor’s mission while the execution cadence the residency encouraged helped her scale the idea from concept to fully-fledged startup quickly.
“By week eight, we had a co-founder, we had a team, we had a deck, and then that investment really helped us accelerate our thinking.”
Both founders credit Antler’s intensity and guidance for pushing them to make decisions rapidly, a contrast to the often slow-moving nature of corporate environments. Ben likens the experience to having a “rocket pack on my back,” describing the residency’s high pace as a catalyst for growth.
The residency also accelerates founders’ understanding of venture capital and startup mechanics which Ben shares “felt like a crash course on venture capital… on how to ideate, on how to design, on how to stay in the problem, on how to pitch.”
Antler also offers a pathway from ideation to global growth, giving founders the resources they need to make an international impact.
If you’re a corporate professional with an entrepreneurial drive, consider joining Antler’s next residency in Australia commencing February 2025 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Want more insights? Sign up for our upcoming online AMA sessions featuring more founders from the Antler portfolio.
