Beyond Scale: The One-Person Billion-Dollar scale-up - Professor Joe Haslam
With thanks to our sponsors Browne Jacobson, join us on Wednesday 18th June for a masterclass with Professor Joe Haslam, Executive Director of the Owners Scaleup Program at IE Business School (ranked #1 in Europe). Prof. Haslam, a seasoned entrepreneur, Investor and co-founder of ventures Hot Hotels and Marrakech, knows what it takes to build and scale.
Inspired by a conversation with Sam Altman, who envisions billion-dollar companies with just one employee, Joe will unpack 10 core principles for achieving unprecedented growth. Learn how to identify true market gaps, embrace strategic "failure," and leverage AI as an exponential force. This is your chance to discover the counterintuitive truths of scaling and understand how to build a business designed for the future.
Professor Joe Haslam is the Executive Director of the Owners Scaleup Program at the IE Business School in Madrid, the number one business school in Europe. The programme is modelled on the Blitzscaling class taught in Stanford by Reid Hoffman and Chris Yeh and The AI Awakening module at the same university delivered by Erik Brynjolfsson. Joe has interviewed 500+ startups in the last 10 years and household entrepreneurship thought leaders such as Sam Altman and Harry Stebbings are regular contributors to interactive sessions on the Owners Scaleup Programme to ensure it remains bleeding edge.
Joe is a seasoned entrepreneur, co-founder of multiple ventures including the pioneering Hot Hotels, and one of the founding team behind Marrakech, an e-procurement company that scaled to over 250 people and raised over $75 million in venture capital. He's also a prolific professor, teaching across all levels at IE and other top global business schools, and coaches private clients, helping entrepreneurs find equilibrium after successful exits. With a unique perspective on scaling businesses and a deep understanding of emerging trends, Joe brings a wealth of practical experience and invaluable insights.
Join us to hear Professor Haslam deliver a masterclass on 10 core principles for scaling up, tailored specifically for Welsh companies
The "Gap in the Market" Mindset: Successful entrepreneurship starts with identifying unmet needs, sometimes long before the market is ready,
Scaling is Counterintuitive: Much of what you instinctively believe about scaling a business is often the opposite of what actually works; it requires a fundamental shift in perspective.
"Failure is Experimentation": Embrace rapid experimentation where most attempts are designed to fail, as the true learning comes from validating expectations against unexpected outcomes.
Build Failure into Workflow: Don't just accept failure; actively integrate it into your operational processes to be prepared for both success and unexpected results.
The Four Pillars of Scaling: While his own methodology is based on "Purpose, Product, Process, and People," he aligns with Verne Harnish's emphasis on People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash.
Hard Problems, No Shortcuts: Focus on tackling challenging problems, avoid easy shortcuts, and commit to thorough research by reading source documentation.
The Power of People and Positivity: Surround yourself with the best talent, foster a supportive environment, and cultivate positive, optimistic relationships – it makes a tangible difference.
AI as an Exponential Technology: Every startup should leverage at least one exponential technology like AI; the battle for market dominance is between startup innovation and incumbent distribution.
The One-Employee Billion-Dollar Company: Citing Sam Altman, Professor Haslam anticipates the rise of hyper-efficient, AI-driven enterprises capable of achieving billion-dollar valuations with just a single employee.
Follow the Current Trend, Not the Next: Instead of chasing the bleeding edge, focus on deeply understanding and executing on the current powerful market trends to build a sustainable "moat."
“The best way to know how far off you are from winning Wimbledon is to play a set with Roger Federer.”
Followed by a panel session on tech ecosystems hosted by Eamon Tuhami, with Joe Haslam, Louise Harris (Tramshed Tech) and Jason Culloty (Skillsvista Ireland)