GROW

Build it.
Fund it.
Scale it.

Expert coaching for founders at every stage — from first idea all the way through to post-funding growth.

Book a Free Call

Every stage of growth has its own challenges.

Pre-revenue founders lose months building products nobody asked for. Post-funding companies burn their runway on the wrong hires and the wrong priorities. The root problem is the same — and so is the answer. Work with someone who's lived it, who knows the lean path forward, and who can coach when you need space to think and advise when you just need to know what to do next.

Whether you're still validating an idea, preparing to raise, or trying to scale a business that just landed its first cheque — the gap between where you are and where you need to be is almost never about knowledge.

It's about having the right person in your corner. Someone who has been there, who asks the questions you're avoiding, and who holds you to the standards your business actually needs.

The Dreamer Big vision,
nothing ships
The Scaler Clear strategy +
fast execution
Gary gets you here ↗
The Stuck Founder Spinning wheels
The Busy Fool Running fast,
wrong direction
Low Execution
High Execution
Execution Speed →
Strategic Clarity ↑

Three ways to work with Gary.

Whether you need a thinking partner, a structured growth programme, or someone to get fully embedded in your business — there's a format that fits where you are right now.

Ongoing · Flexible
Weekly Coaching Session
One focused 60-minute session per week. No agenda constraints — we work on whatever is most pressing in your business right now.
  • 60-minute 1:1 session every week
  • Idea validation & business model design
  • Fundraising strategy & investor prep
  • Go-to-market & customer acquisition
  • Founder decision-making & accountability
  • Flexible — pause or cancel anytime
Book a Discovery Call
Embedded · High-Impact
Interim Co-Founder
For the right fit, Gary comes into your business and gets to work alongside you — not as a consultant, but as a hands-on partner invested in the outcome.
  • Embedded in your business, hands-on
  • Fundraising — strategy, pitch, investor intros
  • Resourcing, hiring & team building
  • Sales strategy & revenue growth
  • Marketing, positioning & brand
  • Customer success & retention
  • Operations, systems & whatever else it takes
Let's Have a Conversation
"Every founder figures it out eventually.
The ones who get there fastest have someone who helps them skip the mistakes that cost real time and money."
GT GARY THOMPSON Startup Coach · Operator · Mentor

You don't need more advice. You need someone in your corner.

Gary Thompson – Startup Coach

Gary has spent over a decade building and scaling startups — as a founder, an operator, and now as a coach. He has raised venture capital, navigated post-funding chaos, built out teams from scratch, and made every mistake a founder can make. That experience is what makes him different.

Gary doesn't do generic. He works with a small number of founders at any one time — early-stage companies finding their footing, and funded businesses trying to scale without breaking. Every engagement is tailored, hands-on, and built around what your business actually needs right now.

Whether you need a sharp thinking partner in a weekly session, a structured ten-week programme to put your business on the right trajectory, or someone to step in as an interim co-founder and get their hands dirty — Gary is the person founders call.

12+
Years in Startups
50+
Founders Coached
3
Engagement Formats

How Gary works with you.

01

Discovery Call

We start with a no-commitment conversation to understand where you are, what you're trying to achieve, and which engagement format makes the most sense for your business.

02

Deep Dive & Roadmap

Gary gets under the hood of your business — your model, your team, your biggest blockers. Together you build a clear, prioritised roadmap with milestones you can actually hit.

03

Build & Scale

Ongoing coaching, accountability, and embedded support — adapted to your pace. Whether you're raising, hiring, selling, or scaling, Gary is in your corner every step of the way.

What founders say about working with Gary.

"Gary has assisted Razor with clarity of thought, vision, and direction. He continually challenges us to question how and why we do things and how we can achieve better results."

PJ
Phil Jones
CEO, Razor Creations

"Gary's been a fantastic mentor. He continually demonstrates the ability to make quick and accurate judgments across a range of business situations, providing thought-provoking questions and invaluable insight. His vast front-line experience, coupled with infectious enthusiasm and a real hunger to help businesses succeed makes Gary the ideal partner if you're looking to grow your business."

ML
Mark Locker
Founder & CEO, Attractions.io

"After just one session, Gary had asked us the questions that meant we needed to look at our business from a different angle. After 3 sessions we had opened up a whole new business stream and have never looked back since — 2017 being our best year in the last 7 years. Gary is easy going, motivating and probing in all of the right measures."

DG
Dave Glenn
Founder, Synergy Agency

"Gary has been working with Blu Sky for around 6 months and has already added significant focused value and assisted in changing the company's sales and marketing strategy. His practical, pragmatic approach to issues has enabled him to be regarded as a key contributor by the Blu Sky team to our company's 5-year vision. Thanks Gary, you are a legend."

JD
Jon Dudgeon
Blu Sky

Latest Insights.

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Ready to build
something remarkable?

Book a free 30-minute discovery call. No pitch, no pressure — just an honest conversation about where you are, where you want to get to, and whether working together makes sense.

gary@startupcoach.co.uk
Manchester & Remote
Responds within 24 hours
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