Got an idea for a business?
We'll help you test, build and launch in 30 days
Supported by proven entrepreneurs, you'll get honest feedback, step-by-step guidance and support to help you finally launch your idea (so long as it's not sh*t) ✌️
Join the next cohort
Start your business in 30 days
“Always somebody with real life knowledge to help you”
“Helped make everything feel a lot less daunting”
“GoFounder has been amazing as a first-time founder”
“I really wish I had it when I started”
👋 This is the home of GoFounder
an online program built by successful start-up founder, Eddie Whittingham, to help you (finally) start your business.
“I quit my job to start my first business without any funding or knowing where to start – but ended up selling it in just 1,488 days in a multi-million-pound-exit.
The funny thing is, I put off starting for years because I always thought: ‘there’s no way I can do it, I don’t have what it takes, I don’t know the first thing about starting a business’.
Along the journey, I saw ridiculous promises of over night success, outlandish get rich quick schemes and down-right-gob-smackingly-cheeky business coaches and mentors who’d never started their own business.
And, I couldn’t help but think there had to be a better way to help founders realise their potential, without everyone learning everything from scratch and going on that journey alone.
So, I created GoFounder.
It’s everything I wished I’d had when I was building my first startup – and now it’s yours“
Stop stalling.
Finally start your business… today.
Join over 1,000 other founders
Click here to join the next intake
Have you wanted to start your own business, but aren’t sure where to start?
Are you overwhelmed by all the different blogs, articles, podcasts and books?
Maybe you don’t know anyone else in business and just want to know what you need to do in order to get started?
Do you have lots of ideas, but struggle to know if they’re worthwhile?
Do you find yourself mulling over lots of ideas, dreaming about giving one of them a go but never actually make the jump?
Perhaps you’ve even got an idea burning away but you want to know (for once and for all) if it’s really worth creating?
Have you already started an idea, but now feel stuck?
Are you working away but struggling to get traction? Have you tried to start a business before but then it fell by the wayside or you lost motivation?
Or maybe you just don’t know what to do next?
If any of those sound familiar…
Then GoFounder was built for you.
What our 1,000+ alumni founders are saying...
Lauren Roberts
“Teaches all of the things that you don’t know about before you start your business“
Jaysen Sutton
– Founder, The Corporate Law Academy
“I‘d highly recommend it to anyone starting up their business for the first time”
Amy Stokes-Waters
“Super knowledgeable, down to earth, straight talking and absolutely brilliant”
An immersive 4-week program to take you from idea through to launch 🚀
Step-by-step guidance
Proper, no-nonsense guidance on every stage of getting going
Accountability coaching
Your own dedicated coach, to help you get sh*t done, finally
Mentoring and support
Work directly with proven entrepreneurs (and 1k+ other founders)
Live learning sessions
Build knowledge and get feedback with our regular live sessions
The impetus you need to finally start your business.
Click here to secure your spot on the next cohortEveryone who wants to start a business face the same fears
Chances are, you’re experiencing one (if not more) of the same fears every founder does before they get started and it’s holding you back from ever realising your potential.
And, worse still… you know you’re going to have scratch this itch at some point and that’s why you’re reading this in the first place.
Whether you’re looking for a better work-life balance, wanting to quit the job you hate or you just can’t shake the urge to go it alone, this idea of starting a business is probably something that’s been burning away inside you for a while.
The support you've been missing
But, you bury your dreams again and again. You make a start, then you hit a snag or life gets in the way and before long, you’re going around in circles for months (or even years) without ever going for it.
But, that’s because you’ve never had someone who’s been there and done it to help you, support you and hold you accountable.
You keep wanting to get started properly but something holds you back, every time.
That’s where GoFounder comes in. You startup alongside a cohort of other founders, all with the same end goal in sight – to test their idea, to see it’s potential and to finally get a business off the ground.
This programme gives you everything you need to give you the best chance of success.
🔒 100% Rollover Policy
We want you to get the maximum value from GoFounder.
If you’re struggling to make your business idea viable (or your schedule is busier than you thought) and you’ve engaged with the programme, we will roll you forward into a future cohort at zero additional cost.
Don't be another statistic
Over 90% of startups fail. We don't want you to be one of them.
There are 3 mental barriers that kill great founders before they even start.
Mental Barrier #1: I need a unique idea
So many potentially talented founders think their business will live or die on having a unique idea. That’s rubbish. In fact, the best businesses simply do something that’s already out there better, cheaper or quicker. You don’t have to have a unique idea.
Mental Barrier #2: I don’t have what it takes
The truth is, you’ll never know if you don’t try. And that’s part of the process too. Of course, starting a business is hard. You’ll need talent, hard work and even a bit of luck. But you’re better to learn whether or not you’ve got something with real potential without spending tens of thousands of pounds and years of hard work. We’ll help you test it out, quickly.
Mental Barrier #3: I can’t afford to risk it
Contrary to some of the fluff out there, you don’t need to risk everything to give it a go. Our programme is all about helping you understand if you have a viable idea before you take any big risks. There’s a time and a place to take a risk – but you’ve gotta make it a calculated one once you know your business has real potential.
Join the next cohort
Stop putting your dreams on the back burner
We know it can be overwhelming when starting a business. What to do next? When to do it? Am I even capable of starting a business?
Newsflash: you don’t need to be the finished article to get started.
You don’t have to an MBA in business or have a family history of entrepreneurship.
If you’re not careful you end up in a constant state of fear which leads to paralysis and then you’ll never know if you could have made it.
Instead, you want to find out if your business is a go-er as quickly (and cheaply) as possible.
By starting your startup in 30 days, you’ll skip months of procrastination and self doubt. And by leveraging GoFounder, you’ll get straight talking, no nonsense and BS-free feedback on your business to give you the best chance of success with the least possible risk.
Stop making excuses
Can we be blunt?
If you’re sat reading this, you know full well you ought to be starting your business already. You’ve probably seen plenty of people make the jump already, building a business, selling their products and giving their dream a go.
But for whatever reason, you’re still stuck in the same spot. Still dilly-dallying and making excuses as to why you’re not pursuing your dreams.
That’s why we’re here. To help you finally scratch that itch and see if your business has legs, with way less risk than going it alone. We’ll take you from excuse-maker to viable startup founder.
And, once you’ve started… you’ll wish you’d done it years ago.
Start, now
Starting your own business can open up endless opportunities.
Sure, it’s hard (and we mean really hard work) but we’ve sat where you are now and know that there are so many opportunities out there. We’ve also helped heaps of would-be-founders sat exactly where you are who’ve gone on to build successful businesses.
A business that meant they could quit their 9-5, they could pursue their passions, they could hire staff, they could hit £10k months, £100k months … and beyond.
There are life changing opportunities out there. And, whatever your plans are – GoFounder will get you there, faster.
I'm ready to start
You're not alone
Starting your own business can feel pretty lonely. But, it doesn’t have to be.
Not only will you work alongside proven entrepreneurs who have experience starting, building and selling startups but you’ll also learn alongside other first time founders – with everyone bringing their own ideas, passion, background and talents.
And the best part?
Every single one of them has the same goal as you.
To finally start a business and prove they have what it takes.
It’s time to find out exactly what you’re capable of.
Get involved
“I used GoFounder to test a startup idea and they were so helpful”
“They talked through a load of stuff and really helped point us in the right direction“
“We’ve taken their advice which enabled us to secure funding to get us off the ground”
“In a space full of scammers and BS artists, GoFounder’s honest approach is refreshing”
Welcome to GoFounder
Here’s how it works
Our 30-day programme is designed to take your idea from just being something you dream and making it a reality. But, not before it’s been rigorously tested, reviewed and validated to know you’re properly onto something. It’s everything you need, step-by-step, by people who’ve been there and done it.
The weekly timetable
You definitely aren’t expected to be able to attend every single live session.
Every session is recorded and you’ll have lifetime access to everything.
Here’s an example of what a week on the Launch in 30 programme looks like:
You can find a more detailed breakdown of what’s covered, when, below…
Week #0: Getting your head in the game, taking control of your time, finding a work-life balance, help is at hand, your own survival guide
We dive straight in with your preboarding, designed not only to prepare you for the programme ahead but for us to get to know you and your idea a little more.
We’ll cover some home truths on what it really takes to start a business, while helping you feel invigorated, motivated and confident about finally setting up your business.
- 🪞 Self reflection – find out what type of founder you are
- ⏳ Taking control of your time – we explore how to best manage your most precious resource, time
- ⚖️ Work-life balance – don’t fall foul of the hustle culture out there, you need time for you. We will explore some self reflection to help you stay healthy and focused
- 🌎 Community – there’s strength in numbers, so we begin to build your network, starting with your peers who are on this journey with you
Week #1: Your business idea, elevator pitches, competitor analysis, business plans vs one pagers and some friendly feedback.
On the Tuesday following your preboarding, you and your fellow founders will be officially onboarded together onto the programme by GoFounder founder and successful entrepreneur, Eddie, as well as your experienced accountability coach and startup advisor, Ben.
This 30 minute ‘Launch’ break (designed to help you squeeze this into your busy work day) will allow for you to meet your fellow founders in a relaxed setting before your ‘founder journey’ begins and get the grips with the first sessions of the programme. This is it, no turning back!
- 💡 Your big idea – we’ll explore the viability of your idea (if you have one yet!) or inspire you with ideas if you don’t
- 🛗 The Elevator Pitch – we take a deep dive into the what, the why and the why not of elevator pitches
- 🔬 Research – we explore your competitors through market research and establish just how big your opportunity is (or isn’t!)
- 🧐 Analysis – following your research, we spend time analysing and generating a competitor review to help you strategise as you look to build your business upon strong foundations
Week #2: Understanding, designing & building your MVP, testing your mvp, releasing your mvp, funding.
By the time Week 2 begins, you should be chomping at the bit to get your new found business out into the world, but how do you eat an elephant?… One small piece at a time.
By the end of this week, you’ll be edging ever closer to announcing your new business to the world!
- 🏃♂️ Go time – we start the creation process, examining exactly what it is you want to offer
- 👨🎨 Capturing your design – once you have examined exactly what you want to offer, you will then work through the design specifications of your first offering in much more detail
- 👷♀️ Build – an exciting part of the journey, building your very first version… !
- 🚙 Test drive – following the creation of your prototype or landing page, we test, get feedback and adapt before releasing it out to early adopters
Week #3: Understanding the numbers, developing a brand, naming your business and nailing your tone of voice.
The penultimate week, and a week where we closely examine those all important numbers as well as diving head first into the fun stuff!
- 💰 Understanding the numbers – we explore the importance of financial planning and responsibility
- 🧮 Accountants – do you need one? Well, we will help you navigate your options as well as giving you a deeper understanding of all the numerical jargon
- 🧑💻 Accounting software – you’re likely to need it, so we help you navigate through this often under-appreciated but vital tool to running a smooth, stress free* operation. (*slightly less stress)
- 🗣 Your brand & tone of voice – and now for the sexy part, branding. We’ll help you nail a great name, devise a great logo and ensure you have the right tone of voice for your industry – all crucial elements to launching a successful business
Week #4: Websites, setting up, banking, legals, customers, selling
Your final week! It’s time to put the finishing touches to your business before you can go public and launch this thing.
- 🕸 Website – we’ll help you pick a good domain name, secure it, host it and build the first version of your website – whether that be a shop window or a full blown e-commerce store
- ⌚️ Pre-launch timing – we guide you through your launch as you start your business and how to balance this alongside your other commitments
- 👩⚖️ Legals, banking & insurances – the basics, but often overlooked and can end up sapping valuable time. We guide you through step-by-step practicalities of choosing the right ones to serve you, not the other way round… quickly!
- 🚀 Launch time – it’s time to get out there and start selling! At the end of the 4-week programme (provided you’re idea has proven viable) you’ll leave with everything you need to start taking on your first paying customers!
Beyond GoFounder: Everything you need to grow (and more)
And, just because you’ll have completed the programme, our journey together doesn’t end there!
It’s just the beginning for your business. That’s why you’ll get lifetime access to all sessions and content, as well as our continued support via our GoFounder Hub:
🌍 Community – never feel alone again. Access to over 1,000 high potential founders at your fingertips, 24/7 – sharing work, collaborating and building their startups side-by-side
🤝 Speed networking – join other passionate founders in our speed networking events designed for busy people or jump into our hand-curated peer groups where you can connect, drive new business and share insights
🤑 Perks – we’ve negotiated thousands of pounds worth of savings on your favourite tech and software, including $1k in Notion credits, 30% off HubSpot, $10k FreshWorks credits… and heaps more
⁉️ Q&A’s – tap into our vault of hundreds of questions asked by founders, answered by experts. We’ve already answered the questions you’re losing sleep about
📚 Masterclasses – we host regular live Masterclasses brought to you by relatable founders who’ve been there and done it, on topics chosen by you. Got something you want a deep dive in? We’ll arrange it
Our next cohort launches soon...
We know the demands of juggling a full time job can be pretty tough, which is why all of our live sessions are recorded, so you’ll never miss out.
Click here to secure your spot on the next cohort launching soon
Not ready to be held accountable?
Download a copy of our 70,000-word Ultimate Guide to Starting a Business
Coming soon…
Stop putting your dreams on hold.
Finally give your idea a shot.
Have you circled around an idea over and over again, scribbling away little notes and ideas but then fail to give them a go?
Or do you worry about every conceivable outcome and risk, held back by the fear of what might happen?
Maybe you’ve experienced that Sunday-night dread of the job you can’t wait to escape?
Get out of your comfort zone and make something happen
You’re just like Eddie used to be before he quit his job.
You’re just like hundreds of other first time founders we’ve helped to launch their business.
We’ve help support first time founders to validate their idea, get started and successfully launch their business – kissing goodbye to their day jobs and finally pursuing their dreams.*
And, you’re just a click away from making the commitment to yourself to finally launch your business.
* That said, we’re also proud to have warned off would-be founders from flawed ideas, saving them thousands of pounds and countless months in the process.
Get startedGoFounder live 4-week ‘Start Your Business’ cohort
- 🎥 6x LIVE (lunch-break-friendly) curriculum introduction sessions with examples, walkthroughs and guidance
- 👨🏻💻 Mentoring sessions with multi-million-exit founder, Eddie Whittingham
- 👋 A dedicated startup advisor and accountability coach
- 👨🏼💻Guided walkthroughs to help you test your idea and build your business
- 💻 10 deep-dive learning tracks, digging deeper into the frameworks introduced in the live sessions
- 🧠 Weekly Q&A sessions to finalise your thoughts (and make sure no one’s left behind)
- 🕵️♂️ Private group messaging with your cohort, facilitated by your dedicated accountability coach and startup advisor
- 🔒 Rollover policy – if you can’t validate your idea or struggle to participate in the programme for whatever reason, we’ll roll forward your enrolment to a future cohort at zero additional cost
Also get LIFETIME ACCESS to all sessions and content, as well as:
- 🌎 Community of over 1,000 founders, who are ready to help you build your business beyond the 30 days
- 📈 Productivity tools
- 📚 Ever-growing library of courses, how-to-guides and templates
- 📺 Expert masterclasses
- 🤝 Collaboration between founders
- ⚡️Discounts off top tech like Notion, HubSpot and more
- ❌ [BONUS] Just kidding. There’s no ‘bonus’ features here… because that’s just a BS gimmick people use to make you think things are more valuable than they are. Truth is… we’re here to give you honest value, no gimmicks
Secure your spot on the next cohort
Frequently asked questions
How much does this cost?
Other online programmes charge upwards of £5,000 to help you start an online business (and quite frankly, that’s absurd).
Our goal with GoFounder is to keep it accessible, while ensuring we can make sure it delivers real value (and, honestly, there’s an element of keeping you accountable too).
The full price of the programme is £499.
And, better yet, you’ll be able to claim this back from your business once it’s making money.
What's the time commitment?
You’re busy, we get it. But you wouldn’t be reading this if you thought this was going to be easy, would you?
We’ve created this programme to reduce the headache of researching every single detail of starting a business, so we can condense everything down and use your time efficiently.
You’ll need to carve out an hour per day ‘building time’ to make a proper dent into what you’re doing.
On top of the building time, there are one-two (optional) live sessions per week as well as our weekly self-paced curriculum.
That said, let’s be straight – starting a business isn’t a walk in the park. You’ll need to work hard throughout the 30-days… and that’s the point of it. Work hard, take action and start building a better future.
Is this just an online course?
No.
It’s a cohort based program, combining some self based learning (online courses), together with accountability and community from people who’ve been there and done it – all designed to help you take proper action, quickly.
What happens if my idea isn't viable?
If it turns out that your business idea isn’t viable you’ll be able to rejoin a future cohort with your next new idea!
Ultimately, we’re as proud to help people realise their idea isn’t viable as we are for those who go on to build a successful business… because we’ll have saved those folks thousands of pounds, months (if not years) of hardwork and all of the heartache.
Can't I do this myself with the free content out there?
Well, yeah – obvs.
Hell, we’re even giving away the free content you need so you have an option to still start up and learn from us without paying!
However, the reality is… it’s so much harder on your own. You might have even started down this road before.But, between all those hours wasted pulling together your own research or trying to hold yourself accountable, you’re missing out.
At £499, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Can this really work for me?
You’re allowed to be dubious. In a world of online courses, get rich schemes and utter BS… you’re right to question it.
The reality is, GoFounder was created by someone who’s actually been there and done it himself – not someone who’s got rich by selling get rich courses.
Plus… we’re totally honest. Starting a business isn’t for everyone. That’s kind of what this is all about – helping people realise they’re cut out for it (or not!) without wasting too much time and money.
Between the GoFounder team, we have experienced a wide range of our own business ventures (ranging from coffee shops, to international cyber-security companies) and worked with over 1,000 founders.
No matter what your situation is, personal background, work experience, goals, commitments, interests, or special circumstances, GoFounder can help you finally start your business.
What if I have no experience of starting a business?
Then you’re literally the people we want to work with.
Our founder, Eddie was sat exactly where you are now – no experience, no contacts in business and he learnt it the hard way.
Eddie created GoFounder to give founders like you access to everything he wished he’d had when he started out.
So you can rest assured, you’ll be in safe hands of people who really care.
90% of our members hadn’t had any experience before starting their startups – and now they’re flying.
What if I can't attend the live sessions?
We try our best to make the live sessions as accessible as possible.
Where you can’t attend live, you’ll be able to catch up with them on replay so you can still reap all the benefits.
How will you hold me accountable?
Throughout the programme, you’ll be given a number of different accountability tools and techniques to help keep you on top of things.
We’ll be checking in (constantly) to make sure you’re making progress and to make sure you’re getting everything you can from the program.
But, again – we should stress… if you’re not willing to put in the hard graft to get started, then you’re not going to be cut out for running a startup. Period.
It’s proper hard work. So let’s not kid each other.
Will this help if I've already started a business?
Yes – in fact, you might be at an advantage.
GoFounder helps put some structure around your startup, helping you shed light on aspects of your business model, growth plans, financials, etc – designed to help you really understand the why behind what you’re doing.
You’ll be able to revisit areas you might have missed (or skipped) to give you the best chance of scaling your business as you go forward, increasing your knowledge and chances of success.
How long do I have access to the course materials?
Forever.
You’ll get access to everything. Forever.
And that includes access to our community of over 1,000 alumni founders who are now busy building their businesses.
It’s as simple as that.
We do this so people can revisit the materials whenever they want – even if they don’t have success with their first idea.
What if I can't afford it?
We do our best to make the course affordable for as many people as possible. But we also know not everyone is fortunate enough to join and that’s why we have scholarship places available.
There are limited spaces per cohort and they’re strictly reserved for people who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to participate due to social economic factors.
You can apply by reaching out to [email protected]
Stop delaying the inevitable.
Finally start your business in 2022.
Before you go…
If you’ve reached way down here you’re probably sat there thinking… yeah, but is this really what I need? Is it really worth it?
Well, all the information you need to get started on your own is out there on the internet and it’s free. That’s how our founder, Eddie, did it. But, that’s also why he created GoFounder… so that you didn’t need to waste all that time learning from scratch how to do it again.
Maybe you’re still reading because you’ve tried to get started before but for whatever reason, it’s stuttered and stopped and never quite got going.
And ever since you’ve been thinking “I want to start my own business someday” but that ‘someday’ never quite seems to come around. In the meantime, you’ve probably seen dozens of other people do it – take the leap of faith and they’re up and running, selling their services and working towards their dream. They might have even sold a business in a multi-million-pound-exit like our founder did!
But, here you are… and time is still ticking away.
Now, wouldn’t it be pretty epic to look back at this exact moment – this exact decision – as the moment you took action to pursue your dreams and change your life for good?
And it can all start right here, right now.
Are you in?
Let's do this!
My own journey has been packed full of highs and lows – sound familiar? Business isn’t easy. There aren’t any shortcuts. But, with a bit of talent, a lot of hard-work and a slice of luck, what’s stopping you reaching your potential?Eddie Whittingham, Founder and CEO
In a space filled with BS, GoFounder knows exactly what they’re talking about. Genuine & down-to-earth and his advice about building a small business is built from experience and observation. He understands the exact issues facing a small business owner, the pressures and the stress, and he didn’t sugar-coat it (or tell me it’s all doom and gloom either).
- Shane o'Doherty, Co-Founder at GRAFT
Eddie’s down to earth and has actually achieved something in business, so I’d recommend anyone looking for help should check out his GoFounder platform or explore working with him 1:1.
- Garth Dew, Video Creator
Eddie is an accomplished entrepreneur. He was able to take advantage of the existing, highly-competitive CyberSecurity market and create an organisation from scratch that was acquired by one of the larger organisations – what a ride!
- Denmark Francisco, BlackBox
Super knowledgeable, down to earth, straight talking and absolutely brilliant.
- Amy Stokes Waters, Co-Founder at Capture the Talent
It’s rare that you come across standout entrepreneurs like Eddie. I want to thank him for sharing his insight and experience with us – his expert knowledge and passion for business really came across.
- Alex Fleming, President & Country Head, Adecco Group
© 2022 GoFounder Ltd. All rights reserved.