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FOUNDER DIARIES - Ross Linnett on Building Recite Me & Turning Struggle into a £8M Mission

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About this episode

Nitin Sharma speaks with Ross Linnett, Founder & CEO of Recite Me, about building an accessibility technology company from personal struggle. Ross shares how being undiagnosed dyslexic shaped his early career and inspired him to create technology that makes the internet accessible for everyone. He discusses raising £8M, landing major clients like Coca-Cola, and the journey from near bankruptcy to becoming a global accessibility powerhouse.

The episode explores the founder mindset required to build a mission-driven business when early traction is limited. Ross covers the challenge of selling accessibility as a serious commercial opportunity, navigating rejection and doubt, and why success depends on time and persistence rather than skill alone. He reflects on DE&I, the commercial impact of accessibility, and why most overnight success stories take far longer than people realise.

Key takeaways

  • Dyslexia and personal struggle can fuel innovation in solving accessibility problems that affect millions of people.
  • Raising investment for mission-driven businesses requires demonstrating commercial viability alongside social impact.
  • Founder success depends more on resilience through doubt and rejection than on initial market validation.
  • Approximately 25–30% of people struggle to access websites, representing both a market opportunity and genuine need.
  • Building meaningful businesses requires patience and long-term commitment rather than rapid scaling.

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