Chewing the Channel Episode 30

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Arise,the King of Connectivity! From playground firecrackers to a purpose-driven business!

Will sits down with Zen Internet CEO Richard Tang for a conversation that’s been a long time in the making.

Like many of our guests, Richard’s entrepreneurial streak started early, selling Chinese firecrackers in the playground. Fast forward through software engineering, his first business in a rented pre-fab office and eventually the founding of Zen, now home to more than 500 staff and wearing the crown in the UK’s independent, purpose-led telecoms space.

Richard talks openly about those early days, from renting his first office and discovering what an invoice actually was, to working seven days a week and learning what it really takes to build a sustainable business.

But the conversation goes beyond the usual entrepreneurial success story. Richard shares why Zen was founded with a long-term focus on people and planet, and how his thinking around happiness, culture and purpose has evolved over the years.

There’s also plenty on the telecoms industry, including Zen’s approach to sales commission, the rise of altnets and aggregation, and why Richard believes you have to be in the system if you want to help change it.

A candid conversation about entrepreneurship, purpose, leadership and the journey from a playground side hustle to one of the UK’s best-known independent ISPs.

Listen or watch now on the platform of your choice…by clicking the video above or tuning in to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube and anywhere else you listen to your podcasts.