10Forty Podcast - Tech, Journalism, and Startups: John Ferris’ Remarkable Career Path
This episode is brought to you by Top Drawer Talent, the Supply Chain & Procurement Recruitment Specialist. Here we go! In this week’s episode, we sit down with John Ferris, Accelerator Community Manager at Ulster Bank NI, for an engaging and inspiring conversation. John takes us through his, journey—from growing up on the Falls Road in Belfast and teaching himself to code, to selling hospital stock management software. We explore his decision to take a job in the USA, only to realise after six months that it wasn’t the right fit. A surprising twist came when a "white lie" on his CV led to a graphic design role at a Belfast newspaper. Unexpectedly, John found himself reporting on politicians, falling into journalism and building relationships that amplified the voices of Northern Ireland. He quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the youngest head editors in Ireland and even pioneered podcasting and food blogging before it was popular, reviewing some of Northern Ireland’s top restaurants (and stirring a bit of controversy with his honesty!). Alongside this, he launched smaller independent newspapers across Ireland before moving on to new ventures. John’s entrepreneurial spirit eventually led him to start a Wi-Fi software company that collected user data in airports, football stadiums, and caravan parks. After losing his passion for the business, he pivoted to a role with a social enterprise as a business community manager—now Ulster Bank’s Accelerator Program. There, he has helped over 1,000 businesses and facilitated raising over £70 million in funding for diverse startups. In this episode, we also dive deep into accelerator programs: what they are, who they’re for, and why founders should consider joining. John shares insights on preparing businesses for investment, determining whether an entrepreneur is "investment-ready," and the crucial questions founders should ask potential investors. He offers a powerful analogy, likening taking investment to a marriage—with the ultimate goal being divorce. We touch on key topics like crafting exit strategies, knowing when and how to sell a business, and the vital steps founders need to take before selling. John’s passion for storytelling shines throughout our conversation, which lasted over three hours—though we only recorded just over an hour This episode is packed with invaluable insights, compelling stories, and a wealth of advice for entrepreneurs and founders. John also opens up about his recent diagnosis of ADHD and autism, sharing how these experiences have shaped his perspective. He writes passionately about these topics on his blog, The Moment, offering a personal and authentic lens into his journey. The Moment: https://www.themoment.blog/author/john/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferrisjohn/ #TechInnovation #StartupJourney #Entrepreneurship #AcceleratorPrograms #JohnFerris #JournalismToTech #Neurodiversity #ADHDandAutism #FoundersFocus #UlsterBankAccelerator #BusinessInsights #StorytellingInBusiness #TechStartups #CareerPivot #FromFallsRoadToFounders #PodcastLife #InnovationLeadership #InvestmentReady #EntrepreneurAdvice #10FortyPodcast
