On this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish interviews Amman Ahmed, the founder of Music for Pets, a business providing relaxing music and TV for pets. Amman shares his journey of discovering what type of CEO he wanted to be, from struggling with focus in university to building a successful business reaching 50 million cats and dogs with minimal marketing expenses. The episode covers Amman's unique path to success, the importance of knowing your numbers in business, and why founders should be prepared to make themselves disposable. Tune in to gain insights into the venture capital world and entrepreneurial lessons from Amman's experience with Music for Pets.

Timestamps:
02:05 - Overview of Amman's Career and Ventures
02:41 - Transition from Rawmix to Music for Pets
03:04 - The CEO Journey: VC-Funded vs. Bootstrapped
03:57 - Realizing the CEO Role Wasn't a Fit
05:06 - The Challenges of Managing a Team
06:12 - The Reality Check and Team Confrontation
07:06 - Personal Reflection and Decision Making
08:03 - Choosing Between Two Paths of Success
09:17 - Prioritizing Mental and Physical Health
10:00 - The Value of a Lifestyle Business
10:47 - The Downside of Pitching to VCs
12:09 - Simplifying Business Decisions
13:06 - The Birth of Music for Pets
14:33 - Designing Music for Pets and Humans
16:26 - Testing and Iterating the Product
17:09 - Gathering Customer Feedback
17:42 - Achieving Organic Growth
18:00 - Monetization Strategies
20:47 - Revenue Growth and COVID-19 Impact
22:24 - The Unexpected Exit Journey
24:04 - Challenges with Potential Buyers
25:06 - The Random Email That Led to the Sale
26:10 - Understanding the Fit with Create Music Group
27:02 - Building a Business in Manchester
29:00 - Realizing the Business Was a Record Label
30:12 - The Sale Process and Valuation
32:08 - Getting Professional Help for the Sale
33:03 - The Benefits of a Bootstrap Exit
34:16 - Staying with Create Music Group
34:57 - Advice for Founders Considering an Exit
36:13 - Making Yourself Disposable as a Founder
37:16 - Planning for Taxes and Clean Business Practices
39:01 - Balancing Lifestyle and Business Goals
39:59 - Reflecting on the Journey and Points of Failure
41:01 - The Role of Luck in Success
42:10 - The Satisfaction of Building Value
42:59 - Recent Achievements and Recognition
44:01 - Final Thoughts and Contrarian Convictions