90. The lowest-risk way to scale a start-up | Jake Wilmot-Sitwell

Are you exhausting resources trying to build every system from scratch? You could achieve faster, safer, scale by taking a proven playbook. And executing it better than anyone else.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Jake Wilmot-Sitwell, co-founder and COO of Sandbox VR UK. Jake shares how he transitioned from venture capital to entrepreneurship, taking on £10M in capital to scale full-body, immersive VR experiences across the UK and Ireland.
Jake breaks down the core mechanics of their expansion strategy, explaining how a master franchise model eliminated the initial tech-development risk. He details their shift from capital-intensive flagship locations to lean, plug-and-play concession hubs, while sharing actionable frameworks for optimizing yield per square foot, leveraging media partnerships like Netflix, and scaling a frontline workforce.
Timestamps
01:56 Why VR and Entrepreneurship
09:57 Who Comes and Why It Works
22:40 High-End Tech Meets Hospitality
32:42 Hiring Young Teams
41:26 Fixes VAT Wages Rates
51:58 Future IP Partnerships
Links
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn
Follow Jake Wilmot-Sitwell on LinkedIn
Find out more about Sandbox VR and their experiences here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk