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

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

August 3, 2026 · 1h 4m

About this episode

James Reed interviews Jake Wilmot-Sitwell about scaling a start-up using a master franchise model in the VR industry.

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…

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