No Investors, No Excuses: Mike Scott’s Journey to a Big Exit
Sun May 18 2025
From Bedroom Startup to Multi-Million Exit | Full Circle Podcast w/ Mike Scott
What does it really take to build a leading digital agency from scratch—and then sell it for life-changing money? In this episode of the Full Circle Podcast, Mike Scott shares the rollercoaster journey of founding Hydrogen, scaling it into Scotland’s largest social media agency, and navigating the pressures, pitfalls, and payoffs of selling the business.
🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Video:
✅ How Mike spotted a gap in the digital space and launched Hydrogen
✅ The strategic moves that helped land clients like SSE & Highland Park
✅ Raw truths about bootstrapping, burnout, and breakthrough moments
✅ The emotional and financial highs and lows of selling a business
✅ Where social media and AI are taking brand building next
🔥 If you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or business leader, this episode is packed with real-world insights on startup grit, leadership, digital disruption, and life after exit.
📌 Chapters:
00:00 - Intro: From Redundancy to Reinvention
03:45 - Spotting the Social Media Gap in 2015
07:20 - Hydrogen’s First Client & Strategic Focus
12:10 - Scaling Smart: Cash Flow & Client Wins
18:30 - Building a Sellable Business
25:50 - Navigating the Sale: Numbers, Red Lines & Relief
33:15 - Post-Exit Life & Leadership Reflection
39:00 - Social Media as the New Search Engine
44:45 - TikTok for Big Brands & B2B?
49:30 - The AI Disruption: Who Wins, Who Loses?
56:10 - Advice for Founders Looking to Exit
💬 What part of Mike’s journey did you relate to most? Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear your story!
🔔 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & hit the NOTIFICATION BELL for more deep-dive founder stories and expert insights!
🔗 Follow Us for More:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podfullcircle/
🐦 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-quinn
📘 LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/podfullcircle?fbclid
📺 Bite Sized Full Circle Podcast Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-tUo8HkS2ilqLoMMpBBmgruofR-6dWTa
📺 Full Circle Podcast Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-tUo8HkS2ilTivBI93lGPmY8Uz2DuisD
#startupjourney #socialmediaagency #digitalmarketing #founderstory #hydrogenscotland #fullcirclepodcast #marketingstrategy #businesspodcast #aiandmarketing #entrepreneurmindset
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From Bedroom Startup to Multi-Million Exit | Full Circle Podcast w/ Mike Scott What does it really take to build a leading digital agency from scratch—and then sell it for life-changing money? In this episode of the Full Circle Podcast, Mike Scott shares the rollercoaster journey of founding Hydrogen, scaling it into Scotland’s largest social media agency, and navigating the pressures, pitfalls, and payoffs of selling the business. 🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Video: ✅ How Mike spotted a gap in the digital space and launched Hydrogen ✅ The strategic moves that helped land clients like SSE & Highland Park ✅ Raw truths about bootstrapping, burnout, and breakthrough moments ✅ The emotional and financial highs and lows of selling a business ✅ Where social media and AI are taking brand building next 🔥 If you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or business leader, this episode is packed with real-world insights on startup grit, leadership, digital disruption, and life after exit. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 - Intro: From Redundancy to Reinvention 03:45 - Spotting the Social Media Gap in 2015 07:20 - Hydrogen’s First Client & Strategic Focus 12:10 - Scaling Smart: Cash Flow & Client Wins 18:30 - Building a Sellable Business 25:50 - Navigating the Sale: Numbers, Red Lines & Relief 33:15 - Post-Exit Life & Leadership Reflection 39:00 - Social Media as the New Search Engine 44:45 - TikTok for Big Brands & B2B? 49:30 - The AI Disruption: Who Wins, Who Loses? 56:10 - Advice for Founders Looking to Exit 💬 What part of Mike’s journey did you relate to most? Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear your story! 🔔 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & hit the NOTIFICATION BELL for more deep-dive founder stories and expert insights! 🔗 Follow Us for More: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podfullcircle/ 🐦 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-quinn 📘 LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/podfullcircle?fbclid 📺 Bite Sized Full Circle Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-tUo8HkS2ilqLoMMpBBmgruofR-6dWTa 📺 Full Circle Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-tUo8HkS2ilTivBI93lGPmY8Uz2DuisD #startupjourney #socialmediaagency #digitalmarketing #founderstory #hydrogenscotland #fullcirclepodcast #marketingstrategy #businesspodcast #aiandmarketing #entrepreneurmindset