Speaking
As a speaker, I’ve given a TEDx talk, interviews on BBC Radio, DW News (German Television) and appeared on numerous podcasts.
I’ve pitched Encore at Buckingham Palace, won the Europe Category at SLUSH Music Pitching Competition, and given dozens of smaller talks, pitches and interviews since founding Encore in 2014.
I’m available to speak about AI, Growth, Marketplaces, Entrepreneurship, Startups, Music, Creativity, and Endurance Sport.
Media
As the CEO of Encore, I’ve appeared in over 100 articles discussing the company and team, the state of the music industry, and my perspective as a forward-thinking leader.
Publications that I and Encore have been featured in include:
Podcasts
2025
Topics covered
- Encore: 10-year journey, marketplace model, and pandemic challenges
- Burnout and recovery through a two-month fully offline sabbatical
- Succession planning: preparing and promoting an internal leader from Head of Operations to Managing Director
- Pre-sabbatical setup: audits, handovers, and building an advisor “solar system”
- Returning with clarity and getting acquired by Mixcloud
- Meditation, yin/yang balance, and running as tools for resilience
- Career transition: joining ElevenLabs in a Growth and product-led role
- Founder advice: plan your succession early; prioritise your mental health
2024
Summary
James McAulay (Encore) shares practical fundraising lessons (“lines, not dots”), why one founder should fundraise while the other keeps shipping, and how Encore added sustainability by offsetting gig travel and planting 40k+ trees. He dives into mindset – surrounding yourself with people better than you, accountability systems, endurance sport, meditation, and memento mori – plus his sabbatical plans and long-term bucket list.
Topics covered
- Encore Musicians: live-music marketplace and growth journey
- Fundraising playbook: show progress between touches; one founder fundraises, one builds
- What investors notice: real traction over ideas; fuel rockets already taking off
- Sustainability program: per-gig travel offsets with Ecologi + one tree per booking (40k+ planted)
- Mindset & community: seek rooms where you’re the least experienced; learn faster
- Education & grit: Cambridge vs Entrepreneur First; struggles, near-quit, and turnaround
- Goals & execution: personal/work OKRs, habits, and accountability partners that stick
- Performance & perspective: triathlon/Ironman, meditation, sabbatical to Japan/Korea, and “keep death in mind” to prioritise life