You’re not ready. You’ll never be ready. But that can’t stop you.
Whether it’s Apollo 11 landing with a computer screaming errors, Leftfield literally blowing the speakers at Brixton Academy, or every founder winging it through a board meeting, real leadership is about making decisions with incomplete information, trusting your instincts, and learning on the fly. In this lightning talk, Gareth Marlow will show you why waiting until you feel “ready” is a trap, and how embracing uncertainty-with confidence-separates those who lead from those who hesitate.
Gareth Marlow
Executive Coach & Consultant, eqsystems.io
Gareth helps leaders navigate the messiness of real-world leadership.
A former COO of Red Gate, he’s worked with high-growth tech startups, scale-ups, and academic institutions, helping executives handle the chaos of leading when the map is constantly being re-drawn. He’s coached founders through boardroom battles, CTOs through existential strategy crises, and leaders who weren’t ready, but had to step up anyway. Gareth brings a mix of battle scars, straight-talking insight, and just enough dry humour to make the truth go down easier.
He lives in Cambridge, UK, and still can’t listen to Leftfield’s Phat Planet without feeling slightly nervous.
Next Events
BoS USA 2025 🇺🇸
🗓️ 6-8 October 2025
📍 Raleigh, NC
❗️Early bird tickets available
Learn how great software companies are built at an extraordinary conference run since 2007 to help you build long term, profitable, sustainable businesses.
The Road to Exit: A BoS Mastermind Group 🌐
🗓️ April 2025
📍Online
Exit from a position of power and join this mastermind group facilitated by Mr. Joe Leech. Join us for honest, frank conversations with founders on the same path as you and partake in Q&As with exited founders who share the real experience.