If you could sit down to dinner with some of the world's most ambitious startup entrepreneurs, what would you ask them?

Since 2011, 9others has hosted over 5,000 entrepreneurs at 500 events in over 45 cities around the world and asked one simple question: what's keeping you up at night? We’ve heard the challenges that entrepreneurs all around the world have faced; their thinking and the behavioural traits that helped them overcome those challenges.

In this book, 9others founders Katie Lewis and Matthew Stafford will help you discover the questions you should be asking yourself as you start and scale your own start up, and why you should go on your own journey to find your 9others.

About the AuthorS

Katie Lewis grew up in New Zealand and moved to the UK after studying International Business (BCom) and Psychology (BA) at the University of Otago.

She soon realised London provided her a fantastic opportunity to work within a buzzing and emerging start-up ecosystem (in 2010). She spent several years at an early-stage VC, then running an Accelerator company through which she has supported 1000s of companies to raise investment in the UK and abroad.

She is currently COO at a high growth scaleup, ThisIsAspire.com working with the world's largest organisations to upskill their talent to launch new products/services to drive growth through new business models & routes to market (including partnering with and buying from startups).

In 2011 she cofounded 9others, bringing people together in a supportive, trusting environment to give those going through the trials and tribulations of building a business a sense of community and belonging.

Katie lives with her husband Nigel, in Kingston Upon Thames, UK where she enjoys Olympic Weight Lifting, reading and gardening.

Over the last twelve years Matthew Stafford has worked with startups, venture capital and angel investors, governments, NGOs and large corporations to create and capture value.

Matthew is a Co-founder of 9others, a global entrepreneurs' network, and an active angel investor.

9others was established in 2011 and is now a global network of 5,000* entrepreneurs in 45+ cities who meet over dinner to help each other solve the challenges of business and life.

To date Matthew has invested in 23 startups, most of which have been sourced from the 9others network, and has achieved 2 exits. He has invested in and negotiated investment transactions from £15k to £50m.

He studied Computer Science at Durham University and has an MBA from Imperial College Business School. Matthew lives with his wife, daughter and son in Hertfordshire, UK, where he enjoys reading biographies, watching Formula 1 and training for ultra-marathons.