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Jimmy's Jobs of the Future
Mathieu Flamini | Arsenal, Building a Company & How To Win Like An Athlete
01:11:03
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- [00:04]
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- [00:49]
Jimmy
Welcome to Jimmy's Jobs of the Future. Today we're joined by the former Arsenal footballer Matthew Flamini. He's now turned himself into a chemical entrepreneur, which is a pretty unusual turn. You get some former footballers and sports, sports players turn into media brands, clothing brands, etc, even quite a few running podcast networks nowadays. But he has taken a really different view. I also wanted to thank everyone for their lovely feedback from the Anthony Scaramucci episode. It really did blow up as much as we thought it might do and it's been great to get so many lovely comments from you all. Also, last week I mentioned the Kings Awards for Enterprise would have an exciting announcement. That announcement is that this year they are launching a fifth new category for Young Founder of the Year. So if you're under 30 and you are running a scaling business, please have a look at it because I think it is going to be incredibly excited and you get to go to a reception with His Majesty the King and so forth and it is incredibly exciting and we're going to see some amazing talent come forward for it. So without further ado onto today's episode,
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Interviewer
welcome to Jimmy's Jobs of the Future. What?
- [02:03]
Mathieu Flamini
Thank you.
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Interviewer
What are the parallels between being an entrepreneur and being an elite athlete?
- [02:10]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, I think there are many. They are not maybe like right away obvious, but maybe I'll, I'll give you a few examples. The first one is having to perform under pressure. I think whether you are playing on a pitch in front of millions of people or whether you are an entrepreneur which is taking a mortgage on his house and investing, you know, like his savings and onboarding his whole family. I mean like this like expose you to a tremendous amount of pressure. But this is something also you have to, to digest, to deal with and to be able to perform the same way than being on a pitch or Being an entrepreneur, another aspect is also having to work hard, having to sacrifice, having to dedicate, I will say, like your days, your night. I mean like being an entrepreneur is like being an athlete, you know, like it's about having an obsession, is about having an idea, a vision and doing everything possible to achieve it. So I think like you have a big aspect which is also resilience. I mean, being an athlete is about like putting everything you have in it. Being an entrepreneur, I think like it's, it's something probably, maybe even harder. Okay, so it's about like full commitment, hard work, dedication, sacrifice. So those things which you find, you know, like when you're an athlete, but when also you're an entrepreneur. And I think like teamwork, team spirit, being able to lead and onboard people in order to go in the same direction. I think you will never win a football game if you are one man show same when you're an entrepreneur. I don't know one entrepreneur where I've achieved like big things by himself without bringing a team around him.
- [03:52]
Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
So those are parallels you see in sport, but you also see like when you're an entrepreneur.
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Interviewer
What did you learn from Arsene Wenger about leadership?
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Mathieu Flamini
Well, I mean, I played many, many years under Arsene Wenger, so it's difficult maybe to pick up on one thing in particular, but I think what Arsene was always pushing us to was to take risk, to take responsibility and not to be scared of like trying. I think like many people think in life, or you win or you lose, I mean, I believe, or you win or you learn, you know, and the worst thing in life is to live with regrets, not having tried enough, not having, not having done everything possible to make it happen. And I think Arsene has always pushed us, I mean, from a very young age, because when I arrived in London I was no more than 19 years old, was to try. Don't be scared of trying. It is worth trying. And if you don't try, you cannot make it happen. So that one of the things, you know, like taking risk and trying is that something which I've learned under IS and his commandment and I'm fascinated by
- [05:10]
Interviewer
the recruitment process in football and comparing that to entrepreneurship and hiring. Because one of the things that entrepreneurs talk about is getting the culture fit, right? Like you can hire for skills, of course that's important. But as a footballer, the observation is that you are predominantly recruited on a skill based side of things, like how much you know, you're a 19 year old, how much were you Interviewed by Arsene Wenger for the job at all.
- [05:40]
Mathieu Flamini
I think the process is very different when it comes to sports. Football and I would say corporate side. I mean when it comes to sport is very much based on data, I will say. I mean like everything is public. Let's not forget that at that level you cannot hide.
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Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
Okay. I mean like we see every single move you do on the pitch, we analyze every single stats about yourself. So I would say the recruitment is much more straightforward based on your analytics and based on your performance. What I will have the tendency to say is when you, in sport, when you're going to invest tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions on a player, the tendency we have is to forget to maybe also investigate about the mind. Okay. Of the person. The background of the person is mental stability. You know, like when you make an investment in a company, you do a pure due diligence.
- [06:43]
Interviewer
Right.
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Mathieu Flamini
On what has happened in this company. I mean like what the background, the people. I think maybe what we have as a tendency in sport is maybe to. To forget to also like do a proper due diligence on I mean like the men. Because you know like you're not only a football player, but you're also like a human being. And this all part is not something we have the tendency to analyze enough when we invest, I mean in sport into a player. When it comes to the corporate side, I think it's a totally different approach. I will say, I mean at such a high level in sport, as I was saying, you cannot hide. Okay. I mean like and you're being judged on what you produce, you know, like during 90 minutes on the pitch. The rest of the time, I mean like you can do whatever you want as long as you are able to to perform in a corporate side, it's different. Obviously like I would say can be part of a team where you can potentially hide, you know, when there is a hiring process, I mean like not everything is public.
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Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
So it's not like you have a full transparency on the background of the person. On the past five to 10 years. You don't know the type of performance. So I would say it's much harder process when you hire someone because you don't have as much transparency. I would say.
- [08:06]
Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
And you're basing your, your opinion on like on a cv you can put anything you want on a cv. I mean like, and then if you're lucky you're going to meet the person 1, twice, three times before you hire her.
- [08:21]
Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
So it's a Much difficult process, I would say.
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Interviewer
What questions do you like to ask when you're hiring now?
- [08:29]
Mathieu Flamini
Wow, that's a good one. I like to ask the person about passions. I like to ask the person about qualities, limitations, how would she or he deal with a difficult situation or his style of management. Look, I'm someone who like to. I don't take no for an answer. Okay. And I think like, if you're an entrepreneur, I mean, that's what you have to. I got a lot of no in my life and I've also turned those no like in many years. So what I look for when you know, like for a recruitment process is for those people. Yeah, we don't stop at the know. And basically if you can get in by the door, I mean, like, how do you get in by the windows or the terminates, you know, like. Because the reality is like what we do is not easy. Yeah, probably if it was, I will not be there. You know, as an athlete, I like the challenge, I like the adrenaline, I like to win.
- [09:34]
Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
And I'm looking for winners. I'm looking for winners.
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Interviewer
And how did you talked about onboarding there? How did like Arsenal onboard you when you're kind of 19, because, you know, you're young French coming to a foreign city, etc.
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Mathieu Flamini
So I grew up in Marseille. My dad has Italian origins, my mom is from Corsica, so. And living in Marseille from a very young age, I think like, you have to be an Olympic of Marseille fan. So I signed my first football license at the age of five for the club of Marseille. And I've done all my, I will say formation at Marseille.
- [10:14]
Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
I also had the chance at the age of 18 to play for the first team of Marseille. At the time I was playing with GD Rogba and things didn't turn out the way I wanted because obviously, like as a young player playing for the team of Marseille, I was always dreamed to sign my first professional contract for Marseille. It didn't happen for various reasons. And I moved to Arsenal. I think at the time Arsenal was very much like a French team with Arsene Wenger leading it. You had a lot of other French players, from Robert Pires to Cher Henry Henry to Patrick Vieir. And I would say it was borderline a natural move to move to the most French team in Ukraine. And I loved it. I loved it. Look, I. I arrived, I was a kid.
- [11:02]
Interviewer
You joined just after the invincible season as well. Right. So you're going into one of the most elite dressing rooms that's ever existed.
- [11:08]
Mathieu Flamini
Yeah, I moved to a team with, like, superstar. Everyone was very humble, everyone was working very hard, and I was part of a team. We knew what was taking to. To win. So I arrived at the. As a kid, I became a teenager. I experienced the top level here in London and I think I built, like, a very strong and particular relationship with the fans. What I loved in UK is like, we value hard work and we value authenticity and people who put their heart on the field. And I think this is a little bit like the definition for me of honesty, you know, like, it's putting your life on the line. Yeah. When you have to perform and you have to. To give everything to win.
- [11:56]
Interviewer
I sometimes think the French and English speak different languages, but actually the cultural similarities are sometimes quite strong. That sort of, like, passion, you know, putting a shift in, you know, is like, really counts in both France and, and England in, in some ways. And then you started the company or you started experimenting with it at kind of age 24.
- [12:20]
Mathieu Flamini
I was a bit older. It was around, like, 2012, 2013. I was already, at the time playing for AC Milan.
- [12:27]
Interviewer
Yeah, but there's this. There's this story of you sort of leaving Arsenal, training and so on, in this kind of suit and tie, going off to business meetings while other players might be playing video games or something.
- [12:39]
Mathieu Flamini
That's true, because let's not forget, I played for Arsenal first round.
- [12:44]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [12:45]
Mathieu Flamini
I moved to AC Milan where I played five years, and I was one of the few. We were allowed to come back to Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. So that was the second round. And yes, look, I grew up by the sea. My father used to be a diver by passion, so I used to join him. And I still remember the collect of waste plastic on the beach. I grew up, you know, with the French David Attenborough, which was called Commandant Cousteau. So with this generation of, like, explorers, you know, like, trying to bring, you know, like, nature into our living room. So I was, since a very early age, very much aware of the negative impact of the humankind on our environment. And I always wanted to do something in this space. I think after. After my biggest love for football. I mean, like, there was a real passion around sustainability. And while I was playing for AC Milan at the time, I was probably one of the youngest with Pato and other Brazilian players. And most of the other guys were 30 and plus. So in football, you're already, like, close to the exit. And we also had as owner Sivio Berlusconi, which was also an entrepreneur and Being part of this environment with the owner, which was pushing his players to think outside the box with already like players, which were part of the older generation, which were already thinking about what will come after the life as an athlete. I also wanted to on my side to see what could be, what could be of, of an experience there.
- [14:21]
Interviewer
So when did you start thinking about, okay, this is what I might want to do next? Or was it something that you always wanted to do? Like when was the sort of like thought process of it all?
- [14:34]
Mathieu Flamini
So first of all, I believe in serendipity. You know, like life is exciting because you don't know what's going to happen. Right. You meet people, opportunities are being created. And I was at the template for AC Milan, met with a number of people, met some friends, met some scientists. And what we understood from early, early time is like there was going to be a shift, okay, from I will say oil derivative industry to a clean and more sustainable industry and basically engaging with scientists. They were the one guiding me and my other co founder in that direction. And that's why at the time we decided to put together a team of scientists and to start that journey. Yeah, and to be totally honest with you, I mean I studied law for like a couple of years before to become a footballer professional. So I didn't have any chemical background at all. And to even be further in the reasoning, I mean life is a bit of a paradox because you know, I take this example quite a few times. But when I was going to school there was two, two subjects I really disliked. First was English. And I'm ending up like speaking like 90% of my time in English today, even like on a family chat, I'm borderline writing in English because my French became so bad at writing and there was chemistry and I'm running today a biochemical company. So look, that's why, I mean I think life is a paradox and it's important to believe in your dream. So being in AC Milan, put a team of scientists together, we identify one of those molecule which was at the time identified by the U.S. department of Energy as one of the molecule of the future which haven't been developed at large scale.
- [16:29]
Interviewer
Yeah.
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Mathieu Flamini
And I thought the challenge was big enough to start it. And that's how everything started and that's how we created the company over a decade ago.
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Interviewer
So what does the company look to do?
- [16:42]
Mathieu Flamini
So maybe I like to highlight. So the chemical industry is a mother of every industry. Why? Because everything we touch, everything we use in our everyday is based on the petrochemical industry. Okay. Most of the ingredients we are using today which are part of formulations like shampoo. Shampoo is a formulation, okay? Home cleaning product is a formulations. Those formulations are made of ingredients. And most of those ingredients still today are oil derivatives. What we do, we have developed technology to convert agricultural waste so biomass into plant based ingredients. And those plant based ingredients are ending up in the everyday product we are using today. And we allow those everyday product to be 1 safer and 2 more sustainable. So to give you concrete example, I mean those ingredients can be in shampoo to replace silicone because silicone is not biodegradable, it accumulates in nature. Our ingredients can be in candles today. I mean like if you are, I mean burning, you know, I mean like candles home, I mean like they are using solvent which are basically coming from hydrocarbons, algae fusers, you know, those algae fusers which you are using in your house today are using solvents. Some of them were even reclassified carcinogenic. We are replacing the solvent by safe and sustainable ingredients. Those are the things we do. We also do like plant based pesticides in order for you to have access to food which is not have to be contaminated. So this is for me like super exciting because I really have an impact in the life of people in the everyday.
- [18:39]
Interviewer
And there's obviously like there is quite a tradition of some footballers going off and doing entrepreneurial things. But it tends to be much more in the kind of like broadcast or media space or perhaps clothing somewhere where they can kind of use the, the name and the distribution channels that they've built up through social and so on. But you've taken a really hard problem here.
- [19:02]
Mathieu Flamini
Yeah, let's say I've pushed the envelope a bit further. I think for. Look, for many, many years or even generations, an athlete or football player was not always necessarily allowed to first share his opinion and to express his other passions. Because as I was saying before, I mean like we see a football player, I mean for 90 minutes on the pitch and we have the tendency to forget. And behind a football player or behind an athlete, there is a human, human being, you know, also have other passion, other interest, other topics which are close to his heart. That's why I always like always encourage athletes to first speak up for, I mean like the passions, for the visions, for the opinions, as long as they are, I will say, like knowledgeable about it. And two, I'm also like part of this new generation of athletes who want to explore the other passions. That's why, I mean my Biggest love was football. But like I also had a passion for sustainability, climate change. I wanted to contribute to these, you know, like to bring a solutions and to bring a small contribution to it and part of this new generation of kids, you know, like who cares about the future and want to set up new standards. So that was important for me. That's why I also used my, my platform to be able to communicate about the problem, to also communicate about the solutions. And that's what we see more and more. We see athletes also like standing up for the beliefs. We see also athletes joining ventures whether it is in technology or whether it is in, in other sectors. But what I did, you know, like is, was to, to become an executive. I'm the CEO of the company on top of being the co founder and I'm probably busier today than what I was before.
- [21:02]
Interviewer
Yeah, because that's it. You're not just an ambassador, you are your job as the chief executive. Right.
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Mathieu Flamini
So yeah, I'm the co founder. So the, the company is called GF Biochemical and the F is for Flaminia and I am the CEO since 2022 when we onboarded, you know like some very key investors in a company. So I'm, yeah, I'm leading the company. I'm trying to leverage all my learning from the my sport career into my new life of an entrepreneur and executive.
- [21:37]
Interviewer
What's the biggest difference between them?
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Mathieu Flamini
Well, look, there are, there are many but I think as an athlete, as a player, I will say you have to give 200%. I will say two or three times a week, okay, you're being judged for the 90 minutes. I mean when you're going to play on a Saturday or you're going to play on a Wednesday, after that you are able to switch off. Obviously there are limitations because I mean like wherever you live you bubble. I mean the religious catching, you, you go to restaurants, you're going to interact with fans, you go in the street, you're going to interact, you know, with people who love you for who you are. You know, like and you know, love can also sometimes be overwhelming. So this is the life of an athlete. When an entrepreneur, when you're a founder, you carry your problem like non stop. I mean like when you go in holidays, I can guarantee you it is very, very hard or that's something I haven't mastered yet. Very hard to disconnect. And that can impact your surrounding, your girlfriend, your wife, your kids, your family. It is very difficult to switch off. Well, when you're an athlete it is important for you to switch off. It is important for you to basically cut with this pressure, you know, to turn off your mind. Okay. I will say it is easier when you're an athlete. It is harder when an entrepreneur because I mean, it is non stop. I mean like you have people depending on you, the families.
- [23:18]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [23:19]
Mathieu Flamini
You also have like people are counting on you to set up a vision. When things don't go well, people continue to solve them. I mean like you're supposed to know better and to be totally honest with you, I mean like being an athlete, being an entrepreneur can also be like a very lonely place because sometimes you don't know and you have to pretend you know because you know, it's like if others don't and the CEO or the boss don't know, I mean like he create even more like, I would say like frustration or like a fear, you know, like in your team. So being an entrepreneur, it's, it's a very lonely journey. But being an athlete also, so those are also some of the parallel, you know, you find, you know, as being an athlete, you know, like sometimes you do a terrible game, you lose because of you. I can tell you, you feel very small in your shoes and there are not many people who can make you feel better when you're an entrepreneur. And if sometimes you know, things doesn't turn out the way you would like, it's difficult to, to open up and speak to, to, to people around you. You know, you have to, to deal with this pressure with failure on your own and you have to find the solutions.
- [24:38]
Interviewer
What was the, what was the most challenging thing about being a footballer?
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Mathieu Flamini
I think like it was, I would say when you're an athlete and your, your, your life is public when every single move you make, you know, like is being commented, I think for me it was easy for me to deal with it because from a very early age, you know, like, you build yourself like, you know, like protections you, you set up yourself into a bubble. What was hard for me, it was potentially the impact it was having on my family and potentially the impact it could have, you know, on the people around me. You know, because very quickly, I mean, you learn to deal with it. I mean like, and you just focus on the love you like, because I mean the reality is like, like in every marriage you have some up, you have some down. You know, when you love someone very much, I mean like sometimes you can have like difficult reactions, you know, you can express different feelings, you know, like hate, love, jealousy, being possessive, all those things. You know, like it's part of your love story with, with the fans. It's part of your love story with like, with people who are willing to die for the shirt. So I understand all this and from a very early age you get used to it. But when you know, like your family is having to deal with those things, they are not always prepared and it puts a lot of pressure on them. And you see people change, you see people change around you, they have different expectations, they have different need, you know, like, and this is not always easier to deal with those things.
- [26:31]
Interviewer
Can you give an example of the stress that it brought on a family member?
- [26:35]
Mathieu Flamini
Yeah, look, I mean like playing for Marseille and then like leaving Marseille and moving to Arsenal, I mean, it was not understood by everyone why I was living at the time. You know, I didn't have the choice. I never went into too many details, but leaving, you know, a club where I played for so many years, I mean, like, it was for me, like, very difficult, but I did it because, you know, like, first I didn't have the choice and two, it was an incredible opportunity to play for a club such Arsenal, you know, like they were at the highest level. They were like having a dressing room which was made of superstars. So for me, it was an evolutions in my career, but it was not understood, you know, at the time, you know, in, in Marseille and when I left, you know, my family was still there. They had to deal with a lot of comment, a lot of, you know, like judgment and it's not easy, you know, for individuals which are not prepared for that.
- [27:28]
Interviewer
Yeah, I have this theory that actually being a footballer, if you take the money out of it, it's actually really quite a tough job. Like there's nine, ten months of the year when you can't go away. You are quite restricted in lots of ways. Lots of people comment on you, etc. And you're often not in control of where you're going and so on. Like, it's. I think there's a whole side to being a footballer that is not really put out there.
- [27:55]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, I will not, I will not complain because I've lived my. I've lived my dream.
- [27:59]
Interviewer
Okay?
- [28:00]
Mathieu Flamini
I mean, like as a young kid, I always wanted to be a football player and I was lucky enough to live off my passion. So I think that's what I wish every single kid, you know, like, to believe, believe in his dream and to make it happen. So I will not complain and I embraced it. You know, I think like, competition is something which Is very, very aggressive, you know, like having to deal with competition every single day of your life. But it makes you stronger, you know, like I would never be who I am today if I didn't have that, that journey so isn't I would not complain. And I enjoyed it like every second. And I miss it, you know, like miss it very much. You know, the dressing room, the team, you know, I have the tendency always to compare, you know, like being in a team of athletes, like very much as being special forces.
- [28:54]
Interviewer
Yes.
- [28:54]
Mathieu Flamini
You know, like the dedication, I mean the level of involvement, you know, like putting, I mean your life on the line because you know, like it's winning or losing, you know, it's about a mini second, you know, like. And in order to win you have to give it all. And special Forces, you know, they have the same mindset. I mean it's me or you.
- [29:17]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [29:17]
Mathieu Flamini
And you're going to do everything to make sure is you and not me. So you know, like these, these mental strength which you develop as an athlete. This is something I leverage every day in my life. You know, this is resilience aspect. And that's why when you're an athlete, top elite athlete, when you're special forces, you see people, you know, as, as civilians, the others, you know, like. Because I have been engineered to win.
- [29:45]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [29:45]
Mathieu Flamini
I've been engineered to kill. You know, like if you want to win on the pitch, I mean you face your opponent is going to be him. On me.
- [29:54]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [29:55]
Mathieu Flamini
The same when you're on a battlefield, you know. So we have developed this survival instinct, this mindset because Sport is like 70, if not 80%, you know, mindset because at that level everybody is strong, everybody is good technically, physically. So it's all about the mind. And the mind, this is something which is super powerful. We don't realize enough. So on the football side, I will say yes, of course there is all the shiny part. But what people don't always see is like the, how lonely it is, how painful it can be. I mean like I think like for nearly 20 years I didn't go to bed or waking up on a morning where I wasn't feeling broken, you know, like, I mean like you twist your knee, you twist your ankle. I mean. Yeah, you get a lot of players live on anti inflammatory which is like not good at all. And I remember like a discussion with Arsene Menger saying that there was a study at the time for Olympic athletes and they asked them the question, would you rather die before 40 but be an Olympic winner or Will you be willing to die very old in your bed and not win anything? And I think 80% of basically the athlete insert, they will be willing to die before 40 and be winners. This shows you how much dedication and how much you are willing to put your life on the line to win. And that's what sports gives you. And this is huge sacrifice. I mean, you cannot plan anything. I mean, you have a three weeks off. The rest of your time you're on duty. Yeah, meaning like you train every day. I mean, especially when you knew, I mean, like you play for Boxing Day, you play on the 1st of January. So you really need to love, I mean, what you do. I mean, because it's a tremendous amount of pressure. I mean, like you, you. I mean, like you cannot live on the past. Every three days you have millions of people who are going to Giorgio. And you can't hide. When you're in a football pitch, you cannot hide.
- [32:06]
Interviewer
Two questions here. Did you find it hard to retire? And how did you find it when your sort of abilities are beginning to decline?
- [32:16]
Mathieu Flamini
So it's funny, I was discussing that today with, with a close friend were discussing about the art of exiting, you know, and we were seeing then it is very difficult to basically live at the right time because I mean, being an athlete playing at the, at the very highest level, I mean, it's about adrenaline, it's about getting so much love, affection, the communion with the fans, you know, like when you play, playing at Arsenal, you know, like at the Emirates or even before Ibury. I mean, like this is like total communion, you know, like I don't see anything, you know, like, which is a better feeling, you know, like even, like even, you know, like even sex is not as good as that, I will say, you know, like. So it's. I don't know how to describe it, but it's so intense. Yeah, you know, like then it's difficult to leave it behind. And that's why living at the right time is not something which is easy on my side. Look, I loved football more than anything else. It was a dream. And as I said before, I was privileged enough to live my dream. But, you know, I started like from a young, young age to think already what will come after, you know, it's like sometimes, you know, like I also had a discussion with another close friend of mine who lost his dad and his mom on the same day. And he was telling me, look, we, we don't speak about death enough, you know, and as an athlete, somebody said, we'll die twice. We die when we stop our career, when we retired and we die, you know, like, when we get old. This is real, you know. So I think talking about death, you know, like, is getting prepared for it and speaking about retirement, what will come after the life of an athlete, speaking about it early enough to get prepared for it mentally, and also like getting prepared. Because when you're an athlete, everything is well organized. I mean, clubs taking care of everything. The day you stop the light switch off. And then you need to find structure, you need to find a new discipline, you need to find a new motivation, you need to find like a new, a new adrenaline, a new challenge. This is not easy. You have to reinvent yourself. That's why you see a lot of them, a lot of athletes still staying in, in the sport world. They go to tv, they are agents, they are coaches, because this is what they know. This is what they know the best, you know. But it's not easy to basically apply those learning to other sector or the industry.
- [35:14]
Interviewer
Totally just on the, on the death point for death. We've worked with a company called Octopus Legacy on writing your will. And I have talked about this before on it, like, it is amazing doing that process of like writing your will out. I talked about how it had such big, kind of like impact on me. You kind of write a final letter to people and, and so on. It's quite like. And I think you're right, we totally don't talk about it enough. And it can be vastly improved if we do. I mean, I think it's a particularly British thing, but yeah, no, it's. It's interesting. So how did, how did you make that switch then? So you're. Because you finished at Getafe, right? So you're playing in Spain. And what, what was the process like of that kind of like first year after of not being a professional?
- [36:01]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, I mean, first of all, I think I started my career very young. So I started, I was barely 18, playing for the first team in Marseille. And I think what I'm the most proud is having last for so long. Because if today you ask me what's the hardest, is it to get there or is this to stay there? I'll tell you, it is to stay there 100%. And that's one of the things I'm very proud. And I've been playing, you know, at such a high level for such a long period of time. So I. I reached more or less, I was 35, I reached a point of my life where I think I didn't have anything else to prove. I mean, to myself of. To the football world because I've played there for such a long time. I was also like, not willing to do the sacrifices anymore. And I also wanted to live.
- [36:52]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [36:52]
Mathieu Flamini
You know, and when I say living meaning, like, do the simple things as going on a weekend with your friend, going to a birthday, going to a wedding, you know, like, most of my friend got married. I don't think I've been to any wedding.
- [37:07]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [37:07]
Mathieu Flamini
For 20 years because, you know, like, I was always on the road and, you know, enjoying my family, seeing my parents getting older and having the opportunity to spend more quality time with them instead of having to do like my, you know, like New Year's, you know, like as a hotel room, because I'm playing on the 1st. So I just wanted to get back to a more simple and easy life and do like, what people do during the life. So. So that's why I naturally, I would say move to like it was a new beginning. Like, but I was already prepared for that because I started my. I would say after career, you know, like young enough to. To be mentally ready, to already have a kind of a structure and to know what I was going to do. So I was mentally ready and I was, I was excited and I was moving towards something I was passionate about and I was moving towards something which was exciting me. And more importantly, you know, I had another challenge.
- [38:09]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [38:09]
Mathieu Flamini
And I think as an athlete, we are addicted to adrenaline and we are challengers, meaning, like, we love for the challenge. You know, like, that's why for me, I mean, having a new challenge, having, you know, like, be able to fulfill another passion was very important.
- [38:28]
Interviewer
And what, what is the adrenaline that you get now? Because adrenaline is a very kind of like, specific rush. Right. Like, where do you get that now in business?
- [38:39]
Mathieu Flamini
Wow. So I consider myself like very low key and privilege first, as I was telling you, because I lived of my passion for so many years, but today that dream is being extended. I'm lucky enough to meet the most inspiring, incredible people. I mean, from head of state to like president of European commissions. I mean like to. To people who are truly, I mean, changing things, having a global positive impact. I mean like, I'm lucky enough to meet like, other incredible founders. I'm lucky enough to make, like, to meet like deal makers. I'm lucky enough to meet, you know, like, people who have those strong desire to have an impact, people who are living with purpose, people who are living with meaning. And if I look at my life, I Mean, like, it's super exciting, you know, like, I was in. I was in Davos, like, two months ago. I was lucky enough to. To meet with, like, Christine Lagarde, you know, like, I was lucky enough to meet the French president a couple of times in the past few months. I was lucky enough to meet with the president of the European Commission and being involved with, like, a very important topic, such as, like, the chemical strategy in Europe. So all those meetings are, for me, like, super exciting because it generates, one, a lot of adrenaline.
- [40:08]
Interviewer
Yeah, yeah.
- [40:09]
Mathieu Flamini
Two, it's about having the opportunity to have an impact. And more importantly, you know, like, this impact is being, like, I would say, fulfilled by a real purpose. You know, Like, I always, you know, tell people around me, I mean, like, what's your purpose? And they look at me, like, with a very weird, you know, very weird look, you know, but it's true. Why do you wake up every day? You know, like, what's your meaning? You know, like, what's the meaning in your. In your life? So those are questions I ask myself.
- [40:39]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [40:40]
Mathieu Flamini
And I'm super happy of having an answer because many people around don't have an answer, and it's not easy to find your purpose and to find your meaning.
- [40:50]
Interviewer
And you met King Charles as well, I saw.
- [40:52]
Mathieu Flamini
Yes. I had the opportunity to. To. To meet him twice in the past six months. Someone I respect and I admire very much because he's someone who have been involved and standing up for climate change for many, many, many decades now. I mean, he has been very vocal about it, and he's trying to bring the private sector together in order to drive change. And I respect him very much for that. He was a visionary person because he was speaking about it already before, you know, many, many others. And this is super inspiring.
- [41:27]
Interviewer
Yeah, yeah. No, he's. And he's just amazing in those moments. I do some work with the King's Awards for Enterprise, so I've met him a couple of times, and, yeah, he's the great leader. He really is. And talk to us a bit about. We were chatting off camera beforehand about biohacking and so on. Like, talk us through your approach to that, how you deal with it, because that is such a big part for a professional athlete. Right. Like, in terms of what you're putting into your body, it is.
- [41:56]
Mathieu Flamini
I think this is also. Sometimes we don't always realize, but I mean, so winning and losing. So winning and losing, you know, the margins are so small. Okay. And it takes very. I mean, like, it takes like a millisecond you know, like small inches to lose a game. Okay, so once you understood that, you realize that every small percent you can put on your side to improve your performance is critical. So at that level, I mean, like, you start thinking like, okay, if I sleep enough, I gain x percent of performance. If I eat healthy, I gain x percent of performance. If I drink enough water, I gain x percent of performance dot I mean, training on a pitch, massage, stretching, recovery, all these makes your performance stronger. And that's something you can also apply in your life. Because when you're a CEO, when you're an entrepreneur and you're facing so much pressure, you're working 15 hours a day, you have to treat yourself as an athlete. So once you start understanding the why and once you start having access to information, because information is power, you start applying it in your life. And small things, like small things such as drinking water. Why drinking water? Okay, you have heard drinking water is important, but if we don't tell people why it's important, it's irrelevant. Your brain is 70 to 80% water. Your heart is 70 to 80% water. The same as your skin, your muscles. If you don't drink enough water, your brain doesn't function at 100%, your heart doesn't function at 100%. So if you want to optimize your performance as a human being, you need to drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water a day. I don't eat any animal protein. Why? Because during my career, I understood that if I wanted to perform better, I had to cut animal protein to reduce the risk of injuries. Considering today that most of the fish or meat which is being produced is industrial, is farmed. I mean, like, it is using so many and so much antibiotics.
- [44:13]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [44:14]
Mathieu Flamini
I mean, as. Because I want to live longer and to live better, I'm trying to apply the same, I mean, like recipe cut animal protein in order to first lower my acidity in my bloodstream to reduce the risk of cancer. And two, to make sure I'm not eating antibiotics. And every time, you know, I'm having some animal protein. So those are small. You know, I will say like biohack, I'm trying to apply on my everyday. I'm also like eating once a day.
- [44:41]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [44:42]
Mathieu Flamini
Why? Because, you know, like, first of all, I train much less than I used to.
- [44:47]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [44:47]
Mathieu Flamini
And by eating once a day, I do a small reboot every day. I let my body regenerate, you know, my digestive system, you know, like, is rebooting every day. And it's a Small detox. I do, I think it's also like it's been a journey. I will not tell people to go from one to a hundred in one day. No, but as a small step, you know, like if you go one day plant based, one day lime and protein, you're already reducing by 50%, you know, like the input. So it's about a journey. It's about what's good for me is not always necessary for good for others. But applying you know, like certain principle to you every day is very important, you know, and it's about like getting better and you know like performing better and living longer.
- [45:32]
Interviewer
Do you eat a breakfast, lunch or dinner then when do you.
- [45:35]
Mathieu Flamini
I have early dinner, so I'm trying to eat around 6:37. And during the day I'm back to back with my meetings, back to back with my, with interviews. I don't even feel it.
- [45:45]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [45:45]
Mathieu Flamini
And whenever I feel a little bit like having, eating something, you know, I have some nuts, something super light and it helped me to last. It's also like very interesting. Studies have shown basically like you slow down your aging.
- [45:59]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [46:00]
Mathieu Flamini
When you reduce your eating because your body start generating, you know, substance which slow down your aging. So it has like a tremendous, you know, like upside in doing that and considering also then unfortunately like we're surrounded by processed, processed food. You know, like the food we eating, you know, those days is, is using a lot of, I mean like artificial substances. I mean like also reducing your input is cutting these amount of substances which are not good for, for your health.
- [46:32]
Interviewer
Have you found that as being part of the, you know, the French culture of food is just such a big way of life.
- [46:37]
Mathieu Flamini
I agree with you and the Italian one. But it's all about like, I mean like I don't see it as, you know, some people see it as like a minus, a sacrifice. I see it as an upside. I don't touch butter, I use olive oil. I mean I like to cook. So I mean like I'm so much up for like fruit, vegetables. I do the best salad. I love quinoa. I love rice. I'm also like not black and white. Meaning like I love a four cheese pizza on a weekend. I mean but you know, people have the tendency to say I'm going to eat like six, six days on the really bad food and once a week I'm going to do like small detox. No, it should be the opposite. Yeah, I mean like you should basically eat super healthy five to six days a week and allow yourself, you know, like One day where you let yourself go. So it's all about balance. Yeah, you know, I think it's all about balance. But my advice is, look, don't touch processed food. I mean, you should be able to, I mean, buy things which are not transformed. Tomatoes, salad, rice, quinoa, and cook for yourself. I mean, like, that. The advice and being half Italian, half French, I love cooking. And that's, you know, like the best way to basically, like, avoid. To have to. To deal with this processed food, which is like, really, really having a negative impact on people. I mean, there was a. I mean, a study showing that in the U.S. i mean, last year, first time in the past 80 to 100 years, life expectancy has been reducing. How is that possible? Yeah, how is that possible?
- [48:16]
Interviewer
What's. Yeah, I do find that kind of like a staggering statistic. What is the. What would be in your salad of choice if we were coming around your house for dinner?
- [48:27]
Mathieu Flamini
You will have. You will get like, some quinoa or if not, some brown rice. You will have some tomatoes, you will have some chickpeas, you will have some broccoli. You know, I like chopped salad. You know, I'm. I like to. I like to cook, you know. You know, it's one of the few things who really takes my mind away. I'm someone, you know, like, I'm thinking all the time. Sometimes I think too much. And I mean, my surrounding can see when. Can see me when I'm thinking. My eyes, you know, like, they're lost in the stars. But, you know, like, cooking, doing sport, those are one of the things who really take my mind away.
- [49:06]
Interviewer
What would you. What does the next 10 years look like? You've had such an interesting and varied career now, and there are so many options available to you as a. As a former athlete, but also having run, you know, really credible businesses, what does the next 10 years hold?
- [49:24]
Mathieu Flamini
So in a few words, you're asking me what do I wish for myself? Yeah, look to. I mean, first of all, I think, like, being healthy, I think, is a priority. I mean, like, we have the tendency also to forget and how lucky we are. You know, like, when we have. When we are healthy and we can do whatever we want, you know, like even a run or walk in a park. I mean, like, this is a real blessing, you know, like, so being healthy, still being surrounded by my family, by my friends, by people I truly love, because I think the older you get, I mean, the smaller the circle become and the more time you want to give to the people you Truly love. So I think like still be surrounding by the people I love, definitely make a family, you know, like having kids, you know, like, it's also like something I really, really want to achieve and to keep doing what I love the most. I feel like sometimes people are asking me like, what advice would you like to give? I mean, like, I don't think I'm good at giving any advice. I think like everyone is different and yeah, everyone has different background, life experiences. But I mean, if there is one thing I can say is like, do what you love. Do what you love because life is way too short to wake up in the morning and going to do something which you don't. So basically it's like do whatever is required. Do whatever is necessary for you to do something you love, you know, something you're passionate about.
- [51:04]
Interviewer
Would politics ever temp me? French politics.
- [51:08]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, right now, I mean, this is not on my radar. I don't think this is something I will do in the near future. But yeah, you know, I think like we live in a world where we have the tendency to tell, I mean, the next generations, you know, like then it's not allowed anymore to believe in the dream. And that's what I love about sport and football in particular is the fact that you can be a nobody, you can be coming from a very unprivileged background and you could succeed.
- [51:45]
Interviewer
Yeah. You know, and that's why meritocratic, isn't it?
- [51:48]
Mathieu Flamini
Yeah, exactly. You know, like, and that's why sport and football, I mean like, it's still one of those few industry, we still bring people together, people from different background, different religion, different origin, you know, different language, brings people together, unite them. And you see the same in a football team.
- [52:06]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [52:06]
Mathieu Flamini
You know, like, and that's something I really admire. And this something will still bring hope and will still tell the, the next generation and young kids, you are still allowed to believe in your dream. And we live in a world where more and more it's, it's not an option anymore. Yeah. And I feel this is sad. So that's why, I mean like, I think sport has this power and definitely, like if tomorrow I have kids, I would love them to, to be part of a team because, you know, from a very early age it teaches you to adapt. It teach you to get out of your bubble and basically like interact with people who come from a different origin, different culture, different religion. You have to find your place in a team the same way you have to find your place in this world, you know, and you Deal with like hard work. You deal with competition.
- [53:01]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [53:01]
Mathieu Flamini
You know, like, dealing with competition is not easier. Most of people, as soon as they have to face competition, they disappear. You have to embrace competition because competition makes people better. Yeah, it makes you better. It gets you out of your comfort zone. Because the reality is like, where you learn the most is when you're out of your comfort zone. You know, I mean, like most of the time, I mean, like, we don't think about that. So that's why competition is very important. It's not something we teach at school, or at least we don't teach it enough. That's why sometimes, you know, like, you know, like I seen in, in, in a company I've built, you know, like sometimes I'm very direct. You know, like, I'm very direct. I don't have much filter. You know, I, I, I, I expect people to be transparent and direct and honest with me, you know, like, I hate, you know, like to be too politically correct. You know, like if you, if you care about someone you want, you owe that person honesty, transparency. And that's how I am, you know, like, and it's not always easy because, you know, like, maybe like I would say, like in a more corporate world, you have to be more politically correct. You have to be much more, like, much more soft in your approach. But the reality is like, I love to win.
- [54:21]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [54:21]
Mathieu Flamini
And in order to win, you need to build a winning team and if you associate winners. I remember when I used to play for Arsenal, when I used to play for AC Milan, I mean, for me what was very important was like, okay, what are the ambition of the club? Yeah, okay. I mean, like, are we going to be able to recruit the best players? I mean, I'm, I mean, like, is this year, are we going to go fighting for the, for the, for the title race or are we going to simply like, be part of this Premier League? It was super important. So for me, it seems obvious that if someone is in my team, they're going to want to win the big trophy. And if you want to be, to win the big trophy, you need to be surrender of like the best people for that. I mean, you need to be very much demanding with yourself and very much demanding with others because we're all on the same boat. I remember being in a team, we don't wait for the manager to come and to tell us to move ourselves.
- [55:22]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [55:23]
Mathieu Flamini
If you don't do the job, you bringing me down and I expect the same, you know, like from my team, you know, Like, I expect all of them to be wanting to be successful. And if somebody next to you doesn't use a job, it brings you down. So I believe it is your job also to say, hey, we need more from you because if not, we're going to slowly die together.
- [55:48]
Interviewer
How do you identify that talent though?
- [55:51]
Advertiser
Right?
- [55:51]
Interviewer
We talked about it right at the start. Football, it's easier. There's systems and there's setups. When you're doing it in private sector and business, how do you go about identifying that talent?
- [56:02]
Mathieu Flamini
I think this is one of still my limitations. I don't think I'm good enough at identifying, you know, like to be spot on. You know, I think I've made a lot of mistake in the past and I'm trying. As I said before, you win or you learn. Right? I mean, like, so.
- [56:22]
Interviewer
So what have you learned about hiring?
- [56:24]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, I think it's about. It's not always necessary. About the expertise is about also the mindset. Okay. Because expertise can be acquired. Look, I don't have any chemical background. I will not have the pretense, the pregnancy to say like, I know as much as maybe like the other people from the company. But you know, I believe very much in school of life, you know, because between the theory and the practice, there is a whole world. Okay? So what I've learned, I think is onboarding the people who have the right mindset. Being like in a corporate is completely different. When you're building a company, you know, I mean, the founder of LinkedIn said you build a plane. I mean, you jump and as you're falling, you build a plane. You know, that's true. I mean, like, and if you don't have the right mindset, you only see the problem. If you change that mindset. For each problem, you come with 10 solutions.
- [57:26]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [57:26]
Mathieu Flamini
And being in a management, and that's something, you know, I. I tell my management and you know, like, and if they listen to this podcast, I mean, they will definitely think about it. Anyway, our job is to turn the impossible into possible.
- [57:44]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [57:45]
Mathieu Flamini
You know, that's why I get so frustrated when I hear no, but I was told it was not possible. No, I was told it is not allowed. No, I was told we couldn't. The job of someone in the management and even more an entrepreneur is to turn something impossible into possible. That's why I get very frustrated when I hear excuses. Because for me, there are excuses. I mean, for me, when I get a no, this is when the journey start. You know, how do I convert this? No. Into a yes. And until I haven't achieved it, I will not stop. And that I think the right, the right mindset and the mindset which is necessary if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, as a CEO or as a business person.
- [58:36]
Interviewer
We have this thing where we're. When we're trying to book guests, if we get a no from somebody, that's a good sign because that you've opened, you've opened the communications and you can persuade them. Like, that's such an interesting point. It's like we can work on it.
- [58:51]
Mathieu Flamini
Exactly. And, and, and as I was saying, I think the mindset makes all difference. I was in Davos. I mean, like, as I was saying, like, and Elon Musk said, it's better being an optimistic and being wrong than being pessimistic and being right.
- [59:08]
Interviewer
Yeah, definitely.
- [59:09]
Mathieu Flamini
And I couldn't agree more in that I'm definitely very optimistic, very positive. And I always assume that it is feasible and it is possible. And you have to demonstrate me that it is not, rather than starting thinking it is not possible and trying to demonstrate that it is. You see, And I think I have applied very much that mindset, you know, in my football career. And I'm applying it today, not only in my business career, but in my everyday life.
- [59:42]
Interviewer
Will you be at Davos next year, do you think?
- [59:44]
Mathieu Flamini
Maybe.
- [59:45]
Interviewer
Yeah, we're gonna, we're gonna be there next.
- [59:46]
Mathieu Flamini
Amazing. Well, definitely, if I'm there, I'll see you there.
- [59:49]
Interviewer
Do part two. Yeah, I see. Thanks very much for coming on. Jimmy's Jobs of the future.
- [59:54]
Mathieu Flamini
Thank you very much.
- [59:55]
Interviewer
He's got a few quick fires for you, if that's all right.
- [59:58]
Mathieu Flamini
Yes.
- [60:00]
Interviewer
Hardest player you've played against in midfield.
- [60:03]
Mathieu Flamini
Missy.
- [60:05]
Interviewer
Yeah. Okay. Best player you've played with?
- [60:08]
Mathieu Flamini
Ronaldinho.
- [60:11]
Interviewer
Best defender you've played with?
- [60:13]
Mathieu Flamini
Paolo Maldinho.
- [60:17]
Interviewer
Best business book you've read?
- [60:23]
Mathieu Flamini
Shoes Dog.
- [60:24]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [60:25]
Mathieu Flamini
Favorite goal you scored against Tottenham.
- [60:28]
Interviewer
Which one?
- [60:29]
Mathieu Flamini
Tavolia.
- [60:34]
Interviewer
We are recording this a couple days after Arsenal have lost the Carabao Cup. How many of the three trophies do you think they'll win this season?
- [60:42]
Mathieu Flamini
That they're left in the remaining three?
- [60:45]
Interviewer
Will spurs go down?
- [60:49]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, I mean, like, as an Arsenal fan, obviously, like, this would make me feel extremely good, but I will miss, you know, like the derby and Arsenal are winning every time against them.
- [61:03]
Interviewer
What is your favorite meal?
- [61:05]
Mathieu Flamini
Four cheese pizza with water. Four cheese pizza.
- [61:09]
Interviewer
Four cheese pizza. And what advice would you give to a young 21, 22 year old footballer?
- [61:16]
Mathieu Flamini
Now, as I said before, believe in your dream. And if I've made it and many others did. You can do it too.
- [61:27]
Interviewer
What have you used AI for?
- [61:30]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, I mean, like, I'm using much more like my chat TDP or like, than Google those days. I think, like, it's having a major impact and if you don't, it's time for you to do it.
- [61:44]
Interviewer
When did you last speak to Arsene Wenger?
- [61:46]
Mathieu Flamini
It's funny enough, I spoke to him last week.
- [61:48]
Interviewer
All right, what about?
- [61:50]
Mathieu Flamini
Just a few things. Personal matter.
- [61:54]
Interviewer
Which players are you still in touch with? Is there a WhatsApp group?
- [61:57]
Mathieu Flamini
Yeah, I mean, like, look, many of them. I mean, like, still speaking to me, Percy Bakari, Sanya. I mean, like, you know, like, I'm part of this big family of football and. And this is part of my DNA, you know, this is who I am. So I will obviously, like, always be part of it. And yeah, I'm still in contact with a lot of them. We see each other at conferences, we see each other at football games. Yeah.
- [62:26]
Interviewer
Who's one of the players that's had the most interesting post career, do you think? Who's done something that maybe you didn't expect or.
- [62:39]
Mathieu Flamini
That's very good question. I mean, difficult to pick one. Yeah, but I think, I think, like, you have very good examples of athlete. I mean, like, starting to try to diversify the portfolio. I was reading today, I mean, like, you've got MBAPPE after Griezmann investing in a company called Alan French company in France. You have also, like, other players, which also like diversifying, you know, like doing other things. So I think it's becoming more and more of a trend. We have seen this happening in the US in the past few decades and I see more and more it is happening in Europe with more and more athletes wanting to basically, like, diversify the portfolio. Before we were doing like real estate, I mean, like maybe of like, maybe a few restaurants or fashion brand. But now I think, like, I think tech is becoming such a big. A big, big part of this world. So athlete also want to have, like, exposure to this world.
- [63:46]
Interviewer
What advice do you give a young footballer in terms of how to get good advice around them? Because I think that's one of the hardest things, because it's just hard when you're 20, 21 anyway to like.
- [64:01]
Mathieu Flamini
It is. It is. It is very hard. And sometimes we have the tendency to forget. I mean, like, you go from being a nobody to being under the spotlight from one day to another. Yeah. And you're not always prepared for that. I mean, when it comes to mentally when it comes also like to people around you because most of the football player come from very modest background and the people around those players don't necessarily have the expertise to manage a career, to manage like I mean millions of euro.
- [64:36]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [64:36]
Mathieu Flamini
Or pound. So the advice is like surrendering yourself of professionals. It's very important. Yeah. And being a professional, you know, like at in sport doesn't mean you're also a professional at investing or professional at like managing like the wealth of a football player. So I think like getting out of your bubble, getting out of your comfort zone is basically like engaging which with professionals for each topic is very important. So yeah, I mean like I think that it's key. I mean like it's key. It's like surround yourself of professionals, people who are truly experts. It's super important. Especially like because those careers, you think it's long, but it's very short. I mean compared to a lifetime.
- [65:28]
Interviewer
Yeah. If we were building your 5A size dream team, right. We've got Maldini and we've got Ronaldinho in, who would be the goalkeeper and who would make up the other person alongside you?
- [65:41]
Mathieu Flamini
As I said before, I was lucky enough to play in some of the best teams with the best players. So this is like too difficult and I wouldn't want to hurt anyone. I mean I was very lucky because I was maybe not at the beginning or you know, I was not always the best but I always worked very hard, you know, like and I think consistency, consistency, resilience, hard work is key to success. And I've played with like the most incredible players. As I say like I played with, with, I played with like Pirlo, I played with like Sidor Ibrahimovic. It really is the, you know, like it was a dream. So I really enjoyed every second and it would be too hard, I mean like to, to limit it to like five.
- [66:32]
Interviewer
Five aside, you've lived in some of the best cities in the world. Milan, Paris, London. You, you live most of your time now in London. Why?
- [66:45]
Mathieu Flamini
I mean the first aspect is I love the fact that London is a very cosmopolitan city. It's a melting pot. And I arrived here, as I was saying, I was 19 and I probably have friends from all over the world, from India to China to Middle East. And that's something which is like so, so grateful because like different culture, different religion again, you know, like. And this is an, an incredible journeys, you know, like you go to it like to an Indian friends to a middle, Middle east friend. I mean like this has been helping Me to grow as a human being so much. So this was, this is first reason two, I think you have access to so many things. I mean, museums, restaurant. I mean, it's such a lively city, you know, like. And it's an incredible playground. Yeah, incredible playground. And on top of that, you also have a lot of greenery. I mean, so many parks. And I love, you know, like raining in those parks. You know, like going for a walk. You know, like, I like to take my, my business call, you know, in a park. I mean, like, it's. So this is this combination of things which makes London a very special city.
- [67:57]
Interviewer
We often do that. We go for, we go for a walk when we're trying to sort out a thick problem near here around a park.
- [68:03]
Jimmy
How.
- [68:04]
Interviewer
What do you do to keep fit and so on. Now do you run gym run?
- [68:07]
Mathieu Flamini
I mean, I do. I do body weights. I run in the park. Yeah, I'm trying to do that at least three to four times a week, even if it's not always easy when. Because I'm traveling quite a lot for work.
- [68:19]
Interviewer
Yeah, but what's your 5k time?
- [68:22]
Mathieu Flamini
5k time. I'll be embarrassed to tell you.
- [68:25]
Interviewer
I'm gonna get insert.
- [68:27]
Mathieu Flamini
I'm not doing, I mean, not as well as I would like.
- [68:31]
Interviewer
And what, what one thing could the UK do for entrepreneurship to kind of boost it, encourage it? Like if you were speaking to Keir Starmer, what's the one thing. Or Rachel Reeves.
- [68:42]
Mathieu Flamini
Look, I think maybe like making things first, simpler to set up a company to potentially having like, to access to capitals. Okay. Because like when you start, when you have a very early stage, you know, company, I mean, it's very, very difficult to access capitals, to maybe like structure it a little bit, A little bit better. Also, like, recruiting talent is not easy. So maybe having a structure which brings entrepreneurs, you know, like closer to people looking for jobs. Yeah, I mean, like, you know, I always, always say it's difficult to find, to find a co founder or to find, you know, like, or to build a team. So bringing, you know, people together which have the same, the same mindset and the same, the same vision. Maybe it could be like a plus that serendipity point.
- [69:33]
Interviewer
Really important.
- [69:33]
Mathieu Flamini
Definitely.
- [69:36]
Interviewer
Fantastic. Is there another entrepreneur that we should get on the show that you've come across?
- [69:40]
Mathieu Flamini
Plenty. Who I'll have, I'll have a list. I have quite at least to. To tell you.
- [69:47]
Interviewer
We'll send them across.
- [69:48]
Mathieu Flamini
Good.
- [69:50]
Interviewer
Thank you.
- [69:50]
Mathieu Flamini
Thank you.
- [69:55]
Advertiser
Sa.