Most people think their options are simple: climb the corporate ladder or start something from scratch.

But there’s a third way.

Together with Will Maunder-Taylor, we’re excited to bring Unsung to life — a podcast exploring one of the most important (and overlooked) opportunities in Europe today: entrepreneurship through acquisition.

Instead of starting from zero, what if you could buy and grow a small business that already works?

In the first episode, Will sits down with Peppa Wise, sales leader at Multiverse, to unpack what actually drives performance — in startups, scaleups, and the kinds of businesses most people overlook.

This episode goes deep on:

Why talent and drive often beat experience
How the best companies build true meritocracies
What separates high performers from everyone else
Why sales is one of the fastest ways to change your trajectory
How to hire, develop, and scale great teams

Peppa’s story — from leading teams in her early 20s to helping scale one of Europe’s top sales organisations — shows what happens when companies bet on potential, not just CVs.

Whether you’re building a startup, thinking about buying a business, or just questioning your path — this episode gives you a practical lens on what actually matters.

Follow Unsung for more stories on building through acquisition.

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction to Unsung and the guest

(03:00) Peppa Wise’s early career & Darktrace

(05:00) Talent vs experience

(15:00) Hiring frameworks & what actually matters

(25:00) Building high-performance sales teams

(35:00) Pipeline, metrics & operating cadence

(45:00) Advice for founders and early-career operators

E714: Peppa Wise, Multiverse on Meritocracy in Action: How Great Sales Leaders Are Made

EUVC