Business & Leadership
Experience across multiple sectors, leading teams of 500+ and managing multi-million-pound contracts, alongside hands-on experience in marketing, systems, design, web, print, photography and video.
Meet Chris Butler
Founder. Creator.
Still building.
Serial entrepreneur, business owner, podcast host and speaker sharing practical lessons from more than two decades of building brands, products, teams and content-led businesses.
Chris's story
From leaving school at 16 to Serial Entrepreneur.
Chris Butler left school at 16, spent three months at college, realised traditional education wasn't for him and went straight into full-time employment. He's been working, learning and building ever since, developing his career through experience rather than qualifications.
Over nearly three decades, Chris has built and run businesses across multiple sectors, led teams of more than 500 people and held responsibility for major contracts worth tens of millions of pounds. His experience stretches across leadership, operations, sales, marketing, advertising, graphic and web design, print, photography, video, content and building the systems that make businesses work.
Today, Chris co-runs Thread A Pixel and Two Krakens alongside Helen Butler and co-hosts Built Not Born in Business. His perspective comes from actually doing it: winning clients, managing people, creating brands, building systems, navigating growth, making difficult decisions and getting plenty wrong along the way.
Chris doesn't believe success has one prescribed route. Education can be incredibly valuable, but it isn't the only way to learn. That's a big part of what Built Not Born represents: learning from experience, from other people, from mistakes and from getting out there and having a go.
Experience
Nearly three decades of learning business by doing business.
Entrepreneurship
Built and operated businesses across different sectors, learning first-hand about sales, marketing, pricing, people, systems, cash flow, decision-making and the realities of business growth.
Thread A Pixel
Co-built a branded workwear business from the ground up, developing its systems, team and customer base while serving organisations with uniforms, branded clothing and merchandise.
Two Krakens
Co-founded a film and podcast production company, combining commercial strategy with storytelling, video, podcasting and content systems designed to help businesses build their brands.
Built Not Born In Business
Co-hosts the Built Not Born podcast and is building a wider community where business owners can learn, connect, share experiences and get practical help growing their businesses.
Book Chris to speak
Useful stories.
No motivational wallpaper.
Chris speaks about entrepreneurship from the perspective of somebody still in the arena, building, changing direction and learning in real time.
Enquire About SpeakingExample speaking topics
- Building a business with your partner without destroying the relationship
- The reality of running multiple businesses at the same time
- The power of saying no in business
- Why the right podcast can completely change your business trajectory
- Your brand is more than your logo: why branding matters in business
- You never fail in business, you only ever learn
- Why more revenue doesn't always mean a better business
- Learning to let go when you've built everything yourself
- Building a business that doesn't need you every minute of the day
- Got another idea? Let's talk.
Podcast guest
Invite Chris onto your podcast.
For conversations about entrepreneurship, founder life, business growth, content, podcasting, personal branding and the reality behind building multiple businesses.
Invite ChrisSpeaking · Podcasts · Panels
Want Chris involved?
Send over the event, audience, date and what you would like him to contribute.