From advising institutional investors in London to interviewing global innovators, Chris Titley has spent his career at the intersection of opportunity, entrepreneurship and connection. Today, as Founder of Scoreboard Media Group and Head of Cricket at NextXI Cricket, he continues to build businesses, create conversations and uncover new opportunities across sport and media. We spoke with Chris about the lessons he has learned from entrepreneurship, investing and podcasting, why momentum is earned rather than found, and why the challenge of building something meaningful is often the most rewarding part.
The Morgans Startup Series Podcast gave you a front-row seat to hundreds of conversations with founders, investors and business leaders. What lessons have stayed with you most?
Looking back, two traits stood out more than anything else. First, the best founders and leaders are endlessly curious. They never stop learning. Second, they understand the value of connection. They build authentic relationships, help others and know that opportunities usually come through people. Those lessons have had a lasting impact on the way I've approached building my own business.
You first encountered Go1 through a podcast interview and remained an investor for almost a decade as the company grew into a global success. What did that experience teach you about recognising potential - in both people and ideas?
I first met Andrew Barnes when he came on Episode 9 of the Morgan's Startup Series Podcast. I remember being impressed by the way he thought about the business. He was only in his twenties, but he had a level of ambition and commercial maturity that really stood out. After the interview, I told him that if Go1 ever raised capital, I'd love to be involved. To be honest, I wasn't overly comfortable paying 13 times revenue back in 2016 and thought it was expensive. Watching Go1 grow from a $13 million valuation to where it is today taught me that valuation matters, but backing exceptional founders, trusting intuition and backing people sometimes gets you a bit lucky.
Many entrepreneurs focus on starting businesses, but fewer experience both selling and rebuilding. How did the Sub11 journey change the way you think about growth, opportunity and long-term success?
The biggest lesson from Sub11 was that the challenge is the fun part. I love the day to day of building something, not knowing exactly what's around the corner and dealing with the constant moving parts that come with running a business – the sharemarket was like that too. There are plenty of highs and lows, but that's what keeps it interesting. I don't think I'll ever sit still. If anything, I enjoy the journey more now than I did when I first started.
After interviewing hundreds of founders, investors and business leaders, what is one lesson or mindset that consistently separates those who succeed from those who don’t?
Can I have more than one? Trusting the process, identifying actions that link purpose and drive, dance while no-one is watching, the reps matter and it becomes compound interest, connection is so important, feedback is a gift, find your super power, be competitive and don’t lose the fight, little wins brings momentum, outcomes are a direct result of process – and the most important one – link it all back to having fun.
What is one skill you couldn’t live without in your career, and why?
Humour. Honestly we are all human and love to have a laugh when we can. The other skill would be to listen. Don’t interrupt. Just close your mouth and absorb knowledge and let people finish their sentence without interrupting.
What inspired you to start the Scoreboard Podcast—and as an entrepreneur, how do you spot an opportunity and have the confidence to pursue it?
I'd been producing podcasts for other people for years when a mate asked me, "What's your podcast called?" and I didn't have one. In September 2024, I sat down and worked out what I'd love in a podcast: conversations about sport, business, family and life. That's how Scoreboard was born. First episode was a rookie from the Denver Nuggets, he is now starting and scored 20+ points in a playoff game this year.
You’ve recently stepped into new opportunities in cricket and media—what’s surprised you most about how quickly things can scale once momentum builds?
What has surprised me most is how quickly things can scale once momentum starts to build. But momentum is always the result of process. You have to keep showing up, stay curious and have an unwavering belief in the vision, even when no one else can see it yet. Cricket is a fantastic space because it's global, it has multiple formats, it's constantly evolving and it appeals to very different audiences. Once you've built the right relationships and credibility, opportunities have a way of accelerating much faster than you expect.
For QUT alumni starting out, what’s one thing you’d focus on early to create momentum with a podcast?
Find something you're genuinely passionate about because podcasting is really just an extension of the conversations you already have every day. The biggest thing is to keep showing up. Consistency beats perfection every time. We're now 175 episodes into Scoreboard, and it honestly feels like yesterday we were recording episode one. Just keep chipping away, stay curious and don't talk for the sake of talking. If you can create conversations that people genuinely want to listen to, the audience will come.
The ventures have changed over time, but the mindset hasn't. For Chris, the challenge is still the fun part.
QUT Degree:
Bachelor of Business (2002)
Do you have a question for Chris? Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Author
Victoria believes that every alumnus has a story worth telling. Naturally curious, she asks the thoughtful questions others often don't — creating stories that connect, inspire and reflect the depth of the QUT Alumni community.