This Week I Invested In A Unicorn

I just invested in the fastest growing start-up in Europe.

But why do I and so many other millionaires invest in businesses?

And what should you know to help you find the right investor.

Lovable is changing entrepreneurship forever.

It’s allowing kids to build, test, and launch businesses almost instantly with next to no hard skills.

No knowledge on coding, just a dream and a prompt.

But this email isn’t only about Lovable. It’s about how I (and other successful investors) decide to invest.

Because I’ve now backed over 80 companies…

Are you honest?

Do you actually care about solving a problem?

Would you still build it if no one was watching?

I’ve met hundreds of founders with polished decks and massive claims…

But the ones I back are the ones that would keep building even if the money didn’t come in straight away.

I invest in purpose. Not just profit.

That’s exactly why I invested in Lovable. A software that can help anyone start a business.

So what does this mean for you?

If you want investment, stop trying to impress.

And instead, start trying to help.

Pitch the real you and explain the real mission.

And ask yourself:

• Would I use this even if I wasn’t the founder?
  

• Am I solving a problem that keeps people up at night?
  

• If I had £0, would I still be working on this tomorrow?
  

If this isn’t the case. Not only will you struggle to find investment. But your business has no chance of succeeding.

Here’s how to use Lovable to build your dream without needing investment:

Step 1: Don’t Start With a Prompt. Start With a Problem.

Before you even type into Lovable, ask:

What’s one problem I face and can tech make that faster, easier, or automated?

Then, do a bit of prior research on that problem. Draft up some solutions. Some causes, because the more specific you are, the better the fix will be.

Example: You always forget invoices? Build a payment reminder micro-app.

Step 2: Now Use This Prompt Formula

Lovable is only as good as your prompt.

Here’s how to write a perfect beginner prompt:

1. Start with one sentence: What are you building?

2. Write out 3–5 core features you want it to do (no coding jargon needed).

3. Describe what the user sees and feels when using it (this is UX).

4. Add your design inspiration: clean, minimal, or show an app you like.

5. Optional: Say “optimise for mobile” if you want it phone-friendly.

Example Prompt:

“I’m building a social accountability habit tracker that people can use with friends.

I want a signup/login screen, a dashboard with a weekly calendar, and a way to track habits using checkboxes.

Users should be able to see their streaks and compare with friends. I want it to feel fun and rewarding, like Duolingo.

The design should be clean, colourful, and easy to use on mobile.

Optimise for small screens and make the user experience smooth.”

Add a screenshot of an app you like. Lovable loves visual references.

Step 3: Don’t Just Build What You Want. Build What Others Want Too.

The mistake most people make?

They build something only they would use.

Instead, ask:

• Who else needs this?
  

• Where do they currently hang out online?
  

• Could I test this in a small niche group or subreddit?
  

“Start small. Just because lovable can, doesn’t mean you should go extreme straight away. Build one thing that solves a real problem for a real person. That’s how all great businesses begin.”

Step 4: Iterate Fast. Don’t Overthink Features.

Once Lovable builds your v1, try it, improve it, and repeat again and again.

Constantly remove friction, make it more fun and interactive, find ways to be better than the competition.

The faster you test, the quicker you’ll know if it’s worth scaling.

Bonus Business Tip:

Once your MVP is built you need to test the market:

1. Record a 15s screen recording of what it does.
   

2. Post it with a caption:
   
   “Would you use this? I built it with AI in 10 mins.”

Watch the feedback roll in. That’s your first market test.

I once slept on a staircase.

I was 15 and homeless. I had no money. No where to go. And one night I found a door open, walked inside, and lay down on the stairs of a fire escape.

It was the only shelter I had.

That staircase saved me. It gave me a place to rest when I had nothing.

Thirty-five years later… I bought a staircase. An actual staircase to nowhere. And turned it into a place where people ring a doorbell and share their dream.

Some people laughed, thinking it was just a gimmick.

But for me, it was full circle.

Because I know how it feels to have a dream… and no one to believe in it.

That’s why I built HelpBnk. Why I wrote What’s Your Dream? Why I ask strangers in the street to say the thing they’ve been too scared to admit:

That they want more. That they believe they were made for something else. That their story isn’t over yet.

So if you’re feeling stuck, scared, or small…

Let me tell you something I wish someone told me at 15:

You don’t need to know how it’ll work. You just need to believe it can.

And if you don’t believe yet

Borrow my belief. Until yours kicks in.

Simon Squibb