A business mentor who once finished at the bottom of his class is now helping ordinary people become millionaires through a programme inspired by Dragon’s Den.
Samsher Singh has always had a strong desire to earn money.
But during his school years, poor grades and a careless attitude made that ambition seem out of reach.
Everything changed when he took a business class that completely altered his perspective.
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Now 30 and with three successful companies behind him, Samsher is using his experience in the real world to support others on their entrepreneurial journeys.
“I’ve met a lot of people who had a business idea but never believed in themselves,” said Samsher, who runs the mentoring company Hukm Launch Pad.
“A year later, they’ve seen it elsewhere and been disappointed that someone else got in there first. Those are the people we’re helping. It’s not as difficult as you think to turn an idea into a financial success when you’ve got the right support. We’re doing the heavy lifting – all you’ve got to do is trust in yourself.”
Hukm, which means “destiny” in Punjabi and is also the name of Samsher’s son, was created with the goal of connecting founders with investors.
At the centre of the company is Launch Pad, a 12-week programme designed by Samsher himself.
The programme costs £15,000, but that amount is often recovered quickly as founders gain access to high-level advice and the contacts needed to fast-track their ideas.
So far, Hukm has worked with 280 businesses, with some now valued in the millions just a few years after launching.
“It’s a simple five-step programme, but it can change people’s lives forever,” Samsher explained.
“We focus on the tech side of things; we build a commercial-ready MVP, which is just a working version of someone’s idea, that can be tested and shown to investors.
From there, we create everything they need to get started; their website, social media presence and a professional pitch deck, so they’re ready to start selling or meeting investors straight away.
“Aside from mentoring and lessons on how to be in the 10 percent of startups that succeed, we also put them in touch with business owners who were once in their shoes but now have billion-dollar companies. It offers a bit more of a personal approach and one that almost anyone can understand.
“Our workshops aren’t just about how to run a business, there’s also a focus on wellbeing and mental focus.
There’s one we run called ‘Conscious Decision Making’, which is about understanding your consciousness to create a decision, led by Dav Panesar, the UK’s leading expert in this space.
“For example, we ask ‘What’s the difference between intellect, intuition and intelligence?’ Not many people can answer that correctly but this workshop teaches you how.
And of course, we also invest in these companies to give them a helping hand – and, in return, we get to see some of the rewards in our bank account.
“There’s also pitching days, where we bring in investors, just like Dragon’s Den – which is funny, because I always pictured myself as a Dragon.
Selling is the most important part of any business – it’s the driving force behind making things work right – so you’ve to sell yourself, too.” Growing up, Samsher imagined a future as a car salesman. But in sixth form, he enrolled in Applied Business and discovered a passion for entrepreneurship.
During the course, he and some classmates launched a mini business creating printed hoodies for school clubs and year groups – a venture that quickly took off.
He later applied to study Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Management at Lord Ashcroft International Business School in Cambridge.
But even before setting foot on campus, he had already launched his first solo business.
“The year before I went to university, I set up my first-ever solo business,” said Samsher. “It was called Bucks Munch and was essentially an online voucher cloud for local restaurants, pubs and bars to give them a space to promote any deals and offers.
At the time, franchises had a space to do it but there was nothing focused on family-run businesses. In four months, I had 175 customers on board and was making £3,000 per month.”
After graduating, Samsher jumped into sales, quickly building a reputation for his ability to bring in high commissions.
But rather than settle, he spotted a gap in the market and decided to launch a new business helping clients buy telematics – similar to how Compare the Market operates.
He later sold that company for over seven figures and teamed up with his friend Gautam Passi to create an app that helped opticians and pharmacies find locums without relying on recruiters.
After four years of refining the platform and building a strong user base, the pair were approached by a pharmaceutical recruitment company that bought them out.
With his next move in mind, Samsher launched Hukm Launch Pad to support founders who needed help with tech development and lacked guidance in the early stages of building a business.
From a four-person team in 2023, the company has expanded rapidly. Now with 52 employees spread across offices in London, Dubai and Delhi, the business is able to offer round-the-clock support across all time zones.
Living in London with his family, Samsher believes the key to success as a founder lies in overcoming fear and believing in your own abilities.
“You’re only fearful when you’re not confident in what you’re offering,” he said.
“What we see with our founders is that they come in all nervous. But come week six, they know how to talk and deliver with belief.
And so when they pitch to investors in the final week, they’re ready to go. It makes them pitch-perfect.
“But my biggest piece of advice is that nothing beats hard work. There needs to be a balance between health and effort, though.
Keep yourself grounded within the journey, as it’s the most interesting and profound thing you’ll ever experience.”
