Ian Dibb is a founder, sales-led growth operator and startup mentor who helps early-stage teams find their “true north” - the clearest path through uncertainty, noise and founder overwhelm.
He is best known for building and leading Keylu (also known publicly through its end-of-life planning proposition), a mission-led startup tackling a hard problem - getting people to take action on end-of-life planning. Over six years he learned the full-stack reality of startup life (sales, marketing, forecasting, fundraising, partnerships and product) and raised £1.7m in angel investment across five rounds. He later made the decision to close the business when the market proved tougher to convert than the idea deserved - experience that now shapes how candid and practical he is with founders. Since stepping back, Ian has worked with multiple early-stage companies facing the same challenge he lived first-hand: everyone says the idea is great, but sign-ups don’t follow. His style combines commercial focus (validation, acquisition, positioning, fundraising readiness) with genuine founder care - helping founders make confident decisions without sacrificing their wellbeing.
A 1:1 with Ian is a practical working session and often includes:
● Market validation and demand - pressure-testing the value proposition, narrowing ICP, and getting to “one customer who truly wants it” before over-building or over-raising.
● Go-to-market and customer acquisition - clarifying B2B vs B2C motion, early acquisition routes, and the reality of CAC in your context.
● Fundraising readiness - shaping the story, tightening the deck, thinking through the right type of angels, and making warm introductions where appropriate.
● Founder decision support - rapid problem-solving, prioritisation, and helping you get unstuck when everything feels like a priority.
● Founder resilience - honest check-ins on how you’re actually doing, and support to build a company that doesn’t cost you your health.
Ian typically engages in a fractional “co-founder without the equity” way. He often supports founders on a minimum cadence (for example, a day a month over a fixed period), with additional days flexed in when needed for decks, investor outreach, GTM work, or hands-on support. He aims to be consistently available between sessions so founders feel less alone and can make decisions quickly.
Ian is a strong fit for founders at the earliest stages - typically pre-revenue to fledgling revenue - who need momentum, clarity and a trusted “in your corner” operator to help them move faster. He works well with solo founders and very small teams, including founders preparing to raise angel investment (SEIS/EIS) or founders looking to bootstrap more effectively and extend runway.
Dhilon Solanki, Founder of Story Locker
As a solo founder, I was struggling to find product–market fit and felt stuck on the best way forward. Working with Ian has been a game-changer. He’s brought deep sector knowledge, fresh energy and the kind of experience that feels like having another founder by my side. Together we’ve defined a clear new route forward for Story Locker and I finally feel confident in the direction we’re taking. Not only this, he gets it. He's been on the other side. He's a shoulder to lean on when you've had a tough day. A huge asset to any team.
