We’ve all had those “should I actually do this?” moments, but not all of us follow through.

This is the story of someone who did.

A founder who, while sitting in a pub, took out a five-figure personal loan and decided to back himself. And years later, it paid off.

In this episode of Take the Plunge, Playter founder & CEO Jamie Beaumont talks through the real journey... the detours, the bad timing, the mistakes, and the moments that forced him to start again. From an HR tech startup wiped out by Covid to building a lending platform that helps thousands of small businesses manage cash flow, Jamie takes us inside:

- The pub-side NatWest loan that kicked everything off

- The failed HR platform that led to Playter

- The nerves behind sending Playter’s very first loan

- Rethinking invoice finance with Playter Pay & Playter Boost

- Why PPC and cold outbound didn’t work, and how brokers changed everything

- The messy reality of 24/7 founder life

- His “high-agency” hiring test (the escalator question)

- What it’s really like raising both equity and debt

If you’re building something, rebuilding something, or thinking about taking a leap, this conversation is full of grounded, honest lessons about resilience, distribution, and the people you surround yourself with.

About Playter

Playter helps UK SMEs manage cash flow by spreading key bills and accessing flexible funding through products like Playter Pay and Playter Boost.

About Take the Plunge

Take the Plunge is the podcast from Swoop where founders share what pushed them to stop what they were doing and build something new. From the first spark to the scaling phase, and everything messy in between.

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