Welcome to Skin in the Game
Skin in the Game is a weekly playbook for founders, creators, and leaders who want to play bigger and win in work and life.
Hi, I’m Phil 👋
Over the last 20 years I’ve lived multiple lives. From building music culture with the Rated Awards to now leading Reboxed, a circular-tech startup on a mission to rehome 100 million devices.
I’ve raised millions, been rejected hundreds of times, won awards, and burned out along the way. Through all of it, one thing has kept me moving: having skin in the game.
That’s what this newsletter is about.
Here’s what you can expect each week:
⚡ Story of the Week — what it really takes, not just the highlight reel
💭 Quote to Reflect On — to keep you grounded
🎯 One Action for You — something you can try right now
📚 What I’m Reading / Doing — books, events, or tools I’m exploring
This isn’t theory. It’s lived experience. It’s raw, resilient, and real.
⚡ Story of the Week
Why Skin in the Game Matters
To win in life, you need to know how to play the game. You need a playbook — a set of rules you choose to follow to achieve success in work and life.
But here’s the truth: the game isn’t fair.
Founders are twice as likely to suffer from mental health challenges compared to the general population. 54% report burnout. 83% experience high stress. The startup world is built on resilience, yet the pressure to succeed alone can break even the strongest players.
And when it comes to diversity, the playing field is even more uneven. Less than 3% of venture funding goes to female founders. Underrepresented entrepreneurs face barriers that should never exist in a space designed for innovation.
This is why the arena matters.
As Brene Brown reminds us, vulnerability isn’t weakness — it’s courage. To show up and lead, to risk failure, to be seen in the dust and sweat of the fight… that’s what real leadership looks like.
Skin in the Game is about stepping into that arena with honesty, resilience, and community. It’s not just about surviving the game, but rewriting the rules together.
💭 Quote to Reflect On
This community is for the people in the arena — not the critics in the stands.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds…” — Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
🎯 One Action for You
This week, write down one “rule of the game” you live by.
Mine? Resilience beats hustle. The long game matters more than the highlight reel.
👉 What’s one rule of the game you live by? Hit reply — I read every one.
📚 What I’m Reading / Doing
📖 The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
🎤 Speaking at Ideas Fest - grab your tickets > https://ideasfest.uk/
🛠 Building a Funding Playbook that I’ll share next week as a free guide to raising investment
👉 Next week: The Funding Playbook — a 4-step guide I’ve used to raise £3m+ for Reboxed.
If you’re building, creating, or leading something that matters, welcome to the arena.
Let’s play to win.
Phil
Stay Connected
🌐 philkemish.com — newsletter archive and community
💬 LinkedIn — weekly reflections
📩 Email me: hellol@philkemish.com
👥 Join the SITG WhatsApp community (for paid members only)