57. How to spot the next billion dollar opportunity before everyone else | James McHugh

Some of the biggest global businesses started the same way: someone spotted an opportunity early- and then chose the right partner. In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with serial venture builder James McHugh, founder and chairman of Tquila . James reveals the “build-operate-transfer” playbook behind multiple eight-figure exits and how he’s now riding the AI wave with agentic systems and post-keyboard CRMs. He also shares how he spotted the Salesforce gap in Europe in 2010, repeatedly building (and exiting) high-growth tech-services including joint ventures with Salesforce, ServiceNow and now AI leaders like Anthropic and you.com. A candid conversation on scaling fast, choosing truth-seeking AI, why governments are dangerously unprepared for mass unemployment, and what abundance on the other side might actually look like. Timecodes 02:31 The Salesforce Opportunity: Building a Business in Europe 05:21 The tquila Story: Naming and Early Success 08:29 The Role of Partnerships in Business Success 11:13 AI and the Future: Opportunities and Challenges 23:22 The Impact of AI on Employment and Society 33:55 The Future of AI and Human Values 38:45 Driverless Cars and the Future of Transportation 47:04 The Impact of AI on Jobs and Society 49:15 The Future of Human Longevity with AI Follow James Reed on Linkedin: Follow James McHugh on LinkedIn: Find out more about tquila: All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more here This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk