International Business Brilliance Awards 2025 | CoEntrepreneur of the Year  | Brilliance Award Winner: Serge Santos, CEO of Funding Alternative Group and Managing Director of Compressed Air Centre

In this edition of Behind the Brilliance, we spotlight Serge Santos, winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the International Business Brilliance Awards™.

As Managing Director of Compressed Air Centre and CEO and Co-Owner of Funding Alternative Group, Serge has built a reputation for combining strategic precision with genuine people-centric leadership. His journey spans finance, engineering, and technology — united by one core belief: long-term success is built through clarity, discipline, and trust.

From transforming a traditional industrial business into a thriving modern enterprise to scaling a fintech venture in record time, Serge’s entrepreneurial path is defined by thoughtful risk-taking and a steadfast focus on people. His story reminds us that brilliance in business isn’t about moving fast — it’s about moving with purpose.

1. Congratulations on receiving the Entrepreneur of the Year Brilliance Award! What does winning this award mean to you and your entrepreneurial journey

Winning the Entrepreneur of the Year Brilliance Award is a huge honour. For me, it validates a belief I’ve always held: that applying a rigorous approach to business development—clear strategy, measured risk, and disciplined curiosity—can build exceptional businesses.

This award isn’t just about me. It’s about the incredible teams at Funding Alternative Group and Compressed Air Centre, who bring that vision to life every day. Entrepreneurship is never a solo sport—and this recognition belongs to all of us.

2. You’ve successfully led multiple businesses to growth and success. What do you believe has been the driving force behind your achievements as an entrepreneur?

The driving force behind my entrepreneurial success is a disciplined mindset and long-term thinking. I don’t believe in chasing hype or gambling on instincts. In a world that’s constantly shifting, the past is rarely the best predictor of the future—so I plan carefully, question assumptions, and never take uncalculated risks.

But strategy alone doesn’t build a business. Sustainable growth comes down to how well you develop and scale your people. Human capital is the engine. If your team can’t grow with the business, the business won’t grow at all. That’s where I focus most of my energy—on building high-trust, high-performance cultures that can go the distance.

3. Having worked in various industries, what inspired you to diversify your business ventures, and how do you balance them effectively?

My journey into multiple ventures was never about chasing the next big idea—it was always about building sustainable, scalable success through strategy.

I started with Certus Capital, a capital-light business I built from the ground up. It took me 18 months to earn my first £ of revenue, but once the model worked, I scaled fast and exited with a multi-million-pound return in 2016. That gave me the time and resources to think long-term.

From there, I bought Compressed Air Centre in 2017—not because it was flashy, but because it was profitable, had healthy margins, and could scale. I wasn’t chasing trends; I was building a foundation. I later bolted on a smaller competitor to accelerate growth.

Then in 2021, I launched Funding Alternative Group, a fintech company rooted in my previous experience in finance. It became profitable in just 14 months and continues to grow rapidly.

Balancing these ventures is all about discipline, systems, and strong teams. Each business plays a role in a broader strategy: diversifying revenue streams while building long-term value. I’m now exploring my next move—likely in SaaS—where scalability meets smart execution.

4. As a leader, you’ve managed significant cultural changes within your businesses. What steps have you taken to foster a positive and productive work environment?

Cultural change always starts with leadership. As a founder, you set the tone—through your energy, behaviour, and consistency. You have to walk the talk. People don’t follow what you say; they follow what you do.

I’ve learned that if you want to inspire your team, you have to show up with purpose and conviction every day. But also, be patient—change doesn’t happen overnight. People naturally resist it, so give them the time and support to adapt.

One of the most important shifts we made was implementing a “no dickhead” policy. It might sound blunt, but it works. You can’t build a motivated, high-performing team if the wrong people are dragging down the culture. Today, we hire for mindset, not just skillset. That’s been key to creating a work environment where people genuinely want to show up, collaborate, and grow.

5. Your approach to employee welfare and leadership, especially during challenging situations, stands out. How do you maintain a strong focus on people, even in tough times?

In tough times, leadership is about consistency and integrity. I don’t overpromise—I focus on doing what I say I’ll do. That builds trust.

During COVID, our business at Compressed Air Centre was hit hard. We rely on on-site visits, so lockdowns posed a real operational challenge. But instead of panicking or cutting corners, we made a clear decision: protect the team first.

We continued paying our best performers and supported the rest of the team for as long as needed. That commitment paid off—it created a loyalty loop. People saw that we genuinely cared, and that kind of trust is powerful. It’s helped us build a reputation as an employer of choice and attract the right people since.

Focusing on your people, especially when it’s hard, is what defines your culture—and ultimately, your success.

5. In your lending platform, what key factors differentiate your approach from others in the market, and how do you ensure sustainable growth for your business?

At Funding Alternative Group, we took a very deliberate approach: before pushing for growth, we built the engine. That meant investing heavily in process design and custom-built IT systems tailored to our lending model. It took time—longer than expected, in fact—and even three years in, we’re still refining our systems. But that foundation was essential to deliver a reliable, scalable lending product.

Once the fundamentals were solid, we began scaling. In the past year, we added senior talent to our business development team. Because most of our deal flow comes from brokers, understanding how our product is perceived was crucial. That senior capacity helped us refine our offer, improve communication with brokers, and strengthen origination.

We’re now taking things further. We’ve rebranded to reinforce our identity in the market and are actively repositioning ourselves to capitalise on our true edge: superior analytics and disciplined risk management. That’s what sets us apart—and what ensures sustainable growth in a highly competitive space.

6. Your proprietary systems, like those used in your businesses, play an important role in decision-making. How have these systems enhanced customer insight and business operations?

It all starts with a deep understanding of customer needs—but insight alone isn’t enough. You also need the systems and processes in place to consistently deliver on those needs. That’s where our proprietary tools come in.

At Funding Alternative Group, for example, we’ve built systems that help us go beyond credit scores and spreadsheets. We use Open Banking data to deeply analyse cash flow patterns and design lending solutions that actually fit the client’s business model. But developing these tools took time—and more importantly, it took patience and iteration.

My philosophy is simple: small, decisive steps beat sweeping changes. “Rome wasn’t built in a day—but it didn’t take an eternity either.” We move in strategic increments, guided by a clear trajectory but always ready to pivot if needed. That’s how innovation happens—through minimal viable products, constant testing, and refining based on real feedback.

The result? Systems that don’t just help us make better decisions—they help us understand, adapt to, and grow with our customers. And that’s where long-term value is created.

7. As an investor and mentor to startups, what key pieces of advice do you share with young entrepreneurs to help them navigate their business journey?

The first piece of advice I give to any aspiring entrepreneur is: think ahead and prepare deliberately. I wrote about this in an article titled “Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Quit My Job To Become An Entrepreneur”—because too many people jump in without understanding the reality of the journey.

Before taking the leap, build key skills: financial literacy, sales, negotiation, and commercial instinct. These will become your survival tools. Preparation won’t eliminate risk, but it will give you a stronger shot at success.

The second piece of advice: find a mentor who genuinely cares about your progress. It’s not easy—but having someone who’s been through it, who can challenge your thinking and help you see around corners, is invaluable. I wish I’d had that when I started.

And finally, remember: you’ll never feel totally ready—but you can be more prepared. It’s like swimming in cold water. You don’t wait for the water to warm up—but it helps if you’ve trained beforehand.

8. Your involvement with industry groups demonstrates your commitment to sector growth. How do you support bringing in new talent and fostering innovation in the industries you work in?

I joined the board of the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) because I wanted to do more than grow my business—I wanted to help shape the future of the industry itself.

It’s a long game. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but as I’ve said before, patience is a core skill for any entrepreneur. My goal is to influence how the industry attracts new talent, fosters innovation, and stays relevant in a rapidly evolving economy.

One of the biggest challenges we face is that manufacturing—and industrial sectors more broadly—struggle to attract young talent. I understand why. These industries haven’t always made the effort to showcase the exciting opportunities they offer. The compressed air sector, for example, is vital to countless applications—from food packaging to high-precision manufacturing—but it’s largely invisible to the next generation.

Through my role at BCAS, I’m working to change that. We’re pushing for more visibility, stronger outreach, and a clearer message: this is an industry where you can build a meaningful, impactful, and high-tech career.

9. What does “brilliance” mean to you as an entrepreneur, and how do you incorporate this standard into the way you run your businesses?

To me, “brilliance” means clarity of thought, consistency of action, and the courage to think long term—even when the world rewards short-term wins.

It’s not about flashy ideas or overnight success. Brilliance is quiet. It’s found in the discipline to plan carefully, take measured risks, build the right team, and stick to a trajectory—while staying flexible enough to adapt when needed.

In my businesses, brilliance shows up in the way we build: systems-first, people-first, long-term always. Whether it’s investing three years into refining our lending platform at Funding Alternative Group, or mentoring engineers and creating a values-driven culture at Compressed Air Centre, we never settle for “good enough.”

Brilliance is about doing the hard things well—and helping others rise with you as you go.

Celebrating Brilliance

Serge Santos embodies the essence of entrepreneurial brilliance: resilience, foresight, and integrity. Through a disciplined approach to strategy and an unwavering commitment to his teams, he’s built ventures that not only grow but endure.

By mentoring new entrepreneurs and helping industries evolve, Serge continues to prove that true brilliance lies in leading with both head and heart — creating lasting impact while inspiring others to do the same.