"There’s never really a good time to start a business, and it always feels like a risk. But if you’ve got something you believe in, you’ve just got to go for it."
That line could have come from any entrepreneur. But in our recent podcast conversation with Nick and Warren, founders of The Quarry, it felt especially true. Their journey is one that many in Guernsey’s business community will recognise; starting with an idea, running with it before it feels fully ready, and learning on the fly.
For them, the hardest part wasn’t the work itself, it was the uncertainty.
That honesty is the reality of building something here. Guernsey may not have density of larger startup ecosystems and jurisdictions, but what it does have is a culture of resourcefulness and a close community of innovators. Entrepreneurs learn to stitch together advice, lean on their networks, and trust their instincts.
And sometimes, discomfort is exactly where the best ideas emerge. Starting up isn’t supposed to feel easy. It’s supposed to stretch you, expose your blind spots, and push you into spaces where collaboration becomes essential.
“I didn’t really know where to turn… we just had to try things and learn as we went.”
The Quarry’s story reflects what many founders here describe, the difference between going it alone and being part of something bigger. Community isn’t just nice to have, it’s the fuel that keeps momentum alive when the risks feel overwhelming.
"If you’re willing to listen and collaborate, there’s a lot worse places to start up.”
That shift, from isolation to collaboration, is at the heart of Guernsey’s entrepreneurial spirit. Startups here may face challenges of scale, but they also benefit from proximity; it’s easier to find allies, to test ideas quickly, and to build relationships that last.
And this is where the role of organisations like the Digital Greenhouse comes in. For The Quarry, and for many others, support programmes, mentoring, and connections have provided a structure to complement that community spirit. They don’t remove the risk, but they do give founders the confidence that they don’t have to face it in silence.
Because in the end, no business begins in comfort. It begins with a leap, a network to catch you, and the belief that what you’re building matters.
You can check out the full podcast episode on our youtube channel below.
