Do you have dreams and ambitions that feel so out of reach you wonder if you are ever going to achieve them? Several years ago, I was in that very position. Then I heard a story that changed my life. If you have been listening to this podcast for a while, you will know that I am a huge believe in goal setting. But, did you know there is a scientific formula, which, when followed, significantly increases the chances of you hitting your goals and realising your dreams? Success or failure...

Formula 1 is a sport of fine margins. Split seconds are all that separate the winners from the losers. Teams spend millions of pounds fine tuning cars to give them the edge and championships often go down to the wire. During his 12-year career in F1 Mark Webber drove in more than 200 races and won nine Grand Prix titles, landing on the podium more than 40 times. But what does it take to stand on top of that podium? Behind every race-winning driver is a team of thousands of people all doing...

Businesses can solve the world’s problems. But, whilst thousands of businesses are working hard to change the world and add value to peoples’ lives, there are still too many companies that are fixated on solely making money. Of course businesses need to make a profit, just as we need to breathe to live, but it’s the motivation behind that which matters most. I strongly believe businesses need to start with passion; a desire to make positive change. When you create something that helps people...

The most successful entrepreneurs share certain traits, among them are the abilities to explore new horizons and accept risks. I am often asked about whether it’s possible to start a business in an area you know little about. Whilst it’s not exactly textbook – most business experts will tell you to start with what you know – it is absolutely possible. It takes passion, commitment and hard graft to launch any new venture. But in an unfamiliar arena, it’s vital to surround yourself with...

There is no such thing as an overnight success. Although some businesses may appear to come from nowhere and grow to dominate a marketplace, the reality is often very different. Behind the scenes there is often failure, sacrifice and hundreds of hours of hard work. It took Steve Jobs two decades to become an ‘overnight’ dot com billionaire with Apple. It was a similar story for Microsoft founder Bill Gates. He founded the company in 1975, but it was 11 years before Microsoft went public,...

This podcast is dedicated to answering your questions. From business related queries like ‘How do you handle a bad boss?’, ‘When is breaking the rules okay?’ and ‘How do you re-energise the team?’ to more personal questions about my hobbies, and the questions I usually avoid answering! Knowing how to deal with a bad boss is one of the biggest challenges faced by both employees and business leaders. Ultimately, people do not leave bad businesses, they leave bad managers. In fact, a recent...

How often do you feel stressed? According to research 74% of us have felt so stressed that we’ve felt unable to cope or overwhelmed. Almost three quarters of the people asked! Last week I spoke about why you need to switch off. It’s fairly obvious really, isn’t it? However, the challenge comes with how to switch off when you feel the need to work 24/7/365. In the episode I shared my secret – how I find the balance between staying passionate and not burning out. Listening back to the...

When was the last time you truly switched off? Do you even remember? We all know the importance of rest and recuperation but it’s not always easy to turn off work mode, especially in today's digital world with so many things clamoring for our attention.The pressure of modern life can be immense. Indeed, recent figures show six out of 10 employees use their mobile phones to send emails out-of-office hours. When I first started in business I went nine years without a holiday. Nine years! To...

Do you wonder why some people are more productive than others? How they manage to cram so much into each day? I’ve always been fascinated by the routines and habits of super successful people. Steve Jobs, for example, would wear the same outfit every day to save him wasting time and brain power thinking about what to wear. When I started UKFast I sought out the most successful people I could – the likes of Sir Richard Branson and Tony Robbins – to learn more about how they structured their...

Do you want to be successful? Of course you do! So when will you get started?! Whilst it would be natural to assume that success ultimately boils down to execution and innovation, but a great product launched at the wrong time just won’t work! Building an incredible business comes down to timing. It is that simple. AirBnB is a prime example, launching during the recession when people needed a side income eradicated the stigma attached to the idea. Uber also had a boost by starting during...

We are all defined by the mistakes we make in life. Arguably some of the greatest lessons we learn are as a result of the failures we make. Although I have made some colossal mistakes in my entrepreneurial journey, I have never quit. Losing a battle does not mean losing the war. I believe the hard times we go through shape us and without them the good times wouldn’t feel nearly as special, both in business and in our personal lives. As Napoleon Hill once said: “Effort only realises its...

Do you want to take your business to the next level? Turning a small company into a big firm is far from easy, but you can give your company the rocket fuel it needs to really take off. As the founder of a startup you are constantly wearing several hats; a CEO hat; a marketer hat, a salesperson hat, a web dev hat; an HR hat - the list is endless. But one person can only wear so many hats before one, if not more of them, start to slip. Are you in danger of wearing too many hats [1]? Knowing...

It’s now been two years since I started my podcast, and what an extraordinary journey it’s been so far. I’ve been fortunate to meet some truly incredible people. When the team and I set out on this project, I can honestly say that we never could have imagined it would have brought us to where we are now. The podcast started with a business focus but has evolved to share the stories of some of the most inspirational people I have ever come across. My guests span all walks of life from...

Have you ever pre-judged a person before even meeting them? Was your perception inaccurate? My guest on this podcast often finds herself on the wrong end of misconceptions. An aristocrat, born into tremendous wealth and privilege, Lady Edwina Grosvenor could have chosen to spend her life in exotic locations living the high-life. Instead, she spends the majority of her time inside prisons, on purpose. Since the age of twelve Edwina has been passionate about helping society’s unseen people....

What would it be like to live on the moon? 50 years after the first moon landing human habitation on the planet could be a possibility within the next decade. With commercial companies on the verge of sending normal citizens into space, interplanetary colonisation may not just be the reserve of science fiction. In 2015, Major Tim Peake became the first British astronaut to travel to the International Space Station and is currently preparing for a return journey. In this episode Major Tim...

How often do you stop to look at the resources you have available to you? Before you spend money on a bigger office, new hires or expensive team building activities stop and take a step back. More often than not you already have all that you need right under your nose, it just takes is a change of perspective to see it. More often than not you already have all that you need right under your nose, it just takes is a change of perspective to see it. Twenty years ago Gail and I founded UKFast...

Life is fragile and can change in an instant. How a person faces that challenge and responds to their darkest moments gives a true measure of their character. In 2007, Claire Lomas was involved in a horse-riding accident. That split second changed her life forever. Lying in a hospital bed, Claire was told she would never walk again. In that moment she believed her life was over. But, despite the difficult and embarrassing moments her injury caused, Claire began to take back control of her...

  In 1967 it was commonly believed that women were far too fragile to run a marathon. It was thought the distance could cause long-lasting damage and even lead to a woman’s uterus falling out. But, one woman changed that perception and in doing so empowered millions of women around the world to run. When Kathrine Switzer stood on the start line of the Boston Marathon little did she know that the race would change the course of her life. At mile two an official tried to drag her off the...

How do small firms compete with global corporations on a playing field that’s simply not level? Impossible, right? Wrong! In this episode of Mind Your Own Business, I share what I have learned about competing with some of the biggest businesses on the planet, who have significantly deeper pockets and wider reach than I do. You might link it back to the story of David and Goliath, either way, just because a business is so much bigger than yours it doesn’t mean that the battle for customers...

How important is it to really listen to the people who you work with, to get a sense of how they feel? It isn’t important; it is essential. If you are not open to listening to feedback from the both the people within and outside the organisation, you may as well give up now. Gone are the days when you ruled the roost with an iron rod, when people were afraid of their managers and CEOs. Thankfully it is the forward-thinking, more relaxed business leaders who empower their teams that are...

Having found his start in the Hacienda in a gritty, grey city that was Manchester back then, Sacha Lord went on to become a figurehead of Manchester entertainment scene. Now he is the ‘Night-Time Tsar’ at the centre of a revolution turning the city into a vibrant, safe place to enjoy a night out. He has spent years solving challenges associated with the night-time economy, including tackling challenges like widespread drug use and catching a phone thief with 68 stolen iPhones down their...

At five years old, Dame Stephanie Shirley was whisked away from her family and loaded onto a Kindertransport train with just her nine-year-old sister and a small suitcase behind. Escaping Nazi Germany, she was determined to make hers a life worth saving. A mathematician, Dame Stephanie worked at the birthplace of the Bletchley Park Mark II computers, Dollis Hill. However, after hitting the glass ceiling she set up her own software company dedicated to creating flexible working for mothers,...

Looking at the huge success of the skincare brand Tropic Skincare, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a global conglomerate was behind the brand. In reality, Tropic started by a 15-year-old girl desperate to help her mum make ends meet. That 15-year-old was Susie Ma, now 30, and in the past financial year, the business turned over £29 million and has more than 12,000 ambassadors. So, how do you grow a business from earning a few hundred pounds on a Greenwich Market stall with products...

We are constantly learning and evolving. It’s the only way to thrive in this world. A huge part of that is learning from anyone and everyone you can. So, when I got the opportunity to learn from someone who had both made hundreds of millions of dollars and subsequently lost them, I jumped at the chance. Often the greatest lessons come in learning from others’ mistakes. Jordan Belfort – the real ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ – is an undeniably controversial character. He’s famed for the Leonardo...