In this week's episode, I’m joined by Mitch Hahn, the captain of Team GB football team, who made an unexpected transition into the world of accountancy following his time as a professional footballer.

Mitch recounts his accidental journey into accountancy, where he began working with Mark Norden, his boss and mentor who helped him unlock his full potential.

He ultimately rose through the ranks, becoming the CEO of Nordens and has transformed the company into more than just an accountancy practice, driving a focus on helping businesses and owners achieve their potential.

We also discuss how Mitch made himself indispensable to the company, his approach to hiring people, his leadership style that empowers his staff, and how he completed changed the company’s core values.

This conversation covers a wide range of topics, from Mitch’s early ambitions as a young footballer to his deep passion for helping others succeed. Mitch’s story is inspirational and a testament to the value of hard work and taking action.

Expect to learn

02:10 The Value of Sports in Personal Development

05:52 Personal Reflections on Sports and Mindset

18:58 Transitioning from Sports to Business

21:58 Mentorship and Personal Growth

31:56 The Journey to Becoming a CEO

36:01 Building a Successful Business

44:50 Becoming CEO During a Crisis

46:45 Leadership and Team Dynamics

49:01 Work-Life Balance and Employee Wellbeing

53:05 Leadership Insights: Adapting and Inspiring

59:46 A Fresh Approach to Business Development

01:02:07 How Nordens Helps Transform Businesses

01:10:15 Core Values: The Heart of the Business

01:17:04 Leadership Insights and Personal Growth

Discover Nordens and Mitch

Website - www.nordens.co.uk

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/nordens-chartered-accountants-&-business-advisers/

Follow Mitch on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/mitchhahn/

Get In Touch

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Kane and Ashley from Progressive Media, the UK's largest podcast agency and hosts of the Podcaster's Podcast.

We dive into their personal journeys - from building a successful podcast agency in their 20s to the unexpected way Kane met one of the UK’s top entrepreneurs, who later became his boss. Plus, hear how Ashley skipped university to start a dropshipping business.

Kane and Ashley share practical advice on making yourself invaluable to your boss, why Gen Z may be both the smartest and laziest generation, and why owning a business is essential for building wealth.

This episode sheds light on the power of alternative career paths and how leveraging social media and podcasting can fast-track your career and drive business growth, providing tips and advice for podcasters starting out and looking to monetise their shows today.

Expect to learn:

07:15 Personal Backgrounds: Kane and Ash’s Journeys

18:25 The Value of Networking

20:10 Is Traditional Education Broken?

25:26 The Power of Saying Yes

34:23 Choosing a Career Path: The Butterfly Effect

36:15 Unexpected Opportunities and Networking

39:28 Podcasting: Opportunities

44:00 Monetising Podcasts

59:00 Why I Started a Podcast

01:10:52 The Influence of Content and Branding

01:12:10 Generational Differences

01:19:24 The Value of Taking Action

01:20:46 Surrounding Yourself with Successful People

01:36:23 The Benefits of Working for Startups

Discover The Podcasters Podcast:

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-podcasters-podcast/id1592722911

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1J0o08QsXXgWIN9mzZblvS

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcfBOaemNBEnfFQa9LSEMBg/videos

Get In Touch:

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know that ceremonial-grade cacao, the purest form of chocolate, has a range of health benefits? From improved sleep and heart health to lower stress, better skin, and a natural mood boost.

This product has been used for centuries, but what you find on the shelves today is far from its natural form.

In this episode, I’m delighted to be joined by Adam and Ash, the founders of Nature’s Joint.

As well as exploring the benefits of Cacao, we get into a deeper conversation about the importance of ethical business practices that empower local communities and resist exploitation by large corporations, and why buying from small businesses is beneficial for your health and the environment.

02:35 Health Benefits of Cacao

05:20 Historical Context of Chocolate

08:05 Starting the Business

16:55 Challenges in Importing

29:40 Marketing and Growth Strategies

34:32 Ethical Sourcing

35:00 Benefits of Buying from Small Businesses

39:02 Marketing and Authenticity

45:28 Investment and Maintaining Values

54:42 Purpose and Passion in Business

Discover Nature's Joint

Website - www.naturesjointcacao.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/naturesjointcacao/?hl=en

Get In Touch:

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s must-listen episode, we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Harry Kimberley-Bowen, co-founder of Spacebands and the 2022 Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

From selling sweets in school to funding his final year at university with a sustainable fruit juice business, Harry is a natural entrepreneurial.

When the pandemic hit, Harry and his best friend Ronan acted fast; instead of sitting enjoying the sunshine like everybody else, they launched a social distancing wearable device that quickly became a success, earning ten times his annual salary in just the first year.

Listen as Harry recounts the challenges and successes of starting a business from their spare bedroom, including a hilarious story from their early shipping days. We also explore how Spacebands pivoted from a social-distancing product to a workplace safety device.

Harry shares actionable insights on leveraging LinkedIn Sales Navigator to pitch to Angel investors and negotiating with venture capitalists, even with no prior experience.

This episode is packed with inspiration, practical advice, and stories that every aspiring entrepreneur needs to hear.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please hit the follow button and leave a review — it really helps the show grow and reach more listeners!

Expect to hear:

03:00 First Entrepreneurial Venture: Frugly

04:45 The Birth of Space Bands

08:30 Rapid Growth and Challenges

13:00 Navigating the Pandemic and Scaling Up

16:20 Expanding Product Features and Market

31:20 Strategies for Attracting Angel Investors

35:40 Transitioning to VC Investment

38:25 Negotiating with VCs

41:20 The Importance of Resilience and Passion

51:00 Balancing Work and Life as a Founder

56:55 Advice for Entrepreneurs

Discover Spacebands

Website - www.spacebands.com

Follow Harry

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/harrykimberley-bowen

Get In Touch:

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Booking a physio appointment is one of those things we know we should do but we rarely actually do it.

In this episode, I’m joined by David Thomas, the founder of Kaizen Physiotherapy & Performance.

David’s career has taken some fascinating turns, from working with NHS patients to treating elite athletes, including footballers, rugby players, and Olympic competitors.

We dive into what it's like to work in the NHS, David's thoughts on areas for improvement, and the contrasts between public and private sector work.

We also explore the true benefits of physiotherapy and David's approach to getting rid of pain for good — spoiler alert - these don’t include the quick fixes you see online.

David shares his journey of starting a business from scratch and offers practical strategies for finding clients, the can be applied across any industry.

Expect to learn

03:30 Dave's Journey into Physiotherapy

06:10 Working in the NHS: Challenges and Insights

09:00 Preventative vs. Reactive Healthcare

15:40 Building a Physiotherapy Business

38:35 Networking and Business Growth Strategies

50:10 Starting a Business: The Hard Work Behind the Scenes

52:40 Challenges of Competing in a Big City

57:40 Outsourcing and Focusing on Strengths

01:07:45 Advice for Aspiring Physiotherapists

01:18:15 The Value of Professional Help

Kaizen Physiotherapy & Performance

Website - www.kaizenphysio.co.uk/

Instagram - www.instagram.com/kaizen.physiotherapy/

Get In Touch:

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know that 80% of the world’s workforce does not sit behind a desk, and these people are often overlooked by traditional HR platforms that provide necessary functions such as your payslip, holiday schedule, or employee information.

Simon Ellis is the CEO and Co-Founder of Jem, an innovative technology company that has developed a game-changing solution that makes essential HR functions accessible via WhatsApp. Already trusted by over 115,000 users every month, Jem is revolutionising the way non-desk workers interact with HR.

In this episode, we dive deep into Simon’s entrepreneurial journey, the inspiration behind Jem, and his ambitious vision for integrating even more daily tasks into WhatsApp. We explore how Simon plans to scale Jem to $100 million in revenue by 2030 and his people-first leadership approach, which helps employees discover their ‘genius zones.’

This conversation goes beyond business strategy—we discuss personal fulfilment, professional growth, work-life balance, authenticity, and the value of true partnerships. Simon also shares valuable advice for entrepreneurs, including his favourite podcasts and the book he’s gifted to over 100 people.

If you’re new to the podcast and enjoyed this episode, please hit the follow button and leave a review. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us grow and improve the show.

04:00 Priority Shifts in Your 30s

07:50 Starting the Business

09:35 Empowering Employees

12:17 Challenges and Growth

23:40 WhatsApp as a Business Tool

31:00 Partnership Dynamics

43:57 The Role of Advisors and Mentors

44:22 The Importance of Vulnerability

45:27 Learning from Successful People

48:01 Balancing Work and Personal Life

54:51 Building Authentic Personal Brands

01:06:33 Living an Extraordinary Life

01:12:01 Book Recommendations and Inspirations

Discover Jem

Website - https://www.jemhr.com/

Follow Simon

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-reid-ellis?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Get In Touch:

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Oli and Ash, the founders of Sipp’d, a craft soda brand that, now that you’ve heard of it, you’ll start seeing everywhere!

Their journey is an inspiring one — two accountants who decided to leave their careers behind and launch a business together in November 2019, just before the Covid pandemic struck.

We dive into the challenges they faced during that uncertain time, how they adapted when the pandemic hit, and how they scaled the business despite numerous challenges. We also explore the realities of being your own boss and what sets their product apart from traditional sodas.

Oli and Ash share invaluable advice on bootstrapping a business, using social media for free marketing, and the lessons they've learned along the way—offering guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs.

They also discuss the exciting opportunities for challenger brands in today’s market, and I hope this conversation inspires you on your own journey.

Expect to learn:

05.30 The Birth of a Business Idea

07.15 Quitting Jobs and Starting Fresh

09.25 Navigating COVID Challenges

12.40 Early Sales and Market Strategies

15.05 Growth and Expansion

17.35 Balancing Work and Personal Life

23.25 Product Development and Refinement

26.00 Manufacturing Process Insights

33.30Craft Beer Collaboration

35.00 Business Evolution and Goals

36.40 Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

39.40 The Importance of Resilience

41.30 The Power of Partnerships

53.15 Navigating Sales and Rejection

56.25 The Role of Social Media

Sipp'd

Website - www.sippd.co.uk

Instagram - www.instagram.com/sippd_drinks

Get In Touch:

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, I’m excited to be joined by Neil Gill, a restaurateur and property developer who has spent most of his career working for himself.

In our conversation, you'll get a glimpse into the mind of a natural entrepreneur, as Neil creates 2 business plans on the spot, including how to start a business with ZERO capital.

He also shares insights from his experience working alongside Alan Yao, the founder of Wagamama, and explains how he created this opportunity for himself.

Neil reflects on the biggest risks he has taken throughout his career, his relentless pursuit of new opportunities, opening his first restaurant, and how he unexpectedly fell into his current business.

This episode is packed with practical advice for anyone considering starting their own business, and Neil shares the honest truth about what it takes to work for yourself.

Expect to learn:

02:30 From Sports Dreams to Hospitality

11:30 The Harsh Realities of Business in London

14:00 Navigating Entrepreneurship: Motivations and Misconceptions

25:30 Working Alongside the Founder of Wagamama

44:45 Building a Business With ZERO Capital

48:00 The Sacrifices of Entrepreneurship

49:00 The Reality of Running a Business

50:45 Corporate Life vs. Entrepreneurship

51:15 Business Ideas and Execution

01:00:00 Risks in Entrepreneurship

01:15:00 Defining Success

Get In Touch:

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/

Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.