Path for Potential

Fraser Smith, the founder of EH9 Espresso , shares how a deep connection to Dundee’s West End, paired with a vision for a speciality coffee experience, inspired him to create a community hub unlike any other in the city. What began as a nod to his origins in an Edinburgh postcode quickly evolved into a business built on approachable culture, high standards, and a genuine love for the ritual of the...

Karen and Graeme, the duo behind Tethered, share how a deep connection to Scotland, paired with firsthand experiences of burnout, inspired them to create a mindfulness app unlike anything else on the market. What began as a personal need quickly evolved into a business built on honesty, experimentation, and a willingness to learn quickly from early setbacks. In this episode, they open up about the...

How do you go from being a design student to running one of the UK’s most iconic creative studios and an international festival? In this episode, we sit down with James Gilchrist , Creative Director of Warriors Studio and the INTL Festival . James gets honest about the often-daunting transition from student life to the professional world, offering advice for those navigating the start of their des...

How do you build a successful tech platform by getting things wrong? We welcome Michael Carr, CEO and co-founder of GoRoadie, to discuss the critical startup lesson of "Fail Fast, Learn Faster." Michael shares candid examples from GoRoadie's journey, from early product features that missed the mark to marketing strategies that flopped. He explains how embracing rapid iteration and user feedback, a...

Samuel Murray, our intern at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, sits down with Michael Marra, MSP and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance, to host an episode of Path for Potential the first time exploring Michael's journey from academia to the world of politics. Michael was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2021 and shares how his background in economics, policy-making, and local government sha...

In this episode, we explore Jack Chalkley's entrepreneurial journey as co-founder of Analog Motion, an e-bike startup that took off unexpectedly. Jack’s story begins at the University of Dundee, where his background in product design—and a shared passion for experimental projects with his co-founder—set the foundation for something bigger. Frustrated by the daily grind of commuting, they set out t...

In this episode, we welcome Murad, the founder of Leximos, exploring his journey of turning a bold idea into a game-changing language learning app. Seeing non-English speakers' struggles, Murad set out to break down language barriers with AI-powered technology. With the support of the University of Dundee’s Enterprise Centre, he transformed his vision into reality—winning the Enterprise Challenge...

In this episode, Jude sits down with Jevin Zach , founder of Hubble Bubble and winner of the Scottish EDGE competition, to explore his journey from an underdog to a thriving entrepreneur. Growing up in a financially struggling family surrounded by peers from elite backgrounds, Jevin saw firsthand how entrepreneurship could be a game-changer . Instead of letting obstacles define him, he turned them...

To kick off  Entrepreneurship Week , we welcome back  Mark Beaumont , our very first host from Season 1, to co-host this special episode alongside  Jude . Together, they sit down with  David Kremer , the visionary behind  Rubik’s Brand Ltd.  and a toy innovation, education, and investment leader. David took over Seven Towns Ltd , a company that has developed and licensed over 250 toys and games to...

How does a simple idea between school friends grow into a globally recognized sustainable brand? In this episode, Emilio Rimini, co-founder of The Green Company , shares his entrepreneurial journey, sharing how passion and purpose drove his business from humble beginnings to international success. Emilio reflects on the critical lessons he’s learned—from balancing budget control with driving progr...

What does it take to turn a love for fashion into a brand adored by fans worldwide, including icons like Taylor Swift? In this episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of Jade Robertson, founder and creative director of Little Lies . From her early days of sketching ideas to creating a womenswear bohemian brand that champions individuality and sustainability, Jade shares how she built a timeles...

Serial entrepreneur and fashion industry disruptor, Cally Russell is back on Path for Potential for a second time! Known for skipping the conventional route and famously declining the Dragons on Dragons’ Den, Cally has built a career on tackling challenges others overlook. Hailing from Dunoon and armed with a social science degree from the University of Dundee, Cally defied the odds to create Mall...

From dreams of professional football to a thriving career as a globally recognized visual artist, Craig Black’s journey is a testament to perseverance and creativity. In this episode, Craig dives into how he transformed failure into opportunity, leading to collaborations with international giants like FIFA, UEFA, and the NBA. Craig shares how a self-initiated project, inspired by his love for foot...

Brian McNicoll’s journey from game developer to the Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Dundee is nothing short of inspiring. Starting with co-founding Dynamo Games—one of Europe’s first mobile game companies and creator of the popular Championship Manager mobile game—Brian’s path took him from a tech-focused graduate to a BAFTA-winning entrepreneur. In this episode, Jude...

Ever had a burning desire to do something different with your life? Lucy did just that. Changing career, changing country, changing everything!  Moving from Australia back to the UK, leaving a successful career in pharmaceutical sales, Lucy Lord is now a Sunday Times bestselling cookbook author. Johanna and Mark talk to our guest about what it takes and what it looks like when you finally take the...

Serial entrepreneur and the only person to turn down the Dragons on Dragons Den TWICE, Cally Russell is not your traditional entrepreneur. From a small town in Scotland (Dunoon) to a social science degree at the University of Dundee, Cally does not have the traditional business background but found a way to address societal issues with his companies.  First founding the fashion app using a Tinder-...

You always hear of the ultra-successful university drop-outs who became business tycoons, but what about a founder who didn't bother with university at all and went on to create the world's 3rd online marketplace (after Amazon and eBay)? Mark and Johanna speak to 'Holly & Co' and 'notonthehighstreet' founder Holly Tucker in this episode. "Hurricane Holly" takes us through the early chapters of her...

A great episode to help you present yourself with confidence in any situation. We're back! this episode is brand new and marked the first time Mark and Johanna met in person. Having recorded a whole series of episodes online as co-hosts, Dundee's duo of entrepreneurial ambassadors met at the University to give you the scoop on how to pitch and how to pitch yourself in any scenario. Job interviews,...

From an upcoming episode, Mark and Johanna discussed a question from our audience asking for advice on overcoming social anxiety when in a presenting/interviewing situation. From very different perspectives, Mark and Johanna provide some top tips and key things to remember for situations that can feel as big as public speaking but can also be applied in every day communication.

Ella Mills, founder of deliciously ella, had a self-confessed lack of ambition when she was young. On top of that, a debilitating illness that was present through her time at university. However, this life experience inspired Ella’s interest in nutrition and diet which was channelled into her blog ‘deliciouslyella’ and has now led to bestselling books, an online platform, 2.3 million followers, an...

From an upcoming episode with the creator of deliciouslyella Ella Mills, Mark and Johanna ask Ella for her advice to others just starting out on their journey. From the clip, we learn why it’s important to fail and how to fail fast; not to be intimated by the success of others; and, how to celebrate the small increments of your success. A healthy food empire isn’t built in just one day!

From an upcoming episode with cookbook author Lucy Lord, the pod discusses how to appear to be the most confident person in the room even when you’re secretly sweating and panicking. A self-described introvert, Lucy reflects on how she became successful in sales before pivoting to pursue a career in recipe-writing. In both careers, Lucy had to back herself, pitch to an audience, and communicate he...

Darina Garland is one-half of the co-founding couple responsible for Ooni Pizza Ovens. Her and Kristian Tapaninaho’s success proves the mouth-watering potential of a good business idea. Darina and her husband weren’t inventors, engineers, or product designers but their good idea made them a global brand. Only once they put their idea to the world, did they realise there was an appetite for their p...

From an upcoming episode with This is Unfolded founder and Scottish entrepreneur Cally Russell, we hear about another unlikely path into business and how Cally views his social science degree without necessarily ‘using’ it in his career. Often, graduates find themselves taking a different direction from what they have studied, but Cally shows how the topics he learned about and the soft skills he...

Oli Norman was training to be a lawyer without ever wanting to be a lawyer. Through some very interesting experiences, he's now a live event creator, restaurant and bar owner, and successful entrepreneur. However, the path he took to realise his potential was… unconventional to say the least. Whilst travelling in Asia, Oli uncovered a staged documentary created by a production company funded by a...