Fail Forward

Welcome to this episode of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I talk to Ben Drury, a.k.a The Culture Guy.   During an insightful 49 minutes Ben shares fascinating observations of the behaviours, language and mindset that can make or break a company by creating a culture that is just plain wrong!   Like many of my guests, Ben didn't leave school aspiring to help companies create a great cu...

Welcome to this episode of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I'm talking to multiple business owner, Jack Jiggens.   During the next hour Jack shares his journey from the earliest days of eBay trading as a 14 year old, to the owner of multiple property businesses - who still trades on eBay when the right opportunities arise.   Like everyone who has featured on the podcast, Jack's story i...

Welcome to this episode of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I'm talking to Jamie Stewart, business coach and one of the founders of Circle Networks.   During the next 50 minutes Jamie and I set out to get to the core of why some networking activity works whilst others don't. Jamie shares his journey from the corporate world to creating a business that supports his life's priorities, and...

Welcome to this episode of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I'm talking to Graham Todd, a.k.a Todd, owner of Spaghetti Agency.   During the next 45 minutes Todd shares his journey from employed wine delivery driver to heading up his own digital marketing agency with a very strong brand identity.    Like many of my guests, Todd's story is a fascinating listen. You'll hear his humorous re...

Welcome to this episode of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I am talking about recession.    More specifically - I am urging you, as a business owner and entrepreneur, to proactively seek out the opportunity that arises in every recession.    And to not talk yourself into making emotionally charged decisions based on the doom and gloom of the mainstream media.    There is no denying tha...

Welcome to the Fail Forward podcast.   "The ability to regulate your performance and your mental and physical state will determine the success  in your business."   That's quite a powerful sentence when you break it down.    Essentially it means that, as the business owner, it's all on you. And that can feel like a lot of pressure.    But here's the thing - when you know you HOW to show up as your...

Welcome to the Fail Forward podcast.   What left Stephen Bartlett feeling empty when he learned his company was worth millions? Why did Jonny Wilkinson plummet into depression after taking England to World Cup Victory? What has that got to do with you and your business?   The answer is, remembering the journey is as important as the destination!   In fact, the journey is arguably the most importan...

Welcome to this episode of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I'm talking to Amy Rowlinson, podcaster, coach and podcasting mentor.   During the next 40 minutes Amy shares the twists and turns of her career taking her from unfulfilled employee on auto-pilot to a purpose-led coach, mentor and podcaster helping others align their lives with their values and create exciting mid-life beginnin...

Welcome to episode 34 of the Fail Forward podcast.   In September 2022 I took the Tree Surgeons Business Academy to the APF Show. One thing that quickly became clear is that the concept of a business mastermind isn't well understood across the industry.    In this episode, I expressly talk about what a mastermind is, and how it helps tree surgery businesses.     Not a tree surgeon? No problem - th...

Welcome to episode 33 of the Fail Forward podcast. We've all heard the saying "Good things happen when you step out of your comfort zone" and I couldn't agree more.  In fact, I reframe the so-called comfort zone as a danger zone. Because, all too often, when you are comfortable you relax. Maybe even become a little complacent. And, in my experience, you become a little less productive. In this epi...

EP32 Interview with Toyin Ayandare Welcome to episode 32 of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I'm talking to Toyin Ayandare, founder of Icon Range.    Over the course of the next 40 minutes, Toyin shares her journey from a young girl who relocated from Nigeria to the UK, to the head of a growing, profitable property portfolio and training business. From her earliest experiences of findin...

EP31 Interview with Gordon Grant Welcome to episode 31 of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I'm talking to Gordon Grant, founder of Dads Mean Business.    Over the course of the next 50 minutes, Gordon shares his journey from the weary days of selling bootleg video games, his life as a single, globe-trotting professional to the life-altering realisation that as a husband and father he ne...

EP30 We are now 6 months in... Welcome to episode 30 of the Fail Forward podcast.   I can hardly believe that this episode marks six months since the launch of the Fail Forward Podcast. Thank you to everyone who has watched, listened, shared and joined the conversation.   Content over the up and coming 9-12 episodes is going to become more aimed at tree surgery business owners who I know are liste...

EP29 Talking about Mental Health Welcome to episode 29 of the Fail Forward podcast.   In this episode I am talking about mental health and vulnerability. Suicide affects men and women but, in the UK, is the biggest killer of men in certain age groups. To me, the thought that anyone thinks they have no alternative but to end their own life is heartbreaking.   As men we grow up hearing male adjectiv...

EP28 You don't have a business Welcome to episode 28 of the Fail Forward podcast.   OK - this is going to hurt.   If you can't take two weeks off, work flexibly in terms or hours or location, or completely switch off from time to time - your business needs to change.    In fact if your business can't function without you - you don't have a business, you have a job!   And it's probably a very under...

EP27 The importance of having empathy Welcome to episode 27 of the Fail Forward podcast.   Do you have empathy for others?   I confess that I haven't always been the most empathetic person. I may have thought I was, But in reality, it was my wife, Sarah, who really taught me about empathy.   I'd come home in a bad mood, venting about people at work I believed had let me down or done something I co...

EP26 Mindset Welcome to episode 26 of the Fail Forward podcast.   I've talked before about the importance of mindset and its role in finding your winning formula. Your mindset is arguably the most critical factor in achieving your goals, which means it is vital to understand how to manage your mindset for the best possible outcomes.   Having always considered myself a positive person, I was surpri...

EP25 Rob Bryer: The Good Estate Agent Welcome to episode 25 of the Fail Forward podcast.    In this episode, I'm talking to Rob Bryer, founder of multiple property businesses including The Good Estate Agent . ( https://openmoov.co.uk )   Over the course of the next 50 minutes, Rob will take you through the fascinating story of how he went from selling horse manure to a houses, before losing his fa...

EP24 The importance of having your why Welcome to episode 24 of the Fail Forward podcast.   On the days you feel like you're paddling upstream, what is it that keeps you going?   Whether it's your business or your personal life, we all have something that gets us out of bed even on the days we least feel like it, and makes us keep moving forward towards our goals.    In this episode we take a look...

EP23 Loneliness Welcome to episode 23 of the Fail Forward podcast.   What does loneliness mean to you?   For most people the word evokes negative emotions and memories; sadness, childhood trauma, isolation, depression, failure. And I can't lie - I would have said the same until I listened to Steven Bartlett's podcast (Diary of a CEO) with Jay Shetty.    If you haven't heard it, I'd recommend you g...

EP22 People Management Welcome to episode 22 of the Fail Forward podcast.   Stop! In the inimitable words of Tina Turner, we don't need another hero!   I employed people for a long time before I realised that I didn't actually have a clue how to manage them. Sure, I'd built a great culture, I knew the names of all my staff, their families, kids and pets, but I was disempowering them. And in turn,...

EP21 Gordon Burcham  Welcome to episode 21 of the Fail Forward podcast.    In this episode, I talk to 3 times martial arts world champion Gordon Burcham.    Gordon has been training, teaching, and working in the martial arts industry for more than two decades. After earning his first black belt, he went on to win three consecutive world titles against competitors half his age.    In 1998, in the m...

EP20 Business and Time Management Welcome to episode 20 of the Fail Forward podcast.   In previous episodes I have talked about the iceberg effect and why comparison is an unhelpful distraction because what you see on the surface is only a fraction of someone else's reality.    When I talk to people I don't know well and tell them I have five businesses, the first reaction is almost always, "How d...

EP19 When to say no Welcome to episode 19 of the Fail Forward podcast.   I always say failure is only a negative if you do not learn from it and give up.    However, as with any 'rule' there is always an exception. And in this episode I talk about the importance of recognising when to say no, or to stop doing something.   I'm not talking about giving up on your hopes and dreams, business or person...

EP18 Perception Welcome to episode 18 of the Fail Forward podcast.   If you have ever caught yourself comparing your life, business or situation to others, this episode is for you.    Comparisonitis is possibly one of the most dangerous activities we can engage in when it comes to damaging our feelings of self-worth or our mindset. And the explosion of social media platforms over the last two deca...