North Star Conversations | Unlock Your Potential, Performance & Purpose

Episode Notes   In this episode, I welcome back James Ashford, founder of GoProposal and author of Grow Fast, Exit Big , 18 months after the conversation that became my most downloaded episode of 2025. We get into the practical side of the journey: why every fix and every growth spurt starts with foundations, and why the question that changed everything for James was "who do I need to be?" rather...

Originally aired: October 2025 Episode Number: 257 Sometimes, the biggest obstacle to moving forward isn't our circumstances, but the beliefs we've carried with us for years. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , renowned healer, hypnotherapist, and YouTube creator Julie Poole shares how our inner thoughts and subconscious programming influence everything from f...

Originally aired: October 2025 Episode Number: 256 Staying in the wrong relationships, friendships, or routines can quietly drain your happiness. The key isn't cutting everything out, it's making more room for what genuinely brings you joy. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , pioneer of longevity architecture and founder of MAVI Kas Bordier shares how to build...

Episode Notes In this episode, I sit down with Will Taylor, a psychotherapist and coach who takes founders into couples therapy with their businesses. We talk about the language founders use about their companies ("I've fallen out of love," "it's my baby") and why it mirrors the way people talk about relationships. Will shares how a volunteer role at a children's hospice started his journey, and h...

Originally aired: September 2025 Episode Number: 253 You can have the perfect strategy and still stay stuck if your mindset isn't ready to grow. Real progress happens when you stop copying other people's methods and discover what works for you.  In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , seasoned performance coach and visionary business strategist Shari Teigman explo...

Originally aired: September 2025 Episode Number: 252 The people around you shape what you believe is possible, but success means little if you sacrifice your happiness to achieve it.  In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , entrepreneur and networking expert Aaron Peters explores how your environment influences your ambitions, beliefs, and definition of success. D...

Episode Notes In this episode, I sit down with Niall McMillan, the silent, face-pulling creator whose videos reach 300 to 400 million views a month across around 11 million followers. We talk about how a six-figure corporate career and an "is this it?" moment led him to self-help, and why he committed to posting every day, a streak now past seven years. Niall shares how his NPC-in-viral-videos nic...

Originally aired: August 2025 Episode Number: 251 Success leaves clues. Instead of figuring everything out on your own, learn from the best, take action, and build the habits that lead to extraordinary results. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , seasoned Wall Street veteran and mentor Barry Garapedian shares how studying top performers helped him become a lea...

Originally aired: August 2025 Episode Number: 247 Sometimes, the key to creating the life you want is to let go of pressure and start becoming the person you want to be. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , manifestation coach and author Esther McCann shares how to consciously create a life you love by shifting your mindset, releasing limiting beliefs, and taki...

Originally aired: July 2025 Episode Number: 246 Financial freedom means little if you have no purpose or control over your own life. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , entrepreneur, investor, and author of "Always Free" Jason Graystone delves into the three freedoms: freedom of mind, money, and movement. Discover why financial independence alone doesn't guara...

Originally aired: July 2025 Episode Number: 244 Real growth begins when you stop blaming your team, identify where you need to improve, and learn how to bring out the best in others. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , personal development legend and author of Average Sucks Michael Bernoff explores the mindset shift required to become a more mature business ow...

Episode Notes In this episode, I sit down with Paul Avins, a scale-up strategist who has spent over 20 years helping more than a thousand business owners break the £1 million revenue line. We talk about how we met on Clubhouse, the network marketing event that started his personal development journey, and how being adopted left him angry and asking "what's wrong with me?" until he made peace with...

Originally aired: July 2025 Episode Number: 242 Chasing more success doesn't always lead to greater fulfilment. Sometimes, finding purpose means stepping away from society's expectations and understanding what truly matters to you. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , entrepreneur and author Janelle Bruland discusses the pressure to achieve more, the importance...

Originally aired: June 2025 Episode Number: 238 Turning your vision into reality requires more than belief. It takes aligned action, patience, and consistency. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , Founder & CEO at Niico Alistair Sergeant delves into the power of acting as if, using your environment to support your goals, and creating a clear vision for who you...

Originally aired: May 2025 Episode Number: 237 Building a successful business requires more than ambition, and knowing when to step back can be just as important as knowing when to push forward. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , security-sector entrepreneur Neil Sweeney shares how he built his company into a highly recognised security provider, the role pers...

Originally aired: May 2025 Episode Number: 235 True development isn't about forcing someone else to grow. It's about acceptance, patience, and giving them space to find their own path. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , love coach and relationship expert Annie Lalla shares how personal development can impact relationships and why trying to convince your partn...

Episode Notes In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Abel, founder of TNB (a leading UK apprenticeship training provider) and headline sponsor of Ahead in AI, our upcoming event on November 10th, 2026. We talk about her winding path through roughly ten failed businesses before finding success in the hair and beauty industry, the childhood trauma - her father's suicide and becoming a full-time care...

Originally aired: May 2025 Episode Number: 234 Going from feeling capable of anything to questioning your own confidence can be a difficult part of rebuilding yourself.  In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , On a Mission Podcast Host Ellie McKay explores her journey of rebuilding confidence after experiencing a dramatic change in circumstances. Discover why pers...

Originally aired: April 2025 Episode Number: 232 Strong relationships, shared values, and a willingness to evolve can create opportunities that go far beyond business.  In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , President and Founder of BITA Paul Whitnell shares the evolution of BITA, the relationships that helped shape its growth, and the importance of creating a cu...

Episode Notes In this episode, I sit down with Jacob Lockwood, a former soldier in the Coldstream Guards turned founder of Lockwood Clothing, a British-made outerwear brand built on military-grade design and an unshakeable commitment to UK manufacturing. We talk about the dark moment driving down the M4 that made him realize something had to change, the decision to leave the Army with just 12 mont...

Originally aired: April 2025 Episode Number: 231 Business failures can teach you some of the most valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, forcing you to reflect, adapt, and rethink your approach. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author, and keynote speaker James Ashford shares how his first business failure taught him the i...

Originally aired: April 2025 Episode Number: 229 The toughest moments in life can force you to question everything and create a completely new path. What matters is how you choose to respond and what you build from the experience. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , entrepreneur and professional photographer Carmel Jane shares how overcoming major personal cha...

Episode Notes In this episode, I welcome back Matt Essam, a business strategist who works with award-winning creative studios, for his second appearance on the show. We talk about the last 16 months since his first episode - including the moment he realized he'd built a product chasing what the market wanted rather than what actually energized him, the "energy of obligation" that told him somethin...

Originally aired: March 2025 Episode Number: 228 Boxing can build far more than physical strength. It can teach discipline, confidence, respect, and the character to face challenges head-on. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , former professional boxer, boxing coach, and founder of the Box2Burn gym Billy Long shares how boxing became a powerful vehicle for per...

Originally aired: March 2025 Episode Number: 227 Sometimes the biggest wake-up call is realising that your income depends entirely on you. True freedom comes from building something that can grow without you being there every step of the way. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , children's entertainer turned business mogul Toby Burns dives into the moment a bro...