Screw It Just DO It with Alex Chisnall

Welcome to Saturday Solo Episode #341. During this episode, Stop Procrastinating & Fight The Fear, I talk about how today marks the 4th Year Anniversary of Screw It, Just Do It. When I started this podcast, I didn't know or I didn't plan it would lead from episode 1 to now, episode 340! I literally just screw it and just do it clearly. But for all the success the show has now, I did procrastinate and had fears at the very start. And this episode will show you my mistakes and hopefully you will learn from and stop procrastinating and just move forward! Here's some highlights: We fear the unknown, the future but we need to embrace that fear and stop procrastinating. It's 100% mental. If you know it's what you want to do, it's your passion, go for it and just screw it, just do it. In partnership with Pure Sport CBD. Relieve. Relax. Perform. CBD For Active Lifestyles. Use the code 'justdoit20' to get 20% off on your purchase. Learn more about the contents discussed in this episode: Connect with me via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

Welcome to Episode #324: with Farah Nanji, known by her artist alias as NINJA, a highly accomplished public speaker and is one of the few DJs in the world to deliver a TEDx talk. Farah is also the host of the podcast show Mission Makers. During this episode, Living a Limitless Life, we talk about: It's important to stay to in your core in building your business. Being passionate in what you do is the first step in ensuring to being successful. Having difficulties in any aspects of your life shouldn't hinder you in achieving whatever goals you set. On the contrary, it should motivates you and elevates you to a better mindset to be able to conquer it. As humans, music as art and as an entertainment is important in being able to express ourselves specially in these times where we are socially distanced from another. - Always look for a silver lining in a difficult situation. Having a positive mindset helps you transform something negative into something good and successful in the long run. Learn more about the contents discussed in this episode: Connect with Farah via LinkedIn, Instagram, and her Website. Listen to Mission Makers Podcast.

Claire Warner helped build Belvedere Vodka for 15 years.She created 13 expressions. She climbed the ranks inside LVMH. She understood how premium alcohol brands scale.Then she made a call most people would avoid.She decided the world did not need another vodka.In this Bite-Sized episode of Screw It Just DO It, Claire explains why she left a secure leadership position to build Æcorn Drinks, how a forgotten 16th century acorn wine recipe became the foundation of a modern aperitif, and why launching three complex products at once was a risk worth taking.We also unpack what it means to build your own identity as the sister brand to Seedlip, how Covid disrupted their first real summer, and why innovation in this space has to be flavour-led, not alcohol-led.This is not about sobriety. It is about redefining the ritual.Key Takeaways• Why experience in a category can become a reason to leave it• The strategic risk of launching multiple SKUs at once• How to build brand distinction when linked to a market pioneer• Why aperitif culture matters more than alcohol percentage🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, specialists in international business payments. If your business pays overseas suppliers or receives payments from abroad, those transaction fees can quickly add up.As a Screw It Just DO It listener, you can get 50 international transactions completely fee free for 60 days.👉 Create a free account and claim the offer at worldfirst.com/screwit🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at NEC Birmingham👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

Rory MacFadyen never planned to run an apparel brand.He was on a solid corporate trajectory in sport. Middle East sponsorship deals. Major events. A comfortable path.Then he saw the scale of waste in sportswear.At the same time, his best friend Pete discovered how to turn unlimited plastic waste into performance fabric.That was the spark.In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, Rory shares how Reflo was born, why they spent two and a half years developing sustainable performance fabrics before launching, and how they went from being doubted to landing partnerships with the Australian Open and the WM Phoenix Open.We talk about rejection, tall poppy syndrome in the UK, raising growth capital, bringing Harry Kane in as an investor, and why entrepreneurship is far harder than people think.This is not a fast-fashion story.It’s about long-term thinking, graft, resilience, and trying to flip an industry on its head.Key Takeaways• Why there is never a perfect time to launch• How to build credibility before you look big• Why founders must sell, not just manage• The truth about hustle culture and burnout• How to build a brand rooted in mission, not marketing🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, specialists in international business payments. If your business pays overseas suppliers or receives payments from abroad, those transaction fees can quickly add up.As a Screw It Just DO It listener, you can get 50 international transactions completely fee free for 60 days.👉 Create a free account and claim the offer at worldfirst.com/screwit🎧 Listen to the full episode of Screw It Just DO It🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at NEC Birmingham👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

When I sat down with Robert Hanna, I did not hear a story about failure. I heard a story about comfort.He was a director at a legal recruitment firm. Well paid. Progressing. Respected. By most standards, successful.But approaching his 30th birthday, he realised something uncomfortable. He was building someone else’s legacy, not his own.That realisation led to a decision. Start his own legal recruitment agency. Then take a bigger risk. Launch The Legally Speaking Podcast, not as a hobby, but as a long-term personal branding strategy.Today, that podcast is a global legal careers platform. It attracts high-quality clients, builds community in the legal industry, and has secured sponsorship from a $5bn legal tech unicorn.In this episode, we break down how personal branding, niche community building, strategic partnerships and content repurposing can transform a professional services business.If you are a founder thinking about building authority, launching a podcast, or turning content into commercial leverage, this conversation is practical and direct.Key TakeawaysComfort can quietly limit ambition. Ownership changes everything.Personal branding is not vanity. It is commercial leverage.Niche communities outperform broad audiences in professional services.Evergreen content becomes an asset when treated strategically.Strategic partnerships accelerate growth faster than going alone.🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, specialists in international business payments. If your business pays overseas suppliers or receives payments from abroad, those transaction fees can quickly add up.As a Screw It Just DO It listener, you can get 50 international transactions completely fee free for 60 days.👉 Create a free account and claim the offer at worldfirst.com/screwit🎧 Listen to the full episode of Screw It Just DO It🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at NEC Birmingham👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

Jay Morton spent 14 years in the British military, including 10 Jay Morton spent 14 years in the British military, including 10 years in the SAS Special Air Service.Then one quiet moment in the Alps changed everything.In this Thursday Bite-Sized episode of Screw It Just DO It, Jay shares the exact moment he realised there was more to life than chasing promotion inside the Special Forces.Standing on a mountain ridge, eating a sandwich, he made a decision that would take him from elite military operator to two-time Mount Everest summitier and high performance expedition leader.We talk about:Leaving a high-status career without a rigid planWhy Everest became the next proving groundThe difference between physical toughness and mental resilienceWhy growth only happens when you deliberately make life hardJay reflects on summiting Everest twice, guiding clients through extreme pressure, and why he refuses to reach the end of life with regret.🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, specialists in international business payments. If your business pays overseas suppliers or receives payments from abroad, those transaction fees can quickly add up.As a Screw It Just DO It listener, you can get 50 international transactions completely fee free for 60 days.👉 Create a free account and claim the offer at worldfirst.com/screwit🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at NEC Birmingham👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

Timo Mullen is the co-founder of Foam Life, a sustainable flip flop brand built after he and his co-founder lost their six-figure jobs during the pandemic.In this Bite-Sized episode of Screw It Just DO It, Timo shares the moment they stopped waiting for certainty and chose action instead. From designing their first product in a week to securing pre-orders, raising investment, and expanding into international markets, this conversation breaks down what really happens when founders remove the safety net.Timo also explains why regret became a bigger risk than failure, how accountability drives momentum, and why word of mouth matters more than paid marketing when you are building something real.Key TakeawaysRegret is heavier than failure when you do not actRemoving the safety net forces clarityMomentum comes from action, not planningSustainability works when it is built in from day one🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, specialists in international business payments. If your business pays overseas suppliers or receives payments from abroad, those transaction fees can quickly add up.As a Screw It Just DO It listener, you can get 50 international transactions completely fee free for 60 days.👉 Create a free account and claim the offer at worldfirst.com/screwit🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at NEC Birmingham👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Sahar Hashemi OBE, co-founder of Coffee Republic and the force behind Buy Women Built.Sahar shares the moment that changed everything. Trapped in a legal career that did not fit, she was forced to confront how short life really is. Instead of waiting for clarity, confidence, or permission, she acted.We talk about why most founders overthink instead of starting, why customer experience always wins, and why small, doable steps matter more than perfect plans. Sahar also explains why female entrepreneurship in the UK still lags behind other developed countries and what Buy Women Built is doing to change that.This conversation is for anyone sitting on an idea, feeling restless, or waiting for the right moment.Key TakeawaysWhy waiting is often riskier than taking actionHow starting small creates momentum and clarityWhy customer obsession builds resilient businessesHow visibility and role models change belief and behaviour🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, specialists in international business payments. If your business pays overseas suppliers or receives payments from abroad, those transaction fees can quickly add up.As a Screw It Just DO It listener, you can get 50 international transactions completely fee free for 60 days.👉 Create a free account and claim the offer at worldfirst.com/screwit🎧 Listen to the full episode of Screw It Just DO It🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at NEC Birmingham👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

Matt Richards MBE is a two time Olympic champion who understands pressure at the highest level. In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, Matt shares how self belief was built early, tested at the 2024 Olympics, and later applied to building a business while still competing at an elite level.We talk about dealing with doubt, staying consistent when outcomes are uncertain, and why feedback and focus matter when you are building something new.Key TakeawaysHow Matt rebuilt belief under Olympic pressureWhy consistency beats confidence during uncertain momentsWhat elite sport teaches you about execution and focusHow feedback shaped Matt’s move into business🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, specialists in international business payments.If your business pays overseas suppliers or receives payments from abroad, those transaction fees can quickly add up.As a Screw It Just DO It listener, you can get 50 international transactions completely fee free for 60 days.👉 Create a free account and claim the offer at worldfirst.com/screwit🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🔥 Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at the NEC Birmingham.👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

Simon Alexander Ong is a speaker, coach, and author of Energize. In this Bite-Sized episode of Screw It Just DO It, Simon explains why energy sits at the centre of fulfilment, performance, and progress.We talk about acting before the timing feels perfect, building relationships without expectation, and learning to filter feedback properly. Simon shares the moment he realised that waiting creates regret and why fulfilment starts with decisions made in the present.Key TakeawaysWhy waiting for the right moment often leads to regretHow energy is shaped by people, environments, and internal storiesWhy relationships grow stronger without expectations attachedHow to filter feedback into signal and ignore the noiseThis episode is for founders and leaders who feel drained, distracted, or stuck waiting for clarity.🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at the NEC Birmingham.

This Festival of Entrepreneurs panel brings together founders who experienced The Apprentice from the inside and lived with the consequences after the cameras stopped rolling.Tre Lowe, Sabrina Stocker, and Daniel Elahi share why they chose visibility, what the show really gave them, and where it genuinely helped or hindered their businesses. We talk about personal brand, resilience, teamwork under pressure, and the difference between short-term attention and long-term value.This episode, hosted by James Burtt, founder of Phonic Content, is not about reality TV. It is about making deliberate decisions when exposure, risk, and reputation are on the line.Key TakeawaysWhy visibility accelerates opportunity when values are clearHow resilience is built under pressure, not comfortWhen personal brand helps and when it becomes noiseWhy certainty and teamwork matter more than tactics🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🎟️ Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, November 3–4 at the NEC Birmingham.👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

Adam Kamani has scaled businesses by focusing on the one area founders struggle with most. People.In this Bite-sized episode of Screw It Just DO It, Adam explains why hiring decisions shape everything that follows, how strong teams compensate for leadership gaps, and why personality matters more than skill when a business starts to grow.What You’ll LearnWhy managing people becomes harder as businesses scaleHow hiring for personality protects culture long termWhy strong teams fill leadership and capability gapsWhat founders often get wrong about people decisionsThis episode is for founders and leaders who want to scale without losing trust, accountability, or momentum.🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🔥 If you’re serious about growing your business, join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 3-4 November at the NEC Birmingham.👉 www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk

Henry Firth and Ian Theasby are the founders of BOSH!, one of the UK’s most influential plant-based food brands. What started as frustration with corporate life became a deliberate decision to build an audience before building products.What You’ll LearnWhy starting with content de-risked their entire businessHow £20k funded the first critical leapThe discipline behind focusing on the UK before global expansionWhat founders misunderstand about slow, steady scaleThis is a practical conversation about focus, restraint, and building something meaningful without rushing scale.🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🔥 If you’re serious about growing your business, join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, 3–4 November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.👉 Subscribe now and be part of the movement.

Growing on TikTok becomes easier when you understand how the platform thinks. Timothy Armoo explains the system with complete clarity.Most founders post on TikTok without understanding how the platform decides who sees what. In this Bite sized Screw It Just DO It episode, Timothy Armoo strips away the guesswork. He explains why niche dominance matters, how to warm the algorithm, and why video level performance beats follower count every time. His approach is built from running campaigns for global brands and seeing what actually drives reach. These insights apply to any founder trying to grow an audience, test messaging or build trust online. His view of TikTok as a behaviour engine rather than a social network gives you a clearer way to work with the platform instead of fighting it.Guest Note:Timothy Armoo is the co founder of Fanbytes, one of Europe’s largest Gen Z marketing agencies.Key TakeawaysWarm the algorithm before posting to improve distribution.Build content for one niche to help TikTok identify your audience.Create episodic content to increase watch time and return visits.Use trends to give the algorithm a shortcut for matching your videos to intent.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Sandra Byrne never set out to be an entrepreneur. She left school at fifteen, had no qualifications, and started in retail to get by. What followed was a twenty-one-year journey that led her to build the biggest Lush store in the world on Liverpool’s high street.What You’ll LearnWhy acting like an owner matters even when the business is not yoursHow community and experience replaced marketing budgetsWhat it takes to scale without losing cultureHow to stay entrepreneurial inside a large organisationThis episode is a practical lesson in leadership, ownership, and building something meaningful without waiting for permission.🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🔥 If you’re serious about growing your business, join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, 3–4 November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.👉 Subscribe now and be part of the movement.

This episode features Richard Harpin MBE, founder of HomeServe and one of the UK’s most experienced scale up operators. Recorded before his recent MBE award, this conversation shows exactly why his contribution to British business has been recognised.Richard shares how he grew a simple plumbing insurance idea into a global business valued at over £4 billion. He breaks down his nine step framework for building and scaling companies, from copying and pivoting early, to securing the right investor, replacing yourself as founder, and choosing steady evolution over dramatic change.We also cover international expansion, backing yourself when capital is tight, and why mentorship has played a defining role throughout his career. Today Richard is focused on helping the next generation of founders through Growth Partner and Business Leader, with a clear ambition to support a significant share of the UK’s mid sized businesses.Key takeawaysFollow a clear framework and focus on execution not ideasSecure the right mentor early and listen to themEvolve constantly to avoid becoming irrelevantExpand internationally with local leadership in placeStrip your business back to its core value and commit fully🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Scaling a startup into a national or international brand is rarely clean, predictable, or glamorous.Recorded live at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, this panel brings together founders who have scaled in very different industries but faced the same uncomfortable decisions along the way. From compliance and capital to branding, product reality, and investor relationships, this conversation focuses on what actually holds when growth accelerates.Guests:Mark Rushmore, Co-founder of SURI Laura Fullerton, Founder of monk Claire Warner, Co-founder of Aecorn Melissa Snover, Founder of Remedy Health & Nourished Jeannette Linfoot, Host of Brave Bold Brilliant (moderator)In this episode, you’ll learn:Why compliance and financial clarity cannot be delayedWhen rebuilding is the real growth decisionHow to think about scale before demand explodesWhat raising capital really looks like in tougher marketsIf you are building something you want to last, this episode will help you see scale more clearly.🎧 Don’t miss a moment of entrepreneurial insight. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It wherever you get your podcasts.🔥 If you’re serious about growing your business, join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, 3–4 November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.👉 Subscribe now and be part of the movement.00:00 Welcome to the Festival of Entrepreneurs  00:12 What It Really Takes to Scale a Startup  01:25 Meet the Founders  04:17 Early Scaling Lessons  05:48 Strategic Bets vs Rushing to Scale  07:04 Building Compliance Before Growth  08:18 Choosing a Market That Can Scale  10:25 Lessons From Before This Business  13:20 When Customers Reject the Product  16:40 Branding Before the Product Exists  18:14 Understanding the Numbers  20:57 The Reality of Raising Capital  21:55 The Screw It Just DO It Moment  24:35 Handling Rejection as a Founder  27:51 Choosing the Right Investors  29:58 Scaling With the Right Partners  32:17 Building a Brand in a New Category  34:43 Final Thoughts From the Panel 

Piers Linney MBE has spent years operating at the sharp end of business, investment, and technology. In this episode, recorded before his recent MBE award, Piers lays out a clear view of where AI is taking founders and why waiting is the biggest risk.He explains how AI already outperforms humans in speed, cost, and consistency across many cognitive tasks. The advantage now comes from knowing where humans still matter and where machines should take over. Founders who treat AI as a daily operating layer will move faster, build leaner teams, and make better decisions. Those who delay will struggle to catch up.This conversation is practical, grounded, and focused on action. It reflects why Piers was recognised with an MBE for services to business and entrepreneurship.Key Takeaways:• AI increases capacity without extra cost• Personalised content and voice agents boost revenue• AI uncovers insights hidden in everyday conversations• Founders who act early gain a long term advantage🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

What happens when you stop chasing money and start building around who you are. This episode breaks down mindset, performance, and discipline for founders who feel stuck and want control back.Leaving the Special Forces should have been a clean transition. It was not. Simon Jeffries walked away from military life into a corporate role that felt wrong, chased online business ideas that failed, and ended up broke and back at his parents’ home.That low point forced a reset. Simon stopped chasing money and built around what he understood best. Mindset, performance, and discipline under pressure. In this conversation, we break down how founders train mindset as a skill, why small consistent changes beat radical overhauls, and how leadership fundamentals still matter in an AI driven world.This episode is for founders who feel overwhelmed, reactive, or stuck in their own heads and want a practical way forward.Guest: Simon Jeffries is a former Special Forces operator and co founder of The Natural Edge, where he works with founders and leaders on mindset and performance under pressure. Key takeawaysDiscipline is a trained skill and beats raw talent over timeMindset works when treated like physical training with structureSmall consistent changes create lasting performance shiftsLeadership basics matter more than tools or technology🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

James Haskell shares the realities of leaving a structured career for entrepreneurship and the discipline needed to build something on your own terms.Stepping out of professional sport and into business forces you to confront how you work, who you trust and what you want your life to look like. In this bite sized episode, I speak with James Haskell as he breaks down the shift from a highly structured rugby environment to the chaos that often defines the corporate world. He talks about the importance of boundaries, the trap of pointless meetings and the need to value your time as much as you value your effort. His honesty cuts through the noise that surrounds entrepreneurship and highlights a simple truth. You either take responsibility for your next chapter or someone else writes it for you.Guest note: James Haskell is a former England rugby international and entrepreneur.Key Takeaways:Discipline replaces structure when you leave a fixed careerBoundaries stop you wasting time on meetings that add nothingFocus on fewer ventures to reduce burnout and increase clarityA clear exchange of value builds better business relationships🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship