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.

A powerful five minute segment where David Yarrow reveals the moment he pivoted from sports photography to fine art and built a global brand.In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It session, I sit down with world leading fine art photographer David Yarrow to unpack the moment that changed his entire career. David explains how he went from struggling in finance to creating some of the most valuable photographic works in the world. He breaks down the thought process behind reinvention, why your subject choices define your relevance and how insecurity can fuel growth when channelled properly. This is an honest look at pivoting, risk taking and rebuilding from the ground up.Guest note: David Yarrow is one of the highest selling fine art photographers today, known for his cinematic wildlife and celebrity images.Key Takeaways:Reinvention demands a clear break from old identity and a willingness to start again.Creative success comes from choosing subjects that hold weight and meaning.Strong research separates average work from standout work.Insecurity is useful when it drives higher standards and sharper decisions.🎧 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

Aliett Buttelman went from fashion model to co-founder of Fazit, a beauty brand that exploded after a viral Taylor Swift moment. This episode breaks down what actually drives real growth.In this episode I talk with Aliett Buttelman about what it takes to build a brand from scratch and survive hyper growth. Aliett explains how a decade in fashion modelling shaped his approach to creative work and why he walked away from consulting to build Fazit with co founder Nina LaBruna. She shares how their glitter freckles went viral when Taylor Swift wore them and what actually happens behind the scenes when sales jump by thousands of per cent overnight. We dig into supply chain pressure, copycats, international expansion and what it means to keep a brand focused when attention moves fast.Guest: Aliett Buttelman, co founder of FazitKey Takeaways:Virality only matters when a brand has the operational foundation to handle demand.Copycats are inevitable but innovation and strong brand identity create defensibility.International expansion requires clarity of vision, not speed for the sake of it.Founders need consistent decision making to avoid drifting away from their original mission.🎧 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

Jim Cregan built Jimmy’s Iced Coffee from a simple idea into a national brand. This episode captures how he pushed through debt, setbacks and doubt to create real momentum.Speaking with Jim Cregan reminded me how often founders underestimate the grind behind a brand that looks simple from the outside. Jim described the early days of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee when he was £50,000 in debt, unsure of the next step and carrying the pressure of keeping the business alive. What shifted things was not luck. It was action. Handwritten letters, direct outreach, relentless product sampling and a refusal to step back when the numbers looked bleak. This Bite sized episode is a sharp reminder that momentum usually starts at the point where most people quit.Guest: Jim Cregan, Co founder of Jimmy’s Iced CoffeeKey Takeaways:Momentum often begins when financial pressure is highest.Personal outreach can open doors large campaigns cannot.Simplicity and product quality build trust faster than branding claims.Resilience matters more than perfect planning in the early stages. 🎧 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

Passenger started as a simple lifestyle idea yet grew into a purpose led brand with a loyal community and a clear mission. This episode breaks down how it happened and what founders can learn from the journey.Speaking with Richard Sutcliffe reminded me how often founders overlook the power of building something with clear intent. Passenger began as a small lifestyle project shaped by surf trips, long drives and a need for breathing space. It grew because the purpose was honest and the community saw themselves in the story. Ritchard talked openly about the pressure of personal challenges, the role of naivety, the importance of ego control and the reality that a brand must outgrow the founder to survive. This episode is a useful listen for anyone who wants to build something that lasts and still feels grounded in real purpose.Guest: Richard Sutcliffe, Founder of PassengerKey Takeaways:Purpose creates clarity when the business hits difficult stages.Community forms when the brand story is honest and consistent.Naivety can be an advantage when it removes assumptions.Founders must step back if they want the brand to scale.🎧 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

The Atherton siblings built their careers on speed, resilience and control. What makes this bite sized episode powerful is how they used the same mindset to build a business. They went from dominating downhill racing to founding Atherton Bikes and taking ownership of their future rather than relying on sponsors or external decisions.In this segment they walk through the moment they committed to designing their own downhill bike. They teamed up with suspension engineer Dave Weigel and created more than one hundred prototypes to refine the fastest bike they could produce. They adopted 3D printed technology used in F1 and aerospace, built accuracy into every component and set standards that many brands avoid because they take too long.Their story highlights the discipline needed to shift from athlete thinking to business thinking. They learned to take calculated risks, build a team, trust specialists and stay patient through the early phases where nothing feels stable. Their approach shows founders what strong execution looks like. No shortcuts. No shortcuts. Just clarity, consistency and a willingness to build from the ground up.This is a valuable lesson for anyone at the early stage of a product idea. The Athertons show that excellence in performance transfers to excellence in business when you keep your standards high and your process simple.Key Takeaways:Calculated risks shape growth when backed by skill and preparationPrototyping reveals weaknesses quickly and strengthens final outputA strong team accelerates progress and keeps standards highInnovation grows when you learn from other industriesRacing discipline translates well into business disciplineOwnership creates independence and long term stability 🎧 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

Piers Linney delivered a clear message. AI is accelerating faster than most founders expect and the businesses that ignore it will fall behind. He showed how AI now handles cognitive work, personalisation, analysis and customer engagement at a scale no manual process can match. His point was direct. Founders must use AI every day and redesign their workflow around the tasks AI completes faster, cheaper and with greater accuracy.Piers Linney is an entrepreneur, investor and co-founder of Implement AI and is known for his work on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, where he helped spotlight the next generation of technology driven businesses.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

This week, I sit down with Anthony “Staz” Stazicker, former Royal Marine and Special Forces operator turned entrepreneur and co-founder of ThruDark, one of the UK’s fastest-growing technical outerwear brands.After more than a decade in the military, Staz left behind the structure, purpose, and intensity of Special Forces life to start from scratch. What began as an idea between two former Marines has become a global brand built on authenticity, resilience, and relentless standards.In this bite-sized episode, Staz shares how he applied the lessons from combat to business — how to stay disciplined when motivation fades, why routine beats inspiration, and what it really means to take a leap of faith.If you’ve ever found yourself stuck, overthinking, or struggling to start, this is the 10-minute reset you need.Key Takeaways:Discipline Builds Momentum: Success rarely comes from motivation. It comes from showing up every day and sticking to the plan.Break Challenges into Small Wins: Whether in the military or in business, progress comes from breaking goals down into manageable steps.Plan, Prepare, Execute: Treat your business like a mission. Preparation and structure give you clarity when things get tough.Accountability Over Excuses: Structure your day with intention. The smallest habits compound into lasting results.🎧 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

When Andy Mooney joined Nike at just 25, he was meant to stay behind the numbers. But within months, he realised real business success came from understanding people, not spreadsheets.In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It episode, Andy shares how a risky decision early in his career changed everything. He stepped outside his comfort zone, bet on consumer insights rather than corporate caution, and ended up transforming Nike’s marketing direction.That move not only defined his leadership style but also set the stage for a remarkable career spanning Disney, Quiksilver, and now Fender Musical Instruments.This is a story about trusting your gut, asking questions no one else will, and being willing to take a leap when opportunity knocks.Key TakeawaysRisk can redefine your career. Andy’s transition from finance to marketing shows the power of bold decisions.Learn from the customer, not the boardroom. The best ideas often come from the people using your product.Curiosity beats experience. Andy’s willingness to ask unconventional questions led to career-changing opportunities.Back yourself. Sometimes, one confident decision can shape the rest of your professional life.🎧 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

My guest this week is Andrew Hulbert, founder of Pareto FM, who started his business from his bedroom at 27 with no name, network, or funding and grew it to a £42 million turnover before exiting less than a decade later.Andrew’s story is one of calculated risk, relentless focus, and smart scaling. From landing his first £200,000 contract with the Bulgari Hotel to winning major clients like Twitter, ASOS, and Deliveroo, his approach to business growth was simple: do what big companies get wrong, and do it exceptionally well.In this episode, we discuss the realities of starting from zero, why being “too small” can become your biggest advantage, and how creating sweet equity helped him retain every senior hire across nine years. Andrew also shares what life looks like post-exit. Family, friends, and purpose and what it truly takes to let go without losing identity.If you’re at the stage where you’re thinking of starting, scaling, or selling, this conversation will help you think more strategically about risk, people, and purpose.Key Takeaways:Start with One Win: Focus on getting your first deal, not the perfect business plan. Momentum starts with movement.People Are Everything: Hire for motivation, not CVs. Pareto’s 17 senior leaders stayed through to exit because they shared the vision and had skin in the game.Be Willing to Bet on Growth: Andrew’s decision to reinvest £1 million into overheads helped double the company’s value in two years.Know When to Step Back: The biggest challenge isn’t starting, it’s letting go. Learning to trust others is what takes a founder from operator to leader.Redefine Success After Exit: Freedom doesn’t come from a payout, it comes from presence—being there for family, friends, and yourself.🎧 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

Sometimes the right opportunity doesn’t come knocking, you have to send the email.In this Bite-sized episode, I speak with Tom Gozney, founder of Gozney, about the moment that took his business from a small British startup to global recognition. After entering Virgin’s Pitch to Rich competition, Tom didn’t win but he did get something far more valuable: a personal email from Sir Richard Branson.What happened next was surreal. Tom replied boldly, saying Necker Island needed a Gozney oven. Weeks later, he found himself flying out to the Caribbean to install one of his ovens on Turtle Beach. He worked in the heat, wrote his wedding speech on the sand, and realised he’d built something extraordinary from his garden project.This story captures the heart of entrepreneurship: resilience, timing, and the confidence to reach out when others might hesitate.Key TakeawaysCreate your own luck. Tom’s story shows how initiative opens doors that awards can’t.Be bold with opportunity. One brave message led to a career-defining collaboration.Hard work pays off—literally. Installing ovens in Caribbean heat was proof that commitment builds credibility.Success often feels surreal. From home projects to Necker Island, progress often comes quietly until you look back.🎧 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 does it take to build one of the world’s most loved ethical brands without losing your principles?In this episode, I sit down with Rowena Bird, co-founder of Lush, to talk about the 30-year journey of growing from a small shop in Poole to a global retail brand with over 900 stores worldwide. Rowena shares how Lush has managed to scale without outside investors, why they’ve never compromised on values, and what it really takes to stay true to your ethics in business.From selling stock at car boot sales to opening flagship stores on Oxford Street and donating over £100 million to grassroots charities, Rowena’s story is proof that a business can thrive by doing good. We discuss the lessons she’s learned about scaling slowly, building a family-run business, and choosing people and partnerships based on trust rather than profit.She also opens up about Lush’s bold decision to leave social media, their commitment to fair trade and cruelty-free products, and how innovation continues to shape their future with concepts like Lush Hair Labs and safe hair dyes.This episode is a must-listen for founders, ethical entrepreneurs, and anyone questioning whether you can stay true to your principles and still build something big.Key TakeawaysGrow with control. Scale step-by-step so you always understand your business before expanding.Hold your values firm. Never trade ethics for margin. Protect your principles, even when it costs more.Choose people over profit. Work with partners you like and trust. Strong relationships sustain a business.Stay innovative. Keep experimenting with products and experiences that align with your mission.Make impact part of business. Lush has donated £100 million to grassroots charities while remaining profitable.🎧 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 success leaves you feeling empty?In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It episode, I revisit my conversation with Dan Murray-Serter, co-founder of Heights and host of Secret Leaders. Dan shares the exact moment he realised his business, Gravel, was winning awards but draining his purpose.Rather than chase growth for the sake of it, Dan and his co-founder made a bold call, to shut the company down, return investor money, and start from zero. Out of that decision came Heights, a brain-care brand built on science, transparency, and genuine wellbeing.This short episode is about the courage to stop, reassess, and rebuild with intention. It’s a must-listen for founders feeling stuck, burned out, or questioning their direction.Key TakeawaysBurnout can be a signal, not a setback. When your work drains you, it’s often a sign to change direction.Success without purpose feels empty. Dan learned that achievements mean little without alignment to your values.Resetting isn’t failure. Ending a company can open space for something far stronger.Build around authenticity. Heights grew from being transparent, not perfect.Courage comes from clarity. Once Dan recognised what felt wrong, the decision to start again became obvious.🎧 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. 🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast. 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

When the world shut down in 2020, most entrepreneurs hit pause. Andrew Salter hit “go.”In this episode, I speak with Andrew, Co-founder and CMO of DIRTEA, the UK-based functional mushroom brand that’s grown into a global wellness movement. What started as a pivot during the pandemic has become one of the fastest-growing lifestyle brands in health and wellness.Andrew and his brother Simon launched DIRTEA from a personal need to improve focus, recovery and energy, and turned it into a viral brand trusted by athletes, creatives and wellness enthusiasts. From their Selfridges mushroom bar activation to their viral social content, DIRTEA has built a loyal following by combining science, storytelling and community.We talk about the lessons learned from building a brand during a crisis, how to make a niche product mainstream, and the balance between boldness and belief in entrepreneurship. Andrew also shares his honest take on scaling a business, why hiring is the hardest part of growth, and how the US market represents the next big chapter for DIRTEA.If you’re building a product-led business or a brand that challenges convention, this conversation is packed with insights on how to educate a market, create a movement, and lead with purpose.Key Takeaways:Go all in when the moment feels right. Andrew’s “screw it, just do it” moment came when the pandemic hit—he doubled down instead of pulling back.Education drives adoption. DIRTEA’s early success came from demystifying functional mushrooms through social content and real-world experiences.Viral growth is built on authenticity. Their personal story and design-led approach made the brand relatable, human and shareable.Quality builds longevity. Obsession with sourcing, taste and efficacy kept customers coming back.Community over campaigns. DIRTEA’s success came from showing up in person, building a movement and empowering advocates.🎧 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. 🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast. 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

In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It episode, I sit down with Adam Rossiter and Elliot Dawes, co-founders of Bulk, one of the UK’s biggest sports and active nutrition brands. What started as two university friends buying supplements from the US turned into a £100 million company built without a single penny of outside investment.Adam and Elliot share how they started with £3,000 on a credit card, packed their own boxes, handled customer service themselves, and slowly built traction through word of mouth and online forums. They talk about the point when they realised they had to grow beyond being two founders doing everything, and how one competitor’s sale changed their mindset about scaling.This segment is a raw and honest look at the early grind of building a business and how discipline, persistence, and belief turned a side hustle into one of the leading names in nutrition.Key Takeaways:How £3,000 in credit card debt became the foundation for a multimillion-pound brand.Why doing every role in your business teaches lessons no MBA can.How to recognise the moment to move from startup chaos to structured growth.The power of reinvesting profit and keeping control instead of chasing funding.Why comparison can push you to level up your business vision.🎧 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.🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast.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 drives someone to launch a sushi restaurant with robots, conveyor belts, and a million-pound setup when they’ve never worked in hospitality?In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Simon Woodroffe OBE, the visionary founder behind Yo! Sushi and YOTEL, to talk about risk, creativity, and why going bigger can sometimes be safer.Simon shares how he went from designing rock and roll stages for the likes of Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones to opening the UK’s first conveyor belt sushi bar in 1997. With no investors and limited cash, he pulled off one of the boldest brand launches in modern British food history, financing it through creative deals with Sony, Honda and All Nippon Airways.From those early days in Soho to building YOTEL and beyond, Simon’s story is one of relentless curiosity, self-belief, and calculated risk. He reflects on what drives entrepreneurs, how to balance creativity with operations, and the importance of raising money with confidence.If you’ve ever questioned whether to take the leap on your idea, this episode proves that vision backed by persistence can build an empire.Key TakeawaysRaise money with conviction. Confidence sells your vision as much as the business plan itself.Spend on experience, not advertising. Word of mouth built Yo! Sushi faster than any marketing budget could.Go bigger, not safer. The larger the ambition, the more belief and accountability it attracts.Creativity and execution go hand in hand. Simon’s background in showbiz gave him the tools to design unforgettable customer experiences.Luck favours those who act. Every bold decision opens another door.🎧 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. 🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast. 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 does it take to start a billion-dollar company during a financial crisis? In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It episode, I sit down with Oscar Höglund, co-founder and CEO of Epidemic Sound, to hear how he turned a broken music licensing industry into a global platform used by millions of creators. Oscar shares how he and his co-founders launched Epidemic Sound in 2008 at the height of the recession, why they decided to rewrite the rules of music licensing, and how their vision to “soundtrack the internet” fuelled their growth. His story is a powerful lesson in resilience, timing, and taking risks when others hold back.Key Takeaways:Why starting in a recession can be an advantage for bold entrepreneurs.How Epidemic Sound spotted a broken system and built a solution creators needed.The importance of unrestricted music licensing for the creator economy.Why conviction in your mission matters more than playing by old industry rules.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday - so makes 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. 🔥 Want to take things further? Join me in person this October at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on the 8–9th October at the NEC in Birmingham. The Festival of Entrepreneurs is where 5-10,000 ambitious founders come together to learn from the people who've actually done it. I'm giving my listeners free 2-day passes.  Real entrepreneurs, real stories, real strategies – exactly like what you're hearing right now, but live and in person. Go to www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and grab your free pass before they're gone.  https://eventdata.uk/Visitor/FestivalOfEntrepreneurs2025.aspx?TrackingCode=ACHISNALL 👉 Follow the show. Turn up in October. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

When most graduates were applying for traditional jobs, Darcy Laceby made a different choice. At 20, she co-founded Absolute Collagen alongside her mum, Maxine, transforming bone broth experiments at their kitchen table into a £50 million challenger brand. In this conversation, Darcy shares the reality of building a beauty business from scratch, navigating early investment decisions, scaling a direct-to-consumer brand, and working in a family-run business. We also explore the challenges of being a young female founder, how to stand your ground with investors, and why belief in yourself can accelerate growth.Key Takeaways:The early days of Absolute Collagen and how a kitchen-table idea became a £50M brandNavigating the challenges of scaling a family businessThe importance of belief, persistence, and trusting your own expertiseLessons in investment, growth, and leading a fast-scaling teamDarcy’s vision for the future of health, nutrition, and personalised wellness🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday - so makes 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. 🔥 Want to take things further? Join me in person this October at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on the 8–9th October at the NEC in Birmingham. The Festival of Entrepreneurs is where 5-10,000 ambitious founders come together to learn from the people who've actually done it. I'm giving my listeners free 2-day passes.  Real entrepreneurs, real stories, real strategies – exactly like what you're hearing right now, but live and in person. www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.ukRegister her for FREE: https://eventdata.uk/Visitor/FestivalOfEntrepreneurs2025.aspx?TrackingCode=ACHISNALL 👉 Follow the show. Turn up in October. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

On this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Nir Eyal, bestselling author of Indistractable, to unpack the real reason entrepreneurs get stuck. Nir shares how distraction doesn’t come from phones, emails, or social media, but from within. He explains how boredom, stress, and loneliness drive us towards procrastination and how learning to manage internal triggers can change everything. Nir also reveals his simple mantra of consistency over intensity, showing how small, repeatable actions compound into real change in business, health, and life. Whether you are scaling a startup or just trying to stay focused through the noise, this is a practical, no-nonsense framework you can use straight away.Key Takeaways:Distraction starts from internal triggers, not external interruptions.Time management requires pain management, you must address the discomfort you’re trying to escape.Consistency over intensity builds lasting progress in business, health, and creativity.You can’t outsource focus, you must decide how to spend your time and attention.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday - so makes 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. 🔥 Want to take things further? Join me in person this October at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on the 8–9th October at the NEC in Birmingham. The Festival of Entrepreneurs is where 5-10,000 ambitious founders come together to learn from the people who've actually done it. I'm giving my listeners free 2-day passes.  Real entrepreneurs, real stories, real strategies – exactly like what you're hearing right now, but live and in person. Go to www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and grab your free pass before they're gone.  https://eventdata.uk/Visitor/FestivalOfEntrepreneurs2025.aspx?TrackingCode=ACHISNALL 👉 Follow the show. Turn up in October. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship