Learning As I Go

“Make everything easier for yourself, and be kinder to yourself”You might know Izzy Utterson as the “Glow Up Girl” and in this episode, you’ll hear the details behind Izzy’s glow up.After Izzy was diagnosed with psoriasis, and her mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Izzy found herself struggling with binge drinking and eating during this challenging moment in her life. Izzy shares with Scott how she transformed her life by practising habit stacking, creating a positive mindset and following small, consistent steps that lead to a monumental glow up. Now she’s taking to TikTok to share her story and inspire others to do the same. 

How do you turn a small startup into a billion-pound company? Paul Richardson is here to tell you.Paul and Gymshark founders Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan, as well as former CEO Steve Hewitt, took a conversation they had in a gym and turned it into a “Unicorn Business” valued at a billion pounds. You’ll hear the raw and real challenges of scaling a business, the importance of laying a strong foundation, and the secrets behind Paul's success.Paul tells Scott about his early days in the waste industry to his pivotal role in Gymshark, and now his venture with Hera London. Paul shares invaluable insights that are not just about making money, but about integrity, leadership, and the courage to back yourself.

“All I ever wanted was to be loved”You might remember Malin from series two of Love Island, but you’ll be shocked by what she’s been through outside of the villa. Malin tells Scott how the loss of her mother and infant daughter Consy led her to battle with substance abuse, and how it was only made worse by an abusive relationship.You’ll hear how Malin discovered meditation on her path to healing, and how she emerged as an author, motivational speaker, and mental health advocate. You’ll be inspired by her strength and resilience. 

"It's the first time on a football pitch I've been at ease."You might know Troy Deeney for that Watford goal against Leicester, but did you know he started that year in prison?Troy shares with Scott how he’s been shaped by his troubled childhood, how his early success in football soon spiralled out of control, and how it all led to a pivotal prison sentence that changed his life.You’ll hear how Troy overcame his demons, battled addiction, and transformed his life through self-discovery. Now Troy is constantly working on his mission to inspire and educate, becoming an outspoken advocate for mental health and social change.Troy is a reminder that our past does not define us, but how we rise from it does.

“I'm just a bloke from Stoke and I like making music”You might know Wes Nelson from Love Island, or his number one song ABRACADABRA with Craig David. But did you know that he started out as a nuclear engineer?Wes tells Scott how he transcended his reality TV roots to become a chart-topping artist, collaborating with people like Craig David and French Montana. Despite his massive success, you’ll hear how Wes has struggled with his identity as an artist and dealt with the challenges of his public perception. Wes opens up about his struggles with imposter syndrome, how they’ve even led to panic attacks, and how hard work, talent, and the courage to redefine himself have helped Wes reach new heights.

"We sold 30 million records and yet we didn't get any money"Coleen Nolan was a performer from the age of two but has had anything but an easy journey. Coleen tells Scott how The Nolan Sisters went from singing in working men's clubs in Blackpool to getting escorted by the army in Japan; and how the payoff wasn’t what any of them expected.Coleen opens up about the challenges that she’s faced along the way, and how it wasn’t until her mid-fifties that she was able to feel in control of her own life.You’ll hear the effect cancer has had on Coleen's family, how the people around Coleen help her remain grounded, and the surprising thing that she looks forward to coming home to.

“Believe in yourself and have the right people around you”Imagine having your dream football career cut short at 20. That was the case for Bradley Simmonds. Since then, he’s used the discipline instilled from his early days at Chelsea to build a fitness empire. Bradley tells Scott about the resilience and business acumen that propelled him to the top, and how he transitioned from playing with Chelsea to training A-list celebrities like One Direction, the Spice Girls, and even top athletes.You’re going to hear Bradley’s unique fitness philosophy, his secret to balancing a high-flying career with a grounded lifestyle, and the pivotal moments that led him to work with major brands like GQ, Men's Health and Mercedes Benz.

“Our darkest times are sent to us so that we can level up.”Ferne McCann was desperate to become famous and found it in shows like TOWIE, Celebs Go Dating and I’m A Celebrity. Since then, Ferne has turned her life from a party girl to a wellness-focused entrepreneur and devoted mother.But change isn't always easy when you’re constantly in the spotlight, and she tells Scott about the real and raw challenges she’s faced. Including a particularly tough time while filming TOWIE. You’ll hear how Ferne has embraced wellness, and how she’s encouraging others to do the same. Plus Ferne shares why her secret formula for happiness includes sticking her feet in the ground.

“I need to stop doing this because I’m absolutely ruining myself”Imagine earning hundreds of thousands at 19 and touring the world before you hit 20. That’s the life of make-up megastar Mitchell Halliday. At just 25, Mitchell has turned his love for makeup into a multimillion-pound global empire, Made by Mitchell.However, Mitchell tells Scott how it hasn’t always been plain sailing, and how constant spending sprees almost took him to the point of ruin. Mitchell credits his team with helping him turn around his mindset to money. You’ll hear how a young lad from Bolton conquered the world of beauty to create TikTok's number-one-selling brand, and how for Mitchell success isn't just about the numbers.

“If I can get through that, then everything else is insignificant”Gemma Atkinson has been on a journey from soap star and pinup icon to a powerhouse of fitness and resilience. Gemma is on a mission to help everyone feel confident in their body. Gemma shares with Scott her secret to being physically and mentally strong, how she came to embrace strength and nutrition and how she finds time for her wellness while also juggling being an actress, influencer, and motherYou’ll hear how the sudden loss of her dad helped Gemma find the perspective she needs to stay grounded in a chaotic life.

“The laugh went into my bloodstream and I was like - what was that?”Russell Kane started his career selling watches, and now he’s won two of the biggest awards in comedy. So what changed, and what’s the secret to his confidence?Russell tells Scott how he found his feet in the comedy world, how stand-up quickly took over his life, and how he became addicted to getting laughs.You’ll hear how Russell learned the hard way that to make it to the top, you have to be your most authentic self, not an imitation of others. Plus, Russell shares how he discovered BioHacking, and why he’s on a crusade against aging.

“There's ​no ​love ​like ​I've ​ever ​felt ​for ​my ​children”Lucy Meck was thrown into the spotlight aged 18 when she joined the cast of TOWIE. Now she’s a business mogul and a devoted mother. Lucy tells Scott how she dealt with finding fame overnight and stayed grounded when everyone had an opinion on her appearance.You’ll hear how Lucy has thrived since her time on TOWIE, how she built her wellness brand RWL and how she found love in the most unlikely of places - a deserted island. Plus, Lucy shares the strength, resilience, and authenticity she’s needed to be a mum, especially during her toughest moments.

“I was searching for war. I wanted to be at war every day”Ollie’s life changed at just 10 years old, but how did this event lead to Ollie becoming a real-life action man and former special forces hero?You’ll hear some of the worst experiences he faced during his time in Iraq, and that sometimes he thought he wouldn’t make it back. Ollie tells Scott how alcohol was just one thing he used to cope, what that did to his mind, and why he then chose the path to sobriety.Ollie shares how locking himself away for three months helped him manifest his goals. Ollie visualised starting his business Break Point, and that led to creating Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins.You’ll learn about the power of the subconscious mind, the importance of continuous self-improvement and how you can reach your true potential. 

CW: This episode contains references to suicide“I feel like I’ve got a purpose now”Alex Bowen opens up for the first time, about how the loss of a close personal friend has helped him find a new purpose in life.Scott and Alex also discuss living with anxiety and the importance of enjoying your successes, rather than constantly pushing yourself too hard.Plus Alex shares insights into his family life, and how his relationship with Liv on Love Island progressed into them saying “I do”.

"My nan would say stay sassy every night before bed”Steph Elswood has turned her life around from an eating disorder partly thanks to a phrase from her nan, which is now at the core of one of her biggest successes. A women’s wellbeing and dance community called Stay Sassy.Steph had suffered from an eating disorder and negative thoughts about her body while training to be a dancer. At one point in her dance career, one teacher told her to lose weight from her knees.Scott and Steph share their respective journeys with sobriety and diet and discuss how the most important thing of all is to keep doing what’s right for you.

“It was like looking at miracles.”Nadia Thorburn is mum to four children; including TRIPLETS!Thousands have followed her on Instagram as her children have grown up. But what’s the real story of Nadia’s second pregnancy?Nadia opens up to Scott about how she struggled to convince people she was pregnant with more than one baby, and the effects a pregnancy like that can have on your body and your mind.Scott hears about the strength of Nadia’s motherly love and also how determined she is to keep it real for her social media followers

“Where are you now? Where do you want to be?”On this week’s episode Scott is joined by his personal business coach, David Poxon. David uses his experience and expertise to help business owners identify and achieve their goals through the adoption of high-performance mindsets, and the practice of self-belief.David believes every business owner can benefit from working alongside a coach - so they can become ‘the best they can be and smash the results in their business’. Scott has discovered the value a coach can bring and discusses how David has helped him to consider and achieve his own goals.For anyone looking for advice on setting and achieving goals, this podcast is packed with valuable information about the steps you can take to grow and develop.Find out more about David Poxon here: https://actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/david-poxon/Read ‘The E-Myth Revisited’ by Michael E Gerber: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280Read ‘The Chimp Paradox’ by Professor Steve Peters: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chimp-Paradox-Management-Programme-Confidence/dp/009193558XIf you have found yourself singing the theme tune you can hear more from Mic Lowry here: @miclowrySend Scott a message on Instagram here: @scott.thomas

“Looking back at it now, it makes me feel sick”Chris Fountain had it all. He was Hollyoaks golden boy age only 15 and then made an unprecedented move over to Coronation Street where he took up the role of Tommy Duckworth. Then one mistake changed everything, and he lost that job on Coronation Street. Thanks to Chris’ resilient mindset and determination to improve himself - he’s back and is auditioning for some massive roles.You’ll hear how it hasn’t been a straight path for Chris, and how the lessons he’s learnt about himself have made him more determined than ever. Season 3 of Learning As I Go is supported by British Triathlon.  Throughout this series, you’ll hear updates from Scott as he trains for his first triathlon in July. You can join Scott at the Sunderland triathlon by clicking here and using the code LEARNING25 at checkout for 25 pounds off.

“You become last week's news if you’re not performing”What’s it like, losing an Olympic medal to your best friend?It took former triathlete world champion Non Stanford eighteen months to come back from that moment. She shares with Scott how that affected her and how she was able to pick herself back up and compete again. Non shares some of the sacrifices she had to make to become a world champion, including the rigorous training programme that got her to the top.You’ll also hear Non reflect on the role that Dame Kelly Holmes had in her career, and why she fell in love with triathlon in the first place. Season 3 of Learning As I Go is supported by British Triathlon. Throughout this series, you’ll hear updates from Scott as he trains for his first triathlon in July. You can join Scott at the Sunderland triathlon by clicking here and using the code LEARNING25 at checkout for 25 pounds off.

“I was obsessed with winning”Superbike world champion Carl Fogarty shares with Scott how he used his fearlessness to become one of the most successful riders of all time. Carl discusses where his winning mentality came from, and the only thing he was ever scared of was losing. Scott also hears how close to death Carl came by taking part in one of the most dangerous sports in the world and the impact that’s had on him and his family. Carl describes what life is like now that he’s retired, and has become “the world’s fastest Granddad.”Season 3 of Learning As I Go is supported by British Triathlon. Throughout this series, you’ll hear updates from Scott as he trains for his first triathlon in July. You can join Scott at the Sunderland triathlon by clicking here and using the code LEARNING25 at checkout for 25 pounds off.