The Confidence Clinic Season 1, Episode 3: Dominic McGregor.

Flashback to your Uni years: how often did we consider dropping out of college to work full-time on our own business idea? A couple of times? More like once a semester maybe… Well, that’s pretty much what our guest for this episode of ‘The Confidence Clinic’ did, and with unexpected outcomes: welcome (and bravo!) Dominic McGregor.

Let’s backtrack for a second: Dom starts a Twitter account ‘Student Problems’ while at university. To his surprise, the account takes off massively drawing the attention of what will become new Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett. The two cheeky minds join forces and found ‘Social Chain’, a business that uses social media to influence culture. As the start-up gets more and more traction, Dom decides to pull the plug on education and deep dive into this pursuit. And look where he’s got to now, with two businesses started under his belt. Check out his Fearless Adventures - not bad for someone who was considered a school drop-out!

But how did Dom actually navigate it all? Lots of confidence, you might answer. Yes, but drive, being hungry for life and moving through early success can take a toll on someone’s mental health. The pressure of running a fast-growing business put him on a downward slope including drug addiction, alcohol abuse, crippling anxiety and, of course, self-doubt. And that’s exactly what you’ll hear on this episode: now 6 years sober, Dom reflects back on his journey through success and addiction, in a spiral that took him from confused to confident to confused and back to confident again. Amongst the many honest and valuable tips, you’ll hear how he’s been holding onto success (and happiness!) by sticking to sobriety, moving in small steps, celebrating every victory, and taking care of mind, body, and soul at once. Don’t miss out on these vulnerable and juicy shares!

Episode Highlights:

• University can be a great time to kickstart a business as there is less risk and plenty of time and energy available.


• It's important to have an open mind and to take risks when starting a business, but also to understand that it's not always easy and it often requires sacrifices.


• Having top knowledge in an up-and-coming business field can give an entrepreneur more appeal and opportunities.


• Confidence and delusion can be helpful in driving an entrepreneur forward, but they can also lead to personal struggles.


• Highs in business have a ceiling, but lows can spiral out of control, so it's important to have healthy coping strategies in place.


• Acceptance, facing the pain, seeking help and commitment to change are essential steps to overcoming addiction.


• Making sure mind-body-soul are in a good place is paramount to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and going about your dreams and goals.

About Dom: Dominic McGregor is the Founding Partner at Fearless Adventures and the Founder and ex-COO at Social Chain.

Connect with Dom (guest): Instagram: @dpjmcgregor | LinkedIn: @Dominic McGregor

Connect with Me (host): Instagram: @drjaneleonard