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ATOMIC

Don't Work Harder

A Entrepreneurship and Business podcast

#198 in Entrepreneurship · 🇬🇧
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About the show

Don’t Work Harder is a show about taking bolder, braver moves in your small business. Made by ATOMIC, and hosted by Suman Randhawa, Don’t Work Harder is the show for business owners who are done playing small and know that just working harder isn’t the answer. Each week, you’ll hear a pivotal strategy from incredible guests that sparked a bold leap to their next level of growth. These are the breakthroughs that came from thinking bigger, acting braver, and doing things differently.

Newest episodes

How to Build a One-Person Business With Just 5 Clients (£30K/mo)

43 min

The rise of the one person business is here. You started your business for freedom. You want more money, more control, more time for the things you actually care about. But instead you're working 12 hour days. You haven't had a proper weekend in months, and you can't even remember the last time you weren't thinking about work. Everyone tells you the answer is to hire and build a team. Shoaib Ahmed did all of that. He built a personal branding agency, hired a team of six, and worked with 170 clients in three years. But it nearly destroyed him. He was working 18 hour days. He'd stopped sleeping and couldn’t walk down the street without work stress. And it ended with him in a hospital corridor on an IV drip, being told his body was shutting down from exhaustion. Shoaib’s business is now the OPPOSITE of that… he’s living his dream life. He runs his business alone, with five clients. No team, no overheads. He finishes work at 2:30pm every day, and he takes holidays without a laptop. Even better… he's making multi-6 figures, which is more revenue than he did before!!!! In this episode, Shoaib breaks down: How to earn a lot of money just working with 5 clients that you love His exactly daily routine to finish work at 2:30pm every day How to take a week off with your phone off, without losing a single client How to know when to fire clients you don't like working with And so much more. This is the full guide to building the dream one person business. ------ 0:00 How to earn more by running a smaller business 2:23 Burning down the agency at his biggest revenue month 2:57 From agency employee to freelancer 4:38 The hustle years and 18-hour days 6:01 The hospital moment that changed everything 7:04 Why freedom became the whole goal 7:55 Preparing the team before closing 10:18 How he picked which clients to keep 12:17 The record 30K month and finding purpose 14:00 From 90 tasks to 3 focus areas 15:31 Working in sprints and rest mode 16:08 Revenue dropping f...

Meet the LinkedIn Genius Behind Chris Donnelly

59 min

Getting your content seen on LinkedIn feels soooooo hard these days. 👉 https://atomic.site/sales-script 👈 Download your Sales Call Script Template to convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy You keep posting, hoping to get more followers and connections. But all you end up with is a few likes from old work colleagues and an AI generated comment or three. And the only activity in your DMs is people pitching you on a ‘quick coffee chat’ to sell you something 🤦‍♂️ But you see some people blowing up and getting crazy growth and opportunities. How are those people doing it? Josh Sanders knows exactly how to go from banging your head against the wall to exploding on LinkedIn. He helped Chris Donnelly (one of the fastest-growing LinkedIn pages and personal brands in the world) gain 170,000 LinkedIn followers in just three months. Three years later Chris is at over 3 million followers, and built a £10 million education business leveraging that audience.. The crazy thing?? Josh did that by running a LinkedIn content system that works for ANYONE, in any industry, starting from scratch!! In this episode, Josh gives away the exact engine they use: - One content format that is growing accounts faster than any other right now (most people get this wrong) - How to find content ideas that are already proven to go viral - so you already know your content is going to work - How to “borrow” a bigger creator’s audience and grow quickly off the back of it - How to use AI to write content that actually sounds like you - not like everyone else’s Chat GPT slop - The free resource that drives 75% of their revenue - and how to build your own following the exact same template This episode gives you the exact step by step system that built one of the fastest growing personal brands in the world… and it’s easy for you to copy to do the same for your LinkedIn! ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponso...

Give me 47 Minutes and I’ll Teach You How to Scale from 6 to 7 Figures in Business

1 hr 10 min

Your business is making money. But it's stopped GROWING. Way too many business owners hit the 6-figure range and then get stuck, working long hours just to maintain their revenue. But it shouldn't be like that. You've done the hard part - you've got your business off the ground. Now it's the time to scale! You probably don't know exactly how to get to your first 7-figure year. But Annissa Mohsin and Mohsin Ashraf do. They bootstrapped their business to £30 million in revenue, 200,000+ customers and 70+ staff. Neither of them came from an entrepreneurial background. In this episode, Annissa and Mohsin gave away the exact framework they use to scale businesses from 6 figures to 7. They revealed: * An easy exercise that reveals EXACTLY why your business isn't growing - so you know how to fix it. * How to reach the 97% of your dream client base who will never see your marketing * How to increase your average customer spend, so you make more profit without needing to sell to more clients. * The email system that made them £100,000 a month - and how you can replicate it to scale your business! * How to get customers coming back again and again (Because that's where the real profit and growth is) * One upsell that you can introduce to double what each customer is worth to you - and double your revenue If your business has stalled in the six figures, this episode gives you the exact framework to break into the £1M+ revenue range. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll challenge, support and accelerat...

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All episodes

How to Build a One-Person Business With Just 5 Clients (£30K/mo)

43 min

The rise of the one person business is here. You started your business for freedom. You want more money, more control, more time for the things you actually care about. But instead you're working 12 hour days. You haven't had a proper weekend in months, and you can't even remember the last time you weren't thinking about work. Everyone tells you the answer is to hire and build a team. Shoaib Ahmed did all of that. He built a personal branding agency, hired a team of six, and worked with 170 clients in three years. But it nearly destroyed him. He was working 18 hour days. He'd stopped sleeping and couldn’t walk down the street without work stress. And it ended with him in a hospital corridor on an IV drip, being told his body was shutting down from exhaustion. Shoaib’s business is now the OPPOSITE of that… he’s living his dream life. He runs his business alone, with five clients. No team, no overheads. He finishes work at 2:30pm every day, and he takes holidays without a laptop. Even better… he's making multi-6 figures, which is more revenue than he did before!!!! In this episode, Shoaib breaks down: How to earn a lot of money just working with 5 clients that you love His exactly daily routine to finish work at 2:30pm every day How to take a week off with your phone off, without losing a single client How to know when to fire clients you don't like working with And so much more. This is the full guide to building the dream one person business. ------ 0:00 How to earn more by running a smaller business 2:23 Burning down the agency at his biggest revenue month 2:57 From agency employee to freelancer 4:38 The hustle years and 18-hour days 6:01 The hospital moment that changed everything 7:04 Why freedom became the whole goal 7:55 Preparing the team before closing 10:18 How he picked which clients to keep 12:17 The record 30K month and finding purpose 14:00 From 90 tasks to 3 focus areas 15:31 Working in sprints and rest mode 16:08 Revenue dropping f...

Meet the LinkedIn Genius Behind Chris Donnelly

59 min

Getting your content seen on LinkedIn feels soooooo hard these days. 👉 https://atomic.site/sales-script 👈 Download your Sales Call Script Template to convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy You keep posting, hoping to get more followers and connections. But all you end up with is a few likes from old work colleagues and an AI generated comment or three. And the only activity in your DMs is people pitching you on a ‘quick coffee chat’ to sell you something 🤦‍♂️ But you see some people blowing up and getting crazy growth and opportunities. How are those people doing it? Josh Sanders knows exactly how to go from banging your head against the wall to exploding on LinkedIn. He helped Chris Donnelly (one of the fastest-growing LinkedIn pages and personal brands in the world) gain 170,000 LinkedIn followers in just three months. Three years later Chris is at over 3 million followers, and built a £10 million education business leveraging that audience.. The crazy thing?? Josh did that by running a LinkedIn content system that works for ANYONE, in any industry, starting from scratch!! In this episode, Josh gives away the exact engine they use: - One content format that is growing accounts faster than any other right now (most people get this wrong) - How to find content ideas that are already proven to go viral - so you already know your content is going to work - How to “borrow” a bigger creator’s audience and grow quickly off the back of it - How to use AI to write content that actually sounds like you - not like everyone else’s Chat GPT slop - The free resource that drives 75% of their revenue - and how to build your own following the exact same template This episode gives you the exact step by step system that built one of the fastest growing personal brands in the world… and it’s easy for you to copy to do the same for your LinkedIn! ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponso...

Give me 47 Minutes and I’ll Teach You How to Scale from 6 to 7 Figures in Business

1 hr 10 min

Your business is making money. But it's stopped GROWING. Way too many business owners hit the 6-figure range and then get stuck, working long hours just to maintain their revenue. But it shouldn't be like that. You've done the hard part - you've got your business off the ground. Now it's the time to scale! You probably don't know exactly how to get to your first 7-figure year. But Annissa Mohsin and Mohsin Ashraf do. They bootstrapped their business to £30 million in revenue, 200,000+ customers and 70+ staff. Neither of them came from an entrepreneurial background. In this episode, Annissa and Mohsin gave away the exact framework they use to scale businesses from 6 figures to 7. They revealed: * An easy exercise that reveals EXACTLY why your business isn't growing - so you know how to fix it. * How to reach the 97% of your dream client base who will never see your marketing * How to increase your average customer spend, so you make more profit without needing to sell to more clients. * The email system that made them £100,000 a month - and how you can replicate it to scale your business! * How to get customers coming back again and again (Because that's where the real profit and growth is) * One upsell that you can introduce to double what each customer is worth to you - and double your revenue If your business has stalled in the six figures, this episode gives you the exact framework to break into the £1M+ revenue range. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll challenge, support and accelerat...

The Cold Email Template to Land Dream Clients, Speaking Gigs and Opportunities

55 min

If you knew how to reach out to huge brands to create opportunities that would amplify your business AND get them to say YES ... imagine how much faster your business would grow! 👉 https://atomic.site/sales-script 👈 Download your Sales Call Script Template to convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy Whether that’s a huge brand you want as a client, a big podcast you’d like to be a guest on, or landing your dream speaking gig. If you could just get them to say yes, everything would change. But… they haven’t heard of you, and they just wouldn’t respond. Or they said yes in person and then ghosted you over email! But what if you knew the secrets to getting them to say yes? Kira Matthews has the secrets. She’s landed dream partnerships with Squarespace, Ganni, Papier and more - before anyone knew who she was. All from cold emails that actually got replies. In this episode, she reveals to you: -The exact cold email template that gets you replies from enormous brands -A super unique email subject line that gets EVERYONE curious and opening your emails -How to get a big brand to ask YOU about working together, so you never have to ask!!! -How to follow up that gets cold leads to actually respond to you (and how many follow-ups to send) -Exactly how you should price your services if you're not sure what to charge -What to do when people say no... that later turns that no into a yes! If you want the secrets to get huge brands opening your emails and saying YES, without the big follower numbers, watch this episode to get every trick you need. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs...

How to Be Confident Even if you're Not| Viral Public Speaking Expert

42 min

Beyoncé, Obama and Zendaya ALL use these speaking tricks… 👉 https://atomic.site/sales-script 👈 Download your Sales Call Script Template to convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy We all know what it’s like to get nervous for important sales calls, conversations or speaking gigs. It’s so frustrating. 😩 Viral public speaking expert Nausheen Chen knows exactly how to fix that. If you want to speak with insane confidence and charisma, so that people are hanging off your every word in all situations, then this week's episode will change your life.. Nausheen teaches you how you can speak confidently in any situation to get more yeses on sales calls, and be the most talked-about speaker at your next event. Nausheen is a three-time TEDx speaker who has coached CEOs in huge corporate positions, and studied the exact tricks celebrities are using to come across confident and charismatic. She teaches you: -How to answer ANY question on the spot… so people see you as an expert at what you do -A trick you can use to make people listen to you and stay engaged while you speak -A 60-second exercise that reveals your biggest speaking weaknesses, and teaches you exactly how to fix them - so more people listen to you and believe in what you say -How to sound extremely confident when you're nervous, so your nerves don’t effect your performance in sales conversations or important moments -An easy warm-up routine that will have you going into every important meeting or speaking gig confident and ready to perform at your best This episode will make you speak more confidently, enjoy important conversations without feeling awkward and attract better opportunities for you and your business! ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that....

How I Built a SaaS Startup (From idea to revenue)

52 min

Have you ever had an idea for an app or a piece of software that your customers would love? 👉 https://atomic.site/sales-script 👈 Download your Sales Call Script Template to convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy But you're not a developer. You can't code. And you don't have loads of money to spend on marketing. So the idea just sits there, because it feels like something you could never do. Today's guest will make you realise that starting and selling your own software business is possible for you. Colin Gray built and sold a 7 figure SaaS with no technical background, no paid ads, and no big marketing budget. And he built it as a lean, profitable business that was genuinely fun to run - the dream! Colin came into the studio and revealed: - Why you don't need a technical background to build and sell a software business - How to pick an idea people will pay for, before you start building it - How to have your first customers WAITING to sign up before you've built a thing - The exact system you can use to turn strangers into paying software customers on autopilot - How he competed with $100 million rivals without spending a penny on ads - One AWFUL mistake almost every growing founder makes (and how you can avoid it) - The boring habit that will make your business worth far more when you're ready to sell This episode gives you everything you need to build a software business, find customers for it, AND exit - without any software or technical experience 🤯 ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scali...

I’ve Sent 20 LinkedIn DMs Every Day for 3 Years: Here’s What Actually Works

51 min

You want more sales calls in your calendar, but selling in the DMs feels awkward. So you spend hours messaging people without booking any appointments. You don’t want to sound pushy, either. So conversations go back and forth for days… then things just fizzle out. We know there is one person in our space who has the secret sauce for making money in the DMs. It’s Charlotte Lloyd. Charlotte gets ALL of her clients for her 6 figure business from the DMs, and every message she sends gets a 50-70% response rate. That’s pretty unheard of - but for Charlotte it isn’t luck, it’s because she knows DM selling strategy better than anyone else we know. We wanted all of our listeners to finally start filling their calendars with sales calls from their DMs - so we convinced Charlotte to come into our studio and teach us everything she knows. And wow, she revealed absolutely everything: - Where you can find warm leads that will actually respond - The trick she uses to get 70%+ of her LinkedIn connection requests accepted - Exactly what the cold DM template that got her to six figures looks like - One thing you can put in every message so people know you aren’t writing with AI (this was geniusssss) - How she follows up with “dead” leads and gets them in her calendar - Charlotte has been sending cold DMs every week for years, and she’s learnt everything that works, and everything that doesn’t. Literally everyone who watches this conversation will leave with a proven DM strategy that will get you more qualified sales calls for your business 🤯 ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re seriou...

The Most Valuable Facebook Ads Training You’ll Ever Watch

41 min

You've just finished sending your batch of follow-up emails to all your potential clients that have ghosted you. The constant chase for new leads is super draining and annoying. Endless outreach, follow ups, launches, content, it's exhausting! But what if you never had to do another one of those ever again? What if you had a Facebook Ads funnel for your business that got you sales calls booked in consistently? That's exactly what this week's episode is going to show you. Gavin Bell built his agency from scratch and sold it for seven figures 3 years later. That’s faster growth than almost any other agency owner we’ve met. But what got him there wasn’t sending out cold outreach messages. It was by building a BULLET PROOF reliable Facebook ads system that predictably filled his calendar with sales calls with his dream clients. For this week’s episode, Gavin came into our studio to teach us exactly how you can use his exact Facebook ads strategy to fill your pipeline with sales calls every single week. Gavin doesn't hold anything back - he agreed to reveal his whole system. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll challenge, support and accelerate your journey, Mavericks Founders Network is for you. Sign up here: https://atomic.site/mavericks ------ Gavin's Website: https://mrgavinbell.com/ ------ 0:00 How a freelancer achieved a seven-figure exit 3:40 What makes a business worth buying? 6:29 How to make cold leads buy 10:13 How to spot a winning ad in 2 weeks 12:13 The secret to winning ad hooks 1...

LinkedIn Strategy: Win Corporate Clients Even if they Aren't Active

48 min

Nadia Nagamootoo started her business with a new baby, an MBA on the go, and just 6 months of runway. 11 years later, she runs Avenir Consulting - a multi six-figure leadership and inclusion consultancy with clients like Warner Bros, Starbucks, Paramount and AstraZeneca 🤯 But she didn't build it by going viral, or spending a ton of money on ads... She did it by building a personal brand designed to land BIG contracts. And in this conversation, Nadia breaks down exactly how she did it 👇 - How to get corporate decision-makers to notice you when they aren't active on social media 🙏 - The number of touch points you need to make with a corporate client before they spend big with you 👀 - How she used a podcast to build authority, grow her network and get in front of HUGE names in her industry 🎙️ - How one podcast guest eventually turned into a Warner Bros. Discovery contract 🤯 - The exact strategy she used to book big name podcast guests WAY outside her network 🔥 - How to become the person people think when they have a problem you can solve Plus, how she won a £36,000 MBA scholarship, built a big business with ZERO full time employees, and a lot more. Nadia knows exactly how to build a personal brand so that the right people know who you are, trust what you have to say, and think of you when they need help. If you want to build a personal brand that gets you big name clients - this episode is FULL of secrets you can implement to make that happen 🚀 ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll challenge,...

Why Your Personal Brand Isn't Making You Money

56 min

Everyone wants to generate lots of revenue and opportunities from their personal brand, but not many people know how. Today’s guest knows the secret. Justice Williams has attracted over 400 speaking engagements, built a Facebook community to 1,600 members in 3 months, a Clubhouse room to 20,000 in 6 weeks, and secured a $50,000 investment - all from her personal brand. Oh… and she’s a self-described introvert. In this conversation, Justice reveals the secret. She teaches us: - Why she decided to go all in on LinkedIn… NOT Instagram - The steps she takes to land big corporate clients on LinkedIn - The exact LinkedIn growth strategy that she used to land double her audience size - How she positioned herself as an expert, despite being an introvert and not the loudest person in the room - How she built a Facebook group to 1,600 members in 3 months with no funnel, email automation or ads - One little change that took her speaking fee from £200 to £2,000 - Why chasing views and visibility is the worst thing you can do for your personal brand - How she wins high ticket clients without being overly salesy - How she used other people's expertise to position HERSELF as the go-to name in her space 🤯 We knew that Justice’s track record was astonishing. But even we didn’t expect how she would be able to break down her methods into such practical, actionable steps. For anyone looking to use their personal brand to grow their business (and that really should be all of us!) this episode gives you the full playbook. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your...

Give Me 45 Minutes to Change How You Think About Sales Forever | Sales Expert

54 min

Dr. Alison Edgar MBE is one of the UK’s most recognised sales experts, a keynote speaker, TV business expert, and the woman known as the Entrepreneur’s Godmother. But her approach to sales is NOT about being pushy, manipulative or having the perfect script. It’s about understanding people. And if you think you’re “just not a salesperson”, Alison wants to change your mind. In this conversation, Alison reveals: - Why people who think they’re BAD at sales probably aren’t - and what they’re missing 👀 - The sales framework she created that ended up in Ireland’s national apprenticeship programme 💪 - Why understanding different personality types can COMPLETELY change the way you sell 🧠 - The BIGGEST mistakes business owners make when trying to close a sale - How to know when it’s actually time to ASK 💰 - Why networking ISN’T about selling to the people you meet 🤝 - How to become more confident in selling, even if you don't currently like sales Plus, the incredible story of how she received an MBE for entrepreneurship, why she got into Daniel Priestley’s taxi (?!), and the business lesson she believes matters more than simply working harder. Alison doesn’t believe great salespeople are born. Sales is a skill. And like any skill, it can be learned. Because once you understand the process, understand the person in front of you, and have the confidence to actually ask for the sale - selling starts to feel VERY different. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll challenge, support and accelerate your jour...

How to Build a Powerful Network as an Introvert | Full Strategy

15 min

Think you need to be outgoing, or "well-connected" to build a big network? In this Don't Work Harder highlight clip, author and speaker Simon Ong reveals how introverts can build high-level relationships that lead to big name clients and huge opportunities. Simon calls himself a naturally shy introvert. But through his genius strategies, he's built a network most people would KILL for. Simon reveals: - How he got a book endorsement from a HUGE name by befriending her hair stylist - and how you can do similar - A huge mindset shift that makes networking easier for introverts - How to make building relationships should be a daily habit, not a one-off event - The mantra he developed to remove ALL pressure from networking interactions - How to stay top-of-mind with the people who matter in your industry - How to add value to relationships without feeling awkward or transactional Want to build a better network? The secrets Simon reveals in this video will give you everything you need. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll challenge, support and accelerate your journey, Mavericks Founders Network is for you. Our next event is An Evening with Carrie Green in London on 17th September... and tickets are included in your Mavericks membership! Sign up here: https://atomic.site/mavericks ------ #DontWorkHarder #BusinessGrowth #SalesandMarketing

How Do You Build Scalable Income When Clients Take All Your Time?

13 min

That feeling at the end of the day when you're drained from client delivery. You'd love to stop and have something more scalable paying your bills consistently but you're trapped by great paying clients. It sounds weird to say that, but it's true - you can't launch the scalable thing whilst your time is taken up by clients that give you a steady income. You have no time or energy or headspace. but you can't stop what's paying the bills. So what do you do? In this powerful Don't Work Harder highlight clip, Lindsay McGlone reveals how they made the terrifying decision to phase out their most reliable income stream - because they knew it was the right choice for them and their clients. Lindsay was running Instagram accounts and making great money. But her creativity was drained and she knew she was holding back her best strategies because SHE would be the one who needed to deliver them. In this game-changing conversation, Lindsay reveals: - How to walk away from steady revenue that isn't serving you - without panicking 👀 - Why doing the work yourself might be limiting your best ideas - The financial safety net to build BEFORE making a big pivot - How to use your audience to hold you accountable to big goals Lindsay came into the studio and taught us that sometimes the bravest business move is letting go - when you know you need to. She proved that trusting yourself to build something better - even when the current model is paying you well - is often where real growth happens. ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with...

BITESIZE: Give Me 14 Minutes and I'll Convince You to 5x Your Prices

17 min

Want to make more money, work fewer hours, AND have happier clients? 👀 👉 https://atomic.site/sales-script 👈 Download your Sales Call Script Template to convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy In this powerful Don't Work Harder highlight clip, business coach Robin Waite reveals why raising your prices is likely the BEST move you'll ever make... Not the risk you think it is. He raised his web agency's prices by 5x (during a recession!!)... and watched his revenue climb, and his workload shrink 🚀 This conversation will completely shift your mindset on pricing - as Robin reveals: - Why raising your prices actually makes clients HAPPIER 👏 - How to justify premium prices without losing clients - Why hourly billing is costing you big £££ ❌ - The pricing sweet spot that puts you in the top 10% of your industry - Why new clients will happily pay double what your old clients paid - if you frame it right - Robin's strategy that lets you charge 10x more than your competitors 🚀 This conversation made us all realise that pricing is often the difference between burnout and freedom. Robin's pricing mindset and strategy will allow you to deliver better, serve deeper, and build a business that actually lasts - you don't want to miss this 💯 ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. Plus... monthly mastermind rooms led by expert coaches, exclusive Meet the Founder sessions, and a private Slack community of founders who are building alongside you. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll chall...

Rethink Everything You Know About Networking | Landing Huge Clients

12 min

Multi-award winning entrepreneur Andrew Hulbert reveals how NETWORKING built his business from a one-man operation into a hugely successful company in this powerful Don't Work Harder highlight clip. 👉 https://atomic.site/sales-script 👈 Download your Sales Call Script Template to convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy Most founders treat networking as a side project. For Andrew, it was his main growth strategy- and it worked 👀 Through his genius networking strategies and relentless mindset, he outperformed his industry's profit average by more than triple 🚀 In this game-changing conversation, Andrew reveals: How to read a room in 20 seconds One simple mindset shift that makes every networking conversation you have easier, and more impactful A habit that's killing your networking (that you probably don't realise you're doing) 👀 How to build your business a reputation before you've even launched How he got 150 articles published in major magazines - with zero PR budget Why some founders win when it comes to networking on LinkedIn, while others get ignored How to leverage industry awards to build your network (and which awards will waste your time) The power of getting one client to open the door to many more Andrew came into the studio and taught us to become the person other people want to speak with, recommend, and do business with. He proved networking can be an incredibly fast way to grow - and taught us how to make that happen 🚀 ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. Plus... monthly mastermind rooms led by expert co...

How To Get Big Name Clients For Your Small Agency

55 min

In just over 3 years, Callum McDonnell built his agency to 7 figures with 16 staff. And he’s had some HUGE name clients. Callum McDonnell is the founder of 7X, a content creation and end-to-end podcast agency, and host of The Creator Playbook podcast. He built it entirely bootstrapped, and when he was starting, he didn’t have an existing track record. In this conversation, Callum reveals: - The strategy he used to land his very first clients with NO reputation or track record 👀 - Why cold outreach completely failed him - and what he did instead to get high-profile potential clients to reply - How he turned one successful client into referrals, bigger opportunities and long-term retainers - How he got his own podcast guests to become paying clients - The PAINFUL lesson a huge business name taught him about hiring - The formula he uses to go viral with brand content every single time 🔥 - Why you need to say NO more than you say YES - and how that’s been the biggest unlock for him to get to 7 figures If you’re trying to win clients but feel held back because you don’t have a portfolio, testimonials or a big personal brand yet, this episode is your playbook. Callum shares exactly how he built credibility before he had any, and some client acquisition strategies you can use in the early days to completely change the trajectory of your business 👀 ------ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. Plus... monthly mastermind rooms led by expert coaches, exclusive Meet the Founder sessions, and a private Slack community of founders who are building alongside you. If you’re serious about scaling your busin...

How To Write a Business Book That Makes £100K+ Sales

1 hr 6 min

Lucy McCarraher is the UK's most experienced business book mentor, having taken over 1,000 entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants through the process of writing books that build businesses. She co-founded Rethink Press 15 years ago, became the publishing mentor for Daniel Priestley's Key Person of Influence program. And this year, she received an MBE for services to publishing and diversity. In this conversation, Lucy reveals: - Why a business book can be worth £100,000 - and the one thing most people get wrong when they write one 💰 - Why most business books FAIL before they’re even written - The powerful planning framework she’s used to 1,000+ entrepreneurs actually finish their books - Why your book should NEVER be a sales pitch (Too many entrepreneurs make that mistake) - How to write a book that gets your business sold 💰 - The shocking discovery that changed the Business Book Awards forever - The moment she found out she was receiving an MBE 👑 Lucy has helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants write books that don’t just sit on shelves - they build businesses. This is what it really takes to write a book people remember… and one that actually grows your business 🚀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our sponsors: Mavericks Founders Network. If you’re an ambitious founder who’s ready to grow faster and think bigger, Mavericks is the network built to help you do exactly that. Your annual membership gives you access to four incredible in-person events each year, where you’ll connect with world-class entrepreneurs, potential clients, investors and collaborators. Plus... monthly mastermind rooms led by expert coaches, exclusive Meet the Founder sessions, and a private Slack community of founders who are building alongside you. If you’re serious about scaling your business and surrounding yourself with people who’ll challenge, support and accelerate your journey, Mavericks Founders Network is for you. Sign up here: https:...

How to Build a Business That Runs Without You | Full Strategy

1 hr 0 min

Rachel Harris built an accountancy firm to 22 staff and a valuation of £2.5 MILLION, and is now building a personal brand predicted to bring in £1 million in revenue this year. All in just over 5 years. She started with no clients, no office, and no team. Just her, her husband, a dining room table, and a system she was building from day one. The accounting firm now takes ONLY 2 HOURS of her time a week. In this conversation, Rachel reveals: -How she got her first clients from Instagram - before she had any following 👀 - How she got booked on This Morning - and the one sentence she said that made it happen 🤯 - Why she built the business to run without her from day one (!!) - The system that means her business delivers even on her worst days 💡 - How she went from stuck for 3 YEARS on socials to 270,000+ followers - and the exact hire that changed everything 📈 - The mantra she has run every business decision through since day one - Why she asks to do work experience with people she admires - Her goal to be a Dragon on Dragon's Den - and exactly how she is engineering her way there 🐉 - The book she calls an MBA in a book that taught her everything about systemisation Rachel has built something that most people take a decade to figure out. A firm bigger than her, a brand louder than her title, and a reputation that speaks in rooms she is not in. This is how she did it… 🚀 ------ We’re running a brand new FREE online masterclass called The YES Strategy: The Quickest Way To Get on Huge Podcasts, Stages, and Get High Paying Clients. If you know you’re capable of more but keep missing out on the bigger opportunities, this is for you. We’ll show you our simple 3-part YES Strategy for getting bigger podcasts, bigger stages, bigger clients, and turning more opportunities into a “yes” - without feeling pushy or waiting to get lucky. Join us Thursday 16th July at 12pm BST. Reserve your free spot now at atomic.site/yes-strategy/ ------ Rachel's...

How to Build a Six Figure Business on Instagram | Full Masterclass

1 hr 4 min

Lindsay McGlone is an Instagram strategist, speaker, and marketing genius - and in 3 years they have built something that most people take a decade to figure out. Lindsay started out charging £25 for a full course. And now, nearly £45,000 generated from one signature course, a sold-out event, and a mastermind that became their biggest revenue driver - all while serving their clients as the priority - and not the algorithm. It’s safe to say that Lindsay has cracked the code. But, that isn’t the full story. In October 2024, it all fell apart, and they had to rebuild. In this conversation, Lindsay reveals: How they went from charging £25 for a full course to it bringing in nearly £45k 💰 The exact framework they used to drive sales on Instagram ALL year round How they sold out their event in 48 hours - and the strategy they used that made it happen Why they WALKED AWAY from their most reliable revenue stream at its peak The 5 non-negotiable tactics they use in EVERY sales conversation One simple line that will make you more sales immediately 🤯 Lindsay has always been told they are too much. So, they decided to take who they are and multiply it by 10. This episode reveals exactly how to use Instagram to build a really successful business that you absolutely LOVE 🚀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Mavericks Growth Club. This is for you if you’re ready to scale and want access to epic in-person and online events with world-class entrepreneurs who can show you the way. You’ll unlock powerful strategies on our exclusive Mavericks-only Strategy Days, where you get dedicated time to work on your business - plus access to weekly coaching calls. Sign up here: https://www.atomic.site/mavericks ------ Lindsay's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rollinwithlindsay_ Website: https://lindsaymcglone.co.uk ------ Steal our Sales Call Success Template and convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever...

How They Built ATOMICON | The Full Growth Strategy

52 min

ATOMIC founders Andrew and Pete recently announced the biggest level up in ATOMICON’s history. In part 1 of these two special episodes of Don’t Work Harder, they revealed the story behind the move, and why they’re so excited for ATOMICON to be hosted in Manchester. Now, they’re back for part 2, and they explain the business principle that made it happen. The Big Domino Theory. It is the framework Andrew and Pete have used to grow their business since 2014 - and in this episode, they break it down completely. Where it came from, how it works, and why you’re probably playing smaller than you think. In this conversation, Andrew and Pete reveal: How they went from making more revenue in one year than in their first four years combined - all from ONE bold decision 🤯 The creative strategy they used to get meetings with their industry heroes at a conference with almost NO budget 💸 Why they always tell people to "go for the BIGGEST domino first" - and what that means 👀 How COVID almost destroyed ATOMICON - and what they did to survive when crisis struck How they made $100,000 in 10 DAYS - and the £5,000 bet that forced them to do it 🤯 The three "leverage currencies" to get a yes from people way above their level Why they hired a team to build a brand BIGGER than Andrew and Pete - and what that decision has unlocked… Andrew and Pete are big thinkers. They always go big, put in 110%, and use each domino to knock over the next one. This episode is the playbook they use for big, bold, exciting growth. --- We are SO excited to announce that ATOMICON 2027 is happening on July 2nd 2027 at Manchester Central. After years of searching for a venue that could help us make ATOMICON even better, we finally found it. More space, more experiences, more opportunities to connect - and the same magic that makes ATOMICON special. 🎟 Tickets are available now! https://atomic.site/atomicon/

Why ATOMICON is Moving to Manchester | The Full Story Behind ATOMIC's Biggest Announcement Yet

45 min

After 7 years, one of Europe's BIGGEST sales and marketing conferences for small business owners is moving… Andrew and Pete built ATOMICON from an 85-person event into a staggering 1,500-PERSON conference that people fly in for from all over the world, Year on year, 99.9% of attendees say they want to come back. They came on Don’t Work Harder to reveal some enormously exciting news… That they have just signed the contract to move it to Manchester Central in 2027. In this conversation, Andrew and Pete reveal: -The biggest announcement in ATOMIC’s history - and why they sat on it for over a year before saying it out loud 👀 -The emotional rollercoaster of leaving Newcastle - and their reflections on 7 incredible years in the North East -Why they spent 2 YEARS visiting venues to find ATOMICON’s new home before finally signing with Manchester Centra -Why Manchester Central felt right the SECOND they walked in -The spreadsheet they use to make every major decision in their business -What Manchester means for attendees, speakers, sponsors and the future of ATOMICON The move to Manchester is the BIGGEST domino Andrew and Pete have ever knocked over. This episode is the story of why they did it and how they made the decision. --- ATOMICON 2027 is happening on Friday, July 2nd 2027 at Manchester Central. After years of searching for a venue that could help us make ATOMICON even better, we finally found it. More space, more experiences, more opportunities to connect - and the same magic that makes ATOMICON special. 🎟 Tickets are available from £215, or 12 payments of £18, with a full refund period running until February 1st. The flash sales ends this week! Secure your ticket now at www.atomic.site/atomicon 🚀

How He Generated 1 Billion Views | Full Content Strategy Revealed

57 min

Sammie Ellard-King built a financial education brand from a personal debt journey and turned it into a media empire, generating 1 billion views in 2025. He cleared £24,000 of debt in 18 months, taught himself everything about money, and turned that obsession into Up The Gains - a business spanning YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, a podcast, and a 35,000-strong email list. All built over 5 years. Sammie is now building Gains App, a fintech product co-founded with his operations director, backed by £285,000 in raised capital, and designed to give everyday people an AI-powered financial coach in their pocket. In this conversation, Sammie reveals: -Why Facebook is the most underrated platform for reaching everyday people and how 90% of his 1 BILLION views came from there 👀 -The investing concept that can build real wealth explained in 60 seconds flat 💸 -How he puts out 25 pieces of content a day, and his exact genius strategy behind it -What raising £285,000 actually taught him - and why 90% of it came from ONE thing -What building an app taught him that 7 years of content NEVER could -How he built an incredibly smart marketing funnel that brings in leads for his business -Why he works LESS than he used to - and why he performs BETTER because of it For anyone trying to turn content into a business, trying to make themselves less of a bottleneck in their business - this one is PACKED full of value 🚀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Mavericks Growth Club. This is for you if you’re ready to scale and want access to epic in-person and online events with world-class entrepreneurs who can show you the way. You’ll unlock powerful strategies on our exclusive Mavericks-only Strategy Days, where you get dedicated time to work on your business - plus access to weekly coaching calls. Sign up here: https://www.atomic.site/mavericks ------ Sammie's links: https://gainsapp.com/ https://www.instagram.com/upthegainsmoney/ https://w...

Welcome to Don't Work Harder | Start Here 👀

2 min

Don't Work Harder is a show about taking bolder, braver moves in your small business. Made by ATOMIC, and hosted by Suman Randhawa, Don't Work Harder is the show for business owners who are done playing small and know that just working harder isn't the answer. Each week, you'll hear a pivotal strategy from incredible guests that sparked a bold leap to their next level of growth. These are the breakthroughs that came from thinking bigger, acting braver, and doing things differently. From founders who bootstrapped to millions, to entrepreneurs who lost it all and came back stronger, to business leaders who figured out how to scale without burning out - these are the conversations that actually shift how you think about building. If you're ready to stop grinding and start strategising, if you want the real stories behind the wins (and the losses), and if you're curious about what the most successful business owners do differently - this is for you. Subscribe now to our channel now to never miss an episode. New conversations launching every Monday at 9:30am UK time! ------- Don't Work Harder is brought to you by our Sponsors: Mavericks Growth Club. This is for you if you’re ready to scale and want access to epic in-person and online events with world-class entrepreneurs who can show you the way. You’ll unlock powerful strategies on our exclusive Mavericks-only Strategy Days, where you get dedicated time to work on your business - plus access to weekly coaching calls. Sign up here: https://www.atomic.site/mavericks ------ Steal our Sales Call Success Template and convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy Access our FREE Sales Call Success Template, to help double your conversation rate call, forevermore. https://atomic.site/sales-script/ ------ #DontWorkHarder #BusinessGrowth

From Freelancer to £500K Agency Owner | His Full Strategy

55 min

This entrepreneur built a successful email copywriting agency from nothing, scaled it to half a million pounds in revenue, and is now targeting a MILLION by the end of this year. And… he did it entirely through inbound. No paid ads, no cold outreach, just genius content on LinkedIn and a reputation built on results. Then he hired his first employee. Then a second. Then a head of strategy. And suddenly the business that had been growing quietly on his own terms became something else entirely. His name? Alex Thompson. He calls it the messy middle. And he is right in it. How in his startup days - he went from making £80 in six weeks to £4.5k/month almost overnight 🤑 In this conversation, Alex reveals: -Why he’s BANNED AI-written emails inside his agency -The clever trick he uses in interviews to CATCH candidates exaggerating their experience 👀 -What scaling actually feels like - not what it looks like on social media -How he built a £500k agency entirely through inbound, NO ADS -Why he still reviews EVERY email his business produces personally, even after hiring a team -Why growing from freelancer to agency owner is psychologically harder than people expect -The “messy middle” phase nobody talks about in entrepreneurship Alex has always invested in getting better - a writing coach and a business coach, running at the same time, every single year. The revenue chart tells that story clearly. Want to understand the secrets to all of this success? In this episode, he reveals all 🚀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Mavericks Growth Club. This is for you if you’re ready to scale and want access to epic in-person and online events with world-class entrepreneurs who can show you the way. You’ll unlock powerful strategies on our exclusive Mavericks-only Strategy Days, where you get dedicated time to work on your business - plus access to weekly coaching calls. Sign up here: https://www.atomic.site/mavericks ------ Alex's Links:...

From Council Estate to £100M Exit | How He Built a Business That Didn't Need Him

1 hr 13 min

Andrew Hulbert started his business in his bedroom with no clients, no processes, and no team. Within 18 months he hit £1.5M turnover. Within 10 years he had 500 staff, £50M turnover, and at age 37 he exited his business for £100M. Andrew grew up on a council estate in Oxford watching his parents work multiple jobs to keep the lights on. He started Pareto at 27, won Bulgari Hotel as his first client, scaled to £50M revenue, built a senior team of 15 with 100% retention over 10 years. Andrew gave his Senior Leadership Team 20% equity worth over £10M between them, and exited for nine figures, all before he turned 38. But the hard part nobody talks about - Andrew WAS the business. Every client meeting, every promise, every relationship was tied to him showing up. And that's exactly what would stop him from scaling and selling. He had to make himself irrelevant in the company he'd built on his back. In this brutally honest conversation, Andrew reveals: - How he went from bedroom to £1.5M in 12 months with nothing but a laptop and six years of networking relationships - The exact moment he realised HE was the blocker in his business' growth - His team management strategy - why he ""overpromoted"" people who wouldn't get as high level roles anywhere else - The £1M overhead investment that tanked his profit but doubled it the year after 💰 - How he felt the day after his exit money hit - and how he figured out who he was WITHOUT the business Andrew names the unbalanced years, the WhatsApp rants at 11pm, the kids born during the biggest growth phase when he wasn't around enough. And the fact that even at £4M revenue, if you're the only one who can do the thing, you haven't built a business. He also names what came after - the team watching money hit their accounts, buying his parents houses, and now doing the school run every day. For anyone building something they hope to sell, who wonders if the grind is worth it, or who's realised they've become the b...

How This Founder Grew From 0 to £13M Revenue... And Why She Had to Start Over

54 min

Ama Hill bootstrapped a wellness brand from £100 to £13 million in revenue in just over 4 years. Then she lost it all. She was 23, had just been fired from her recruitment job, and her hair was falling out from stress. She made a product for herself in her bedroom, posted it on Instagram to less than 1,000 followers, and hit £1,000 in sales in 10 days. By the end of year one, she'd done £1 million in revenue. She never took any investment. She manufactured in the UK so she could move fast and test products with customers in real time. The business was even listed in the Sunday Times 100 fastest growing businesses in the UK. Yet a cease and desist nearly killed the business 9 months in. The BBC even filmed a documentary about her comeback. Then in 2025, after transferring ownership, she was exited from the business she'd built. Now Ama is rebuilding. She's advising seven and eight-figure founders on marketing, product strategy, and building in public. She's planning her next product. And she's applying every lesson she learned the hard way. In this conversation, Ama reveals: - How she hit £1M in revenue in year one bootstrapping from £100💎 - What happened 9 months in when a cease and desist forced them to shut down for 3 months, recall all inventory, and rebrand (they'd just signed a 3-year warehouse lease) - Why a rebrand KILLED their momentum - The pricing mistake that she didn't catch until year two - that you might be making - How she became a ""media machine"" and how that became her advantage - All of the other ""unfair advantages"" that let her move faster than competitors - What she learned too late about delegation - and how she created her own prison by working in the business instead of on it - Why hard work only gets you so far - How she's structuring her days now - for freedom and success, not to create a prison for herself For anyone bootstrapping a product business, scaling fast while learning on the go, or wondering what ha...

He's Coached 10,000+ Founders | This One Thing Predicts Their Success

1 hr 6 min

This business coach has worked with so many founders that he can instantly tell which entrepreneurs and which ideas will be successful. Dwain Reid has impacted over 10,000 people through his work at Kingston University (ranked #1 or #2 in the UK for graduate startups for 13 consecutive years), his one-to-one coaching, and the Forbes Family Group, where he runs a £50,000 pitch competition for underrepresented founders. Before coaching, he co-founded and ran a six-figure childcare business for 20 years, scaled it to three sites with 190 children per day and 20 staff, then walked away when he realised he could see a clearer path forward helping others build than staying in his own venture. What makes Dwain different is the sheer volume of founders he's worked with. When you've coached thousands of people through ideation, validation, scaling, and failure, you start seeing patterns in what makes businesses successful. In this conversation, Dwain reveals: - The one trait he looks for in founders that predicts success better than any other metric 💎 - The biggest mistake founders make when pricing 👀 - Why he walked away from a 20-year childcare business during COVID - and the relief he felt realising they'd been moving in different directions since 2016 - Why stepping back from the day-to-day grind accidentally made him even better at cash flow and business strategy 💰 - Why trying to serve everyone from day one kills businesses - And why knowing who you DON'T want to serve is as important as knowing your ideal client - The one question that actually moves the needle in your business forward For anyone starting a business, validating an idea, wondering why they aren't getting traction, or stuck in the day to day grind - this episode is PACKED full of gems 🚀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Vidonary – the video tool making business videos simple and confident. Plan, record and publish with ease. Find out more and sign up here:...

The Most Impressive Apprentice Candidate in 20 Years | Why She Won The Show

49 min

When the media called Karishma Vijay the most impressive Apprentice candidate in 20 years, they weren't exaggerating. She won Lord Sugar's £250K investment, grew to over 1 million followers on social media, with many viewers saying she was the winner from episode one! But what you saw on TV was only half the story. Behind the scenes, Karishma is a biomedical scientist - and at one stage, she lost her dream job, her relationship, and her home all at once. Karishma runs Kishkin, an organic luxury skincare brand she launched 5 months before filming started. She packed every order by hand with her family for months. She went live on Instagram at 3 am to make one sale. Then, she hit £50K in sales in those first 5 months. In this conversation, Karishma reveals: - The text Lord Sugar sent to her the morning after filming wrapped 👀 - The techniques she used to stay calm under pressure on The Apprentice when everyone else was losing it 🤯 - How she turned disaster into enormous success - and how losing her job, her relationship, and her home in one go became the turning point - How she hit £50K in sales in the first 5 months with ZERO paid influencer marketing 👀 - Why she strategically stopped taking brand deals even though it cost her hundreds of thousands of pounds - What it's REALLY like working with Lord Sugar now - and some of the most interesting and valuable things he's said to her And so much more. Karishma spent 10 years trying to make it work and built a business on the back of her own skincare struggles, using carefully sourced ingredients to create a solution she didn't see in the market. Now she speaks to Lord Sugar almost every day, and runs a brand she dreams of seeing in Harrods, Sephora, and duty-free. This is her full story - and everything you can learn from her success 🚀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Vidonary – the video tool making business videos simple and confident. Plan, record and publish with ea...

Meet the YouTube Genius Behind Ali Abdaal and Daniel Priestley | His Full Strategy

1 hr 10 min

Saf Mohammed helped grow Ali Abdaal's YouTube channel from 3 million to 6 million subscribers in 2 years. He landed the job with at age 24 with ZERO portfolio. Saf now runs Talking Heads, a YouTube agency for top entrepreneurs. He's worked with Ali Abdaal, Ryan Diess (runs 17 companies generating $200M/year), and Daniel Priestley (bestselling author and entrepreneur with over 150,000 subscribers). He built his entire business on referrals alone and still doesn't have a website. Despite being less than 30 years old, he's been invited to Richard Branson's private island with 50 of the world's best entrepreneurs. In this conversation, Saf reveals: - How he helped grow Ali's channel from 3 million to 6 million subscribers in 2 years 📈 - Exactly what he did to meet huge names like Colin & Samir, Max Fosh's team, and rugby stars - How he got Ryan Diess to say yes to working with him in the first 15 minutes of their first call 😱 - The moment of panic when Ryan's invoice came back paid and Saf realised he had no idea what to do next - and what he did in that moment to make sure he did an amazing job - Why he decided to be extremely picky about who he works with ( he only works with people who can WIN in their category - have they been on a Diary of a CEO episode? Do they have a bestselling book?) - Why his team regularly tells him his standards are impossibly high - How he built a 7-figure agency entirely on referrals with NO website - His crazy story attending the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai (overslept his flight, ChatGPT said 10% chance of making it) - What happened when he saw another speaker's incredible slides - and his were basic black and white (he spent the night before vibecoding them with AI) - Why he operates his business at 80% capacity intentionally - His exact framework for creating banger viral YouTube videos This is a masterclass in backing yourself before you're ready and building a business doing what you've loved since age 10....

Why This Entrepreneur Built an Empire… Then Walked Away at the Peak

55 min

Pavan Ahluwalia-Dhanjal started as a henna artist and became so exceptional she broke the Guinness World Record twice. She went on to scale her craft into a permanent concession in Selfridges that lasted 11 years, eventually expanding across London, Birmingham, and Milan. Then everything changed. COVID forced her to pivot into products. Just as she found her footing again, a horse riding accident left her with 8 broken ribs in 15 places, unable to move or breathe properly, and on morphine for 8 weeks. What should have stopped everything became the reset she didn’t know she needed 💡 Pavan is the founder of Pavan Beauty with 12 years in business. She’s a 2x Guinness World Record holder, received a British Empire Medal for services to beauty, and exited her 11-year Selfridges concession in 2024 just two weeks before her accident. In this conversation, Pavan reveals: - How she went from mastering her craft to building a business beyond herself 📈 - The real story behind her Dragon’s Den pitch — what happened during the 1 hour 15 minute conversation, and why she said yes but didn’t take the investment 🤯 - How she successfully expanded across multiple cities and countries - The accident that forced her to completely rethink how she operates 🚀 - How that “forced reset” transformed her approach to business and life - Why the business now runs without her, as she focuses on building community This is a masterclass in resilience and scaling. Pavan breaks down how she evolved from a solo artist into an international operator, the strategies that kept her in premium retail for over a decade, and why learning to say no became her biggest advantage. If you’re scaling a service business, navigating a pivot, or rebuilding after a setback, this is packed with hard-won insight from someone who’s done it at the highest level 👀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Vidonary – the video tool making business videos simple and confident. Plan, reco...

From 15 Years of Failure to £100K Launches | His Secret Strategy

49 min

Matt Hall spent 15 years making every business mistake possible. His membership sat at the same level for 5 years and wouldn't budge. Then he finally did the ONE thing he had been resisting for years. Within 18 months, everything changed. 350 members. £100K launches. On track for 2026 to be his first 7-figure year 🚀 Matt is a launch strategist and visibility expert with over 15 years in business. He runs Success School (a membership that went from 50 to 350 members in 7 months), hosts the Success School podcast, and works with a team of 30 people. He runs Business Mastery Live events and is heading into his first 7-figure year in 2026. In this conversation, Matt reveals: - The one thing he resisted for years that became the catalyst for going from stuck to £100K launches in 18 months 📈 - Why his membership sat at 50 members for 5 years and what changed to jump to 350 in 7 months - How he converts at 12% on every launch when industry standard is 1-8% - The biggest mistake people make with launch experiences that kills conversions ❌ - His framework for creating offers people can't say no to - How he felt completely burnt out and was struggling even though he had 32-36 one-to-one clients per month and his business looked really successful - The courage it took to let go of lucrative one-to-one income to scale - Why ""do less better"" and ""simplicity scales, complexity fails"" are his mantras for the membership This is a masterclass in persistence and patience. Matt breaks down exactly what it took to go from 15 years of struggling to consistent £100K launches, the specific launch blueprint that converts at 12%, and why the best thing you can do for confidence is simply never quit. Whether you're stuck at a revenue ceiling, running a membership that won't grow, or burnt out from one-to-one work, this conversation shows what becomes possible when you finally do the thing you've been resisting 👀 -------- This episode is brought to you by...

How Lara Acosta Made $80K in One Week With a Simple Product | Her LinkedIn & Email Strategy

56 min

Lara Acosta started posting on LinkedIn in March 2023 on a random Wednesday afternoon, because she couldn't get a job. Then, her first post went viral. Now, she has over 300,000 followers, goes viral consistently, and has built multiple million-dollar businesses off the back of LinkedIn content 🤯 Lara is a founder, co-founder, and investor with over 500,000 followers across platforms. She runs Literally Academy, with 3,000+ members and co-founded Kleo (an AI writing tool that did $300,000 revenue in 3-4 months). In this conversation, Lara reveals: - Why she started posting on LinkedIn when she couldn't get a job (and how she went went viral immediately) 📈 - Why 80% of her revenue comes from email, not her 300,000+ social media followers - The biggest mistake she sees most founders make (spoiler alert - this is the main distractor for young entrepreneurs) - How she made $80,000 in one week with a bare-bones initial iteration of her offer 🎯 - How she positioned herself so well that a $300 million agency wanted to work with her (instead of her chasing them) 💰 - The framework for keeping an evergreen product selling year-round 🚀 - Exactly how she goes viral """"every day, every time"""" she posts - How to make content so good people opt into your email list Most content creators think their followers are their revenue source and constantly look for the next opportunity to scale. Lara proves that email list is where revenue actually lives, that going deep on one thing opens more doors than chasing many things, and that refusing to settle for average means waiting longer but winning bigger. Lara is an incredible entrepreneur, and this is one of the most tactical episodes we've recorded. Lara breaks down exactly how she built three businesses by 28, the specific frameworks she uses to scale, and the strategies behind content that consistently goes viral. Whether you're building a business, growing on social media, or trying to understand where...

From Living on £30 a Month to Running a 7-Figure Agency | His Cold Outreach & AI Strategy

1 hr 4 min

Niall Ratcliffe and his brother Morgan grew up in Burnley council estates. They were living on £30 a month. Their goal was to make £100,000 a year and pay themselves £50,000 each. They hit that goal in 11 days. Four years later, they're running a 7-figure agency 🚀 Niall is co-founder of Noticed, a B2B storytelling and marketing agency based in Manchester. He's grown his LinkedIn to 60,000 followers, built the agency from zero to 7 figures in under 4 years, worked with clients like NHS and Ocean Beach, and more. In this conversation, Niall reveals: - How they hit £100K run rate in 11 days when potential clients started messaging them on LinkedIn 📈 - How they got through a 6-month plateau where the business just wasn't growing no matter what they tried - The one perception shift that helped them work with enormous brands like NHS and Ocean Beach 🚀 - Why you're being lied to about inbound leads (They had 60K followers and even still inbound wasn't enough to fuel their growth) - His EXACT cold outreach strategy that you can steal - How they dropped payroll by £15K/month in December, added 3 new clients in January, and became £25K/month more profitable - How AI completely transformed the agency model (same work output with dramatically less people) - The commitment ladder Daniel Priestley taught him at dinner in Belfast (changed their entire outreach approach) This is a masterclass in scaling fast and breaking through growth plateaus. Niall breaks down the exact cold outreach strategy that took them to 7 figures in 4 years, how one perception shift helped them to sign huge enterprise clients, and why AI is changing the game for online businesses right now. Whether you're building an agency, struggling with unpredictable inbound leads, or stuck at a revenue ceiling, this conversation shows the real strategy behind explosive growth 👀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Vidonary – the video tool making business videos sim...

600K Followers, 600 Paying Members | How Sophie Miller Did It

1 hr 6 min

Picture this: a student sitting on her sofa, overwhelmed and lonely, opens Instagram to document her journey into marketing. A week later, she's hit her first 1,000 followers. 6 months later? 30,000 followers. 4 years later? 600,000. WOW. Sophie Miller built a 600,000-strong community as a student during the pandemic, growing it to become one of the UK's most engaged marketing communities - all starting from her spare room. Sophie is the founder of Pretty Little Marketer, with over 600,000 followers across social platforms and 600+ paying members. In this conversation, Sophie reveals: - How she hit 1,000 followers in one week and 30,000 in 6 months without any strategy whatsoever 📈 - Why she waited 6 months before showing her face on the Instagram page - What she learned from building without a strategy that now informs everything she does deliberately - The brutal truth about her first year running a membership (and why she almost shut it down completely) 🎯 - Why 75-80% of her revenue comes from brand partnerships, not her membership - The content strategy that got Kim Kardashian to engage with her post (she didn't even tag her) 🚀 - Why she's posting LESS content this year (and how it's actually working better) - How to create content faster by answering three simple questions about your business - How she gained 210 members in one week after restructuring her membership model - Why she spends 3 days every week focusing on brand partnerships (and what the delivery actually involves) - What happened when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes mid-2024 whilst having her biggest revenue year - Why her business saved her life when her world flipped upside down Most creators think you need to monetise fast and post constantly to build a sustainable business. Sophie proves you can build a huge community by serving first, that posting less is sometimes the best option, amongst a TON of other incredibly valuable takes. This conversation goes de...

Why Amelia Sordell Deliberately Dismantled Her £4M Business

1 hr 0 min

Fifth video call of the day. On her birthday. On a family holiday, watching her dad play with her daughter in the pool, whilst dealing with a crisis back at the office that only she could handle. In that moment Amelia Sordell realised she'd built a prison, not a business - and spent the next 18 months deliberately ""unscaling"" the UK's leading personal branding agency to rebuild something aligned 💡 Now she's building Mother - a media company for women, by women - and teaching female founders to use their voice to gain competitive advantage in a space dominated by men. Amelia is a personal branding consultant, best-selling author, and keynote speaker with over 250,000 LinkedIn followers and 70,000 on Instagram. She scaled Klowt to £4 million revenue with high overheads, generated billions of organic views for clients, then walked away because she couldn't scale a business built entirely around her personal brand. In this conversation, Amelia reveals: - Why she spent 18 months ""unscaling"" a successful agency 👀 - How building a brand exclusively around your expertise makes scaling really trick - Why 80% of young people can't name a single female founder - How she monetises social media with a highly profitable system (£79 course as paid lead magnet, 1,000 sales, then consulting at £5.5K/day) 🚀 - Why you need to separate your personality from your content - The shift from masculine energy (""execute or don't, catch up or leave"") to building a business that doesn't deplete her at home - How being a business owner brings out all the unhealed parts of you (childhood trauma, desperate need to be liked, hyperindependence) Most personal branding experts teach you to scale your influence. This conversation goes deep into the reality of burnout - living in stress, having nothing left to give at home, being a stressed parent, and the gradual process of dismantling something you spent 5 years building - for the greater good. For founders who think they need...

How One YouTube Video Generated $12 Million | Content Creator's Wealth Strategy

56 min

Jason Graystone’s YouTube video sat dormant. Then it exploded, making 1.5m million in 3 months from a £300 product shared at the end. And eventually that one video generated 12 million in revenue. Jason spent 2 weeks mapping out a video so comprehensive that no one would need him after watching it. He gave everything away for free. And that's exactly why people paid. Now he's financially free, runs a business he doesn't need, and is what he calls """"always free"""" 👀 Jason is a wealth enthusiast, trader, angel investor, and content creator with over 500,000 YouTube subscribers. He achieved financial freedom at through trading, built a business model so passive he doesn't resent showing up, and created an oversubscribed program with 10,000 people on the waiting list. In this conversation, Jason reveals: - The YouTube video strategy that generated $12 million for his business 📈 - How he went from 50,000 to 390,000 subscribers in one year after 8 years of slow growth - The 18 months he spent """"donating money to the markets"""" before the week that changed everything 👀 - The oversubscribed model he used to grow his business without ever placing an advert - Why he gives 30-minute Instagram stories with A-Z solutions and no call to action (and how that builds trust better than any sales strategy) 🤯 - The exercise his mentor made him do that changed everything (calculating the TRUE cost of what you want, not just the price tag) - Why he has no goals, no aspirations - because he knew what contentment was before he got there 👀 Most entrepreneurs think financial freedom requires hustle, scale, and complexity. Jason proves you can build indestructible wealth through diversification and giving away lots of value for free. -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Vidonary – the video tool making business videos simple and confident. Plan, record and publish with ease. Find out more and sign up here: https://vidonary.com/ ------ Ja...

How to Build Relationships That Open Impossible Doors | Speaker & Author's Strategy

55 min

Think building powerful relationships requires years of experience, the perfect introduction, or being extroverted? Simon Ong went from a shy, introverted kid to securing book endorsements from Marie Forleo, Simon Sinek, and Ali Abdal 👀 Now he's a global keynote speaker, Penguin-published author, and has built a business with multiple revenue streams 🚀 Simon is a global keynote speaker, energy life coach, and the author of "Energize." He grew his YouTube channel from 0 to 130,000 subscribers in 10 months and has built strategic relationships by connecting with people outside his industry - film directors, chefs, musicians, not just other speakers. In this conversation, Simon reveals: - How he built multiple revenue streams before the pandemic - and how he scaled his coaching income 📈 - How he designed his business to be extremely flexible so he can pivot and switch lanes fast when problems hit - The voice note strategy on LinkedIn that converts nearly 100% of connections (and why it works better than text) 🎯 - The incredibly effective opening technique he uses for every keynote... inspired by James Bond 😎 - The huge mindset shift that he uses to take the pressure off networking and make it effortless - What he studied before posting his first YouTube video (and how it led to 130k subscribers in 10 months) 🚀 - Why his "I'm 40 today" video got 4 million views and gained him 76,000 subscribers from a single piece of content 🤯 Most entrepreneurs think networking is about collecting contacts and making asks when you need something. Simon proves that relationship building is a daily habit, that the best opportunities come from years of adding value before ever asking, and tells us exactly what to do to make that sustainable. For entrepreneurs who think they're "not good at networking" or believe powerful relationships are out of reach, this episode shows what becomes possible with the right mindset 👀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sp...

How He Built a £2M Business Without Selling Out | Don't Work Harder

1 hr 1 min

This entrepreneur scaled to £2M in revenue - while putting service first. And he came into the studio to reveal exactly how he did it 👀 Lewis Crompton is a financial freedom expert who’s built his success by doing the opposite of what most online business gurus preach. He caps his mentorship groups at just 4–5 people and refuses to increase them - even when it would make him more money. He’s taken revenue hits to serve his community better and built a business with less than 5% refund rates. His success proves you can scale fast - without compromising what matters ❤️ In this value-packed conversation, Lewis reveals: • How he went from £10K months to £2M in revenue while protecting quality over scale 🚀 • Why he taught for 6 years completely FREE before launching his paid company 👀 • The hiring mistake that cost him serious time and energy - and the one role he wishes he’d brought in earlier • His exact strategy for hiring - even when he doesn’t feel ready • How he built his two growth engines: his marketing machine and his sales machine 💰 • Why he refuses to expand group sizes - even when his team say they can handle more • How he hires every single coach from his own successful students Lewis has scaled by protecting what matters - even when it costs revenue in the short term. For entrepreneurs trying to grow without losing their soul - or wrestling with the tension between purpose and profit… This episode is a gamechanger 🚀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Vidonary – the video tool making business videos simple and confident. Plan, record and publish with ease. Find out more and sign up here: https://vidonary.com/ ------ Lewis' links: E-book: https://startradingnow.com/get-your-free-ebook-podcast/ Website: https://startradingnow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withlewiscrompton ------ Steal our Sales Call Success Template and convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever b...

Why Loving Your Business Can Cause Burnout (And How to Fix It)

51 min

What happens when you love what you do but can't sustain how hard you're working? 🙏 Frankie James built Ideas Forum into one of the UK's most respected entrepreneurship platforms: the Great British Entrepreneur Awards - with 5,500+ entries at its peak! Plus... she built Ideasfest - the 4,000-person business festival that Steven Bartlett called ""Glastonbury for business."" Frankie has an incredible mindset when it comes to building a long term brand - she's turned down major sponsorship deals that didn't feel aligned with her values, and made the terrifying decision to cancel Ideasfest after selling 1,200 tickets - because she knew she couldn't deliver her best work. Her approach challenges big assumptions that the entrepreneurship space makes about hustle culture, operating with strong values, and enjoying your work. In this value-packed conversation, Frankie reveals: - The one question that made her CANCEL a sold-out event - and why sometimes stopping is braver than pushing through 👀 - Why loving what you do makes knowing your limits harder - and the warning signs she watches for now 🙏 - The powerful sales skill that she learned from going door-to-door, that has become her secret weapon for landing big partnerships 💰 - How she gets 5,500 people to enter her awards for FREE - and still builds a profitable business model 📈 - Her exact advice for getting the attention of successful people when you don't have a big audience - How she built a group of friends that TRULY understands and supports her through her struggles in business ❤️ - The reality of running huge events on tiny margins - and why her venue costs mean tickets barely break even And so much more. Frankie's built something massive with eight people because she's protected what matters for 12+ years - even when it meant walking away from money or pausing momentum. For entrepreneurs who genuinely love their work but wonder how they can keep pushing without burning out... this episode s...

How This 23 Year Old Scaled to 13 Employees - with 99% Client Retention

51 min

Imagine building a business with 99% client retention and not spending a PENNY on marketing?! 🤯 Sam Teale launched his production company straight out of school at 16, and by 23 runs a team of 13, and creates content for some HUGE household name brands. His 2022 Christmas advert got over 40 million views and beat John Lewis... And what if we told you that he made it with just £4,000... compared to John Lewis' £750,000 budget? Yep... Sam is INCREDIBLE at what he does 😮‍💨 Sam Teale is the founder and CEO of Sam Teale Productions, a multi-award-winning video production company that's worked with Budweiser China, Booking.com, and created the biggest Christmas advert of 2022. He started the business at 16 straight out of school, built his team to 13 by age 23, and maintains an amazing 99% client retention rate. So... he knows how to get amazing results, give clients an amazing experience, and build a business with predictable revenue coming through the door. His production company has over 30,000 followers on Facebook - unheard of in his industry. In this value packed conversation, Sam reveals: - His unique approach to video creation that makes EVERY piece of content that he creates extremely compelling - The custom ChatGPT bot he built that knows everything about his business - and how it helps him make decisions in real-time 🪄 - His unique strategy that helps him make the right call on big decisions under pressure 👀 - The exact content marketing strategy that he used to BEAT John Lewis' famous Christmas advert - on a MUCH smaller budget 🤯 - Why he hires young people over experienced professionals - and how his team's average age of 23 is one of their biggest advantages 📈 - How he grew to 30,000 Facebook followers as a production company (and why this matters more than you'd think) - The moment when Budweiser China's head of marketing called him while he was in Morrison's at the age of 17 🤯 Most service businesses need to chase clients throu...

Mortgage Free by 34 - Without Working Harder or Burning Out | Their Proven System

45 min

Mary and Ken Okoroafor paid off their mortgage by 34… and turned their passion project into a successful business with a bestselling book, an academy, and a lifestyle - without working harder or burning out 👀 Mary and Ken are a couple who built financial freedom through a simple, repeatable system. They’re Sunday Times bestselling authors (with their second book The Wealth Habit releasing now), and they’ve built Financial Joy Academy to help others build wealth with structure, clarity, and boundaries. In this conversation, Mary and Ken reveal: - The moment they realised hard work alone does NOT create wealth… and what does instead 🤯 - How they turned their blog into a successful, multi-income-stream business with books, content, and a real business model, step by step 🚀 - Their exact proven monetisation value ladder - Why simply asking for the things you want is a superpower — and how you can do the same to attract incredible opportunities - How they built their personal brand without burning out 👀 - The delegation and automation systems that keep their business growing WITHOUT them needing to be “always on” The behind-the-scenes reality of writing a bestseller 📚 Most people chase financial freedom by pushing harder, working longer, and hoping discipline will carry them… and they still struggle to achieve it. Instead, Mary and Ken built a system that made it happen for them. Want the full breakdown on exactly what that system is and how it works? That’s exactly what this week’s episode is for 🔥 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Vidonary – the video tool making business videos simple and confident. Plan, record and publish with ease. Find out more and sign up here: https://vidonary.com/ ------ Mary and Ken's links: The Wealth Habit book: https://geni.us/TheWealthHabit Financial Joy book: https://geni.us/financialjoy Our blog/website: https://thehumblepenny.com Financial Joy Academy: https://financialjoyacademy....

Why This Founder Sold her Company... Then Bought It Back

38 min

Think you need formal training to secure investment and build a successful company? This episode will COMPLETELY flip your belief system 👀 Today’s guest Lucy Hall built an investment backed media company with no GCSEs, nor business degree. Lucy is the founder of Social Day, a media company that runs the UK's leading social media marketing festival 🚀 She's also sold her business, bought it back, and built her success while still doing the school run every single day. In this conversation, Lucy reveals: - How she learned to build businesses through EXPERIENCE, not formal training 📈 - The exact DM that opened the door to her business getting investment 💰 - The crucial questions to ask yourself BEFORE accepting investment 🎯 - How she got major sponsors to start reaching out to HER - Her simple approach that landed brand partnerships with Adobe and Canva - Who she hired first once investment came through (and why this role was non-negotiable) - The reality of life as a successful founder and mum (and what she tells her daughter during busy seasons) - Why building your reputation over time is so important For entrepreneurs who think their lack of business training could hold them back, this episode will change your mindset forever 👀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Constant Contact is the all-in-one marketing platform for small businesses. Create professional email and social campaigns in minutes with AI, automation and intuitive templates. Try it now free – https://www.constantcontact.com/uk?utm_source=ost-atomic&utm_medium=sponsored-content&utm_campaign=uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025&cc=clk_uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025 ------ Lucy's links: Digital Women: digitalwomen.club Social Day: socialday.live SocialDay.co.uk Social Media Marketing Awards: socialmediamarketingawards.co.uk https://socialmediamarketingawards.com ------ Steal our Sales Call Success Template and convert more of the right people on c...

From £300 Websites to £10K+ Monthly Retainers | Married Founders

1 hr 4 min

What if the secret to scaling to seven figures isn't hiring more people - it's deliberately staying small? 👀 Martin and Lyndsay built a content agency that generates seven figures with just 12 people. Their clients routinely scale from £2,000 to £50,000+ per month. And... their approach is pretty unique! Martin and Lyndsay are the founders of Jammy Digital, a content marketing agency that's worked with Daniel Priestley, scaled using AI before other agencies caught on, and built a business that prioritises staying small and nimble. They're also a married couple who've been in business together for over 10 years. In this conversation, Martin and Lyndsay reveal: - Their journey from working with Daniel Priestley as a client, to Martin becoming the CMO of Daniel's company Score App, to now launching an exciting business with him 🚀 - Their unique hiring philosophy - and why outsourcing early saved their sanity 📈 - The framework that lets them accurately forecast cash flow 6-12 months ahead (and how that makes hiring decisions simple) - Why their membership with 100 happy members was actually the wrong business - and why they made the difficult decision to shut it down - The wait list strategy they used to sell OUT their brand new service before it even launched 🤯 - How they deliberately start clients small - even if prospects want to pay £10k/month from day one - Why they chose to cap growth at seven figures rather than scale to 50+ employees - How they leaned into AI in December 2022 when other content agencies were fighting against it - The ""video-first"" approach that now drives their entire content process 🚀 Most agency owners believe more revenue means more team, more clients, more complexity. Martin and Lyndsay prove you can hit seven figures by doing the opposite - staying intentionally small, being selective about clients, and building systems that scale. For entrepreneurs who want to scale a profitable, lean company - this episode is a ga...

Toxic Productivity Expert: Burnout Signs You Can't Ignore

36 min

What if the exhaustion you're feeling isn't from working hard - it's from working to please and prove yourself into burnout? Tamu Thomas had a panic attack on her way to work one Monday morning. She thought she was going to die. That moment became the catalyst for revolutionising her approach to healthy ambition and toxic productivity. Now she's a Hay House published author, who teaches women how to spot the signs of overworking - and helps them build a business where opportunities come to YOU 🙌 Tamu is the author of ""Women Who Work Too Much,"" a sought-after speaker featured in Forbes and Stylist, and a former social worker who burned out trying to conform and prove herself into exhaustion. In this conversation, Tamu reveals: - The crucial difference between being Type A and toxic productivity 🤔 - Her breaking point - the Monday morning panic attack that made her realise she needed to change - The early burnout signs most people dismiss - Why she closed her membership and group program WITHOUT guilt - The ""lighthouse"" business model - stop running around the shore chasing opportunities, plant yourself firmly and let ships come to you 🎯 - Why she built a 12-month coaching program when everyone else did 3-6 months 👀 - The shift from working with individuals to building corporate leadership training - focusing on middle management and nervous system-informed work - What should you do when you spot burnout signs in yourself ❤️ Tamu reveals how toxic productivity masquerades as ambition - and why the most powerful opportunities come when you stop overworking and start showing up fully in your authority. For entrepreneurs who work incredibly hard but feel exhausted rather than excited and fulfilled, this episode is a complete game-changer. -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Constant Contact is the all-in-one marketing platform for small businesses. Create professional email and social campaigns in minutes with AI, auto...

How He Went From Homeless to Doing $265K in A Month | Viral Video Club's Yasin Mammeri

42 min

What if working less actually makes your content better, and your business more profitable? Yasin Mammeri built Viral Video Club from zero to a projected £4 million in revenue in just two and a half years, teaching entrepreneurs to create viral content and grow their businesses on social media. Yasin has over 650,000 followers on Instagram and runs a 90-day boot camp that guarantees 1 million views - or you get your money back. In this conversation, Yasin reveals: - What he learned from going homeless at the age of 27 - Why he shut DOWN six-figure agency, even though his mentors were begging him not to... And why it ended up being the best decision he ever made 👀 - His boot camp launch strategy that brought him £120k worth of sales in 30 days whilst filming 90 videos, building the course weekly, and learning to sell on the fly - How he gets 90% of students to completely finish his bootcamp (this is unheard of in online education) 💪 - Why he switched from a cohort model to monthly launches - and which model will make YOU the most money - His exact content strategy to reliably go viral AND bring in clients for your business 🚀 - The RIGHT way to use AI for content (how to build a custom GPT that writes amazing content in your voice) - How he shifted from constantly working harder"" to building systems that actually scale 💰 Yasin proved you can systematise creativity, guarantee growth on social media, and build a multi-million pound business while working less - and showed us exactly how to do it step by step 👀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Constant Contact is the all-in-one marketing platform for small businesses. Create professional email and social campaigns in minutes with AI, automation and intuitive templates. Try it now free – https://www.constantcontact.com/uk?utm_source=ost-atomic&utm_medium=sponsored-content&utm_campaign=uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025&cc=clk_uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025 ------ Yasin's...

How He Scaled to £50K Months Using LinkedIn | 7 Figure Agency Owner's Strategy

50 min

Sam Winsbury built his personal branding agency to£ 1.5 million in revenue with 19 employees by age 26 - and he's NEVER sent a traditional cold email 👀 Instead, he cracked a GENIUS LinkedIn strategy that makes clients come to him inbound, and makes prospects arrive already wanting to work with him. Sam is the founder and CEO of Kurugo, a personal branding agency launched in 2021 that's helped over 300 entrepreneurs become thought leaders in their industries. His agency has generated hundreds of millions of views and tens of millions of pounds in revenue for clients including athletes, OBEs, and leaders from McKinsey & Co, KPMG, Lyca Group, and Genflow. He built his own following from zero to 60,000 on LinkedIn, scaled his team to 19 whilst working fully remote, and charges a premium price for his services. In this conversation, Sam reveals: - The EXACT strategy that he uses to sign high ticket clients for his business through LinkedIn 📈 - Why he worked for free early on - His batching system for high quality LinkedIn content (how to create content in less time, and bring in more clients) - What he looks for to find A player talent for his team - How losing a third of his business and 40% of his team in one week nearly made him quit - and what kept him going during the dark days 😩 - His end-of-day ""off routine"" that helps him actually switch off (all entrepreneurs should be aware of this) Most businesses chase clients and constantly send cold DMs to try to grow. Sam's approach is different - build credibility, let prospects research you first, then wait for them to arrive ready to buy. Want to know his exact client attraction system? You NEED to watch this episode. -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Constant Contact is the all-in-one marketing platform for small businesses. Create professional email and social campaigns in minutes with AI, automation and intuitive templates. Try it now free – https://www.constantcontact.com/...

Linda Plant: Behind The Apprentice, Personal Branding Secrets, and Business Growth Masterclass

11 min

In this powerful Don't Work Harder highlight clip, The Apprentice interviewer and business legend Linda Plant shares how she went from knitwear entrepreneur to TV icon. She reveals: – The real reason Lord Sugar chose her (and what it teaches about leveraging unexpected connections) 🤝 – The brutal truth about The Apprentice interviews 👀 – The one mindset shift that got her to say yes to TV despite zero experience 🙌 – How to surround yourself with the right people when you naturally rise to the top - without diminishing others 🤝 – How to deal with trolls and public criticism Want more insights from the amazing Linda Plant? Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ_WqGLIIsM&pp=2AYT -------- This clip is brought to you by our Sponsors: Constant Contact is the all-in-one marketing platform for small businesses. Create professional email and social campaigns in minutes with AI, automation and intuitive templates. Try it now free – https://www.constantcontact.com/uk?utm_source=ost-atomic&utm_medium=sponsored-content&utm_campaign=uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025&cc=clk_uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025 ---- Steal our Sales Call Success Template and convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy Access our FREE Sales Call Success Template, to help double your conversation rate call, forevermore. https://atomic.site/sales-script/ ------ #DontWorkHarder #BusinessGrowth #SalesandMarketing

Health Expert: How Entrepreneurs Can Live Longer, Be Healthier & Work Less

12 min

A lot of entrepreneurs think improving their health means time consuming biohacks, perfect routines, or completely changing your life overnight - but it doesn’t have to be that way. In this powerful highlight clip, longevity physician Dr. Alka Patel shares how busy entrepreneurs can improve their energy, focus, and long-term health without burning out. She reveals: – Why “work-life balance” doesn’t work for entrepreneurs — and what to leverage instead 🤝 – The one metric she uses to show what’s really happening inside your body 🧬 – The 3-part method that removes the guesswork from your health decisions 📊 – A tiny environmental shift that makes working out easier than ever – The 3 everyday habits entrepreneurs overlook that quietly speed up aging 😴 – The one non-negotiable that changes everything for your sleep and recovery - even if your schedule is chaotic 🌙 Want more insights from Dr. Alka Patel? Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHlWzBBg8Rc&t=41s -------- This clip is brought to you by our Sponsors: Constant Contact is the all-in-one marketing platform for small businesses. Create professional email and social campaigns in minutes with AI, automation and intuitive templates. Try it now free – https://www.constantcontact.com/uk?utm_source=ost-atomic&utm_medium=sponsored-content&utm_campaign=uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025&cc=clk_uk_p_aw_di_so_bt_ost-atomic-q32025 ---- Steal our Sales Call Success Template and convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy Access our FREE Sales Call Success Template, to help double your conversation rate call, forevermore. https://atomic.site/sales-script/ ------ #DontWorkHarder #BusinessGrowth #SalesandMarketing

We Interviewed 25 Successful Entrepreneurs in 2025 | These are Our Favourite Moments

42 min

Merry Christmas and welcome to a very special episode of Don’t Work Harder! 🎄 Join us as we reflect on an incredible first year of bringing you authentic conversations with entrepreneurs who’ve built successful businesses without simply “working harder.” 🎙️ We’re revisiting our top 10 most powerful moments from the past year - raw, honest conversations that challenged the hustle culture narrative and showed the real path to sustainable business success. ✨ We’ll show you some INCREDIBLE moments including… 🔥 How Lord Alan Sugar called Linda Plant to become an interviewer on The Apprentice and the serious responsibility behind the grilling: “Dig deep and give me good television” 📺 The moment Robin Waite broke down while cycling at 45mph and made the devastating decision to close his agency the next day, just weeks before his daughter was born 😮 Richard Moore learning resilience the hard way when his mum told him “you’re not coming home” while earning just £1,000 net per month with £800 rent 😬 Teresa Heath-Wareing’s powerful journey to sobriety and how getting sober felt like “cutting my arm off” - losing a whole part of her identity and brand 💛 Andy Lambert realising his “saviour mentality” was holding the business back and learning he couldn’t scale by being in every customer meeting How Ryan Deiss accidentally “broke the internet” with a retirement announcement when Digital Marketer’s course sales dropped to just 20% of what they were 👀 The magic moment when Sinead Sharkey-Steenson and Lisa Strutt’s first event saw 150 people buy tickets for next year with no venue or speakers announced - and crashed their website 🎟️ Alice Benham losing £50k+ in recurring revenue overnight when all her direct debits were cancelled: “I gave myself 60 seconds to panic, then wrote a plan” 💪 Dani Wallace on the question that changed everything: “Who do I need to be in order to pull this off?” and learning to trust herself through every level of growth 🧠 Dr. Alka Pat...

How to Attract Inbound Clients Through LinkedIn Content | Expert Brand Strategist Reveals All

31 min

What if 99% of your business came inbound - with clients coming to you instead of having to chase down clients or send thousands of cold outreach messages? Jo Bird built a near six-figure business in her first year solo with almost 90,000 followers on LinkedIn, where she has created multiple revenue streams including brand partnerships, speaking gigs paying £5k+, and more. Jo is a creative director, brand strategist, and TEDx speaker who spent years growing challenger brands like Gym Shark before going solo. In this conversation, Jo reveals: • How she established multiple income streams in her business to provide stability and growth 📈 • Why she REFUSES to let AI write her posts • The content creation formula she’s spent 5 years mastering, that got her to 90,000+ followers on LinkedIn • How she went from feeling anxious and nervous about public speaking to presenting unprepared to Ben Francis at Gym Shark and nailing paid public speaking gigs 🎯 • The LinkedIn post idea that got 2,000 likes - and how you can replicate her winning formula • How brand deals have became a significant income stream for her in the last 12 months 🚀 • The BIGGEST mistake she made in year one of business For entrepreneurs who want to build a system that brings clients to THEM inbound, this episode gives you the full blueprint 👀 -------- This episode is brought to you by our Sponsors: Constant Contact is the all-in-one marketing platform for small businesses. Create professional email and social campaigns in minutes with AI, automation and intuitive templates. Try it now free – https://www.constantcontact.com/uk?ut... ------ Jo's links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justjobird/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justjobird/ Website: www.justjobird.com ---- Steal our Sales Call Success Template and convert more of the right people on calls and get more ‘YESES’ than ever before without feeling salesy Access our FREE Sales Call Success Template, to help double...

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