Backing Yourself Beats Following the Right Path: Athan Didaskalou, July Founder, on Success After School

If your teenager is unsure what comes next, this episode is reassurance that confidence usually comes after action, not before. It is for parents supporting a young person through big decisions. What if the right path only becomes clear once you stop chasing it? Athan Didaskalou, founder of the Australian luggage brand July, talks honestly about his uneasy relationship with school, the uncertainty he felt early on, and how curiosity and hands-on experience mattered more than perfect results. His story is a reminder that there is no single right pathway after school, that skills are built through experience rather than qualifications alone, and that one result never defines future potential. For any parent supporting exploration without pressure, or any young person rethinking their direction, this conversation offers a grounded, generous perspective. Success is built over time. In this episode, you’ll discover and learn: • Navigating uncertainty after school with no clear plan • Why confidence comes after action, not before • Building skills through experience rather than qualifications • How parents can support exploration without pressure • Why success looks different at every life stage Because school is only one chapter, and success is built over time. More Than a Score: Redefining Success Beyond School is hosted by Laura Pitt and Dan Steele, a former teacher and award-winning school leader on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. New episodes fortnightly. Subscribe to follow along.