Driven

  This episode tells the true story of Craig Hubert. He began cutting hair at 14, became a five time world champion hairdresser, built a cosmetic brand that grew internationally and later endured a fashion venture that drained every penny he had. Craig has experienced the highest highs and the hardest lows of entrepreneurship, and he speaks about them with complete honesty.

In this episode of The Driven Podcast, Craig shares: ⚪ Why purpose is stronger than motivation
 ⚪ How a men’s grooming brand entered Boots and collapsed within a year
 ⚪ What he learned after losing his savings in a fashion business he kept alive out of ego
 ⚪ The reality of selling a company and why it often feels flat instead of exciting
 ⚪ How ADHD created both chaos and momentum in his life
 ⚪ Why talent based businesses are some of the hardest to scale
 ⚪ How Covid nearly shut his company down and why online sales saved it
 ⚪ Why accountability should always move upward in a business
 ⚪ The Buddhist practices that helped him quiet anxiety and stay grounded
 ⚪ Why he still cuts hair two days a week even with financial freedom If you want an honest look at entrepreneurship instead of a highlight reel, Craig’s story will give you clarity, perspective and real grounded insight.

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This is the story of how James Martin went from leaving school at fourteen with heavy dyslexia and no qualifications to building national companies, buying them back when they collapsed, and creating a property empire worth tens of millions.
 After being bullied, struggling in school and working out of the corner of his parents’ pub, James built his first business by knocking on doors with nothing more than grit and curiosity. By twenty he was running a team of thirty. By his twenties he had sold his company, rebuilt it when the buyer ran it into the ground, and then sold it again for over a million. Today he owns commercial estates, venues, land and multiple businesses, and mentors entrepreneurs on how to reach their next level.
 In this powerful episode of The Driven Podcast, James reveals: ⚪ How he turned dyslexia from a disadvantage into a superpower for selling, networking and getting in the room
 ⚪ The real reason he cut off old friends and rebuilt his circle around people doing more than him
 ⚪ How he went from a lawnmower at fourteen to managing seventy staff by twenty-four
 ⚪ The moment his PA transformed his entire business and why the right hire can change the trajectory of your life
 ⚪ Why he buys commercial property instead of houses and the creative deal structures that helped him get started
 ⚪ How worry destroys momentum and the simple habit he uses every night to clear his mind
 ⚪ What entrepreneurs get wrong about stress, and why action is the antidote every time
 ⚪ Why asking for help is the most underrated skill in business
 ⚪ How podcasts, community and being around the right people keep him driven in his sixties
 ⚪ What he wants his grandchildren to know about mindset, confidence and possibility
 If you’re building a business, trying to grow your wealth or navigating entrepreneurship without a traditional path, this episode will change how you think about opportunity, confidence and what it really means to be driven.
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This is the story of how Siena Hutchinson went from a shy creative kid in a tiny Swiss mountain town to building one of London’s most exciting branding agencies. After navigating burnout, losing her income overnight during Covid and walking away from a second business she built with her sister, Sienna rebuilt Hutch and Co from the ground up. Today, she’s helping founders elevate their brands, sharpen their vision and attract the clients they truly want. In this powerful episode of The Driven Podcast, Siena reveals: ⚪️ The reality of running a creative business and why most founders burn out before they break through ⚪️ How she accidentally fell into branding and turned a uni project into a real agency ⚪️ The surprising way a chance meeting in Milan shaped her career ⚪️ Why branding is more than visuals and the signs you’ve outgrown yours ⚪️ How one 30 day challenge transformed her agency ⚪️ The truth about starting a business with family and why her studio had to close ⚪️ How she hosts London’s most intimate female founder events and why networking changed everything ⚪️ Why she now thinks in seasons, not stress, and the tools she uses to stay grounded If you’re building a business, trying to stand out or navigating the messy middle of entrepreneurship, this episode will change how you think about brand, identity and what it really means to be driven.

This is the story of how John Holliday went from struggling to land a junior accounting role to owning one of the UK’s fastest growing accounting firms, now aiming for a 100 million valuation. He started out with poor grades, low confidence, and a fear of being seen. Over time, he built momentum through determination and a focus on customer experience, evolving a small practice into a finance group redefining what an accountancy firm can be. But the growth came with pressure. A bad debt almost killed the business. Cash flow was tight. Key staff had to be let go. And throughout it all John had to keep going, even when it felt impossible. In this episode of The Driven Podcast, John shares: ⚪ How being bullied at school shaped his need to prove himself
 ⚪ The deal structure that changed everything and why most people get it wrong
 ⚪ Why most accountants never master marketing
 ⚪ The numbers behind turning 1 million of spend into 5.6 million of revenue
 ⚪ What every buyer must know before acquiring a business
 ⚪ The real impact of AI on accountants and who will survive it
 ⚪ Why he now offers equity to key staff
 ⚪ How he tries to balance ambition with being present as a dad If you want to scale a service business, understand deal making, future proof against AI, or learn from someone who built from nothing, this episode is for you. Follow:
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This is the story of how Harry Harvey turned a small eBay side hustle into Garage Style, the £2.4 million flooring brand trusted by A-listers from Justin Bieber to Jake Paul. After starting out selling tools from his bedroom, Harry built one of the UK’s fastest-growing design brands, powered by social media, grit, and a refusal to settle. But behind the viral videos and celebrity garages came real pressure: cash-flow chaos, sleepless nights, and the fight to stay grounded as the business exploded. In this episode of The Driven Podcast, Harry shares: ⚪ The moment an Instagram shout-out blew up his business overnight ⚪ How one viral post hit 69 million views and changed everything ⚪ Building a team and turning chaos into structure ⚪ Why managing stress, family, and growth nearly broke him and what kept him going ⚪ The surprising truth about working with celebrities like Jake Paul and Justin Bieber ⚪ The mindset shifts behind scaling a seven-figure brand from a garage If you’ve ever wanted to build something from nothing, turn social media into real business growth, and stay sane while chasing big goals, this episode is for you. Follow: https://www.instagram.com/jamiedarkin_ https://www.instagram.com/driven_podcast https://www.instagram.com/garagestyleltd https://www.instagram.com/harry_garagestyle Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:27 What “driven” means to Harry 02:00 Growing up in an entrepreneurial family 03:05 Selling on eBay at 17 and getting hooked 03:51 The grandad who helped invent the ballpoint pen 05:18 Building an eBay business while working at Mercedes 07:04 The moment he decided to go all in on himself 08:31 From eBay to garage flooring and how the idea began 10:38 The Instagram strategy that changed everything 11:19 The crazy moment Yanny from Yiannimize called 12:45 Going viral overnight and realizing the power of social media 14:23 From side hustle to celebrity clients 16:21 How he built a 16 person team and scaled to £2.4M 17:37 Turning Garage Style into a social media powerhouse 20:14 The video that hit 69 million views 23:00 Overcoming fear of being on camera and building a personal brand 24:50 The hardest period buying a unit and managing cash flow 26:44 Staying grounded while running a fast growing business 28:03 Balancing family, business, and learning to switch off 29:05 Delegation, systems, and giving up control 33:29 Flying to Puerto Rico to fit Jake Paul’s garage 34:24 Justin Bieber, Jake Paul and surreal celebrity moments 36:12 Harry’s social media masterclass on how to go viral 38:17 How to stay ahead of trends and win online 41:56 Dream clients and expanding to the US 44:29 The future vision £10M turnover and global expansion 46:54 Harry’s three best pieces of advice for entrepreneurs 48:22 Building real community in a digital world 49:54 Closing remarks

This is the story of how Dr. Nilesh Satguru walked away from a prestigious medical career to help visionaries master their emotions and lead with compassion. After becoming one of the youngest UK doctors, achieving his “dream job,” and still feeling empty, Nilesh rebuilt from the inside out. Through grief and self-compassion, he now coaches leaders to unlock growth. In this episode of The Driven Podcast, Nilesh shares: ⚪️ The truth about being “driven” and why freedom, growth and service beat status every time ⚪️ The pivotal complaint that exposed a lack of compassion and changed his career direction ⚪️ How lifestyle medicine reversed conditions he once only treated with drugs ⚪️ The dopamine trap: why instant gratification kills long-term success and peace ⚪️ The Three A’s practice to master emotions and make better decisions daily ⚪️ The 3 brain systems that secretly control your stress, motivation and happiness ⚪️ How grief, identity and love reshaped his purpose as a father, coach and human If you’ve ever wondered how to build a life that’s successful and actually peaceful, heal anxiety at the root, and lead with compassion without losing your edge, this episode is for you. Follow: https://www.instagram.com/jamiedarkin_ https://www.instagram.com/driven_podcast https://www.instagram.com/drsatguru https://www.drsatguru.com Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:15 What “Driven” really means: freedom, growth, service 03:03 Fatherhood, Freddie and why purpose must be personal 04:25 Compassion as an advantage in business and life 06:14 Childhood, growth mindset and graduating medicine early 08:17 Becoming a GP and the reality of the system 12:00 The lifestyle medicine paradigm shift 14:24 90 days to clarity: sleep, move, eat well 15:12 The root cause of problems: who you think you are 18:19 Delayed gratification and protecting dopamine 22:16 AI, ambition and dreaming bigger with discipline 24:10 The complaint that sparked a compassion awakening 26:40 Losing his father, separation and the dark night of the soul 29:22 How to process grief and strengthen real connections 37:04 The Three A’s: Awareness, Agreements, Actions 41:05 Self-compassion vs anxiety and depression 43:06 Why action is hard and how to make it easy 45:37 Anxiety as suppressed authenticity and hidden shame 49:34 The 3 brain systems: want, threat, soothe 53:44 How to activate your soothe system fast 54:10 Three actionable life lessons to live by 56:13 Where to find Nilesh

This is the story of how Luke Barrow turned grief, guilt and silence into Two Pints Deep, the men’s mental health movement helping thousands of men open up before it’s too late. After losing his mum at a young age and battling loneliness, anxiety and addiction in silence, Luke hit breaking point. A single late-night conversation changed everything and became the spark for a charity now changing how men talk, connect and heal. In this powerful episode of The Driven Podcast, Luke shares: ⚪️ The hidden cost of being “busy” and why most men are quietly struggling behind success ⚪️ The truth about grief, gambling and the silent ways men try to cope ⚪️ How one honest conversation with friends saved his life ⚪️ The journey from a simple Instagram page to a national suicide prevention charity ⚪️ Why men only open up when they feel two pints deep, and how to break that barrier ⚪️ The loneliness of entrepreneurship and the tools he uses to stay grounded ⚪️ How he’s building a movement that could outlive him If you’ve ever felt lost, burnt out or unsure how to help the men around you, this episode will change how you think about mental health, purpose and what it really means to be driven. Follow: https://www.instagram.com/jamiedarkin_ https://www.instagram.com/driven_podcast https://www.instagram.com/twopintsdeep https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukebarrow Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:04 The truth behind “How are you?” 04:55 What “driven” really means to Luke 07:18 Losing his mum and the start of silence 09:42 The breakdown that changed everything 12:18 The first conversation that saved his life 15:03 How Two Pints Deep was born 18:55 From Instagram page to national charity 23:47 Why men don’t ask for help 28:14 Building real connection through creativity 32:10 The loneliness of entrepreneurship 38:22 Learning to switch off and find balance 45:39 How to support someone who’s struggling 51:12 The three questions every leader should ask 57:35 What’s next for Two Pints Deep

Danny Buchan, British Superstock champion and British Superbikes contender, shares how racing shaped his mindset and resilience and what pushed him to walk away from the sport. He discusses the pressure of competition, the injuries, and the emotional moment when he decided to retire. Now focused on building Office Furniture Group and Victory Commercial Interiors, Danny explains how the lessons from racing help him lead with focus, discipline, and accountability. He reflects on business challenges, personal growth, and the importance of being present with his family. In this episode, we discuss: ⚪️ Racing mindset, discipline, and handling pressure at the top level ⚪️ Why Danny retired and how he navigated the emotional shift ⚪️ Injuries, recovery routines, and returning to compete ⚪️ Building culture, accountability, and systems inside a growing company ⚪️ Cash flow shocks, cutting costs, and protecting the business ⚪️ Family priorities, presence, and sustainable success Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Danny’s introduction 01:00 What driven means to Danny 02:39 From money goals to family priorities 05:55 The season that turned pro and first big contract 07:49 Titles, results, and honest reflections on loyalty 10:06 Mindset, weight discipline, and saying no 11:25 Injury count and racing through pain 13:37 Pressure, contracts, and why he does not miss racing 15:21 Admitting the fun had gone and choosing to stop 18:14 Moving into business and life after racing 20:21 What fans do not see and the human side of sport 21:22 Racing while becoming a father 23:29 Qualifying amid a hospital scare 24:25 Coping with risk and keeping emotions in check 26:23 Taking over Office Furniture Group 26:47 Early learnings, mastermind support, and systems 29:31 Delegation, standards, and tough months 31:13 June shock, cash flow, and hard decisions 33:38 Redefining success and a ten year target 35:27 Feeling the need to prove it and leading from the front 36:54 How decisions are made with Paul 39:11 Victory Commercial Interiors and new online plans 41:09 Racing lessons applied to business 43:08 Why family time is non negotiable 45:48 Three things Danny lives by Follow Danny  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dannybuchan83/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-buchan-76689a196/ TikTok @buchan8383 Follow Jamie  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jamiedarkin_/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiedarkin/

This is the story of how Nicola Gunby built CLIQ, the global community app redefining real connection by fixing what Instagram broke.   After selling her first company and losing her sense of identity, Nicola started over, turning pain, purpose, and passion into a movement that now connects thousands across the UK, US and Australia.   In this episode of The Driven Podcast, Nicola shares:   ⚪️ The truth about life after a successful exit and the identity crash that followed ⚪️ How one conversation with a shaman in Bali reshaped her view of business and success ⚪️ The journey from ZERO to a global app transforming how people meet offline ⚪️ What Instagram and big tech got wrong about connection and how CLIQ is fixing it ⚪️ How to build fast, raise smart, and avoid taking the wrong money ⚪️ The mindset shifts, loneliness, and resilience behind scaling a mission-led brand   If you’ve ever wondered how to build a tech company with soul, challenge the way social media works, and create something that genuinely brings people together, this episode is for you.   Follow The Driven Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/jamiedarkin_ https://www.instagram.com/driven_podcast https://www.instagram.com/findyourcliq https://www.instagram.com/nicolagunby

From £1 deals that almost broke him to winning a £40 million NHS contract at 24, this is the story of how Nathan Winch built, bought, and turned around businesses while investing in commercial property for serious returns. With no silver spoon, failed acquisitions, and the hard lessons of cash flow over profit, Nathan reveals the brutal realities of entrepreneurship and why focus, resilience, and discipline matter more than hype. In this episode of The Driven Podcast, Nathan shares: ⚪️ Why £1 deals are NEVER free and what they really cost ⚪️ How he won a £40m NHS contract with no track record ⚪️ The brutal lessons from a failed transport business ⚪️ Why profitable companies still go bankrupt ⚪️ Why he’ll never buy residential property and what he buys instead ⚪️ The 3 rules he lives by: Focus, Consistency, Cash Flow If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to buy businesses, win big contracts, or invest in property without the fluff, this episode is packed with unfiltered truth from someone who’s lived it.

George Artemi is the founder of Roll Boys, the cult cinnamon roll brand with over 135k followers and queues down the street every weekend. His path into food was anything but ordinary. From playing football to running nightclubs aged just 23, through burnout and hitting rock bottom, George rebuilt his life with a single idea: cinnamon rolls. What began with no baking experience and borrowed money for a flight home has become one of London’s most in-demand food brands. In this episode George shares: How he went from nightclub chaos to creating Roll Boys The lessons from hitting zero and starting again with nothing Why storytelling beats marketing and builds a cult following How scarcity and simplicity fuelled Roll Boys’ explosive growth The realities of resilience, pressure, and building a brand with soul

Jason Iliffe is a tech founder and entrepreneur on a mission to solve the loneliness crisis. After starting his career with no network and no experience, he built and sold his first beauty tech company, raised capital against the odds, and is now building CLIQ, a community platform designed to impact a billion lives. In this episode Jason shares: Why loneliness is the biggest crisis of our time How COMMUNITY can become the cure to disconnection The lessons he learned raising capital without a network Why alignment with his co-founder is his biggest advantage The 1% actions he takes daily to stay driven and resilient This is a powerful conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, the future of community, and what it really takes to build purpose-driven companies that last.

Katie Arnold is the founder of Peppermint, a luxury athleisure brand, and a solo entrepreneur who built her audience and business from the ground up. Starting with just £100, she grew a handmade product into 60,000 sales, scaled her presence on LinkedIn to over 100,000 followers in 18 months, and even bought her first property at 22. Alongside the growth came challenges, including burnout, hair loss, and the pressure of carrying a business alone. In this episode Katie shares: The 3 LinkedIn strategies that took her from zero to 100,000 followers How she turned a £100 side hustle into a brand and a property investment What burnout taught her about sustainability and resilience Why documenting your journey builds trust, community, and opportunity A real conversation on growth, sacrifice, and building a brand with purpose

Hannah Power is a personal branding coach, speaker, and author who helps entrepreneurs and leaders build authentic brands that create opportunity. By 27 she had scaled her agency to £280k, but her path also involved trauma, addiction, burnout, and starting again from zero. From these experiences she developed the Performer Mode framework, a high-performance system for achieving success through flow and resilience instead of stress and hustle. In this episode Hannah shares: The 3 modes of success and why Performer Mode creates sustainable growth How trauma and burnout shaped her approach to work and life The personal branding mistakes that hold people back One simple habit that builds momentum in 7 days A practical conversation on personal branding, burnout recovery, and building lasting success.

In this pilot episode, I introduce The Driven Podcast and share what being driven means to me. You’ll learn why I started this show, the mindset behind it, and what you can expect each week as I sit down with ambitious people chasing big goals with purpose. Every guest brings 3 key pieces of advice you can apply straight away, so this isn’t just about inspiration, it’s about action.