RE:WYND

What if the people around you really do determine what you build?At just 23, Matthew Adams has already built businesses, worked in recruitment, freelanced, consulted and created Focus on Founders — a growing Scottish founder community and podcast designed to offer something he felt was missing from traditional networking.Matthew talks openly about growing up with an entrepreneurial mindset, from selling light-up yo-yos at school to building businesses of his own. But the real story behind Focus on Founders isn't networking. It's connection.After becoming frustrated with rooms where people exchanged business cards and elevator pitches before returning to their separate lives, Matthew wanted to create something where people genuinely supported one another. Today, Focus on Founders brings together founders at completely different stages, with a simple philosophy: everyone should be both a mentor and a mentee.In this episode, we talk about:Why traditional networking often fails to create meaningful relationshipsHow Matthew built Focus on Founders from a podcast and a dinner with just 12 peopleWhy character matters more than a CV when building a communityThe importance of giving as much as you takeWhy authenticity can be one of the most powerful things you bring to businessWhether "founder" has become an identity rather than simply a job titleWhy Matthew believes Scotland needs more collaboration and less competitionThe gaps in support for people starting and growing businesses in ScotlandWhat happens when the right people are put in the right roomThe reality of being a young founder — including self-doubt, burnout and learning your own worthWhy success has become less about money and more about freedom for MatthewAnd the personal experiences that changed the way he thinks about business, health, family and what really mattersPerhaps the most powerful part of the conversation comes towards the end, when Matthew talks about what he actually wants to leave behind. Not simply a successful business or a well-known community, but a personal impression — knowing that something he did changed someone's life or perspective.Because ultimately, this episode isn't really about networking.It's about people.It's about finding the right room, being willing to learn, being willing to give, and remembering that behind every business is a human being trying to figure it out too.Follow Matthew Adams and Focus on Founders to find out more about the community, podcast and upcoming events.

Jennifer Reoch has spent more than a decade building a career in television and radio, but her journey wasn't mapped out from the beginning.In this episode of RE:WYND, Jennifer reflects on the unexpected path that took her from studying law at university to becoming one of Scotland's most recognisable broadcasters. She opens up about winning Miss Scotland, breaking into the television industry, the reality of freelancing, handling rejection, rebuilding confidence after setbacks, and why saying "yes" to opportunities has shaped every chapter of her career.Together, we explore the pressure of public life, the importance of surrounding yourself with good people, learning to embrace failure, and what success really looks like once the cameras stop rolling.This is a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and having the courage to keep moving forward—even when you don't have everything figured out.

What happens when the life everyone else dreams of doesn't feel like your own?This week on the RE:WYND Pod, Mollie sits down with internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Nate James for one of his most open and personal conversations to date.With a career spanning more than two decades, over a million records sold independently, international chart success, MOBO nominations, and a catalogue of music that has soundtracked millions of lives, Nate has experienced the very best—and the very hardest—parts of the music industry. But behind the accolades is a story that very few people have heard.From growing up as a young boy singing into a hairbrush in his bedroom, to signing with Warner Music, touring the world, writing for some of the biggest names in music and becoming one of the UK's most respected soul artists, Nate reflects on the extraordinary journey that brought him here.But this conversation isn't really about fame.It's about identity.For years, Nate lived with the pressure of hiding who he truly was. As a mixed-race gay artist in an industry that encouraged him to fit a particular image, success often came at the expense of authenticity. Behind sold-out shows, television appearances and international tours was someone trying to navigate a double life while carrying the weight of expectations that were never his to begin with.Together, Mollie and Nate explore what it means to finally stop performing for everyone else and start living for yourself.They discuss the importance of owning your masters, building an independent career long before it became fashionable, and why genuine connection has always mattered more than follower counts. Nate reflects on the changing music industry, the rise of social media, creativity as therapy and how songwriting became the place where he could tell the truths he wasn't yet ready to say out loud.The conversation also dives into the wellness journey that transformed his life. From meditation and yoga to learning how to slow down after years of chasing success, Nate shares how looking after his mind became just as important as looking after his career.You'll also hear the incredible story behind Lola's Theme, why his latest album The Man I Am is his most personal body of work yet, and how finding love, peace and acceptance later in life completely changed the way he creates music.Above all, this episode is about one simple but powerful idea:Finding yourself... and then finding the power in that.Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, creative, or simply someone trying to work out who they are, Nate's honesty is a reminder that success isn't measured by charts, awards or followers—it's measured by how freely you get to be yourself.This is a conversation about resilience.About reinvention.About healing.About choosing authenticity over expectation.And about discovering that the person you've spent your whole life looking for has been you all along.In this episode we discuss:• Growing up with big dreams and finding music• The realities of the music industry behind the scenes• Independent success and owning your masters• Life before social media and how the industry has changed• Fame, pressure and mental health• Coming out while navigating a public career• Being a mixed-race, gay artist in the music industry• Creativity as healing and songwriting as therapy• Wellness, meditation and personal growth• The story behind Lola's Theme• The inspiration for The Man I Am• Why authenticity will always outlast successIf this episode resonates with you, we'd love it if you subscribed, left a review and shared it with someone who needs to hear it.Because sometimes the most important journey you'll ever take... is the one back to yourself.

What makes a story truly resonate?In Episode 4 of The RE:WYND Pod, I sit down with actor, comedian and writer Sanjeev Kohli for a conversation that goes far beyond the screen.Known to many as Navid from Still Game, Sanjeev reflects on a career built not just on memorable characters, but on authenticity. Together, we explore the creative process behind bringing stories to life, why representation matters, and how comedy can become one of the most powerful tools for challenging perspectives and connecting people.From growing up between cultures to finding confidence in a distinctly Scottish voice, Sanjeev shares how the stories we tell—and the way we tell them—shape our identity, our communities and the generations that follow.This episode is a thoughtful exploration of creativity, belonging and the responsibility that comes with making people laugh. It examines why the most enduring characters are rooted in truth, how authenticity outlasts perfection, and why creating work that feels honest will always matter more than chasing approval.In this episode, you'll discover:Why authenticity is the foundation of great storytellingHow comedy can challenge prejudice while bringing people togetherThe importance of embracing your own voice and cultural identityWhat it really takes to create characters people never forgetWhy the best creative work always starts with honestyWhether you're an actor, writer, creative, entrepreneur or simply someone who believes in the power of stories, this is a conversation that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

What does it really take to build a creative career?In Episode 3 of The RE:WYND Pod, I sit down with Jamie Mackinlay, creator and host of the Just Get A Real Job podcast, for an honest conversation about breaking into the creative industries, navigating uncertainty, and building a career on your own terms.From redundancy and freelancing to imposter syndrome and social mobility, Jamie shares the realities of working in television, podcasting, and the arts—challenging the idea that creativity isn't a "real job."Together, we explore why there is no such thing as a linear career path, the importance of separating your identity from your profession, and why opportunity shouldn't depend on your background.Whether you're building a business, pursuing a creative career, or simply trying to find your place in an ever-changing world of work, this episode is a powerful reminder that success rarely follows a straight line.In this episode, you'll learn:• The realities of building a career in the creative industries• Why there is no "right" path to success• How to overcome imposter syndrome and self-doubt• Why resilience matters more than perfection• The challenges facing freelancers and creatives today• How to create opportunities when none seem to existFollow Jamie:🎙️ Just Get A Real Job Podcast📸 Instagram: @justgetarealjobpodcast

From hand-labelling jars in her kitchen to building one of Scotland's fastest-growing independent food brands, Jen Montgomery's journey is proof that the best businesses are built with heart.Founder of ChilliBird, registered nurse, martial artist and entrepreneur, Jen joins me to talk about building a brand rooted in heritage, navigating imposter syndrome, overcoming adversity, and why courage—not confidence—is the ingredient every founder needs.This isn't just a conversation about chilli oil. It's about community, resilience, identity and creating something that genuinely makes people's lives better.Follow Jen:🌶️ ChilliBird: https://www.chillibird.co.uk/📸 @chillibird.co.uk📸 @jentheburd

This is episode one. No guest, no big interview, no dramatic moment halfway through where someone says something that changes your life. Just me, sitting down at the start of something, trying to be honest about what it is and why I made it.RE:WYND is a podcast about the stories people don't usually tell. Growth, motivation, mental health, and the very specific kind of trust it takes to say any of that out loud to another person — on purpose, knowing it's being recorded, knowing strangers are going to hear it. That's not a small thing. I want to treat it like it isn't.Every episode goes back. Not to relitigate the past, but because the bit that actually shaped someone is almost never the bit they lead with. It's behind them. In the narrow lane. The wynd. That's where the real story lives, and that's what I'm here to find.In this first episode I talk about why this show exists, what I'm actually trying to do with it, and why I think the most useful conversations are the ones that never quite make it onto someone's LinkedIn profile. I also talk a little about my own story — not all of it, not yet, but enough to be clear that I'm not asking guests to go somewhere I'm not willing to go myself.If you found this show because you're going through something, or because you're on the other side of something and still making sense of it, or because you just want to hear people talk like actual humans instead of personal brand case studies — you're in the right place. This one's for you.New episodes dropping regularly. Follow, subscribe, leave a review if something lands. And if you've got a story worth the rewind, you know where to find me.