Don’t Build a Business on Money You Don’t Control

Don’t Build a Business on Money You Don’t Control

The recent Sports Premium announcement has got a lot of people in education talking. But for me, it raised a bigger business lesson. If your business relies too heavily on one funding stream, one type of contract, or one version of the market staying the same, you are exposed. In this episode, I reflect on what Covid taught us at Inspired Schools, how we adapted to support schools when everything changed, and why the latest changes to PE and school sport funding are another reminder that businesses need to stay useful, stay relevant and keep evolving. I also talk about the importance of diversifying revenue, listening to what schools actually need, and why building Renew Education has been timely in hindsight. Funding helps. But funding should never be the whole strategy.

Why Changing My Environment Changed My Mindset

A month ago I joined a new gym in Bath. At the time, I thought I was just changing where I trained. What I didn’t expect was how much it would impact my mindset, ambition and energy outside of fitness too. In this episode I talk about: * Feeling stuck and going through the motions * Why environment matters more than we realise * The people and conversations that can raise your standards * Meeting ambitious people from different walks of life * Wanting more from life and business without losing sight of family and values * Why I don’t want to look back with “what ifs” A reflection on growth, aspiration, business, fitness and the importance of the environments we choose to put ourselves in.

The Dangerous Side of Comparison

Last night I made the mistake of doom scrolling before bed… and within 10 minutes I was questioning whether I’m doing enough. After watching someone I admire still grinding at 10pm after a full day of coaching, business and training, it forced me to reflect on ambition, comparison, productivity and the reality of trying to balance business, fitness and family life. In this episode I talk about: * The comparison trap of social media * The pressure of trying to “do more” * My 3 pillars: health, business and family * Why trade-offs matter more than people admit * Building a life around your own values rather than somebody else’s

The Danger of Being the Person Everyone Relies On

Being reliable is usually seen as a strength. You step in. You solve problems. You protect people. You keep things moving. But what happens when your reliability starts to stop other people from growing? In this episode, I reflect on a small parenting moment with my daughter forgetting her school blazer, and how it opened up a bigger thought around responsibility, rescue and leadership. I talk about the difference between helping and making life too easy, why children need chances to experience consequences, and how the same lesson applies in business. After years of being the person who fills gaps, fixes problems and carries the weight, I’m learning that the next stage of leadership is not about doing more. It is about building people, systems and businesses that do not rely on me catching everything. Because if you keep catching everything, people stop learning how to hold things themselves.

What the F*ck Am I Doing? Starting a Business With My Kids

Last night I found myself thinking: “What the f*ck am I doing?” We’re launching a small shop today—cakes, fudge, jewellery—run by my daughters. But in the middle of burnt fudge, a messy kitchen, and a late night… I started questioning everything. Do I really have time for this? Am I just creating more work for myself? Is this actually going to teach them anything? And then something shifted. This episode is a real-time reflection on: * parenting and pressure * creating meaningful time with your kids * teaching responsibility and the value of money * and why the things that feel hardest often matter most There’s no polished ending—just the reality of trying to get it right. We launch at 3:30pm today… so we’ll see how it goes.