Draft - Average Jo meets

Seven years of planning and hard graft and the help of a coach to achieve his vision of running his own gym.

A story of redesigning your life and starting from 'scratch' but this time with the benefit of work experience and education behind you. After 8 years working for film sets at Pinewood Studios, Andrew left and went back to his home town in Hereford and through an unexpected opportunity started his own web design company. Yellow Tree Studio now also helps small and medium sized businesses digitally transform and Andrew credits his enjoyment of constantly learning and having ambitious but supportive customers for this evolution. Find him at https://yellowtree-studio.co.uk.Important topics covered: What selling is really all about, how formal education can help, finding the right sort of customers so you can both grown together, the need to enjoy constantly learning!

Will be the intro as text plus website/socials

xxxxxTopics covered: Disability support, setting up shop without the expected financing (!), going door to door, balancing bringing up children with running a shop, retail insurance, employing apprentices and staff, the hard work of having fun cycling, rogue landlords, finding time to build the business whilst running it.Need the quote.. If you do something for money, that's work. If you do something for love, that's a passion. If you can combine both, the rewards are unending.

Our very first interview is with James Williamson, 41, who runs Art With Glass, a stained glass studio in South London. Check out some of the beautiful designs on Instagram Art_With_Glass_ and on their website https://artwithglass.co.uk/.We hear a candid account from James from key life events leading up to becoming a business owner - from travelling to selling doors to running a franchise to overcoming disappointment and divorce, to then coming across an opportunity to buy a stained glass workshop in 2018. He then explains how he and his comedian wife, Lucy Frederick, were able to grow and improve the operation including a big move to its spacious premises today in Penge.The interview is full of useful takeaways so happy listening.Topics covered: Sales tips, persistence and luck, running a franchise, working with your other half, valuing a business, growing a business by doing things better, disciplined project management and upselling, the surprising effect of the pandemic on a stained glass business, negotiating with landlords and estate agents, moving premises - making the decision, challenges and benefits, look after your employees, marketing tips, learning from your mistakes but NOT dwelling on them.