James Haskell on Focus, Discipline and Building a Life After Sport

James Haskell shares the realities of leaving a structured career for entrepreneurship and the discipline needed to build something on your own terms.Stepping out of professional sport and into business forces you to confront how you work, who you trust and what you want your life to look like. In this bite sized episode, I speak with James Haskell as he breaks down the shift from a highly structured rugby environment to the chaos that often defines the corporate world. He talks about the importance of boundaries, the trap of pointless meetings and the need to value your time as much as you value your effort. His honesty cuts through the noise that surrounds entrepreneurship and highlights a simple truth. You either take responsibility for your next chapter or someone else writes it for you.Guest note: James Haskell is a former England rugby international and entrepreneur.Key Takeaways:Discipline replaces structure when you leave a fixed careerBoundaries stop you wasting time on meetings that add nothingFocus on fewer ventures to reduce burnout and increase clarityA clear exchange of value builds better business relationships🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Every year, I take one episode to step back and reflect. This is the countdown of the 10 Screw It Just DO It episodes you listened to most in 2025.This episode is a reflection on what really resonated with you in 2025. From founders starting in kitchens to building global brands, these conversations cut through the noise. We revisit lessons on resilience, timing, discipline, leadership, brand, AI, and long term thinking. Each guest earned their place by sharing honest stories about risk, doubt, growth, and momentum. This countdown is not about hype. It is about substance. If you want real insight into what it takes to build something meaningful, this episode brings together the voices that defined the year. It also marks a personal moment of reflection on a challenging year and a clear focus on what comes next.Guest note: This episode features highlights from ten previous guests including Pippa Murray, Aaron Gelbard, Julian Hearn, Richard Harpin, Piers Linney, Nell Daly, Richard Reed, Boris Diakonov, Juliet Barratt, and Al Barratt.Key TakeawaysYou do not need permission to startLong term thinking beats short term winsBrand and culture shape scaleResilience compounds over time🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Rebranding a company is rarely neat, and James Clark makes that clear in this conversation. He talks through the pressure of changing a long established name, the internal tension that came with it and the need to build something that reflects future ambition rather than past comfort. His breakdown of stakeholder alignment, intellectual coherence and disciplined decision making gives founders a practical view of how to manage identity change at scale. It is a calm and honest look at the work behind a brand that now represents a fast growing venture capital firm with global reach.Guest note:James Clark is the Marketing Director at Molten Ventures, known for leading one of the most complex rebrands in European venture capital.Key TakeawaysA rebrand must reflect where the organisation is going, not where it has been.Stakeholder alignment matters more than visual design.Intellectual coherence gives a brand long term strength.Risk is part of the process but it must be managed with structure and clarity.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Recorded live at the Festival of Entrepreneurs, this panel brings together founders who are actively implementing AI in real businesses. We cover what AI first actually means in practice, how to start small without breaking existing operations, and why governance and visibility matter more than speed alone. The conversation moves beyond theory into workflows, automation, data, compliance, and personal brand growth. We also explore where AI is already creating new revenue models and how founders can future proof visibility as AI search replaces traditional discovery. This is a grounded discussion for operators who want clarity, not noise, and results that show up on the balance sheet.Guest panel: Piers Linney, James Smith, Dominic Kos, Sabrina Stocker. Hosted by Rob Hanna.Key takeawaysStart AI adoption with clear workflows and measurable ROIGovernance and visibility create confidence and safe scaleAI works best when paired with human judgementFounders must adapt content and branding for AI search🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

In this Bite-Sized episode, I revisit my conversation with George Kruis, former England international rugby player and co-founder of fourfive. George explains how he and Dom began building their wellness brand while recovering from operations, sitting on physio beds and asking themselves how to take control of their recovery. This clip focuses on the early execution stage. He talks openly about setting up the company, learning how to operate outside the structure of professional sport, and why delegation, speed, and clarity are essential when you move into business. His honesty about the transition and the steep learning curve will resonate with anyone starting something new.Guest: George Kruis, co-founder of fourfive and former England rugby player.Key Takeaways:The first version of any business requires fast learning and deliberate action.Delegation is a skill founders must develop early.Your network is an asset only if you use it intentionally.Co-founders need different strengths to build momentum.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

A powerful five minute segment where David Yarrow reveals the moment he pivoted from sports photography to fine art and built a global brand.In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It session, I sit down with world leading fine art photographer David Yarrow to unpack the moment that changed his entire career. David explains how he went from struggling in finance to creating some of the most valuable photographic works in the world. He breaks down the thought process behind reinvention, why your subject choices define your relevance and how insecurity can fuel growth when channelled properly. This is an honest look at pivoting, risk taking and rebuilding from the ground up.Guest note: David Yarrow is one of the highest selling fine art photographers today, known for his cinematic wildlife and celebrity images.Key Takeaways:Reinvention demands a clear break from old identity and a willingness to start again.Creative success comes from choosing subjects that hold weight and meaning.Strong research separates average work from standout work.Insecurity is useful when it drives higher standards and sharper decisions.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Aliett Buttelman went from fashion model to co-founder of Fazit, a beauty brand that exploded after a viral Taylor Swift moment. This episode breaks down what actually drives real growth.In this episode I talk with Aliett Buttelman about what it takes to build a brand from scratch and survive hyper growth. Aliett explains how a decade in fashion modelling shaped his approach to creative work and why he walked away from consulting to build Fazit with co founder Nina LaBruna. She shares how their glitter freckles went viral when Taylor Swift wore them and what actually happens behind the scenes when sales jump by thousands of per cent overnight. We dig into supply chain pressure, copycats, international expansion and what it means to keep a brand focused when attention moves fast.Guest: Aliett Buttelman, co founder of FazitKey Takeaways:Virality only matters when a brand has the operational foundation to handle demand.Copycats are inevitable but innovation and strong brand identity create defensibility.International expansion requires clarity of vision, not speed for the sake of it.Founders need consistent decision making to avoid drifting away from their original mission.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Jim Cregan built Jimmy’s Iced Coffee from a simple idea into a national brand. This episode captures how he pushed through debt, setbacks and doubt to create real momentum.Speaking with Jim Cregan reminded me how often founders underestimate the grind behind a brand that looks simple from the outside. Jim described the early days of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee when he was £50,000 in debt, unsure of the next step and carrying the pressure of keeping the business alive. What shifted things was not luck. It was action. Handwritten letters, direct outreach, relentless product sampling and a refusal to step back when the numbers looked bleak. This Bite sized episode is a sharp reminder that momentum usually starts at the point where most people quit.Guest: Jim Cregan, Co founder of Jimmy’s Iced CoffeeKey Takeaways:Momentum often begins when financial pressure is highest.Personal outreach can open doors large campaigns cannot.Simplicity and product quality build trust faster than branding claims.Resilience matters more than perfect planning in the early stages. 🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Passenger started as a simple lifestyle idea yet grew into a purpose led brand with a loyal community and a clear mission. This episode breaks down how it happened and what founders can learn from the journey.Speaking with Richard Sutcliffe reminded me how often founders overlook the power of building something with clear intent. Passenger began as a small lifestyle project shaped by surf trips, long drives and a need for breathing space. It grew because the purpose was honest and the community saw themselves in the story. Ritchard talked openly about the pressure of personal challenges, the role of naivety, the importance of ego control and the reality that a brand must outgrow the founder to survive. This episode is a useful listen for anyone who wants to build something that lasts and still feels grounded in real purpose.Guest: Richard Sutcliffe, Founder of PassengerKey Takeaways:Purpose creates clarity when the business hits difficult stages.Community forms when the brand story is honest and consistent.Naivety can be an advantage when it removes assumptions.Founders must step back if they want the brand to scale.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.FOE returns to NEC Birmingham on November 3-4, 2026. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship