In this special one-year anniversary episode, Natasha sits down with martial arts entrepreneur and global franchise owner, Matt Fiddes. Matt shares his incredible journey from a bullied teenager who left school with no qualifications to building the largest martial arts franchise in the world, starting with just a £100 bank loan. Along the way, he discusses the reality of scaling a business, dealing with devastating early failures, and his ten years working as the personal bodyguard to Michael Jackson. KEY TAKEAWAYS Start small but dream big: Matt launched his first martial arts school as a teenager with a £100 loan from Barclays Bank, working as a lifeguard for £2.75 an hour to raise the funds. Resilience in the face of failure is crucial: His very first planned martial arts class had zero attendees because it tragically coincided with the morning Princess Diana died. Despite this massive setback and losing his initial investment, he persevered, re-booked the hall, and eventually filled it with over 100 students. Focus on the right priorities: Matt emphasises a strict hierarchy for a successful life: health first, family second, and business or money third. He also stresses the importance of having three distinct plans for your health and fitness, personal finances, and business. Surround yourself with the right people: To achieve massive success, you must place yourself in rooms where you are the least successful person. Matt credits his network, including high-level mentors and his close connection to Michael Jackson, for elevating his mindset and business acumen at a young age. Franchising requires a proven model: If you want to franchise a business, like an aesthetic clinic or a hair salon, you must first have a profitable, proven model with at least one year of good financial accounts. BEST MOMENTS "When you're backs up against the wall and you got nothing else you can do and no qualifications, you don't have a lot of choice really, Natasha." "Great minds think about ideas, medium minds think about things, small minds talk about people, gossip. You need to be in the great minds." "I was always the poorest person in the room by about several billion, so I was part of the greatest mastermind at 19 years old." "Money's the byproduct of you being successful. You need to focus in the right order: health, family, money." "If you don't love what you do, it will become work and when it's work you don't love it." TO CONNECT WITH MATT inktr.ee/mattfiddes01 OUR LINKS www.exquisitesalon.co https://www.instagram.com/exquisite1hbs/ HOST BIO Natasha is a seasoned hairdresser with over 14 years of experience in the beauty industry, renowned for her passion, skill, and dedication to her craft. Specializing in creating personalized, stunning styles, she has worked with clients of all hair types, consistently earning a reputation for boosting confidence and empowering individuals through their hair transformations. Natasha’s approach combines creativity with precision, ensuring each client feels valued and understood. Natasha looks to share insights from the world of hairstyling, creativity, and inspiration, alongside real conversations and meaningful discussions This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
