Screw It Just DO It with Alex Chisnall

Alex Chisnall
  • 4.9 (23)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Weekly

Screw It Just DO It is the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders and business builders who are ready to stop waiting and start building. Hosted by Alex Chisnall, the show features honest conversations with people who’ve faced uncertainty, taken risks and built businesses that matter — from kitchen-table side projects to global brands and billion-pound companies. Real stories. Real decisions. Real progress. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

  1. 2d ago

    He Was Too Ill to Fight. Then Became World Champion | Chris Billam-Smith

    Chris Billam-Smith was preparing for the biggest fight of his career when serious illness threatened to end his world title dream. Barely able to eat, with his trainer considering pulling him out, Chris refused to give up. In this Founder Classic episode of Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Chris to discuss the determination that carried him through 36 minutes in the ring to an emotional world title victory at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium. We explore his journey from missing out on the GB boxing squad to earning an opportunity with trainer Shane McGuigan, the sacrifices he made along the way and why the fear of regret kept him pushing forward. From discipline and recovery to resilience, consistency and overcoming setbacks, Chris shares what it really takes to pursue a childhood dream when everything seems to be against you. Key Takeaways: ◼️ Determination can carry you through extraordinary challenges. Despite serious illness before his world title fight, Chris refused to abandon his childhood dream. ◼️ Rejection doesn't have to define your future. Missing out on the GB boxing squad didn't stop Chris from pursuing a professional career. ◼️ The right people can change your trajectory. Chris credits trainer Shane McGuigan with playing a pivotal role in his boxing journey. ◼️ The fear of regret can be a powerful motivator. Chris was determined to give everything rather than look back wondering what might have happened. ◼️ Success requires personal sacrifices. Giving up alcohol and committing fully to training were part of his pursuit of a world title. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎟️ Ready to take your next big step? Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 2027. Connect with ambitious founders, learn from successful entrepreneurs and discover new opportunities to grow your business. 👉 Find out more: ⁠https://www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk/⁠

    He Was Too Ill to Fight. Then Became World Champion | Chris Billam-Smith

  2. 4d ago

    Lottie Whyte: We Turned Down the Dragons' Den Investment | MyoMaster

    Lottie Whyte and her husband Joe went on Dragons' Den, received an investment offer and decided to turn it down. In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Lottie, co-founder of MyoMaster, to discuss leaving her successful career at M&C Saatchi, building a recovery and wellness brand from a side hustle and risking personal savings to make it work. Lottie reveals why they walked away from the Dragons' Den investment, how Google's Black Founders Fund helped restore her confidence when she was close to giving up, and how MyoMaster went on to achieve over £1 million in annual revenue. We also explore the realities of entrepreneurship, balancing motherhood with ambition, the pressures of scaling and why she's considering bringing in an experienced CEO. An honest conversation about taking risks, overcoming setbacks and knowing when to ask for help. Key Takeaways: ◼️ Not every investment offer is the right opportunity. Lottie and Joe received an offer on Dragons' Den but ultimately chose not to proceed, while still benefiting from the exposure. ◼️ You don't have to quit your job to start a business. They spent three years building MyoMaster alongside their careers before committing full-time. ◼️ Entrepreneurship requires personal sacrifice. Lottie discusses risking savings, managing cash flow and balancing business ambitions with family life. ◼️ Sometimes external belief changes everything. When Lottie was considering giving up, Google's Black Founders Fund gave her renewed confidence in MyoMaster. ◼️ Growth rarely happens in a straight line. After generating approximately £200,000 halfway through the year against a £1 million target, MyoMaster finished with over £1 million in revenue. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, helping ambitious businesses make international payments, pay overseas suppliers and collect payments from around the world. 🌍 Doing business internationally? Create your free WorldFirst account at: https://www.worldfirst.com 🎟️ Ready to take your next big step? Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 2027. Connect with ambitious founders, learn from successful entrepreneurs and discover new opportunities to grow your business. 👉 Find out more: ⁠https://www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk/⁠

    Lottie Whyte: We Turned Down the Dragons' Den Investment | MyoMaster

  3. Nov 5

    I Spent 8 Years Afraid to Give 100% | Chemmy Alcott

    For eight years, four-time Winter Olympian Chemmy Alcott deliberately competed at 80% of her potential. Not because she lacked talent, but because she feared giving everything and discovering her best wasn't good enough. In this Founder Classic episode of Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Chemmy to explore how fear of failure and perfectionism held her back until an unexpected second chance at a World Cup race changed everything. We discuss the breakthrough performance that came when she stopped playing safe, the lessons she learned from serious injuries, and how she rebuilt her identity beyond professional skiing. From overcoming setbacks and embracing failure to challenging your limits and finding the courage to start again, Chemmy shares why sometimes the biggest obstacle to success is our own fear of trying. Key takeaways: ◼️ Fear of failure can hold back even the most talented people. Chemmy admits she deliberately competed at 80% for eight years because she feared discovering her best wasn't enough. ◼️ Perfectionism can prevent progress. Her breakthrough came when she stopped trying to control every aspect of her performance. ◼️ Second chances can change everything. After finishing 31st in a World Cup race, another competitor's disqualification gave Chemmy an unexpected opportunity to race again. ◼️ Your best performance doesn't have to be perfect. Chemmy describes her historic run as perfect precisely because it was imperfect. ◼️ Setbacks can teach lessons that success cannot. Serious injuries challenged Chemmy physically and mentally, shaping her approach to resilience. ◼️ Let others see you fail. Chemmy learned to skateboard at 40 so her children could see her struggle, practise and improve. ◼️ Your identity can evolve. Leaving professional skiing meant redefining herself and discovering new goals beyond elite sport. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎟️ Ready to take your next big step? Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 2027. Connect with ambitious founders, learn from successful entrepreneurs and discover new opportunities to grow your business. 👉 Find out more: ⁠https://www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk/⁠

    I Spent 8 Years Afraid to Give 100% | Chemmy Alcott

  4. Nov 3

    He Sold His Business After 21 Years. Then Started Again in His 50s | Simon Gray

    Simon Gray spent 21 years building Boost Drinks into a major challenger brand before selling the business to AG Barr. But instead of retiring, he decided to start again in his fifties. In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, Alex Chisnall sits down with Simon to explore how he launched Boost with a £30,000 bank loan, took calculated risks and built a successful drinks business from the ground up. Simon also reveals the emotional reality of selling Boost, including breaking down in tears before announcing the deal to his team, and why he chose to launch another venture, Fizz With Purpose, the company behind It's Giving. From building a challenger brand and navigating a business exit to rediscovering purpose and starting again, Simon shares the lessons he's learned about entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience and knowing when to take the leap. Key takeaways You don't have to be first to succeed. Simon spotted an opportunity in an established drinks market and built Boost into a challenger brand.Calculated risks can create opportunities. He launched Boost with a £30,000 bank loan while initially managing two businesses.Knowing when to commit matters. Simon waited for signs of momentum before focusing entirely on Boost.Selling a business is deeply personal. After 21 years, the emotional weight of the sale and its impact on employees brought Simon to tears.Success can change your identity. Simon discusses the uncertainty of leaving behind a business that had defined much of his professional life.It's never too late to start again. Rather than retire, Simon launched Fizz With Purpose in his fifties.Building a business requires the right people. Simon explains why leadership, a clear vision and a trusted team are essential for growth." Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎟️ Ready to take your next big step? Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 3–4 November at the NEC Birmingham. Connect with ambitious founders, learn from successful entrepreneurs and discover new opportunities to grow your business. 👉 Find out more: https://www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk/ 🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, helping ambitious businesses make international payments, pay overseas suppliers and collect payments from around the world. 🌍 Doing business internationally? Create your free WorldFirst account at: https://www.worldfirst.com

    He Sold His Business After 21 Years. Then Started Again in His 50s | Simon Gray

  5. Oct 29

    He Lost His Rugby Career, Then Rebuilt His Life | Richie Norton

    What happens when the one thing that defines you is suddenly taken away? For Richie Norton, rugby was everything. But serious injuries ended his dreams of a professional career, leaving him struggling with his identity and escaping into the Ibiza party lifestyle. In this Founder Classic episode of Screw It Just DO It, Alex Chisnall sits down with Richie to explore how he rebuilt his life through surfing, yoga, movement and a life-changing move to Australia. From overcoming injuries and rediscovering his purpose to taking ownership of his future, Richie shares why personal transformation starts with a decision and the courage to take the first step. A powerful conversation about resilience, reinvention, mental wellbeing and finding your way forward when life doesn't go to plan. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎟️ Ready to take your next big step? Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 3–4 November at the NEC Birmingham. Connect with ambitious founders, learn from successful entrepreneurs and discover new opportunities to grow your business. 👉 Find out more: ⁠https://www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk/⁠

    He Lost His Rugby Career, Then Rebuilt His Life | Richie Norton

  6. Oct 27

    She Spent 2 Years Winning the Deal. Then Walked Away in 3 Months | Yulia Rorstrom

    Yulia Rorstrom spent two years securing one of Duck & Dry's biggest opportunities: a partnership with Primark, a 3,000 sq ft salon in Birmingham and national media attention. Three months after opening, she knew it wasn't working. So she walked away. In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Yulia to discuss building Duck & Dry from scratch despite having no experience in the hair industry, discovering she was pregnant while launching her first salon, surviving Covid and making difficult decisions as a founder. We explore why she chose to close the Primark salon despite years of investment, how Duck & Dry went on to secure opportunities with Rosewood, Battersea Power Station, Harvey Nichols and John Lewis, and why her approach became “Go big or go home.” It's a conversation about resilience, risk, knowing when to persevere and recognising when it's time to change direction. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎟️ Ready to take your next big step? Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 3–4 November at the NEC Birmingham. Connect with ambitious founders, learn from successful entrepreneurs and discover new opportunities to grow your business. 👉 Find out more: https://www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk/ 🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, helping ambitious businesses make international payments, pay overseas suppliers and collect payments from around the world. 🌍 Doing business internationally? Create your free WorldFirst account at: https://www.worldfirst.com

    She Spent 2 Years Winning the Deal. Then Walked Away in 3 Months | Yulia Rorstrom

  7. Oct 22

    Everyone Told Him Not to Do It. He Did It Anyway | Simon Leslie

    Everyone told him not to do it. He did it anyway. After 28 years building Ink, Simon Leslie found himself at a crossroads. Having steered the business through COVID, he realised something had changed. The passion that had driven him for nearly three decades was no longer there. He didn't have a detailed plan for what came next. But he did have a boyhood dream. He wanted to buy a football club. So he started telling people. Making connections. Putting his ambition out into the world. Eventually, that journey led him to Eastbourne Borough Football Club. The response from almost everyone around him? Don't do it. They told him it would be a waste of money, time and energy. But Simon wanted to create something special. Something that could leave a legacy. In this Founder Classic episode of Screw It Just DO It, Simon joins Alex Chisnall to discuss what happens when you walk away from the business that has defined you, trust your instincts and pursue a dream that others don't understand. In this conversation: ● Why Simon walked away after 28 years building Ink ● Recognising when you've lost your passion ● How telling people about his dream opened unexpected doors ● Why everyone advised against buying Eastbourne Borough ● Creating a legacy through football and community ● Separating your identity from your business ● Staying committed when things don't go to plan ● The importance of being present and letting go of unnecessary worries Sometimes the biggest risk isn't taking the leap. It's spending the rest of your life wondering what might have happened if you had. Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎟️ Ready to take your next big step? Join us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on 3–4 November at the NEC Birmingham. Connect with ambitious founders, learn from successful entrepreneurs and discover new opportunities to grow your business. 👉 Find out more: https://www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk/

    Everyone Told Him Not to Do It. He Did It Anyway | Simon Leslie

  8. Oct 20

    From Dragons' Den to Olympic Gold: How Chris Rea Built Y1

    What does it take to turn a university side hustle into a multi-million-pound sports brand used by Olympic champions? Chris Rea started out selling onesies from his student bedroom. Fourteen years later, he and his co-founder Tom have built Y1 into an international hockey brand, with athletes competing at the highest levels of the sport. But the journey was far from straightforward. After appearing on Dragons' Den and receiving an offer, Chris knew it was time to take his business seriously. Yet rapid early growth eventually gave way to challenges, burnout and a difficult decision to step back into employment. That apparent setback became one of the most valuable experiences of his entrepreneurial career. In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, Chris shares how he rediscovered his direction, learned from ambitious founders, raised investment from his own community and transformed a broad fashion business into a specialist sports brand. We explore the importance of knowing when to pivot, why being exceptional in a niche can beat trying to appeal to everyone, and how Y1 went from testing hockey sticks with international players to celebrating Olympic gold medals. In this episode: ● The Dragons' Den moment that changed everything ● Building a business while studying at university ● Burnout, setbacks and returning to employment ● Why specialising in hockey transformed Y1 ● Raising investment from customers and supporters ● Building a sports brand trusted by Olympic athletes ● Expanding into padel and international markets Subscribe to Screw It Just DO It for more conversations with founders and entrepreneurs who stopped waiting and took action. 🎧 This episode is powered by WorldFirst, helping ambitious businesses make international payments, pay overseas suppliers and collect payments from around the world. 🌍 Doing business internationally? Create your free WorldFirst account at: https://www.worldfirst.com

    From Dragons' Den to Olympic Gold: How Chris Rea Built Y1
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About

Screw It Just DO It is the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders and business builders who are ready to stop waiting and start building. Hosted by Alex Chisnall, the show features honest conversations with people who’ve faced uncertainty, taken risks and built businesses that matter — from kitchen-table side projects to global brands and billion-pound companies. Real stories. Real decisions. Real progress. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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