Ambitious Minds

Jay Lawrence
  • 5.0 (1)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Ambitious Minds

The Podcast for Fellow Ambitious Minds! Welcome to Ambitious Minds, where Jay uncovers the inspiring stories of relatable, ambitious individuals who are all looking to leave a mark in their industry - whether they’re climbing the corporate ladder, launching startups, or reinventing their careers. Each episode covers key topics such as career growth, entrepreneurship, overcoming impostor syndrome, networking, personal branding, business strategy, and the relentless pursuit of success. Expect raw, relatable insights from rising stars and industry disruptors who are turning their passion into progress. If you're an ambitious mind looking for career advice, business inspiration, or motivation to take the next step, I hope this show brings you some inspiration and relatability, and helps you see yourself in aspects of these stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 13 HR. AGO

    #50 – How Launching a Podcast Taught Me to Think Like an Entrepreneur

    In this 50th episode milestone, I’m pulling back the curtain on what I’ve learned from the last 12 months launching and growing this podcast - and how these lessons apply to starting any business. From dealing with imposter syndrome to experiencing the benefits of consistency and building a personal brand. I’ll also share the costs of podcasting, why networking is a superpower, and the real struggle of staying focused when opportunities are everywhere. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a content creator, or just someone who wants to level up, these 10 lessons will save you time, money, and frustration as you build your own path to success. Expect to learn: 00:00 Introduction 01:21 Celebrating 50 Episodes: A Year in Review 02:21 Lesson 1: The Importance of Getting Started 04:02 Lesson 2: Embrace Imperfection and Progress 10:02 Lesson 3: Consistency is Key 11:54 Lesson 4: Managing Work-Life Balance 17:17 Lesson 5: The Power of Networking 22:48 Lesson 6: Dealing With Imposter Syndrome 28:30 Lesson 7: Building Your Personal Brand 36:51 Lesson 8: The Challenge of Staying Focused 40:39 Defining Success and Ambition 50:41 Lesson 9: The Cost of Running a Podcast 58:53 Lesson 10: The Reality of Burnout 01:08:08 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways Get In Touch LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/ Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 11m

  2. FEB 14

    #49 - How to Grow & Exit a Successful Shopify Business – 5 Steps to Double Your Profit with Dan McClen

    Dan is an e-commerce expert who turned his Shopify side hustle into a £5 million revenue business. In this episode, he reveals how he scaled his company, maximised profitability, and ultimately exited successfully. The 5-Step Formula to Doubling Profit: Most Shopify store owners focus on traffic and ads, but Dan shares his proven strategy for increasing profit margins - giving you more cash to reinvest in customer acquisition. Accountant’s Guide to Running a Profitable Business: With his finance background, Dan breaks down how to structure your business for sustainable growth, so you’re not just making sales—you’re building a long-term success story. What Happens After a Successful Exit? As an ambitious entrepreneur, what do you do after selling your business? Dan reflects on his journey and shares what he’d do differently if he started again. Whether you're launching a store, scaling to six or seven figures, or planning your exit, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Don’t miss this masterclass in e-commerce success! 01:39 From Corporate Career to Entrepreneurship 02:07 Why Entrepreneurship? 03:16 Starting the Business 07:56 Scaling and Hiring 15:56 Understanding Unit Economics 19:00 5 Step Formula to Double Your Profit 47:33 Lessons Learned 48:29 The Waitlist Strategy 49:05 Balancing Profit and Growth 53:51 The Importance of Customer Experience 58:24 Resilience in Business 01:07:39 Future Ambitions and Projects Discover Dan Website - https://hellotmrw.io/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-mcclen Double Your Profit Cheat Sheet - https://hellotmrw.io/pages/double-your-profit Get In Touch LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/ Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 14m

  3. FEB 7

    #48 - The TRUTH about Entrepreneurship & Why Most Businesses FAIL - Anthony O'Brien, Managing Director of Profici

    In this episode, entrepreneur Anthony O'Brien shares his experiences and challenges in building a successful business. He discusses the importance of surrounding yourself with a strong team, the concept of a fractional C-suite, and the struggles of managing cash flow and staff. He also talks about his personal motivations, the impact of ADHD on entrepreneurs, and the need for adaptability in business. Key takeaways include the value of hiring people better than oneself, the significance of failure as a learning tool, and balancing personal life with business demands. 01:31 The Concept of Fractional C-Suite 06:30 Delegation and Building The Perfect Team 08:23 ADHD and Entrepreneurship 16:14 “The Hardest Year Of My Life” 20:02 Common Issues in Growing Businesses 32:49 Revenue vs. Profit: The Age-Old Debate 33:39 The Entrepreneur's Ego and Revenue Obsession 36:40 Challenges of the Current Year 37:52 Adapting to Change: Pivot or Perish 39:04 The Role of Luck in Business Success 41:09 Balancing Business and Personal Life 52:01 The Fear of Failure as a Motivator Discover Anthony Website - https://profici.co.uk/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-obrien/ Podcast - https://profici.co.uk/profici-podcast/ Get In Touch LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/ Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m

  4. JAN 31

    #47 - What Men Don’t Talk About (But Should) - Adam Smith, co-founder of A-Game and High Performance Coach

    Adam is the co-founder of A-Game and coaches high achievers to improve performance across multiple areas of their lives. Adam share his own journey, from hitting absolute rock bottom, to building a successful business and helping others to achieve the same. In this conversation we discuss simple strategies to improve your personal performance and relationships. We explore why many men suffer in silence, and discuss how better communication is the answer, but most importantly, how to do this effectively!  Adam also provides tips for how men can listen to their partners, something that many of us struggle with, which will lead to a happier and healthier relationship. This was a pretty powerful episode and I’m so grateful to Adam for sharing his personal journey, but also providing some actionable takeaways for others to make small improvement in their lives. Expect to hear: 03:49 Struggles with Validation and Comparison 08:34 Hitting Rock Bottom 14:04 Rebuilding and Finding Purpose 18:56 Starting a Business 26:25 The Power of Small Habits 30:14 Challenges and Growth in Business 41:10 Effective Communication 46:30 How To Listen To Your Partner For a Better Relationship 47:52 The 'Empowerment Dynamic' 55:54 The Power of Helpful Thoughts 01:03:15 Finding Purpose and Fulfilment 01:12:14 Practical Steps for Personal Growth Discover Adam Website - https://agameconsultancy.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-smith-high-performance-coach/ Instagram.- https://www.instagram.com/agameconsultancy/ Get In Touch LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/ Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 24m

  5. JAN 24

    #46 - Career Progression Made Simple: How An Accidental Entrepreneur Is Solving Your Career Progression Challenges

    Martin Mason is the co-founder of Talent Mapper, a company he built to solve a problem experienced by millions in the corporate workplace: internal mobility.   Talent Mapper is a platform that uses data to match employees’ individual skill sets with the right job roles, and helps track career progression within organisations.    When Martin explained the concept to me during this conversation, it was a lightbulb moment. Having spent years working in large organisations, I’ve seen firsthand how common these challenges are - people struggling to find roles that align with their skills or facing barriers to internal progression. Talent Mapper addresses this head-on, helping companies retain talent while ensuring employees are in roles where they can thrive.   Beyond explaining how Talent Mapper works, Martin opens up about his journey as an ‘accidental entrepreneur.’ He shares how he developed his business plan, what it’s like to run a startup, and why he would never want to be a sole founder again.   This episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship or navigating their career within a larger organisation.   Expect to hear:   02:10 Early Career and Shift to HR 05:51 First Entrepreneurial Venture 07:39 Building a Business Plan 15:32 Developing TalentMapper 26:57 Navigating Internal Career Paths 33:45 Empowering Employees in Startups 34:53 Challenges of Transitioning from Corporate to Startup 35:52 Building a Strong Non-Exec Board 38:43 The Importance of a Co-Founder 41:47 Making Yourself Redundant as a Leader 44:04 Future Plans and Ambitions 55:47 Addressing Homelessness and Prison Reform Discover Martin Website - https://thetalentmapper.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinmason  Get In Touch LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/ Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 7m

  6. JAN 17

    #45 - How To Build Wealth: Lessons They Should Teach in School - Andrew Craig, Founder of Plain English Finance

    It wasn’t until I started working in the financial industry that I understood how essential investing was for building long-term wealth. This week, I’m joined by Andrew Craig, founder of Plain English Finance and author of the must-read personal finance book How To Own The World. In this episode, Andrew and I dive into how investing can serve as a powerful tool for wealth creation. We explore what it really means to invest in shares, the importance of starting early, why relying on the state for a retirement pension is risky, how inflation erodes your cash savings, and so much more. Expect to learn: 03:19 The Importance of Financial Literacy 08:19 The State of Pensions and Future Challenges 11:47 The Power of Compounding and Early Investment 14:41 Government Policies and Economic Implications 26:38 Understanding Inflation and Investment Strategies 31:37 What It Means to Invest in Shares 37:09 The Misconceptions About Financial Markets 45:49 The Importance of Regular Investment 57:52 Future Trends 01:10:23 Comparing US and UK Economies 01:11:15 The US Advantage in Technology and Innovation 01:11:37 Challenges Facing the UK Economy 01:14:08 Historical Market Trends and Lessons 01:25:20 The Importance of Supporting British Companies Discover Andrew Website - https://plainenglishfinance.co.uk/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCME6xVzdcA7q_RfhRaRIkPA LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcraigpef/?originalSubdomain=uk Books - https://plainenglishfinance.co.uk/books Get In Touch LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lawrence-5a4b3357/ Website - ambitiousmindspodcast.com Instagram - www.instagram.com/ambitiousmindspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 40m

  7. JAN 10

    #44 - Growing From Startup to Scale-Up - How Reflo is Bringing Genuine Sustainability to the Apparel Industry

    In this week’s episode, I’m delighted to welcome back Rory MacFdyen, co-founder of Reflo, a sustainable performance wear brand. Rory was one of the podcast's very first guests, so it was a pleasure to catch up and hear about Reflo’s impressive growth over the past year. We dive into their journey from startup to scale-up, celebrating milestones like winning the Santander Growing Business Award, launching exciting new partnerships, and continuously innovating to drive sustainability in the apparel industry. Rory also shares invaluable insights on the pros and cons of working in a startup, establishing company structure and values during scaling, navigating the dynamics of a co-founder partnership, and the critical role of hiring the right talent. Expect to hear: 02:29 Growth and Expansion 04:25 Building a Strong Team 05:54 Leadership Dynamics 16:06 Sustainable Performance Wear 18:13 Partnerships and Innovations 25:52 Reloop - Reflo's Innovative New Prodcut 35:48 Sustainability Challenges and Greenwashing 42:05 Balancing Commercial Viability and Ethics 48:34 Building a Sustainable Business Culture 1:07:34 Expanding into New Markets and Sports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 12m
  8. Fuel Your Ambition: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome - Awareness, Strategies, and Confidence-Building

    JAN 7

    Fuel Your Ambition: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome - Awareness, Strategies, and Confidence-Building

    In this segment, Romy van der Merwe shares actionable steps to help you identify and overcome imposter syndrome. We explore how imposter syndrome manifests, its distinction from self-doubt, and the critical role of consistent effort in building confidence. Discover practical techniques such as maintaining a 'brag book,' setting daily intentions, and embracing mindfulness to regain control and stay present. We also discuss the unique challenges faced by women and people of colour and offer strategies to navigate imposter syndrome in both professional and personal settings. 👉 Listen to the full episode here: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6n87JSY3uEezYVK0ndINnb?si=EeMGX8DQTre5Hd8TJt6X9w Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ambitious-minds/id1731311239?i=1000661211499 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    22 min
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About

The Podcast for Fellow Ambitious Minds! Welcome to Ambitious Minds, where Jay uncovers the inspiring stories of relatable, ambitious individuals who are all looking to leave a mark in their industry - whether they’re climbing the corporate ladder, launching startups, or reinventing their careers. Each episode covers key topics such as career growth, entrepreneurship, overcoming impostor syndrome, networking, personal branding, business strategy, and the relentless pursuit of success. Expect raw, relatable insights from rising stars and industry disruptors who are turning their passion into progress. If you're an ambitious mind looking for career advice, business inspiration, or motivation to take the next step, I hope this show brings you some inspiration and relatability, and helps you see yourself in aspects of these stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Jay Lawrence
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jay Lawrence
  • Show Website
    Ambitious Minds

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