This week on the Lessons Podcast, Jay travels to Cambridge to sit down with Oli Kane to discuss his journey as a videographer. He discusses his transition from self-employment to working at the Football Fun Factory.

This week on the Lessons Podcast, Jay travels to Liverpool to sit down with the founder and host of TalkTwenties, an all-in-one media platform for young adults looking for help in all aspects of adult life.

This week on the lessons podcast, Jay sits down with the newest member of the StudentDot platform, Azim.

This week on the lessons podcast, Jay sits down with Tristan & Owen Palmer, 2 young entrepreneurs with an incredible work ethic and perspective on business. Both describe the preparation that they received from their father at a young age for a life in business, teaching them to work hard for their money and strive for independence and security. Jay also asks Tristan and Owen about the negatives that come with being your own boss at a young age, touching on the long hours and the potential of missing out on experiences and occasions. This is an inspiring episode that will make you want to work hard for your goals, these 2 young men show that dedication and hard work can in some cases get your further than any qualifications and accolades.

Jay is in London again for today’s episode to talk with Lexie Carducci, a property presenter, finder & developer. Lexie’s role in property involves advising individuals and companies on the London property market, as well as building and maintaining her own developments and portfolio. Jay talks with Lexie about her own journey into the property sector, as well as an in-depth discussion about the different schemes, and know-how needed for young people to enter the market. Lexie came well prepared for this episode with all the facts and figures needed to break down the topic into simple terms, this is, without doubt, one of the most informative episodes we’ve recorded to date!

Jay travels to London this week on the Lessons podcast to talk with Anthony Smith. Anthony is an accomplished video editor, having worked on the likes of James Bond and Disney, and now he currently works on the number 1 podcast in the UK, and one of our favourites, the diary of a CEO with the esteemed entrepreneur and Dragon Steven Bartlett. Anthony talks with Jay about the media industry and the role university plays in it. He also discusses running his own production company and the ins & outs of working on a podcast that has drawn in millions of views and listeners across the world. This is a fantastic insight into the realities of the media industry, showing you what you need to do to stand out from the crowd and produce work that will attract amazing opportunities.

This week Jay talks with Ollie Pardoe. After securing a sports scholarship, Ollie moved from his home town of Northampton to Texas where he now attends college. Having developed a desire to follow a career in sports at a young age, Ollie worked tirelessly to get himself to the position of having multiple offers from American colleges and being able to live out his dream and play football every day alongside his studies. Ollie admits that he doesn’t consider himself the most talented player in any of his teams, and explains that he relies on his hard work ethic and drive that consistently get him to the next level. Ollie details how you would go about getting a sports scholarship in America and what it’s like day to day, as well as the demands of playing a high level of college football.

This week, Jay sits down with Lawrenze Denton, founder of the family-run streetwear store, Passenger Clothing. After lockdown lifted, Lawrenze & his siblings took the risk of opening a physical clothing store in a time most would deem as the ‘collapse of the high street’. Lawrenze’s determination to uphold the personal interaction within the clothes shopping experience is inspiring and is reflected throughout this conversation, with stories of the relationships he has formed with his loyal customer base cropping up throughout. Lawrenze details how crucial the expression of fashion can be for our confidence and happiness, as well as giving some tips to help you find your ‘style’.

This is a great example of a young individual turning their passion into a career, blocking out the fear of failure and focusing on enjoyment.

This week we left the studio and took a trip to London to sit down with Will Englander, founder of the root co, an organic ginger soft drinks company. Wills’s story is pretty special, from a near-death experience came a desire to create a business that he was passionate about and allow himself more of a work-life balance. Will’s energy and enthusiasm for his product are clear and his attention to detail can be seen through his branding and marketing. This is a great story about ditching the comfort of a career job and seeking something more. If you are on the fence about following your passion, you’ll be all in after listening to this!

As this is our first ‘on the road’ episode we did encounter some technical difficulties, for those watching on YouTube you will notice an increase in video quality around 15 minutes in.

In this episode of the Lessons Podcast, Jay sits down with Yellow Bus Catering Co. Owner Anthony Rawson. Following a trip to America, Anthony decided to leave his consultancy role and open a pizza restaurant that focused entirely on replicating the amazing pizza he found in New York. After initial success, covid took hold of the hospitality industry, leaving Anthony with little choice but to once again pivot his career. Adapting the business he had already created, he moved into mobilising his pizza with the use of classic American school buses. This podcast is a story of how to persevere, through struggles that you face in business, to always be ready to adapt and move forward rather than giving up.

This week on the Lessons Podcast Jay sits down with Ben Pointer, a highly regarded tattoo artist & studio owner from Northampton. Ben began a professional rugby career straight out of school, ending up with him in Australia. His peculiar journey saw him move from professional rugby into tattooing where he recalls many life lessons throughout this conversation. Ben discusses extreme setbacks, as well as moments of imposter syndrome and mental health struggles. This episode will show you how, with a resilient mindset and enough perseverance, you can turn any negative situation into an opportunity for success.

In this episode, Jay sits down with Northampton Town footballer Max Dyche. At just 19, Max has made his way through the academies and now finds himself on the first team at NTFC. In this episode he speaks to Jay about the mindset needed to succeed in professional sports as well as the tactics he’s used to overcome early adversity and setbacks in his career. Max also speaks about what it is like to have a parent who is involved with the sport at the highest levels in England. This is a fantastic episode in which you will learn what it takes mentally and physically to become a pro footballer.

Harry Barrett is a local labour councillor and an assistant head teacher. He talks with Jay in this episode in depth about his motivations for getting involved in politics, and what needs to be done to improve education, as well as offering an insight into how young people can get involved with politics in their local area.

In this episode, Luke & Jay sit down with the guys behind Photomafia studios, which happens to be where we record the podcast! Joe & Alex talk about their time at university and what made them want to start up their own business. They also go into the risks and fears around going straight from students to business owners.

Jay sits with Dale Whitlock on this episode, known to most as ‘Chef Dale’. Dale is a personal chef who has owned popular restaurants in Northampton and carries a great reputation in the industry. Dale talks about knowing when to let go of businesses and start fresh, as well as what he did to follow his dreams no matter what anyone thought!