North Star Conversations | Unlock Your Potential, Performance & Purpose

Episode Notes
In this episode, I sit down with James Hadley, a pensions and property investment expert who has completed over 4,000 property transactions using pension funds. We talk about his journey from accountancy to pensions to property, the nine-year ordeal of being investigated by the HMRC, FCA, and SFO after a business deal went wrong, and the life-altering discovery in his 40s that he's autistic and bipolar. James shares the mindset shifts, daily habits, and hard-won lessons that got him through the darkest period of his life, plus practical advice on how business owners can use pensions to build wealth and protect themselves from risk.
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Video Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and how James and Will first connected
00:53 - Where James's determination comes from
02:57 - Grit and lessons learned from playing rugby
03:27 - School life and almost becoming an Army officer
04:59 - Why he ultimately didn't join the Army
05:37 - Training as an accountant
06:51 - Early business exposure: washing cars and his dad's business
07:59 - Moving into pensions at a global life assurance company
09:39 - Combining property investing with pension tax advantages
10:56 - Why property appeals to entrepreneurs as an asset class
13:15 - Business owners' preference for hands-on investing
14:00 - Pension tax advantages for business owners, part one
15:17 - Reducing corporation tax and protection from creditors
16:45 - Personal guarantees vs. pension protection
17:14 - Carry-forward contributions and director pension schemes explained
19:15 - Into the property investment rollercoaster
20:19 - The Richard Branson advice that backfired
21:09 - The pension scheme product that went wrong
22:07 - Investigated by HMRC, FCA, SFO and more
23:09 - "Guilty until proven innocent" - the early morning raid
23:58 - Nine years under investigation, then the case dropped
24:37 - Getting out of bed each day amid the pressure
25:27 - The life audit: family, sleep, and alcohol
27:38 - Cutting out alcohol and fixing sleep hygiene
28:44 - Discovering he's autistic and bipolar
29:49 - Developing empathy for others through adversity
31:06 - The moment the case was finally dropped
32:34 - How James and Will first connected, through Emma Mills
34:41 - The impact of coaching and accountability
35:33 - Quantum leaps vs. marginal gains
36:52 - The power of environment and peer groups
38:55 - Managing reputation through the ordeal
40:04 - "What other people think of me is none of my business"
41:09 - Choosing radical candor over hiding the story
42:39 - Why business owners are more understanding of failure
43:39 - Getting the ADHD and autism diagnosis
45:24 - Understanding pathological demand avoidance
45:59 - The bipolar diagnosis
49:32 - Nature vs. pressure: is neurodivergence innate or triggered?
50:29 - Masking and "special interests" in autism
51:17 - Giving up alcohol and realizing the mask
52:08 - Neurodivergence as a gift or a curse
53:14 - His North Star now: pension-led business funding
55:17 - Why pension-led funding beats expensive business loans
56:33 - How to connect with James
56:52 - Final reflection: "Can you help?"
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Relevant Links For the Viewer and Citations
Website - https://www.willpolston.com
Instagram - https://instagram.com/willpolston
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willpolstonmih
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willpolston/
Twitter / X - https://x.com/willpolston
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@willpolston
Connect with James here: https://www.jameshadleypensions.com/
About Me: I am dedicated to helping individuals and businesses unlock their true potential through expert coaching and training programs. I'm passionate about empowering others to achieve their dreams and live a life they love. Subscribe for more insights and tips on personal development, productivity, and achieving your goals. Let's embark on this journey together!

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