A few years ago, I was just like many of you, figuring out the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, facing setbacks, and chasing breakthroughs. By 25, I had buil...
13: Why I’m Stepping Down from Dragons' Den & How to Build a £50 Million Dollar Business… Sara Davies
No one teaches you how to build a £50 million business from your university bedroom, but getting it right can change everything.
Today, I’m sitting down with Sara Davies, entrepreneur, investor, and former Dragons' Den star. Sara started as a young founder, juggling imposter syndrome, tough decisions, and relentless pressure. Now she’s built an empire, invested in countless businesses, and even danced her way through Strictly Come Dancing.
But for the first time, she’s revealing why she’s stepping away from Dragons’ Den and what’s next.
She also shares amazing insight into her new book, "The Six Minute Entrepreneur: 52 Lessons for Long-Term Success," where she breaks down the small, daily actions that lead to big results in business and life.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Why Sara is leaving Dragon Den
5:30 How Sara became an entrepreneur
9:00 Start of Sara’s crafting journey
19:00 Sara’s husband supporting her
21:00 Working with family
26:00 Jugerling Parenting & Business
32:00 Sara’s Legacy
34:00 Relationship with Risk
39:00 Imposter syndrome
44:20 Strictly come dancing
57:00 Should you build a business to sell?
1:00:00 How to win over Sara's investment
1:08:00 Sara’s first day on Dragons Den
1:15:00 Sara couching the guest dragons
1:19:00 Sara’s New Book
1:24:00 How to stay focused
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en
Follow Sara: https://www.instagram.com/saradaviescc/?hl=en
Link to Sara's Book: https://amzn.eu/d/a3F1uHA
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1:27:44
12: Why Your Employees Don’t Respect You & How To Be A Good Manager - Heather Elkington
No one teaches you how to be a great leader, but getting it wrong can make or break your career.
Today, I’m sitting down with Heather Elkington, the Gen Z leadership coach who’s helped thousands step up with confidence.
Heather started as a young manager at Harrods, struggling with imposter syndrome, tough feedback, and impossible workloads. Now she’s trained leaders at American Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, and FTSE100 companies and she’s here to share what actually works.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or unsure as a leader, this episode is for you.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
3:00 The worst type of leader
5:00 How to give bad feedback
8:30 Why you need to stop being nice
15:00 Heather's love for work
17:00 working at Harrods
22:00 Building Her Business
44:00 Why you need core values
51:00 What does a great manager actually do
58:00 Heather First Business inspiration
1:03:00 Dark side of entrepreneurship
1:07:00 How to conduct a 1-to-1s
1:10:00 How to set boundaries
1:12:00 What is the biggest mistake managers make
1:22:00 What is the mission of the business
1:30:00 What's next for Heather
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en
Follow Heather: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipheather/?hl=en
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1:34:07
11: 8 Steps to Unf*ck Your Life and Create Your Dream Life - Roxie Nafousi
Manifestation isn’t just wishful thinking, it’s a science-backed process that can completely transform your life. But most people are doing it all wrong.
In this episode, Roxie Nafousi, bestselling author and the leading voice in modern manifestation, reveals the 7-step formula that has helped thousands turn their dreams into reality. Plus, she gives us an exclusive deep dive into her brand-new book, Confidence: 8 Steps to Knowing Your Worth
Roxie doesn’t just talk about thinking positively, she shares the practical strategies that high achievers use to shape their reality.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:50 Roxie journey
3:30 Rat experiment
5:10 Roxie’s First Journey with Manifestation
6:50 Is manifestation real?
12:20 How to manifest a relationship
17:00 8 steps to confidence
21:00 How did your friends react
23:00 How to find out who are your true friends
27:30 What is the science behind manifestation
31:30 How to pick yourself up when you’re feeling low ( Gratitude Journal)
35:00 Don't miss the good old days
41:30 How to create a vision board
43:20 How can people remove the barrier of fear
43:20 How to find your purpose
47:00 How to turn envy into inspiration
52:00 How can you negatively manifest
53:00 Roxie’s first manifestation event
1:03:00 How Roxie learnt about branding
1:06:00 Roxie starting her business
1:11:00 Roxie’s Imposture Syndrom
1:15:00 Investing Journey
Confidence: 8 Steps to Knowing Your Worth here: https://bio.to/Confidence. Available from March 27th.
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en-gb
Follow Roxie: https://www.instagram.com/roxienafousi/?hl=en-gb
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1:19:35
10: Day in the Life of a CEO (VLOG)
This week on Wake Up, we’re doing things a little differently. I’m giving you an unfiltered look into a day in my life as a busy founder and CEO. No fake hustle, no highlight reels, just the real grind of juggling multiple businesses, coaching, and live shows while making time for deep work, a workout, and a beer at the end.
And it’s a packed one. The day starts with a deep-dive consultant session with Eric Partaker, followed by work, community calls, and hosting a live podcast for Sahil Bloom’s book launch event in front of 1,000 people. If you’ve ever wondered how I actually get things done without losing my mind, this is for you.
Chapters:
0:00 Morning Routine
4:20 First Meeting
6:50 Consultant Day with Eric Partaker
8:45 Lunch & Work
10:00 Cohort Call
11:20 Heading to South Kensington
12:40 Backstage at Sahil Bloom Live Event
15:15 Sahil Bloom Live Event
17:40 Wrapping Up the Day
18:35 Outtakes
Drop a comment and let me know, what part of your day you struggle to manage the most.
Subscribe for more real talk on entrepreneurship, productivity, and making it all work.
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18:55
9: The Truth About Ozempic, TRT & How To Increase Your Productivity - James Smith
James Smith, bestselling author and performance coach, shares the key lessons he’s learned about confidence, productivity, and the truth behind Ozempic & TRT. In this episode, James dives deep into the psychology of self-belief, how to break free from procrastination and become a productivity machine, and what most people get wrong about Ozempic, weight loss & TRT.
He also reveals the biggest mindset shifts that separate high performers from everyone else and the strategies he’s used to transform thousands of lives. If you’re looking for practical, no-nonsense advice to build confidence, get more done, and take control of your health, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 James’ background
6:00 The role of honesty in James’ career
8:00 Leaving corporate life to become an entrepreneur
11:30 The secret to building confidence
15:10 Inside James’ confidence workshop
17:30 Growing a powerful social media presence
24:00 When your friends don’t support you
25:30 Why buying a flashy car is a waste of money
29:00 James’ journey from broke to fame
31:00 What it’s like meeting fans
33:00 Landing his first book deal
40:00 The reality of James’ first tour
43:00 Facing Piers Morgan in an interview
45:20 Becoming a #1 best-selling author
48:00 How James stays organized and productive
50:30 Scaling his business to new heights
53:00 Game-changing email marketing hacks
54:00 Starting a business with Chris Williamson
58:00 James’ approach to business mentorship
1:02:00 The 1-5-10 hour rule explained
1:05:00 How to price yourself correctly
1:08:00 The secret to maximizing productivity
1:12:00 James’ experience using Ozempic
1:20:00 What happened when James tried TRT
1:31:00 The truth about Ozempic
1:33:00 How Ozempic removed the emotional connection to food
1:36:00 The impact of Ozempic on the brain
1:41:00 What Ozempic really costs
1:43:00 The dangers of using Ozempic
1:44:00 James’ childhood struggle with an eating disorder
1:50:00 What’s next for James?
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en-gb
Follow James: https://www.instagram.com/jamessmith/?hl=en-gb
A few years ago, I was just like many of you, figuring out the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, facing setbacks, and chasing breakthroughs. By 25, I had built and sold a leading digital marketing agency. By 30, I was co-founding Lottie, a health tech company transforming care solutions, and growing into one of the UK’s fastest-rising business creators. But along the way, I noticed something: the world is changing, yet most of us are still stuck playing by outdated rules.
That’s why I launched Wake Up, a podcast for people who are ready to rewrite the playbook. It’s not just about hearing incredible stories, it’s about taking those stories and turning them into real, actionable steps. Each week, I sit down with some of the most inspiring leaders, creators, and innovators to uncover their strategies, struggles, and unfiltered truths.
Wake Up isn’t here to inspire you for a moment, it’s here to empower you for a lifetime. Together, we’ll rethink the way we work, lead, and succeed in a world that demands new ideas. Thank you for joining the movement. Let’s wake up to what’s possible and create something extraordinary.
UK