Big Fish with Spencer Matthews

Dan Murray-Serter is a serial entrepreneur. He’s the co-founder of Heights, a braincare company. His previous company Grabble was the UK’s top fashion app. They had 30,000 new users a day, but the company failed. Dan then suffered from crippling insomnia, but couldn't see that he was mentally unwell. He thought he was just being productive; committed to building his business. Heights was born as a remedy for that insomnia and the debilitating anxiety and panic attacks he experienced. This episode is a fascinating listen for anyone who’s interested in mental health and entrepreneurship: how to stay mentally resilient while riding the storm of building a company from the ground up.

Joanne McNally exploded onto the comedy scene as one of the most popular and up-and-coming female comedians in the country. She’s recently sold out Ireland’s leading comedy venue - Vicar Street - with a whopping 66 shows, more than any other comedian. That's after being told she’d never sell a single show. Her chart-topping podcast with my wife Vogue Williams brings in over 3 million listeners a month. Joanne's resilience is inspiring; she was determined to succeed in a male-dominated industry whilst battling bulimia.

If you've been affected by anything in this episode, contact Beat for information or help: 0808 801 0677.

The rise of Henry Holland was incredible. As a young journalism graduate, he designed some t-shirts, just for fun. Within six months he went from selling them via his Myspace account to his brand, House of Holland, being sold in luxury department stores all over the world. Then along came the pandemic. His company went into administration and Henry had to weather the storm of parting with the company he built. In this episode we talk about the pressures of building a brand and how to deal with your own company going under.

Even if you’re not a fan of boxing, you’ve heard of Eddie Hearn. He’s the chairman of Matchroom sport, the sporting events company which last year signed a 100 million pound five-year deal with Dazn as it aims to become the Netflix of sport. Eddie also represents boxing beasts like Anthony Joshua, Canelo Álvarez and formerly Oleksandr Usyk. He took over the business from his father, but started by printing the posters himself and sending out tweets to promote his fights. Now, he’s one of the most powerful men in boxing.

Ursula Burns is an American success story. From growing up in a deprived and dangerous area of New York, she became the first black woman to be CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Xerox, later becoming its president and chairwoman. She’s sat on the Board of Directors of Diageo, Uber, American Express and ExxonMobil and even advised President Obama. You don’t want to miss this episode.

DJ Fat Tony is one of the most notorious hell raisers and leading figures in dance music. Raised on a council estate in South London, he ended up working in the most famous clubs in both London and New York. He’s now the official DJ to the Beckhams and Versace and best friends with Boy George and Kate Moss. But Tony’s rise to the top has been fraught with tragedy and pain. After the AIDS crisis hit London, Tony’s boyfriend was diagnosed with HIV and died shortly after and his addiction to alcohol, drugs and sex spiralled out of control. Tony is now 16 years sober and his road to recovery is utterly inspirational.

If you’ve been affected by anything discuss in this episode, the following organisations may be of help:

Samaritans: 116 123

Alcoholics Anonymous: 0800 9177 650

Narcotics Anonymous: 0300 999 1212

Ant Middleton doesn’t sit still for long. He’s a former marine and sniper, perhaps best known for his role as chief instructor in SAS Who Dares Wins. In 2019 he conquered one of the biggest challenges known to man - climbing Mount Everest. This year he attempted a dangerous climb up K2, one of the world’s most treacherous mountains. He's a perfect example of someone who never gives up, even if the odds are against him. But in this episode, he reveals just how close he came to quitting his climb of K2 - something he’s never admitted before.

For years I was trapped in a cycle of excessive drinking. I became subdued, a half-version of myself and began to realise the damage alcohol was doing to my relationships and career. In 2019, I became sober. It's the best decision I’ve ever made and inspired me to start my own business. CleanCo is now the largest independent non-alcoholic brand in the UK. Building a business has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done and I’ve become fascinated by how other people have developed a mindset for success. Each week I’ll be speaking to leading CEOs, inspiring entrepreneurs, incredible designers and other famous faces to find out what it takes to overcome life’s obstacles and be the best at what they do.