Welcome back to Founder Diaries, a RecTalk podcast hosted by Nitin Sharma, founder of Rectools.io — the only whole-of-market directory for recruitment suppliers.

This week, Nitin sits down with Taylor James — Co-Founder of Twentytwo Productions, award-winning podcast host, producer, and creator of The Waffle Shop. Taylor’s journey is anything but ordinary, and in this deeply real and refreshingly honest conversation, he opens up about:

🔥 What We Dive Into

• How a darkest-hour moment became the catalyst for Taylor starting a podcast.
• Nearly losing his mum, becoming a full-time carer overnight, and the emotional impact that shaped the next five years of his life.
• Why creating The Waffle Shop became his therapy — and how it evolved into a platform with global guests and millions of downloads.
• The truth behind podcast charts, vanity metrics, and the social-media illusion many creators fall into.
• How podcasting helped him rediscover purpose, community, empowerment, and his personal voice.
• Why he chose to step back from mental-health content despite its success — and what the next chapter looks like.
• Advice for anyone thinking of starting a podcast: testing concepts, not chasing numbers, and understanding your why.
• The emotional and psychological weight of becoming “the mental health guy” — and learning to protect your own wellbeing.
• Empowerment, resilience, and the mindset shift needed to build a life on your own terms.

This episode is raw, inspiring, emotional, funny, and full of perspective. Whether you're at a crossroads or building something from scratch, Taylor’s story hits home.

🎯 Who This Episode Is For

• Founders navigating tough transitions
• Creators or entrepreneurs battling imposter syndrome
• Anyone considering starting a podcast
• People interested in resilience, mental health, and personal reinvention
• Solo founders building from rock bottom
• Anyone who wants a brutally honest look at what “success” really means

🔗 Connect with the guest

Taylor James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorpattinson/

Twentytwo Productions: https://twentytwo.productions/

The Waffle Shop: https://open.spotify.com/show/60C1ePAB4tZJkwpBMAQCib

🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk, plus Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

New episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — drop on Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/

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