JobsWorth

This week on JobsWorth, I'm joined by comedian, Radio Essex presenter and founder of Little Smash Comedy, Ross McGrane.

Ross grew up around the British comedy circuit, watching his dad organise shows and meeting some of the country's best-known comedians. By the time he was a teenager, he'd already started promoting comedy nights himself.

But despite knowing from an early age that he wanted to be a comedian, his route into the industry was anything but straightforward.

After a succession of jobs that rarely ended well, Ross eventually made his stand-up debut with his own material in 2013.

He's since gone on to support the likes of Russell Kane, Jordan Gray and Jack Skipper, establish the award-winning Little Smash Comedy and build a successful career in radio alongside his comedy work.

We talk about the influence of his parents, the realities of learning stand-up, the importance of failure and why he's so passionate about helping other comedians develop their careers.

Ross also speaks candidly about money, the sacrifices involved in pursuing a creative career and the challenges of building financial security in an industry where even talented, hardworking people can struggle to earn a consistent living.

And, being Ross, there are plenty of hilarious stories along the way.

Please enjoy… Ross McGrane.

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

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Contact the show on [email protected]

This week on JobsWorth, I'm joined by commercial photographer and founder of Attend, Hannah Miles.

After studying printed textile design at Loughborough University, Hannah landed a job in New York, where an unexpected friendship and a growing interest in photography set her on a completely different career path.

Since returning to the UK, she's spent the best part of a decade building a successful photography business, working with brands including Soho House, Candy Kittens and Gentleman's Journal.

We talk about how she built that career, the importance of being proactive when finding clients and why she believes consistency and a willingness to pick up the phone can make all the difference.

But we also get into the realities of working for yourself, particularly when you become a parent.

Hannah shares her experience of maternity leave as a self-employed photographer, the financial pressures involved and why she's now launching Attend, an agency that will allow her to continue working with clients without having to be behind the camera herself.

It's an interesting look at what happens when your priorities change and how you can adapt your career without walking away from the work you love.

Please enjoy… Hannah Miles.

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

My guest on JobsWorth this week is Kurt Davies, a former footballer turned teacher who has spent more than two decades as the owner of Saint Pierre School in Leigh-on-Sea.

Growing up in Hadleigh, football was everything. But after injuries disrupted his playing career, an unexpected opportunity took him into education.

In 1992, Kurt joined Saint Pierre School. He had no formal teaching qualifications but quickly developed a passion for helping children build the confidence he'd struggled with growing up.

After leaving the school and being told he couldn't return, Kurt discovered it was for sale. So he bought it.

More than two decades later, Saint Pierre remains a huge part of his life.

But success hasn't come without challenges. A heart attack in 2015 and his daughter Mia's breast cancer diagnosis forced Kurt to reconsider his relationship with work and what he'd spent so many years chasing.

We talk about ambition, confidence, family, the pressures of business ownership and finding contentment in a world that constantly encourages us to want more.

Please enjoy… Kurt Davies.

Find out more about more Saint Pierre School here 👇

Website; https://saintpierreschool.co.uk/

A huge thank you to the supporters of this week's episode 👇

Little Fin Coffee Roastery- https://www.littlefinroastery.com

Alex Allan Nutrition- https://www.alexallannutrition.co.uk/

No Place Like Home- https://www.thisisnplh.com/

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

This week on JobsWorth I sit down with Louis Rennocks, fitness entrepreneur, founder of MyBodyMentor and dad of three.

Louis grew up wanting to be famous. Not necessarily for anything in particular… he just wanted a different life from the one he knew.

That ambition eventually led him into the fitness industry, where he became a Master Trainer and Head of Events at Barry's, before launching Grindhouse with four fellow trainers during the pandemic.

Grindhouse got off to an extraordinary start, generating £108,000 in its first week and securing £1.8 million in investment. But what initially looked like the opportunity of a lifetime eventually became a business that Louis and his co-founders couldn't sustain.

We discuss the reality behind those numbers, the pressure of raising investment, what went wrong and how Louis approached rebuilding his career with MyBodyMentor.

Along the way, we talk about being difficult to manage, his relationship with money, the impact of therapy, fatherhood and the responsibility of running a business that supports your family.

And perhaps most importantly, why the things Louis once thought would make him successful aren't necessarily the things that matter most to him now.

Please enjoy… Louis Rennocks.

Find out more about Louis and MyBodyMentor 👇

Website; https://www.mybodymentor.co/

Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/mybodymentor?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&vrfl=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/louisrennocks?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&exln=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

A huge thank you to the supporters of this week's episode 👇

Little Fin Coffee Roastery- https://www.littlefinroastery.com

Alex Allan Nutrition- https://www.alexallannutrition.co.uk/

No Place Like Home- https://www.thisisnplh.com/

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

This week on JobsWorth, I’m joined by former professional footballer and founder of Revival, Calum Butcher.

Football was all Calum ever wanted to do. He joined Tottenham as a teenager before a career that took him to Denmark, non-league, Dundee United, Burton Albion, Millwall, Mansfield and Motherwell, with promotions and plenty of highs along the way.

But getting your dream job doesn’t necessarily make the difficult bits disappear.

We talk about the reality behind professional football, being released by Spurs, fighting his way back from non-league and the period at Mansfield when long journeys, young children and football stopped fitting together quite so comfortably.

Later, a serious injury at Motherwell forced Calum to think about a future he’d spent years avoiding.

That future became Revival.

We explore leaving behind the only career he’d ever known, starting again in business and why, despite achieving his childhood dream, Calum still doesn’t really know what “enough” looks like.

Please enjoy… Calum Butcher.

Find out more about Revival 👇

Website; https://revivalshed.com/ 

Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/revival.shed/?hl=en

A huge thank you to the supporters of this week's episode 👇

Alex Allan Nutrition- https://www.alexallannutrition.co.uk/

Little Fin Coffee Roastery- https://www.littlefinroastery.com

No Place Like Home- https://www.thisisnplh.com/

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

This week on JobsWorth, I'm joined by writer, photographer, podcaster and founder of No Place Like Home, Joe Fordham.

Joe's career has taken him through publishing, photography, startups and freelance work, but beneath all those different chapters sits a common theme: a search for creativity, connection and belonging.

We talk about growing up in Dagenham, questioning authority from an early age, leaving education behind and navigating a series of jobs that never quite felt like the right fit.

Joe shares how a photography project documenting West Ham supporters during the club's final season at Upton Park unexpectedly changed the course of his life and became the foundation for No Place Like Home.

We also discuss creativity, validation, self-belief, community and the importance of building spaces where people feel they belong.

This is a conversation about finding your place in the world and what happens when you decide to build it yourself.

Please enjoy... Joe Fordham.

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

This week on JobsWorth, things are a little different.

To celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast, I sit down with Tom... the person who’s been filming, editing and helping shape JobsWorth behind the scenes since the very beginning.

We talk honestly about the reality of building a creative project alongside everyday life, the pressure (and privilege) of consistency, and what we’ve learned after sitting down with 100 different people to talk about their relationship with work.

We also share some big news about what comes next for JobsWorth, including the launch of our own podcast and content studio, Jabber.

Along the way we get into:

 · Why neither of us expected to make it to 100 episodes
 · The guests and moments that stayed with us
 · Creativity, work-life balance and building something from scratch
 · Why “talent” might just be obsession and hard work
 · And what happens when a side project slowly becomes something bigger

Please enjoy… The 100th Episode.

 #JobsWorth #PodcastJourney #CreativeBusiness #WorkLife #PodcastStudio 

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

 This week on JobsWorth, I’m joined by Gabrielle Burt, founder of Gabs… the Leigh-on-Sea grazing bar that’s quickly become one of the area’s most talked about independent food spots. 

But this conversation isn’t really about grazing boards or pastries. 

It’s about someone who realised very early on that she couldn’t spend her life doing work that made her unhappy. 

Gabbie talks openly about struggling at school, bouncing between jobs throughout her teens and early twenties, and the feeling that she was never really built for environments where she felt trapped. From selling seashell art outside her house as a kid, to flying to Australia alone at 15 for work experience at a zoo, there’s always been this instinct in her to just… go for it. 

Before opening Gabs, she worked in care supporting adults with additional needs…work that gave her a huge sense of purpose, but also took a heavy emotional toll. 

What followed was £300 left from her wages, a homemade logo, a mobile grazing business she somehow ran despite not being able to drive… and eventually, a permanent home in Leigh that now has people queuing for tables most weekends.

This is a conversation about instinct, resilience, self-belief, and refusing to settle for a life that feels miserable. 

Please enjoy… Gabrielle Burt. 

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

 This week on JobsWorth, I’m joined by Cassie Strickland and Dominic Foster, personal trainers and co-owners of Studio Athletica. 

 What makes this conversation interesting is that neither of them fit the stereotype people often associate with the fitness industry. 

 Cassie admits she actively avoided PE at school, while Dominic describes himself as “bang average” at sport before stumbling into fitness after nearly being kicked out of school. 

 Together, they’ve gone on to build Studio Athletica… a training space designed for people who don’t feel comfortable in traditional gyms. 

 We talk about the reality of working in the fitness industry, the surprisingly low barrier to entry, and why most people only survive in it long term if they genuinely care about helping others. We also get into gym-timidation (yep, you read that right), the pressure PTs feel to “look the part,” and the lessons they learned from working in some very questionable gyms along the way. 

 Cassie also shares the story of opening her first dream studio… and losing it almost immediately because of a hidden basement beneath the floor. 

 Please enjoy… Cassie and Dom. 

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]

 This week on JobsWorth, I’m joined by Dan Nunn and Kane Reed, founders of 5 Physio. 

Both Dan and Kane knew from a young age that physiotherapy was the path they wanted to follow. What’s interesting is how that shared direction played out… through different environments, frustrations within the profession, and eventually coming back together to build something of their own. 

We talk about the realities of working in physio, from early experiences in the NHS to recognising the limitations within the industry and deciding to take a different route. 

We also get into what it’s like building a business with a friend, how they found their roles, navigated early friction, and built a partnership based on trust and clear “lanes”. 

Along the way, we touch on mistakes, growth, and why sometimes it’s not the job you fall out of love with… it’s where you’re doing it. 

Please enjoy… Dan and Kane. 

Recorded at Jabber Studio; https://jabberstudio.co.uk/

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Subscribe to the JobsWorth newsletter; https://jobsworth-newsletter.subscribepage.io/

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Contact the show on [email protected]