Originally aired: April 2025

Episode Number: 232

Strong relationships, shared values, and a willingness to evolve can create opportunities that go far beyond business.

In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, President and Founder of BITA Paul Whitnell shares the evolution of BITA, the relationships that helped shape its growth, and the importance of creating a culture built around integrity, trust, and shared values. Discover how BITA has expanded internationally, why controlling growth is essential for long-term sustainability, and how building the right network can create opportunities for people to learn, connect, and support one another.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://kite.link/paulwhitnell

Episode Notes

In this episode, I sit down with Jacob Lockwood, a former soldier in the Coldstream Guards turned founder of Lockwood Clothing, a British-made outerwear brand built on military-grade design and an unshakeable commitment to UK manufacturing. We talk about the dark moment driving down the M4 that made him realize something had to change, the decision to leave the Army with just 12 months to make his business work, and the terrifying week he came four days from losing his house. Jacob shares the discipline and integrity he carried from 15 years of service into business, his belief that "no one has depression, they have feelings of depression," and why he'd rather keep his manufacturing British than sell his products for a third of the price overseas.

Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. 💡 https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/

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Video Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: soldier, entrepreneur, or fashion designer? 02:32 - Finding your North Star 03:15 - Growing up in a single-parent household in Middlesbrough 04:26 - Falling in with the wrong crowd and being sent to live with his gran 05:38 - The ultimatum that became his saving grace 06:58 - Seeing an Army advert and finding his path 07:34 - Joining the Coldstream Guards and the anti-tank platoon 09:38 - The military values that shaped who he is today, and why your word matters 11:52 - The dark moment on the M4 that changed everything 13:02 - Going home, speaking to his wife Ruth, and seeking help 13:53 - Deciding to leave the Army with 12 months to make it work 14:51 - "Nobody has depression, they have feelings of depression" 16:34 - The failed waterproof jacket that sparked the idea 17:31 - The Falklands story behind his first invention: casualty evacuation stretchers 19:20 - How Covid and the Ukraine war shaped that first business 21:27 - Why military contracts fell apart, and pivoting to clothing 23:41 - Describing Lockwood's products and British manufacturing 24:21 - The functional mushroom brand he launched and sold in 2022 26:19 - How new Trading Standards rules killed the product's core value 27:39 - Why he refuses to manufacture overseas, whatever the cost 30:40 - The debate around what "British made" really means 31:00 - Where he was when the Queen died 34:14 - How signing off from the Army created real urgency 35:43 - Putting his house on the line, and the four days he nearly lost it 37:36 - Asking for help, and getting rescued by his now business partner 39:23 - How to determine who's actually worth asking for help 42:13 - Why coaching matters more in business than in the military 44:01 - How to choose the right coach: four things to evaluate 46:15 - Why coaching, content, and community work best combined 48:50 - Daily habits: cold showers and weekly letters to the King 50:07 - Getting replies from the Palace, and being recognized by name 53:04 - The next 1-3 years, and the goal of becoming a British Ralph Lauren 54:18 - How to connect with Lockwood Clothing 55:11 - Final reflection: the question he wishes people asked him 57:12 - Why business ownership can be lonely, and the value of support groups 58:54 - Closing remarks

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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 Check out Lockwood Clothing: https://www.lockwoodsmocks.com Connect with Lockwood Clothing on Instagram: @lockwoodclothing

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!

Originally aired: April 2025

Episode Number: 231

Business failures can teach you some of the most valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, forcing you to reflect, adapt, and rethink your approach.

In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author, and keynote speaker James Ashford shares how his first business failure taught him the importance of financial discipline, strong systems, mentorship, and building a company that isn't dependent on you. Discover how learning from setbacks, investing in personal development, and simplifying complex ideas can help you turn difficult experiences into the foundation for your next chapter.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://kite.link/jamesashford

Originally aired: April 2025

Episode Number: 229

The toughest moments in life can force you to question everything and create a completely new path. What matters is how you choose to respond and what you build from the experience.

In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, entrepreneur and professional photographer Carmel Jane shares how overcoming major personal challenges forced her to rethink her business, embrace support, and build something that could grow beyond her own time and effort. Discover how resilience, surrounding yourself with the right people, and learning to delegate can transform a self-employed career into a scalable business built for long-term growth.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://kite.link/carmeljane

Episode Notes

In this episode, I welcome back Matt Essam, a business strategist who works with award-winning creative studios, for his second appearance on the show. We talk about the last 16 months since his first episode - including the moment he realized he'd built a product chasing what the market wanted rather than what actually energized him, the "energy of obligation" that told him something had to change, and the sabbatical that followed. Matt shares what he's learned about courage versus confidence, why he believes business is the ultimate spiritual endeavor, and the radical (and surprisingly effective) advice he gives stressed-out clients: take a holiday.

Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. 💡 https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/

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Video Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: welcome back 00:22 - Where they've recorded across the world 01:16 - What's changed in the last 16 months 01:43 - The tension between coaching energy and market demand 02:40 - The "energy of obligation" and realizing something had to change 03:19 - Zooming out and realizing it's bigger than a client issue 04:09 - Why he pursued the lead gen challenge despite knowing better 05:32 - Blue ocean vs. red ocean, and defining his "creative" niche 06:47 - Realizing the strategy didn't scale to a mass market 09:03 - The lesson: riches are in the niches 09:44 - What the experience did for his identity 11:10 - The mountain moment: sitting on a snowboard and feeling the incongruence 12:33 - A friend's sudden death and the Steve Jobs mirror question 14:09 - The two-doors analogy: letting go of the old identity 15:18 - Significant emotional events as a loss of identity 15:45 - Creating, not finding, your North Star 16:16 - Letting go of "good" to pursue "excellent" 17:28 - The difference between a sabbatical and procrastination 18:10 - Listening to the body before burnout hits 18:35 - Where the concept of "courage over confidence" was born 19:29 - Why confidence can't exist without courage 20:34 - Setting - or not setting - an end date for the sabbatical 21:15 - Designing his ideal next chapter: five clients, two days a week 22:32 - What he's done differently on sabbatical 23:13 - Rediscovering connection to people and nature 24:16 - The value of unstructured time and a "clear horizon" 24:54 - The default diary lesson from years ago 26:05 - Will's own story about a summer with no responsibilities 28:05 - Slowing down: the difference between rushing and strolling through London 28:44 - Planning in campaigns instead of multi-year plans 29:48 - Staying laser-focused on one goal at a time 31:06 - Setting goals in stone, methods in sand 32:18 - Defining his life mission: helping people live up to their potential 34:17 - How unlocking business potential unlocks life potential 34:47 - "You are the business" - why the person changes everything 35:52 - Why business tests every area of life 36:39 - What ultra-successful people actually want once they've "made it" 37:07 - Leaving things and people better than you found them 37:59 - Advice for people who can't afford to take a sabbatical 38:37 - The client who took a holiday during a crisis - and it worked 39:45 - Giving your best vs. giving your all 40:48 - Distinguishing intentional change from self-sabotage 41:39 - The gym experience that wrecked his nervous system 44:35 - Head, heart, and gut alignment 45:49 - The three things to start being more courageous 46:13 - Forward-projecting three, five, ten years ahead 47:14 - Realizing he didn't want the life of the people ahead of him 48:51 - Tim Ferriss's fear-setting exercise, explained 51:03 - Using micro actions to build courage: the talking-to-strangers experiment 52:31 - The "talk forever drill" for building conversational confidence 55:19 - Breaking fear down into the smallest possible next step 59:24 - How to connect with Matt 1:00:53 - Being the "bullshit man" of LinkedIn 1:01:02 - Final reflection: the question he wishes people asked him 1:01:55 - Closing remarks

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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 Matt on LinkedIn: search "Matt Essam" (please confirm exact spelling and handle)

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!

Originally aired: March 2025

Episode Number: 228

Boxing can build far more than physical strength. It can teach discipline, confidence, respect, and the character to face challenges head-on.

In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, former professional boxer, boxing coach, and founder of the Box2Burn gym Billy Long shares how boxing became a powerful vehicle for personal growth, family values, and community impact. Discover how one passion evolved into a mission to help young people develop confidence and discipline, while creating an environment where camaraderie, resilience, and self-respect can shape lives both inside and outside the ring.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://kite.link/billylong

Originally aired: March 2025

Episode Number: 227

Sometimes the biggest wake-up call is realising that your income depends entirely on you. True freedom comes from building something that can grow without you being there every step of the way.

In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, children's entertainer turned business mogul Toby Burns dives into the moment a broken wrist forced him to rethink his career, his relationship with money, and what he really wanted from life. Discover how moving beyond trading time for income, investing wisely, and creating more flexibility can help you build a business that supports not just financial success, but freedom, family, and meaningful experiences.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://kite.link/tobyburns

Episode Notes

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Daems, a chartered financial planner and author of "What Happens Next: Ditching the Retirement Cliff for a Life Well Lived." We talk about the client story that changed how he views retirement forever - a man who quit his job the moment he learned he had "enough," only to text two days later asking if he needed to get a life. Chris shares his framework for figuring out what a life well lived actually looks like, practical advice on savings, pensions, and business owner tax strategies, and the origin of his Kindness Project - a podcast he started with his teenage daughter that grew into a bestselling book and raised £62,000 for charity.

Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. 💡 https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/

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Video Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:28 - Comparing his book to Will's, and their shared philosophy 01:20 - The story of Mike: "you need to tell me I've got enough" 02:47 - Mike quits immediately after hearing the good news 03:29 - The model airplane text: "Do I need to get a life?" 04:33 - Realizing financial independence is only one part of a life well lived 05:27 - How Chris got into financial planning by accident 07:13 - What comes first: goals or money? 07:58 - The mistake most people make: picking an arbitrary number 09:14 - The Vonnegut and Heller story: "I know how much is enough" 10:00 - Defining financial independence 11:38 - The most common mistake: not thinking with your heart 13:12 - The Greek philosophers on wellbeing 14:19 - Why "retire" should mean "re-energize" 18:11 - The client who spent 30 years "climbing the wrong ladder" 19:20 - The concept of a North Star 19:57 - The question: "What would you do if you had all the money?" 20:36 - Watching his dad's relationship with money growing up 22:20 - The one piece of advice: just save 10% 23:03 - Making money young, and the "why save when I can earn more" trap 24:21 - Paying your future self first 24:46 - The accelerating savings technique 25:47 - The Automatic Millionaire and building habits that stick 28:21 - Saving for the kids without removing their motivation 29:39 - Using pensions to legitimately mitigate tax as a business owner 32:01 - Getting clear on "enough" as a second key habit 33:16 - Calculating your personal net worth 34:17 - Why your business, not your house, is probably your biggest asset 35:07 - Money as a tool, not a goal 36:16 - The difference between a financial planner and a financial advisor 37:55 - Direction over speed 38:27 - Design Your Life and the "wild card" question 39:37 - Incremental change and experimenting your way forward 40:06 - The ultimate success formula, and Chris's NEXT framework 41:10 - "Everybody's got a plan until they get hit in the face" 41:56 - His podcast "What Happens Next" and its growth 42:17 - What does kindness mean to him? 42:45 - The homeless man encounter that started it all 44:00 - Starting a podcast with his daughter Charlotte 44:56 - The blind app developer who built "Be My Eyes" 47:06 - Hitting rock bottom in 2019 and turning to a cathedral 48:32 - Finding a homeless man outside and getting him help 50:04 - Being resourceful with kindness, even without money 50:28 - The Kindness Calendar 51:03 - Bernadette Russell's marathon day acts of kindness 52:20 - Small, compounding acts of kindness 52:48 - Writing The Kindness Project book 53:16 - Starting with just 6 listeners a week 53:47 - Growing to a top 10 UK habits podcast on Spotify 54:37 - Why he chose to stop the podcast at its peak 55:24 - Donating £62,000 in book profits to charity 55:46 - Running the Brentwood Half Marathon and a charity boxing match 56:29 - How to connect with Chris 57:16 - Final reflection: the most important question to answer 58:09 - What you really want vs. what you think you can get 58:34 - The Five Whys technique explained 59:07 - Closing thoughts

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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 Check out Chris's website: https://www.whathappensnext.life Chris's financial planning website: https://www.cervellofp.co.uk/

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!

Originally aired: March 2025

Episode Number: 226

Great relationships don't happen by accident. They need intention, play, and consistent effort to keep the connection alive.

In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, marriage-centric business and relationship coach Kelly Clements shares the importance of play, appreciation, and intentional connection in creating a lasting partnership. Learn how shared experiences, positive reinforcement, healthy boundaries, and protecting time away from work can strengthen your relationship, maintain intimacy, and help both partners continue to grow together.

Listen to the full episode here:

http://kite.link/kellyclements

Originally aired: March 2025

Episode Number: 225

The path to becoming who you want to be rarely follows a straight line. Sometimes, the experiences that challenge us most can become the catalyst for deeper self-awareness, personal growth, and a completely different way of living.

In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, Founder of Superbeam Tiernan Dixon opens up about his journey through addiction, recovery, and discovering a deeper sense of spirituality. Explore how surrender, self-awareness, service, and reciprocity can transform the way you relate to yourself and others, and why shifting from a life centred around having more to one focused on being, giving, and connecting can create profound personal change.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://kite.link/tiernandixon