In this episode of Mic Drop, Ed and Ben begin with Britain’s favourite pastime, obsessing over the weather, and end up exploring how grey skies affect mood, why nutrition and vitamin D matter more than we think, and how creativity can be a serious business advantage.

Along the way: nostalgic detours, cultural reflections through music, the strange power of music videos, and the unforgettable “Dead Fish Butler.” business idea.

It’s humour, honesty and creative thinking rolled into one slightly unpredictable conversation.

Lean into creativity. Even when it’s raining. 🎤

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Ben - Angel Wings by President:

https://open.spotify.com/track/156gjKaMoJgvTRhhD2w5qp?si=6b98b80be1214180

Ed - Nightmare Tripping (Feat. Nickleback) by Don Broco:

https://open.spotify.com/track/3WzTUJKWd9pEYDepJpWJK1?si=a8543120168d46c6

Ben and Ed start with Valentine’s Day and quickly abandon all structure.

What follows is a deep dive into the 10,000-hour rule, why productivity doesn’t always feel productive, and whether true skill can actually be replicated in business or if some things just refuse to be systemised.

Along the way: obscure world championships, the strange beauty of niche sports, YouTube rabbit holes, and the joy of getting good at something most people overlook.

Then it pivots to music nostalgia. Why certain eras hit harder. How old songs are finding new life. And whether “new” is ever really new.

It’s part business lesson, part cultural time machine, part chaotic group chat.

Sound bites include:
“I tolerate you.”“You can’t replicate that.”“New isn’t always better.”

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Ed - Even if it kills me by Papa Roach:

https://open.spotify.com/track/4xxRw27PBdTfIRLpC2FJRh?si=e00b898c33c94d01

Ben - Free by Twin Atlantic:

https://open.spotify.com/track/3cYT3kt33eBGVvNsZ7M13I?si=1dfa8e83b6774409

BEN'S LINKS

Hybrid Picking - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTeCqyfADyX/?igsh=N3hqZWlhOGJ1NHRsReel Big Fish - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIPSxOC3154

Book - Outliers: The Story of Success:https://amzn.eu/d/03Smc4Y8

Metalcore on Mandolin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDfJ03In6oE

P.S. I love listening to the mandolin playing by the way Natalia ;) (ED)

In this episode of Mic Drop, Ed and Ben wander from alcohol-free living and lifestyle resets into culture, branding, and why the things we think we won’t like often teach us the most.

They unpack the unexpected grip of Bridgerton, what it reveals about desire, connection, and escapism, and why dismissing popular culture is usually lazy thinking. From there, the conversation pivots into business, trust, and identity. Especially why sounding polished isn’t the same as being memorable.

BrewDog becomes a case study in brand imperfection. Loud, divisive, impossible to ignore. Proof that if everyone sounds the same, no one gets remembered.

The episode also explores leadership blind spots, the Peter Principle creeping into organisations, and why owning mistakes builds more trust than pretending you don’t have any.

They round things off with music chat and including some Sexy Metal.

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Ben - Antimatter by Silent Planet

https://open.spotify.com/track/1Chjeu7itQhIgeL1HpVDuN?si=1faddc38deba4bd4

Ed - I'm Eighteen by Alice Cooper

https://open.spotify.com/track/3YU9X8ryOR20beT7wOlDIJ?si=8609874e29b94c58

January feels heavy. Motivation dips, routines wobble, and everything somehow costs more than it should.

In this episode of Mic Drop, Ben and Ed talk candidly about the January blues, mental health, and how planning, movement, and community can make the toughest month more manageable.

From honest weight-loss struggles to the unseen stress of event planning, this is a real conversation about keeping momentum when energy is low.

They then turn their attention to franchise exhibitions. With footfall falling and trust harder to earn, they question whether expos are still serving the people they’re meant to.

Are they too transactional? Too expensive? Too focused on leads over relationships?

The conversation explores trust-building, interactive experiences, franchising as supported self-employment, and why the industry needs to feel more human if it’s going to grow.

Along the way, there are detours into ghost cities, music culture, collaboration over competition… and an unexpected morning train party.

Honest, reflective, and unapologetically real.

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Ed - Bad Habits by Chainska Brassika:

https://open.spotify.com/track/3r9Ic9eomv28KYCZihiijZ?si=00b0f21b7d1d46b5

Ben - Mmm Bop by StyleShift AI:

https://open.spotify.com/track/0gvxGhLvaW1m7stt9fQ0Vg?si=d691cbbb95fe4158

In this episode of Mic Drop, Ben and Ed start with a snack debate and end up talking about the future.

Along the way, they cover cultural differences, orchestra trips, the strange magic of music composition, and real-world insights from the franchise space.

They dig into what’s changing in marketing, why engagement and trust-building content matter more than ever, and how creativity cuts through in a crowded market.

Then it’s crystal-ball time: predictions for 2026, AI, recruitment, and why most future-gazing means nothing unless you actually take action.

TRACKS OF THE WEEK

Ed - Drag Me by From Ashes to New:

https://open.spotify.com/track/459NVRkYEftpuwkmSH1U1H?si=2808186c6b844d26

Ben - MHITR (Semi Automatic) by Hedex:

https://open.spotify.com/track/11Gypesywvx4AnUeYxeLaY?si=30b03a7b86314851

BEN'S (And Ed's!) LINKS:

Volume playlist on Spotify

Ben and Ed kick off the New Year with trademark Mic Drop banter, sharing reflections on Christmas, culture, and the strange language of New Year’s resolutions.

They explore why resolutions so often fail, the psychology behind goal-setting, and why discipline, accountability, and systems matter more than motivation. The conversation weaves through health and fitness, business and franchising realities, learning from people who’ve gone before you, and accepting that nobody really has it all figured out.

There’s also a detour into space exploration, big thinking, and the music that fuels focus and personal growth, before closing with a Mic Drop moment that cuts through the noise and encourages listeners to stop overthinking and just start.

New year energy, minus the clichés. 🎙️

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Ed - Baiana by Nia Archives:

https://open.spotify.com/track/7B0gxo0jQCy5Lk93RIODAC?si=8408b1f7d8874341

Ben - Fistful of Steel LIVE by Rage Against the Machine:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1mS0YNKvhysjSCjPCdOG2N?si=ad430a13cbf74d29

BEN'S LINKS

He's started off the year lazy and hasn't even provided any recommendations!

LISTEN AFTER EPISODE 20

For episode 20 of The Mic Drop podcast Ben and Ed were due to get each other a gift and open it live in front of each other on the podcast.

Ben's gift for Ed didn't arrive on time, probably cause he ordered it from Temu or somewhere like that, so Ed recorded the opening of the gift in this very short clip.

Merry Christmas everyone and have a great festive break!

See you in the New Year!

Christmas has arrived and so has peak Mic Drop chaos.

In this festive special, Ed Purnell and Ben Brookes crack open their Christmas traditions, from gift-exchange anticipation and family rituals to the very serious business of Christmas dinner.

Expect strong opinions on roast potato quantities, porchetta devotion, carvery logic, and why Brussels sprouts deserve more respect. There’s talk of festive desserts, tiramisu twists, chocolate orange bread and butter pudding, and the music that soundtracks Christmas Day from first drink to final plate.

Along the way, things derail into ducknapping accusations, cracker jokes, Peter Andre surprises, and the kind of festive banter that only Christmas can justify.

It’s light-hearted, food-obsessed, nostalgic, and full of gratitude as Ed and Ben celebrate their 20th episode and thank everyone who’s been part of the Mic Drop journey so far.

Pull up a chair, loosen your belt, and press play.

XMAS PLAYLIST

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2i5mmiMrwMW8RkR1jDOYXZ?si=-7u3NG09QTS1eiEn07PPBg

This episode sprints through busted mindsets, franchise recruitment madness, people-pleasing chaos, shopping disasters, and why Christmas music charts make absolutely no sense anymore.

There’s a festive music quiz, confessions from Spotify Wrapped, and a detour into how music supervisors secretly control your emotions. Plus: unexpected gratitude, winter delusion, and the occasional useful insight.

It’s loud, loose, festive-feral energy. Classic Mic Drop.

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Ed - I don't want to set the world on fire by The Ink Spots:

https://open.spotify.com/track/777zXDJpBufzttU4AJ2dGO?si=f9d79a49e31b4b1e

Ben - Heavy Lies the Crown by Machine Head:

https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZJAJyyWzGyLbvCn6o0ybb?si=6ef79fb44aa4408c

Ben's Links:

Kevin Bloody Wilson Song -

https://open.spotify.com/track/4qheQSem1woVNBM7y7YLCy?si=cb8bf5e617ea451f

Blue Monday - Coming Soon???

Ben and Ed return with a festive, tech-tinged episode that swings from nativity-play chaos to AI confusion, with plenty of music, franchising, and existential pondering along the way.

They kick things off with holiday greetings and a rant about battling modern AI tools, before diving into weather woes, school performances, and the universal parenting experience of having no idea what role your child is supposed to be playing.

Their Spotify Wrapped reveals surprising listening habits, forgotten tracks, and the slow death of the full-album experience.

From genre rabbit holes to shared musical memories, the duo explore why music still shapes how we connect: online, offline, and in business.

The conversation shifts into the world of franchising and content, including how podcasts help build trust, why people crave authenticity, and the idea of creating a very real, very awkward “Franchise Unwrapped”.

They also touch on culture, community, and how shared experiences even in virtual reality can strengthen relationships.

It’s a warm, funny, wandering conversation about tech, creativity, connection, and the strange things that make us human. And yes: everyone does need a podcast.

TRACK OF THE WEEK:

Ed - In my mind by The Amazons

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Exl4jdJFmiztWnvXr5nHZ?si=d44eeb416af54abf

Ben - 2step3fun4llowing by ISCREAM NEVER GROUND

https://open.spotify.com/track/0yUUObUT5XJSAsVtLLol6A?si=7d489b821dbb4a1b

Ben's Links:

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1787634558/ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apan_dp_KK6DCDFMTK87C8HK5SEG