Wake Up with Chris Donnelly

No one teaches you how to build a £50 million business from your university bedroom, but getting it right can change everything.

Today, I’m sitting down with Sara Davies, entrepreneur, investor, and former Dragons' Den star. Sara started as a young founder, juggling imposter syndrome, tough decisions, and relentless pressure. Now she’s built an empire, invested in countless businesses, and even danced her way through Strictly Come Dancing.

But for the first time, she’s revealing why she’s stepping away from Dragons’ Den and what’s next.

She also shares amazing insight into her new book, "The Six Minute Entrepreneur: 52 Lessons for Long-Term Success," where she breaks down the small, daily actions that lead to big results in business and life. 

Chapters: 
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Why Sara is leaving Dragon Den
5:30 How Sara became an entrepreneur 
9:00 Start of Sara’s crafting journey 
19:00 Sara’s husband supporting her 
21:00 Working with family 
26:00 Jugerling Parenting & Business
32:00 Sara’s Legacy 
34:00 Relationship with Risk 
39:00 Imposter syndrome 
44:20 Strictly come dancing 
57:00 Should you build a business to sell?  
1:00:00 How to win over Sara's investment
1:08:00 Sara’s first day on Dragons Den 
1:15:00 Sara couching the guest dragons 
1:19:00 Sara’s New Book 
1:24:00 How to stay focused

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en 
Follow Sara: https://www.instagram.com/saradaviescc/?hl=en 

Link to Sara's Book: https://amzn.eu/d/a3F1uHA

No one teaches you how to be a great leader, but getting it wrong can make or break your career.

Today, I’m sitting down with Heather Elkington, the Gen Z leadership coach who’s helped thousands step up with confidence.

Heather started as a young manager at Harrods, struggling with imposter syndrome, tough feedback, and impossible workloads. Now she’s trained leaders at American Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, and FTSE100 companies and she’s here to share what actually works.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or unsure as a leader, this episode is for you.

Chapters: 
0:00 Introduction 
3:00 The worst type of leader 
5:00 How to give bad feedback
8:30 Why you need to stop being nice
15:00 Heather's love for work
17:00 working at Harrods
22:00 Building Her Business 
44:00 Why you need core values 
51:00 What does a great manager actually do 
58:00 Heather First Business inspiration 
1:03:00 Dark side of entrepreneurship 
1:07:00 How to conduct a 1-to-1s 
1:10:00 How to set boundaries 
1:12:00 What is the biggest mistake managers make 
1:22:00 What is the mission of the business
1:30:00 What's next for Heather 

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en
Follow Heather: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipheather/?hl=en

Manifestation isn’t just wishful thinking, it’s a science-backed process that can completely transform your life. But most people are doing it all wrong. 

In this episode, Roxie Nafousi, bestselling author and the leading voice in modern manifestation, reveals the 7-step formula that has helped thousands turn their dreams into reality. Plus, she gives us an exclusive deep dive into her brand-new book, Confidence: 8 Steps to Knowing Your Worth 

Roxie doesn’t just talk about thinking positively, she shares the practical strategies that high achievers use to shape their reality. 

Chapters: 
0:00 Introduction 
1:50 Roxie journey 
3:30 Rat experiment 
5:10 Roxie’s First Journey with Manifestation
6:50 Is manifestation real? 
12:20 How to manifest a relationship  
17:00 8 steps to confidence  
21:00 How did your friends react 
23:00 How to find out who are your true friends 
27:30 What is the science behind manifestation 
31:30 How to pick yourself up when you’re feeling low ( Gratitude Journal) 
35:00 Don't miss the good old days 
41:30 How to create a vision board 
43:20 How can people remove the barrier of fear 
43:20 How to find your purpose 
47:00 How to turn envy into inspiration
52:00 How can you negatively manifest 
53:00 Roxie’s first manifestation event 
1:03:00 How Roxie learnt about branding 
1:06:00 Roxie starting her business 
1:11:00 Roxie’s Imposture Syndrom
1:15:00 Investing Journey 
 
Confidence: 8 Steps to Knowing Your Worth here: https://bio.to/Confidence. Available from March 27th.  

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en-gb 
Follow Roxie: https://www.instagram.com/roxienafousi/?hl=en-gb

This week on Wake Up, we’re doing things a little differently. I’m giving you an unfiltered look into a day in my life as a busy founder and CEO. No fake hustle, no highlight reels, just the real grind of juggling multiple businesses, coaching, and live shows while making time for deep work, a workout, and a beer at the end.

And it’s a packed one. The day starts with a deep-dive consultant session with Eric Partaker, followed by work, community calls, and hosting a live podcast for Sahil Bloom’s book launch event in front of 1,000 people. If you’ve ever wondered how I actually get things done without losing my mind, this is for you.

Chapters: 
0:00 Morning Routine
4:20 First Meeting
6:50 Consultant Day with Eric Partaker
8:45 Lunch & Work
10:00 Cohort Call
11:20 Heading to South Kensington
12:40 Backstage at Sahil Bloom Live Event
15:15 Sahil Bloom Live Event
17:40 Wrapping Up the Day
18:35 Outtakes

Drop a comment and let me know, what part of your day you struggle to manage the most.

Subscribe for more real talk on entrepreneurship, productivity, and making it all work.

James Smith, bestselling author and performance coach, shares the key lessons he’s learned about confidence, productivity, and the truth behind Ozempic & TRT. In this episode, James dives deep into the psychology of self-belief, how to break free from procrastination and become a productivity machine, and what most people get wrong about Ozempic,  weight loss & TRT.

He also reveals the biggest mindset shifts that separate high performers from everyone else and the strategies he’s used to transform thousands of lives. If you’re looking for practical, no-nonsense advice to build confidence, get more done, and take control of your health, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 James’ background
6:00 The role of honesty in James’ career
8:00 Leaving corporate life to become an entrepreneur
11:30 The secret to building confidence
15:10 Inside James’ confidence workshop
17:30 Growing a powerful social media presence
24:00 When your friends don’t support you
25:30 Why buying a flashy car is a waste of money
29:00 James’ journey from broke to fame
31:00 What it’s like meeting fans
33:00 Landing his first book deal
40:00 The reality of James’ first tour
43:00 Facing Piers Morgan in an interview
45:20 Becoming a #1 best-selling author
48:00 How James stays organized and productive
50:30 Scaling his business to new heights
53:00 Game-changing email marketing hacks
54:00 Starting a business with Chris Williamson
58:00 James’ approach to business mentorship
1:02:00 The 1-5-10 hour rule explained
1:05:00 How to price yourself correctly
1:08:00 The secret to maximizing productivity
1:12:00 James’ experience using Ozempic
1:20:00 What happened when James tried TRT
1:31:00 The truth about Ozempic
1:33:00 How Ozempic removed the emotional connection to food
1:36:00 The impact of Ozempic on the brain
1:41:00 What Ozempic really costs
1:43:00 The dangers of using Ozempic
1:44:00 James’ childhood struggle with an eating disorder
1:50:00 What’s next for James?

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en-gb
Follow James: https://www.instagram.com/jamessmith/?hl=en-gb

GIVEAWAY! Sahil just launched his new book, The 5 Types of Wealth, and we’re celebrating with a giveaway!

Win a signed copy of his book + a free ticket to his event in London on February 13th!

Here’s how to enter:

1. Comment on Sahil’s podcast on my YouTube with your biggest goal for 2025.
2. Sahil will pick 5 winners to receive a signed book and a ticket to his exclusive event at the Royal Geographical Society, London.

Sahil Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and author, shares the biggest lessons he’s learned about wealth, success, and creating a meaningful life. In this episode, Sahil dives deep into the 5 types of wealth, how to know if you're playing the wrong game, and the mindset shifts that separate the 1% from everyone else.

He also reveals the best advice he received from his mentor, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and how those lessons shaped his approach to business, leadership, and life. If you’re looking for practical, no-BS strategies to build real wealth and take control of your future, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:00 The Biggest Lie We’ve Been Told About Wealth
3:00 The Most Common Mistake People Make Chasing Success
3:45 The Mindset Shift That Changed Everything
4:30 The One Question to Ask Yourself Every Day to Stay on Track
5:20 Tim Cook’s Best Advice for Success
8:30 The 4 Types of Luck & How to Create More Opportunities
12:00 The 5 Types of Wealth You Need to Build
19:30 Sahil’s Wake Up Moment 
25:00 Why the 13 Richest People Have 14 Divorces 
28:00 The Real Way to Find Your Purpose
31:00 How to Create Value & Make Yourself Indispensable
34:00 Stop Trying to Impress the Wrong People
39:00 The Harsh Truth Making a Million Dollars Isn’t Easy
41:00 The Trade Off Why Something Has to Suck to Get What You Want
43:00 How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome for Good
43:40 Why You Need to Fall in Love with Embarrassment to Succeed
46:00 What Is the Spotlight Effect & How to Stop Caring What Others Think
47:00 The Secret to Becoming Luckier in Life & Business
48:00 How to Think & Act Like the Top 1%
50:00 How Becoming a Dad Changed Everything
53:00 How to Intentionally Redesign Your Life for Success
55:00 Should You Give Your Children Money? The Hard Truth
1:03:00 The Success of Sahil’s Book & Lessons Learned
1:07:00 Treat Your Body Like Your Home If You Want It to Last
1:10:00 The Science Behind Cold Plunges & Their Impact
1:11:00 The 4-7-8 Breathing Method for Better Sleep
1:14:00 What Is Quiet Quitting in a Relationship
1:17:00 The Difference Between Falling in Love & Growing in Love
1:19:00 Why Proximity to Loved Ones Matters More Than You Think
1:21:30 What Is a Darkest Hour Friend and Why You Need One
1:23:30 What’s Next A Look into the Future
Let me know if you need any more refinements.

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en 
Follow Sahil: https://www.instagram.com/sahilbloom/?hl=en

GIVEAWAY! Simon just launched his new book What’s Your Dream? and we’re celebrating with a giveaway.

If you comment on this YouTube video with your dream and tell us what it is! 
Simon will personally pick three winners from the comments to receive a signed book with £500 inside. 

How to Enter
1.  Comment below with your dream on Simon’s podcast on my YouTube
2.  Simon will pick three winners to receive a signed book with £500

Link my youtube: https://youtu.be/56R4-Hg8nW4 

Simon Squibb, a visionary entrepreneur and mentor, shares his extraordinary journey from homelessness to building a thriving entrepreneurial empire. In this episode, Simon opens up about his biggest failures, life-changing lessons, and the strategies he used to create a life of purpose and financial freedom.

This conversation is packed with actionable advice for anyone looking to start a business, develop resilience, or find clarity in their personal and professional lives. Simon’s journey will inspire you to turn obstacles into opportunities and create a future you’re proud of.

Chapters: 
0:00 Introduction 
4:00 What is the biggest risk 
6:20 The hardest thing he has to do in business 
8:45 What is your biggest failure 
12:30  Simon becomes homeless 
20:00 Start of Simons's entrepreneurial journey 
22:00 Biggest lies in business 
33:00 How to find your first customer 
37:20 How to become a great seller 
40:00 How to start on social media 
46:00 Why Simon loves helping people 
53:00 Why you shouldn’t buy a property 
1:00:00 Simon going into politics 
1:3:45 Most impactful story
1:08:50 How everyone become rich 
1:11:00 Winning £1,000,000 
1:15:00 How to find the purpose 
1:25:00 Give Away!

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/ 
Follow Simon: https://www.instagram.com/simonsquibb/?hl=en 

Eric Partaker, the world’s leading CEO coach, shares powerful insights on building resilience, achieving peak performance, and thriving in today’s fast-changing business environment. From his near-death experience that sparked a life-changing epiphany to his actionable strategies for becoming anti-fragile, Eric reveals how leaders can turn challenges into opportunities and create businesses that not only survive but thrive under pressure.

Eric dives deep into game-changing concepts like the 80/20 principle to maximize impact, the Olympic athlete mindset for achieving magnetic goals, and his signature "3 Alarms" method to balance work and life while driving success. Whether it’s transitioning from founder to CEO, mastering delegation, or building a high-performing team, this episode is packed with practical advice for entrepreneurs and leaders ready to level up.

If you’re looking to future-proof your business, lead with confidence, and unlock your full potential, this conversation is a must-watch. Eric’s proven strategies will inspire you to embrace uncertainty, develop an unshakable mindset, and create a roadmap for long-term success in both your personal and professional life.

This video is sponsored by Perplexity - an AI search engine - that gives you fast, clear answers to any question. It can also help with synthesis and summarization, and I think of it as my personal assistant that's available to me 24/7. 

So, if like me, you want to work smarter, not harder, Perplexity can help you save time and focus on what really matters. Virgin Media O2 customers can get a free year of Perplexity Pro—an absolute game-changer for productivity.

Learn more at https://www.perplexity.ai/ and start scaling smarter today.

Chapters: 
0:00 Introduction
1:00 Eric’s journey 
4:30 Eric’s starting new business 
9:00 Eric’s near-death experience 
13:45 Book 3 Alarms 
15:30 How to use the 3 alarms 
19:45 How to pick yourself up from rock bottom 
25:00 How to become a profitable business 
26:20 Can the founder have a work-life balance ( DEBATE) 
30:00 Olympic athlete mindset 
35:20 Running a Small Business VS Big 
40:00 Eric & Chris Linkedin journey
45:00 How to go for a founder to CEO
47:00 Competitive In business 
53:00 How to put together a business plan
55:00 How to increase demand & decrease supply 
1:04:30 Anti-Hustle movement 
1:10:00 How to delegate better
1:12:00 Becoming the best CEO
1:15:00 What makes a truly great leader 
1:16:30 How to become anti-fragile 
1:19:00 The difference between a professional and an amateur
1:22:00 How to drive a team 
1:27:00 80/20 Superpower 
1:33:00 How to use 80/20 to grow on socials 
1:37:00 How to split up your workday 
1:41:00 How to set magnetic goals 
1:46:00 You can achieve anything you want

In this exclusive first interview of 2025, Daniel Priestley shares why this year marks the most exciting time in history for entrepreneurs. From groundbreaking insights on the rise of AI to actionable advice on building an AI-powered business, Daniel breaks down how companies of any size can double their revenue by embracing artificial intelligence.

Whether you’re looking to future-proof your business, streamline operations, or harness AI for growth, this episode is packed with game-changing strategies to help you thrive in the new era of innovation. Don’t miss this roadmap to unlocking your business’s potential in 2025 and beyond!

Daniel and Chris work through the exact methodology and steps from naming and branding a business, to launching and selling to your first customers, to increasing prices and demand through to marketing, scaling and selling. It's a must-watch for any entrepreneur. 

Chapters: 
0:00 Introduction 
2:30 Why is 2025 the most exciting time in business 
3:30 Using AI to write a book 
5:30 How to build a successful AI business 
7:15 How to get your business powered by AI 
8:00 How to double your business with AI 
12:50 How to launch your business
14:00 CAOS framework
17:00 How to test your idea 
20:30 Batman method
27:00 How to grow a small team 
30:00 What is a key person of influence? 
31.55  What are the 5 P’s
36:30 Why sales are so important 
41:20 How to win high-quality clients ( Cinderella method ) 
43:00 The power of rejecting client 
45:30 Why your price doesn’t matter
47:00 Understanding your business capacity  
58:00  How to grow a medium size team (8 to 10 people) 
1:03:00 Solo Entrepreneurs (Debate) 
1:07:00 How to grow from 8 people to 30 
1:10:00 How to build true wealth 
1:13:00 What is a multiplier? 
1:21:00 The most exciting thing about 2025

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/
Follow Daniel: https://www.instagram.com/danielpriestley/?hl=en 

https://motionarray.com/royalty-free-music/deeper-than-stars-2886191/
1d29c99e97cc7be4fee5bbc22cf59b4509cbd09b67577712bff9815d53b05370:132049427

In this episode, Nischa breaks down the biggest financial mistakes people make and reveals strategies to take control of your money. Whether you’re debating saving vs investing, wondering how to buy a car the smart way, or trying to avoid budgeting pitfalls, this video is packed with practical tips to help you thrive financially.

From building wealth to managing debt, Nischa covers it all, making complex money topics simple and actionable. Whether you’re just starting or looking to optimise your finances, this episode is your roadmap to smarter money moves in 2025.

Chapters: 
0:00 Introduction
1:40 Nischa’s Journey as an Entrepreneur
3:50 The Wake-Up Moment That Changed Nischa’s Life
6:00 Why Do People Stay in Toxic Jobs?
9:55 Steps to Start Leaving a Toxic Job
13:40 Discovering Your True Passion
19:03 The Biggest Wealth-Building Mistakes to Avoid
23:00 Budgeting Myths: What People Get Wrong
24:30 Should You Borrow Money to Buy?
25:20 Mastering Credit Cards: Dos and Don’ts
26:30 Buying vs. Leasing a Car: What’s Smarter?
28:00 Buying vs. Renting a Home: The Right Choice
33:30 Money Secrets of the 1%
34:40 Saving Your First $100k: Where to Start
35:30 Bad Money Habits That Keep You Broke
37:11 The Smartest Thing to Do With Your Paycheck
38:22 Saving vs. Investing: What Should Come First?
41:50 Investing for Beginners: How to Start Today
42:40 Tax-Free Investing Strategies
44:00 Top Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read
46:40 The Power of Compounding: The 7th Wonder of the World
48:09 Tips for Paying Less in Taxes
49:30 What’s Next for Nischa?

Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/
Follow Nischa: https://www.instagram.com/nischa.me/