Success or Excuses Podcast: 9 Months of Stories, Resilience, and Mindset

By James Fleming, MD of The Power Within Training

It’s been 9 months since I hit record for the very first time on The Success or Excuses Podcast.

Back then, I knew I didn’t want to create just another business podcast. I didn’t want a polished, surface-level chat about how great everything is. I wanted real conversations with real people, the kind where you hear the grit, the doubt, the fear, and the moments they thought about giving up.

Because I’ve always believed that success isn’t made in the easy days, it’s forged in the days when life knocks you flat and you’ve got every reason to stay down… but you don’t.

Still, even with that in mind, I wasn’t prepared for just how powerful and humbling these conversations would be.

The Stories That Stay With Me

Over the past 9 months, I’ve sat down with guests whose stories have stopped me in my tracks.

There was Natalie Pinnell, who talked about the relentless fight to get support for her daughter with additional needs while running her own business.

Stuart Geddes opened up about the heartbreaking loss of his newborn son, and how he somehow found the strength to keep steering his business through that storm.

Donna McAteer told me about how she launched her own marketing company after being made redundant during maternity leave, all while juggling a newborn and a toddler.

I’ve spoken to people who’ve been diagnosed with cancer in the middle of building their business. Guests who’ve survived brain tumours, who’ve lost everything and started from scratch. People juggling motherhood with the 24/7 demands of entrepreneurship. Young parents figuring it out on the fly. People navigating life and business while being neurodiverse.

Some have been past clients of mine, and hearing the full, raw version of their story, the bits you don’t always see on LinkedIn, has been incredible.

The Mindset That Changes Everything

Although my guests have all been entrepreneurs, business owners, or leaders, the lessons in these episodes go way beyond business.

Every story has been about mindset. About how you respond when life throws you something you never saw coming. About choosing not to make excuses, even when it would have been the easiest option in the world.

Whether you’re a business owner, working your way up the ladder, or just trying to get through a tough season in life, the resilience, perspective, and mental shifts these guests share could help anyone.

Why This Podcast Matters to Me

Through The Power Within Training, I’ve spent years working with leaders, business owners, and teams all over the UK. I’ve seen how quickly life can turn upside down. I’ve also seen how the right mindset can be the difference between falling apart and coming back stronger.

This podcast is an extension of that. It’s a place to share proof, not theory, that it can be done. That people, from all walks of life, have faced the unthinkable and still found a way forward.

And I feel a responsibility to share those voices. These guests open up about some of the hardest moments in their lives, not because it’s easy to talk about, but because they know someone listening might be right in the middle of their own fight.

Thank You for Listening

If you’ve listened, shared, reviewed, or even told someone about The Success or Excuses Podcast, thank you. These stories deserve to be heard, and the more they’re shared, the more people they can reach.

The past 9 months have been an honour, and we’re only just getting started. My marketing team also tells me we’ve “gone viral” a few times on TikTok; apparently that’s a big deal. I just know it means more people are hearing these incredible stories, and that’s what matters.

Want to Share Your Story?

If you’re reading this and thinking, I’ve been through something that could inspire or help others, I’d love to hear from you. Whether you’ve faced personal, professional, or completely unexpected challenges, if you’ve got a story that others could learn from, email me at james@tpwtd.com.

We record the podcast in person, here in Glasgow, so if that suits and you’re up for sharing your journey, let’s talk. You never know who might need to hear exactly what you’ve been through.

? You can listen to The Success or Excuses Podcast here.

Because at the end of the day, it really does come down to this: you can have success or excuses; you cannot have both.

James Fleming
The Power Within Training
The Motivational Intelligence Company
james@tpwtd.com