The Success or Excuses Podcast

Andrew Hulbert didn’t build his business from a perfect plan; he built it through graft, mistakes and an all-in mindset.

After growing up in a working-class family in Oxford, Andrew started earning money from a young age and later moved into property services. At 27, he started Pareto from his bedroom with a laptop and an idea. Over 10 years, he grew it into a £50 million turnover business with 500 staff, raised $100 million ...

Dr John Demartini was told as a child that he would never read, write or communicate effectively.

After struggling with dyslexia and leaving home at 13, John spent his teenage years travelling and living as a street kid before a chance encounter with health educator Paul C. Bragg inspired him to change the direction of his life. That moment sparked a lifelong commitment to learning, teaching and understa...

Carol Jackson knows exactly what it feels like to leave the comfort of a successful career and step into the chaos of building something from scratch.

After years in the corporate world, Carol reached a point where she knew something had to change. What started as a side hustle became ELJ Drinks, an award-winning boutique Scottish spirits company with a range of gins and a Honey Spiced Rum.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, Ja...

Mark Skinner didn’t wait for the “perfect time” to take the leap. He saw the opportunity, backed himself and built from there.

After starting out in sales with Keystone Valves in Glasgow he was there for about 8 years and was then asked to join John Bell Pipeline in Aberdeen. When the business came up for sale, Mark and his colleague Brian decided to buy it. With everything mortgaged and plenty on the line, they b...

Stephen Pettigrew grew up around business long before he ever built his own path.

From working in his family’s warehouse as a teenager to watching his parents’ business grow to £35 million in revenue before eventually collapsing, Stephen learned a hard lesson about value, timing and why a business should be built with the option to sell.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Stephen Pettigr...

Andrew Gilmour didn’t just start a business, he built it through setbacks, lessons and a shift in thinking.

After more than 25 years in the security industry, Andrew launched his own business and experienced both strong post-COVID growth and significant financial losses, which forced him to rethink his approach. That shift led him into acquisitions, where he is now building a group of businesses under a single holding company...

Colin Frame didn’t build Stellar by following the traditional path.

After leaving school without going to university or college, Colin used work as his classroom. After two failed attempts at business, personal challenges and moments that tested his resilience, he kept going and built Stellar into a business with just under 200 people.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Colin Frame to talk abo...

John Cox didn’t follow a straight path into business; he built it from the ground up.

After a short stint in professional rugby, John went on to start Cox and Co, a property services company based in Edinburgh. Over the past 20 years, the business has grown across Scotland and into the north of England through the Casa Group.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with John Cox to explore growth, leade...

Rachael has never followed a straight path, and she’s never tried to.

From growing up in Leith and training as an opera singer to leading socially driven, creative work, her journey has been shaped by challenging expectations and doing things differently. Along the way, she learned the importance of focusing on strengths, using creativity for change, and what real leadership looks like.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, ...

Paul Nicholas didn’t follow a straight path into his career; he figured it out along the way.

From struggling at school and finding himself stacking shelves in his early twenties, Paul shares how he moved into health and safety, built a 20+ year career in the industry, and eventually launched his own consultancy working with large organisations.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Paul Nichola...

Kristian Melson always had an entrepreneurial instinct.

After early attempts at starting a football coaching business at 18, Kristian went on to build a career in operations across large organisations and smaller companies. Over time, he realised he enjoyed driving change, improving systems and helping businesses run more efficiently.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Kristian Melson, Founder and...

Ray Black didn’t plan a career in sales.

Growing up in the village of Sanquhar, Ray began his career studying print before moving into technical design. Working at a drawing table long before CAD existed, he started out designing packaging and production samples by hand. That early exposure to the industry eventually led him into packaging, sales and business development.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming...

Davie Sneddon didn’t begin his career in sales.

Growing up on the south side of Glasgow, Davie struggled at school and didn’t see himself as academic. He began his career with an engineering apprenticeship as a plant fitter before realising he wanted more from life than working in heavy engineering.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Davie Sneddon, Chief Commercial Officer and co-owner...

Nicki Paterson’s career began in professional football.

After playing for around 20 years across Scotland, the UK and North America, Nicki’s journey eventually led him into the recruitment industry, where he has spent the last eight to nine years helping companies hire leaders and specialist talent across more than 60 countries.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Nicki Paterson from Solu...

Calum Stevens didn’t set out to build a career in pharmaceuticals; he fell into it.

After studying marine biology, Calum began working in a clinical environment before joining BDD, a Glasgow-based pharmaceutical company that started as a small university spin-out. Today, the business employs around 35 people and works with both innovative biotech’s and some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.

In this ...

Val Duguid didn’t plan to start a care company… she was trying to care for her mum.

An exercise physiologist and chronic illness specialist for over 20 years, Val built her career in complex rehabilitation. But when her mum suffered a near-fatal accident, breaking her pelvis, hip and arm, Val stepped away from her previous business and became a full-time carer.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits ...

Mark Glasgow didn’t grow up with much, but he always knew he was going to be a business owner.

A gas engineer by trade, Mark founded Edinburgh Boiler Company in 2015 with a simple objective: make boilers easy and deliver outstanding customer service. He spotted early opportunity in digital, hiring a web designer as his first employee and investing heavily in SEO, radio, TV and marketing to grow fast in a traditional trade sec...

Brian Creegan didn’t plan to start his business during a global pandemic, he just happened to open on 1 March 2020.

An Irishman who grew up in South Africa before moving to Scotland, Brian built his early career in banking before unexpectedly moving into recruitment and working his way up to director level. Wanting to do things differently, he left to create his own business focused on training companies how to manage hiring ...

Emma Ross didn’t leave because she was failing. She left while earning £140,000 a year.

After dropping out of university, Emma built her career in banking before moving into commercial finance at HSBC. Within three years she increased her income from £34,000 to £140,000, generating £500,000 net income for the company in her final year. Walking away from that security wasn’t easy.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, J...