Episodes

  • Leaving a £140K Salary to Start a Commercial Finance Business: Emma Ross’ Entrepreneur Journey | Episode 48

    Leaving a £140K Salary to Start a Commercial Finance Business: Emma Ross’ Entrepreneur Journey | Episode 48
    Mar 2 2026

    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, James Fleming sits down with Emma Ross, founder of Ross Commercial Finance, to explore what it really takes to start again from zero. Emma shares the financial realities of brokering, knowing there could be a six to nine month income gap, and carrying significant family responsibility while making the leap.

    Emma speaks openly about the pressure of building a business just two years old. From working 6am to 2am and never leaving emails unanswered, to managing anxiety and the physical toll of stress. She reflects on being the only woman in the room in a male-dominated industry, early criticism about looking “unprofessional”, and how she’s learned to turn that into confidence.

    James brings his own experience into the discussion, drawing parallels around hiring, letting go of control, working alongside your spouse, and the realities people don’t see behind visible success.

    Together, they unpack growth, standards, awards, marriage, ambition, and the desire to build a team strong enough to eventually work a more sustainable shift.

    Key moments include: ✔️ Dropping out of university and starting in banking ✔️ Moving into commercial finance at HSBC ✔️ Increasing income from £34,000 to £140,000 ✔️ Generating £500,000 net income for her employer ✔️ The decision to start Ross Commercial Finance ✔️ Expecting a six to nine month income gap ✔️ Working 6am to 2am and never leaving emails unanswered ✔️ Anxiety, staying busy, and the impact on health ✔️ Hiring struggles and learning to let go of control ✔️ Building a team of five within two years ✔️ Being the only woman at industry events ✔️ Early criticism about appearance and professionalism ✔️ Winning Best Scottish Broker, Best Commercial Mortgage Broker, Best Bridging Broker, and Highly Commended for Northern Ireland ✔️ Being nominated for awards by lenders ✔️ Working alongside her husband Marty ✔️ Launching a finance and football podcast ✔️ The goal of building a team big enough to work a “normal shift” ✔️ Emma’s top three pieces of advice: find a mentor, build a strong network, and trust your own abilities

    Follow James Fleming:

    LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast

    Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

    Follow Emma Ross:

    Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/3Zv9V5zUzMCDuykaaouvTL?si=5516ec3e3c224848 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-ross-78ab5677/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/emma_ross_commercial_finance Company LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/ross-commercial-finance/ Website→ https://rosscommercialfinance.com/

    Timestamps [00:00] James introduces Emma Ross [00:00:50] Emma’s background and early career [00:01:30] The decision to leave and start her own business [00:03:00] Financial realities and income gaps in brokering [00:04:00] Work ethic, long hours, and pressure [00:06:00] Anxiety and health impact [00:07:00] Hiring challenges and letting go of control [00:11:30] Women in a male-dominated industry [00:15:20] Award wins and recognition from lenders [00:18:18] Working with Marty and balancing marriage and business [00:27:00] Vision for growth and working a normal shift [00:29:16] Emma’s top three pieces of advice [00:31:00] James closes the episode
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    31 mins
  • From Secure Salary to Sleepless Nights: Gavin Kirkwood on Building a Business | Episode 47

    From Secure Salary to Sleepless Nights: Gavin Kirkwood on Building a Business | Episode 47
    Feb 23 2026
    Gavin Kirkwood didn’t fall into business ownership, he worked his way there. From starting out in call centres to becoming a top performer in national sales teams, Gavin built his career through consistency, resilience, and graft. After years working across fleet, rental, and asset finance for major organisations, he reached a familiar crossroads: stay comfortable, or back himself. In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Gavin Kirkwood, founder of Kirkwood Asset Finance, to explore what it really takes to launch and grow a business in a brutally competitive industry. Gavin shares why leaving a secure, high-performing role wasn’t an easy decision, how early deals didn’t land the way he expected, and what the last two and a half years of building from scratch have looked like. Gavin speaks openly about the pressure of running a young business, unpredictable cash flow, sleepless nights, and learning the difference between knowing an industry and being responsible for every outcome within it. From compliance and regulation to trust, pricing pressure, and long sales cycles, this conversation cuts through the polished version of entrepreneurship. James brings his own experience into the discussion, drawing parallels with building The Power Within Training, and sharing honest reflections on leadership pressure, hiring fears, systems, and responsibility. Together, they unpack resilience, trust, and why consistency matters more than comfort. Key moments include: ✔️ Starting out in call centres and building confidence in sales ✔️ Moving into fleet, rental, and asset finance ✔️ Becoming a top national performer in large organisations ✔️ The decision to leave security and start a business ✔️ Bottling it the first time, then backing himself ✔️ Early deals not landing as expected ✔️ Learning asset finance properly once the responsibility sat with him ✔️ Compliance, regulation, and commission disclosure changes ✔️ Speed vs price in asset finance decisions ✔️ Peaks, troughs, and unpredictable cash flow ✔️ Sleepless nights and pressure as a business owner ✔️ Why honesty and customer service win long-term ✔️ Losing deals you think are guaranteed ✔️ Reputation, trust, and working with larger clients ✔️ Sales culture, KPIs, and box-ticking ✔️ Hiring fears and protecting brand standards ✔️ Systems, processes, and CRM discipline ✔️ Gavin’s top three lessons in business and life Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/ Follow Gavin Kirkwood: Website → https://www.kirkwoodassetfinance.co.uk LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-kirkwood-43a46837/ Company LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/kirkwood-asset-finance-limited/ Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and introduces Gavin Kirkwood [00:55] Gavin introduces himself and Kirkwood Asset Finance [01:20] What the business does and why customer service matters [03:16] Education, options, and challenging “we’ve always done it this way” [04:24] Why banks frustrate business owners [05:00] Tier one, two, and three funders explained [07:31] Speed vs price in asset finance [10:20] Early career in call centres and sales [11:00] Moving into fleet and commercial vehicles [13:59] Wanting more and outgrowing employment [14:18] Bottling the decision to go solo [14:47] Pressing the button and starting the business [15:22] Expecting early deals that didn’t arrive [16:16] Learning asset finance the hard way [17:22] Grit, persistence, and building from zero [19:23] Growth through referrals and reputation [20:17] Trust, service, and honest communication [21:40] The brutal reality of asset finance sales [23:15] Losing deals you think are guaranteed [25:16] Reputation and credibility with big clients [27:30] Reviews, referrals, and organic growth [29:02] Consultative selling and building trust [31:00] Growth fears and hiring challenges [33:19] Systems, CRM, and protecting standards [35:09] Hiring experience vs potential [36:43] Culture, honesty, and autonomy [42:23] Strategy vs day-to-day survival [44:28] Peaks, troughs, and financial stress [45:36] Resilience and trusting the process [45:55] Gavin’s top three pieces of advice [48:00] James closes the episode
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    49 mins
  • Kenneth Martin’s 21 Years in Business, Recession, Debt, and the Reality of Survival | Episode 46

    Kenneth Martin’s 21 Years in Business, Recession, Debt, and the Reality of Survival | Episode 46
    Feb 16 2026
    Kenneth Martin didn’t chase fast growth or flashy success, he built something that lasted. From discovering architecture at just 12 years old, to setting up his own practice earlier than most would dare, Kenny’s journey is one of graft, resilience, and staying true to professional standards even when the pressure was relentless. With Block Architects now over 21 years old, his story is a rare look at what it really takes to survive and evolve in a demanding industry. In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Kenneth Martin, founder of Block Architects and Interior Designers, to unpack the realities behind building and sustaining a professional practice through recessions, debt, staff cuts, personal sacrifice, and long-term leadership decisions. From working alone in his attic, to employing teams, losing them during the 2008 crash, rebuilding from debt, and starting again from scratch, Kenny shares the honest truth behind longevity in business. This conversation goes deep into what leadership actually looks like over decades, not years. Kenny speaks openly about the mental toll of responsibility, making decisions that affect people’s livelihoods, carrying debt to keep the business alive, and learning when to step back so the business can survive without you. Alongside that, James shares his own experiences of sacrifice, pressure, and why succession planning is not optional if you care about the future of your company. If you’re running a business, thinking about growth, or quietly wondering how long you can keep carrying everything yourself, this episode will resonate deeply. Key moments include: ✔️ Discovering architecture at age 12 and committing to it early ✔️ Setting up a practice only a few years after qualifying ✔️ Growing the business, hiring staff, and learning leadership the hard way ✔️ The 2008 recession and the brutal reality of paying staff off ✔️ Carrying personal debt to keep the business alive ✔️ Going back to working solo and rebuilding from scratch ✔️ Why architects feel downturns before anyone else ✔️ COVID as an unexpected turning point for growth ✔️ The emotional weight of responsibility as a business owner ✔️ Delegating, outsourcing, and building systems that don’t rely on you ✔️ Why succession planning matters long before you think it does ✔️ Balancing business ambition with family, health, and time ✔️ The danger of leaving succession planning too late ✔️ Kenny’s top three lessons in business and life ✔️ The role of hard work, discipline, and deliberate practice ✔️ Why most success stories online don’t tell the full truth Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/ Follow Kenneth Martin: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethrmartin/ Company LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/block-architects-limited/ Website→ https://blockarchitects.co.uk/ Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Kenneth Martin [00:46] Kenny introduces himself and Block Architects [01:56] What it takes to reach 21 years in business [03:01] Discovering architecture at age 12 [05:15] Setting up his own practice earlier than expected [06:00] Making hard decisions and leadership pressure [08:03] Professional responsibility and industry accountability [09:19] The 2008 recession and its impact on the business [10:18] Hiring the first employee and rapid early growth [13:31] Debt, downsizing, and moving back home to survive [15:25] Clearing debt and starting again from scratch [17:10] COVID as a period of unexpected growth [18:22] Why succession planning can’t be ignored [20:21] Building a business with the end in mind [23:25] Realising how much the business relied on him [24:31] Outsourcing, systems, and reducing dependency [27:00] Why podcasting became part of leadership learning [31:24] Kenny’s top three pieces of advice [33:23] Hard work, discipline, and deliberate practice [36:11] Letting go and trusting the team [38:38] Lessons from working with family [41:20] Communication challenges with younger generations [41:57] How to connect with Kenneth [42:30] James closes the episode
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    43 mins
  • Why Most Business Owners Aren’t Ready to Sell: Cameron Young’s Hard Lessons | Episode 45

    Why Most Business Owners Aren’t Ready to Sell: Cameron Young’s Hard Lessons | Episode 45
    Feb 9 2026

    Cameron Young didn’t take the traditional route into business, but the lessons he learned along the way shaped everything that followed. From leaving school unsure of his direction, to helping grow a family wedding stationery business into a fast-scaling e-commerce operation, Cameron’s journey is built on learning by doing and putting in the unseen hours.

    In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Cameron to unpack his journey from scaling and exiting a family-run e-commerce business to becoming a partner at Business Partnership. Cameron shares the realities of rapid growth, burnout, business exits, and why so many owners aren’t prepared when it comes time to sell.

    This conversation explores what really drives business value, the importance of knowing your numbers, building a business that doesn’t rely solely on you, and why trust, transparency, and the right advice matter when everything is on the line.

    If you’re a business owner thinking about growth, exit, or long-term legacy, Cameron’s story offers grounded, honest insight into what to focus on before it’s too late.

    Key moments include: ✔️ Leaving school and joining the family business ✔️ Building and scaling an e-commerce company from the ground up ✔️ The reality of long hours, pressure, and burnout ✔️ Why drop-shipping and “quick win” business models fail ✔️ Learning the hard way to truly know your numbers ✔️ Navigating mergers, acquisitions, and a full business exit ✔️ The emotional and practical challenges of selling a business ✔️ Why owner-led businesses struggle to sell ✔️ The biggest mistakes business owners make before going to market ✔️ Why trust, transparency, and education matter in business sales ✔️ Cameron’s top three pieces of advice for business owners

    Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jamesflemingmq/ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com

    Follow Cameron Young Company Website → https://www.businesspartnership.com LinkedIn →https://www.linkedin.com/in/cam95/

    Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Cameron [00:00:15] Cameron introduces himself and Business Partnership [01:08] Leaving school and joining the family business [02:04] Moving into e-commerce and early online sales [04:39] Scaling warehouse operations and rapid growth [07:43] The reality of long hours and unseen graft [08:06] The truth about drop-shipping models [12:46] Learning the importance of knowing your numbers [18:20] Merger discussions and acquisition offers [21:08] Burnout and seeking expert support [26:38] Personal loss and rethinking priorities [28:41] Joining Business Partnership [30:34] Common mistakes business owners make when selling [32:00] Owner dependency and valuation issues [36:34] Why many businesses never sell [53:00] Cameron’s top three pieces of advice [57:10] How to connect with Cameron [58:28] James closes the episode
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    1 hr
  • Leaving Corporate to Build a Business: Steve Young on Risk and Regret | Episode 44

    Leaving Corporate to Build a Business: Steve Young on Risk and Regret | Episode 44
    Feb 2 2026

    Steve Young didn’t wait for certainty, he backed himself and learned on the job.

    From leaving school early and working multiple jobs as a teenager, to selling TVs at Dixons, moving into fax machines and copiers, and building a long career in document management and process automation, Steve’s journey is one of graft, resilience, and refusing to live with regret. Buying his first flat at 18 and thriving in high-pressure sales roles, Steve learned early that effort mattered more than titles.

    In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Steve to explore his journey from corporate leadership to building his own business. Steve opens up about the frustration of not being able to make decisions, the fear of starting again later in life, and why he made the conscious choice to build a business with no plan B. The conversation also dives into resilience, failure, and what Steve calls “bounce-back ability”, learning through mistakes and continuing forward.

    James shares his own reflections on chasing money, burnout, and redefining what success really means, as both explore why fulfilment, freedom, and potential matter more than income alone.

    If you’ve ever questioned whether comfort is holding you back, or worried about reaching the end of your career with regrets, Steve’s story will resonate.

    Key moments include: ✔️ Leaving school early and starting work young ✔️ Selling TVs, fax machines, and building a career in sales ✔️ Buying his first flat at 18 ✔️ Thriving in corporate roles but feeling restricted ✔️ Choosing entrepreneurship to avoid regret ✔️ Starting a business with no plan B ✔️ Learning resilience and bounce-back ability ✔️ Redefining success beyond money

    Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jamesflemingmq/ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com

    Follow Steve Young: Website → https://streammanagedservices.co.uk/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve--young/

    Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Steve [00:00:53] Steve introduces himself and his background [01:08] Early sales career and leaving school young [02:08] Moving into digital document management [03:10] Wanting control and avoiding future regret [07:36] Working with growing businesses and managing risk [13:40] Early working life and multiple jobs [17:06] Career growth, incentives, and sales pressure [22:25] Chasing money vs fulfilment [27:00] Resilience, failure, and bounce-back ability [29:57] Starting a business with no plan B [41:44] Vision for the future [45:04] Steve’s advice on success and potential [46:01] How to contact Steve [46:21] James closes the episode
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    47 mins
  • Homeless at 16 to Leading in the CIOB Scotaland: Anne Okafor’s Construction Journey | Episode 43

    Homeless at 16 to Leading in the CIOB Scotaland: Anne Okafor’s Construction Journey | Episode 43
    Jan 26 2026

    Anne Okafor didn’t follow a traditional route into construction. From leaving school at 16 and experiencing homelessness, to years spent in hospitality and retail, to taking a leap of faith back into education in her late twenties, Anne’s journey is built on courage, curiosity, and choosing to keep going.

    In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Anne Okafor to explore the decisions that shaped her life and career. Anne shares how a spontaneous college application changed everything, why she moved three and a half hours to a city where she knew no one, and how that single decision led to a decade-long career in construction planning.

    They talk openly about limiting beliefs around education and maths, the power of networking, redundancy and reinvention, and Anne’s progression from not knowing anyone in the industry to becoming Chair of the CIOB Northern Scotland region. Anne also explains why she’s now pursuing a PhD in sustainable procurement in collaboration with the NHS, and what real courage looks like when life doesn’t go to plan.

    This is an honest, grounded conversation about belief, resilience, and taking action when the path ahead isn’t clear.

    Key moments include: ✔️ Leaving school at 16 and navigating homelessness ✔️ Feeling stuck in hospitality and retail ✔️ Taking a leap back into education with no safety net ✔️ Challenging limiting beliefs around maths and learning ✔️ Achieving a first-class honours degree ✔️ Redundancy, reinvention, and starting a business ✔️ Building a global professional network through the CIOB ✔️ Becoming Chair of the CIOB Northern Scotland region ✔️ Starting a PhD in sustainable procurement with NHS collaboration ✔️ Anne’s three core principles: curiosity, courage, and action

    Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jamesflemingmq/ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com

    Follow Anne Okafor: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-okafor/

    Website →https://www.anneokafor.com/

    Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Anne [00:55] Anne introduces herself and her role in construction planning [02:57] Leaving school at 16 and experiencing homelessness [03:40] Working in hospitality and retail and feeling stuck [04:14] Applying for college on the train home from holiday [05:35] Moving three and a half hours to Stirling with no support network [07:12] Believing university wasn’t “for people like me” [09:39] Returning to education and overcoming self-doubt [10:10] Achieving a first-class honours degree [13:17] Wanting to make the construction industry better [15:15] Advice for women considering construction [16:07] Discovering the CIOB and the power of networking [17:33] Becoming Chair of the CIOB Northern Scotland region [21:07] Redundancy and relying on professional networks [22:19] Starting her own business [25:15] Applying for a PhD after redundancy [27:02] Balancing consultancy work with PhD study [29:14] Giving back through mentoring and STEM work [33:08] AI, leadership, and why human skills still matter [40:45] Starting the PhD in sustainable procurement with the NHS [46:05] Challenging long-held beliefs about maths [53:06] Anne’s top three pieces of advice [57:10] James closes the episode
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    58 mins
  • The Future of Hiring, the Fear of AI, and Shannon McKechnie’s Rise to Managing Director | Episode 42

    The Future of Hiring, the Fear of AI, and Shannon McKechnie’s Rise to Managing Director | Episode 42
    Jan 19 2026

    Shannon McKechnie didn’t wait for life to hand her the perfect plan, she built one step by step. From leaving school unsure of her path, to finding her competitive spark in a call centre, to rising quickly through Reed and Search, Shannon’s journey is one of graft, resilience, and choosing bravery even when it felt uncomfortable.

    In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Shannon to uncover the real story behind her career in recruitment and how it led her to becoming Managing Director at MBN Solutions. From the shift from traditional face-to-face hiring to AI-driven talent processes, to navigating a male-dominated tech sector, Shannon’s path has been shaped by bold decisions, difficult lessons, and learning to lead as herself.

    This conversation goes deep into the realities of recruitment today: why CVs often miss the truth, how AI is changing the game for candidates and employers, and why human connection still matters more than ever. Shannon also opens up about the impact of COVID, the career coaching that redirected her path, and the support that helped her grow into the leader she is now. If you’ve ever doubted yourself, felt stuck in the wrong version of success, or wondered how to take the next brave step, Shannon’s story will resonate.

    Key moments include: ✔️ Starting in a call centre and discovering her competitive streak ✔️ Breaking into recruitment and rising quickly through Reed and Search ✔️ Becoming one of the youngest leaders in the business at 29 ✔️ Why CVs are no longer fit for purpose in an AI-driven hiring world ✔️ The impact of COVID, furlough, and working with a career coach ✔️ Leaving a long-term employer and choosing bravery over comfort ✔️ Moving into data and AI recruitment and joining MBN Solutions ✔️ The crucial support from CEO Michael and being allowed to lead as herself ✔️ The realities for women in male-dominated industries and caring roles ✔️ How to challenge negative self-talk and build bravery ✔️ Why attitude, personality, and human connection still matter more than keywords ✔️ Redefining success as happiness, gratitude, and freedom ✔️ Shannon’s top three pieces of advice: kindness, bravery, and finding joy

    Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jamesflemingmq/ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com

    Follow Shannon: Shannon LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonmckechnie/ Company LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbn-recruitment-solutions/

    Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Shannon [00:00:51] Shannon introduces herself and MBN Solutions [02:16] AI, fear, speed, and how it’s changing recruitment [07:17] Why CVs aren’t accurate and the rise of video-first hiring [12:07] Recruitment challenges, sales hiring, and candidate truthfulness [16:06] Shannon’s early life, call centre days, and start in recruitment [19:27] Discovering competitiveness and rising quickly at Reed [22:30] Becoming one of the youngest associate directors at Search [25:42] COVID, furlough, and working with a career coach [29:06] Moving into tech and AI recruitment [29:50] Joining MBN Solutions and stepping into the MD role [30:20] Support from CEO Michael and leading authentically [33:07] Female role models and shaping her leadership style [36:52] Redefining success as happiness, freedom, and people [41:10] The realities for women in business and caring roles [43:45] How to build bravery and shift negative self-talk [53:00] How candidates can stand out in today’s job market [55:59] Shannon’s top three pieces of advice [57:10] James closes the episode
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    57 mins
  • Terrified at His First Valuation, Now a Top Agent in Europe: Niall McCabe’s Success | Episode 41

    Terrified at His First Valuation, Now a Top Agent in Europe: Niall McCabe’s Success | Episode 41
    Jan 12 2026

    Most people spend their late teens figuring life out. At 18, Niall McCabe was walking into £300,000 homes praying no one would answer the door because he was the estate agent selling the house, and somehow from that terrified first valuation to becoming one of the top-ranked agents in Europe, he’s built a career in an industry where nobody expected someone his age to last, never mind lead.

    From leaving school at 16 because the classroom never worked for him, to winging his way through early valuations, to navigating an industry dominated by people twice his age, Niall’s story is proof that graft, personality, and a bit of panic-driven resilience can take you further than anyone imagines.

    In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Niall to dig into the real journey behind his rise. The nerves, the graft, the pressure, the wins and the moments he thought he’d made the worst decision of his life.

    You’ll hear how he built a name for himself from scratch, how COVID nearly wiped everything out, how he rebuilt through pure consistency, and why treating clients like actual humans (and not transactions) has become his edge.

    This one is full of straight-up honesty, Scottish humour, and real-world lessons on building credibility long before you feel ready.

    Key moments include: ✔️ Leaving school at 16 and jumping straight into sales ✔️ Getting into estate agency young and why it terrified him ✔️ Winging early valuations and building confidence the hard way ✔️ The pressure, doubt, and loneliness of the early years ✔️ Why resilience and competitiveness carried him through ✔️ Going from self-employed to owning his own franchise ✔️ How small gestures make a massive difference to clients ✔️ COVID wiping out his pipeline overnight and how he rebuilt ✔️ Hitting top rankings across Scotland, the UK, and Europe ✔️ Inspiring the next generation at his old school ✔️ Niall’s top three pieces of advice for life and business

    Subscribe to Success or Excuses For more straight-talking conversations with people who’ve built something real, pushed through the messy bits, and kept going even when it felt impossible.

    Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

    Follow Niall McCabe: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/niall-mccabe-492040183/ Company LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/re-max-scotland/ Website → https://www.remax-scotland.homes/

    Timestamps: [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Niall [00:49] Niall introduces himself and shares how they first met [01:23] Getting into estate agency at 18 [03:03] The nerves of his first valuation [04:38] Early doubts, resilience, and competitive drive [07:24] From self-employed to running his own office [09:06] The power of good service and small gestures [12:10] Industry reputation and outperforming older peers [14:55] Ranking among Europe’s top agents [16:13] Why school wasn’t for him [20:21] Landing his first major estate agency role [25:33] COVID hits fear, cancellations, and rebuilding [36:12] Marketing, consistency, and the long game [39:09] Returning to his old school to inspire students [42:16] Niall’s top three pieces of advice
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    46 mins