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.

In this engaging discussion, bestselling author and performance coach James Smith delves into the truth behind Ozempic and testosterone replacement therapy, sharing personal insights and lessons. He explores the psychology of self-belief, strategies for overcoming procrastination, and the mindset shifts that set high performers apart. James also offers practical advice on productivity, the importance of authenticity in coaching, and how he transformed his career from trainer to author. His humorous anecdotes and no-nonsense approach provide valuable takeaways for anyone looking to boost confidence and efficiency.

Sahil Bloom, entrepreneur, investor, and author of "The 5 Types of Wealth," shares his profound insights on wealth and success. He challenges conventional definitions of wealth, emphasizing the importance of non-financial aspects like time and relationships. Sahil reveals Tim Cook's best advice that shaped his business mindset and discusses the significance of embracing discomfort through imposter syndrome. He introduces the concept of the 5 types of wealth and stresses actionable steps to create opportunities, redefining what it means to achieve fulfillment.

Simon Squibb, a visionary entrepreneur and mentor, shares his inspiring journey from homelessness to building a successful business empire. He dives into the biggest challenges he faced, including turning failures into opportunities. Simon offers actionable strategies for finding your first customer and mastering the art of selling. He emphasizes the importance of community, kindness, and authenticity in business and inspires listeners to pursue their dreams without needing significant funds. Plus, he’s celebrating his new book with an exciting giveaway!

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 engaging conversation, entrepreneur Daniel Priestley discusses why 2025 is a pivotal year for business owners. He shares insights on leveraging AI to revolutionize operations and double revenue, drawing parallels to the transformative effects of electricity. Daniel outlines his CAOS framework for launching a business, emphasizes the importance of mastering sales, and introduces the 'Cinderella model' for attracting high-quality clients. This is a treasure trove of strategies for anyone eager to elevate their entrepreneurial game.

In this engaging discussion, Nischa, a former chartered accountant and now a personal finance educator, shares crucial insights on avoiding financial pitfalls. She explores the debate between saving and investing, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing debts and emergency funds. Learn smart car buying strategies—should you buy used or lease? Additionally, discover budgeting myths and wealth-building mistakes to avoid as Nischa breaks down complex money topics into actionable advice for both beginners and seasoned savers.