Balanced Ambition

Hosted by Matt Southam

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

Website RSS feed YouTube

Episodes

122

Latest episode

Jan 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

Balanced Ambition is the podcast for entrepreneurs who want big results without burning out. Host Matt Southam talks to experts and business owners about mindset, healthy habits and sustainable success. Get practical tips on energy, focus and balance so you can grow your business and still enjoy the life you're building.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

January 21, 202655 min

Cancer Changed My Career – And My Creative Identity

What happens when your voice, your career, your identity, is suddenly under threat? In this episode, Chris shares how a throat cancer diagnosis forced a creative reckoning and a complete professional reinvention. From navigating fatigue and financial fear to reframing ambition and rediscovering joy, this is a deeply honest conversation about creativity, resilience, and learning how to keep yourself in the equation. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – “I don’t want to go back to where I was” 01:55 – From amateur songwriter to live performer 03:00 – The subtle signs that something was wrong 04:50 – The panic to preserve his voice and songs 08:00 – Self-imposed creative pressure vs. health reality 11:30 – Navigating the financial unknown as self-employed 13:40 – Rebuilding life after diagnosis 15:40 – Saying no to say yes – redefining success 21:00 – How age and stage shift career decisions 25:30 – Why creativity without time for yourself isn’t enough 28:00 – Long-term fatigue, new limits, and recovery realities 36:00 – Losing access to your creative identity 39:30 – Reinventing as a live event MC 43:00 – How every past skill found new purpose 47:00 – Why he chose to reframe treatment as positive 52:00 – The power of gratitude and keeping joy in the equation

January 14, 20261 hr 32 min

From Rehab to House Fire: Rich's Unbelievable Story of Survival

Rich opens up about the darkest chapter of his life: from battling alcoholism, anxiety, and depression to enduring a terrifying incident in Las Vegas, entering rehab, and then—just 24 hours after leaving—watching his house go up in flames.This is a raw, honest, and inspiring conversation about hitting rock bottom and choosing to fight back. Rich shares how he rebuilt himself from the ground up, found purpose in the gym, and learned to live again—one day at a time.00:00 – "I can't do this anymore…"03:50 – What Vegas took from me12:00 – Drinking to forget and the slow slide down23:30 – The breaking point: anxiety, shame, and isolation30:00 – Rehab: the myth and the reality37:00 – Leaving rehab early… and the call that changed everything39:00 – "Your house is on fire"49:20 – Fighting with insurance while barely holding on58:00 – Why AA didn’t work—and what did1:04:00 – Ice baths, fitness, and building a new life1:08:00 – Losing my mum and learning to carry on1:30:00 – Final reflections and advice for anyone struggling👉 If you’ve ever felt lost, this episode is for you.🎧 Listen now and share it with someone who might need to hear it.

December 23, 202549 min

Christmas Spiraled | Here's What Actually Helped

In this raw and powerful episode, Ria opens up about her journey through cancer, alcohol addiction, ADHD, and the struggle to survive the holiday season. With honesty, humour and heart, she shares what helped her finally enjoy Christmas—sober, self-aware and stronger than ever. If you’ve ever found Christmas overwhelming, or felt like you were just surviving not celebrating, this episode will resonate deeply. 👇 Timestamps: 00:00 – “Last Christmas I was in a dark place…” 01:10 – A rare cancer diagnosis days after giving birth 06:53 – The moment everything changed 12:29 – Giving up alcohol after years of self-medication 16:49 – Sober, but Christmas brought new challenges 20:00 – Living with a noisy ADHD brain 22:51 – The hardest Christmas and asking for help 36:10 – Coping with dopamine cravings without booze 41:35 – Parenting neurodiverse kids during the holidays 45:00 – Breaking the cycle: ADHD through generations 47:10 – “This is why I’ll always share my story” ❤️ Like, comment and share if Ria’s story resonates – and don’t forget to subscribe for more honest conversations.

December 19, 20251 hr 2 min

This Is Why You Keep Attracting the Wrong People

What if everything that triggers you… is actually about you?In this deep and eye-opening conversation, Anita breaks down how the Enneagram can help us understand our true personality – not the one we've adapted to survive. We unpack how childhood shapes our identity, why we mould ourselves to be liked, and how to break free from patterns that no longer serve us.We explore how self-awareness through tools like the Enneagram, shadow work, and emotional intelligence can help us take true responsibility for our lives – and even change the world.This one goes beyond personal growth – it’s about human connection, leadership, and how the systems we build start with who we are.🔔 Subscribe for more podcasts on self-awareness, personal growth and emotional intelligence.⏱ Timestamps00:00 – No one taught us how to be ourselves01:30 – What is the Enneagram & why it’s different03:40 – Childhood experiences shape personality07:00 – Why we mould ourselves to be liked10:00 – The true intention behind our behaviours14:50 – Do we choose our personality or are we born with it?17:00 – How types pair in relationships21:45 – The "Helper" type and toxic dynamics24:30 – Awareness gives you choice – but it’s scary33:00 – Shadow work: why your triggers are about you39:40 – What your job says about your Enneagram type47:00 – DJing, attention & identity: a realisation54:30 – Environment vs internal experience58:10 – The pressure to perform – and how it shifted

October 15, 202540 min

The Hard Truth About Growing Your Business

What does it really take to grow a business — or prepare to exit one? In this episode, we sit down with consultant Maddie Walker, who helps business owners scale sustainably without burning out. From mindset blindspots to strategic misfires, Maddie shares hard-earned insights and analogies (so many good ones!) that will shift how you think about building your business. If you’re growing, struggling, or somewhere in-between — this one’s for you. 👇 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – The problem with how most businesses start 01:26 – What does scaling really look like? 03:22 – The danger of passion without a plan 05:44 – When you should bring someone in to help 08:08 – Clarity: your biggest business asset 11:02 – Why Maddie becomes “the business’s advocate” 13:08 – What mindset assessments reveal in teams 16:08 – Shareholder agreements and co-founder friction 19:11 – Why DIYing everything can stall your growth 22:05 – Maddie’s son wants to start a business (but doesn’t) 24:53 – Passion vs profit: the truth about motivation 27:02 – Is hustle culture dead? The new wave of realism 29:25 – Maddie’s burnout and leap into self-employment 32:37 – Being vulnerable before you’ve “made it” 35:53 – The Ferrari analogy: building the right business 38:24 – The ONE thing every business owner needs to ask 40:09 – Final thoughts + where to get help

October 8, 202554 min

How Talking Saved My Life | Travis on The Men’s Room & Mental Health

Travis joins us to share his raw and powerful journey — from nearly losing everything to alcohol, to becoming a voice for men’s mental health in Hastings with The Men’s Room . We get into why men struggle to talk openly, how sobriety reshaped his life, the importance of community, and why gratitude might just be free therapy. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying it all alone, this conversation is for you. 00:00 – Why The Men’s Room exists: reducing male suicide 02:00 – Travis’s story of sobriety and the turning point 05:00 – Breaking the cycle for his kids 10:00 – Being honest about struggles while helping others 13:45 – Why men talk differently (and why it matters) 16:25 – The surprising power of gratitude 20:00 – Why men avoid sitting with their own thoughts 22:40 – Facing mortality and choosing health 25:00 – The baton of hope & national suicide awareness 27:20 – “I didn’t want to die, I just wanted the pain to stop” 29:15 – Teaching the next generation of men to talk 35:00 – Finding common ground beyond ego 38:20 – Social media, echo chambers & mental health 40:00 – Addiction, gratitude and balance in life 41:00 – Dancing through the high street: finding joy again 42:00 – Managing highs, lows and emotional pendulums 43:30 – Limiting happiness and self-preservation 45:00 – The Monday crash: coping after big highs 46:30 – Learning to love the boring bits of life 48:00 – Redefining what it means to live well 50:00 – The Men’s Room message: open the door, inspire change, build bridges 53:00 – Closing reflections: talking saves lives

October 1, 202553 min

The Truth About ADHD (It’s Not a Superpower)

In this episode, ADHD coach and hypnotherapist Italia Moro shares the real story behind ADHD – and why calling it a “superpower” might be doing more harm than good. We unpack emotional dysregulation, time blindness, the myth of laziness, and how you can actually rewire your brain with tools like journaling, mindfulness and self-talk. Whether you're late-diagnosed, feeling overwhelmed or just trying to make sense of your mind – this one’s full of relatable truth bombs and practical hope. ⏱️ Timestamps : 00:00 – What ADHD really is 01:34 – The emotional side most people miss 03:09 – Why adult ADHD often goes unnoticed 05:08 – How Italia realised she had ADHD 10:19 – “We all do that” – but do we really? 12:58 – Masking, self-protection & shame 15:50 – ADHD brains love business… until burnout hits 19:23 – Rejection sensitivity & imposter syndrome 22:49 – Why planners and systems don’t work (yet) 27:16 – Rewiring your brain with neuroplasticity 32:10 – Maturing the ADHD brain 34:18 – Self-talk: the most underrated ADHD tool 35:00 – Journaling, meditation & healthy dopamine hits 42:26 – Coffee, cortisol & ADHD 45:36 – Impulse spending & time blindness 47:12 – It’s not about managing symptoms – it’s about managing you 👉 Let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments, and hit subscribe for more real conversations.

September 24, 202545 min

Why Trying to Please Everyone Is Killing Your Brand

Is your personal brand holding you back without you even realising? In this episode, personal branding coach Ben Stickland explains why trying to please everyone is one of the biggest mistakes you can make — and how being more you is the ultimate growth strategy. We unpack his “Be More YOU” framework, how to attract the right clients without the sales calls, and why your quirks might just be your biggest superpower. 📲 Connect with Ben: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thepersonalbrandingguy/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepersonalbrandingguy/ 🕒 Timestamps: 00:00 - What a personal brand actually is 01:23 - Why Ben left employment to build his own thing 02:12 - Why pleasing everyone is bad for business 05:00 - “You’re not an office kettle” explained 06:30 - Avoiding nightmare clients 08:30 - Corporate hangovers & being ‘palatable’ online 11:00 - People-pleasing and holding back opinions 13:45 - Branding and… how you eat your KitKat? 17:35 - Using AI to be more human, not less 20:00 - Visual cues that make you unforgettable 22:00 - Moustaches, mullets, and making a statement 23:30 - The dating analogy that says it all 27:00 - Authenticity as a sales filter 32:00 - “Be More YOU” framework explained 34:00 - Redefining success on your terms 36:00 - Stop bragging about being busy 40:00 - Boundaries, payment terms, and knowing your worth 42:00 - The power of collaborations 43:15 - Final thoughts on being unfiltered

September 17, 202548 min

I Hit Rock Bottom – Then Rebuilt Everything | Tash’s Story

In this deeply honest and powerful episode, Tash shares her journey from addiction to sobriety. From hiding bottles around the house to smuggling drugs in clubs, and believing she was a “good mum” while passed out drunk — she holds nothing back. Now 7.5 years sober, Tash opens up about what helped her turn her life around, the stigma around addiction, and how she uses her story to help others do the same. If you’ve ever struggled with your relationship to alcohol, or love someone who has — this one’s for you. Timestamps: 00:00 – “I thought I was a good mum… but I was passed out every night” 01:50 – Meet Tash: rock bottom at 30, and 7.5 years sober 04:08 – What addiction looked like: wine, cocaine, and passing out daily 08:30 – Drinking from age 13: “I thought everyone drank every day” 14:02 – The moment she knew: “I think I’ve got a problem” 21:18 – Conversations with her kids now — and then 25:27 – What she really thinks about ‘just one drink’ 30:08 – Sobriety wins: from the worst place to building a business 33:05 – Two trips to Ibiza: one drunk, one sober 38:27 – What needs to change in how we educate about alcohol 46:49 – What’s next: helping others change their story 🔗 Follow Tash: https://www.instagram.com/soberhappytash/ 🎙 Subscribe for more real, honest conversations.

September 10, 202544 min

Why Founders Burn Out (and How to Fix It)

Liam Anderson | Operations Consultant | Balanced Ambition Podcast In this episode, we dive into the real reason so many business owners feel overwhelmed, stuck, or just plain burnt out. And no — it's not about working harder. Liam Anderson has seen inside dozens of businesses, and the pattern is clear: the ones that scale all have something in common — solid, boring, reliable operations. We talk: Why documenting anything is better than nothing How to stop everything living in your head The surprising connection between operations and client retention Why your team onboarding process might be costing you thousands And how to finally build a business that doesn't rely on you being in every meeting Whether you're looking to grow, take a break, or one day sell your business, this is the episode for you. 👇 TIMESTAMPS BELOW 👇 00:00 – “You’re not playing running a business…” 01:05 – Liam’s journey from agency to founder 03:00 – Why small businesses need operational support 05:02 – Why ops isn’t sexy (but it is essential) 07:06 – The danger of founder bottlenecks 11:30 – Real examples: onboarding gone wrong 14:25 – What makes a business truly scalable? 17:45 – Managing client relationships long-term 21:40 – Why your business can’t live in your head 26:45 – The trust problem: letting go as a founder 29:56 – Building your own business (as an ops guy) 32:20 – The rise of fractional ops (and why it matters) 36:36 – Tools and first steps to start documenting 38:48 – SOPs explained simply 42:24 – Why processes fail if they don’t make life easier 44:22 – Final thoughts + wrap-up 🕒 TIMESTAMPS