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Today on The Bulletproof Entrepreneur, you’re going to hear from a man whose story is almost impossible to compress into a single sentence - because it’s part grit, part luck, part audacity… and entirely remarkable.

Sir Tom Hunter grew up in the small Scottish mining village of New Cumnock, where his father ran the local grocery shop. It was there - stacking shelves, serving neighbours, and learning the value of every pound - that Tom absorbed the lessons that shaped everything that came next: look after your customers, keep your word, and work harder than anyone expects.

From those beginnings, he went on to build one of the most successful retail empires the UK has ever seen. The story isn’t neat. It’s not linear. It’s full of missteps, brass-neck decisions, fake-it-till-you-make-it moments, and an unshakeable belief that the best way to learn is to do.

You’ll hear how he started by selling trainers from the back of a van… how he leveraged luck by simply showing up… how a chance encounter led to selling more shell suits than anyone in Europe… and how an almost absurd coin toss sealed a £296 million deal.

But you’ll also hear the parts of the journey most people never talk about. The weight of shutting shops. The backlash after the sale. The pressure of the financial crisis. Losing hundreds of millions. And the resilience required to rebuild from the inside out.

It’s rare to sit with someone who has not only succeeded at the level Tom has but is also willing to speak honestly about the parts that don’t make the headlines.

And today, he goes further - sharing the philosophies that now guide his work through West Coast Capital and The Hunter Foundation… why he believes entrepreneurs are the engine of the UK economy… what government consistently gets wrong… and the one piece of advice Warren Buffett gave him that changed the way he thinks about family, money, and legacy.

It’s a conversation about risk, resilience, humility, generosity, and what true wealth really means.

So settle in. This one is special.

Links:

https://www.thehunterfoundation.co.uk/

https://www.westcoastcapital.co.uk/

Shareholder Letters

The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness: Amazon.co.uk

Barbarians At The Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco: Amazon.co.uk

This podcast is produced by GR Media
Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

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Today on The Bulletproof Entrepreneur, I’m joined by Brian Hill — ex-soldier, endurance athlete, entrepreneur, and the founder of a business called Pathfinders.

Brian’s also just published a fantastic new book called Everyone Exits, which is a step-by-step blueprint for business owners who are scaling towards a successful sale.

I read it before we recorded this conversation and I took a lot from It - and I strongly recommend you put it on your own reading list!

During our conversation, we unpack how smart founders scale using Brian’s eliminate, automate, delegate rule — and why true delegation, not heroics, creates profit and freedom.

Brian also exposes the biggest mistakes owners make when selling - from buy-side brokers and exclusivity traps - to why you must create competitive tension to protect your price and business valuation.

And finally, he shares his Exit-Ready Stay-Ready framework that every business owner should start building right now - with clean data, profitable clients, and reduced risk - because, as his book says, Everyone Exits.

If a business sale’s even remotely on your horizon, this episode could change your outcome. Let’s dive in.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr Brian Hill.

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-hill-pathfinders/

PathFinders

EVERYONE EXITS: You’re either bought out, pushed out, or wheeled out : MSc MCSI, Brian Hill

The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More. The Sunday Times bestseller, as heard on the Diary of a CEO podcast

This podcast is produced by GR Media
Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

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My guest today is someone whose story is nothing short of remarkable.

From a tough upbringing on a council estate in Oxford to building one of the UK’s most disruptive property management companies - and ultimately achieving an eight-figure exit before the age of 40 - Andrew Hulbert’s journey is one of grit, growth, and gratitude.

• His story begins with a choice he made as a 16-year-old that changed the course of his life and is a powerful story - a real Sliding Doors moment.
• Later, his decision to walk away from a secure career and risk everything to start a business, all alone with a laptop and a relentless work ethic, is truly inspirational.
• And then his plan to seek an exit and create financial security for his family provides deep insight for anyone currently growing a business and considering when is the right time to step down and sell the company.

Today, Andrew lives on a farm, is planting a forest, and spends most of his time with his wife and young children - although he still maintains a healthy interest in business; after all, he’s only 39!

During our conversation, we discussed how he built his company, what he learned along the way, and what true wealth means after the exit.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr Andrew Hulbert.

Andrew's LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhulbert/

This podcast is produced by GR Media
Sponsored by Capital Asset Management