He walked away from a global role at Lloyd’s Register. Gave up prestige, a title, and a comfortable salary. Why? Because it no longer aligned with his values.

Today, Steve Harris is the Managing Director of Integrity HSE one of the fastest-growing safety, health, and sustainability consultancies in the UK.

This episode of Success or Excuses isn’t just about business. It’s about values, hard choices, and what it really means to lead with purpose.

James Fleming sits down with Steve for a powerful, straight-talking conversation on walking away from the wrong kind of success, building a business on character, and why leadership isn't about being liked it’s about making the world better.

Steve doesn’t play the corporate game. He hires slowly, fires fast, and only works with clients who share his standards. There’s no fluff here just clarity, conviction, and a relentless commitment to doing what’s right.

This isn’t a story about HSE. It’s a story about integrity, resilience, and the cost and reward of building a business that actually stands for something.

Key moments include:

✔️ Why Steve walked away from private equity and built a purpose-led company ✔️ The real reason Integrity HSE grew fast and what most people misunderstand ✔️ Walking the talk: how values shape every hire, fire, and client relationship ✔️ The brutal story of losing a colleague to suicide and the life-changing lesson it left behind ✔️ How junior sports sponsorship is part of their leadership strategy ✔️ The neurodiversity conference that changed how their clients think ✔️ Steve’s take on fake positivity, leadership BS, and what really builds resilience ✔️ What happens when you prioritise people over profit and still win ✔️ The truth about optimism, pessimism, and the Stockdale Principle ✔️ What Steve learned from a life-or-death cancer scare during COVID

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for real, raw conversations with leaders who built on courage — not comfort.

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd

Success or Excuses Instagram →https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast

Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Steve Harris: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveharris-integrityhse

Website → https://www.integrityhse.com

Email → steve@integrityhse.co.uk

Stacey McNabney didn’t just build a business — she built herself from the ground up. Single mum at 19. No qualifications. No safety net. Just sheer determination, a door-to-door sales job, and the kind of grit you only get from real life.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Stacey to uncover what it really takes to build a brand when you’ve got mouths to feed, confidence to build, and a business world that doesn’t wait for you to catch up.

It wasn’t smooth. It wasn’t perfect. She made money, lost focus, burned out, started over and came back stronger. Now, as The Social Coach and co-founder of POI Society, Stacey helps women stop hiding, start showing up, and grow businesses they’re proud of.

This conversation is packed with honesty, humour, and hard-won lessons perfect for anyone juggling real life and big dreams.

Key moments include:

✔️ Why social media isn’t about trends, it’s about trust and consistency ✔️ The cold-calling job that taught her everything about people and psychology ✔️ How she built her business while raising kids and the cost of burnout ✔️ The ADHD-fuelled chaos behind every great idea (and why you shouldn’t chase them all) ✔️ Breaking through imposter syndrome and learning to charge your worth ✔️ Why your content should sound like you, not like everyone else ✔️ The reality of building a brand with no backup plan and no room for excuses ✔️ The myth of confidence — and how to act before you feel ready ✔️ What Stacey really wanted from her business: not fame, but freedom ✔️ Her top three tips for any woman building a business from scratch

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more raw, straight-talking conversations with people who’ve built, rebuilt, and kept going long after everyone else gave up.

Follow James Fleming:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd

Success or Excuses Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast?igsh=OW51MzlrazkwMXc%3D&utm_source=qr

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast

Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Stacey McNabney:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-mcnabney-735432146/

Website → https://thesocial.coach/about-me/

Email → stacey@thesocial.coach

Instagram → @stacey_mcnabney_coach

Ajmal Mushtaq didn’t just build a business, he went all in and didn’t take a wage for six years. No holidays. No nights off. No dinner with his wife. Just pure focus, relentless graft, and a vision nobody else could see.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Ajmal to unpack what it really takes to scale from a struggling family restaurant to one of the biggest takeaway operations in the UK and now, a nationwide pizza brand.

It wasn’t easy. At one point, he had just £2,000 in the bank and almost lost everything. But Ajmal didn’t panic. He doubled down on marketing, built systems that made life easier for his team, and turned every customer into a raving fan. Now, with Boss Pizza expanding fast, he’s proving that with the right mindset and the right marketing, there are no limits.

This isn’t about get-rich-quick. It’s about the stuff no one talks about: sacrifice, obsession, and being the last one standing when others quit.

Key moments include:

✔️ The brutal reality of the first 18 months in any business ✔️ Why Ajmal refused to take a wage until the business could thrive without him ✔️ The marketing mindset that built a brand — and stopped traffic ✔️ Turning everyday moments into viral growth opportunities ✔️ What great leadership actually looks like on the ground ✔️ Why most people fail at franchising before they even begin ✔️ The lesson Ajmal repeats in every team meeting: “The customer pays your wages” ✔️ Why pointing the finger at yourself is the ultimate leadership move ✔️ The loneliness of success and how to spot the right people to keep around ✔️ How hard work became the cure for flatness, boredom, and burnout

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more honest, hard-hitting conversations with people who’ve built, pivoted, and pushed through when it mattered most.

Follow James Fleming:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd

Success or Excuses Instagram→ https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast?igsh=OW51MzlrazkwMXc%3D&utm_source=qr

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast

Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Ajmal Mushtaq:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajmal-mushtaq-4342a363/

Website → https://www.boss-pizza.co.uk/

Email → Ajmal@boss-pizza.co.uk