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The Success or Excuses Podcast

The Success or Excuses Podcast

Auteur(s): James Fleming
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 You can have success, or you can have excuses, but you can’t have both. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is for those who are done with the fluff, the motivational soundbites, and the sugar-coated stories. This is for the ones who want the real conversations about what it actually takes to succeed, no shortcuts, no excuses, just raw, unfiltered truth. James Fleming is a multi-seven-figure business owner who’s been in the trenches, built from the ground up, and knows first-hand the discipline, resilience, and mindset needed to make it happen. But this isn’t just about his story, he’s sitting down with the people who have really been through it. The self-made entrepreneurs, the industry disruptors, the ones who have had it all, lost it all, and fought their way back. Expect straight-talking interviews with high-level business leaders and extraordinary individuals who have mastered their mindset, faced failure head-on, and come out stronger. The kind of people who don’t just talk about success, they live it. No fluff. No sugar-coating. Just real conversations, real lessons, and the reality of what it takes to build something that lasts. If you’re ready to stop making excuses and start taking action, hit subscribe. Success or Excuses, you decide.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Gestion et leadership Sciences sociales Économie
Épisodes
  • From Cage Fighting at 16 to Scotland’s Indie Film Uprising: The Real Story of Kyle McGuinness | Episode 36

    From Cage Fighting at 16 to Scotland’s Indie Film Uprising: The Real Story of Kyle McGuinness | Episode 36
    Dec 1 2025
    Kyle McGuinness didn’t wait for someone to hand him a role, he built his own path, picked up a camera, learned every skill he didn’t yet have, and carved out a place for himself in Scotland’s rising indie film scene. From primary school drama clubs to cage fighting at 16, selling DVDs in high school, working in construction, and eventually stepping back into acting through sheer persistence, Kyle’s journey is anything but linear. But every chapter, the discipline from martial arts, the entrepreneurial spirit, the graft, the setbacks, and the moments of doubt all shaped the filmmaker and actor he’s becoming today. In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Kyle to unpack the real story behind Production Hoose and the years of graft that led to it. From shooting short films during lockdown and learning cinematography from scratch, to working on Bollywood sets, appearing on The Rig, building KMG Media, and pushing Scotland’s indie film industry forward, Kyle’s story is a lesson in taking action long before you feel ready. Kyle doesn’t just talk about opportunity, he creates the opportunities for himself. Whether it’s learning every role behind the camera, building a business to fund his own films, or refusing to let peer pressure or circumstance derail his passion a second time, he’s proof that resilience compounds when you stay on your path. This episode is full of real storytelling, Scottish humour, and honest insight into what it actually takes to keep going when nobody is coming to save you. Key moments include: ✔️ How Production Hoose began and why Kyle learned every part of filmmaking himself ✔️ Shooting his first short during the 48 Hour Film Festival ✔️ Leveling up to cinema-quality gear and submitting films to festivals ✔️ The childhood drama club that sparked everything ✔️ Peer pressure, leaving acting behind, and how martial arts shaped his discipline ✔️ Fighting MMA at 16 and how it built resilience ✔️ His early entrepreneurial side hustles ✔️ Re-entering acting, signing with an extras agency, and landing a Bollywood set moment ✔️ Appearing in The Rig and what it taught him about being on set ✔️ How KMG Media now funds their films and expands opportunities ✔️ The struggle of Scotland’s indie film scene and why he’s determined to help build a middle ground ✔️ The moment he knew filmmaking was his path and why he refuses to wait for permission ✔️ The three pieces of advice he’d give to anyone pursuing acting or film ✔️ James and Kyle’s shared belief in resilience, discipline, and never waiting for the “right time” Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more raw, straight-talking conversations with people who choose action over excuses. 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 Kyle McGuinness: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/kylemcguinnessofficial Company Instagram Page → https://www.instagram.com/productionhoose Company Website → https://www.productionhoose.com Timestamps: [00:00] James opens the episode and introduces Kyle [00:54] Kyle explains how Production Hoose began [02:00] Learning filmmaking during lockdown and building skills from scratch [03:36] Making their first short and entering the 48 Hour Film Festival [04:37] Leveling up equipment and submitting films internationally [05:13] James compares Kyle’s journey to Concrete Jungle [06:22] Kyle on passion, collaboration, and learning the funding process [07:48] Why Kyle refuses crowdfunding [08:04] Creating KMG Media to fund their films [09:59] Going back to Kyle’s early years: drama club, family life and a supportive teacher [12:04] Peer pressure and stepping away from acting [12:37] MMA, discipline and early fights [13:47] A documentary idea he keeps under wraps [14:06] Working in business development and early entrepreneurship [15:58] Building something bigger than himself [16:47] Why Scotland needs a stronger indie film ecosystem [17:22] The moment acting called him back [18:34] Acting school and signing with an extras agency [19:02] Landing a Bollywood role by accident [21:32] Seeing the film with his dad before he passed [22:49] James shares his own extra experience on Star Wars [24:22] Kyle’s short appearance on The Rig [25:46] The mindset behind his resilience and persistence [27:02] Why he believes this is his path [28:21] James on confidence, fear, and learning through doing [29:55] Living like the person you want to become [31:37] James on his own journey and morning routines [38:05] Why Kyle refuses to give up on his path [39:53] The vision for Production Hoose and upcoming projects [40:50] Creating trailers to spark demand [42:44] How networking can create the “lucky...
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    52 min
  • A Brain Aneurysm, Bosses that Bully and a Big Wake-Up Call for Anne Hughes | Episode 35

    A Brain Aneurysm, Bosses that Bully and a Big Wake-Up Call for Anne Hughes | Episode 35
    Nov 24 2025

    Anne Hughes didn’t plan to become a consultant, or a speaker, or a radio host, or even an entrepreneur but life had other plans.

    After surviving a brain aneurysm in 2017 and enduring one of the worst bosses of her career, Anne made a life-altering decision: no more compromising, no more tolerating nonsense, and no more high heels for the sake of hierarchy.

    In this raw and energising episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Anne to unpack what happens when you stop trying to fit in and start following your purpose. From being raised in a working-class family in Govan, to leading in the charity sector for nearly three decades, to walking away from the wrong people (even if it means losing the job), Anne’s story is packed with honesty, defiance, and a whole lot of wisdom.

    She shares how a brush with death completely rewired her mindset, why working with aligned people matters more than the pay check, and how she now helps organisations fix cultures from the inside out with humour, truth, and unapologetic authenticity.

    This one’s for the women who’ve been called “too much,” for the accidental entrepreneurs, and for anyone who’s ever had to walk away to find peace.

    Key moments include: ✔️ The aneurysm that changed everything and why Anne never saw life the same again ✔️ From corporate burnout to freedom: why she walked out and never looked back ✔️ Her ‘accidental’ leap into consulting and the boss that pushed her over the edge ✔️ Building a business on purpose, not pressure ✔️ Reclaiming her voice in rooms full of middle-class men ✔️ Why charity boards often miss the point and how to fix toxic governance ✔️ Why Anne never stays where she’s not valued and how you can do the same ✔️ The power of network, follow-up, and not taking things personally ✔️ The importance of bringing your full self- accent, attitude, and all

    Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more unfiltered conversations with people who’ve faced life’s toughest moments and chose to build anyway.

    Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → James Fleming Instagram → @successorexcusespodcast YouTube → Success or Excuses Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

    Follow Anne Hughes: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/anne-hughes Website → https://www.annehughesignite.co.uk/

    Timestamps: [00:00] James welcomes Anne to the podcast [01:00] Who is Anne Hughes? A proud working-class woman on a mission [03:00] Finding her purpose and the influence of Wayne Dyer [07:00] Why she doesn't call herself an entrepreneur (but absolutely is one) [09:00] The brain aneurysm that flipped her life upside down [11:00] Leaving a toxic boss and how high heels played a part [13:00] Starting a freelance career… by accident [16:00] Why she never compromises on who she works with [17:30] Realising her media work and consultancy were the same journey [20:00] Abundance mindset: from poverty to possibilities [23:00] Coaching, consulting, radio shows, building a portfolio career [25:00] Thoughts on inequality in leadership [29:00] Why women have been taught to lead like men and the impact of Thatcher [33:00] The shift in male-dominated industries (and how more women are changing the conversation) [36:00] Losing her mum young and becoming the first in her family to go to university [39:00] Why she’ll never retire: staying on purpose for life [42:00] Culture over strategy and why bad leadership ruins good missions [45:00] Empowering teams starts with their own vision [47:00] Why she walks away from misaligned clients (and isn’t sorry) [50:00] Boardroom egos, good intentions, and governance gone wrong [52:00] What charities can learn from private sector leadership [54:00] The power of value alignment and standing firm in your identity [56:00] Anne’s top 3 pieces of advice, including the one thing she knows for sure
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    1 h et 1 min
  • When His Body Said “Enough”, Kevin Crawford Had to Rethink Everything | Episode 34

    When His Body Said “Enough”, Kevin Crawford Had to Rethink Everything | Episode 34
    Nov 17 2025

    Kevin Crawford doesn’t shout about success, he builds it slowly, steadily, and with a level of discipline most people never see.

    From starting out in his dad’s architecture practice at fourteen to running the company, navigating burnout, rebuilding his health, and eventually shifting the business into employee ownership, Kevin’s story is a lesson in how quiet leadership really works, no shortcuts, no hype. Just years of graft, learning, and figuring things out the hard way.

    In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Kevin to dig into the long game- the mindset, the habits, the setbacks, and the constant improvements that shaped his career. They talk about what 25 years in a family business actually looks like, the moment a back injury forced him to stop and rethink everything, and why systems, structure, and self-development changed the entire trajectory of his life and business.

    Kevin also opens up about the shift from working 24/7 to finally building something sustainable: an architecture practice with strong foundations, a team he genuinely invests in, and an ecosystem of tools designed to help other architects avoid the mistakes he made.

    If you’re trying to grow without burning out, lead without shouting, or build something that lasts longer than your energy levels, this conversation will land.

    Key Moments:

    ✔️ Starting in the family business at 14 and learning the ropes ✔️ Why working harder wasn’t the answer (even though he tried) ✔️ The back injury that stopped him in his tracks and changed his mindset ✔️ Rebuilding his health from scratch, one walk, one step, one habit at a time ✔️ How systems, structure, and planning transformed his business ✔️ The power of taking real time out to think, plan, and reset ✔️ Introducing employee ownership and giving the whole team a future ✔️ Why accountability, mentors, and the 1% rule matter more than talent ✔️ The thinking behind his new architecture app and support ecosystem ✔️ Kevin’s three pieces of advice for anyone in business for the long haul

    Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more honest conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, and underdogs who’ve kept going when others gave up.

    Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → James Fleming Instagram → @successorexcusespodcast YouTube → Success or Excuses Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

    Follow Kevin Crawford: LinkedIn → Kevin Crawford

    Company Website → https://crawfordarchitecture.co.uk/

    Email → kevin@crawfordarchitecture.co.uk

    Timestamps: [00:00] Welcome and intro, James introduces Kevin Crawford [02:00] Leaving university, joining the industry, and learning by doing [04:30] Taking the leap into business and why timing doesn’t need to be perfect [07:00] Building Crawford Architecture and securing early clients [10:00] Funding developments and the weight of financial pressure [16:00] Gowth, and why you can’t wait for the perfect time [18:00] Partnering with the right people and building trust over transactions [22:00] What legacy means to Kevin and why the work speaks louder than words [25:00] Advice for entrepreneurs who are in it for the long haul [28:00] Final thoughts, values, and keeping perspective at every level
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    1 h et 4 min
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