Join Will Polston, Business Strategist & Performance Coach, on North Star Conversations the go-to podcast for ambitious entrepreneurs looking to unlock their potential, elevate their performance, and align their business and life with true purpose.Hosted by Will Polston bestselling author, entrepreneur, award winning business strategist and performance coach this weekly show blends solo episodes and in-depth conversations with world-class thinkers, founders, and change-makers from around the globe.Whether you're scaling a business, shifting your mindset, or seeking more clarity and fulfilment, each episode delivers actionable insights.Rooted in Will's North Star mission to help you move from excuses to results and live a life you love, this podcast is designed to help you create lasting impact not just for yourself, but for your family, your team, your community, and the world.Tune in and discover what's possible when you align with your North Star.
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North Star Conversations | Unlock Your Potential, Performance & Purpose is a business podcast hosted by Will Polston bestselling author, with 412 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.
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Will Polston bestselling author hosts North Star Conversations | Unlock Your Potential, Performance & Purpose, a business show with 412 episodes published.
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Episode #134
The Difference Between Loving Someone and Loving Their Potential - Annie Lalla
Oct 3, 20266 minS1
Originally aired: May 2025 Episode Number: 235 True development isn't about forcing someone else to grow. It's about acceptance, patience, and giving them space to find their own path. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , love coach and relationship expert Annie Lalla shares how personal development can impact relationships and why trying to convince your partner to change can have the opposite effect. Learn the balance between unconditional love and seeing someone's potential, why different people develop in different ways, and how accepting someone as they are can actually create the safety and empowerment they need to grow. Listen to the full episode here: https://kite.link/annielalla
Award-Winning Entrepreneur & Author: Limiting Beliefs Holding You Back & No Plan for AI? How One Nail Salon Became a Seven-Figure Training Empire - Sarah Abel | EP 280
Sep 30, 20261 hourS1
Episode Notes In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Abel, founder of TNB (a leading UK apprenticeship training provider) and headline sponsor of Ahead in AI, our upcoming event on November 10th, 2026. We talk about her winding path through roughly ten failed businesses before finding success in the hair and beauty industry, the childhood trauma - her father's suicide and becoming a full-time carer for her mother by age ten - that quietly shaped her drive for decades, and the belief she had to unlearn: that everything was hers to fix. Sarah shares the pivotal coaching investment that took her business from £400k to £1 million in two years, the profound recent challenge of her husband's dementia diagnosis, and why she believes AI education is the single biggest opportunity - and threat - facing small businesses today. Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / Video Chapters 00:00 - Introduction, and TMB as headline sponsor for Ahead in AI 01:11 - The £18,000 AI qualification businesses can access for free or near-free 02:39 - How old was she when she started her first business? 03:07 - About ten failed businesses before finding what worked 04:08 - Not seeing the value of paying for education when she was young 04:33 - Learning to sell through network marketing at Amway 05:13 - Teaching Avon reps to sell through parties instead of door-to-door 06:38 - Realizing she was making someone else rich, not herself 06:58 - Walking into a nail salon and buying the business on the spot 07:37 - £75,000 in debt at the time she took the leap 08:12 - Her only employee walking out with half the client base 08:40 - Pivoting into body piercing for a better revenue stream 09:21 - Building "That Nail Place" through word of mouth 10:04 - Scaling into multiple salons 11:06 - Realizing she was training her own future competitors 12:03 - Meeting Keith and stumbling into the apprenticeship model 13:14 - How TMB began, back in 2008 14:31 - Expanding from nail apprenticeships into leadership training 15:36 - Deciding to move beyond hair and beauty to scale further 16:35 - Learning to write standout government tenders 17:08 - Getting onto the training provider register 17:32 - Landing a £500,000 government contract 18:10 - Why personal development felt pointless to her when younger 19:37 - The real ROI she's gotten from personal development 19:57 - Discovering business coaching through Clubhouse 20:45 - Investing £56,000 in coaching on a £400,000 business 21:07 - Growing to £580,000, then £1 million within two years 21:48 - Realizing her limiting belief was believing she wasn't good enough 22:44 - The coach's comment that finally got through to her 23:24 - Introducing the "feather, the brick, the bus" concept 24:13 - Considering retirement and a sale offer for the business 25:22 - Noticing something was seriously wrong with her husband Andy 27:07 - A beach epiphany in Tenerife: the belief "I have to fix everything" 28:10 - Her father's suicide when she was seven years old 29:10 - Vowing to protect her mother from further pain 29:43 - Becoming a child carer at age ten 30:10 - Finding her mother collapsed on the floor at fourteen 32:14 - How trauma fueled - and limited - her drive in business 33:11 - The pride of seeing former trainees go on to succeed 33:46 - The wake-up call: "Why are you always trying to save everyone?" 34:00 - Andy's diagnosis: frontal temporal dementia at 62 36:39 - The concept of direct vs. indirect mentors 36:59 - The single most valuable lesson from coaching: her North Star 37:23 - Her North Star having to change this year 37:43 - Breaking down in tears at a business event after the diagnosis 38:05 - Realizing she didn't have to be "the carer" or "the CEO" 39:31 - A message from a former student that redefined success for her 40:20 - Legacy as something you build now, not leave behind 41:18 - How TMB evolved from hair and beauty into AI education 41:40 - Discovering AI through a friend and the book "Scary Smart" 42:24 - Finding UK funding and creating the AI Practitioner qualification 43:17 - Why people are right to be scared of AI - and why education is the answer 45:11 - Falling behind competitors without realizing it 45:35 - Being compared to Amazon-level service, whatever your business 47:09 - Daniel Priestley's marathon analogy on falling behind with AI 48:01 - How the £18,000 AI qualification actually works 50:42 - The free 90-minute AI audit for business owners 51:42 - The difference between using ChatGPT and truly implementing AI 52:22 - Building custom AI tools that replace £100k of software spend 53:22 - Why most business owners just need a clear plan 54:15 - Where to find TAB Skills Training and the AI apprenticeship 54:40 - Ahead in AI ticket sales selling out within hours 55:03 - How to connect with Sarah 55:27 - Final reflection: "Can I change?" 56:12 - Her advice: get educated, build belief, close the skills gap 57:00 - Closing remarks \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / Relevant Links For the Viewer and Citations Website - https://www.willpolston.com Instagram - https://instagram.com/willpolston Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willpolstonmih LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willpolston/ Twitter / X - https://x.com/willpolston TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@willpolston Check out TAB Skills Training: https://aipractitioner.tnbskillstraining.co.uk/aiauditlinktreee Connect with Sarah on Instagram and LinkedIn: search "Sarah Abel"
How to Build Confidence by Recognising Your Progress - Ellie McKay
Sep 28, 20268 minS1
Originally aired: May 2025 Episode Number: 234 Going from feeling capable of anything to questioning your own confidence can be a difficult part of rebuilding yourself. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , On a Mission Podcast Host Ellie McKay explores her journey of rebuilding confidence after experiencing a dramatic change in circumstances. Discover why personal development is an ongoing process, the importance of authenticity and self-reflection, and how focusing on small, consistent improvements can help you become a stronger version of yourself. Listen to the full episode here: https://kite.link/elliemckay
Why Values Matter More Than Growth - Paul Whitnell
Sep 26, 202615 minS1
Originally aired: April 2025 Episode Number: 232 Strong relationships, shared values, and a willingness to evolve can create opportunities that go far beyond business. In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston , President and Founder of BITA Paul Whitnell shares the evolution of BITA, the relationships that helped shape its growth, and the importance of creating a culture built around integrity, trust, and shared values. Discover how BITA has expanded internationally, why controlling growth is essential for long-term sustainability, and how building the right network can create opportunities for people to learn, connect, and support one another. Listen to the full episode here: https://kite.link/paulwhitnell
From Coldstream Guards to Founding a British Manufacturing Brand: The M4 Moment That Nearly Ended It All, Putting His House on the Line, & Why He'll Never Manufacture Overseas - Jacob Lockwood | EP279
Sep 23, 20261h 2mS1
Episode Notes In this episode, I sit down with Jacob Lockwood, a former soldier in the Coldstream Guards turned founder of Lockwood Clothing, a British-made outerwear brand built on military-grade design and an unshakeable commitment to UK manufacturing. We talk about the dark moment driving down the M4 that made him realize something had to change, the decision to leave the Army with just 12 months to make his business work, and the terrifying week he came four days from losing his house. Jacob shares the discipline and integrity he carried from 15 years of service into business, his belief that "no one has depression, they have feelings of depression," and why he'd rather keep his manufacturing British than sell his products for a third of the price overseas. Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / Video Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: soldier, entrepreneur, or fashion designer? 02:32 - Finding your North Star 03:15 - Growing up in a single-parent household in Middlesbrough 04:26 - Falling in with the wrong crowd and being sent to live with his gran 05:38 - The ultimatum that became his saving grace 06:58 - Seeing an Army advert and finding his path 07:34 - Joining the Coldstream Guards and the anti-tank platoon 09:38 - The military values that shaped who he is today, and why your word matters 11:52 - The dark moment on the M4 that changed everything 13:02 - Going home, speaking to his wife Ruth, and seeking help 13:53 - Deciding to leave the Army with 12 months to make it work 14:51 - "Nobody has depression, they have feelings of depression" 16:34 - The failed waterproof jacket that sparked the idea 17:31 - The Falklands story behind his first invention: casualty evacuation stretchers 19:20 - How Covid and the Ukraine war shaped that first business 21:27 - Why military contracts fell apart, and pivoting to clothing 23:41 - Describing Lockwood's products and British manufacturing 24:21 - The functional mushroom brand he launched and sold in 2022 26:19 - How new Trading Standards rules killed the product's core value 27:39 - Why he refuses to manufacture overseas, whatever the cost 30:40 - The debate around what "British made" really means 31:00 - Where he was when the Queen died 34:14 - How signing off from the Army created real urgency 35:43 - Putting his house on the line, and the four days he nearly lost it 37:36 - Asking for help, and getting rescued by his now business partner 39:23 - How to determine who's actually worth asking for help 42:13 - Why coaching matters more in business than in the military 44:01 - How to choose the right coach: four things to evaluate 46:15 - Why coaching, content, and community work best combined 48:50 - Daily habits: cold showers and weekly letters to the King 50:07 - Getting replies from the Palace, and being recognized by name 53:04 - The next 1-3 years, and the goal of becoming a British Ralph Lauren 54:18 - How to connect with Lockwood Clothing 55:11 - Final reflection: the question he wishes people asked him 57:12 - Why business ownership can be lonely, and the value of support groups 58:54 - Closing remarks \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / Relevant Links For the Viewer and Citations Website - https://www.willpolston.com Instagram - https://instagram.com/willpolston Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willpolstonmih LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willpolston/ Twitter / X - https://x.com/willpolston TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@willpolston Check out Lockwood Clothing: https://www.lockwoodsmocks.com Connect with Lockwood Clothing on Instagram: @lockwoodclothing About Me: I am dedicated to helping individuals and businesses unlock their true potential through expert coaching and training programs. I'm passionate about empowering others to achieve their dreams and live a life they love. Subscribe for more insights and tips on personal development, productivity, and achieving your goals. Let's embark on this journey together!
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