Jack Golden. ‘A Journey Through Business’  artwork

Jack Golden. ‘A Journey Through Business’

58 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 5 years ago -

Join me on my weekly blog where I document my ‘Journey Through Business’, from average struggling bloke to millionaire business owner.

Business
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Episodes

Month 16

March 10, 2020 16:22 - 2 minutes - 1.04 MB

Big decision this month. Deciding on s builder and how to pay them. I guess all small projects with builders come down to trust. That's why I've initially gone with a day rate.

Month 15! Reneged on my weekly video promise! Oh no. Defo not given up on the dream though.

September 25, 2019 10:25 - 2 minutes - 2.15 MB

When I started this blog, it was meant to be about my own business. Instead I’ve been focused on my family’s restaurant business and still not even properly started my own. Once a month videos now until I have more stuff going on.

Week 56. Triathlon. I’m getting the big

September 25, 2019 10:04 - 1 minute - 1.86 MB

Great triathlon with me Mrs. Starting to catch the bug for triathlons. I just love race day!

Week 55. My current morning routine

September 24, 2019 22:24 - 2 minutes - 1.87 MB

My current morning routine could be a whole lot better. I’m thinking exercise, meditate, breakfast, study, plan day, GO!

Week 54. Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant

September 24, 2019 22:21 - 2 minutes - 2.49 MB

Putting in the hours at the restaurant. Simple. Boring

Week 53. Goal setting

September 24, 2019 22:18 - 7 minutes - 6.46 MB

I’ve been setting goals since 2016. They change over time and I am constantly updating them, adjusting how I set them and also looking over previous goals to see which ones have been achieved or not.

Week 52. Looking back on a year of f**k all!

September 24, 2019 22:14 - 10 minutes - 9.28 MB

Harsh title but I’m disappointed with myself. Procrastination has gotten the better of me. I have too many ideas floating about in my head. Need to decide on 1 thing and say no to everything else.

Week 51. SwimRun races, Trial pits and Mindset

September 24, 2019 15:36 - 6 minutes - 6.06 MB

A great few weeks. I’m carrying out the practice set by T Harv Eker of never complaining, even in my own head to myself!

Week 50. Innocent by Dan Germain

September 24, 2019 13:14 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MB

We think of Innocent smoothies as being a big, popular company dominating the smoothie market and so it’s great to rewind back and see their humble beginnings (which includes hand delivering their homemade smoothies with labels stuck on via sellotape.

Week 49. My daughter gives the name for the new drinks brand

June 05, 2019 14:50 - 5 minutes - 4.61 MB

I waste 50 quid on a very unmemorable domain name, then over a family meal, my daughter comes up with ‘lovely shrubbly’ tagline: ‘non-alcoholic bubbly’. Genius! I love it!

Week 48. A shrub makes the restaurant menu

June 05, 2019 14:44 - 2 minutes - 2.49 MB

My lemon and ginger shrub is deemed acceptable by the family. It’s now on the menu at the restaurant as drink of the day and feedback so far has been very positive

Week 47. More shrub experiments.

June 02, 2019 20:14 - 1 minute - 1.7 MB

I’m guessing this is where I start if I’m wanting to start a drinks brand.? Lots of experiments

Week 46. Fantastic news

June 02, 2019 20:06 - 5 minutes - 4.65 MB

A culmination of things we’ve been working on at the restaurant has lead to record profits. I’m delighted and this takes the edge off all the stresses and strains of a family run, independent restaurant.

Week 45. Market research

June 02, 2019 19:57 - 2 minutes - 2.18 MB

I’ve been looking at how the American shrub companies are doing it and I’ve started listening to the stories of other drinks companies. This week it was the guy who founded Jimmy’s Iced Coffee.

Week 44. The One Thing by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan

April 17, 2019 15:11 - 10 minutes - 9.59 MB

I am guilty of not focusing on ‘The One Thing’, so reading this book was often quite depressing as I realise I need to cut lots out and say “no” to many of the pipe dreams I currently have. The book talks so much sense and I think I’ve read it at the perfect time in my life. I needed this wake up call.

Week 43. 4 positive business lessons my father has taught me.

April 17, 2019 15:04 - 5 minutes - 4.66 MB

Working closely with my 82 year old father in the family business has at times been difficult and there have been many disagreements. But there have also been things he has taught me and traits in him I hope to emulate.

Week 42. Are parents the ultimate hypocrites?

April 17, 2019 14:58 - 3 minutes - 2.84 MB

Why do parents place a huge emphasis on their children doing homework in school but then not do the homework themselves? Do they think school years are the only years in which one can learn? Do they think that as adults there is no longer a prize for doing homework?

Week 41. Checking out the competition

April 17, 2019 14:52 - 1 minute - 1.66 MB

I’ve leveraged my position as a current restaurant manager to sus out the current UK shrub drinks market by getting some samples, (from my soon to be competitors), delivered to the restaurant.

Week 40. The Everything Store by Brad Stone

April 04, 2019 12:20 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MB

What’s great about this book is the progression. We all currently know Amazon to be an all powerful, global beast of a business, but let’s go back to its first step, (conquering the world of online book sales). How can anyone not spare the time to read the incredible story of Jeff Bezos and Amazon? If you are interested in business, this book is a must. Read it in the same vein Jeff Bezos read Sam Walton’s book on the rise of Walmart.

Week 39. More shrubs

April 04, 2019 12:08 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MB

This week I had to do another sacking at the restaurant. It’s never easy but I have a process I use now which works well. I also show a flash back to some more shrub experiments I did when I first started thinking about making drinks.

Week 38. “These are the shrubs”

April 04, 2019 12:02 - 3 minutes - 3.01 MB

‘Shrubs’ or ‘drinking vinegars’ have a history, interest, health benefits, limitless flavour combinations and a long shelf life. Plus, they have a kick reminiscent to alcohol.

Week 37. How to win friends and influence people be Dale Carnegie

March 18, 2019 09:23 - 9 minutes - 9.16 MB

A legend among self improvement books. Timeless ways and tactics in dealing with people, whether in relationships, socially or in business. A lot of it seems obvious and easy but as the old saying goes, ‘things that are easy to do, are also easy to not do’. Or something like that?!...

Week 36. Disappointed yet optimistic

March 12, 2019 08:31 - 4 minutes - 4.42 MB

My neighbour rejected my offer. Bastard. But it’s my fault though for not making it look more attractive or putting it across better. Can’t shake the idea of shrub drinks out of my head. I should look into it further....

Week 35. Billy boy is here!!!

March 12, 2019 08:28 - 1 minute - 1.62 MB

Our new dog, Billy, from Bromsgrove Blue Cross Rescue Centre, has joined us. He’s great and he’s also broken down the barriers between my daughter (from a previous relationship) and my girlfriend. I couldn’t be happier.

Week 34. Metal welding course

March 12, 2019 08:25 - 1 minute - 1.56 MB

Did a metal welding course. I’m still thinking about and doing preparation for the business ideas I shared at the start of this blog. Two of which were making furniture out of waste materials and making houses out of shipping containers, both of which would require metal welding.

Week 33. Formal offer given to buy my neighbour’s house

March 12, 2019 08:21 - 1 minute - 1.48 MB

I’m excited to give my full, formal offer to my neighbour to buy their house on ‘exchange with delayed completion’ deal. I’ve made it quite generous because if he says yes, I can do a full double extension and refurbishment of both of our properties, adding huge amounts of value to both. Then, after that, sell my current home, in order to get the money needed to ‘complete’ the purchase of his.

Week 32. Property Magic by Simon Zutshi

February 06, 2019 15:10 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MB

Author Simon Zutshi was one of the first to bring large scale property educational events and courses to the UK. A bit of a legend in the property investment world and author of this great book. In a similar style to many other property books I’ve read recently, it gives an overview of various strategies and touches on the usual subjects such as HMOs, buy and hold, power teams, deal sourcing and focuses on way to buy ‘below market value’ from ‘motivated sellers’.

Week 31. Can I get access to some dosh?

February 05, 2019 16:16 - 3 minutes - 3.17 MB

This week I went to the PIN (Property Investors Network) meet-up in Bristol. I did this because I need some extra cash for the project I have planned. I thought if I put myself out there at one of these things I might find a handy mortgage broker and I did! Happy days.

Week 30. Property Investment For Beginners by Rob Dix

January 08, 2019 18:29 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MB

Rob Dix and Rob Bence are my current man crush es?! Their property podcast if f**king great. After reading this book by Rob Dix, (given to me by my beautiful girlfriend for Christmas), I immediately read it again! Then I downloaded his follow on book (Complete Guide to Property Investment) on Audible and listened to it. Then immediately listened to it again!

Week 29. Restaurant deep clean

January 08, 2019 18:23 - 3 minutes - 3.07 MB

Time for a yearly, restaurant deep clean along with many other thankless tasks that get done when involved in a small, family business

Week 28. Opportunity knocks

January 08, 2019 18:19 - 3 minutes - 3.47 MB

My neighbours property has just gone on the market. I’m already planning an extension on my own property but it occurred to me that this is also the perfect time to do his as well! I’m now busy thinking of how I can structure a deal whereby I agree to buy my neighbours property for a set price in the future (18 months time), I then extend both properties (adding heaps of value), I then sell my property and use the proceeds to buy his for the price we agreed on before I’d carried out the exten...

Week 27. Buy Low, Rent High by Samuel Leeds

January 08, 2019 18:12 - 10 minutes - 9.41 MB

I’m a fan of Samuel Leeds. He’s got lots of interesting videos on YouTube. The book is mega short but I really enjoyed his way of looking at things. Focus on HMOs and high rents.

Week 26. Audible. Game changer!

January 07, 2019 18:06 - 4 minutes - 7.04 MB

My new favourite app Audible lets me listen to books on the go. Time commuting is now time well spent. Books, books, books. I’m book mad me!

Week 25. Flip It by Karen Whatley and Tasha Darrington

January 07, 2019 18:03 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MB

These ladies will give you their take on how to buy a deal, add value, then sell for highest price possible. Flipping great book! (Sorry). I only wish they’d dig deeper on what it takes to make a successful flip and less on the other property related topics.

Week 24. An employee is caught red handed! (Then sacked).

December 03, 2018 22:40 - 1 minute - 1.62 MB

This week I’ve been mostly washing up at the restaurant after having to sack our kitchen porter for telling us he was ‘ill’ then working you cash in hand fir someone else! Bastard. I tracked him down outside his new place of work then ambushed him. “Mataeuz, thought you were I’ll? Yet here I find you washing up at another restaurant?! Well you’re sacked now! Here are your belongings, good luck in your new job”. Bastard.

Week 23. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

December 03, 2018 22:25 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MB

Old gem of a book (first published 1926) on how to accumulate wealth and riches. The lessons learnt from ancient Babylonians on how to manage your own personal finances are brought to life through short stories based on those found on the clay tablets excavated from Babylon by archeologists. Can the principles of this ancient civilisation still hold true in modern day society? Yes! Is the answer given by one of the archeologists who discovered the tablets and applied what they learnt to their...

Week 22. Exam time

November 05, 2018 21:40 - 2 minutes - 1000 KB

Getting myself ready for the final exam of my accounting course. Just finishing some revision on =FORMULAS within Microsoft Excel. I’d like to progress onto level 4 after this and become a chartered but I’d have to get a job at an accountancy firm first. No chance of that while the restaurant is still going so will have to wait. The job security of and experience of being a chartered accountant will be good for me to have under my belt. Something to fall back on if the shit ever hit the fan.

Week 21. The art of thinking clearly by Rolf Dobelli

November 05, 2018 21:35 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MB

99 chapters on human behaviour. Why do we do it to ourselves? I’ve chosen to talk about my six favourite chapters but I could have talked all day long on this book.

Week 20. First steps towards house renovation

November 05, 2018 21:31 - 6 minutes - 5.9 MB

Had a few architects over to quote on how much they’d charge to manage my house extension/renovation. It’s amazing how much you can learn from salespeople. I’ve learnt so much already about how this renovation is going to work and what’s possible.

Week 19. How to start an online business by Lucy Tobin

November 05, 2018 21:27 - 5 minutes - 4.77 MB

Lots of short stories of how businesses such as Moonpig, GoCompare, Spareroom, Made.com, Zoopla and JustGiving started up.

Week 18. Sticking to the plan?

October 12, 2018 06:21 - 1 minute - 1.39 MB

Sticking to the plan is boring me. The plan being, work at the restaurant, complete the accounting course and gain experience in making furniture. Patience.

Week 17. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

October 12, 2018 06:18 - 24 minutes - 23.1 MB

This book is one of my faves, which isn’t saying much as I’ve only just this year really started reading books! But still, I enjoyed this book. Small, seemingly insignificant choice, compounded over time = success/failure

Week 16. Starting from the start. Volunteering.

October 12, 2018 06:13 - 3 minutes - 3.58 MB

I have no idea about furniture but..... I found a great place that recycled wood. ‘The Wood Recycling Project’ in Bristol is a fantastic little social enterprise. They rely on volunteers, however, after 10 volunteer shifts, I get taught how to use all the tools they have in their workshop! Perfect! Bit of volunteering followed by making furniture out of recycled wood.

Week 15. Setting the Table by Danny Meyer

October 12, 2018 06:07 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MB

Book review of Setting the Table. A couple of great concepts I can implement at my parents restaurant and also take forward into the future.

Week 14. 7 things I’ve learnt from my old man

September 13, 2018 15:31 - 11 minutes - 5.1 MB

I've had to slightly step away from my parents restaurant. Frictions between me and my Dad. He's 82 bless him and still wanting to be 'the boss'. This is natural although fustrating for me. What lessons can i take from my current situation?

Week 12. Zero to One by Peter Theil.

September 12, 2018 17:24 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MB

My first ever book review. I haven't done the book justice but it's my first ever review and i hope to get better. Part of this Journey Through Business is about continuous learning so where better to start than by reading the work of people who have already acheived the things i hope to one day.

Week 13. Thinking about business names.

September 12, 2018 10:23 - 4 minutes - 3.76 MB

Coming up with a business name. More tricky than I thought! I want it to be non-restrictive, memorable, short and to have an a available website domain. Initial thoughts are ‘Underdog Enterprises’ as I love the underdog spirit and always support the underdog when watching sport. And ‘JackieDarlings’ a nickname given to me by the most embarrassing parents in the world.

Week 11. Advice from richest person I’ve ever met.

August 22, 2018 21:10 - 4 minutes - 3.86 MB

Great week. I get and share some advice given to me personally from one of the most successful businessman in Britain.

Week 10. Mind maps. My secret weapon to exam success.

August 22, 2018 21:02 - 2 minutes - 1.91 MB

Been experimenting with sleep. Done a few weeks on a strict 6 hour per night max. Feel like shit. I’m happy to occasionally go without sleep and work tired, but I think trying to go to bed earlier and aiming for 8 hours might be a better option.

Week 9. More procrastination and indecision.

August 22, 2018 20:57 - 5 minutes - 5.36 MB

Indecision, indecision, indecision. With so much work involved in starting a business and how much time will inevitably become invested in it. But at some point I know I need to commit and say, “I plan to do... X”. Also, the idea of making houses out of shipping containers is stuck in my head. Annoying. But with the shortage of affordable housing in the UK and the fact that the house building industry not able to keep up with demand, isn’t it time we thought outside the box on how homes are b...