Steve Young didn’t wait for certainty, he backed himself and learned on the job.

From leaving school early and working multiple jobs as a teenager, to selling TVs at Dixons, moving into fax machines and copiers, and building a long career in document management and process automation, Steve’s journey is one of graft, resilience, and refusing to live with regret. Buying his first flat at 18 and thriving in high-pressure sales roles, Steve learned early that effort mattered more than titles.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Steve to explore his journey from corporate leadership to building his own business. Steve opens up about the frustration of not being able to make decisions, the fear of starting again later in life, and why he made the conscious choice to build a business with no plan B. The conversation also dives into resilience, failure, and what Steve calls “bounce-back ability”, learning through mistakes and continuing forward.

James shares his own reflections on chasing money, burnout, and redefining what success really means, as both explore why fulfilment, freedom, and potential matter more than income alone.

If you’ve ever questioned whether comfort is holding you back, or worried about reaching the end of your career with regrets, Steve’s story will resonate.

Key moments include: ✔️ Leaving school early and starting work young ✔️ Selling TVs, fax machines, and building a career in sales ✔️ Buying his first flat at 18 ✔️ Thriving in corporate roles but feeling restricted ✔️ Choosing entrepreneurship to avoid regret ✔️ Starting a business with no plan B ✔️ Learning resilience and bounce-back ability ✔️ Redefining success beyond money

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jamesflemingmq/ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com

Follow Steve Young: Website → https://streammanagedservices.co.uk/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve--young/

Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Steve [00:00:53] Steve introduces himself and his background [01:08] Early sales career and leaving school young [02:08] Moving into digital document management [03:10] Wanting control and avoiding future regret [07:36] Working with growing businesses and managing risk [13:40] Early working life and multiple jobs [17:06] Career growth, incentives, and sales pressure [22:25] Chasing money vs fulfilment [27:00] Resilience, failure, and bounce-back ability [29:57] Starting a business with no plan B [41:44] Vision for the future [45:04] Steve’s advice on success and potential [46:01] How to contact Steve [46:21] James closes the episode