Everyone wants the Dubai photo. Almost nobody wants the years of unglamorous work that are supposed to come first.

Austin Okolo started in football, moved into fashion, then fell into building the Gen Z Club, partly by accident and partly by luck. These days he runs a recruitment agency focused on upskilling young, diverse talent, having walked away from the fast, "sexy" business models for something slower, more predictable, and actually built to last.

We get into why so many young people feel pushed into entrepreneurship rather than choosing it, why the "Gen Z is lazy" line falls apart the second you meet the people doing the work, and why the course-seller industry keeps selling an easy version of a hard thing. Austin is honest about losing money to a pyramid scheme at eighteen, about being miserable despite the success, and about the danger of high conviction when nobody around you is willing to say no.

This one is for anyone who is tired of the highlight reel and wants the real version.

Kelechi Okafor joins Mike Omoniyi on The Common Sense Podcast for an honest conversation about doubt, identity and why she refuses to be worshipped.We get into her path from high-achieving air cadet to writer and podcaster, the "beautifully chaotic" childhood that shaped her, faith without certainty, the case against the monarchy, the adultification of Black children in schools, regional inequality across Liverpool and Manchester, and why she would rather buy a kid a school uniform than run for Mayor of London.A conversation about holding two truths at once in a culture that rewards picking a side.

We're told that if we just get the thing, the followers, the money, the recognition, we'll finally feel settled.

Nelson got all of it by 23 and found the opposite waiting for him. In this conversation, he's honest about the year he streamed to nobody, the success that felt like a trap, and what actually started to fill the gap.

Worth a listen if you've ever hit a goal and felt strangely flat on the other side.

You asked, I answered. From who'll lead Britain after Starmer to whether the two-party system is finished, this Q&A goes through the questions you've been sending in. Reform's rise, Burnham vs Streeting, the death of identity politics, faith in public life, and what the next Prime Minister should actually say on day one.

No talking points. No press lines. Just honest answers to the questions you actually want asked.

He got replaced at church… and it changed his life.From that moment to witnessing Stanley Clarke live, Jon Onabowu's journey into jazz was built on pressure, passion, and purpose.Now with a debut album on the way, he’s redefining jazz—not as something old, but something alive, evolving, and deeply human.This isn’t just music… it’s an invitation.Turn your notification bells on so you are first to know when new episodes come out. 💌: Click here to join our community for free - https://csnetwork.substack.com/📹: All our videos are recorded at Common Sense Studios: studio.tcsnetwork.co.ukWHO ARE WEThe Common Sense Network is an Independent bi-partisan news outlet. We were founded by 500 ordinary people who saw a problem with the mainstream media and did something about it. We are on a mission to make democracy healthier by bringing people who disagree together. 👉🏽 CONNECT with Common Sense Network Website: http://bit.ly/TCSNetworkHomeYoutube: http://bit.ly/TCSNetworkYoutubeFacebook: http://bit.ly/TCSNetworkFacebookTwitter: https://twitter.com/TCSNetworkInstagram: http://bit.ly/TCSNetworkInstagramNewsletter: https://www.tcsnetwork.co.uk/join

In this episode, I sat down to answer your questions, and nothing was off limits.From Trump and Farage to the state of politics today, I share my honest thoughts on the issues people are often too careful to speak about openly. We also get into my personal life, how I think about leadership, pressure, and what it actually looks like to navigate public conversations without losing yourself.

In this episode of the Common Sense Podcast, Mike sits down with an artist who made a decision most people only talk about. She walked away from a stable career in finance and chose the uncertain path of building a life in the arts.

What began as a creative outlet eventually became a calling she could not ignore, forcing her to confront one of the hardest questions many professionals face. What happens when the safe path no longer feels like the right one?

The conversation explores the psychology behind leaving prestigious careers, the fear that comes with stepping away from stability, and the practical reality of turning creativity into a sustainable profession.

She reflects on the moment she realised that success on paper did not necessarily translate into fulfilment, and how she navigated the difficult transition from structured corporate life to the unpredictable world of art.