What happens when someone trained to analyse spreadsheets decides to follow their creative passion?

In this episode of The Evolve to Succeed Podcast, Warren Munson sits down with Joe Hayes, founder of Kindful Creative, to explore his journey from trainee accountant to running a growing video production agency built on the values of kindness, relationships, and human connection.

Joe shares how his early career in accountancy gave him a powerful understanding of business fundamentals, but ultimately left him feeling stuck in a routine that lacked passion. What started as a hobby with a camera quickly turned into something much bigger, eventually leading Joe to take the leap and launch his own creative agency.

Throughout the conversation, Joe opens up about the realities of starting a business, the importance of understanding your numbers, and why relationships and reputation often matter more than aggressive sales strategies.

You'll also hear about the challenges of growth, staying focused as a founder, and how building a business around personal values can shape company culture and client relationships.

If you're thinking about starting a business, changing careers, or building something that aligns with your passions, this episode is packed with honest insights and practical lessons.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might find it valuable.

• Joe Hayes' journey from trainee accountant to creative entrepreneur

• The inspiration behind launching Kindful Creative

• Why relationships are at the heart of Joe's business philosophy

• The risks and mindset shifts involved in leaving a stable career

• Why understanding financials is crucial for founders

• Lessons learned from early business decisions and partnerships

• The importance of building a strong team culture

• How podcasting and content help businesses build authority

• Balancing entrepreneurship with family life

• Joe's personal definition of success

00:00 – Why did you become an accountant?
04:30 – What inspired the name Kindful?
08:00 – How do you build a values-driven team?
11:00 – When did creativity become a passion?
15:00 – What gave you the confidence to start a business?
21:00 – Why do founders need financial literacy?
27:30 – What does Kindful Creative actually do?
32:00 – How has leadership changed for you?
35:00 – Why should businesses create content and podcasts?
40:00 – Lifestyle business or growth company?
44:00 – What advice would you give your younger self?
47:30 – What does success mean to you?

On this episode of The Evolve to Succeed Podcast, Warren sits down with Niall Cluley, Managing Director and shareholder at Dragonfish, a culture and performance consultancy helping ambitious brands unlock alignment, growth and long-term impact.

Niall shares his journey from corporate leadership roles at global brands including Fitness First and Vodafone, to becoming Dragonfish's founding client before stepping into ownership.

The conversation explores what culture really is beyond posters on the wall, why values alone are not enough, and how leaders can intentionally shape the "ecosystem" of behaviours, systems and experiences that drive performance.

You'll hear about the six signatures of high-performing organisations, how to maintain momentum after a culture "project", why impact matters more than engagement alone, and how AI and rapid change are reshaping the way organisations think about people and performance.

If you're leading a growing business, scaling a team, or preparing for succession or exit, this episode offers practical insight into making culture a true competitive advantage.

If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, share, and leave a review to support the show.

What The Episode Covers

• Niall's journey from corporate leadership to culture consultancy
• What culture really means in practical business terms
• Founder fingerprints and scaling beyond founder energy
• Why values alone don't drive performance
• The importance of vision as a North Star
• Working backwards from the future to maintain alignment
• The six signatures of high-performing organisations
• Measuring culture in tangible, performance-linked ways
• The impact of AI and rapid change on organisational culture

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
00:44 - What does Dragonfish do and why does culture matter?
03:00 – When did you realise performance and culture are inseparable?
06:00 – What does it really feel like to leave corporate and build your own consultancy?
10:20 – What does culture actually mean in practical terms?
14:30 – How much of culture is founder-driven versus intentional design?
18:00 – How do you keep vision and purpose alive in everyday business life?
24:00 – What are the six signatures of high-performing organisations?
31:00 – How do you measure culture without it becoming 'wishy-washy'?
41:00 – How will AI and rapid change reshape organisational culture?
46:30 – What leadership traits matter most when protecting culture?

• Where the idea for Term Footwear came from
• Starting a business with limited capital and big ambition
• Entering an overcrowded, brand-dominated market
• Overcoming self-doubt, criticism and scepticism
• Managing overseas manufacturing and supply chains
• Pivoting from distributor to brand owner
• Navigating Amazon failures and Costco opportunities
• Surviving Brexit and Covid through strategic pivots
• Building trust-based customer relationships
• Planning, executing and emotionally navigating a business exit