From a council estate in East London to the boardrooms ofventure capital, this is the story of Vishal Bhatia, founder of Forward Fund& Forward Studios.

In this episode, Vishal shares how his family’s history ofloss and resilience shaped his mission of building generational wealth, notjust for himself, but for underprivileged founders, creators, and communitiesoften left behind by the system.

We explore:

- How his father lost everything and rebuilt from nothing

- Why legacy matters more than money

- The future of building generational wealth in the creatoreconomy

This is about more than money. It’s about legacy,opportunity, and the power of purpose in business.

Go follow him at:

➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishal-bhatia-ff

➡️ https://forwardfund.group

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction and Background of Vishal Bhatia

(00:58) - Family History and Upbringing

(02:29) - Father's Business Journey and Challenges

(03:37) - Impact of Father's Experiences on Vishal

(08:03) - Moving to the UK and Childhood Experiences

(12:03) - Reflections on Purpose and Legacy

(13:07) - Importance of Legacy and Father's Influence

(15:50) - Inspiration and Direction for Future Leaders

(17:02) - Defining Good and Making a Lasting Impact

(18:07) - Journey into Angel Investing

(20:24 - Establishing London Fields Venture Capital

(21:18) - Shift from Underrepresented to Underprivileged

(24:39) - Transition into Content Creation

(25:38) - Building Trust and Value in Venture Capital

(27:33) - The Broken Model of Content Marketing

(27:58) - Creating Commercial Value for Content Creators

(29:34) - Tying it All Together: Helping UnderprivilegedPeople

(31:13) - Turning Social Value into Corporate Value

(32:04) - Democratization of Social Media

(33:25) - Supporting Underprivileged and New Creators

(35:05) - Expanding Opportunities for New Talent

(37:16) - Maintaining Focus on Purpose and Accountability

(39:55) - Envisioning a Content, Business, and MediaEcosystem

(40:15) - Expanding into Different Areas of Engagement

(40:48) - Advice for Content Creators

(41:15) - Importance of Trust and Right Advisors

(43:43) - Contact Information

#buildinggenerationalwealth

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The Story Club

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thestoryclubpodcast⁠

Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@iamjonnyrose⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnysrose

In this episode, we break down how to build a marketingstrategy that actually drives business growth. The marketing strategy you’lllearn here focuses on clarity, focus, and scaling what works: not chasing shinytrends.

Andrew Davies, CMO of Paddle, shares the principles behindtheir success, revealing how narrowing your focus can unlock explosive results.

You’ll learn how to align your team around one clear goal,define your ideal customer, and create a marketing strategy that compounds overtime.

We also explore how Paddle used segmentation, long-termbrand building, and product-led messaging to reshape their marketing strategyand outperform competitors.

Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or creative, thisepisode gives you a framework to build a marketing strategy that scales withoutburnout.

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The Story Club

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thestoryclubpodcast⁠

Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@iamjonnyrose⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnysrose⁠

Andrew Davies

Website: https://www.paddle.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andjdavies

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:07) - Andrew's Role at Paddle

(00:44) - Paddle's Business Model and Growth

(02:15) - Challenges and Changes at Paddle

(03:18) - Marketing Challenges and Changes

(05:47) - Reflections on Past Marketing Strategies

(07:09) - Advice on Navigating Marketing Challenges

(07:29) - Examples of Being Early, Late, or Wrong

(11:31) - Improving Marketing Strategies

(11:55) - Importance of Market Segmentation

(14:18) - Expanding Market Segments

(15:45) - Understanding the Market and Customer Segmentation

(16:56) - The Strategic Purpose of Marketing at Paddle

(19:21) - The Importance of Face-to-Face Interactions

(19:44) - The Role of Marketing in Building Relationships

(22:38) - The Value of Networking and Peer Learning

(23:33) - The Current State of B2B Marketing

(25:03) - Bold Marketing Campaigns at Paddle

(25:48) - The Value of Brand Building

(28:26) - The Impact of Entrepreneurial Mindset on Marketing

(29:36) - Advice for Marketers Seeking to Understand TheirTarget Market

(30:30) - Gaining Insights from Customer Conversations

(31:16) - The Launch of Paddle Building

(31:50) - Current Marketing Trends and Opportunities

(32:25) - The Impact of AI on Marketing

(32:45) - Advice to Younger Self

(33:49) - How to Follow Andrew's Journey

I can confidently say that the fitness coaching industry is evolving rapidly, and understanding the nuances of online coaching is crucial for success.

In this podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with David Hatt, the owner of MTN Coaching, who has been a coach for over a decade and has built a thriving online fitness and lifestyle coaching company.

David shares his journey from being a personal trainer to becoming a comprehensive coach who focuses on mindset, training, and nutrition—the three pillars of his coaching philosophy.

Throughout the episode, David candidly shares his experiences, including the challenges he faced while building his business and the lessons learned from his mistakes.

He highlights the significance of having a solid support system and the value of continuous learning and adaptation in the ever-changing fitness landscape.

One of the key takeaways from our conversation is the importance of communication and genuine care for clients.

David believes that successful coaching goes beyond just providing workout plans; it involves building relationships and offering unwavering support to help clients achieve their goals.

This approach has led to remarkable transformations for many of his clients, proving that fitness coaching can be a life-changing experience.

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The Story Club

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestoryclubpodcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamjonnyrose

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnysrose

David Hatt

Website: https://widgit.bio/mtncoaching

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhatt_mtn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction and Guest Background

(00:28) - The Difference Between a Personal Trainer and a Coach

(01:22) - Importance of Mindset, Training, and Nutrition

(03:45) - Career Progression in the Fitness Industry

(08:46) - Starting Online Coaching

(10:00) - Building the MTN Brand

(10:53) - Misunderstanding of MTN Brand Name

(12:26) - Learning from Mistakes in Business

(13:57) - Biggest Business Mistakes

(15:03) - Challenges of Working with Friends

(15:41) - Importance of Good Accountancy in Business

(16:51) - Current State of the Fitness Industry

(18:10) - Common Mistakes in Fitness Coaching

(19:39) - Impact Beyond Fitness

(20:13) - Evolution of MTN's Online Coaching Programs

(23:47) - Scaling the Business and Team

(26:51) - Maintaining Community in a Growing Business

(28:43) - Dealing with Imitations and Copycats

(30:30) - Dealing with Imitations and Copycats Continued

(31:26) - Maintaining Quality and Customer Satisfaction

(32:24) - Importance of Customer Feedback

(34:21) - Dealing with Business Failures and Setbacks

(36:00) - Coping with Personal Setbacks

(37:36) - Strategies for Recovery and Building Confidence

(39:08) - Advice for Aspiring Coaches and Entrepreneurs

(40:30) - How to Connect with MTN