What if the smartest growth strategy is giving everything away for free? We sit down with Nathan, a 29‑year‑old founder who built Kaiko, a hospitality marketing suite, and Closer, a Sussex‑wide savings app that costs nothing for consumers or businesses. He takes us from late‑night coding in a bedroom to real traction across pubs, cafés, soft play centres, and family‑friendly spots—where a map of local offers turns a day out into real savings and support for independents.

Nathan doesn’t sugar‑coat the journey. He left a steady London salary, moved home, and survived on 16‑ to 18‑hour days of selling, setup, and shipping. We unpack the toughest bits most founders hide: failed direct debits, paying staff late, staring down bills, and pushing through doubt. Then we explore why Kaiko ditched lock‑in contracts and setup fees, how Closer earns trust with authentic content and charity work, and why a free model can still power a business ecosystem. The result? Word‑of‑mouth growth, BBC Sussex features, and recognition as one of the UK’s top tech startups—without big ad budgets or influencers.

This is a practical blueprint for building in hard times. We get candid on resilience, mental health, and finding headspace through sport. We talk authenticity in marketing, the value of raw social video over polished gloss, and the compounding power of kindness and relationships. Most of all, we focus on outcomes that matter: families saving on meals, venues seeing higher footfall, and a local economy strengthened by everyday choices.

If you’re in Sussex, grab Closer on Apple or Google and start saving. If you run an independent, list your business via the app’s More tab and go live within 48 hours. Like what we’re building here? Follow the show, share this with a friend who loves local, and leave a quick review to help more people find these unfiltered business stories.

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We speak plainly about anxiety: how it shows up in parenting, work, health scares, grief, and daily life, and how small, steady actions can loosen its hold. We share what helped us most, from mindfulness and movement to asking for help and lowering the bar for “done.”

• naming anxiety in parenting, work and creative projects
• inbox refresh loops and worst-case thinking
• making something tangible to regain control
• imposter feelings and gym nerves
• health anxiety after scare and with new parenthood
• social anxiety in public spaces and restaurants
• mindfulness as brain training, noticing thoughts
• small steps to break cycles and build momentum
• exercise, sleep, and alcohol as anxiety levers
• medical support, therapy, pharmacists and groups
• grief’s shock window and living with the afters
• empathy for crippling anxiety and open conversation

The inbox is always open, Chris, isn’t it? The inbox is always open

If you’ve got anxiety and it’s crippling you, open up, speak to someone, tell them how you’re feeling

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Chris couldn’t make it this week… so this is my first ever solo episode.

No safety net. No banter. Just me.

I talk about:

– Waking up at 5AM with anxiety and worst-case scenarios
– Doom scrolling instead of dealing with what’s actually bothering me
– The pressure of being a parent in 2026
– Making hard decisions in business
– Losing my dad and what that’s really changed in me
– Fighting the inner voice that wants comfort over growth

This one isn’t polished.
It’s honest.

If you’re a mum or dad feeling pressure, if your brain won’t switch off, or if you know you need to step up in certain areas of your life… this one’s for you.

I also mention two brilliant movements helping people talk more openly:

– MATES FACEBOOK GROUP -

– The “You Alright Mate?” Event -

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

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It’s Thursday.
It’s AccountabiliBuddy time.

Last week we set the challenges:
– Fight the inner bitch
– Gym at 6am
– No vaping
– Socialise at the kid’s party
– Get uncomfortable

Did we actually do it?

We talk Viking workouts, nearly losing £150 glasses in a bouncy castle, fighting dopamine addiction, silence in the dark, focus mode on your phone and why most of us are just negotiating with ourselves all day.

No fluff.
No guru chat.
Just two dads trying to do what we say we’re going to do.

New challenges set for next week.

Are you keeping yourself accountable… or just talking about it?

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Last week we put Chris in the hot seat… so this week we turn the mic on Ashley.

We talk about the real behind-the-scenes of building a business and trying to be present at home at the same time — the pressure, the mental load, and the constant fight to stay focused when you’ve got 100 ideas and not enough hours.

Ashley opens up about Aura Surfaces, why he’s relaunching “Building the Dream”, and what he’s learning about priorities, boundaries, and buying back time.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re working flat out but still not moving forward… this one’s for you.

If you enjoyed it: share it with someone who’ll relate, and drop us a message — it genuinely keeps us going.

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Another week. Another list.
And this time… it’s Gym Wins & Vape Fails.

In this AccountabiliBuddy bonus episode, we check in on the commitments we made:

• Sticking to the gym
• Cold plunges & hikes
• Growing the podcast
• Quitting the vape (or at least trying)
• Pushing ourselves outside our comfort zones

There are some genuine wins.
There are some very questionable excuses.
And there are definitely a few habits that need binning.

We talk discipline vs excuses, structure vs chaos, imposter syndrome, accepting praise, and why quitting bad habits is harder than smashing a gym session.

It’s honest. It’s messy. It’s real-time accountability.

Let’s see if next week’s episode sounds any different.

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Ever walked into a room (or started something new) and thought: why am I even here?
That’s imposter syndrome… and weirdly, it’s usually a sign you’re doing the right thing.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why imposter syndrome hits hardest when things start getting real
• How being uncomfortable is often the “proof” you’re growing
• A simple way to strip your head noise back when you feel overwhelmed
• Why confidence doesn’t come first — showing up does

If you’re a tired mum or dad trying your best, feeling like you’re grafting but not moving forward… this one’s for you.

Subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and drop us a message — even if it’s to tell us we’re chatting rubbish.

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This is a bonus episode. No polish. No preaching. Just accountability.

Last week we set each other some simple challenges:
go to the gym, do something kind, look after ourselves, and actually follow through.

This week? We checked the receipts.

Some things got done.
Some things didn’t.
Life got in the way.
Excuses were made.
Lessons were learned.

This episode is about not beating yourself up, celebrating progress (even when it’s messy), and realising that showing up imperfectly still counts.

If you’re a mum or dad trying to make changes, feeling stretched, tired, and like you’re constantly falling short — this one’s for you.

🎯 Listener challenge:
Share this episode with one person who might need a nudge this week.

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