Episode #5 | Marnie Swindles on the Fisticuffs of Business and Winning 'The Apprentice'

Welcome to Harry’s Gym Chat, we’re in my gym and we’re going to chat! This is a podcast powered by USN; we’ve got some exclusive offers for you that we are going to be giving away a little bit later in the episode. At the same time we are on YouTube so make sure you subscribe, we’re going to be talking about all things health and wealth and fitness. But, also all things positive because I’m a positive guy and we like to keep it fun and friendly.

Ever wondered if the thrill of the boxing ring can empower someone to conquer the business world? Strap in as I, Harry double A, sit with the formidable Marnie Swindles (https://www.instagram.com/marnieswindells/), whose life story zigzags from throwing punches to legal punchlines, and now, she stands tall in the entrepreneurial arena. Marnie throws no jabs in sharing her raw experiences, from being a champion boxer to grappling with legal statutes as a barrister, and eventually stepping into the ring of 'The Apprentice' to claim victory. Her tale is one of unrelenting passion and an unyielding drive for reinvention, proving that the fighting spirit is as necessary in business as it is in sports.

This episode traverses the mental battlefield of competitive reality TV, where strategy and resilience are king and queen. Marnie peels back the curtain on 'The Apprentice,' revealing the tenacity required to win over Lord Sugar, and the unexpected bonds formed in the high-pressure cauldron of the show. Our conversation is a masterclass in handling stress and the art of staying focused despite the surrounding chaos. Join us as we recall challenge highlights, from creating children's cartoons to strategic business pitches, all while navigating the cutthroat currents with agility and finesse.

On a journey that's anything but linear, Marnie opens up about life post-'The Apprentice' glory, detailing the heights of success and the valleys of challenge that follow. From establishing a business with Lord Sugar to reviving a community through a state-of-the-art boxing gym, she's not pulling any punches about the realities of her ascent. As we wrap up, Marnie shares her vision for the future, embracing property goals and crafting a legacy, inviting us to consider our own paths to triumph. So tune in, get inspired, and maybe—just maybe—you'll find the courage to chase down your dreams with the same fervor as a boxer hungry for the win.

Harry Aikines Aryeetey is an Olympian having represented Great Britain in the Rio Olympics as well as the Commonwealth Games, World Championships and European Championships earning him medals, including 5 gold medals, in 4x100m relay and 100m events. Harry is also a well-known fitness influencer where he shares his passion for sport and fitness with his audiences on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. 

For more from Harry visit:

Instagram: @aikines https://www.instagram.com/aikines/

TikTok: @harryaikines https://www.tiktok.com/@harryaikines

YouTube: @aikines1 https://www.youtube.com/@aikines1

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to Harry's Gym Chat. We're in my gym and we're gonna chat. Now is a podcast powered by USN. We've got some exclusive offers for you that we are gonna be giving away a little later in the video, but at the same time we are on YouTube, so make sure you subscribe. We're gonna be talking about everything health and wealth and fitness, but also all things positive, because I'm a positive guy, I'm a big guy. We're keeping it fun and friendly. So look, jump in, turn the volume up, let's do this. What's happening people? Harry double A here once again on a podcast with myself and sat opposite me as someone who I would say is a driven person, someone who is a bit of a business mogul, a barrister as well. Marnie Swindles, welcome to the show.

Speaker 2: 0:53

Thank you for having me, Harry. Pleasure to be here.

Speaker 1: 0:56

How's that for the intro, not too bad, is it alright so? I touched on a few things there, so obviously we're gonna talk about the apprentice and the fact that you won it, because I'm sat in front, I'm fanboying, I'm fanboying. But when you talk about who you are and what you are, how would you describe yourself?

Speaker 2: 1:13

A hot mess right now. To be honest, live has been chaos and I feel like I've already lived a few different lives. I had my legal time. I had my time when I was competing as a boxer. Now I'm in the business side of things. It's been a journey, but the business side of things has definitely been the steepest learning curve that I've had.

Speaker 1: 1:32

Let's talk about that. So let's talk about the start, let's talk about way back when.

Speaker 2: 1:36

So obviously, Back when I was in good shape.

Speaker 1: 1:40

You wanna talk about a shape? I think you were in good shape.

Speaker 2: 1:43

No, no, it's been a long time. I loved it once and I would give it my everything, but as time's gone by, I just don't love it as much.

Speaker 1: 1:52

That's fair so.

Speaker 2: 1:53

I'm really fat of your book.

Speaker 1: 1:55

So all right. So we're talking about the love bug with sport. So you did boxing from a very young age.

Speaker 2: 2:01

I started boxing when I was 17.

Speaker 1: 2:03

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 2:04

It was during a time when women's boxing wasn't even in the Olympics yet, so that didn't start until 2012. So when I started boxing there wasn't really sort of a vision or a goal in mind. It would be trained for three or four months, hoped for a fight. There was only six women on the whole database in the UK Question what's it like getting hit?

Speaker 1: 2:22

What's it like getting hit Because I do a non-contact sport?

Speaker 2: 2:25

Light work for me. I can take it, yeah, so no, it's a hard sport. It is a hard sport. It's not easy.

Speaker 1: 2:31

For real. So when you're looking at training, you've competed, so you took it to certain levels. So when did you sort of feel like you wanted to push it forward at any point?

Speaker 2: 2:42

Well, I knew. Second of all, since the gym it was never about fitness, I really went in there knowing I wanted to fight but, like I said, there was no women on the circuit.

Speaker 1: 2:49

So I was getting impatient.

Speaker 2: 2:50

There was no progress. I took it to a certain level, so I trialled for the GB squad, tried to get on that pathway, didn't make the very final cut and at that point I was like do I want this? Do I love it? And when you're faced with people who are willing to dedicate their entire life to it, that's my time to go. You know what this isn't for me, and I think I can offer the sport a lot more from the perspective I'm in now.

Speaker 1: 3:14

But when you talk about grassroots like, that in itself is pure transparency and honesty. You have a lot of individuals that try to make it seem like dedication, hard work. You've just taken an element of a passion that you had and you've put it in a space where you've been able to appreciate and shine a different light on the sport right 100% and I feel like in boxing, you know, I fought, I competed, but then moved to a coach.

Speaker 2: 3:37

I did some promoting of white collar events. Now I own a gym, so I've kind of maneuvered through these different capacities of the sport to find out actually this is where I'm meant to be, this is where I can shine and, yeah, I feel like I've found what I'm good at now?

Speaker 1: 3:49

Yeah, yeah, in between that phase, obviously you studied, you became a barrister. Yeah, how can you go from punching someone in the face to then obviously trying to slam like a law book on someone's face? We?

Speaker 2: 4:01

know, fight by the pen, fight by the sword right.

Speaker 1: 4:05

Okay okay.

Speaker 2: 4:06

So no, it was quite an easy transition, like I feel like a lot of the characteristics it takes to step into a ring and stand face to face someone. You have to be just as fearless to walk into a courtroom and stand your ground. But that journey, that transition, actually happened through boxing. So one night I was in the gym venting away to a woman next to me and I'm like you know what? I've just come out of uni, I have no idea what I want to do with my life now. I feel really lost. And she was like I'm a criminal defense barrister, do you want to come shout at me? And I said, yeah, cool, I'm a yes person, let's do it. So I did, followed her for a week, fell in love with it.

Speaker 1: 4:43

Love that Felt in love with it.

Speaker 2: 4:45

Like her presence. She walked in the room. It was the same sort of commanding sense and I know you know what I'm talking about like when you're performing, and yeah, I fell in love with it.

Speaker 1: 4:54

Because you're in a room you've got to obviously have hold your own, like you say. But again, when you're talking about, I would describe you as quite a bubbly personality and you're quite energetic and I get that sense straight away, especially meeting you. You see it obviously on TV when we've watched you and now you've seen it now, so would you say that energy is attracting that perspective.

Speaker 2: 5:13

Yeah, 100%. I think my way of thinking is always like walking to a room like you own it and what you give off is what you'll get back. Have that sort of commanding sense. I get asked all the time like how do you cope with being a woman in such a male dominated industry like boxing? And it's that sense of just do it.

Speaker 1: 5:33

What is that like, though? What is that like? What are the barriers that you face and what are the hurdles that you've had to jump?

Speaker 2: 5:38

There are barriers, but my way of dealing with that is to don't out like they exist. I go into a room as Marnie, not as Marnie the female in it. And that's always worked for me, because then people respect me, for me, not for like what they would expect of a woman. So for me I think that approach works and I can't say there's definitely barriers there. But I can't say that I've ever let that come a barrier.

Speaker 1: 6:05

Yeah, no, that's strong, I think when I often is difficult. Obviously I'm a male, so I'm a man. When I walk into certain spaces sometimes I don't think of certain things, but obviously, again is just having that idea of what's going through other people's head in those moments and times you take for granted right. But if you're saying that there are no barriers, that you're seeing, you just walk into a room and you're happy, right.

Speaker 2: 6:26

Well, there's not, because I'm elbowing them out the way all this time We'll break up.

Speaker 1: 6:30

We're all breaking out here.

Speaker 2: 6:32

I think people expect me to come out and say, yeah, men have done this to me and this has happened and this happened. But genuinely, when you take that approach of just like leading with your like you said, with your energy, people respect that. So if I'm stood there and I often am talking to a group of guys or a session, when it's all men and there are like 20 guys in front of me, I just command the room because that's what I give out. If you go in there expecting to be seen differently, he will be.

Speaker 1: 7:01

So has that trait always been in you? Have you had to learn to be that way?

Speaker 2: 7:05

Yeah, I've always had a little edge.

Speaker 1: 7:07

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:08

So I was an only child, lost my dad quite young and I think I stepped into sort of a man of the house role from quite a young age. My mom would lean on me for a lot of things, so I've always been fairly controlling, which may have come through in the apprentice. I know I got criticized for that, but you know, just being sort of large and in charge, I think it's important. I think it's important to know what you want from situations, to go in there and go get it.

Speaker 1: 7:35

I love that. I did read somewhere obviously you mentioned your dad that you started boxing out of anger, in a sense, of when you did lose him. Is that something that allowed you to channel that energy as well?

Speaker 2: 7:47

Yeah, I think there was no clear path of how to handle that. My mum would say you need to talk to someone, and again in sort of a quite a masculine demeanor, I'd be like I don't need any help. There's a sign of weakness. So I didn't have actually any outlet and then it wasn't until I stepped in that boxing club for the first time, hit the bags and it was like the clouds parted. It was such a sense of release and it was like a light bulb moment for me and I fell in love with it and been involved in boxing ever since that happened.

Speaker 1: 8:18

Is that something that you would employ others to do, just to try and find a way to? You know, because there's different mediums in which you can express yourself, and I think obviously I do. I've done a sport which allows me to speak and express myself in one type of way, but you know, when you are troubled or when you are feeling something. Does the sport give you that avenue, you think?

Speaker 2: 8:38

Yeah, definitely, and in terms of employing people to do things, I think you really need to do, trial and error therapy isn't going to be the answer for everyone. Boxing won't be the answer for everyone, but everyone does have that outlet. Having said that, I do think there's something innate and attractive about boxing the idea of like having demons and being able to punch out. I feel like it feels like a very natural expression of aggression.

Speaker 1: 9:01

Well, like you said, it's natural. Let's be real, like I'm actually quite an aggressive person. You know, I lift heavy weights and I throw things down and I get pumped and obviously I you know sprint, I run. I obviously have another bow to my whatever else that I'm doing, tackling people nowadays on a different type of show but it's okay to be aggressive. I think some people need to be told it's okay to be angry. It's okay to be angry, right? I?

Speaker 2: 9:28

could not agree with you more, and I think that's one thing that clicked with me with boxing is because I already had this little edge and I'll already get frustrated easily and for the first time, boxing celebrated that where everywhere else in society.

Speaker 2: 9:40

It was like stay in your lane, be a good girl, you know, stay calm, boxing, let me just get it out you know, and I think that's so important there's a lot of I see a lot of young kids going through it and I think this is exactly what they need. You know, and it might not be a career for them forever, but in this moment, this is exactly what they need to get out of their system.

Speaker 1: 9:59

Because there are some forms of therapy where people kind of scream. They shout they smash page, yeah, like you need to get it out, and if you're suppressing all of this emotion, it can't be good for you. So hearing that honesty again, that transparency again, that you know what some people would class as a negative emotion, was a positive overall.

Speaker 2: 10:19

Yeah, I think, like you were saying, about lifting weights, throwing things down, it's that sense of exertion. And when that is not in your life, when people haven't got that physicality in their life, I think it really does have a massive effect on them. Even me, like, where I have moved towards the more of the business stuff, I'm not in the gym as much and more fell out of love with it, but it has had a massive mental detriment to me. Like I can feel I need it.

Speaker 2: 10:42

I need that, that feeling back yeah yeah, and actually that was a massive part of when I was on the apprentice. I'm pitching this idea to love sugar. I was saying you know, I'm not trying to sell a gym that sells six packs. And I actually said I'm not trying to sell fitness, I'm trying to sell feelings. I'm trying to sell the idea of what it, what it gives a person yeah, I'm actually.

Speaker 1: 11:02

I feel like I'm being pitched to you.

Speaker 1: 11:03

I'm like I'm getting it so let's talk about the apprentice. Like firstly, when did you know you wanted to be on it? I? I'm a massive fan of the show. I've always wanted to um in in my position in life. I've never sort of felt like I could apply to be on the show because I haven't really got a business idea, but I just like to do the tasks and all of this stuff. So this is a moment for me that I've been waiting for. So, all right, talk me through the process. How do you apply it? When you applied, what was that like? What was it like when you found out you were going to be on it?

Speaker 2: 11:32

like, just start this is the juicy bit you've been dying to add to it. Um, so you apply normal application paper application, um, then there are rounds and rounds and rounds of an interview process. So you'll have business interviews, you'll have interviews to test you. You know, like tv appeal, um, all these different layers, different people, and then you get put into a situation where you have sort of like a makeshift um task, okay, part of the audition process, see how that fers. And then you, if you, if you're successful, you get put onto the show. And that space of time is so quick, like I'm talking, maybe three weeks span well, did you smash it?

Speaker 1: 12:11

was it just easy? Well, I got through, whether I smashed it or not.

Speaker 2: 12:14

I don't know the executive producers their intentions when they put me on the show, whether they thought, yes, you'll win, or whether they thought let's throw her in and see what happens. Who knows?

Speaker 1: 12:21

but made it because when you made it, yeah, did you look around and you were like I'm better than you. Or were you like why are you here? Or how are you here? Or is it just like? Oh, your competition, like how did that? Like what was your mindset like?

Speaker 2: 12:33

surprisingly not. And again, being fully transparent, that would be my usual personalities to eye of the room and see what's happening yeah but there was a sense of uh uh, being in there by myself and sort of real tunnel vision of just just apply yourself to everything yeah and every single task gave it a hundred, gave it absolutely a hundred so in that was there moments where you sort of had eye-opening moments as like, oh wow, this is real, or this is.

Speaker 1: 13:02

This is not what I thought it would be like, or where. Where was that?

Speaker 2: 13:06

yeah, absolutely. It's a real mental journey. Like you guys watch it as a tv program, but we're there filming, sometimes 17 hour days like no exaggeration over a course of 12 weeks, and it is relentless so the work ethic was a lot, but I actually really felt like that was my environment, like I felt really good, like it was so productive and just so much movement, and, yeah, I loved it were there any skills that you had?

Speaker 1: 13:35

obviously we've spoken about your boxing background and the fact that you've got this energy. You command respect when you walk in a room. What were there any transferable skills that you were able to take into the apprentice in any way?

Speaker 2: 13:45

I think being out, being able to articulate myself. So I think communication is like one of the absolute fundamentals of of being successful is being able to express your point, which helped me when it came to state in my case to my other candidates put yourself forward for project manager.

Speaker 2: 14:05

I'll be it not always successful, but even state, in my case to Lord sugar like every time I had a conversation with him, it was a mini pitch. It was a mini like what am I, what am I telling you about myself? And a lot of the time he was more interested in your character and your integrity, like will you hold your hands up and be accountable when you fluffed it? Yeah, you know how do you handle other people. You know, and I think that is the the most important thing.

Speaker 1: 14:29

He's so when you're on the show right and you're in that boardroom like I don't think you're in the boardroom often three times three times yeah most notably the first yeah in the boardroom. That was sticky so what is that actually like? Is it? Is it that quicker process? Because you're in your out, you're in your out and then it's just like okay, now we're back with the guys at the house and this is this is what I'm saying.

Speaker 2: 14:54

It's so fast moving, you don't have a second to hold grudges, because then within a few days you've got to be back on task working alongside them. So there's no room for grudges. You say your piece, you have it out. But it was actually a really refreshing environment in that sense, because usually in life everything is padded with fluff and you know nice ease and formalities. It was. It was a situation where I don't like that. Redo it okay.

Speaker 2: 15:21

No, and it was just so authentic yeah and there's definitely a sense of camaraderie between myself and, you know, all the other candidates that we got to that level of bluntness yeah and came through it. I think it's a good model for life is?

Speaker 1: 15:35

is there like, would you say? You guys are like a family, are you friends, are you acquaintances? Have you been staying in touch with anyone?

Speaker 2: 15:43

yeah, everyone, everyone will always share that bond of what happened. But people move on. They've got busy lives and when you're in that situation, you're forced to get along and you really are in the trenches. And so you find your people and you're like, okay, we've had, this is good. Yeah, and in real life we are all sort of our own leaders of our own little businesses.

Speaker 1: 16:05

Yeah, they're in bubbles.

Speaker 2: 16:06

Exactly exactly. So we're all doing our own thing, but there is no bad blood.

Speaker 1: 16:11

Yeah, I love that. And if you were to talk about certain tasks, what were the tasks that threw you off? Or oh, because like I look at it and I sometimes it's made to be so simple to us, but then we don't know how much actual time you have.

Speaker 2: 16:27

Harry, don't get so solid. Can I say now for the record, right, none of us are as much of an idiot as the show will say You'll set up to fail a lot of times. You know it's difficult.

Speaker 1: 16:39

You have limitations.

Speaker 2: 16:40

You have limitations in time. You have, you know, just general limitations that don't allow you to create what you want to create, and sometimes you're given as short as 15 minutes and there's three strong minds and they're like, okay, we're gonna brand a drink, do it, and it's not easy.

Speaker 1: 16:57

Because wasn't there one task? Was it when you had to pitch?

Speaker 2: 17:01

You're gonna pull up all the dirt on me now, harry, no, harry.

Speaker 1: 17:04

I'm not trying to remember. I'm trying to remember because I watched it so intently. But there were certain tasks. Where was it the toys? Or there was a book or something with the character.

Speaker 2: 17:15

Was it the giraffe one?

Speaker 1: 17:16

Yes.

Speaker 2: 17:17

We did, yeah, we did a cartoon task.

Speaker 1: 17:19

Yes.

Speaker 2: 17:20

And we had to create children's cartoon. We had again short space of time to do it. I was proud of myself in that task.

Speaker 1: 17:26

It was all right, yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:28

I did the drawing for the giraffe and, yeah, it was good, I liked that task.

Speaker 1: 17:32

But when you talk about articulating yourself, in those moments you actually were just like, look, I've got an idea for this. It's this type of person, character X, y and Z. It was like a jungle book theme where this person, different character animals I was like, okay, cool, I get it, whereas the others were a little bit wayward with it. Right, so that communication clearly gets you far.

Speaker 2: 17:53

Well, you say that, but we're all trying to battle and we all in our own heads think this is the idea we should go for. There are a lot of names post-apprentice and it's like Marnie, guys, I've got a vision. I used to keep telling the guys guys, guys, listen to me, I've got a vision. But what it's hard to comprehend when you're in that moment is that everybody equally thinks their vision is the best vision. So often we spend a good chunk of our allocated time just going. I think we should go with my idea.

Speaker 2: 18:21

Because, everybody has the absolute best intentions.

Speaker 1: 18:23

Obviously.

Speaker 2: 18:24

None of us want to go back to the boardroom, so if we can win that task, that saves any of us going back.

Speaker 1: 18:30

So what was your favorite task?

Speaker 2: 18:32

Oh Dubai.

Speaker 1: 18:33

Yeah, that was a good one. Dubai I've never been to Dubai.

Speaker 2: 18:37

And we're woken up, as you know, at like 3 am in the morning, told to pack our bags. We arrive at Heathrow and then we're told guys, you're going to Dubai. That must have been amazing. It's such a unique situation Wearing life. You relinquish all control. Someone just grabs you and throws you into a situation and you just have to thrive in the swim, be there, yeah.

Speaker 2: 18:59

So we get on a plane to Dubai and then, even better, we get told the task is a corporate away day and we are going to be taking Monica Tan of Hooded Beauty, which, for all the women watching, will know how big of a brand that is. We're going to take her on a yacht and a day out. So me and Victoria are thinking oh my God, this is we're living life A day on a yacht. Little did we know that what actually transpires is me necking gone off oysters to try and get them to eat them and swayed all over the place.

Speaker 2: 19:35

We're late, they're frustrated.

Speaker 1: 19:37

But that's what. I mean, I feel like you are settled, because the guy that was in the kitchen, he's not a chef, he's not a chef. So, being real, like he's not looking good, right? He?

Speaker 2: 19:49

was amazing though. He's probably one of my favorites off the show. He had such a character and he just was himself throughout the whole thing. And that's what I mean. You've just got to deal with the hand that you're dealt. If you're not a chef but you're putting the kitchen, deal with it, Like, get on with it.

Speaker 1: 20:04

And obviously you're on a luxurious yacht but and you've got, like you said, some people that are expecting probably five star type food and you've got a dude that probably isn't going to be able to produce that. So you have to have an element of expectation realism to know that we're going to fail in some type of way.

Speaker 2: 20:24

Yeah, again, you go into it with the best intentions and you think, if I give this everything, we can make it work. But character goes a long way and actually we were like there is no way we've won this task.

Speaker 1: 20:35

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 20:36

The biggest hated it. That's what we thought. Then we get to the boardroom and actually we won the task because we had less of a refund than the others and I think our personality carried that task. You know, me and Vic were on the front with the guests and we were just laughing with them. And like I said there was some oysters and they said I don't want them. They've been sat there a while. I was like, let me have one. And it was my first oyster.

Speaker 1: 21:02

You got swallowed. Man Just got to take it down.

Speaker 2: 21:04

I did I swallowed.

Speaker 1: 21:04

Good, you just got to take it down If you can get some lemon or something, just take it down.

Speaker 2: 21:10

I necked it raw yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:12

That's straight up. Yeah, it's probably been the help. Like not knowing, but you've got to have that face right. You've got to have that face of look. It's fine, I've done this look.

Speaker 2: 21:22

Yeah, Fake it till you make it. But do you know what? In that moment they saw my face drop.

Speaker 1: 21:27

When that oyster hit.

Speaker 2: 21:28

They saw it drop, yeah, and it was like I had a moment where it was like, is it going to return, is it coming back? And then the boat started swaying. I fell on one of the guests lap. And by the end of it, even Baroness Brady not Karen Brady, because she says it's that. Well, Karen Brady, she off camera was crying.

Speaker 1: 21:46

Really.

Speaker 2: 21:46

Like the guests were, and it just really turned the moment around.

Speaker 1: 21:49

That's nice, though, because obviously these are moments we don't see, and that's a memory that you guys will just have.

Speaker 2: 21:53

I will. That is in my top 10 life memories at the moment. I love that I love that.

Speaker 1: 21:58

Am I correct in saying that the other guys were in the desert whilst you guys were in the yacht? Yes, and then they didn't have enough water for the other guests.

Speaker 2: 22:08

Well, the thing is, as we're filming, we have no idea what's happening on the other side. So we really kept separate. Even on the flight home there was no communication.

Speaker 1: 22:15

Really.

Speaker 2: 22:16

So we don't know what's played out. For all we know, we've had this treacherous yacht trip and they've had a great old time in the desert. So when in the boardroom it all comes out, you probably could see our faces go.

Speaker 1: 22:29

Yeah, the side eyes that you do.

Speaker 2: 22:30

Yeah, like we've done it.

Speaker 1: 22:32

I love that, because that is such a thing You're in the desert and there's not enough water to go around.

Speaker 2: 22:37

There's no coming back from that. There's no coming back from that. It's finished. Like you are done, Like you're done.

Speaker 1: 22:43

Done All right, so you've had your best task. What was your worst?

Speaker 2: 22:47

Oh, it has to be the first one.

Speaker 1: 22:48

Yeah, it has to be the first one, yeah.

Speaker 2: 22:51

Which was really disappointing because again we got told just randomly you're going to Antigua by Lord Sugar within the first 30 seconds of meeting him and I was elated like could not be happier. So we get there to the Caribbean and it looked hot, by the way.

Speaker 1: 23:08

Everyone was like obviously in there in their shirts browses suits.

Speaker 2: 23:13

There's shots of me in the ocean in my suit trying to sell a ticket to some swimmer. It's like, at what point do you stop and think how did I get to this? But no, the energy was not good. It was not good at all.

Speaker 1: 23:27

It's a bit flat.

Speaker 2: 23:28

That well, not flat, actually really spiky. That first thing, because everyone was trying to feel each other out. So that idea of like the power dynamics was crazy. And there was a real sense of like budding up and ganging together and like it was not crazy.

Speaker 1: 23:45

Could they always go girls versus boys straight away?

Speaker 2: 23:47

Girls versus girls, but then, as in any sort of situation, like you said about sizing people up, you've got people that are proactively going right, who look strongest here. Who should I join allegiances with and I really played my own game Like I really was, and it's something I'm really proud of with the apprentice journey is I never wavered Like I was on my course and what would be would be if that meant going home. It meant going home and that first week was really hard because I felt like I was pun aside, that we were on Antigua, but I felt like I was on an island.

Speaker 1: 24:19

Oh, wow.

Speaker 2: 24:21

But and I was convinced that I might end up going home and did up in the bottom three. But I thought do you know what Be true to yourself? This is the moment, and if you fall on your sword, at least you've done it with integrity. You can look back and you know what I was true to myself. So I did and I think Lord Sugar saw that and I think that's why I made it through. But it was not pleasant.

Speaker 1: 24:42

I hear that. Not pleasant, I hear that. So then, obviously, throughout this whole journey, god, what's it like? Six weeks or something you're doing this for, or is it longer?

Speaker 2: 24:51

12 weeks, 12 weeks.

Speaker 1: 24:52

Yeah, my gosh. So 12 whole weeks, the final.

Speaker 2: 24:56

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:57

You've made it this far, Just before the final. They absolutely obliterate your business plan. Is it as scary as it seems?

Speaker 2: 25:04

Yeah, it's scary. It reminds me of those moments where you warm up before you go into a boxing match and then your name gets called and you walk into the room and you sit down and it had so much sort of mirror mirroring of those situations. So, yeah, scary, but I think it needed to be. It needed to have that level of like standard. It needed to be an interrogation, Otherwise everyone could do it. It had to be hard.

Speaker 1: 25:31

Because when you actually sit there and think about it, I think your business plan obviously came out one of the better ones than some of the others. I think some people I think Vicky got kind of pulled apart quite a bit and you just sit there and you get like that is in those moments. You sit behind your sofa and you're like, oh no, like you feel for the individual that's in that hot seat.

Speaker 2: 25:54

Yeah, it was actually really hard to watch Cause again. I wasn't in the rooms when they were, but when Victoria, danny, rishal, when they all came down, they were upset and it was a hard moment for us all because, despite whatever had happened previously and all of us competing to get to that point, that was a real sense of like we've made the final five. Everyone wanted to get to the final five because it was the first chance to platform your business. So we were hands held like we got this far, so to watch them have those down moments, and they really were upset. Genuinely. That was hard, that was hard to see.

Speaker 1: 26:30

The moment you've been waiting for. We are talking about that exclusive offer from USN. The code is HGCMARNI. Go sort yourself out, have a little look around the website, enjoy. So obviously. Now that brings us onto the final. Yes, yes. So this is the moment. Where did you think you would get this far? How did it feel to be in the place where you thought I've made the final?

Speaker 2: 26:53

Oh, such mixed emotions, because obviously that is the pinnacle, that's what everybody wants, you want to get in the final, but also absolutely terrifying.

Speaker 1: 27:02

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 27:03

Terrifying, and you just have to sort of pull it together, get out there and do your thing. You don't have long to prepare for that pitch. I remember about 15 minutes before thinking should I say that or should I say that? And there was no script. It was me there, raw passion, saying this is what I want, Invest in me, believe in me. Really difficult, really difficult, but again that's in my like top 10 life.

Speaker 1: 27:26

I mean like, look like, that's like your Olympic final. You know, I've been in one of those and it's like wow, okay, this is a do or die moment. Right, you just got to take it, grasp it with both hands and just do what you can do.

Speaker 2: 27:38

Isn't it amazing, though, how, how much people are capable of, like you, always leading up to that moment, watching the apprentice. In the years before, I'd watch them come down the stairs and thinking how can anyone do that? How can anyone like have the guts to do like so brave? And then when you're thrust into that moment and it's your only option and you know, like you said, it's a do or die moment you just get on with it, and I think it's amazing what people are really capable of. Yeah, but this is when pushed.

Speaker 1: 28:05

This is you talking as a winner.

Speaker 1: 28:07

You know, you know like let's be real, like, obviously, you look at certain aspects of things and you're like, ah, look like you just said you've watched the show. You've seen people down there and says and said how I've watched. I remember, you know, watching TV with my dad and seeing a young Marcus Francis win a race. Or you know videos of Linford Christie, and my dad would turn around and be like, oh yeah, one day, you know you'll get to meet him, maybe one day, just as as as a off the cuff, whereas now I've got Linford in my phone book. Or you know, I've raced them out.

Speaker 1: 28:37

For you know, all of these moments I'm a big believer in like manifestation and just putting yourself in positions that allow you to be great. You know, if you can grow in the dark and shine when the light is out, you know you can be that beacon of light and inspire others, and I think that's something that you've definitely done to allow people to be like. You know what? Yeah, but it's the positivity that you're bringing, because it's hopefulness. If you're hopeful, then it gives you an opportunity, right?

Speaker 2: 29:02

Yeah, and so that has been like you don't see it like that when it's yourself living it. But then I'll receive messages and people say you know, you've inspired me to quit my job and now I want to run my business and do those things, and it's just like damn, like yeah.

Speaker 1: 29:16

This is real. Yeah, this is real.

Speaker 2: 29:19

And that's as rewarding as the business stuff. Because if there was, people say to me all the time, you know what do you stand for? Like, what is it you want to sell? And, aside from boxing, it is selling the dream. Like I left a career in law that I worked my ass off for to follow an unpaved path, Like I didn't know this was going to work out, but you just got to jump and see how far you fly.

Speaker 1: 29:41

No, I love that and I'm flying now that you've won. What has that flight been like since? Are you sorry? Are you sorry and calmly, are you?

Speaker 2: 29:55

fighting against the wind Like flapping.

Speaker 1: 29:57

So first things first dealing with Lord sugar and his people. What was that first like? So okay, cool, You've won. Boom. Now your new life starts.

Speaker 2: 30:05

That's everyone's question, everyone wants to know what's Lord sugar like. What's it like as his business partner. And it's scary at first because, unlike normal situations, you're giving someone 50% of your business. You want to get to know them, you want to find out what they stand for, what they're like, and, not having had a really deep relationship with Lord sugar prior to winning, that was a big you know I was giving him half my things.

Speaker 1: 30:27

That's massive step.

Speaker 2: 30:29

But we've been working together now for a period of about eight months and I can hand on heart say it's been amazing, that's so good to hear. Not just him, his team. His team is so supportive, speaks with team daily.

Speaker 1: 30:40

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 30:42

And I really feel like they've got my back. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 30:45

Because I do wonder how many more seasons has this guy got in him, like the guy's chucking out like X amount of money each, like on a huge occasion. He's exceptional, yeah.

Speaker 2: 30:54

Like he's so meticulous and, given who he is and the status he has and how much stuff he's got going on, he still will take time to watch that me and they'll still find out what's happening at such a low level. I'm a tiny fish in his big pond of businesses.

Speaker 1: 31:10

You won the 17th series of the apprentice, so he's got 17,. 50% is going on.

Speaker 2: 31:17

Well, the first format was a salaried role. I think he's only had about four or five I might be making that up but actual 50% of the format Every day's a school day. Yeah, yeah, it really is. Every day has been a learning curve, and that's what I'm saying.

Speaker 1: 31:34

That's what I love. So when you've now kind of gone into this space because you're not only a business woman in you know, having been successful on a show, you're now entering a celebrity sort of well, red carpets and having to wear fancy dresses, yeah that bit I like. So is that something that you have? You're obviously welcome with open arms. Is it different to what you thought it would be like? What's that like?

Speaker 2: 31:58

It's been a weird dynamic because on one hand, I need to go to these events and I need to show my face and give myself every opportunity I can to talk about Bronx and the gym and what's happening, but at the same time, all I want to do is get home, get in my pajamas get my laptop out and get on with it. I love working in the depths of the night because I think, the world is still no one's bothering me.

Speaker 2: 32:20

I can get on with it. I can't be doing that and be at the events, so it's been conflicting my goal going on the show and I know there is a lot of bad press about do people go on it to get famous? I would definitely. Some candidates that I think did, but that was never my intention. It's sort of a default product that I'm now just learning to cope with on the side.

Speaker 1: 32:43

Yeah, yeah, because, like you say, winning such a sort of a show that has such a claim to it, you know it's going to. People are going to want to get to know you. You know people are going to know what you're about and what you've gone through to get to that position. Was that something that you thought would happen as much?

Speaker 2: 33:01

That's something that I'm still working on.

Speaker 1: 33:03

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 33:04

And that's an area of my life that I feel like I'm failing at, you know, because I feel there are a lot of people that, like I said before, do reach out and say you know, I want to watch your journey, I want to see it.

Speaker 1: 33:13

And.

Speaker 2: 33:13

I am awful at bringing people along for the ride and I keep promising myself to interact with people more, engage them. So a working program.

Speaker 1: 33:22

Well, you're here, you're telling your journey is through right here, so people take note. If you want to know more about Marney, right, come and talk to her.

Speaker 2: 33:29

I'll be having it again for two months after this, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Speaker 1: 33:32

Because people understand, like, especially with myself, I do have a large, large, large life. I am a big light. You know, I'm bouncy, I'm bubbly, I've got a lot of energy to burn. But then there are moments where, believe it or not, I can just sit in silence by myself in a room and I enjoy my own company. And that's when people do see me sort of chill. They're like are you okay?

Speaker 2: 33:56

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 33:56

What's wrong?

Speaker 2: 33:57

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 33:57

And I'm like, I'm fine, I'm just. You know, I filmed something the other day and my colleagues turned to me and they said are you all right? I?

Speaker 2: 34:04

said yeah, I'm just getting ready to go on. Right, I feel like there is a lot of expectation on you to remain the person that people want you to be.

Speaker 1: 34:13

Do you know what I struggle with when? I've struggled most with that is when I've been hurt or injured. Most recently, going back to European indoors, a couple years ago, I tore my hamstring. Tendons were a mess. I actually ended up having to have surgery off the back of that and I missed Tokyo Olympics. I was coming off winning the British Championships outdoors as well. So I was on a high, and that's what tends to happen with these things You're on a high and then you're hit with a low.

Speaker 1: 34:43

And I remember that championship because I am such a loud character. Social media for me is booming. People are sort of they look at me in that type of way that you're a loud character and you're this, this and that. So I remember entering a room in my crutches and the room went sort of quiet, because what you've got to recognize is you've got athletes preparing for their own competition, you've got athletes preparing to win, to try and make a final, and they look at you. And what I would do is then, all of a sudden, I'd be like what's going on, you know, and I'd get back into my usual flow.

Speaker 1: 35:16

But deep down I'm struggling because I'm thinking you know, fuck sake, this hamstring, it hurts and it's. I can feel it swelling, I can. I just want to be upset. If anything, I need, I need some comforting. But I'm one of the older members of the team. Some people don't recognize it. They're not as emotionally intelligent to recognize that. But also in a selfish world where people have to focus on their own agenda and I did and I do struggle when there was a moment where I was because it was indoor championships, it was freezing and we were actually trying to get home and I was going down on my crutches and the floor was frozen.

Speaker 1: 35:49

It was, it was in Poland and it was really cold and whatever. And I slipped and fell and I was that's enough. I lost it. I said fuck sake, and I just lost it. And I did actually turn to one of the support members, the staff, it was James Hedger, big up yourself. He actually turned around and he was just like you're all right. I said you know, I'm just tired of being having to be so positive right now. And he was like you know what? That's fine, just, you know, just just come with me, like let's just, let's just chat it out and that. And people don't recognize in those moments when although you can be that leading figure, sometimes just someone putting their arm around you and being like just just chat shit to me, just you know, be, be real with me, that's fine, you know. Just get it out and then you can reset, you know.

Speaker 2: 36:28

I could not agree with you more.

Speaker 2: 36:29

Like there's a real sense for me right now that the apprentice wasn't so long ago. There's still a lot of eyes on what I'm doing and how it's panning out and I feel the weight of the world to perform. So, even going back to that boxing analogy, like that idea of performing and being ready, being in court, performing, even now running a business and performing, I'm constantly trying to show the world like I've got this, like I've got it, but heavy is the head that wears the crown and there is a lot of darkness that goes with that pursuit of trying to be successful, like social media or that stuff. It's a world where you can be whatever you want to be, but there really is. There is a lot of hurting. Right now. I'm facing a lot of difficult decisions, you know, dealing with people and the future of the business and then financial straight like it's. It's a hard world, it's a lot.

Speaker 1: 37:23

Yeah, and there people don't recognize a lot of what goes on behind the scenes. I think this is a great space where people can actually have a moment, take time and appreciate the journey, because, although you've seen someone get to a certain point, you don't know what they did before, you don't know what they had to deal with through that process. Like, obviously we're talking about loss of loved ones, we're talking about dealing with emotions, we're talking about all of these aspects, and then people can judge you because you're on a certain place, in a certain space and, granted, you put yourself in that position and then, once you're in a successful point, it's them. I feel it's very British, I mean Americans do it and whatever else.

Speaker 1: 38:00

There's a Westernized thing where culture, where it's like everyone loves a downfall, Everyone loves to see, to hear oh it didn't go well, Darn it.

Speaker 1: 38:08

You know, oh no, it didn't go well so you know, we need to sort of help each other, lift each other and be a support and, like you said, those messages that you get from people that do say oh you know, you've inspired me, that gives you a little kick up the bum, doesn't it? It makes you think you know what that helps me. So if you are watching, if you are listening, like you know, although people in a learned position, you can still have some effect on their psyche. So the negative affects you, but the positive affects you even more.

Speaker 2: 38:34

Yeah, and going back to that first week in the apprentice and being in the bottom three, I was dragged on social media, dragged on Twitter, and it was a really hard moment and had it not been for people above me that had walked that path. So, the previous winner last year, harpreet, her partner Akshay, all these previous people that have walked that path, reaching down, grabbing me and going you got this. That come on.

Speaker 1: 39:04

That's amazing.

Speaker 2: 39:05

So it's not even just us going down and saying, guys, you can do this. It's the people above us that have walked that path, saying you'll get through it you know, and that is that's so important, and coming off the show, even people in the boxing world like Ben, the founder of BoxRot, if he's listening shout out to him because he reached out. We went and got five guys randomly.

Speaker 1: 39:28

I love that. That's where we ended up.

Speaker 2: 39:29

Yeah, we was going to go central and get dinner. We ended up in a five guys on a rainy Sunday night.

Speaker 1: 39:34

Simple.

Speaker 2: 39:35

But you know what, Like just talking it through with him, someone who's been there, like you're not alone.

Speaker 1: 39:40

Never alone, make some good things.

Speaker 2: 39:41

It's easy to find yourselves in these pits of darkness thinking how the hell am I going to get through?

Speaker 1: 39:47

this. So if you were to, like you know, in the eight months between winning it and being in this position now, what is it that? What advice would you give to yourself? Like, if you could start at that point again, what advice would you?

Speaker 2: 40:00

give yourself. Start at the point of having one. Having one. How many Empire P perquè Malong Do you want and have that? Take from his life, don't overthink it. I spent a lot of time going back to what you said about that sort of like British culture, stiff upper lip vibe. I was always brought up never to show weakness, like my mom would never let me cry in front of someone, so there's always been that front. So even now my output to the world is one that is refined, it's one that I want to show, and I'm a stickler for always showing the finished product and ta-da, look how glitzy it is, but not showing the journey, not showing the time when my whole gym filled with sewage up to a knee high.

Speaker 2: 40:40

Not showing the time when I found out every single wall was covered in asbestos, or when the lease didn't work out and I had to go back, or when I've had planning reinforcements on me telling me I can't be a gym Like no one sees that. So one regret I have, because I think it would be so valuable for the viewers to see that actually this is a bumpy road and it is not paved with gold Like there are ups and downs. I think that is such an important message, and one again I feel like I'm failing by not showing it off a bit, and I'd like to show more of.

Speaker 1: 41:13

Okay, so you can follow your own advice in that part. Now I'm holding you accountable. Now you just brought me to a revelation Like I'm holding you accountable now, so like yeah, people want to see the dirt and they want to show it. There's nothing wrong with that and it's like that BTS sort of feel and that journey. Maybe we're going to see you on YouTube now like a little. You know, cameraman following you around being like this is what's happening Cam.

Speaker 2: 41:34

Johnny Joe.

Speaker 1: 41:34

Yeah, that's the cameraman right now Simple. So if you talk about Bronx Gym, right what? Because it's a great space. You know, I've seen I think I saw one of your sort of like drawing designs, your CAD drawings of when it was the inception and how it's come together. As a someone who's come from a background of not experiencing such this type of world, what's it like being in this world and seeing your designs come to life?

Speaker 2: 42:03

Like unfathomable, Honestly unfathomable.

Speaker 1: 42:08

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 42:10

Like seeing the space. It's in Camelwell. It's a big space about to get even better, with renovated second floor and even down to the physicality of the bricks and mortar. You know, I grew up in a caravan and I would spend all my time in schools looking around the room going. If this was my bedroom, I'd put that there and I'd have that there and have that there. And that same thing applied when I walked into this big empty box in gym space. It was just wasn't. I was like I could put that there and that there, and my imagination has always been able to whatever the situation is and how dire it is, I've always been able to imagine.

Speaker 2: 42:47

So then, seeing that imagination actually physically in front of me, like tangible, I can touch it, it's just honestly incredible.

Speaker 1: 42:56

That's so good. That's so good. It's quite a unique space, like you said, like the exposed brick, and, having such, it's about to get even better. You know, harry, exciting times have come in the head, so currently it's a basement, but it's a huge basement.

Speaker 2: 43:10

It's like double height ceilings, all exposed brick, really cinematic looking. And then the second floor, which I'm currently renovating and will be ready around the end of January. Here we go. We'll have a cafe, it will have a sauna, it will have all the weights. It'll have, you know, running machines, cardio, all that stuff. Have another boxing studio it will. I'm hoping it will be like the Mecca for boxing, because you know, boxing gyms are amazing places. Amateur, grassroots spit and sodas clubs have a real magic to them, but their facilities are not there. On the other end of the spectrum, you've got these high end, bougie, fancy facilities with no heart, no one knows your name, no integrity at all.

Speaker 2: 43:54

So my whole agenda was to create that middle ground, that has that spirit of the amateur gyms but the style of the higher end gyms, Because that's what one of your like unique selling points right.

Speaker 1: 44:05

Yeah, exactly it was the fact that I remember you getting grilled about gyms being a saturated market and you know how are you gonna stand out, and for you, it was all about community and it was all about people recognising where they are, who they're with and what they're trying to do. Is that something that has come to life?

Speaker 2: 44:22

Absolutely Like the gym has now. It's like core OG members and it's really starting to feel like a family. People will check in on people if they don't come to the gym. And you know we've got younger kids that are coming up and starting to get that father figure dynamic with some of our coaches and it's blossoming into something that has roots. You know this isn't just a commercial offering. We just popped up, we put some bags up and we started charging people. This is something people have an allegiance with, like. They're connected to it and I think they'll ride for us. So if the gym encounters difficulties, they'll be the guys that stand up and represent it and that is all I could ever ask for Like, because that's from a business perspective. That's where the longevity is. That's the same feeling that people buy into their football club because they back it. You know you don't back.

Speaker 1: 45:12

Do you plan on having events there?

Speaker 2: 45:14

Yes, well, I'd like to have some small events there, but I wanna go big. I've spoke a lot about wanting to explore promoting events and go into that side of things, which I've doubled in previously, but I'd like to do it properly.

Speaker 1: 45:27

I did read that somewhere. You know I like to go big Like a mini Eddie Herne, something like that Mini. I hope you see big one.

Speaker 2: 45:33

I'm kicking Eddie Herne off. He's had us on Mini. Eddie, you're listening Howdy.

Speaker 1: 45:37

She's coming for your throne Show off, I did meet.

Speaker 2: 45:40

I went to a TNT sports event and Frank Warren was there and I always wanted to meet him. Hadn't yet and went over and introduced myself and I shook his hand.

Speaker 1: 45:50

Thank you.

Speaker 2: 45:50

And then I said to him wait, see, let me get my hair flick ready. I was like I'm coming for you. Oh, I love that. She's probably thinking who's?

Speaker 2: 45:59

this little girl Like oh wait but you know, everything starts with that. You know that might sound like a really big ambition now, but every big ambition started with a seed. This whole idea of having a boxing gym started with being in my legal career and like just browsing on right, maybe seeing what's out there, just sowing that tiny seed, and look at what it's became. So I think it's really important that's it. That's another thing I think is important is believing yourself. I believe in actually what you've known.

Speaker 1: 46:26

Yeah, I often tell a lot of people that being your own biggest fan is a must. My mum taught me that you know, like, don't be scared of people, don't be scared of them, it's you that's gonna drive yourself forward. And it's so funny that you said that you know, when you just said I'm coming for you in that moment. I remember I always get teased about this because when I was younger I don't recall saying these things, but I did go around. I'd meet some of my idols and you know people above me I think it was an MLF or a Christian I'd shake their hand and be like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm coming to break this record, yeah, but I would just be saying that as a goal of mine. But they were looking at me like who's this cocky little?

Speaker 2: 47:02

Exactly, I hate you.

Speaker 1: 47:04

Who's this cocky little so and so.

Speaker 1: 47:06

And I remember like yeah, when I was 14, I was the fastest fortune in the full time of Europe around 1083. And then you know, I was the first person to and I may not have broke that specific goal, but then I've got a goal. So whether it was the first person to do the double of the world youths you know going on to be. I think one of my best recollections of a thing that I've done is the fact that I was the first British athlete to medal at under 18, under 20, under 23, and get a senior medal. So I was the first person to get a medal in every category in that perspective. So there's a lot of things that people that know. But when you put something out there to do something, something's gonna return.

Speaker 2: 47:44

How the hell are you gonna make something happen if even you don't believe it?

Speaker 1: 47:47

Like how are you gonna do it?

Speaker 2: 47:48

And I think self-esteem is such a barrier. You know, like I said, get these young kids coming and they're from bad situations, involved with the wrong people, and often when it comes out, when you start talking to them, the thing is they don't think they can do it, so they've got themselves out the race before they've even had a go.

Speaker 1: 48:07

They've accepted defeat.

Speaker 2: 48:09

They've accepted defeat, they've accepted their fate. And you have to. You have to, and it's something I struggle with because I'm also my own worst critic. Even watching that pitch back in the apprentice, I should have said that. Why didn't I say that? I missed that.

Speaker 1: 48:24

But you've won. But people say that.

Speaker 2: 48:26

But for me I've still not had that like glory moment of thinking yes, well done, Like it's still, you could have done a bit better, you should have tried a bit harder you know, so it's important to be critical, but it's also really important to actually, in your gut somewhere, know, like you know, what I actually could do this. I could be like you with that thing. I could be that person that breaks that record.

Speaker 1: 48:47

Like.

Speaker 2: 48:48

I got it.

Speaker 1: 48:48

And the thing is I find that if let's say, for example, you were to sit there and it's not necessarily you're trying to you know there's a realism of being, of setting goals and allowing yourself to believe, but it's also celebrating those micro victories. Because if you're not sort of celebrating the process and you know one day it's, you know, for a lot of people it might be like I want to go to the gym, you know, for three times a week and when you achieve that, celebrate it. You're allowed to pat yourself on your back rather than, obviously, in my world of athletics and sprinting, yeah, you're only as good as your last race. You could literally have run a personal best two weeks ago, but you then have a bad race. You focus on the bad race when actually two weeks ago I just smashed my personal best and it's put me X, Y and Z in the world and there's so many things to celebrate around it. Be proud of where you are and what you're doing.

Speaker 2: 49:42

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 49:43

Yeah, as Brits, we just don't celebrate micro victories enough.

Speaker 2: 49:46

Well, it's what I was going to say like I find that really hard, really really hard. I can't think of a moment in the last, even though people would say, oh, you've achieved so much that you've done well, I can't think of a moment looking back where I felt it, where in myself I was like I'm so happy and maybe it's my own downfall and my curse is that I constantly want more. It could have been better, like if we make this much money. It could have been a few grand more than that or it's always.

Speaker 1: 50:18

Do you know. The thing is, though, there's traits within us that obviously is a drive. That's what drives you do. You know what I mean, but maybe that is the point where we're gonna have to pop round and be like yo, chill for a minute, let's celebrate for a quick second, and it can take that support network to give you that ideology to go. I need someone else to let me recognize when I need a moment to celebrate, and I find that my network allows me to do that. It's just having a moment, like you said, because even when I'm injured or when I'm rehabbing I couldn't do this last week and I'm doing this this week let me take a moment to celebrate, and it might even just be the fact that you treat yourself, and I'm gonna take 20 minutes to play a little bit of PlayStation, or I'm gonna have a Crunchy, or you know one of those things. Just have a moment to go.

Speaker 2: 51:04

I'm good, I've done well, you're so right, you're so right. But like even back to when I was boxing, when I was trying to get back into it, so like when I did the law stuff, I fell off, wasn't going to the gym at all. When I was trying to get back into it I'd run and I'd time myself and I'd be like I'd cut a minute off my time. But then I'd be like, yeah, but it should have been two minutes. You know constantly be, and I do worry that maybe I'll never actually be happy.

Speaker 1: 51:27

So then, this is the question then, sir. So what's next? Where are we going and how are we gonna now be happier with what we're doing?

Speaker 2: 51:34

I like how you're saying we because, that suggests you're gonna get on my case.

Speaker 1: 51:38

Like you did. Well, don't be happy. I'm gonna share that support network.

Speaker 2: 51:43

Well, even that in itself is hard. Like I do feel very alone in all this. I don't have a lot of time to spend with friends, so yeah, no, you're busy, so lonely journey.

Speaker 1: 51:53

Like you said, you've taken on a big responsibility, and with Bronx, is it the case of expanding? You're renovating all of these things. So the plan?

Speaker 2: 52:00

is get the second layer sorted in February open. Get that established. I'm looking at the second site now in anticipation of how long these things take. So looking at the second site actually sort of coming your way a little bit.

Speaker 1: 52:12

Maybe quite an area which would be cool.

Speaker 2: 52:15

We'd love to just keep expanding. The more gyms there are, the more access there is to it, the more lives we're gonna hit and impact.

Speaker 1: 52:22

And for you on a personal note what? Where do you feel like you wanna be? Like? How is it? What can we expect from you on a personal note, cause obviously now we're gonna see the BTSs anyway. Yeah, I'm gonna make a commitment.

Speaker 2: 52:33

Here is my vow to doing it On a personal note. I just wanna I do. I wanna be more accountable, wanna show people what it's all about and let people come along on that journey a little bit more away from business. My personal goal is to buy more properties. That is my retirement plan.

Speaker 1: 52:52

More business.

Speaker 2: 52:53

More properties, cause what is crazy is actually the real end goal is to have a house somewhere, find peace and not have any of the chaos. I don't want a fast London city life, dubai life I don't want any of that, don't want no fancy bags or cars. I want an estate on an island somewhere, buy the sea and have peace. So, it's crazy because I could probably afford now a little shack out there somewhere and I could go and have my peace for life. But here I am running the rat race.

Speaker 1: 53:22

Oh, marty Well look, it's been an absolute pleasure having you on and hopefully I can get you back again. For you know we can discuss the second site when it's local and I can pop around to it. But obviously, look, guys, tune in. You know support Marty on her journey. You know messages, you know of some form of positivity go a long way. And yeah, harry's Gym Chat. Hope you enjoyed.