EP:003 Wilfred Webster - From Teaching to being cast as "The Traitor"

In this conversation, Costa and Will Webster discuss various topics including Will's experience on the TV show The Traitors, his career journey, mental health, and personal tragedies. Will shares how he applied for The Traitors after being approached by the production company and talks about his strategy as a traitor on the show. He also opens up about his career as a teacher, his passion for dance, and the risks he took to pursue his dreams. Will discusses his experiences with mental health, including the loss of his brother, and his involvement in mental health charities. He also mentions his upcoming charity walk from London to Liverpool. He also shares his thoughts on religion and faith, highlighting the impact it has had on his life. 

Listen to the full episode here:

Apple> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-risk-no-story/id1754426725

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Watch on Youtube> https://youtu.be/DyepT5Q-iJM

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TikTok> https://www.tiktok.com/@costa.michael_

Transcript

Wilf (00:00.128)
You don't even need to be religious to look at some of the quotes that will resonate with your life. Yeah. My dad was always bringing out proverbs, Throwing out proverbs. book's for the wisdom, man. Wisdom, man. And he said to me, he's like, knowledge isn't wisdom unless it's applied. Wow. And I was like, that was strong, man.

Wilf (00:21.504)
In the chair with me now, I've got Will Webster, the man that made the traders the traders. Yeah, hopefully you'll be a good faithful in the chair today. But yeah, introduce yourself, man. Like, hi, my name is Will. This is the weirdest podcast I've ever done and the weirdest haircut I've ever had. I'm never been in a chair where I can't see myself. I feel so awkward and weird, but it's gonna be fine. So yeah, I'm a content creator, TV personality, at the moment, mainly content

I enjoy it a little bit more and TV's a bit strange at the moment so hopefully that will change. But yeah, just content creator and father and husband. That's it, two beautiful little girls, right? Two beautiful girls, man. Come on, that's what I like to hear. And you not seeing the trim is part of the brand, no risk, no story. So it's you taking the risk, bro, but hopefully you're gonna get a good trim. Let's talk about the hair. What are the orders? Skin fade, mid skin fade. Tiny bit off the top because it's going.

He's about to expose my hairline during this podcast. When you wet the top of it, yeah, you pull it back. Watch. Watch the hairline. But you know what? Before this, I was like, yeah, I'll do it. So I thought I'd grow my hair a bit and grow my beard so it looks... And then yesterday, I'm really sorry, man. I had to get like... I looked homeless at one point. was like, I need to get somebody to trim it. part of the job, it's fine. But at least... I had to get a little shape up on my beard. 30 % of the trim is done, but the hair's the main thing. hair's the main thing. Someone do a midfade, drop it.

back a bit and then yeah, not take too much off because you want the volume still. Yeah, let's get to it bro, man. So tell me about the Traitors. What made you apply for that show at the beginning? What made me apply for the show? Do you know what? It was so, I was originally, not a lot of people know this. Have you heard of The Circle? The TV show, The Circle on Netflix? Yeah, yeah. So it's the same production company that made that. So I went, I was approached for The Circle.

Wow, okay. Through social media and then... And then I went to live in the Circle apartments, well, in the apartments near the Circle. And then I was in the casting pool, so they normally get loads of people and then bring you one later, if that makes sense. Yeah. But I didn't get chosen, so I spent a month there in Manchester away from my family and kids. And then they came up to me and they were like, yeah, we're not going to use you. I was like... That's peak, Yeah, bro.

Wilf (02:45.026)
Literally. was, yeah, and I was really upset about it. Stopped doing social media, everything for like three, four months and then carried on doing socials. And then I, of that experience, I was following Studio Lambert who made Make The Circle and I seen them advertise. It was advertised as a psychological adventure game show. That's what his advertiser was. So I DM them and had a chat with a guy called Dave. He's like the cast and producer.

Yeah, and literally within a month I was on the plane to film it and it was just like... Yeah, was a really, really mad experience. know, even just flying. It my first time flying, bro. I'd never been on a plane before that. And that's to what? To Scotland? To Scotland, yeah. I've never been to Scotland. Just the weather puts me off. I know it was filmed in an amazing castle. Yeah, but the weather was all right. We filmed in Maytime and Maytime's quite nice up there where it was for us.

So I don't think we actually had any reign for the whole, we were there for three and a heard a rumor, who owned the castle against some famous person? you don't know? I have no idea, but I do know that. I think they've leased it for a very long time. So there's going to be a million seasons of it until it gets boring. And so when you got approached, did they ask you at the beginning if you're going to be a traitor or a traitor and then you choose your preference? Yeah, like, so they want a game plan. So they ask you for a game plan of if you was a faithful or a traitor and...

And then you told them what your preference is as well. So I gave them a game plan for a faithful, which was like, I can't even remember to be fair. I think it was be a middle man. Don't be the one to plant the seeds. Yeah. But be the one to water them. You know, all that sort of stuff. Like don't be someone to say too much, but not say too little. And then as a traitor, said befriend and betray. So my whole strategy was.

Murder the people that are closest to me because I'm not very good at faking emotions. You suck to that literally. Yeah, man until the end though. So like what happened is Yeah, so I thought to myself that I'm gonna Yeah, I'm gonna murder everyone who's really close to me because when they don't come to breakfast I'd feel really guilty and I'd get upset naturally and I wouldn't have to fake it. So Yeah, and it was it was my I cried so much man. I've never cried so much my

Wilf (05:01.322)
Why? What does it do to you like emotionally then when you're actually filming this stuff? Because you're building real relationships, you? Yeah, so my brain, right? You you've been on holiday, right? You make holiday friends. Yeah. You become really good friends with them and you're like best friends and then you just add each other on Facebook and never really chat again. Like, that's what I convinced myself they were going to be. I was like, yeah, they're all going to be holiday friends. But within the first, I don't know, the first day we all spent so much time together and then

You get to know each other's stories as well. Everyone's there for a reason, Obviously you had people like Nikki who had one arm. Yeah. wanted to get... I think they fundraised. Yeah, they've done quite well for her. But there were so many people there for better Genuine stories, isn't it? Yeah, my story went... I wanted to get married, but I already paid for the wedding. But was like... I really wanted to open a gym. I really loved helping young people, man.

So you know I used to teach and stuff and... So prior to the Traitors you were a teacher? So basically my dad's an ex -professional boxer. So when I was about, I don't know, 11 he asked me... Well he didn't ask me, he took me to the gym. And all my brothers we used to box. I did really well. Like had 30 odd fights. About 36, 133. Way down. Yeah amateur fights, yeah did really well.

national finalist, won all the Eastern, like Eastern, I was living in Peter at the time. So I won the Eastern counties champion for three years in a row. Yeah. It did really well. And then it was good for me, man, but I had a lot of anger issues. So I got excluded from school when I was in year nine permanently. Okay. And what was that for? If you could remember. I was assaulting a teacher. Really? Yes. Yeah. What they just pissed you off so much. Yeah. Basically.

Somebody made a racial slur and the teacher tried to defend it and yeah, I just couldn't help it So I switched and then man of the people though. Yeah. Yeah, and then I ended up working as a slave, So my dad was a laborer. I was a laborer for my dad's man. So I was I've never got paid So the whole of year nine yet, I was working mixing cement carrying bricks for nothing my day, then I bet and they knocked down the school that I used to go to yeah an academy You know, they're all doing that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah said a built an academy

Wilf (07:22.574)
And then my dad and me had a meeting and I begged to go back and said I'll never get in trouble again. In year 10, went back in year 10, never got in trouble again, but discovered dance. Bro, imagine this conversation, yeah? I had to go home to my dad to go, I want to be a dancer. I like Billy Elliot, bro. I went home, I was like, dad, I want to be a dancer. He's like, what do you From carrying bricks and making cement and that. And boxing. I was like, I want to fight, dad. No, I want to dance. And he went, what?

and he like, weren't very happy until he watched me dance. I'm sure I can't say this, he must have thought, man, I better ask his sexuality after this. Yeah, he was, yeah, yeah, my dad's a traditional old schooled guy. So yeah, it was very weird. And then we had to, yeah, then he came, I had to dance secretly. And then when he came to watch your performance, he watched me, I was doing street dance. I think he thought I was going to be a ballet dancer. And then he cried that day, after the show and came up to me, he was like.

you're happy? said, yeah, you've got to it. That's incredible. Yeah. So I ended up doing dance for four years in secondary school. Left, up touring my dance company. So I set up my own dance company. We had 250 dancers. Wow, man. Yeah. That's incredible. My first business. Yeah. And then we set up that. How old was you then? 19. 19 I Right, that's young.

You have that entrepreneurial mindset from a young age to do your own thing. And do you know what? I never made a loss, man. So what I did is, this is a bit of advice, if you ever want to start some kind of performing arts stuff or anything, the best thing I did was I said to them, to the school that I was working at, said, look, I've set up a business. I want to use the studio. But for the first 10 weeks, can we do a 60 -40 split on everything I make? So I can build up my...

profile. So when the 10 weeks finished, I had about 30 dancers was doing free pound, free pound per dancer, 20 pounds for the studio. So it was making money. And then it just kept growing and growing from that. And then, yeah, I went on this was a backing dancer. And then, yeah, and then I got asked, it's a really weird situation. So I got called. So I just finished touring and stuff with my group in that. And I got a phone call.

Wilf (09:36.835)
from one of the head teachers, like the deputy head, saying, what you doing? I was like, not much. They were like, I was like, just my dance company stuff. They were like, do you want to be a dance teaching assistant? I said, yeah, go on then. Why not? But they set me up hard, mate. So when I went there, I went there to be a dance TA, then we're back. In a month, the dance teacher left. And they were like, yeah, just take his classes. So I ended up being a teacher. my days. That was not planned. No. So I ended up teaching there for two years. Yeah. And then I left

I got offered a job in London at Elstree. Yeah, yeah. There's a school part of Elstree Studios, which is all performing arts. Did you ever do pineapple studios or no? Yeah, I used to go, not as a teacher, I used to go there when I was young, man. I used to get training to London on school trips and stuff. My next -door neighbour is, think, I don't know if her name's Meg or something, but she's short blonde hair. She's about one of the long -serving managers there.

Yeah, Pineapple Studios, I don't know what it's like now, but back in the days when I was 15, 16, this is 15 years ago, was like, I used to travel with school to just have sessions there. Cool. And then, yes, I ended up teaching, and then I worked for a school, and there was some racism going on. Some student told me about the racist, like a teacher told him, said a racial slur to him in class.

So he was like, how would you feel if I called you the N -word, right? Are you serious? Yeah, 100%. And the school, the student told me, so I obviously went and spoke to my manager and like, I'm like the head of performing arts. So we took it to the head teacher and he tried to sweep it under the carpet. So we did, them to court, man. Yeah, we took them to court, fully went in on them, bro. Like, and got all the evidence and everything. But yeah, so, so I left teaching because of that. was like, I

It was so political and I didn't... And there's a union, right? They protect each other. What do you say? I had my own union. Well, not my own, but I went with a smaller union called Equal Justice, which is mainly for people of ethnic minorities or the racism cases. I went with a woman called Marcia and she came and destroyed the school. my So yeah, we did do it. I did that. Left the school, got a payout. Got paid from it. Left the school. I'm sitting at home, bro. Listen to this. I'm sitting at home in London.

Wilf (11:54.222)
Yeah, so me and my wife are together at that time, but we're living separately because we only just met sort of thing. And I'm sitting in this flat, not even a flat of room, 800 pound a month, yeah. And I'm like, I haven't got a job. Yeah, but I was in a room, man. And this was how many years ago? This was 10 years ago, 11 years ago. how it would be now though, 800 quid. Yeah, it was a lot of money because it was in Barnet, innit? Yeah, yeah. Like Prime Barnet. Prime Barnet, Prime Barnet. So 800 pounds. And I was like, what am going to do?

So you know you go on Indeed and I type in job. swear I typed in job and it came up fundraising. So I ended up becoming one of them guys that stand in the street and try and sign you up for charity. my, you guys are annoying if you did that man. I did so well. Yeah. But I did so well at I loved it man. And then I ended up going to a bigger company and doing their door to door stuff. Yeah. I was knocking door to door and then I got made redundant just before my second kid.

two days before she was born. but luckily two days after she was born, had a phone call from Cancer Research UK, right? And they're like, are you in, do you want to work with us? We're building our own team. Like no, we don't want to use agencies really. Like we want to have, well, we want to use agencies, but we want to have our own team as well. So I ended up going to CRUK.

and climbed up to be the manager of face -to -face fundraiser, man. That's incredible. Yeah. And with no degree, nothing, I did all of this, man. Just by... Wow, wow. I've got this dry... just... I don't want to be... Your motive, man. man. Yeah, don't believe in being average. So, that comes with the question, like, this is no risk, no story. So, the question is, like, what's the biggest risk, then, looking back, that you've taken, that you've got a story to tell? Big question. The biggest risk I've ever taken in my life... Yeah. ..after the traders,

Imagine this, I'm on a really good salary working for the biggest charity in the UK. Yeah. And I don't feel right taking a salary from a charity if I can't give 100 % because I was always doing podcasts or always filming or doing stuff. Yeah, yeah. So the biggest risk was literally saying, I'm going to quit this job and just see what happens. And you've got two kids, a mortgage, a wife. That is big. Million on one bills, like direct debits.

Wilf (14:05.91)
What was the reaction at home like when you went this full time? Do you know what, I'll be honest, my wife is like... Man, she's a goddess. She's my Greek goddess, That's what I like. She is like... And there's been months, I'm not even going lie, there's been months where I'm like... And do you know what, I'll be honest, when you go on to a big show like The Traitors, such a big show, it's hard to get a normal job, Like, you can't get a normal job, not for...

Unless you're in a job and you don't quit it. If you quit it and you try, it's hard because people are like, and for me who did the whole 12 episodes and some people, not myself would say I was one of the main characters, right? So it's like not a character, but main people in it. But so for me, that was really hard. And it was, I took risk and it was up and down, up and down. It's paid off now, but the first year. So don't forget, I did

I quit my job last, not this January, the January before. So there was 23. Yeah. So cause it came out when November and December. Okay. I quit my job in January and worked really hard on social media and I, TikTok weren't paying out as much either. They had their own old creator program and I won't get many brand deals. I got signed by major in March. So I had like February was

dead. was no actually wasn't dead. I was doing like a million on one podcast. Right. So that's so that I'm a trim, not having a trim, not having a trim whilst I'm doing it by not actually being able to see a person like the hardest thing is normally in the podcast you speak to a person. Yeah. But I can't just turn my head or my head piece is going to be done. So I'm speaking and I can't even see my hair being guys and weird. But yeah. So yeah. I did like loads of podcasts and stuff, which made the money

Then sort of it was really weird for me. was we went for a really dry patch and Then it was good How do you deal with those dry patches though? My wife man. My wife is like my she's my best mate. you know when you the brownie points in here, I she is the most beautiful woman like as a person and in as to look at as well like

Wilf(16:32.376)
So, keep them hot and spicy is what I say. She's honestly, she's helped me so much to the point where there was months where I weren't earning money. because she's got a really good job, she's a head of media. Well, she was just an English teacher at the time, but she had quite a lot of responsibilities. So, and having two kids and stuff, we were literally, I remember one month, I had to ring my mum and be like.

Mum, can I have 20 quid for two days? For two days, And this was after the traitors. You just won a BAFTA, bro. I just won a BAFTA and had no money. It was weird. And then with my agent, we've been able to work together. We're still working together for a year and a half now. And we're good friends as well. And he's really good at what he does. we've done... Then I got my first brand deal, which was with Disney.

and Disney obviously like Disney got money. Really? What do you have to do with Disney? So I had to react to their latest series, it was Secret Invasion. So it was with two other creators, Sam Kornforth and Lucy. I can't remember her last name, But they were two other really good creators, so we had to just react to it and be interviewed about it. And that was my first like big payday.

Yeah, yeah. then all of a sudden... covered back the £20 plus interest. yeah, yeah. And then after that, like, I did loads of different brand deals and social media. I did a lot of filming for TV. did Red Nose, like, Comic Relief. Obviously, that's unpaid, though, but, like, I made friends there and then ended up getting on Would I Lie To You, which is a big BBC show. Yeah. And then I got onto other shows. And then when Traitor Season 2 came out, naturally, you're going to be a bit insecure. You're like, no.

But you know did you make off Harry? He smashed it, innit? Harry smashed it, bro. And I was rooting for the traitors as well, right? You're a team traitor. Yeah, I'm team traitor. Like, I'm not a team, not team Harry at the moment, but I was team to Harry then. I'm not anymore because of something that's happened that, yeah, so he unfollowed me. enough, fair enough. He unfollowed me on Instagram, bro. Is it? Yeah. Out nowhere, it was interesting. Yeah, out of nowhere, and I asked him. anyway. Fair enough.

Costa (18:49.102)
Traitors beefing it, that's what it is, bro. You're all out for each other, man. And I was supporting, I was messaging... have killed you straight away then. Yeah, 100%. Like, now, we were speaking through the whole show, but he's a really nice guy. I've met him in person once, briefly. And then... Yeah, so Traitor Season 2 came out and I was lucky because I was like a BBC correspondent, so I was speaking about it on morning TV every day. Like, and obviously that's paid. And then all of a sudden I was doing magazine covers, like doing podcasts with magazines.

Who was I doing it with? When are you going be modeling for? Nah, not that bro. Nah. Nah. My daughter was a model for Next though when she was one years old. Yeah, she was. But yeah man, so I did that in January, February obviously was dry. Like went proper dry. And then I realised I wasn't focusing on social media enough.

And you'll notice my social media, I never talk about the Traitors. It's like the Traitors was a long time ago. helped me where I know you I already had a quarter of a million followers before that on TikTok. But I only spoke about it when it was on. And then after it was like, continue doing what I'm doing. And then Tom from season one with the pink hair, right? Yeah, He was like... Everyone was interested in his mrs, right? I loved Yeah, Matt was... Yeah, Yeah, Matt. Was that awkward seeing

Well no, because I didn't know about it. So when I found out it a get -together I was like, this is awkward bro. But now like, went to, I was with Tom the other day in Dynamo bro. He's a magician isn't he? Bro he's like, works with Dynamo man. you serious? I was with Dynamo the other day. It was Tom's birthday, surprise birthday party on Sunday. That's sick man. Yes I was with...

Tom, Alex, his family, and his auntie was on an ITV reality show not that long ago called Fortune Hotel. She was cool as well. So like, anyway, going back, yeah, so February was a weird one. And then I thought, do you know what? I'm just going to go in on social media. And then Tom was like, you need to get on the streets, So I went on the streets, doing my stuff, what I do now. And then, that was it. And then all of, yeah. he's

Costa (21:04.096)
Mate, he's one of the best creative directors in the world on social media. Seriously? That's how he... And magic consultant as well. So he changed my life basically. I owe it to him. That's what I see these days is on the streets interviewing someone about something. Yeah, exactly. So I did that and smashed it and worked with... I've worked with... Apple, U Switch.

Old Spice. What's been your favourite to do so far? In terms of easy life. Most fun, what's most passionate you would say you've been about doing something with something. Mentals man, obviously I don't pay for the, I don't charge for mental, like I get, cause I've worked with charity for so long. Certain charities reached out and was like, would you be interested in, and I did a VT, like a video.

video for BBC Comet Relief for Octopus Foundation, which is a men's mental health charity. So what they do is you go there and build shit out of wood, And then why does that resonate with you so much mental health? Is it something that you've suffered with or you've seen people suffer with? Well, when I was, yeah, I feel like I've always had these battles with mental health. And then when I was probably, yeah, how old was I? So I was in secondary school.

And I went through a really bad childhood. We won't talk too much about that. I had a really bad childhood and I ended up spending a lot of time with my grandparents. And when my granddad died... So they kind of raised you, your grandparents, and then with your siblings? Yeah, with my siblings. My dad and mum were involved, but they were going through their own toxic relationship and it bit weird. So I ended up living a lot with my nan and granddad. My granddad passed away when I was literally doing my GCSEs, bro. So imagine this, doing maths GCSE.

someone comes in, you know what they're like in school, can we have a word? I'm like, what have I done now? They're like, your granddad's died. I was like, what? And then the head teacher, best head teacher ever, you know you have exam invigilators, he literally let me do all my exams in his office and he sat there with me so I didn't have to be around everyone and he was sick, man. So you'll never forget that man. then I went to sixth form.

Costa (23:24.834)
My nan got really sick and became a full -time carer with my brother and my auntie Dawn. Okay. So me and my brother moved in with my nan. We used have to take her toilet, give her medicine. I used to come back at break time and lunch time during school and feed her and like look after her basically and stay there all night. Yeah. And then when she passed, she passed away during my

Year, no, it year 13. Yeah, year 13 exams, which were like your last ones and I got, no, year 12, sorry. And I got really depressed and I felt really bad about it. And was like Was you like suicidal? Did you think about that? Nah, man. For me, was just, I couldn't stop crying. And I just, it was so emotional for me, but I was lucky because I had friends and I wouldn't say family because everyone's going through the same as a family, right? So my friends at school, my teachers were really supportive. And then

The worst thing ever happened in my life, bro. So I'm in year 13 now. So imagine I just lost my granddad, my nan. I'm in year 13. I went to the gym. My dad's an ex -professional boxer. Like I said, we used to go training together. I've come home. I've gone upstairs and my dad's hard, man. And I heard my dad crying. I'm like, what's going on? Went downstairs and he just went, your brother's dead. Yeah, bro. Dude, are you serious? Yeah, man. How old was your brother? 27, man. I was 17. Yeah, so my brother Junior.

He passed away when I was 17. It's great to hear that bro. It's alright man and that was like, yeah, that was when my mental health spiralled. I went on antidepressants and the doctors were like, when they give you antidepressants they don't really know how you're gonna react man. So some of them made me paranoid and like I didn't speak to no one about how was feeling. And then one day, like it's like three months after I went and stayed with one of my other brothers.

And he, my bag was open and he seen the antidepressants. He was like, what are these bro? And I was like, they're antidepressants. And he was like, you don't need them. You've got me. And then he cried and I cried and I held him, my brother Theo. And we cried. And then from that day forward, like I didn't need antidepressants. I know like they do help people. They didn't really help me. They made me more paranoid and weird. I can't explain it. And then yeah, I cried my brother like Theo and

Wilf (25:43.31)
After that, we just, I was okay. But then it's as I've got older, I'm like, like when I was 27, man, I'm 31 now, when I was 27 for something in my brain told me I was going to die. Something told me that you're not going to, you can't be older than your older brother. It doesn't make sense. So 27 was a really hard age for me. And that was a weird, yeah, just a really strange time. And then now when it comes to mental health, like I work with loads of different charities.

I'm doing a walk from London to Liverpool. that is later this year? Yeah, September. Yeah, with Ivan from season one as well. man. So me and him are walking from London to Liverpool. Is that the guy with the longest hair? Yeah, yeah. It's become, which is like a suicide charity. That's so good, man. And yeah, get people to support and fundraise for that. so. And people can walk with us. That's why we're not doing some mad run, bro. I was like, let's do a walk.

So people can come and talk about their relationships, their lives or whatever if they want to chat to us and just chill. I think that's important. That's awesome, man. Wait, before you move on, what was it the cause of your brother's death? Was it mental health for him or was it just sickness or just was it just shock from the... What was it? He'd have to go in? I can... Yeah.

Yeah, so he had a lot, he was born with kidney failure. Okay. And just got into drugs, bro. really? Yeah, got into drugs and couldn't get a transplant because like he smoking weed and whatever and it was not good for him and bro, he was on dialysis and stuff. But you know, like you just don't, you prepare yourself, I think, for grandparents, but your sibling, you don't, even if they're ill, you just don't, I don't know, even though he was.

Normal like function normal. We had his dialysis once twice well twice a day Sometimes four times a day you have different packets so you can have like a 12 12 hour like drip like that filters out filters out and then yeah, his body just I think he's just gave in man, and he like he stopped smoking and stuff and then I'm drinking your style drinking man. He just you know when you stop smoking and I Don't know his body's body got better and

Costa (27:59.542)
His body, just had a heart attack man, just out of nowhere. I feel like it, for me it's like, I feel like his body was just like, we're done. Yeah, and it weren't, yeah. And he was on, he was on good road, good track. Like I can't imagine being told as a baby, like not as a baby, but growing up knowing that you're sick, it must be really hard. Yeah, is. It's like a time bomb, a sentence, a life sentence on your life, innit? Yeah. So when he passed away, yeah, it was really hard. Like I said, the antidepressants didn't help and...

Sometimes you just need to hear from someone like you don't you've got me man You can talk to me and then ever since then like I over share. Yeah, I tell everyone My life and I can't help it and I think it's my way of coping It's good to speak things out and not hold it in like you verbally like process things. Yeah, it's like women love it Yeah, we love it. All right. Here's a question Yeah, go on what drives you in life and what you're doing at the moment What motivates you to get up every day and do what you do?

All I want is my wife to be able to retire from work. That is literally the answer. Fair enough, And I want to get out of this country. Bro, you know how many brownie points you're going get when this comes out and she watches Bro, she knows it. I tell her every day. Like, main thing is to be able to earn enough money. Yeah. I want to buy another house in Liverpool. OK. Right next to the stadium. Nah, man. I want to do it as a student accommodation in a place called Smithdown, which is like where lot of the students live. Put it as a HMO. Yeah, that's a idea.

And then me and her can just go Cyprus and just enjoy our lives, man. I don't want to be working when I'm 40 years old, to be fair. I hear that. Nine years of this plan, that has become a reality. And I'm not that guy that's like, if you make millions and millions of pounds, you just want to make more and more. I want to make them that kind of money, but I don't want to be a slave to it and be like, yeah, cool, I can live now and just enjoy myself. Because time of your family, time you can never get

That's true. can. I've been broke so many times in my life. When I moved to London, mate, when I met my wife, my wife was, my wife's older than me, right? She's eight years older than me. is it? Yeah. So when we met was I was 21, 20, yeah, 21. She was really quite successful. Yeah. And all I had was a mattress on a floor in an £800 room, bro. That's all I had, mate, honestly. And then all of a sudden, like, over time, we've got a house together.

Costa (30:22.816)
We bought a house together, we got married, we've done quite well in our life. And money comes and goes. It really does. But time doesn't. That's so true. The time I want my kids. I have so much fun with my kids, they're my best friends. I can't explain it, it's like having a little Pokemon, man. You look after your Pokemon and then when you get kids, man, you're teaching them to roar and bite. Have you got a flame thrower, hasn't that? But now my kids are my best friends, man. I have so much fun with them.

My wife, I just to spend time with them. Is that what happiness is for you? Happy family, happy wife? Yeah, happy wife, happy life, man. Everyone forgets about the happy husband though as well, you know? No, my wife don't forget about that. Like, what you've got to think about is, with my wife we met in such dire circumstances in terms of me, like I was nothing. And we fell in love and she loved me.

for who I was. That's why I don't care who I meet. I can meet beautiful women in terms of what I do. You would see women, they don't really talk to me more. My wife thinks I'm Leonardo DiCaprio, bro. She's like, you meet all these women? like, I don't know who you think I am. I'm not gonna be able to take them home. I don't want to, but even if I tried, I probably couldn't. Do you know what mean? So my wife is my whole, she's literally

If it weren't for her, don't know where I'd be. I had a bad time with drinking and drugs back in the days, man. When I was young, young. You've overcome a lot, man, but she was like your solid ground to fall back on, Yeah, she's my security and safety, but it's weird because when people become a mum, when women become a mum, it feels like they lose their identity. For men, we're always going to be men. But with women, it's like they become a mum and my kids are obsessed with her.

So who and like the other week I literally for her birthday, I bought her a ticket to New York in October. That's so nice. Her family, her cousins are there. So I'm like, just go and just be you. Like, yeah, I mean, you don't have to be a mom or a good on you wife. I think it's really important for us to realize that. That we have it so much easier than them, I think, in different ways. The only thing we don't have easier is the ability to actually talk.

Costa (32:53.318)
Women talk about everything, Are sure you ain't got that ability? No, I have. This guy, bro. No, no, I have. All my friends are like, how are you doing with your life, bro? They're like, yeah, I'm all right. Yeah, one way or the other. No, it's good, But you know what I'm talking about. but my happiness equals just, I just don't, I don't want to work. I want to, I don't believe in passive income until you have to work really hard for that to become a possibility.

All these kids bro, I go to schools, you know, I do school talks. So I'm going to Switzerland in two weeks. always do talks for year 11s. I talk about my life like I have today. That's so cool bro. To let them know I've had a hard life and you can get through it and I give them tips of everything. You know one thing I do, I go, who wants to be an entrepreneur? They will do this. their hand up. And then I go, in what? And they all go.

I don't know. I'm like, do you know what? Do they even know what an entrepreneur is? They're like, businessman. I want to make loads of money. I'm like, yeah, but in what? You have to be entrepreneurial in tech, clothing, whatever. You have to pick some kind of something. And the thing is, bro, job for me, like this guy, have you heard of Sully Breaks? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sully Breaks, I've been getting one of this, by the way. All right, cool. Yeah, we chat. So Sully Breaks, he did that thing, a talk, and he said, job means just over broke. And I believe that, but.

It's really important that when you leave school, if you have a dream to become whatever, you still need to be able to have that money coming in and doing something. You can't leave school and be like, I'm going to do this and this. Everything needs to fund something. Like you're doing this right now. How many years have you worked in Barbara? 10 years. And you're funding this yourself, right? Yeah, I'm funding it myself. Exactly. But would you have been able to do it if you just left school and was like, I'm going to be a podcast. You wouldn't be able to do it because you ain't got nothing to fund

So you have to have something, but you can't just leave school. Money makes things happen. Money, and it's about learning about money. Like me, I don't have no money in my bank account, believe it not. I transfer all my money to the joint account of my wife. My personal one I don't, because I'm not good with money. I get excited. I just spend loads of money. So you need to know your weaknesses when it comes to building a business. But you know, one thing that I'm a bit frustrated with our system in school, like growing

Costa (35:13.358)
is that I feel like school did not teach any of us to become entrepreneurs or own a business. It was always about this mentality of like, get good grades, find a good job and work nine to five for someone. yeah, yeah. Like, I don't know, but I just didn't get that lessons. You know, if you have dreams, like do this. I get that, but your dream's different. when you were, wait, when I was 15 years old, I wanted to be a club promoter, right? Yeah, yeah. That was it, bro. So you've got to look at like, but you need to give them the resources to be able to do what they want to do. Like there's...

Some of the subjects we learn in school, they're great, but they don't teach you how to get a mortgage. They don't teach you how to run a business. I know they do business in school. Apparently, I haven't heard this, but business is like one of the, it's the worst subjects. Like, because people do business. I didn't do it, but I know people, like teachers and stuff, they say businesses, you learn business when you're doing business.

Okay, most of the most successful business people have set up multiple business like I set up my dance company was 19 I moved to London made a friend the director of the company mm -hmm like so he could make them any and it just declined because he didn't have the same work ethic as what I not work ethic but like what I like you know, mean work so I Had to liquidize the business shut it down. Whatever. So you learn from your failures? You can't be

And business changes, it's like science, bro. Everything changes constantly. So with young people, I feel like it's really important with teachers to do something. I go into schools and I talk to teachers about it, something called the butterfly effect, right? So I was naughty in school, but I was good in boxing or dancing. And a teacher came up to me once, right? And this is when it clicked. I was doing English, right? And my English teacher

I've heard you're doing really good in dance, like keep that on, well done. And I was like, fuck man. It felt good. then I'll behave in her class because I knew she was watching. So it's a butterfly effect. what you've got to do is like work out what they're doing or what, like as a young person, you've got to figure out things that you want to do in your life. And there's no harm in failing, man. Just try it. If you love it, you love it. But what teachers need to do is understand their young people.

Costa (37:36.014)
I don't like to call them kids, man. understand and then go and work on that and be like, I heard you're doing, like, imagine you're like, we know there's bare like 13 year old barbers nowadays, like doing it. And if you go, heard you're doing barbers, well done. That will change that young person's attitude in your class. It's so true. Like words have power. have power. But at the same time, teachers are under so much pressure because that relationship they have to build with their kids is literally

destroyed by the amount of planning. And I know this because my wife's a teacher, the planning, the meetings, there's so much written work and marking and all that. It's really hard to manage it all. So teachers struggle. And that's why they want to pay rise, man. know why. everything. What do I say when I was in school, right? Do you know, listen, do what you want to do. Do you know why, bro? I've got school friends. I promise you, I started TikTok when I was in 2018, right? Yeah.

I had friends going, bro, that's gay. That's gay. And I'm quoting gay. Like that's just what they're like. They were like, it's gay bro. Now they'll message me going, when you promote my business, I swear, full circle. So what's it about is like literally figuring out what you want to do, not your friends. So I remember when I was in year 10, I was like, my friend. Like, cause you think to yourself, when you leave school, how many people do you speak to from school? Be honest. On a daily basis, like good friends.

No, I've got one close friend that One, bro? Yeah. I have three and I'm lucky, right? Three. Like, that's what you've got to realise is these people in 10 years time... you messed up in school, I was the guy, I couldn't help it. My friends would be like, yeah, throw a rubber, bro. I'd be like, yeah, throw a rubber. Like, do you know, I was that guy. And then now I think back to it, like, yeah, but imagine my life didn't go good. Like, it would have been because I just carried on listening to other people. Just get on your own stuff. You are influenced

your peers at the end of % I'm very, I'm very one of surrounding yourself with like -minded people, people that inspire you, people that are actually doing better than you because you know, it's like that drives you to success. do you know what the biggest, the best quote I've ever heard in my life, surround yourself with people that fuel your fire and don't piss on it. That's yeah. That's how I live my life. I've cut out friends, right? Not being a dick, right? But friends who are just, I'm just like, look, I need to spend less time with you, man. It's not.

Costa (40:01.154)
great, but I wanna surround myself with, like, similar to you, I like to surround myself with successful people and learn about their ways. So when I do social media, I learn and I talk to other influencers. And you're sharpening your own tools and experience. knowing what you're doing, like a guy called, like I said, Tom from Traitor Season One and Neil Henry, another guy that I've spoke to about stuff. And they've got millions of followers, like, Neil's got millions and it's like,

how do you think I should do this? And they know more than you. Do you know what mean? So you've got to take that, be vulnerable to other people and be really honest. Like if you want to grow every single person, that's every person that you see in terms of money, businessmen, I bet you they all say, I had a mentor. They all say it. Someone mentored me or someone, they class them as a mentor. Yeah. And that's it. It's like, never say to someone, I did it all by myself. That's really rare. It always had somebody above them who

who would help them. It's so important. So let me ask this question. So happiness, you want to make sure that you provide for your wife so she won't have to work again. You provide for your family, like all those good things. So what do you think? This is deep. What do you think your purpose in life is then? Like, other than providing, why do you think you're here? Why do feel like you're existing? Do you believe that there is maybe a God or anything supernatural outside of?

this reality, what's your thoughts on all of that? I think when you're young, you believe you're invincible, Like you believe that you're not gonna die. And I think when you get older. And you see it happen. You see things happening. And I think for me, I do believe that superior being. And I do feel like, like I got christened as a, I'm Greek Orthodox. Hey, you're one of us. I'm one of you, bro. So I got Greek, and originally - At what age again?

was like four years ago, mate. So, like, my dad never christened us. wanted us to... What was your dad's race? Like, Pentecostal, Christian? Nah, he's a Christian, man. But, like, he never christened us, we were never baptised. I think he wanted us to make our own decision in life. Yeah. And I'll be honest, I've got a lot of Muslim friends that are brilliant and amazing. And I think it's one of the most peaceful religions in the world. And I know people... Like, the extremism, but you get extremism in everything, man.

Costa (42:25.419)
And I feel like...

When you try to understand what you believe, understanding other cultures and other religions is really important. It's because I feel like you need to find you, right? Yeah. But yeah, got christened originally just to... I got christened the same day as my youngest daughter. That's so sweet, I know, it was brilliant. And then just to marry my wife, basically. And then, obviously, I had to go to church a lot.

And then every time I went into church, I got emotional, man. Seriously? Yeah. What do you think did that? Or was it just the environment, the atmosphere? I've done well in my life, man. I'm doing well. And I just hope my nan's there and my granddad's there and my brother's there and they're looking. Yeah. Because they were bigger supporters than me when I was boxing and all that sort of stuff. And I'm just like, I hope they're there. Yeah, yeah. And if I do the right thing and if they are there, then I'm there too. Yeah, I hear that. I try not to upset people.

and I think my purpose in life.

is to let it suck

Costa (43:34.254)
I'm not clown, but I want to make people happy. You know, I want people to enjoy, bring joy, man. And understand that life isn't that serious, man, because if there is something after, then it's going to be amazing. Right? Yeah. It's like we don't like people take life too serious sometimes, you know, when I'm the biggest person to forgive them, I forget because my dad told me a quote from the Bible. I can't remember how it actually goes, but it's basically if you make the same miss

Only a fool makes the same mistake twice. There's something along that I think is something in proverbs. I remember when I was young, he said that to me and that really stuck with me. So I trust everyone. I'm not one of them people that like gain my trust. I'm like, I trust you till you do something that I can't trust, but I'll always forgive you and you get another chance. Like, everyone makes mistakes, bro. I've made so many mistakes in my life that I'm not proud of. Do know what mean? So I'm not anybody to judge anybody. I hear

Yeah, so I just want to make people happy, make myself happy. So your dad, he's probably into it, like goes to church now and everything. Yeah, he goes to church every Sunday. Wow. his kids, his kids, my dad's got young kids, my dad's been married five times, he's got very, very, very, a lot of kids, like, yeah, he's kids the same age as mine and stuff. his, my sisters, they go church and they sing in church. Wow. Have you ever been to a church like that yourself though, growing

Nah, like when I was young, I'll be honest, so I was, my dad, he went away for a bit. Yeah. And he's one of his best friends with Jehovah Witnesses. is it? So I used to talk a lot with Jehovah Witnesses. Gosh, I've had lot of conversations with Jehovah Witnesses. and a lot of things they say is, is, makes sense and stuff and like I said, it's about delving in and I'm one of these kind of people. I'm not a great reader. You to learn.

I love to learn, but I'm not a great reader. Like my brain, like I've got ADHD. I do side quests. When I'm reading, I do side quests, bro. So like I read like a page and then my brain's like, go do this. then I do side quests while I'm reading. it's, so I do a lot of, I do a lot of YouTube stuff, like I listen to a lot of YouTube, but by like good sources. Like I don't listen to random people. I want to hear from certain people or I try to understand stuff.

Costa (46:01.758)
And then you can make your own decision, right? Yeah, that's true. Like if you just, if you learn one thing, it's not the greatest thing to do, man. It's about learning everything. But yeah, man, like I'll share a bit, like even for me, I was christened Orthodox as a child in Cyprus. Gibros, Gibros. Cyprus Gibros. What was mad, my mum always tells me that that day was like mad storm and when they christened me, like the thunder like hit and I was like this chosen child.

I was like, wow, you made my entrance sound epic. He's chosen, look at his hair. Look at this guy's hair. She made my I'm so jealous. The only thing is she said that when the priest went to Chris and me, I started peeing on his beard. was like, have that. True story apparently, man. I must have not liked that guy's beard. But that doesn't happen in the barbershop if I don't like your beard. Just so you know. So I'm just going to piss on him later.

But, no, like, it's funny enough, I was actually recording a video yesterday about, like, being Greek heritage and, like, being Christian Orthodox, but actually I don't say that I'm Orthodox now, like, I say I'm just Christian because, when I was 16, 17, I remember, like, being at that crossroads as you are in school, like, when you go to university, college, and I kind of knew that God existed because my mum used to go to church and I always put football first, you know, back in the day it was us, what was it, the top four?

Super Sunday, it was only four original teams United Arsenal Liverpool and Chelsea Liverpool bro, Jürgen Klopp on my leg my days bro, you serious? didn't expect that man I need to get a Bengal one But that so those days bro was a Sunday and I was like never go to church But I think like my faith came real when I was like 16 17 and I literally said good if you're real

You just got to direct me from now on because I have no idea what I want to do. God gave me the green light to do a barber in school in Common Garden. But I had this supernatural encounter, bro, where I prayed on a Tuesday night in my bed. Yeah. It's that weird. You just pray and you think you're just talking to the finnair. And I said, God, I need help with direction. Like, I'm done now. I just give you everything. I had this inclination to go to my mum's church, which isn't far. It's in the cinema here in Enfield. And, yeah. Yeah.

Costa (48:23.854)
So I went there and this woman, black woman, old lady came up to me at the end of the service, she said, young man, I want to share something with you. I feel like God wants to tell you. Do you mind? I was like, yeah, what is it? And she said, he just wants to say this, this, this, this, this. And bro, she pinpoint every specific detail I prayed on the Tuesday and I was stuck. Yeah. It's like 16, 17. I was like, I said that thing like this week. That's why I mean, been here today. And it had these tingles. I was like, wow, good. God of the universe.

God, you're real. And I got so excited. I was like, you actually hear me? And then this young guy who used to be into drugs and women and partying and everything, his mom would go to church, but he was away from God his whole life. And now he became the youth leader and the youth pastor at this church. And he's like, yeah, Kosta, come and come to our youth service. And I remember meeting him and thinking, like, this guy is cool, man. Like, he's a teacher as well. He's cool. He's a Christian.

The thing is people, people, do you know what? think Christians aren't cool. know, that's the thing. Listen, you can just live a normal fun life, man. It's true. you can be Christian, like. Yeah, it's just your faith, man. I remember being embarrassed like years ago, like, because we weren't Christian or anything. I was like, yeah, I'm nothing, bro. Which I was. I didn't have a denomination or like any sort

baptism but I remember my friends that were christian and stuff man they're like they thought they were uncool if they talked about Christianity but it's very different bro like when you look at Islam yeah yeah I speak to people that have gone to prison right and they're like the first thing they the brothers man the Muslim they stick together yeah like in Christianity just feels a bit misplaced in that sort of proudness of their religion which is sad but I'm proud

It's good, it's good. we've got well, Greeks are very proud. Yeah, Greeks are very are proud, but yeah, some other denominations or whatever, sometimes they're a bit, the younger generation, they're a bit young, like. It's different, and especially like even in school, like, kind of, after that transition, I broke that, like for my life, I broke it, I was very more vocal about, you know, being baptized, I was baptized at 17, or 18. So yeah. friends laugh?

Costa (50:38.158)
They didn't get it, but I'll never forget the reaction I had Greek Orthodox friends come to my baptism at my church and afterwards at our little party at home they were like, you're glowing. They literally said to me, there's something different about you, you're glowing. And I'll never forget even those words because they might not even understand it, but it's like my life was transformed in that very moment. You're very, very nice demeanor, man.

I appreciate that. I'm a bit scatter, yeah. can't help it. Yeah, I can't help it. But you've got this really calm, nice... ..really nice, like, aura. That's good. Aura. Yeah, yeah. And he's so good -looking, man. Stop it, Look at him, look at him, man. No, no, I want to red now. He's going to go red now. No, no, no, but you know what mean? I appreciate that. You've got a really good demeanor. And that's what I mean, like, with our purpose, I feel like you just own who you're created to be as a purpose. 100%. As a person,

You're called to do what you're doing and you're walking in that calling now and it's like you're in your season of thriving because things are happening and I feel like in life like we go through so many seasons that are really hard that are good but they every season teaches you something about yourself and if you have faith it teaches you something about like God like if your faith is doing that. thing is you don't even need to be religious to look at some of the quotes that will resonate with your life. Yeah. So some people that aren't religious

If you look like you've you see quotes everywhere and then they were like for me proverbs when I was younger, but my dad was always bringing out proverbs man throwing out that book for the wisdom man wisdom man. I remember I remember he we were talking about like learning from other people but then doing it. Yeah. And he said to me he's like knowledge isn't wisdom unless it's applied. Wow. And I was like that was strong man. Like you can learn from someone.

But if you don't apply that knowledge, it's nothing. That stuck with me all my whole life. That and that I knew four makes seven suits twice. Certain things that he's, I don't know if he spun it in his own words and stuff, but like my dad was, yeah man, if I disappointed him, yeah, my dad was strict, man. I can imagine, was it slipper, wooden spoon, belt? Man, just the right hand bro. Is it? Right box up. And then he'd get out the Bible and even though didn't christen us, he'd like put it there and circle it like.

Costa (52:57.55)
He was a man of discipline, man. My life verse is in Proverbs, it's 3 -5, it says, in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will make straight your paths. And that was given to me when I was at this big, young, youth Christian festival that happened here in the UK. And this person literally just... So I thought a girl was trying to give me her number because she wrote this little thing in the paper.

She came to me out of nowhere and I was like, thank you, I got this girl's number without even trying, I thought I was winning. But then it was literally just like, hey I've got this word for you and this verse and I think I've still got that. But it's mad because at that time it was like, God was telling me or reminding me at a young age, like whatever I do, do not lean on my own understanding because at the end We understand nothing. We understand nothing. We understand nothing. And as you speak about wisdom, Solomon wrote that Proverbs and he asked

God said, ask me for anything. You could ask God for riches and fame or anything, dominion over that. And all that Solomon asked was that for wisdom. And I was even sharing that with my own dad the other day. was like, it's so important to ask for wisdom every day and learn. like you learn from things like. Learning by meeting people is exactly like I said to you, my whole this whole thing, man, it's all about just being able to be with my wife and kids.

and not being a slave to this rap race. And even if you win the rap race, it's still a rap, bro. Like... Yeah, it's a system, innit? I get that, man. It's important. It's really important. But it's good morals to live by. I think, yeah. Like, faith keeps me grounded, and this whole thing, like, I'm not plugging the brand, I'm not gonna show this, but the no risk, no story thing literally comes from about me taking so many steps of faith that does not make sense to anyone.

taking risks. this is what's happening. As you said about the kids, I want kids to see that saying and look at that t -shirt and like, that's cool. And that speaks to me. Yeah, it's true. And this is what, so I used to do magic work when I was young. So me and Tom got on really well. And one thing they say about magic tricks, right, is when you look at something that's not possible and how can you actually make it possible, and that's what they do. And they're like, okay, if we do this and do this, but it's

Costa (55:19.316)
Nothing's impossible, Nothing's impossible. Nothing is. Until it's done, And that's why I'm inspired just to get this done. So this is the... Are you ready? What do think? All right. And it's shorter. And I thought I wouldn't like it. It's a bit shorter than what I wanted. Yeah. But I like it. It's enough to curl. It's enough to curl. It may be short, but it just balances it out with the fade nicely.

That's alright. Nice chat and haircut bro. talk a lot innit. Fuck that's why my hair is shorter bro. Bye someone. Aw man thanks for sharing your stuff with me man. It's all good. Bless you man. Let me get that down. Take a seat.