Paul Costello didn’t just build a business he rebuilt the reputation of an industry that had let people down for too long.

No background in estate agency. No formal training. Just the frustration of trying to sell a flat, a camera phone, and a vision to do things better.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Paul to talk about what it really takes to start from scratch, make it work, and grow a business with integrity, personality, and persistence even when everything feels like it’s against you.

It wasn’t smooth. It wasn’t glamorous. It was two years of rejection, self-doubt, late nights, and lessons the hard way. But Paul kept showing up with a hammer, a set of ladders, and a belief that if they did things the right way, the success would come.

Now, alongside his wife Charlene, Paul runs Upload Abode, one of the most trusted estate agencies in their region with a team, a reputation, and a client base built on honesty, high standards, and being real with people.

This conversation is packed with raw truths, resilience, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from doing the hard yards.

Key moments include: ✔️ The house sale that triggered their business idea and how they turned frustration into fuel ✔️ What it’s really like building a business with your partner (and the boundaries that get tested) ✔️ The brutal early days one house sale at a time, and the self-doubt that came with it ✔️ Why having a strong origin story matters more than you think ✔️ The moment Charlene joined the business and everything changed ✔️ How they’ve grown a team and a brand that people actually trust ✔️ The sacrifices no one sees behind the scenes including selling their own stuff to survive ✔️ What resilience really looks like when the business hits a wall ✔️ Advice for anyone starting out and why being “all in” is the only way ✔️ Why your business won’t succeed if you’re not 100% sure you can do it

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more raw, straight-talking conversations with people who’ve built, rebuilt, and kept going long after everyone else gave up.

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd Success or Excuses Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast?igsh=OW51MzlrazkwMXc%3D&utm_source=qr YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Paul Costello / Upload Abode: Website → https://www.uploadabode.co.uk Instagram → @uploadabode TikTok → @uploadabode Facebook → facebook.com/uploadabode LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-costello-aa804164/

Craig Alexander Rattery didn’t just learn how to run a business he learned how to run a life.

Raised in a council flat in Newmains, he was the first in his family to attend university. But it wasn’t just about getting a degree it was about escaping limits. Craig’s journey took him from a job in accountancy he never really wanted, into the world of corporate finance, private equity, and finally, to running his own business where he now empowers others.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Craig to explore how he went from feeling trapped in the rat race to living life on his terms in sunny Crete.

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t smooth. He’s navigated personal losses, battled burnout, and faced the reality that most business owners don’t have a clue about their numbers and it’s costing them. Now, through his Know Your Numbers programme, Craig’s mission is simple: stop businesses from flying blind and help owners steer with confidence.

This episode is packed with practical advice, honest reflections, and the mindset shifts you need to grow a business without losing your way.

Key moments include:

✔️ Why most business owners don’t really understand profit, cashflow, or KPIs ✔️ The story of a 57-year-old client who learned more in two hours with Craig than in 35 years of business ✔️ The three daily questions every business owner should ask to stay ahead ✔️ Why Craig decided to scale back, pack up, and move to Greece ✔️ His frustration with accountants who don’t give clients the real insights they need ✔️ How to use cashflow forecasts and management accounts to make faster, smarter decisions ✔️ The truth about the long hours, risks, and invisible hard work behind financial success ✔️ Why excuses are the biggest block to growth and how to overcome them ✔️ The power of gross margins, utilisation rates, and proactive financial management ✔️ Craig’s two golden rules for business: focus on cash and don’t forget rule one

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more honest, straight-talking conversations with people who’ve built, rebuilt, and kept going when others gave up.

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast

Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Craig Alexander Rattary: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigalexanderrattary/

Website → https://knowyournumbers.biz/

Email → craig@crcorporatesolutions.co.uk

Instagram → @knowyournumbers.biz

He walked away from a global role at Lloyd’s Register. Gave up prestige, a title, and a comfortable salary. Why? Because it no longer aligned with his values.

Today, Steve Harris is the Managing Director of Integrity HSE one of the fastest-growing safety, health, and sustainability consultancies in the UK.

This episode of Success or Excuses isn’t just about business. It’s about values, hard choices, and what it really means to lead with purpose.

James Fleming sits down with Steve for a powerful, straight-talking conversation on walking away from the wrong kind of success, building a business on character, and why leadership isn't about being liked it’s about making the world better.

Steve doesn’t play the corporate game. He hires slowly, fires fast, and only works with clients who share his standards. There’s no fluff here just clarity, conviction, and a relentless commitment to doing what’s right.

This isn’t a story about HSE. It’s a story about integrity, resilience, and the cost and reward of building a business that actually stands for something.

Key moments include:

✔️ Why Steve walked away from private equity and built a purpose-led company ✔️ The real reason Integrity HSE grew fast and what most people misunderstand ✔️ Walking the talk: how values shape every hire, fire, and client relationship ✔️ The brutal story of losing a colleague to suicide and the life-changing lesson it left behind ✔️ How junior sports sponsorship is part of their leadership strategy ✔️ The neurodiversity conference that changed how their clients think ✔️ Steve’s take on fake positivity, leadership BS, and what really builds resilience ✔️ What happens when you prioritise people over profit and still win ✔️ The truth about optimism, pessimism, and the Stockdale Principle ✔️ What Steve learned from a life-or-death cancer scare during COVID

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for real, raw conversations with leaders who built on courage — not comfort.

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd

Success or Excuses Instagram →https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast

Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Steve Harris: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveharris-integrityhse

Website → https://www.integrityhse.com

Email → steve@integrityhse.co.uk