JobsWorth

This week on JobsWorth, I sit down with Damien Stone, founder of Braestone.

Damien’s career hasn’t followed a straight line. From starting out on construction sites to building a career in the fitness industry, travelling the world, and eventually returning to construction to build his own business… his journey is a great example of what work can really look like over time.

Along the way, he’s experienced success, failure, and some tough lessons that shaped the way he now runs his business.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to carve your own path, the importance of hard work and discipline, and why not having a perfectly mapped-out plan isn’t necessarily a bad thing 

Damien shares how he built Braestone into a team of 30+ people, the realities of running a construction business, and the lessons he’s taken from both success and failure. 

 We also get into: 
● Starting out in construction and finding his own path 
● Building a career in the fitness industry and moving into management 
● Why sales skills are transferable across any industry 
● The lessons learned from business failure 
● Growing and scaling a construction business 
● Leadership, managing teams, and challenging industry stereotypes 
● Balancing work, family life, and being present 

If you’ve ever felt like your career hasn’t followed a “normal” path (or you’re still figuring things out) this one’s for you. 

 Please enjoy…Damien Stone. 
The JobsWorth website is here www.jobs-worth.com
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This week on JobsWorth, I’m joined by Melissa Stone, founder of the Melrose Clinic.

After a decade working as an NHS midwife, Mel reached a point many people will recognise...dreading work, feeling stuck, and questioning whether this was really it.

During a 3am night shift, she made a decision that completely changed her life.

In this episode, we talk about what it’s really like working in the NHS, the pressure and burnout that comes with it, and what happens when you realise the job you once chose no longer feels right.

Mel shares her journey from midwifery into medical aesthetics, building her own clinic from scratch, and learning how to run a business without any prior experience.

We also get into:

Leaving a “safe” career to start something new
The reality of self-employment and running a business
Balancing work, motherhood and freedom
Why success looks very different to her now
The importance of backing yourself... even when you don’t have a plan
If you’ve ever felt stuck in a job that looks good on paper but doesn’t feel right, this episode will resonate.

Please enjoy...Melissa Stone.
The JobsWorth website is here www.jobs-worth.com
Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast
Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en
Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/
Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective
Subscribe to my newsletter 'The Job Journal from GTC'; https://subscribepage.io/TheJobJournal
Learn more about my proper job; https://www.globaltechcollective.com/

Contact the show on [email protected]

This week on JobsWorth, I’m joined again by Marc and Mike, founders of Together In Musical Expression (T.I.M.E),  a music charity based in Essex that has spent more than a decade using music to bring people together and create meaningful change.

T.I.M.E began with a simple belief: that music has the power to connect people in ways few other things can. What started as a small idea between friends has grown into an organisation that supports individuals and communities through creativity, collaboration and shared musical experiences.

In this conversation, Marc and Mike reflect on the journey of building and sustaining a charity over the long term. We talk about the transformative impact music can have on people’s confidence, wellbeing and sense of belonging, and why that work matters now more than ever.

This episode also explores:

• The story behind Together In Musical Expression (T.I.M.E)
 • Why music can be such a powerful tool for connection and transformation
 • The realities of running and sustaining a charity
 • The less visible work behind community organisations
 • Why support from the community is essential for charities like T.I.M.E to survive and grow

We also discuss the moments that remind them why the work matters, the responsibility that comes with building something meaningful, and what keeps them motivated after more than a decade of doing it.

Whether you're interested in music, community projects, charity work, or the challenge of building something with purpose, this conversation offers an honest look at what it takes to make an impact.

Please enjoy… Marc and Mike.

Find out more about T.I.M.E here 👇

https://www.timemusiccharity.com/
https://www.instagram.com/timeessex/
https://www.soundbeam.co.uk/
The JobsWorth website is here www.jobs-worth.com
Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast
Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en
Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/
Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective
Subscribe to my newsletter 'The Job Journal from GTC'; https://subscribepage.io/TheJobJournal
Learn more about my proper job; https://www.globaltechcollective.com/

Contact the show on [email protected]

This week on JobsWorth, I’m joined by Essex-based musician, photographer, filmmaker, writer and artist Buster to explore what it really means to build a creative life and avoid what his grandad would have called a “real job”.
His path to becoming a full-time creative wasn’t linear. From being an anti-authoritarian teenager at school to missing his UCAS deadline and unexpectedly landing a football scholarship in the United States, Buster’s journey took him from Essex to Ohio and eventually to six transformative years living in Hawaii.
We talk about how that experience reshaped the way he sees the world, the moment creativity truly clicked for him, and why storytelling sits at the heart of everything he does, whether through music, photography, film or writing.
This episode also explores:
The reality of pursuing a creative career
Whether everyone is truly creative
How to find inspiration in everyday life
The dangers of creating for the algorithm instead of yourself
Why making your passion pay can sometimes strip the joy away
The question Buster believes everyone should ask themselves: “If you had to give this up tomorrow, how would you feel?”
We also discuss social media, comparison culture, financial instability, reinvesting in yourself, and the freedom and responsibility that comes with carving your own path.
Whether you’re a creative professional, considering a career change, building something of your own, or simply questioning what success really means, this conversation offers an honest look at what it takes to live and work with conviction.
Please enjoy… Buster.
Want to find out more about Buster, his music and his many talents...you can do that here 👇
https://www.bustermeaney.com/
https://www.instagram.com/busterandthepigeons/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/busters.garden/?hl=en
The JobsWorth website is here www.jobs-worth.com
Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast
Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en
Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/
Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective
Subscribe to my newsletter 'The Job Journal from GTC'; https://subscribepage.io/TheJobJournal
Learn more about my proper job; https://www.globaltechcollective.com/

Contact the show on [email protected]

We're taking a break this week so for this episode we've done something a bit different. 
I’ve pulled together some moments from recent conversations that have stayed with me... stories about backing yourself, getting things wrong, staying motivated, saying no, and figuring out what work actually means to you.
You’ll hear from brilliant people including Leanne Reardon, Laura Hart Raja, Jack Hodgson, Henry Knock, George Artemi and Keith James...each sharing honest lessons from their own journeys.
If you’re thinking about change, building something, or just trying to make sense of where you’re at with work, I hope there’s something in here that resonates.
Much love, 
John x 
The JobsWorth website is here www.jobs-worth.com
Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast
Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en
Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/
Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective
Subscribe to my newsletter 'The Job Journal from GTC'; https://subscribepage.io/TheJobJournal
Learn more about my proper job; https://www.globaltechcollective.com/

Contact the show on [email protected]