Wake Up with Chris Donnelly
Wake Up with Chris Donnelly
Podcast Description
A few years ago, I was just like many of you, figuring out the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, facing setbacks, and chasing breakthroughs. By 25, I had built and sold a leading digital marketing agency. By 30, I was co-founding Lottie, a health tech company transforming care solutions, and growing into one of the UK’s fastest-rising business creators. But along the way, I noticed something: the world is changing, yet most of us are still stuck playing by outdated rules.
That’s why I launched Wake Up, a podcast for people who are ready to rewrite the playbook. It’s not just about hearing incredible stories, it’s about taking those stories and turning them into real, actionable steps. Each week, I sit down with some of the most inspiring leaders, creators, and innovators to uncover their strategies, struggles, and unfiltered truths.
Wake Up isn’t here to inspire you for a moment, it’s here to empower you for a lifetime. Together, we’ll rethink the way we work, lead, and succeed in a world that demands new ideas. Thank you for joining the movement. Let’s wake up to what’s possible and create something extraordinary.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes such as entrepreneurship, personal finance, leadership, and work-life balance, with episodes delving into topics like building wealth, navigating workplace dynamics, and developing resilience in business. Notable examples include discussions on the myths of wealth creation, challenges faced by new entrepreneurs, and how to leverage AI for business growth.
A few years ago, I was just like many of you, figuring out the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, facing setbacks, and chasing breakthroughs. By 25, I had built and sold a leading digital marketing agency. By 30, I was co-founding Lottie, a health tech company transforming care solutions, and growing into one of the UK’s fastest-rising business creators. But along the way, I noticed something: the world is changing, yet most of us are still stuck playing by outdated rules.
That’s why I launched Wake Up, a podcast for people who are ready to rewrite the playbook. It’s not just about hearing incredible stories, it’s about taking those stories and turning them into real, actionable steps. Each week, I sit down with some of the most inspiring leaders, creators, and innovators to uncover their strategies, struggles, and unfiltered truths.
Wake Up isn’t here to inspire you for a moment, it’s here to empower you for a lifetime. Together, we’ll rethink the way we work, lead, and succeed in a world that demands new ideas. Thank you for joining the movement. Let’s wake up to what’s possible and create something extraordinary.
This week, Chris sat down with Jordan Schwarzenberger, the man behind the Sidemen’s explosive business empire.
From YouTube videos to burger chains, clothing brands, and viral drinks, Jordan has helped turn a group of creators into a $100M+ powerhouse.
In this episode, he breaks down:
– How the Sidemen scaled from content to commerce
– The blueprint for building creator-led IP
– The biggest mistakes creators make when launching products
– Why community is everything, and how to lose it in seconds
– What makes a product actually go viral
– The highs, lows, and lessons from building with one of the biggest creator groups in the world
If you’re a creator, founder, or entrepreneur who wants to turn attention into assets, this is the playbook.
0:00 Introduction
2:15 Jordan Early Years
7:05 Why You Shouldn’t Go To Uni
10:15 What is a Monoculture?
13:55 Moving from Vice to LadBible
19:15 Jordan Starting His Own Agency
22:45 The Success of Chicken Shop Date
25:15 How to Command a Room When You’re Younger
31:15 Jordan Starting with the Sidemen
35:15 Creating VIRAL Sidemen Brand
39:15 The Worst Business to Start
44:15 What Does Success Look Like for the Sidemen
45:15 Is There Competition with Prime?
47:15 How to Monetise Your Audience
49:15 How to Create Your Own IP
53:15 How to Build the Right Brand After Going Viral
58:15 Build Out Your Brand
1:04:15 Entertainment Vs Education
1:06:15 Creator Enterprise, Going Into SaaS
1:09:15 What Should Creators Stop Doing
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/
Follow Jordan: https://www.instagram.com/jordanschwarz/
Disclaimer
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