Why Most Businesses Fail And What We Learned the Hard Way | EP 63
Thu Feb 05 2026
Everyone sees the highlights of business. The money, the lifestyle, the wins. Very few people talk about the stress, the debt, the pressure, and the moments where everything nearly falls apart.
In this episode of The Unplug Podcast, Freeman and JP get brutally honest about their lowest moments in business. From failed ventures and financial pressure to depression, bad decisions, and lessons learned the hard way.
We break down why trying to reinvent the wheel often leads to failure, why entering proven industries is smarter than chasing originality, how poor financial decisions and lifestyle creep destroy businesses, and why investing in education, systems, and people matters more than most entrepreneurs realise.
This episode is for business owners, side hustlers, and anyone thinking about starting a business who wants the real picture. No hype. Just lessons you can actually apply before you make the same mistakes.
If this episode helped, make sure you subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear it.
New episodes weekly at 7 PM UK.
0:00 The reality behind business struggles1:05 Hitting 600 subscribers and the road to 1,0002:45 The first business failure and early debt6:30 Losing a lifestyle and falling into depression9:10 Amazon FBA mistakes and financial pressure13:40 Finding creative ways to recover losses16:50 Why most people give up instead of pivoting19:20 Poor financial decisions and lifestyle creep22:30 Hiring mistakes and building the wrong teams25:10 Why investing in education changes everything28:40 Stop reinventing the wheel in business32:00 Building a business that does not depend on you35:30 Final lessons every entrepreneur needs to hear
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/theunplugpodcast/
Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/09N8c4Cfam0SYnnqjt2HS4
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FreemanInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/freeman_richards
TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@freeman_richards
JPInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/johnjppatrick/
TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@thejohnjppatrick
TIMESTAMPSFOLLOW THE SHOWHOSTS
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Everyone sees the highlights of business. The money, the lifestyle, the wins. Very few people talk about the stress, the debt, the pressure, and the moments where everything nearly falls apart. In this episode of The Unplug Podcast, Freeman and JP get brutally honest about their lowest moments in business. From failed ventures and financial pressure to depression, bad decisions, and lessons learned the hard way. We break down why trying to reinvent the wheel often leads to failure, why entering proven industries is smarter than chasing originality, how poor financial decisions and lifestyle creep destroy businesses, and why investing in education, systems, and people matters more than most entrepreneurs realise. This episode is for business owners, side hustlers, and anyone thinking about starting a business who wants the real picture. No hype. Just lessons you can actually apply before you make the same mistakes. If this episode helped, make sure you subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear it. New episodes weekly at 7 PM UK. 0:00 The reality behind business struggles1:05 Hitting 600 subscribers and the road to 1,0002:45 The first business failure and early debt6:30 Losing a lifestyle and falling into depression9:10 Amazon FBA mistakes and financial pressure13:40 Finding creative ways to recover losses16:50 Why most people give up instead of pivoting19:20 Poor financial decisions and lifestyle creep22:30 Hiring mistakes and building the wrong teams25:10 Why investing in education changes everything28:40 Stop reinventing the wheel in business32:00 Building a business that does not depend on you35:30 Final lessons every entrepreneur needs to hear Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/theunplugpodcast/ Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/09N8c4Cfam0SYnnqjt2HS4 TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@theunplugpodcast FreemanInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/freeman_richards TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@freeman_richards JPInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/johnjppatrick/ TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@thejohnjppatrick TIMESTAMPSFOLLOW THE SHOWHOSTS