Lewis Raymond Taylor: From felon to founder of a multi-million pound coaching business

Adversity. A word associated with so many high-profile business figures since the dawn of time. James Dyson had 5,126 failed prototypes before coming up with his now legendary bagless vacuum. Self-made multi-millionaire Inger Ellen Nicolaisen, Founder of Nikita Hair, overcame being raised by an alcoholic father and being a homeless 15-year-old with a daughter to care for. These inspirational stories shed light on the never-say-die attitude of entrepreneurship.

Lewis Raymond Taylor’s story is one of hardship and pain but it’s also one of the most beautiful examples of how taking responsibility for yourself and your actions can transform the trajectory of your life, both personally and professionally.

We talk to Lewis about his upbringing, which included three prison sentences, how he’s overcoming the negative stereotype of the life coaching industry and his plans to build his company to become a unicorn in less than a decade.

Here's what we discussed:

• Could you give us an overview of your upbringing? (01:06)
• Could you tell us about how The Coaching Masters and what led you to establish it? (04:04)
• Did you have an entrepreneurial upbringing? (09:20)
• You have a history of being a disruptor growing up - how did you feel about being disruptive in the business world? (14:18)
• How important is baking IP into your business offering? (17:50)
• There is a negative stigma of life coaches in the business community – because there are so many of them promising people the world. How do you overcome this stigma? (22:54)
• What has your funding journey been to this point? (26:42)
• We’re on the tail end of a market where tech valuations were completely through the roof. How have you found the appetite of the investors you’re talking to? (28:58)
• How have found getting the right people around you to help grow the business? (31:55)
• The Good News Postcard: When you were 10 years old, what job did you want and why? (37:49)
• What makes a great business leader? (39:45)

Thanks to Dexter from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures.

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