Eventful Lives

#338. UK’s Most Successful Rave Promoters ‘Slammin Vinyl‘- Grant Smith & Paul Rooney

Paul Rooney and Grant Smith open up about a life built on risk, resilience, and relentless graft - from teenage beginnings in the underground music scene to becoming pioneers of the UK rave and events industry. Starting out young, they threw themselves into record production, launched their own label, and quickly learned hard lessons after being burned by shady distributors. As the rave scene exploded, they evolved with it - moving from pressing vinyl and selling records directly to shops, to promoting club nights, running record stores, and staging major events at iconic venues like Bagley’s, Brixton Academy, Alexandra Palace, and the Sanctuary.But behind the success was constant pressure - financial gambles, volatile crowds, industry setbacks, and moments where one bad call could wipe everything out. From building brands like Dreamscape and One Nation to navigating the shift from underground raves to large-scale festivals, they reflect on a journey shaped by reinvention, risk-taking, and a genuine love for bringing people together. Through it all, their long-standing partnership has remained at the heart of everything - built on trust, instinct, and decades of surviving the highs and lows of the events world side by side.This is the eventful life of Paul Rooney and Grant Smith.If you’re an Entrepreneur or Business Owner and would like to come on the podcast then you can apply on the link here 👉 DodgeWoodall.com/guestAll Enquiries - Hello@DodgeWoodall.comWebsite: DodgeWoodall.comYouTube: Dodge WoodallFacebook: Dodge WoodallInstagram: @Dodge.WoodallTikTok: @DodgeWoodallLinkedIn: Dodge Woodall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask Dodge #2. The Most Valuable Skill in Business, Who to Trust & Promoting Yourself

Dodge & cohost, Mark Masters (You Are The Media) get's into what it means to back yourself when no one else will, why so many people are held back by the fear of being judged, and why feedback from the right people is the only thing that tells you if you're on the right track. Dodge talks about building businesses from nothing without outside investment, why you have to promote yourself if you want to make it, and how backing the people around you is just as important as backing yourself.Are you a business owner & want to be a guest on the show? Click here 👉🏼 https://dodgewoodall.com/guestAll Enquiries - Hello@DodgeWoodall.comWebsite: DodgeWoodall.comYouTube: Dodge WoodallFacebook: Dodge WoodallInstagram: @Dodge.WoodallTikTok: @DodgeWoodallLinkedIn: Dodge Woodall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask Dodge #1. Why Most Businesses Don’t Survive, Fear of Starting & Finding Your Real Friends

In this episode, Dodge & cohost, Mark Masters (You Are The Media) get into what it looks and feels like to start something from absolutely nothing, why so many people sit on ideas for years and never act on them, and why naivety and curiosity are more powerful than any business plan. Dodge talks about the reality of entrepreneurship, the pressure, the sleepless nights, the people who quietly want you to fail and why doing your homework, and just being yourself is what separates the ones who make it from the ones who don't.Are you a business owner & want to be a guest on the show? Click here 👉🏼 https://dodgewoodall.com/guestAll Enquiries - Hello@DodgeWoodall.comWebsite: DodgeWoodall.comYouTube: Dodge WoodallFacebook: Dodge WoodallInstagram: @Dodge.WoodallTikTok: @DodgeWoodallLinkedIn: Dodge Woodall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FOUNDER #19. £4 Billion Exit for British Entrepreneur - Richard Harpin

Richard Harpin reflects on the journey of building HomeServe from a struggling startup into a multi-billion-pound business - a story shaped by risk, resilience, and relentless belief. From nearly going bust in the early days to transforming a simple plumbing emergency service into a global home assistance giant, he opens up about the pressure, pivots, and hard-won decisions that defined the ride.He shares the reality behind scaling a company over three decades - making painful mistakes, giving away equity to survive, almost running out of money more than once, and learning when to back people better than himself. From cracking the UK market to navigating the brutal lessons of France, Australia, and America, Richard reveals what it really takes to build internationally, lead through uncertainty, and keep growing without losing focus.But this isn’t just a story about money. He speaks honestly about the sacrifices behind success - the family time missed, the emotional weight of leadership, and the lessons that only come from building something the hard way. He also reflects on life after the HomeServe sale, why wealth never became the end goal, and why he’s now focused on backing the next generation of entrepreneurs.This is an insightful look at what it really takes to build at scale, survive the setbacks, and create lasting success.This is the eventful life of Richard Harpin.Find out more about Richard Harpin here: https://www.richardharpin.com/All Enquiries - Hello@DodgeWoodall.comWebsite: DodgeWoodall.comYouTube: Dodge WoodallFacebook: Dodge WoodallInstagram: @Dodge.WoodallTikTok: @DodgeWoodallLinkedIn: Dodge Woodall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#337. London Hitman & Enforcer - Mark ‘The Beast’ Epstein

Mark Epstein opens up about a life shaped by chaos, violence, and survival, growing up in the care system and navigating a childhood filled with instability, neglect, and trauma. From spending years in foster homes and boarding schools to being exposed to grooming and abuse at a young age, he reflects on how a lack of support and role models pushed him toward anger, street life, and crime. What followed was a life on the edge, involving gangs, drugs, prison, and working as an enforcer in London’s criminal underworld. But Epstein’s story is also one of transformation. After years immersed in crime and addiction, he channelled his aggression into professional cage fighting, building a reputation as a fearless competitor who would fight anyone. Later, he found a new path through stunt work and film, turning the violence and discipline of his past into a career on screen. It’s a brutally honest conversation about survival, redemption, and the long road from the streets to rebuilding a life. This is the eventful life of Mark Epstein.All Enquiries - Hello@DodgeWoodall.comWebsite: DodgeWoodall.comYouTube: Dodge WoodallFacebook: Dodge WoodallInstagram: @Dodge.WoodallTikTok: @DodgeWoodallLinkedIn: Dodge Woodall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.