Breaking into a creative industry can look glamorous from the outside… but behind every role, opportunity and success story are years of rejection, resilience and backing yourself when nobody else can.

In this episode, we're joined by actor Brahmdeo Ramana, whose credits include The Bay, Emmerdale, Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as well as projects for Netflix and Apple TV+, to talk about what it really takes to build a career in TV, film and the creative industries.

From leaving a career in finance to pursuing acting full-time, Brahmdeo shares the realities of navigating an industry with no clear roadmap, dealing with rejection and staying motivated when success doesn't happen overnight.

We talk about:
🎭 Breaking into the acting industry
💼 Leaving a traditional career to pursue a creative path
💪 Rejection, resilience & building confidence
🎬 Working on productions including Marvel, Emmerdale & The Bay
🧠 Comparison, self-belief & trusting your own journey
🎨 Creativity, passion projects & building a career you love
🤖 AI and the future of creative industries
✨ And the advice Brahmdeo wishes he knew sooner

KEY MOMENTS:
00:00 Introducing Brahmdeo Ramana
02:00 The biggest misconceptions about acting
03:30 Leaving acting behind and finding his way back
06:00 Why creative careers are never linear
07:30 Booking his first major TV role
09:00 Working on The Bay & Emmerdale
11:00 How to break into the industry today
13:00 Staying motivated through rejection
17:00 Why your ideas are worth pursuing
18:00 The person who believed in him first
21:30 Taking risks and leaving finance behind
23:00 Confidence, rejection & self-belief
24:30 Working on a Marvel production
32:30 AI and the future of acting
38:00 Following passion over money
39:30 What Brahmdeo wishes he knew sooner

Whether you're pursuing a creative career, considering a big career change, or simply trying to trust your own path a little more, this episode is a reminder that success rarely follows a script.

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We hear it all the time: start before you’re ready. But if it were that easy… why do so many of us still wait?

Whether it’s fear of failure, perfectionism, self-doubt or waiting for the “right time,” so many of us hold ourselves back from starting the things we really want to do.

But what if the right time isn’t something you wait for… what if it’s something you create?

In this mini episode, we unpack:
🚀 Why so many people wait to feel “ready” before they start
⏰ Why the perfect time often never comes
😬 How perfectionism and procrastination can keep us stuck
🧠 The role self-doubt plays in holding us back
💛 Why you don’t need permission to go after what you want
✨ Why taking imperfect action can change everything

KEY MOMENTS:
00:00 The right time isn’t something you wait for
01:00 Why so many people hold themselves back
02:00 Start before you’re ready
03:00 The fear of failure vs learning as you go
04:00 Perfectionism, procrastination & self-doubt
06:00 Why social media can make us feel behind
08:00 Why you don’t need permission to start
10:00 Building self-trust and backing yourself
12:00 Why action creates confidence

If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” to start something… this episode is your reminder that maybe the time is now.

Follow us on socials @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod and send this to someone who needs to hear it 💛

Money is something that affects all of us… but most of us were never actually taught how to manage it.

In this episode, we’re joined by Ola Majekodunmi, qualified financial advisor, public speaker and founder of All Things Money to talk about saving, investing, budgeting and building wealth in your 20s & 30s.

From feeling behind financially to learning how to invest for the first time, we unpack the money conversations more people need to be having.

We talk about:
💸 How to actually start saving & investing
📈 Building wealth even if you don’t earn loads
🧠 Money anxiety, comparison & financial confidence
🏡 Buying property, budgeting & financial goals
💳 Credit cards, debt & student loans
👩‍💻 Women & investing
📱 The impact of social media on how we view success
✨ And the financial advice we wish we knew sooner

KEY MOMENTS:
00:00 Introducing Ola & All Things Money
02:30 Why schools don’t teach enough about money
05:00 The biggest money mistakes people are making
07:30 Feeling behind financially in your 20s & 30s
10:30 Where to start with saving & investing
14:00 Best investing platforms for beginners
15:30 Property, relationships & financial goals
19:30 “I don’t earn enough to save”
22:00 Saving vs investing explained
26:00 Debt, credit cards & student loans
32:00 What Ola wishes she knew sooner

Whether you’re just starting your financial journey or trying to feel more confident with money, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest conversation.

Follow us on socials @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod 🤍