Ellie McKay didn’t lose her business she walked away from the life that was breaking her.

Successful podcast. Multi-million-pound property company. A lifestyle that looked perfect from the outside. But behind the scenes? Ellie was burning out, losing herself, and quietly falling apart.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Ellie for a raw and unfiltered conversation about what it really takes to rebuild not just a business, but a life.

They talk divorce, motherhood, burnout, and identity. What it’s like to look like you’ve got it all together online while everything’s crumbling offline. And why sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is let go of the thing you built… and start again.

This isn’t a polished comeback story. It’s real. It’s rough. And it’s exactly what so many people need to hear.

Key moments include:

✔️ The pressure of performing success while quietly breaking down
✔️ What it felt like to be homeless, divorced and still showing up as a mum
✔️ Ellie’s breaking point, and the courage it took to burn it all down
✔️ The emotional weight of being “the strong one” all the time
✔️ Why rebuilding had nothing to do with business and everything to do with honesty
✔️ How podcasting helped Ellie find her voice again
✔️ Redefining success after losing everything that once defined you
✔️ The unspoken truth about women, leadership, and starting over

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more honest conversations with people who’ve built, rebuilt, and kept going long after everyone else gave up.

Follow James Fleming:
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast
Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Ellie McKay:
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mclaughlin

Personal Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ellie_mckay_official
Podcast Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/onamissionpodcast2.0
Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-a-mission-podcast-2-0

Timestamps:

[00:00] Intro: James welcomes Ellie back on the podcast, reflecting on their first-ever episode together

[02:00] Podcasting beginnings: Ellie on how “On a Mission” started during lockdown and why conversations became her university of life

[06:00] Looking successful, feeling broken: The hidden burnout behind running a property company and podcast

[08:00] Breaking point: Juggling kids, lockdown chaos, and the moment everything came crashing down

[12:00] From Facebook Lives to #1 podcast: How Ellie built momentum, landed big names, and leveraged relationships

[18:00] The crash: Losing her marriage, business, home, and financial security all at once

[22:00] Survival mode: Showing up as a mum while navigating divorce, homelessness, and trauma

[27:00] Rebuilding from zero: Self-belief, energy, and using every tool in the mindset toolbox

[32:00] Vibration & manifestation: How shifting energy and habits opened doors to opportunities again

[38:00] Redefining success: Moving from “good enough” to building a great life on her own terms

[42:00] Lessons from rock bottom: Resilience, accountability, and learning to find joy in the present moment

[54:00] Final advice: Ellie’s top three pieces of wisdom

[58:00] Outro: James closes with reflections on Ellie’s resilience and future