Nine To Five Club

About Nine To Five Club

A brutally honest journal about using your 9–5, money, mindset and small brave choices to build the life you want. ninetofiveclub.substack.com (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

David Oliveira

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Jan 2026

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026

   Six Redundancies And What They Taught Him About Resilience

   Six redundancies. Most of us would struggle to get through one. Russell Harvey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/), the Resilience Coach, has been through six. His last permanent role was at the Co-op Group in Manchester, during a period of constant restructuring. When his own department was restructured, he took the opportunity to leave, and the Resilience Coach was born. That was 11 years ago. Since then he has worked with leaders and teams across different sectors, and he set himself a goal to positively affect 100,000 people. He reached it. In this episode we talk about what losing a job really teaches you, why “just keep pushing” is not the same as being resilient, and the one question he would ask anyone who feels stuck. Every Redundancy Was A Reset Some of Russell’s redundancies came as a total surprise, with everyone pulled into a room and told the business was closing. Others had long, unpleasant build-ups. And each time there was the hard conversation at home, explaining that it had happened again and what he was going to do about it. But every one of them forced him to ask the same questions. * Who am I? * What do I want to do? * Where can I have the most impact? * What do I believe in? I could relate to that. I always say to my wife that every problem is temporary. As a property investor, emergencies don’t wait for a convenient time. It can be Christmas dinner and something needs sorting. Tomorrow is a new day, and a new chance to rebuild. Resilience Is Not Just Pushing Through I told Russell that when things go wrong, I just keep pushing. He challenged me on it. He defines resilience as springing forward with learning. Pushing through is only occasionally the answer. Too often it becomes a habit that wears people down. What he encourages instead is to pause, after the good times and the bad, and ask yourself what you have been doing recently, what is serving you, and what is not. Sometimes the answer is avoidance. There is something you know you need to do, a decision, a conversation, a step that feels scary, and you have been putting it off. Being resilient means being “assertively kind” with yourself and doing it anyway. He also talked about acceptance with good grace. When something happens that you didn’t want and can’t undo, you don’t have to like it. But accepting it is what lets you move forward. Confidence, Not A Syndrome When I mentioned imposter syndrome, Russell had a strong view. A syndrome is a medical condition, he said. What most people are describing is simply confidence, your belief, in a particular moment, that you can do a particular thing. Everyone has confidence. It just goes up and down depending on the task. * Can you tie a shoelace? * Write a report? * Run tomorrow’s meeting? Each one brings a different level of belief, and confidence is something you can build. Finding The Good Russell said that a resilient person can find something good, even in very hard situations. It made me think of my own story. I came to the UK from Portugal at 20, with £300 in my pocket, sleeping on the floor of a stranger’s house. Years later I was diagnosed with alopecia and lost my hair very quickly. My confidence was at minus 100. People would look at me in the street. What helped was talking about it. In 2014 I started making YouTube videos about alopecia, and parents from all over the world began messaging me. Could I speak to their son, who didn’t know anyone else who looked like me? That changed how I saw the whole thing. As Russell put it, the reason something happened is often not clear in the moment. It becomes clear later. Build The Muscle Before You Need It Most people only think about resilience after something bad happens. Russell’s advice is to start now, while things are calm, so you are better equipped when the hard times come. He uses a resilience wheel with seven parts, and suggests working on it daily, weekly and monthly. I see the same thing in property. The first broken sink felt like a disaster. Then a tenant damaged a whole property. After that, the next broken sink was nothing. Each challenge builds the muscle for the next one. Russell called it a resilience armour. A Leader Is Responsible For Three Things For anyone leading a team, Russell keeps it simple. A leader is only responsible for three things: * Delegate brilliantly to people’s strengths, and remove the blockages that stop them performing. * Choose to grow and nurture a resilient team. * Develop your own personal and leadership resilience, so you can do the first two. Then he asks his clients how much of their diary falls into those three buckets. Most say almost none of it. He also shared that around 70% of the reason any team is engaged comes down to their line manager. That matches my own experience. A good leader makes you want to show up. What I Learned From Russell Near the end I asked him what he would say to someone who feels unfulfilled and stuck. His answer was a question. What is the one thing right now that feels simple and easy to change? The Nine to Five Club is built on the same idea. Small steps, taken alongside your job, that add up. If you want a place to share your one thing and get support from people doing the same, join us in the Free Nine To Five Club Community (https://www.skool.com/nine-to-five-club-8119/about). What is the one thing you will change this week? Tell me in the comments, and if this helped, share it with someone who is going through a tough time right now. Find Russell Russell Harvey is the Resilience Coach. He helps leaders and teams build resilience so they can thrive at work, through coaching, workshops and speaking. Website: theresiliencecoach.co.uk (https://www.theresiliencecoach.co.uk) LinkedIn: Russell Harvey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/) Facebook: The Resilience Coach (https://www.facebook.com/theresiliencecoach/) Podcast: The Resilience Coach podcast (https://www.theresiliencecoach.co.uk/podcast) Go and say hello, and tell him you heard him on the Nine to Five Club. Want to go further? Paid members get the full 9–5 Freedom STEPS Framework (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe), the step-by-step plan for building income alongside your job. Upgrade to a paid subscription here (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe). Six redundancies. Most of us would struggle to get through one. Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   6 Oct 2026

   From A Garden Shed To A Pottery Business

   This week on the Nine to Five Club podcast I spoke to Alan from Mitford Pottery in Sunderland. About 15 years ago he was flicking through the channels one night and landed on The Great Pottery Throw Down. He liked the look of the pottery wheel and wanted a go. The problem was that there was almost nowhere local where you could use one. So he bought his own. It Started With A Wheel And A Shed Alan had a little bit of PPI money at the time. He used it to buy a wheel, and then realised he had nowhere to put it. So he bought a shed. His first pottery studio was a shed at the bottom of the garden. He’d come home from the day job in IT and pop into the shed for an hour, three, four, five times a week. No pressure, no customers, just practice. That’s how he learned. He told me the day job and the pottery were so different that they never competed with each other. One was screens and systems, the other was clay. That balance helped. He Spotted The Gap Years Before He Acted On It Even in the early days, Alan noticed something. It was hard to get access to a pottery wheel, and working on one is relaxing and good for your wellbeing. He had a feeling that a small studio, where people could come in and share the hobby, could work. He sat with that idea for about eight or nine years. Every now and then he’d search for premises in the area. Then one day he found one. By then the shed was too small. He was making so much that he was giving pieces away to friends and family just to free up space. Spending The Safety Cushion Moving into a studio meant using his savings. The money you keep in case the fridge breaks. He told me it was scary. He thought about it for a long time and in the end it was “now or never”. He followed his gut. His family were supportive, but some of them thought he was a bit crazy. I could relate to that. Anyone who turns something small into a business meets someone who thinks it’s just a phase. The Classes Became The Business Alan thought he’d sell mugs and bowls to cover the cost of the studio. In the early days it only needed to break even. Then he started running taster sessions and courses, to give other people the access he struggled to find when he started. Within six months he knew that was where the income would come from. Today Mitford Pottery has two sides. The classes, where he passes on his enthusiasm for pottery. And his own work, which is still the part he calls his hobby. Four Lessons From Alan * If it’s your idea, do it on your own. Early on he had a business partner, and partners come with their own ideas about where it should go. * Have a plan, even a rough one. Alan gave himself five years to reinvest and build it up before deciding whether to go all in. It was all in his head, not written down, and he’d do that part differently. * Protect your time. When it all relies on you, you can only do so much in a day. The enthusiasm at the start hides it, and then one day you realise you have no time left. * Build a community, not just a customer list. When Alan had health problems, his regulars stepped up and ran the courses for months. Leaving The Job After about 25 years of a salary landing every month, health issues brought the decision forward and Alan retired from the day job. He called it the hardest decision he’s ever made. He has no regrets. And he still calls it a hobby, because it doesn’t feel like work. What I Learned From Alan A lot of people in the Nine to Five Club have the same fear Alan had: Losing the security of the job. That’s why I still work my nine to five while building my other businesses alongside it. The goal isn’t just to earn more than my salary. It’s for that income to cover all my expenses and the lifestyle I want before I leave the job, so the move doesn’t feel risky, especially with a family, a mortgage and bills to pay. Alan’s story shows the other side of it. Start small, keep showing up for an hour in the evenings, and the thing you love can turn into something real. Whatever your hobby is, writing, crochet, painting, pottery, you just need to get started. Share it with people. They’ll support you more than you expect. Find Alan Alan is a self taught pottery enthusiast with a passion for all things clay, especially the potter’s wheel. He learned from YouTube videos and lots of practice, and loves passing on what he’s learned on his journey through clay and ceramics. Website: mitfordpottery.com (https://mitfordpottery.com) YouTube: youtube.com/mitfordpottery (https://youtube.com/mitfordpottery) Instagram: instagram.com/mitfordpottery (https://instagram.com/mitfordpottery) Substack: @tallmakempotter (https://substack.com/@tallmakempotter) Go and say hello, and if you’re anywhere near Sunderland, book one of his classes. People even go on dates to do pottery. Why not? If you’re building something on the side of your job, come and join the Free Nine to Five Club Community on Skool (https://ninetofiveclub.com). That’s where we share what we’re working on and keep each other going. Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   17 Sept 2026

   The People Who Mock Your Growth Won't Pay Your Bills

   The people who mock your growth won't pay your bills. David Oliveira of the Nine to Five Club explores why early mockery can hit so hard when you start learning, building, or changing your financial life. The core message is simple: other people’s discomfort is not a reliable measure of your potential, and you do not need their approval to keep going. This is a solo episode focused on mindset, boundaries, and practical ways to keep your momentum when the people around you don’t understand what you’re building. The main idea: People who mock your growth will not pay your bills, live with your regrets, or carry the consequences of your choices. Why criticism hurts most at the beginning: Mockery tends to land hardest when you are still unsure, and the results are not visible yet. Mockery feeds on uncertainty: A raised eyebrow, joke, or dismissive comment can amplify self-doubt you already had. Most mockers are not speaking from experience: David argues that many people laugh at growth because they never tried climbing themselves. Long-term regret matters more than short-term approval: He contrasts the person making the comment with the person living with the outcome years later. You do not need to over-explain yourself: If someone asks whether your project is “still a thing,” the recommendation is to say yes and move on. Keep your plans private until there is something tangible: Unfinished projects are easy targets for dismissive comments. Separate the comment from the person: David notes that some people who make discouraging remarks may still care about you in other parts of life. Growth changes relationships: Your progress can make other people uncomfortable because it forces them to confront their own choices. The real issue is whose voice you let in your head: This is less about toughness and more about protecting focus while building financial freedom. This idea is one of the threads running through You’re More Than Your 9–5. Grab a copy on Amazon (https://link.amazon/B04lRde8U) and join me in the Nine To Five Club to continue your growth journey (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe). Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

4. 

   13 Sept 2026

   Find Out Why You Feel Stuck

   You know the feeling of working hard all week and not being able to say what you actually moved forward. The days went by. It was a busy week. And on Sunday night, you struggle to name what’s changed. Most people answer that by trying harder. An earlier alarm, a longer to-do list, maybe a new app. It rarely works, because effort isn’t what’s missing. What’s missing is a real picture of where you actually stand. Not where you think you stand, and definitely not where you’d like to stand. So this is a thirty-minute exercise in four parts, and by the end you’ll have something specific to work with. The one thing genuinely holding you back right now. An actual answer, and it’ll be one of four: * Your time. * Your energy. * Your money. * Or the people and the environment around you. It’s Step 1 of the 9–5 Freedom STEPS Framework. Everything after Step 1 depends on doing this exercise. Paid members get the full guided version of this with worksheets and the rest of the STEPS. This is just the first part of the framework. S - Snapshot T - Target E -Essentials P - Protect S - Sustain If you want the whole framework and want to be guided throughout, become a premium member. UPGRADE NOW (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe) Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

5. 

   7 Sept 2026

   She Said Thank You When She Lost Her Job

   This week I'm joined by Ria Farmer, founder of Rainbow Ri Holistic Health Coach in Northampton, a Reiki master and teacher, life and spiritual coach, and CBT counsellor, named Holistic Health Coach of the Year for Central England. Ria's path into this work started with a cancer diagnosis at 36, found during surgery she thought was only for endometriosis. She talks about how Reiki got her through it, how she built the business alongside a full-time job as a single parent, and the moment she was made redundant and said thank you instead of panicking. I also share my own story with alopecia, and we talk about why "one foot in, one foot out" beats quitting overnight. Timestamps (approximate): 0:00 – Meet Ria Farmer.0:41 – What Reiki actually is, explained simply.3:13 – The surgery that found her cancer.6:01 – My own story with alopecia.8:21 – Building the business as a single, working parent.10:30 – Dropping a day, deciding to go all in.11:24 – Made redundant, and said thank you.17:08 – No regrets, only lessons.18:57 – Why generic networking groups didn't work for her.22:28 – Advice for anyone building something while still employed.27:53 – One foot in, one foot out.31:42 – Protecting the first hour of your day.33:46 – Where to find Ria. Find Ria: Website: rainbowriholistichealthcoach.com (http://rainbowriholistichealthcoach.com)Instagram: @rainbow_ri_holistichealthcoach (https://www.instagram.com/rainbow_ri_holistichealthcoach/)Facebook: Rainbow Ri Holistic Health Coach (https://www.facebook.com/people/Rainbow-Ri-Holistic-Health-Coach/100093565964708/) Ria Farmer runs Rainbow Ri Holistic Health Coach (https://www.rainbowriholistichealthcoach.com/) in Northampton. She is a Reiki master and teacher, a life and spiritual coach, and a CBT counsellor. She was named Holistic Health Coach of the Year for Central England. She had been trying to build this for years. It came together in three days once she had no choice but to move. You don’t need to quit your job tomorrow. You need to use the hours you already have outside it. If you’re working a 9 to 5, you’re only using 8 of your 24 hours on it. What you do with the rest decides whether anything changes. “There’s no fail in life, there’s no right or wrong in life. You’ve got to keep on making the steps, because if you don’t, that’s how depression starts, that’s how anxiety starts.” Find Ria She works from The Old Vicarage in Flore, Northampton, and offers distance Reiki healing across the UK. Website: rainbowriholistichealthcoach.com (https://www.rainbowriholistichealthcoach.com)Instagram: @rainbow_ri_holistichealthcoach (https://www.instagram.com/rainbow_ri_holistichealthcoach/)Facebook: Rainbow Ri Holistic Health Coach (https://www.facebook.com/people/Rainbow-Ri-Holistic-Health-Coach/100093565964708/) If you want to go deeper on Reiki itself, Reiki for Life by Penelope Quest (https://link.amazon/B00MwaPRY) is the one most beginners are pointed toward. She’s been teaching it since 1994 and has consulted on Reiki for the NHS. Want more of this? The Nine To Five Club premium has the STEPS framework for actually building something outside your job. Upgrade here. (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe) Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

6. 

   2 Sept 2026

   You're One Small Thing Away

   I think most people who want to change their lives are one small thing away from actually starting. Not a big thing. One small thing. And it isn’t money. It isn’t time either. It’s fear. This week I’m reading The 5 AM Club (https://link.amazon/B01fTHAus), and I’m blown away by it. I haven’t finished it yet. I’m already thinking about how to apply it. You take the first hour of your day, before work, and you split it into three: Move. In the first twenty minutes, get your body going properly. Sweat. Not a gentle stretch, actual movement. Mindfulness. Twenty minutes on your head rather than your body. Journaling, meditating, planning, praying, whatever version of that is real for you. Sitting still with your own thoughts. Learn. Twenty minutes of growth. Reading, a course, something that leaves you slightly more capable than you were an hour earlier. Exercise, mindfulness, learning. All of it before the world claims your time and your attention. What I’m Building Here This is what the Nine to Five Club is for. I’m going to keep sharing what I’m actually doing, the good and the bad, including the parts where I set five alarms and still don’t get up. And I’d like you to do the same. If we can get a real group of people here who want to grow and build something outside their nine-to-five, and who are willing to be honest about how it’s actually going, we’ll do something worth doing. So if you’ve got a dream sitting there that you’ve been putting off, maybe this is the week you stop putting it off. Leave a comment and tell me what your one small thing is. The thing you already know you want. The thing that fear has been holding you back. I’ll see you inside. If you want to go deeper. Paid members get the 9–5 Freedom STEPS Framework, which is the structured version of everything I write about here. It’s the difference between reading about protecting your first hour and having an actual system for finding the time, choosing what to build, and keeping it going when motivation runs out. If you’ve been reading these for a while and nodding along, that’s usually the sign you’re ready to stop reading and start building. Upgrade to paid. (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe) Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

7. 

   30 Aug 2026

   The Real Timeline

   I bought my first property in 2013. I still work a day job now, in 2026. If you're waiting for the story where I quit and never looked back, this isn't that story. This is the one nobody posts, because it doesn't fit in a caption. It's longer, slower, and honestly, more useful than the version everyone else is selling you. THE MYTH Here’s the version you’ve probably seen a hundred times. Someone hated their job, took a leap, quit, and six months later they’re financially free, posting from a beach. It’s a good story. It’s also survivorship bias wearing a nice filter. For every version of that story that’s true, there are a lot more where someone quit too early, ran out of runway, and had to go crawling back to a worse job than the one they left, because they burned the safety net before they’d built anything solid enough to stand on. I didn't want to find that out the hard way. So I didn't quit. I bought one property, while still fully employed, and I just kept working. Both things, at the same time, for years. THE REAL ORDER OF EVENTS Here’s the actual sequence, because the order matters more than people think. In 2013, first property. Bought while I was still in full-time employment. That job didn’t stop. For years after that, I worked as a lettings manager, overseeing well over 250 properties for other landlords. Not my own portfolio at that point, someone else’s. I was learning the entire mechanics of this industry on someone else’s payroll, seeing what actually goes wrong in property, not the theory, the reality: * The boiler that breaks at the worst time. * The tenant who goes quiet. * The landlord who cuts corners and pays for it later. That job wasn’t a detour from building my own thing. It was the best possible education for it, and I got paid to receive it. By the time I was making decisions on my own portfolio, I’d already seen hundreds of other people’s mistakes up close. I didn’t have to make all of them myself first. WHAT THAT ACTUALLY TAUGHT ME The lesson isn’t “get a job in the industry you want to build in,” though that’s not bad advice. The real lesson is bigger than that. Building something on the side isn’t the compromise position. It’s not what you do until you’re ready to do the real thing. For a long stretch, it IS the real thing, just running quietly, underneath a day job that’s paying your bills while it grows. The day job isn’t the enemy of the side project. It’s the reason the side project got to grow at a sane pace instead of a desperate one. I never had to take a bad deal because rent was due. I never had to panic-sell something because I needed the cash that month. The job bought me patience, and patience is the one resource almost nobody building something new actually has enough of. THE PART THAT’S STILL TRUE NOW I still run a day job today alongside the property portfolio and everything else I’ve built since then. Not because none of it worked. Because I’ve never needed to bet the whole thing on one horse, and I still don’t. Every business I run started as something running quietly in the background of a full week, not as a leap I made after clearing my calendar. If you’re building something right now, evenings, weekends, in the gaps around a job that pays your actual bills, you are not behind. You are not doing a lesser version of the real thing. You’re doing it the way that actually survives contact with reality, which is slower and considerably less glamorous, and works. If today was a day when the job felt like it was in the way of the thing you actually want to build, I'd just gently push back on that. It might be the thing that's letting you build it properly. Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

8. 

   28 Jul 2026

   Stop Feeling Guilty for Wanting More

   You should never feel guilty for wanting more. At least not for wanting to be successful or for wanting a better life for you and your family. It’s easy to feel guilty about it. Most people around you will tell you to just be grateful for what you have, that money isn’t happiness. None of that is technically wrong, but it’s not true either. Wanting more isn’t about greed. Wanting more means being able to actually do the things you enjoy, take care of your family, take care of the people you love. There’s nothing to feel guilty about there. Having money will allow you to 10x whoever you are. How do you get past that limiting belief? If you feel guilty for wanting more, then you’re probably spending too much time with people who make you feel that way. If everyone around you works a 9-5 and has accepted that’s just how life is, you’ll keep believing you’re supposed to feel the same way. Go out, network, meet people who are actually building something, and you’ll realise something important: It’s okay to want more. You’ll see how much more they’re able to do for their families, for their health, for the people they love. It’s not about buying designer bags or status. It’s about what you actually do with it. If you want to make a change, start by looking through your contacts. Who do you actually know that’s living the life you want for yourself and your family? If the answer is nobody, that’s a sign that it's time to make a change. Go to a networking event. Look into what you’re genuinely passionate about but maybe never told anyone. You can be in that circle of people, but you need to find them. The people who surround you right now are often the same people keeping you exactly where you are. Are the people around you helping you grow, or keeping you the same? Leave a comment or send me a message. Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

9. 

   9 Jul 2026

   What I Got Wrong About Loneliness

   I did a Substack Live with Claudia M. Zedda (https://substack.com/profile/106319709-claudia-m-zedda), who writes The Brave Leap (https://claudiamzedda.substack.com/). It was different from what I normally post here. We didn’t talk about multiple income streams, the 9-5 job or present a framework for success. Instead, we had a deep, yet challenging conversation about the part of building something outside a 9–5 that people seem to forget. THE INNER WORK / PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION Join the Nine To Five Club to take your personal transformation journey to the next level. Claudia M. Zedda (https://substack.com/profile/106319709-claudia-m-zedda) opened with her definition of inner growth: “Inner growth starts with being able to look at yourself and be honest about what you’re doing, who you are, what you like about yourself, and what you don’t. If honesty is the starting point, the question becomes: Honest about what, exactly? For me, it comes down to your mindset, your health, your values, and your finances. Neglect one and the others get harder to develop. Admit what you actually want before you try to change anything. That’s the whole starting point of my book, You’re More Than Your 9–5. It’s not about quitting your job tomorrow. It’s about using it as a tool while you build the small, brave choices that get you somewhere else, one at a time. Grab a copy here. (https://amzn.to/49UnTU1) Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

10. 

    28 Jun 2026

    The Lie We’ve All Been Sold About Success

    We live in a world where everyone looks successful, but almost no one feels successful. And the reason is simple: We’ve confused self‑improvement with success. This is ruining people’s lives. Here’s the difference: Self‑improvement is inward.Success is outward. One changes who you are.The other changes how you’re seen. And when society cares more about the outward, the inward gets lost and confused, so let’s fix that. Self‑improvement and success often appear side‑by‑side, but they’re not the same. I first came across this idea in The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F\ (https://amzn.to/43XdcfA)ck* (https://amzn.to/43XdcfA), and it stuck with me because it exposes something most people simply ignore. Self‑improvement happens behind closed doors, through the people around you, the books you read, mentors, failures, and the lessons that reshape your values and mindset. Success, on the other hand, even though you can feel it, is measured externally, by metrics, milestones, and the scoreboard society hands you. Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

11. 

    15 Jun 2026

    How to Build Multiple Income Streams

    Mick (https://substack.com/profile/396948285-mick) and I went live. This conversation was about: * My story (Portugal to the UK). * Why I’ve always cared about independence. * What I learned from getting scammed young. * Why multiple income streams matter. * Cashflow is king. * Property as an asset and why mentorship matters. Join the Nine To Five Club if you work a 9-5 but know you’re meant for more. 👇🏽 If you’re working a 9–5 and you know there’s more in you, don’t wait for the perfect time. Start building with what you’ve got. My book, You’re More Than Your 9–5 (https://amzn.to/4uvTC4J), is the full framework behind this mindset. It’s for people who want to use their job as a tool, build in the background, and stop letting “fine” become their future. GET YOUR BOOK HERE (https://amzn.to/4uvTC4J) You don’t need to “quit your job” tomorrow. You need a strategy. Use the 9–5 as a tool in this period of your life. Build assets. Build skills. Build income streams. Protect your cashflow. Get around people who know what they’re doing. David Oliveira Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

12. 

    11 Jun 2026

    You can get paid to do what you love.

    A quick conversation at work reminded me of something we all forget when we’re tired, bored, and just trying to get through the day. Whatever it is that you love, you should find a way to work closer to it. What is it that you could do to work closer to the stuff you’re passionate about? If you’ve had a similar experience, leave a comment or reach out. Let’s talk about it. David Oliveira Author of “You’re More Than Your 9-5” Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

13. 

    7 Jun 2026

    Multiple Income Streams: A Practical Guide to Building Wealth While Working a 9–5

    What if the real goal of “multiple income streams” isn’t more money, but more options? In this conversation, David Oliveira sits down with Shalini to talk about what it actually takes to build financial freedom while still working a 9–5. They cover the mindset shift that changes everything, the difference between active income and assets, and why your environment can sabotage your ambition. You’ll hear: The moment David realised a 9–5 wouldn’t give the freedom he wanted. Property as a system (not a second job), and what “passive” really looks like in practice. Affiliate marketing and why “write once, get paid repeatedly” is so powerful. Investing basics. Long-term thinking, emotional discipline, and what David avoids (day trading, crypto, forex). Royalties and digital products. Some content disappears, and some generates income for years. Leverage done properly (people, skills, capital), without taking advantage. The “right rooms” principle. Why like-minded environments change your life faster than motivation ever will. A realistic way to think about your “freedom number” (and why comparison is a trap). Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

14. 

    5 Jun 2026

    Your life is “good enough”. That’s the problem.

    Most people don’t hate their lives, and quite often, that’s actually the problem. When your life is “good enough”, you end up staying there forever. You have a job. You’re paying your bills. You’re surviving. You’re not falling apart. Some people might even say that you’re “doing well”. But are you? Inside, you might be thinking: There must be more than this. I am meant for more than this. You don’t need more motivation. You need a simple system to help you navigate these changes you want to make in your life. The 9–5 Freedom STEPS (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/p/95-freedom-steps) is built for people with a job, responsibilities, and a dream. It’s a simple but effective framework you can use to get out of the “good enough” life. If you don’t want a just “good enough” life, then learn and apply the 9–5 Freedom STEPS (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/p/95-freedom-steps). Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

15. 

    12 Feb 2026

    Multiple Income Streams: The Unsexy Truth

    If you’ve been thinking: “I need another income stream.” But you’re also tired, busy, and living a real life, this live conversation will hit a nerve. I went live with John Mulholland (https://substack.com/profile/452978295-john-mulholland) to talk about multiple income streams, what’s real, what’s hype, and what people never tell you about the work behind “passive” income. John’s not a theorist. John built this while living a normal life. He was a teacher for 20 years, and while teaching, he was building side hustles in the background. Over time, the side hustles became the main hustle. That transition is the story. It’s about building options. The Nine To Five Club is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a subscriber. John’s starting point (and why it matters). John didn’t wake up one day with seven income streams and a perfect routine. He started like most people: * A job. * A family life. * Limited time. * A desire for more. * And a willingness to build something for himself. He talked about doing sports coaching and side hustles alongside teaching, then later building a proper operations-heavy business: Fiesta Sports Coaching (https://fiestasportscoaching.co.uk/). A big point he made (and I respect the honesty): Running an operations business with staff, logistics, sickness, inflation, and cost pressure is harder than people think. It is not a cute Instagram side hustle. It’s a real responsibility. The lie people still believe: “Work-Life Balance”. John said something I agree with, even if it’s uncomfortable: Work-life balance is not a stable destination. It’s different states of flux. In the beginning, you are building something. That means sacrifice. That means evenings. That means saying no to comfort. Not forever. But for a chapter of your life. I called it what it is: work-life imbalance. If you’re building a second life, your current comfort will be the price. The real unlock: leverage (without losing your soul). We got into one of the most important ideas in wealth building: leverage. Not “use people” leverage. Real leverage: * Build a team. * Delegate tasks. * Create systems. * Automate what can be automated. I shared my own example: My Airbnb business looks busy from the outside, but because it’s systemised and delegated, I can be in and out in 10 minutes a day, and sometimes do nothing at all when there are longer bookings. The point is not Airbnb. The point is: Income streams become sustainable when you stop being the bottleneck. Why doesn’t school prepare people for real life? This part is important. John made a blunt but true point: Most young people aren’t being taught what they actually need about business and money. Not because teachers are bad people. Because most teachers have never: * Run payroll. * Built a business. * Handled cashflow pressure. * Sold an offer. * Managed tax strategy. * Dealt with real-world risk. That gap is why John built Financial Certainty Family (https://www.skool.com/next-gen-wealth-academy-2044): To teach the stuff people are embarrassed to ask, and the stuff school never covered. We also talked about something I wish every teenager understood: Most people don’t fail because they lack knowledge. They fail because they’re afraid to fail. And because comfort is addictive. John said it on the live, and I’ll say it again here: Comfort kills dreams. The 7 types of income (simple breakdown). This live was inspired by Christopher Lewis (https://substack.com/profile/319400589-christopher-lewis)’ framework on the 7 income types (https://substack.com/@financewithchristopher/p-187280915). Here’s the simple version we explored: * Earned income: your job, your wages. * Profit income: buy or create something, sell for more than it costs (John’s business). * Rental income: property cashflow (HMOs, serviced accommodation, buy-to-lets, etc.). * Capital gains: buy low, sell high (property appreciation, business exits, even flipping items). * Interest income: savings, bonds, funds, partnerships. * Dividend income: shares that pay you. * Royalty income: books, music, software, courses, and evergreen content. None of these is “the answer”. But if you only have earned income, you have one point of failure. And the world is getting too expensive for that. Two practical money lessons we both agree on. 1) Don’t invest money you can’t afford to lose. This is not fear. This is maturity. 2) Inflation quietly robs people who only save. We spoke about how money sitting in a bank account can feel safe, but lose purchasing power over time. John made an important counterpoint, too: keep a cash buffer for emergencies so you don’t have to sell assets at the wrong time. Royalties are more real than people think (and you already have a story). This was one of my favourite moments. We talked about books, royalties, and content that pays you repeatedly. I shared a personal example: years ago, I made YouTube videos about alopecia after losing my hair, and people reached out from all over the world. It reminded me that everybody has a story that can help someone. And then the funniest part: my son started selling my book at school. Not because I pushed him. Because he wanted to. That’s the kind of thing that makes me think: we’re all closer to “another income stream” than we realise. We don’t treat our ideas like assets. The closing message (if you only take one thing). You don’t need to quit your job tomorrow. But you do need to stop pretending you can build freedom with only comfort. Pick one income stream that fits your life right now. Start small. Stay consistent. Learn from someone doing it. And give it long enough to work. Watch the full live. If you want the full conversation (including the real talk on business pressure, mentorship, tax mindset, and what “passive” income actually looks like), watch the replay. Your next move (choose one). * Write down your current income streams (even small ones). * Pick one to build this year. * Decide on the weekly time block you will protect for it. * Swap one comfort habit for one hour of building. Thank you all for being part of my journey to my own multiple income streams. Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

16. 

    1 Feb 2026

    Unlocking Your True Potential

    Unlocking Your True Potential: Admitting the Dream Inside You Have you ever felt like there’s a dream inside you, waiting to be set free? In the latest episode of the 9-5 Club Podcast, David urges listeners to take a moment of introspection and admit their deepest desires. This powerful admission is the first step towards transforming your life and pursuing the path you truly want. Section 1: The Importance of Admission David emphasises that before making any life changes, you must first admit what you truly want. According to him, everything else is just a strategy built on a lie. He encourages listeners to recognise the small signs of their dreams, whether it’s feeling drawn to certain people or getting lost in work that ignites their passion. Instead of downplaying these feelings to mere desires for fulfilment or freedom, he challenges us to vocalise our true dreams. Section 2: Facing Fears and Societal Norms Admitting your dream can feel dangerous. David points out that this admission threatens the comfort of those around you, as well as your own excuses. Many people might say, “I want to build something that’s mine,” but then revert to safer language, like “My job is busy, but it’s fine.” This is where honesty comes into play. David shares personal anecdotes about his own struggles, from factory floors to corporate offices, emphasising that the desire for freedom and meaningful work is universal. Section 3: Your 9 to 5 as a Tool, Not a Prison In his book, "You're More Than Your 9-5", David makes it clear that admitting your dream doesn’t mean you need to quit your job immediately. Instead, he advocates for using your current role as a tool to help you reach your aspirations. He suggests that small, brave choices are key to building your future slowly, rather than making drastic changes that could lead to chaos. Section 4: Practical Steps to Start Your Journey David encourages listeners to take action by writing down their thoughts. He proposes three reflective prompts: "If I were completely honest, the dream inside me is...", "If nothing changed in my life for the next 10 years, I would feel...", and "One small brave choice I could make this month is..." These exercises help clarify your dreams and make the first step toward acknowledging them. Section 5: Connecting and Continuing the Journey If this message resonates with you, David invites you to connect with him through social media. His book is designed to guide you through the process of uncovering your hidden dreams and taking purposeful steps toward realising them. He reassures listeners that they don’t have to make drastic life changes overnight; instead, the journey begins with a simple admission of what you truly want. Key Takeaways Admitting the dream inside you is a powerful first step toward transforming your life. It requires honesty and courage, but can lead to profound changes. Rather than seeing your job as a limitation, view it as a stepping stone towards your true aspirations. Remember, the journey to self-discovery and fulfilment starts with acknowledging what you really want. Tags: personal development, career change, self-discovery, dream realisation, professional growth, 9-5 club, admission, meaningful work, life transformation. Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

17. 

    1 Feb 2026

    The 3 Questions I Ask Every Sunday to Plan My Week

    How to Design Your Week (Before It Designs You) Every Sunday morning, before the kids wake up, I sit down with a coffee and run the numbers. It's not exciting. But it's the most important two hours of my week. In this episode, I walk through my exact Sunday routine: what I review, the three questions I ask myself, and how two hours on Sunday can save you twenty hours of wasted time during the week. In this episode: Why I stopped stumbling into Monday mornings, reactive and distracted. The numbers I run every Sunday (income, expenses, rent payments, cash flow). How I use my Operations page in Notion to plan my week. The 3 questions that changed how I spend my time: What needs my attention this week? Am I on the right path? Any changes needed? Why saying no became easier once I started protecting my time. What happens when I skip this routine. How you can build your own version of this, even if Sundays don't work for you. Mentioned in this episode: I Love Money (And Why It's Okay to Say It Out Loud) (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/p/i-love-money-and-why-its-okay-to) When You Picture Yourself in Your Current Role Five Years From Now (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/p/what-my-9-5-actually-funds-and-what) Admit There Is a Dream Inside You (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/p/admit-there-is-a-dream-inside-you) Secret Property Club (https://secretpropertyclub.substack.com/) PPN Lincoln (https://ppnlincoln.substack.com/) Resources: Get the full framework in my book: "You're More Than Your 9-5" (https://amzn.to/4qp1WS2) Subscribe to Nine To Five Club: ninetofiveclub.substack.com (http://ninetofiveclub.substack.com) Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

18. 

    25 Jan 2026

    I Love Money (And Why It’s Okay to Say It Out Loud)

    I Love Money (And Why It's Okay to Say It Out Loud) Episode Description: For a long time, I wouldn't have said it out loud: "I love money." It feels wrong. Greedy. Shallow. But we're rarely taught how to have an honest, healthy relationship with money. In this episode, I explain why it's okay to say you love money, and how changing my relationship with money changed everything. In This Episode: Why saying "I love money" feels wrong (and why we're taught to complain about money, worry about it, or pretend we don't care). The difference between loving money and being greedy. How an honest relationship with money supports your other values (family, freedom, health, travel). Why money is a tool, not the destination. The mindset shift that changed how I think about earning and building wealth. Why financial peace makes everything else easier. Key Takeaway: Having an honest, healthy relationship with money doesn't make you shallow or greedy. Money helps you live your deeper values at a higher level. When you stop pretending you don't care about money and start treating it as a tool for freedom and impact, everything changes. Links Mentioned: What My 9-5 Actually Funds (and What It Doesn't) (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/p/what-my-9-5-actually-funds-and-what) Book: You're More Than Your 9-5 – https://amzn.to/49UnTU1 (https://amzn.to/49UnTU1) Connect: Subscribe to Nine To Five Club: ninetofiveclub.substack.com (http://ninetofiveclub.substack.com) Book: https://amzn.to/49UnTU1 (https://amzn.to/49UnTU1) Email: contactme@davidoliveira.co.uk (mailto:contactme@davidoliveira.co.uk) Tags: Money Mindset, Personal Finance, Financial Freedom, Wealth Building, Career Strategy, Personal Development, Building Wealth, Honest Money Talk, Financial Peace, Money Values Get full access to Nine To Five Club at ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe (https://ninetofiveclub.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

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