Fear and self-doubt never really leave. The people I interviewed who got results shipped the first version anyway and fixed it as they went.
Neil Martin · Beats, Business & Life
Done Beats Perfect
The AI conference website went down. I built an app anyway.
The AI conference website went down and bits of the demos wobbled. I vibe coded a prototype app in the room anyway. Done beats perfect.
Line up your dominoes
A domino the size of a fingernail can knock over one taller than a man. How I break big goals into small dominoes, and why they go in the diary.
The Day I Jumped Out of a Plane
Saying yes to a charity skydive was the easy bit. What the jump itself taught me about change, and why the scary middle bit has the best view.
Why I still rate Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire
How a fan podcast became Paul Weller’s authorised oral history, and what his demos teach you about raw over polished.
I muted my mic and posted it anyway
I recorded a whole video with my mic on mute. No second take. I posted it anyway, because the message mattered more than the audio.
Small consistent actions and the three Cs, with Chris Watkin
On Chris Watkin’s WatkinSofa I talked culture, conversation and consistency, and how a juicing workshop for 25 people got me onto Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival.
Done beats perfect for estate agents, with Chris Watkin
Chris Watkin asked how Done Beats Perfect helps estate agents. My answer started with why perfection is the lowest standard of all.
About 125 people holding my book at the National Space Centre
The moment a room full of surveyors held my book in the air for a selfie, and why the bit I remember most is what happened after.
I looked successful, but I couldn’t feel it
For years I did everything it takes to look successful. I still couldn’t hold on to the feeling. Here’s what changed it for me.
The book that calmed the tidal wave: The Gifts of Imperfection
Why Brené Brown’s guide to letting go of perfectionism pairs so well with done beats perfect, and how to stop hitting snooze.
I said yes to a podcast before I knew how to publish one
When we started our podcast, I had no idea how to publish it. Why you only need the first step, and how to find the rest.
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About
Hi, I’m Neil
DJing since 1987, three decades in business, and the author of Done Beats Perfect. This is where I write it all down.















