Owen Llanwarne never planned on starting a business but deep down, he knew the corporate world wasn’t where he belonged.
So he left the steady salary behind, set up shop at his kitchen table, and started saying yes to small freelance jobs. No funding. No investors. Just experience, a strong gut instinct, and the belief that he could build something better.
Fast forward, and OTECSA is now a respected process safety consultancy with a growing team and a reputation for doing things differently.
In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Owen for a raw and grounded conversation about walking away from security, learning to lead, and what it really takes to grow a business when no one’s handing you the rulebook.
They talk identity shifts, hiring headaches, imposter syndrome and the uncomfortable moments that force you to grow.
Key moments include:
✔️ Why Owen left a stable job in engineering to go solo
✔️ Building OTECSA from the ground up without a flashy launch or big budget
✔️ The pressure of hiring, leading, and letting go of control
✔️ What most people get wrong about starting small
✔️ Why being good at your job isn’t enough when it’s your name on the business
✔️ The mindset shift from employee to founder
✔️ How getting outside help changed everything
✔️ His advice to any engineer who’s thinking, “Could I do this too?”
Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more unfiltered, straight-talking conversations with people who kept going when everyone else would’ve quit.
 
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 Owen Llanwarne
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/owen-llanwarne/
Website → https://otecsaconsulting.com/

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