Letter to My Younger Self with Matt Pohlson — Co-founder and CEO of Omaze on Turning Fear into Fuel

Conversations of Inspiration

Holly Tucker MBE

Education, Business, Society & Culture, Self-improvement, Entrepreneurship, Personal Journals

5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 13 March 2025

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What if fear wasn’t something to fight against but something to harness?

In this moving and deeply inspiring episode, Matt Pohlson, co-founder and CEO of Omaze, shares a letter to his younger self that will change the way you think about courage, success and self-belief.

From the outside, Matt’s story is extraordinary. He’s built a for-profit company that has revolutionised charitable giving through innovative house giveaways, raising over £77 million for charities in the UK*! But beneath it all, his journey has been shaped by the same fears and doubts we all experience. And that’s exactly why his words resonate so deeply.

Matt reminds us that everyone feels fear — even the boldest, most successful people. The difference? They’ve learned how to turn down the volume on doubt just enough to take the next step. His letter is filled with wisdom, warmth and practical lessons on how to move forward even when the path ahead feels uncertain.

Matt’s words are a reminder that fear doesn’t mean we’re on the wrong track — it’s proof that we’re pushing ourselves toward something bigger. That love and optimism aren’t just feel-good concepts — they’re superpowers. The way we speak to ourselves matters more than we realise.

If you have big dreams but a little bit of doubt, this episode is for you. Let Matt’s letter be the nudge you need to trust yourself, quiet the fear and take the leap.

*As of February 2025

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Everyone is scared. Everyone is scared. The bouts of fear that you have will make you think that you don't have the Constitution to be an entrepreneur or achieve whatever dreams that you have. Those people that you look up to, it may seem fearless and bold, but they're not.
0:24.1	Hello. and bold, but they're not. Hello, I'm Holly Tucker and welcome to Letters to My Younger Self, a beloved part of
0:30.4	conversations of inspiration. I wanted to bring you poignant moments from the many years
0:36.3	of recording this podcast, which has changed my life.
0:40.8	Drawing on the gracious vulnerability of my guests, where we can absorb what I believe are some of life's biggest learnings.
0:48.7	This micro podcast is brought to you by Royal Mail, a business who understands the power of a simple letter.
0:58.5	Firstly, I need to say that this was a truly energizing conversation. It was one of those rare
1:04.3	moments where at first I wasn't quite sure what to expect. And I think what I didn't potentially
1:09.4	anticipate was how much hope, optimism,
1:12.5	and to be honest, love that would sit at the very heart of this. It became clear to me almost
1:18.6	instantly, though, that these values are exactly what drives my final guest of this series,
1:24.7	Matt Poulson, the founder of Amaze. Because Matt's platform, A Maze, isn't just one that
1:30.3	gives away incredible prizes. It's one that has completely transformed the way we think about charitable
1:36.1	giving. Now, you might think that in itself is pretty impressive, which, by the way, it really is.
1:42.3	But what makes Matt's story even more extraordinary
1:44.7	is how he's able to stay true
1:47.6	to his mission of kindness and positive impact
1:50.8	whilst navigating a road that has been full of challenges.
1:55.9	The moment that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up
1:59.1	was when Matt read his letter to his younger self.
2:02.6	Listening to him, I was struck by courage and what it's taken to travel the path he's chosen.
2:08.6	And you know what? It wasn't just the courage that stood out. It was the courage to love.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Holly Tucker MBE, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Holly Tucker MBE and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.