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Welcome to our latest edition – we’re kicking things off this term with an incredible lineup!
From humble beginnings to global success, Vikkstar (YouTuber and member of The Sidemen) shares his journey from fi lming Minecraft videos in his Sheffi eld bedroom to co-running a multimillion-pound internet empire. With over 10 million followers, he talks exclusively about success, fame, and fortune.
Ahead of her debut album release, Biig Piig refl ects on her musical journey. Having dreamt of this moment for years, she radiates excitement and energy. Her upcoming record juxtaposes heavy lyrics with upbeat tracks, which, as she explains, “represent hope.”
Paul Barbato, better known as Barbs and founder of Geography Now, recently completed an epic 10-year journey, travelling to 99 countries. He shares fascinating insights from his adventures and valuable travel tips for budding explorers.
Mike Soutar (famous for grilling candidates on BBC One’s The Apprentice) offers four essential business tips for approaching potential investors. Hard-earned wisdom you won’t want to miss!
So, sit back and enjoy exclusive interviews with individuals at the top of their game. Discover their inspiring stories, actionable tips, and exciting news, while also taking advantage of the exclusive deals featured in this edition. Enjoy!
B A R B S
HEY VIK! LET’S GO BACK SOME YEARS TO THE GTA DAYS! THE (ULTIMATE) SIDEMEN HAPPENED SO NATURALLY, YOUR FANS PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN THE GROUP’S CREATION, RIGHT? DO YOU JOKE WITH YOUR PARENTS ABOUT ALL THE TIME YOU SPENT GAMING TURNING OUT TO BE WORTH IT?
Haha! I actually joke with my parents a lot about how they wanted me to stop playing video games. They would try and limit the amount of time me and my older brothers played them and always make us do our homework, studying and exam revision before we got to do any gaming. Ironically, gaming ended up opening the door to the entire rest of my life and so many amazing experiences! I would say the work ethic they instilled in me from an early age allowed me to take gaming and really leverage it into a career.
WITH SUCH MASSIVE EXPOSURE AND SUCCESS COME UNIQUE CHALLENGES. HOW DO YOU STAY GROUNDED AND KEEP YOUR PERSPECTIVE?
Fortunately, I have a large group of friends that all came into this world together. As friends, we respect each other’s opinions before we had big channels and other projects coming in. I think we’ve all stayed true to that value where we will be the rst people to criticise each other if someone’s doing something wrong and I think it helps having that and the respect we have for one another.
YOU’VE HAD SOME EPIC SHOOTS. WHICH ONE WAS THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT, AND CAN YOU SHARE WHAT IT COST?
The most extravagant shoot that I feel that we’ve ever done was when we went to the West Coast of America and lmed two Sidemen videos. We did a cheap vs expensive holiday and a cheap vs expensive road trip. The total cost of the trip was over half a million dollars! We had an amazing time. It was so cool doing the road trip and seeing everything in between LA and Las Vegas, lming in a bunch of locations with di erent vibes, di erent things to experience, and some crazy characters to meet along the way!
DO THOSE MASSIVE PRODUCTION BUDGETS ADD EXTRA PRESSURE FOR YOU TO DELIVER?
The massive production budgets do add a lot of pressure for us to deliver, especially with the size of the audience now with Sidemen Sundays getting between 5 or 10 million views. Whoever’s executive producing the video, which is one of us guys every week on rotation, really does feel the pressure to deliver great content but we love it, and it does add a new challenge that makes it really rewarding when it pays o .
SPEAKING OF DREAMS, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WITH BIG GOALS BUT WHO’S UNSURE WHERE TO START?
I think it’s to nd something that you’re passionate about, something that you enjoy. When you care about something, that’s when you’re so much more likely to see those results coming through.
WAS THERE A MOMENT WHEN YOU REALISED YOUR HOBBY WAS TURNING INTO A GAME-CHANGING CAREER, AND WHAT KEEPS YOU DRIVEN NOW THAT YOU’RE AT THE TOP?
Where I realised my hobby was turning into a game-changing career was when I took a gap year, after nishing my A-levels before university. I was able to move into a house with people doing the same thing. That was the rst Sidemen house with, Josh, JJ, and Simon and that’s where I realised it had turned something that existed online into a real-world, tangible, physical thing.
WHAT’S THE COOLEST THING YOU’VE PURCHASED?
I’ve been lucky enough to purchase my dream house. It (naturally) has a gaming o ce with my music set up in it. I wanted to get place where I felt I could welcome guests and friends to come and visit, and this place has that which is great.
WITH SO MANY MILESTONES FROM AMASSING MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS, THE NETFLIX MOVIE, HOLLYWOOD SHOOTS TO A CHRISTMAS NO.1, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE SIDEMEN HAVE CREATED AND YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE AS PART OF THE GROUP AND YOUR STANDALONE BRAND?
Oh, that’s a tough question! The Sidemen have created something truly unique. As one of the biggest, collaborative channels in Europe, I would say we’ve tried to keep it as authentic and as focused around us as possible. I think that’s been one of our strengths and allowed us to create a vision. We’ve also never planned too far ahead and we’re quite reactive. We look for new opportunities at every turn, and then when they come up, we maximise them. I think that means it makes the future very hard to predict because we don’t know where things are going to go. We just have to follow the opportunities that we have in front of us and make the most of them while also making things fun and exciting.
WHO IS THE YOUTUBE GOAT AND WHY?
I’m going to have to go with Mr. Beast because the levels he’s taking content production to and the way he scaled up is super impressive. He rivals the major TV networks with his production team and the amount of viewership he’s pulling. So, yeah, he has to take the crown!
WHAT WITH YOUR INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE, YOU HAVE NOW STEPPED INTO THE MUSIC WORLD. WHAT ARE YOUR FOCUS POINTS FOR 2025?
I just want to keep releasing more music, I’ve been doing it slowly and nding my feet for now. I’ve been learning how I want to do things and what my sound should be. But my plan for 2025 is to release a lot more music. It’s to play more shows, and hopefully more shows for my fans and people who are fans of me and fans of my music. Also just to enjoy it and make the most of it all.
HEY, BARBS! HOW ARE YOU, WHERE ARE YOU, AND WHAT CAN YOU SEE?
Hi! I’m doing quite amazing, I’m in LOS ANGELES right now, my home city, and I can see a messy room with a bunch of discarded laundry items as I write this answer laying on my stomach on a bed with an orange-coloured bed sheet (Hey, you asked, I delivered).
HAVING VISITED 99 COUNTRIES, YOU ARE PREPARING FOR THE EPIC CONCLUSION OF YOUR DECADE-LONG VIDEO PROJECT PROFILING EVERY UN-RECOGNISED COUNTRY (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) - WHAT INSPIRED THIS IDEA?
To make a long story short, I grew up in a diverse neighbourhood in Chicago where I would hear my fellow students at school speaking multiple languages, mostly to their parents when they were picked up, Greek, Polish, Urdu, You name it. This inevitably got me curious as to where these languages originated from. Upon nding out the names of the countries, it mesmerised me to discover where they were located on the map when I picked up an Atlas. Soon, I became beyond infatuated with these lands beyond my little Chicago suburb and I wanted to explore, even if it was vicariously through a book. I never knew what this “interest” would lead me to. I just knew I liked seeing new places and people I had never met. Over time the Youtube world fell into my lap and well, the rest is history!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE CULTURE, AND WHY?
Oh, come on, that’s like asking me to pick only one puppy to adopt at a shelter where all the puppies are equally perfect. I will say this though, I’m more intrigued by people that live in harsh, often inhospitable conditions, yet are able to adapt and utilise their surroundings to sustain a community. One place in particular that always comes to mind when I think of this concept would be the peoples of the Arctic and speci cally, Greenland. Greenland is like a whole other planet mostly composed of just pure rock and ice, yet the people here know how to harness these elements and thrive. More so, they train their kids young. I met a 14-year-old girl on the streets of Nuuk boasting about how she shot a muskox to feed her family. She then proceeded to put in her earbuds to listen to Europop music while adjusting her purple backpack and taking a sip of her Cocio bottle. I will give it to them. Greenlanders, they are built di erently.
HOW HAS THE 10-YEAR ADVENTURE AND EXPERIENCE CHANGED YOU?
I’d say the biggest thing that has changed me is the intense level of knowledge and insight I’ve gained over the years which has played a huge role in how I see the world. I don’t just “research” these countries for my videos, I talk to locals who are often my subscribers. They give me the “real gritty details” you can’t nd on the internet. They give me the “feel” of their countries which helps me write my scripts.I started as a curious guy who just wanted to ask questions, and now I feel like I’m… still that guy, but with bigger and stronger curiosity and questions built o what I’ve learned. I’ll always be that curious kid with an atlas.
WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU TAKEN FROM YOUR EPIC TRAVELS THAT YOU WISH TO SHARE WITH OTHERS, MAYBE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE IN A GROWING DIVIDED WORLD?
This world is a lot more complex than you think, and often people will formulate their own perceptions from whatever they hear or read from social media or third-party sources. I will just say this, your story is determined by your actions and choices no matter where you are. At the end of the day, all you can do is take every day one step at a time and love the people you love. I believe there is always hope in all situations. It’s just a matter of time to see how everything eventually unfolds.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT?
(Besides nishing this 10-year-long project) I would probably say being able to share so many of these experiences with my mom. After my dad passed away I kind of had to take on the role of providing for her and since then I’ve taken her along on my adventures multiple times and it makes me so happy to see her experiencing new things she’s never seen before. It’s the best feeling knowing I’m in a position where I can give her that type of life.
YOUR VIDEO “IF AIRLINES WERE PEOPLE AT A PARTY” IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF YOUR GENIUS WAY OF COMBINING ENTERTAINMENT WITH EDUCATION, IT’S HILARIOUS. DO YOU PLAN ON CREATING MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS?
Haha thank you! I mentioned I’m a visual learner but another way I learn well is by humour. I love incorporating these elements in my content because it helps people grasp complex concepts in a condensed palpable format. Yes, you will de nitely see more of this type of content on my channel. I love doing it.
WHAT’S YOUR TOP TIP FOR PASSENGERS FLYING?
Tuesday and Wednesday are the cheapest days to y out, and it’s best to book 21 days or more in advance. If you are super hungry, you can ACTUALLY request a 2nd meal after they have nished serving all passengers. I didn’t know this until just a few years ago Bring an empty bottle with you so you can ll it with water either on the ight or to your destination as water may not always be readily available everywhere.
FINALLY, WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE GROWING YOUR GEOGRAPHY NOW BRAND?
I have a lot of ideas, and I hope they work! I have a new series in the works, and I have a lot of new topical videos I want to cover. I don’t want to give too much away but I will say this, it will involve a lot less “standing in a studio talking about the world” and a lot more “going out and seeing the world in person!” As I always say, Stay cool stay tuned!
IF YOU’RE WANTING TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR WORKOUTS, PRIORITISE COMPOUND EXERCISES. A COMPOUND MOVEMENT INCORPORATES MULTIPLE MUSCLE GROUPS, RATHER THAN JUST A SINGLE MUSCLE (E.G. BICEP CURL = BICEP). SO BY FOCUSING YOUR SESSIONS AROUND COMPOUND EXERCISES YOU WILL BE GETTING MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. THERE ARE FOUR MAIN LIFTS WHICH WILL BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO BUILD THAT LEAN MUSCLE MASS.
PRIMARILY A LOWER BACK EXERCISE, THE DEADLIFT WILL WORK NOT ONLY THE LOWER BACK, BUT ALSO THE REST OF YOUR BACK, YOUR LEGS, CORE AND FOREARMS. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT MOVEMENT FOR OVERALL STRENGTH AND BUILDING THICKNESS IN THE MID TO LOWER PORTION OF YOUR BACK.
THE KING OF ALL EXERCISES, THE BENCH PRESS IS THE MOST NOTORIOUS OF MOVEMENTS. THIS IS THE KEY EXERCISE TO BUILDING THE CHEST MUSCLES, AND IT ALSO WORKS THE SHOULDERS AND TRICEPS TOO. THIS IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT TO PERFORM THAN SIMPLY ISOLATING ONE MUSCLE. AN ALTERNATIVE TO A BARBELL BENCH PRESS COULD BE A DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS.
IF THE BENCH PRESS IS THE KING OF THE UPPER BODY EXERCISES, THEN THE SQUAT IS THE KING OF THE LOWER BODY. A SQUAT IS ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TO PERFORM CORRECTLY, BUT IF EXECUTED WELL, PROVIDES SOME OF THE BEST RESULTS. THE SQUAT WILL TARGET YOUR GLUTES, QUADRICEPS, HAMSTRINGS, CALVES AND LOWER BACK. AN ALTERNATIVE TO A BARBELL SQUAT COULD BE WITH DUMBBELLS, OR A LEG PRESS MACHINE.
PEOPLE OFTEN NEGLECT THE SHOULDERS, BUT THEY ARE ALSO AN ESSENTIAL MUSCLE GROUP TO BUILD A BALANCED PHYSIQUE. AN OVERHEAD PRESS IS THE BEST WAY TO TARGET THE SHOULDERS, SO THIS CAN EITHER BE PERFORMED WITH A BARBELL OR WHILST SEATED WITH DUMBBELLS. THIS CONCLUDES THE MAIN FOUR LIFTS THAT EACH WORKOUT SHOULD BE BUILT AROUND TO GROW MUSCLE MASS.
2025. Biscay ’s distinctive style continues to captivate.
27-year- old Mutomba master fully blends R&B’s smooth, velvety tones with the introspection of Neo -Soul, creating a sound that resonates deeply. His latest single, The Low, explores the delicate dance of compromise in relationships, while Wither captures the insecurities that arise in moments of vulnerability. Both tracks showcase his talent for raw, honest stor ytelling. With a distinctive musical style and hear tfelt lyrics, Mutomba is a rising star to watch. star
indie -pop’s freshest sensation.
Con dence is key to success, but it can be challenging to cultivate. Whether you’re facing new challenges or navigating everyday situations, feeling self-assured takes time and e ort. To help you build lasting con dence, here are six powerful tips to boost your self-belief and grow stronger with each step.
Recognise your unique skills and achievements, big or small. Re ect on times you overcame challenges, and keep a list of your strengths for when you need a con dence boost.
Each week, jot down three things you’re proud of. This simple habit will help you stay focused on your strengths.
Con dence grows with every success. Break big tasks into manageable steps and celebrate each accomplishment. Every small win shows you’re capable.
Start each day with a task you can complete quickly. Small wins build momentum!
Mistakes happen to everyone. Instead of letting them shake your con dence, see them as learning opportunities. Growth often comes from setbacks, not just successes.
After a mistake, ask yourself, “What did I learn?” Shifting your focus to growth helps you bounce back stronger.
Physical and mental well-being are key to con dence. Regular exercise, balanced meals, and good sleep contribute to a positive self-image. Self-care doesn’t stop there - nd time for hobbies and activities that make you feel good.
Set aside 15 minutes daily for something you enjoy. It’ll boost your mood and energy.
Be kind to yourself. Replace negative thoughts with positive a rmations like, “I’m capable” or “I’m making progress.” The way you talk to yourself shapes your con dence.
Write a positive statement each day to help reinforce a self-assured mindset.
Con dence grows with new experiences. Take small risks, like joining a new club or introducing yourself to someone new. Every step outside your comfort zone builds resilience and self-belief.
Try one small, new thing this week. Each step will make you feel more capable.
Building con dence is a journey. Take it one step at a time, and celebrate each success along the way.
Are you looking to create a cosy study nook at home? A practical study space is essential for staying focused and productive while also promoting wellbeing. Read on to discover how to set up a cosy study nook at home that will enhance your overall experience!
First, you need to nd a suitable location for your study nook. This needs to be a quiet area of the home where you can study free from distractions. There are plenty of ideal spaces for this, including the corner of your bedroom, under the stairs, or even a repurposed closet. Ideally, this will be a space with plenty of natural light and within reach of power sockets.
It is worth investing in an ergonomic o ce chair that will allow you to study comfortably and help you avoid strains. An adjustable desk is also a good option so that you can work at the optimum height. It is important to maximise space when you only have a study nook, so wall-mounted shelves and oating desks are smart for small spaces and will help you maximise space while giving you clever storage solutions.
Light is another important consideration. As mentioned, natural light is key for a study space as it is bene cial for your health, mood, and overall well-being. Ambient lighting will provide general lighting when it is dark outside, while task lighting will be helpful for speci c tasks, such as reading. Additionally, little touches like Christmas tree lights during the winter and festoon lights for summer can make the space feel comfortable and cosy.
You will spend a lot of time in your study nook, so it is important that it feels like your own space. You can express your personality through decorative touches, such as photos, artwork, and plants. You can also use online tools like Pinterest to gather inspiration and create the perfect-looking study nook that will feel like home.
To study e ectively each day and prevent clutter, which can create stress, you will need to keep a neat and organised space. Drawer organisers, storage boxes, and wall-mounted organisers can all help to create a tidy space. Digital organisation is another important factor, so be sure to organise your digital les and minimise distractions from technology to create a productive environment.
Thank you for reading!
We hope you’re feeling optimistic about 2025 and have enjoyed the content in this latest issue.
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