Five years on: I Made It at Market revisits makers’ business journeys

A new BBC One series, I Made It at Market, revisits former participants to explore how their businesses have developed around five years after taking part.

The 10 episode series began on Tuesday 7 April, airing weekday afternoons for a fortnight on BBC One, with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer. Rather than introducing a new cohort of makers at the starting line, the series looks back at how previous participants have fared, focusing on real‑world outcomes: which advice genuinely made a difference over time, what proved harder than expected, and where business owners had to adapt or pivot as circumstances changed.

The series was supported by Dr Aqueel Wahga, Senior Lecturer in Management and Liz Moody, Head of Department, PuLSE in The OU Business School who provided the academic expertise for the programme.

On working on the series, Liz Moody said

It’s been a pleasure watching how these very skilled and talented crafters translate their passion projects into businesses. Many people involved in a side hustle might be tempted to take things to the next step with the right knowledge and skills.  So the programme is useful to focus on the business acumen and entrepreneurial mindset required and for us it’s very worthwhile providing hints and tips to build their confidence to go for it.”

Supporting Online content:

Visit our Broadcast & Partnerships site, OU Connect, where you can discover an interactive guide offering clear, practical advice on creating a business that lasts. You can also find additional interviews from I Made It at Market, sharing fresh perspectives on how makers have built and adapted their businesses over time.

This series was commissioned by Broadcast & Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Business and Law, with particular relevance to Q91 BA (Honours) Business Management, F61 Master of Business Administration, and R84 BA (Honours) Marketing and Business Management.

Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Director, Broadcast & Partnerships

• Academic Consultant: Dr Aqueel Wahga & Liz Moody
• Media Fellow: Dr Sophie Doherty
• Broadcast Project Manager: Matthew Ray
• Supporting Online Content: Patrick Kearney