This episode is a plot twist in real time.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned I’d be trekking to Everest Base Camp and climbing Lobuche East Peak in November. It’s a terrifying and exciting move—and it all came about thanks to the guest on today’s show: Matthew Stewart.

Matt is a long-time friend, adventurer, and the CEO behind The Custodian Way, a collection of businesses with one mission: creating 30 million impact moments annually by 2030. He's also the founder of Experiences Not Felt Possible—the exact program I’m now joining.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why climbing mountains is just a vehicle (and not the point)
• The problem with chasing your “why” too soon
• How redefining everyday language changes everything (from patients to athletes, clinics to arenas)
• The 5-stage opt-out hiring process his team uses (hint: it flips traditional recruitment on its head)
• The importance of creating pages in your Book of Life
• How to build workplaces where no one gets performance managed out
• Why your dream doesn’t have to look “big” to be bold

You’ll also hear about:

• Dreaming big with constraints
• The story of Carol and the Brisbane clock tower that’ll stay with me forever
• Why saying “If it is to be, it’s up to me” can shift you out of a funk instantly

This isn’t a feel-good fluff piece. It’s a real, raw look at designing a life where the experiences define the strategy, not the other way around.

Follow Matt:

🌐 matthewstewart.co or connect on LinkedIn

📸 @mattjstewart on Instagram

🔗 The Custodian Way and Experiences Not Felt Possible

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Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com

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Email me: [email protected]

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