Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Stephanie Inglis, a former professional Judo athlete who proudly represented Scotland and Team GB on the international stage, amassing an impressive collection of World Cup medals and trophies. The highlight of her illustrious sporting journey came when she clinched Scotland's inaugural silver medal at the prestigious Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. Beyond her athletic achievements, Stephanie is a renowned public speaker, a mentor to aspiring athletes, and an educator.

In 2016, she faced a life-threatening ordeal following a devastating accident in Vietnam during her five-month teaching stint as an English instructor. Surviving against all odds, Stephanie, who was initially granted a mere 1% chance of survival, harbored dreams of resuming her Judo career. However, she made the difficult decision to abandon this path based on medical counsel. Today, Stephanie is a dedicated primary school educator, fervently guiding young minds to achieve their utmost potential and chase after their aspirations.

Tune in to learn more about:

• The start of her judo career and how it spiraled from there
• Different positions her academic progress and her sporting career kept occupying her life
• Her journey to pursuing the pinnacle of her Judo career and the obstacles she had to face
• The horrific accident that marked the end of her judo career and his still feels about it
• Getting into teaching despite being prescribed against the choice
• What she's bringing to the classroom from her Judo and enterprise experience
• Guidance to young players based on insights from her sporting journey 

… and so much more! 

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out http://www.2ndwind.io

Links:

X: https://x.com/stephinglisjudo?s 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-inglis- 

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Matt Hemsley, a former Scottish professional footballer. With the dream of playing for Leicester, Matt was picked to enroll in the Northampton Center of Excellence before playing professionally. Matt credits his smooth transition from sports to the gradual steps he took whilst in his sporting career and he has an amazing story he shares with us today.

With the zeal to pursue his business adventure, Matt began as a generalist marketer in a small firm before branching into digital marketing. He currently works for US tech firm, Asana, where he is best described as the marketing ops guru :)

Tune in to learn more about:

- Matt's earliest memory of street football in Bedfordshire
- How and when Matt decided to pursue football as a professional career
- The structure of youth football in England
- His experience leaving home at the age of 16 to be a full-time footballer
- Moments that sparked after sports thoughts in him and the gradual steps he took to secure a smooth transition 
- Skills and capabilities he has brought to the corporate world from football and what he had to leave behind
- Wonderful insights for a smooth transition based on his journey 
…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out http://www.2ndwind.io

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to James Harvey, a former basketballer who played professional basketball in Australia and overseas for over 16 years, including 2 NBL championships and captaining the Australia Boomers. He is also an experienced NED & Advisory Board Member in Proptech, Cleantech, Fintech & Sport.

With his proven track record in leading high-performing teams, James joined Mirvac from 2013 to mid-2023, holding multiple roles including Senior Portfolio Manager - Senior Investment Manager, transformative and innovation Lead. He is currently the Head of Strategic Alliances at Energy Locals and the pioneer of Five Pillars for Sustained Success that he shares to equip one for situations where they’ll need to show resilience or be adaptable.

Tune in to learn more about:

- James's proudest moment as a basketball player
- How he progressed through his basketball performance and the ranks from being a rookie
- What drove him to a short post-basketball career before he transitioned to after-sports
- Amazing insights from his experience in an IT company with no technical skills on his corporate CV
- The hardest hurdle he had to face in the corporate world and the valuable lessons he picked
- Gems to athletes on adaptability to the corporate sphere and career growth 
…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out http://www.2ndwind.io

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-harvey-

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In today's episode, Ryan is joined by Laurie Weeks; the first-ever and highest-capped Melbourne Rebel. Laurie is a former professional and national representative Rugby union footballer who rose to the super rugby ranks where he played for New South Wales, Queensland, and Melbourne Rebels.

When his desire for playing waned, coupled with a series of injuries he sustained, Weeks signed off on-field and took up an off-field position in Rebel's commercial team for the 2019 Super Rugby season before transitioning into recruitment. He is currently a lead accounting recruiter connecting IT talent within the NSW Government and lives by the mantra that you shouldn't limit yourself when exposed to a new opportunity.

Tune in to learn more about:

- How  he knew it was his time to find a second wind and insights into how he transitioned happily

- Why he kept turning up despite playing at a level below his goal in their university club

- What changed in terms of his game from being an amateur, semi-professional to a professional player and how he adjusted to it

- Why you should look after yourself and grab at arising opportunities without feeling tied to one opportunity,

- Shifting from on-field to off-field on his recommendation during his retirement from rugby

- How he navigated around being a recruiter who knew nothing about recruitment

- What skills has he had to leave behind/ transfer from Rugby to being a lead recruiter

- Insights and guidance for athletes setting themselves up for their second wind 

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out http://www.2ndwind.io

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lwrecruitment?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/l_weeks
Email: [email protected] 

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In this episode, Ryan interviews David Lindsay, a former pro rugby player, professional arm wrestler, martial arts expert with numerous belts, and a seasoned cage fighter. Today, he serves as the CEO of Lindsay Integrated Health, a vitality coach, keynote speaker, podcast host, and personal trainer.

From professional athlete to arm wrestling pro and martial artist, David Lindsay's career path has been riddled with significant injuries. Yet, with each setback, his determination grew stronger, a trait that now defines his corporate journey. Drawing from his journey of resilience and insights from other athletes, David has developed a "5-Step System for Enhanced Workplace Vitality." Today, he shares how this system can boost workplace relations, morale, and business profitability.

Tune in to learn more about:

- The worst injury that took a toll on his life as an athlete and personal trainer.
- Mental shifts he underwent during his injuries and how he found the light at the end of - the tunnel.
- A breakdown of his 5 insightful Step System that will help you Improve your Vitality and how to implement them.
- His future aspirations and legacy he'd leave behind.
- What he cherishes most about his journey.
- Tips and nuggets for athletes pursuing their career with fear of one more knee reconstruction.
…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out http://www.2ndwind.io

Links:
Website: http://www.davidlindsay.com.au
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lindsay-
Email: [email protected]
Podcast:https://go.davidlindsaypodcast.com/ 

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Seif Tawfik, a former professional footballer in Egypt who played his way up to the youth international level. A decade into his professional football journey, Seif encountered a career-altering injury that compelled him to chart a new course. Drawing upon his business acumen and enduring love for sports, he went on to establish Stryx Sports, now recognized as Dubai's premier sports provider for children aged 4 to 18.

With a focus on the quality and variety of the training to broaden children's horizons and opportunities the organisation currently has five big academies; a  football academy license for Barcelona Club, NBA Basketball Academy UAE, Rhythmic Gymnastics, and Paddle Tennis Academy. It has been in the market in Dubai since 2008 and has made over 3,000 children fall in love with sports.

Tune in to learn more about:
- What the football career of players in Egypt looks like.
- What he hoped to achieve as a youth player before his injury.
- The attributes and skills he has transferred between the football field and the sales world to achieve success.
- If Seif had any visions and preparation for his after-sports life. 
- How his life experiences influence the way he communicates and engages with the boys and girls in his camps.
- Insights on how to find the right network & use it to work within a network 

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out

www.2ndwind.io  

Links:

Website: https://stryxsports.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seifmtawfik 

Company's Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stryxsports/

Seif's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seiftawfik/ 

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In today's episode, Ryan interviews Tayla Noel, a former dancer, choreographer, dance teacher, and fitness instructor. Tayla's dance journey commenced at the age of three, leading her into a performing career while instructing at diverse dance and fitness studios spanning Australia and the UK. Noteworthy highlights from her performing portfolio include the Royal Court Theatre Company World Cruise 2019/2020 (Carnival UK), the 75th D-Day Anniversary for Her Majesty the Queen (BBC London), London Fashion Week, Google, and Nike.

Having taught dance education in some of the highest educational studios including London Studio Centre, Pineapple Dance Studios, and BASE Dance Studios, Tayla established her own studio, SLIQ. Through SLIQ, she continues to share her extensive expertise garnered from the entertainment and fitness sectors, maintaining a strong commitment to technique and alignment while infusing elements of enjoyment and creativity.

Tune in to learn more about:

• The day-to-day life of a cruise ship dancer
• How Tayla was introduced to the performance industry
• Tayla's adventures all around the globe performing and teaching dancing 
• Challenges she faced launching her online business and how she overcame them
• How COVID quarantine and lockdown impacted the performer industry 
• Ways in which she worked through the tasks she thought were impossible for her business 
• Her vision and how she's snowballing it into reality

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Website: https://sliq.com.au 
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tayla.joel?ig
TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM2tcCh1G/ 

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In today's episode, Ryan converses with Jim Roddy, a former basketball student-athlete from Gannon University in Pennsylvania, USA. 

With a diverse skill set, he is also a two-time author, a keynote speaker, a prominent figure in the retail industry, a business coach, and an award-winning podcast host. Through captivating narratives and the tried-and-true five-step Walk-On Method, Jim imparts the blueprint for success.

Having conquered cancer, establishing his own sports magazine at the age of 23, and progressively climbing the ranks to attain the position of company president within a multi-million-dollar organization in his thirties, Jim has been actively educating business leaders since 1999.

Tune in to learn more about:

• What has been bubbling away from elite athletes that is crucial to their after sports
• Jim's inspiration for the origin of his book: The Walk On Method
• All you need to know about Walk On in the US College System
• An amazing story of how he pushed on to his dream play in Ghana
• A taste of the 5 steps from his book that will change the trajectory of your career, business, and life 
• Real-life journeys of 5 out of the 31 Underdogs Who Became Extraordinary in his 2nd book

..and so much more!

Links:

Website: http://www.jimroddycba.com 

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimroddy 

X: https://twitter.com/Jim_Roddy 

Resources:

 The Walk-On Method To Career & Business Success: by Roddy Jim https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Method-Career-Business-Success-

Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer: Hiring lessons, interview best practices, and recruiting strategies for managers: by Roddy Jim: https://www.amazon.com/Hire-Like-Just-Beat-Cancer- 

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Simon Hazlitt, a former British field hockey player who competed in the Olympics and an operations officer in the British Army. Since leaving the army and elite sport, he has brought his IT and investment skills to build Majedie Asset Management.

Having specialized in cloud environments (before it was even a thing) and being among the pioneers to implement cloud services in an enterprise context, Simon co-founded Majedie. 

Tune in to learn more about:

• Simon’s hockey and military experience careers
• The commonalities and differences between sports and the army, especially when it comes to transitioning into a more traditional career
• His innate desire and efforts to better himself increased his chances of achieving his goals
• His inspiration for juggling hockey, the army, and studying
• Simon's experience of going through the hierarchy in the army and why he decided to leave
• How he brought his competitive edge of focus to the corporate world 
• Navigating his first three/four years after retiring from hockey 
• Amazing insights from his experience in the corporate world 

… and so much more! 

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shazlitt
X: https://twitter.com/simonhazl
Instagram: https://instagram.com/shazlitt

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In today's episode, Ryan interviews Genevieve Horton, the Partnership Success Manager at Safe Will. Genevieve is a former Junior World Rowing champion, Australian national champion, and dual Olympian. She represented Australia in doubles sculls at the Rio Olympics and women's eight at the Tokyo Olympics. 

After retiring from rowing, Genevieve transitioned into the corporate and start-up world - most recently as the Partnership Success Manager at SafeWill, a Sydney-based startup in will writing.

Tune in to learn more about:

• How Genevieve fell in love with rowing and set out to be proficient in it
• Getting her balance between online studies, and working at Sykes Racing, whilst also training and competing globally. 
• The toughest element of selection and ranking in sculling boats
• How Genevieve would rebuild herself when her sporting goal wasn't attained
• Her efforts building up her business acumen and insights she gained from the experience
• The current role of rowing in her life
• Tough calls Genevieve had to make during her second wind journey 

… and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out

www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Instagram:https://instagram.com/genevieveech?igshid= 

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevieve-horton