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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Vera Ignjstovic, a former handballer representing Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Negotiating her way into being a goalie in a male-dominated football team's inner childhood, Vera unknowingly laid the groundwork for her Olympic career and her later scientific ventures. 

Fast forward 22 years, Vera is a seasoned Medical Researcher focusing on improving outcomes for children and is a groundbreaker in feet rarely achieved in the Medical Research realm; an internationally recognised expert in pediatrics, hematology, and proteomics. She is the Assistant Director for Translational Research at the Johns Hopkins All Children's Institute for Clinical and Translational Research and Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University.

Tune in to learn more about:

- How Vera put herself out to a male-dominated game till she was given the role of a goalie
- The resurgence of handball in her life after they relocated to Australia from Serbia
- How they navigated playing handball in the era it was an amateur sport
- What she had to delay or eliminate to find a balance between the Olympics and her Ph.D.
- The unspoken anticlimax when one is not a professional athlete
- Vera's bold decision to walk away from her first professional opportunity in Denmark opting instead to try her luck  as a scientist
- Landing her first technical job based on an interview skewed towards her Olympic exploits
- Pearls of wisdom from her amazing journey and multiple transitions
… 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/professor-vera-ignjatovic 

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Jamieson Doyle Taylor, the founder, and CEO of G2G sports, Private practice lawyer, and accredited AFL senior coach for women's sports. In Jamieson's under-18 football seasons, with dreams of having a dazzling career ahead,but like a plot twist in a gripping novel, a severe head injury knocked on his dreams, altering  his athletic ambitions. But to him, as tough as it was, that was a mere thrilling twist in his narrative, not the end.

The life altering injury steered him towards the legal path, and as they delve into his journey, today, he has had a 19-plus successful career as a private practice lawyer. He has amazingly found his way back to the world of sports by creating an Agency; G2G Sports that offers players comprehensive management, coaching, and consulting services to help them have a seamless transition to their after-sports life.

Tune in to learn more about:

- The life-changing injury that reshaped his life's trajectory 
- How sports still had a significant presence in his life during his legal career path
- The impact the injury had on his sports aspirations and the tough decisions he had to make to pick himself from them
- Tips on how to unleash your competitive spirit in mundane day-to-day activities
- How he redirected the impacts the injury had on his physical and mental state
- His unwavering passion and commitment to helping athletes smoothly transition into their second wind and his passion for grassroots and women's sports
- The powerful reminder that it's perfectly okay to go through your sports life - career in a reversed manner 
- Invaluable insights from his entrepreneurial 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:

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieson-doyle-taylor 

Company's Website: https://g2gsports.com.au 

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Have you ever wondered what it takes to earn a spot in the Olympic Games? Join us as we sit down with Alex, an Olympian, coach, and entrepreneur, who gives us a fascinating look into her journey from the swimming pools of South Africa to the rowing lanes of the Olympics. It's an incredible story of resilience, tenacity, and the sheer will to succeed, even when the odds seem impossible.

Alex's remarkable transformation from an athlete to a coach and finally to an entrepreneur is nothing short of inspiring. Hear about her relentless pursuit of her Olympic dream that didn't falter even after he transitioned into coaching. Her journey to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world's best athletes on the starting line of the Games is a testament to the power of perseverance. He also takes us along on her introspective journey post-Olympics, revealing how it led him on a new path to coaching.

Tune in to learn more about:

• Difference between the beauty and  love she had for swimming and rowing
• What Alex aspired from rowing after it became alive in her life
• Her love for beauty and excellence and how when it faded, it clouded her performance
• Where she had placed her academic life in pursuit of her sporting dream
• Why does she have the what else mindset even whilst being focused on going to the Olympics
• Her business ventures after moving on from sports
• The extent she was fearful and scared of her newfound business ventures and how she went about it 
• Why you should prioritize celebrating every win as you match the result

…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/alex-cech? 

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Cecil Jee Thomas, a former professional footballer and dancer turned dynamic presenter and content creator. Cecil's journey is a testament to defying people's expectations, from being told he won't amount to anything bigger than being incredibly talented, Cecil now stands as a beacon of inspiration, from hosting TV shows and speaking to fans around the world at some of the biggest sporting arenas.

Alongside being a successful performer in acting, dancing, and modelling, Cecil is the founder of Talent Transfer, where he spearheads Talent Transfer Talks at professional football clubs all over the UK. He uses his journey through challenging industries to highlight the transferable skills and use them to open the minds of academy players to understand what they can achieve both during and after their football careers. 

Tune in to learn more about:

• His first heartbreak in his strive to achieve his football dream
• Where he placed his talent in performing arts whilst pursuing his dream
• Troubles he faced in his sports career that didn't match his expectations of this dream
• Skills he brought from football into his performing arts exploration
• What helped him realise that he was soaring  for more than just a dance
• Valuable Insights on how best you can set yourself up for your second wind from his experiences

…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: www.talent-transfer.co.uk 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/cecil_jee?ig

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecil-jee-thomas 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cecil_jee?

Watch Cecil's life Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH3QcBDQ 

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Brett Smith, a former world-rated and Lightweight professional boxing champion.  

Mentally battling addiction during his boxing prime, Smith rebounded and returned to the sport even stronger. He later left his high-paying job to start a successful business that scaled to seven figures in just two years. Additionally, he serves as a mindset and performance coach at Conscious Hooligan, demonstrating the same determination and tenacity in all his endeavors.

Tune in to learn more about:

• What attracted him to boxing and the earliest memories of the sport ingrained in his mind
• Succumbing mentally to addiction and how he dealt with it and redirected himself
• Coming back to boxing and navigating through it professionally
• What options did he have when he recognized that his boxing career was coming to an end
• Brett's toughest match in the ring and what he feels it took from him
• Why if athletes venture into business their odds of succeeding are very high
• What he has to leave in the ring to be successful in business 
• Amazing insights from his personal experiences on how to prepare and navigate your 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 www.2ndwind.io  

Links:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/brett_w_smith?ig 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-w-smith 

Resources:

You Can Heal Your Life: by Hay Louise: https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Heal-Your-Life/dp/0937611018

Mind Power into the 21st Century: by Kehoe John https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Power-into-21st-Century/ 

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In this episode, Ryan interviews Declan O'Hare, a skilled English footballer. Starting his journey at 12 with Lincoln Academy, he rose to professionalism at Lincoln City FC at 15. After successful stints at other clubs, he moved to the US to pursue his dream. Despite changing universities twice, he now juggles a dual career as a footballer and works in Logistics and Supply Chain at JBAndrews.

Tune in to learn more about:

• Declan's earliest football memories 
• How his sporting career opened more doors for his academia and career
• Progressing through his career to hitting the pinnacle of his football dream
• What led to him leaving Lincoln City and relocating to  the US
• His football experiences in the US and lessons he picked up
• How he's juggling a corporate job, training a still giving his best in the field
• The hardest part of his dual career and what he does to be successful in both
• Gems for young players to help you best manage your journey from his personal experiences

… 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/declan-o-hare- 

X: https://x.com/DecOHare?s= 

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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

Send us a text

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]