Crossing The Pond

Today's guest is Andre Santiago, who shares his journey growing up in a Puerto Rican family in the Bronx in NYC. He talks about how he overcame many challenges as a young man, but over time, with a little help from some positive influences, he discovered the power of community and how it can change both his mental and physical health.

Andre shares how connecting with others helped him push through obstacles, embrace fitness, and become a dedicated distance runner. He shares that by finding his people, by way of his personal relationships, or the camaraderie with his local Running club, he has slowly been able to find himself

Welcome back to CTP for 2025. After a short break we’re back, with new guests, new topics and more inspiring stories!

While initially focused on moves to the US, it quickly became clear that crossing a pond is about more than geography. Every day, people face their own "ponds" — whether that means relocating to a new country, rebounding from health challenges, embarking on career changes, or overcoming personal obstacles.

As CTP moves into 2025, join Gary and his guests on a journey of growth, transformation, and resilience. Whether crossing an ocean, a country, or a personal barrier, this podcast will demonstrate how our guests have kept moving forward, one step at a time.

#crossingthepond #everyonehasastory #twentyyearsandcounting

This week we’re welcoming friends, listeners, fellow pond crossers, and occasional podcast lurkers to the show for our Crossing the Pond year-in-review.

As we come to the holiday end of 2024, we wanted to take a stroll down memory lane to cap off what has been a great first year in the books.

Talking through the unpredictable waves of career pivots, mental health moments, coaching adventures, and entrepreneurial escapades. Also what to expect from the next round of guests in 2025.

#crossingthepond #fortyninenotout

It was 1998 when this week’s guest started his US business ownership journey with 2 friends from school in the UK, recognizing a gap in the youth sports market to form United Soccer Academy. A business that has grown from strength to strength over the years, sparking the careers of so many young coaches and players.

Justin Marriott speaks to the highs & lows of co-owning the business, the invaluable advice and learning he received over that time and the reasons behind his eventual decision to step away in 2017.

He talks about the circumstances around his shift, the humility and resilience he has showed to get himself back up and running, and the help and guidance from his relationships, both old and new, that have shaped his newfound outlook on how he treats himself and those close to him.

#crossingthepond #rebuilding #humility #resilience #consultancy #reflection #therapy #progress #businessownership

Gary’s guest this week moved permanently to the US in 2001 after his wife-to-be moved to Scotland for a year to be around him and his family. Since moving over, Chris Reilly has reinvented himself from a retail manager into a successful career in commercial banking.

They talk about his career shift, the close bond he has with his wife and growing sons, and also the many connections and avenues he has been able to explore due his affiliation to the Boston chapter of the North American Celtic Supporters club.

We also talk about his philanthropic work to help raise money and awareness for the Kano Foundation while also raising much needed funding for research into a cure for MS.

#crossingthepond #advocacy #support #northamericancsc #backing #family #thekanofoundation #glasgowcelticfootballclub #msawareness

Stuart Sharples came to the US at the tender age of 18 after taking advice from a coaching mentor.

Recounting his experience in his 14 years in the US up to now, he offers a great insight into how he managed to fit in as a youngster early on to earn the trust and recognition of his peers, the tenacity he showed to continually add more strings to his professional bow, all the way through to the value he now sees in the development and maintenance of relationships and community both here in the US and back in England

#crossingthepond #tenacity #mentorship #connections #britsabroad #soccercoaches #pitchsideperspectivepodcast #coachingperspectives #expats #family #parentalsupport

This weeks guest had no intention of coming to the US until his father was flown here for medical treatment in the early 1980s

Rajiv Goswami’s remarkable journey has seen him work for some major global companies over his time, all the way up to 2020, when he took a step back to focus on a new move into an entrepreneurial venture.

He recounts stories of different career and social pathways, his recognitions of chance moments that have occurred in his life and what he values most now as he is moving into the next phase of his plan.

#crossingthepond #expat #citibank #generalelectric #leadership #indian #traveller #adaptability #empowerment

My guest this week came to the US full-time following his graduation from college in Cardiff in 1998, after a brief stint here in the early 90s.

A man who always had a fascination with America, Nick Stokes began working in the youth sports industry in New Jersey before making the move to teaching in 2005.

We talk about the importance of relationships and connections, experiences in teaching and the pride he and his wife have for both of their teenage children, as they make their way through life on their own unique journeys.

#crossingthepond #connection #relationships #dontburnyourbridges #welshabroad #expat #workingintheusa #workingabroad #professionalfootballer #newyorkredbulls #sofiestrong