Making Lemonade

Season 1 | Ep 6 - Lee Mcfarland Talks 1 Para, Hostile Environment Private Security and the importance of a Mentor

In today’s episode, I had twas joined by ex 1 Para, CPO, and Entrepreneur Lee Mcfarland

Lee’s journey started off in the parachute regiment at just 16 years of age and saw him serving across the globe on operations.  It didn’t take long before the Private Security Circuit snapped him up and he spent the next 8 years in Afghanistan and Iraq working in some of the most challenging environments known.

At this point though it all changed, he realised that this was not a long term game, and decided to change gear and start his road in business.

Lee praises the role that mentors have played throughout his life, people that have helped to steer him on the right path and helped him to reach his goals.  He’s a passionate advocate for veterans in tech, freedom of speech and people coming together.

This episode will be exploring some of the turning points in every entrepreneur's journey the pitfalls that people fall into, the misconceptions that plague us and some of the tricks that keep us moving in the right direction.

If you have a destination in mind, but are sick of following someone else's roadmap, then this is the show for you.

You do not want to miss this

This episode is dedicated to Alejandro Suarez who sadly passed away on Friday 16th of July 2021

In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of meeting with Gareth Timmins where we talked about what it means to create an elite #mindset and how remaining #agile and adaptable can help you forge your own way in life

We get an exclusive look into the mind of Gareth Timmins as we talk about his journey from Rugby Player to #Author on Cultivating an #Elite #Mindset, via the #Commando #Training Centre #RoyalMarines.

Gareth’s journey is a crazy ride, and one that truly demonstrates the role that failure can play in making us stronger and ultimately help us to achieve our goals.

Gaz grew up wanting nothing more than to play professional rugby for Leeds, and at an early age he got that chance.  Trouble is though, it wasn’t what he expected, and what happened next was a truly remarkable turning point in his life that took him on a completely different path.

If you are at the top, and finding it lacking, then this is where it all makes sense.  If you have hit numerous obstacles, then this is where you can learn to overcome them.  Take a deep dive.

Everyone has a book inside them, lets put that to the test

You do not want to miss this

In today’s episode, I was joined by ex Royal Navy, Agile Coach, and (although he’d never describe himself as one) Entrepreneur Jac Hughes who is helping businesses to build and change their culture, enabling them to reach their goals.

Jac is a former Leading Seaman who left the Royal Navy after a varied career seeing deployments around Libya, The Antarctic, and the West Coast of Africa. He now works with teams and individuals to help them become more autonomous, empowered and productive by harnessing the agile mindset.

Jac’s journey is very relatable and after overcoming challenges with resettlement and the transition into civilian life he is always on hand to offer advice to service leavers. 

In this episode Jac talks about the journey he took, the path he "fell into", the benefits of creating content, how he utilised tools and platforms to develop his brand, and also the wakeup call that saw him set up Everyday Agile.

Join us, as we discuss the stigma's and stereotypes that plague, not-just veterans but entrepreneurs in general!

Season 1 | Ep 3 - John Sutton on The Moral Injury and Finding Your Own Path

In today’s episode, I was joined by ex Royal Marines Commando, Close Protection Officer, and Paramedic John Sutton who’s looking to change the way we look at Mental Health in the Veteran Community.

John is an ex Royal Marines Commando, who worked alongside some of the most highly trained soldiers in the world seeing action across the globe. After one particular tour, he recognised that his health had deteriorated, this escalated and eventually led to him being ripped out of the military family he had come to love.  What followed was a crazy journey within Anti Piracy, Close Protection, Paramedicine in Remote areas, and even a brief spell working on “Love Island Australia”.  This road eventually led to him facing his own demons,  taking ownership and really focussing on integration, harnessing the power of growth & change mindset.

John's journey is a fascinating, raw and unhinged look at how we can all carve our own path in life and a real eye opener to how the veteran community can face up to their own demons.

In this episode John talks about Moral Injuries, How do we stay psychologically flexible and open to growth as we adapt to new environments?  How do we integrate that commando mindest into Civy street in a healthy way?

Join me and John as we explore the analogy of our unconscious mind as a ‘ship’.  As we enter heavy seas it’s important to make sure all the ‘stuff’ and baggage of life in our mind is safely locked away, so it’s not rolling all over the deck as we sail through life. We learn that it’s our unsorted stuff that keeps throwing us into mental distress and disorder.

If you’re looking at all the “help” that's out there and none of it appeals to you or you’re struggling to come to grips with a rough transition or are just looking for a torch as you wander around the main deck struggling to pick all this stuff up, then you should listen.  This is all about giving it a voice and integrating how we feel about the decisions we’ve made, so we can stow it away nicely in its proper locker.

“Mental health is just doing the ‘admin’ (or ‘badmin’) of our minds. Finding peace in who we are,

feeling safe and secure in this moment and around people and finding peace in the decisions we’ve made and our sense of identity.”

You do not want to miss this

In today’s episode, I was joined by David Freeman who is the Chief Operating Officer at the exciting and disrupting Fintech DirectID

David spent best part of 16 years in the army worked through the ranks, gained  his commission.  Then worked with  companies such as Amazon & LBG he’s learnt how to adapt.

He soon recognised that leaving the forces can be a tricky time and take its toll on a person.  Battling with all the usual demons he took ownership of the challenges and recognised the lessons he learnt in the Army of adaptability, resilience and improvisation were transferable.  The journey he took since has been quite a ride.   

I have been SO impressed with David, the fact that he spent so long in the army and had a tricky transition into business can teach us a few things

This is an amazingly inspirational Raw talk about the realities of transitioning to Civie street , building a brand and battling some of the challenges we all face

In today's episode, I was joined by World record holder,  inventor, entrepreneur,  best selling author,  Ex Royal Marines Commando, and genuinely one of the nicest guys around. Richard Browning.

Richard is the founder of Human propulsion technology startup Gravity Industries Ltd, which he founded in 2017 after inventing, building and patenting an iron man style jet suit.

A former Bootneck, Richard worked on a number of game changing innovations during his time in the city,  as an oil trader for BP before rediscovering a family passion for inventing, aviation and engineering.

He cites his inspiration and vision behind Gravity is in large part to his father, Michael Browning,  an aeronautical engineer,  and maverick inventor, who tragically died when Richard was a teenager.

I have been following Richard on social media and in the press and was really impressed with everything I saw.  The fact that he used to be in the Corp too really appealed

In this episode we talk about how he sees the company his journey so far and what bright him to this point.

An amazing example of what mindset,  motivation and ambition looks like, and how we can take lessons from our previous lives and apply them to make something amazing

If you would like to know more about him,  his company and journey so far then check him out.

He's recently released his book, which is great read “Taking on Gravity – a guide to inventing the impossible from the man who learned to fly" and you can find him on Instagram,  LinkedIn, twitter,  Facebook and his awesome YouTube channel

When life gives you lemons?  Take those Lemons, punch life in the jeans and make something of it!

Making lemonade is a crazy, uplifting, and unapologetically inspirational trip down the rabbit hole.   Former Royal Marines Commando turned Headhunter Gaz Simpson as he takes a deep dive into the mindset of vetra-preneur’s (entrepreneurs who have served) exploring the role that obstacles have in fostering the creative process, inspiring some of the most exciting businesses in the world.

This first episode is an introduction to one of the hosts and explores his history, some of the challenges that have helped shape him and the motivation behind Making Lemonade. 

Gaz started off life in the Royal Marines serving across the globe with some of the most illustrious units.  After 8 years in the Marines he left to pursue a career in Private Security, working with some of the leading companies in Maritime and Anti piracy before moving into the world of executive search and business consulting.

He joined Forsyth Barnes  – one of the Europe's leading specialist executive recruitment companies – in the UK, USA and Germany . The company has gone on to win multiple awards for delivering bespoke business solutions and fulfilling their candidates’ career aspirations. Gaz’s  expertise is underpinned by his bright, fun, and caring personality mixed together with the dry matter of fact humour that comes from a force’s background.