The Grounded Man

How much of your week is intentionally designed to protect and raise your energy?

In this episode, John explores why making time for yourself isn’t selfish — it’s essential to how you lead. He shares a simple exercise around work, family, and yourself, and explains why where you actually spend your time and energy is a better reflection of your priorities than what you say matters most.

John also introduces the idea of grounding yourself each morning, starting with just 10–15 minutes to reset, recharge, and sharpen your thinking. He looks at gratitude as a powerful way to move out of frustration, protect your energy, and create more space to lead your business, family, and life with greater clarity and presence.

Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike

00:01:23 — Making Time for You

00:02:29 — Where Your Priorities Really Are

00:03:32 — Invest in Yourself First

00:06:31 — Protecting Your Energy

00:07:11 — Energy, Time & Freedom

00:09:39 — The 15-Minute Reset

00:10:37 — The Grounding Ritual

00:12:23 — Practicing Gratitude

00:13:19 — Gratitude Over Frustration

00:15:07 — Being Grateful for What’s Ahead 

What are you carrying that you no longer need to hold onto?

In this episode, John reflects on the first Grounded Man Hike and the conversations that came from stepping away from business, pressure, and everyday noise. He shares the idea behind carrying a stone up the mountain, what it represented, and why letting go can sometimes be just as important as pushing forward.

John also looks ahead to the next Grounded Man Hike in Glendalough and explains why community, clarity, challenge, and celebration are at the heart of the experience.

Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike

00:01:04 — The Grounded Man Hike

00:03:06 — What Are You Carrying?

00:04:20 — Letting Go at the Summit

00:05:19 — The Next Hike

00:06:45 — Who It’s For

00:08:23 — Community, Clarity & Challenge

00:11:03 — What to Expect

00:14:13 — Join the Next Hike 

Can you grow a successful business without sacrificing your energy, your family, or the life you actually want to live?

In this episode, John is joined by Sam Harte, director of Harte Outdoor Lighting, for a walk through Wicklow as they explore what it means to work on yourself while growing a business. Sam shares how purpose, presence, the Leadership Hour, and focusing on his daily energy have helped him step away from the constant grind, think more strategically, and create more space for the things that matter most. They also discuss trust versus control, why we tend to push harder when things get difficult, building a stronger culture within a business, and how coaching and accountability can help you become a better leader.

Want to connect with Sam Harte and learn more about Harte Outdoor Lighting?

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-harte/

Explore Harte Outdoor Lighting: https://www.harteoutdoorlighting.ie/

Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike

00:01:12 — Meet Sam Harte

00:05:22 — Finding Purpose Beyond the Daily Grind

00:08:17 — Finding Growth in Hard Times

00:10:41 — Control vs Trust

00:14:24 — You Are Not Your Thoughts

00:16:41 — Finding Presence in Everyday Life

00:21:14 — The Leadership Hour

00:26:28 — Energy and Better Results

00:27:53 — Working On the Business, Not In It

00:31:50 — Building a High-Performance Culture

00:35:16 — Building a Life Around Family

00:36:17 — Redefining Success

00:40:20 — Why We Double Down Under Pressure

00:45:18 — Coaching and Accountability

00:50:31 — The Grounded Man Hike 

There's a version of success where you build something real — a team, a reputation, clients who trust you — and somehow end up more trapped than when you started.

This week on The Grounded Man, we get into why that happens — and why the fix isn't a better system, it's learning to grow people instead of managing tasks. We talk about the real cost of downsizing to avoid people problems, why not trusting your team is really about not trusting yourself, and who you are when you're not the hardest worker in the room.

Growing your business — and freedom — by growing your people.

If you'd like to connect with likeminded business owners to see how they are leading others better and with more freedom, attend the next Grounded Man Hike. Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike

Timestamps:

00:00 — Intro: welcome to The Grounded Man
00:54 — Why delegation keeps landing back on your desk, half-done
03:36 — It eats at your ambition — the cost of downsizing to escape people problems
06:58 — Business is 90% people — so growth means growing people
08:50 — From manager of tasks to leader of people
11:21 — Not trusting others is really not trusting yourself
14:45 — Treating your business like a forest, not a machine
21:04 — This week's question: where do you need to develop people more?

Are you spending too much time working in the business instead of on it?

In this episode, John explores why strategy execution is not just about knowing what needs to be done, but creating the space, structure, and leadership rhythm to actually do it. He explains why business owners can get trapped in doing, fixing, and firefighting, and how shifting into clearer thinking, better decisions, and leadership alignment can help the business start running without everything revolving around you.

Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike

00:01:05 — Working On the Business

00:02:30 — The Knowing-Doing Gap

00:04:20 — When the Old Way Stops Working

00:08:15 — Stop Being the Fixer

00:10:15 — Creating Space to Think

00:12:10 — Letting Go of Control

00:14:20 — Choosing What Is Important

00:15:40 — Building Your Leadership Team

00:18:20 — Working on the Bigger Picture

00:21:30 — The Grounded Man Hike 

Do you feel like your team still does not fully understand the vision, even after you have explained it?

In this episode, John explores why communication is one of the biggest challenges for business owners and why real alignment comes from clarity, consistency, and repeating the vision often. He also looks at what can get in the way, including ego, people-pleasing, and waiting until everything feels perfect before you lead the conversation.

Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike

00:01:00 — Why Communication Matters

00:03:05 — Clarity, Conciseness, and Consistency

00:04:05 — Why They Still Do Not Get It

00:06:05 — Bringing Vision Into the Conversation

00:09:40 — The Cost of Misalignment

00:11:05 — Seeing Yourself as the Visionary

00:14:00 — Sharing the Vision Means Sharing Yourself

00:15:35 — Letting Go of People-Pleasing

00:18:10 — The Leadership Alignment Workshop

What happens when the pressure of business starts affecting your health?

In this episode, John walks with Barry Finnegan, founder of a technology business based in County Meath, to explore what it really means to carry responsibility without letting it consume you. Barry shares how a mild heart attack became a wake-up call to rethink stress, personal responsibility, health, and the way he was holding on to outcomes in business.

Together, they talk about letting go of what you cannot control, staying grounded in gratitude, building a business without losing yourself, and learning to define success from the inside out.

Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 

00:00:42 — Welcome to The Grounded Man Podcast

00:01:20 — Meet Barry Finnegan

00:05:35 — Walking at Lough Crew

00:09:30 — Barry’s Health Wake-Up Call

00:15:30 — Letting Go of the Outcome

00:17:30 — Gratitude and Control

00:20:20 — Talking Through Problems

00:24:00 — Taking Personal Responsibility

00:27:20 — Finding Balance Again

00:30:55 — Defining Success from Within

00:34:10 — Inner Pride and Daily Action

00:40:15 — Advice for Men Under Pressure

00:42:45 — The Grounded Man Hike 

Do you feel like there are never enough hours in the day?

In this episode, John explores why so many business owners feel trapped by their own calendars, constantly chasing time, success, and opportunities outside of themselves. He explains why your real value is not in the number of hours you work, but in your presence, focus, strengths, and ability to choose what truly deserves your energy.

For more on the Deru approach to leadership from the inside out, visit https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 

00:01:04 — When There’s Never Enough Time

00:03:00 — Amazon vs. Rolex and Ferrari

00:06:25 — The Signs You Have a Problem with Time

00:08:35 — Stop Chasing Success

00:10:14 — What Really Built Your Business

00:13:20 — Letting Go of Proving Yourself

00:16:15 — The Hierarchy of Waste

00:20:10 — The Three Buckets of Work

00:22:30 — Making the Hours Count

00:23:55 — The Grounded Man Hike 

Do you ever feel like cash flow, sales, and money pressure are keeping you up at night?

In this episode, John explores the deeper mindset behind financial pressure in business. He explains why money is not something to be chased, but a byproduct of the value we create. He also talks about underpricing, saying yes to the wrong clients, avoiding the numbers, and learning to shift from a scarcity mindset into a more abundant way of leading yourself, your team, and your business. 

For more on the Deru approach to leadership from the inside out, visit https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 

00:01:00 — Sales, Cash Flow, and Money Mindset

00:03:30 — Financial Pressure as a Symptom

00:05:30 — Money Is a Byproduct of Value

00:07:30 — Business Is About Solving Problems

00:10:30 — Seeing Money as a Tool

00:13:30 — Underpricing and Saying Yes to the Wrong Clients

00:16:00 — Lack of Financial Visibility

00:18:00 — Letting Go of Scarcity

00:20:00 — Giving Yourself Permission to Receive 

Do you ever feel like you are the only one who truly cares about your business?

In this episode, John explores the loneliness and pressure that can come from carrying too much responsibility alone. He explains why business is not just a machine built on systems and output, but a living thing built on people, trust, relationships, and purpose. He also talks about letting go of the belief that you are missing something, reconnecting with your deeper purpose, and learning to grow the people first so the people can grow the business.

For more on the Deru approach to leadership from the inside out, visit www.derunation.com

00:01:13 — Feeling Like the Only One Who Cares

00:03:10 — Loneliness in Business

00:04:06 — Separating Yourself from the Business

00:05:00 — You Are Already Enough

00:06:15 — Business Is Built on People

00:08:13 — The Cost of Isolation

00:12:18 — Creating Vision and Purpose

00:14:02 — Treating Business Like a Living Thing

00:15:14 — What Would You Do If Nothing Was Missing?