#48 Dom Platt (AKA Fat Lad to Fighter)  - It’s just the beginning

Dom talks to us about how this is just the beginning! 

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: 

• The scary event that spurred him to take action to change.
• The dedication and support needed to be fight ready.
• If someone tells you, you can’t do something, prove them wrong.
• And how pretzels and pizzas are his biggest downfalls!

Dom is a 28 year old Muay Thai enthusiast who decided to try his hand at fighting. Venturing down a rabbit hole and embarking on a journey, dubbed ‘Fat Lad to Fighter,’ that saw him lose close to 30kg! 

Dom was born in York and adopted the North East close to a decade ago. Rooted here now, he is looking forward to being able to share his small experiences and hopefully inspire and motivate other people to make positive life decisions. 

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Dom's Website -  https://muaythaiblog.co.uk/

Dom on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fatladtofighter/

Dom on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/muaythai.blog

Dom on Twitter - https://twitter.com/fatladtofighter

#47 Carly Morgan - Embracing The Madness 

Carly talks to us about how you should always embrace the madness and love your individuality.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: 

• How you should always surprise and delight your audience.
• Disrupting her industry and the importance of sustainability.
• And how creating sprinkle mixes spawned a creative beast inside her! 

Carly is the owner and founder of The Shire Bakery, an online store selling Giftable baking supplies, and over 150 colourful and fun sprinkle mixes. They also run a Sprinkle Subscription. Launched in 2014, the company has gone from strength to strength, and was recently crowned runner up for Food and Drink Business of the year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

The Shire Bakery is the world's first sprinkle company to be using plastic free packaging on their own branded products. This is something she is very passionate about, and extremely proud of.

Carly is a lover of all things colourful, and aims to continually surprise and delight her customers with inspiring recipes, sprinkles and hints and tips. She aims to inspire everyone to have the confidence to get into the kitchen and express themselves!

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

The Shire Bakery Website -  https://theshirebakery.com/ 

The Shire Bakery on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shirebakery/

The Shire Bakery on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheShireBakery/ 

The Shire Bakery on Twitter - https://twitter.com/shirebakery

#46 Lome Fa'atau - Self-Belief Is Key To Reaching The Top

Lome talks to us about how self-belief is the key to reaching the top

We talk about: 

• Having a consistent mindset, keeping things simple and not succumbing to the pressure of being on a world stage.
• Transitioning from being a professional athlete to figuring out what’s next.
• The significance of Samoan traditions, the war dance, and tattoos.

Lome is a former professional athlete turned personal trainer. Born in New Zealand,  he had the opportunity to play in 2 rugby World Cups representing a small island in the South Pacific, Samoa, where his parents came from. 

Now he’s based in the UK with his little family of 5. As a personal trainer he works with people from all walks of life but he has an interest in working and mentoring young athletes. Inspiring, supporting and pushing them towards their goals is his way of giving back, not just to the sport of rugby that gave him a lot but also giving them the best chance of leaving no stones unturned.

Self-belief is one key component to being successful, and resistance training challenges you in many ways to bring out the best in you.

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Lome on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lomefaatau/

Lome on Twitter - https://twitter.com/lome_faatau

Lome on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lomefaatau

#45 Greg Johnston - Always Moving Forwards

Greg talks to us about how no matter what, you need to always move forwards. 

We talk about: 

• A decision they made to ensure that Evie’s life has a positive impact on the world.
• Stopping and reflecting on how much you have achieved.
• Having compassion for yourself and others; you don’t know what they are going through.
• And the amazing impact Team Evie has had on the lives of thousands of children and families. 

Greg was a primary school teacher in Cumbria, until the birth of his first daughter Evie. Evie was born with multiple serious cardiac, respiratory and digestive problems and after 6 months spent mainly in the RVI she sadly passed away. Greg, and his wife Jill, created the charity ‘Team Evie’ to ensure that Evie had a positive impact on the world, and to help families who face similar challenges to those they faced along with Evie.

Greg now works full time as Chief Executive of the charity, which over the 4 years since Evie died has raised over £300,000 and helped 1000s of sick children and their families in the North East and Cumbria.

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Team Evie Website - www.teamevie.org

Team Evie on Facebook - www.facebook.com/teameviecharity

Team Evie on Twitter - www.twitter.com/teameviecharity

Team Evie on Instagram - www.instagram.com/teameviecharity

Team Evie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/team-evie/

#44 Helena Sansum and Ian Blackburn - The most important skill you can learn is how to keep someone alive

Helena and Ian talk to us about how the most important skill you can learn is how to keep someone alive.

We talk about: 

• Starting a business to have the flexibility to do what you want.
• How you should always know where your nearest defibrillator is. 
• And how jelly babies fix everything!

Ian achieved a Law degree before honing his skills as an expert trainer in a variety of high profile management, training and development roles. Frustrated by the lack of quality First Aid training available, in 2012 Ian embarked upon a mission to create Life Saving Training - the award winning First Aid and Health and Safety organisation with a difference.

Helena achieved a degree in Psychology before a successful career within the public sector outsourcing industry as Operations Manager, delivering high profile government contracts. Helena is the Operations Manager for Life Saving Training and ensures that their service delivery is exceptional and consistent. 

At Life Saving Training they are passionate about empowering people to save lives through their well designed, environment specific First Aid and Pre-Hospital Care training. They’re transforming the way people learn First Aid.

Key Resources: 

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Life Saving Training Website - https://www.lifesavingtraining.co.uk/

Life Saving Training on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/life-saving-training-ltd/

Life Saving Training on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LifeSavingTraining/

Life Saving Training on Twitter - https://twitter.com/LSTFirstAid

Life Saving Training on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lifesavingtraining/

#43 Dee Coxon and Tracey Tait - Getting the conversation started about Menopause. 

This is a special release for World Menopause Day 

We talk about: 

• The misunderstanding of menopause
• Busting myths and talking symptoms
• A company that isn’t open to having discussions will suffer more than the women going through it. 

How are you looking after your people on #WorldMenopauseDay? Listen to our podcast with Dee Coxon and Tracey Tait and find out why these 2 “meno mavens” have joined forces to create Menocourse...... an online solution to managing menopause in the workplace.

Menocourse has been created for CEOs – Directors and Managers at every level because while women are generally very good at managing their own self care at home or away from work, the problems arise when there’s little or no support for them at work .

BUT as these two have discovered its not because leaders and managers don’t care..... its because they don't know enough about it or what to do.... and they’re avoiding finding out because they believe they have to attend a conference or live workshop that's  going to be uncomfortable, clinical, and quite frankly icky.

Menocourse removes the "ick" and replaces it with an easy to follow, 5 step solution - for forward thinking leaders who want to get ahead of the game and show their people they matter.

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Menocourse on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/menocourse/

Dee on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deecoxon/

Tracey on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceytait/

#42 Jimmy Armitage - You’ve only failed if you stop

We talk about:

• The benefits and lessons from playing rugby.
• How you treat others will come back to you.
• And why he was nicknamed Captain Dorito.

Jimmy has spent his 34 years on the planet becoming comfortable in his own skin, understanding what he enjoys, what he’s good at and what makes him happy.

His 3 main focuses presently are; Family, Martial Arts (a Rugby substitute) and his business Wavelength. He gets to live the values he holds most dear in all aspects of his life, simple, honest, impact, individual, positivity, fun and growth.

When you realise that by making yourself happy and content you can help others to become the same, life can be great.

Back yourself, what’s the worst that can happen.

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Wavelength website - https://yourwavelength.co.uk/

Jimmy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-armitage-boxofjobs/

#41 Wajeeha Husain - You don’t have to be rich to be happy

We talk about

• Putting pressure and boundaries on ourselves.
• Dealing with criticism and learning from feedback.
• And how she sold her first bar of chocolate on national television! 

Having worked in the automotive industry for 8 years after gaining a Computer Science degree at Northumbria University, she didn’t feel happy. Her passion for food, combined with the challenges of eating chocolate daily and having a high risk of developing diabetes drove her to quit her job to follow her dream. 

She started Chocolateeha with a mission to create chocolate that can be enjoyed every day without all of the calories. Having just passed the two year mark she feels proud to have been on BBC2, converted hundreds of people to dark chocolate and moved into a commercial kitchen with the dreams of doing so much more.

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Chocolateeha Website - https://chocolateeha.com/

Chocolateeha on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chocolateeha

Chocolateeha on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/chocolateeha/

#40 Having Massive Goals - with Jessica Williams

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: 

• Surrounding yourself with amazing people.
• How much she loves Teesside.
• Maximising the time we have.
• And find out what time her alarm goes off! 

Jessica is the Managing Director of Just Williams. She focuses on the key issue many businesses face, of how to increase sales consistently and effectively. She has worked in the sales industry for over 12 years, across a broad range of sectors, advising, managing and growing organisations through effectively implementing a structured sales strategy and developing relationships for long term growth. 

Through working with businesses to achieve enhanced lead generation, understanding the barriers and addressing the impact of current sales performance against targeted growth, she is able to review your current strategy and offer advice and guidance for the coming financial year.

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Just Williams Website -  http://www.justwilliamsltd.co.uk/

Just Williams Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justwilliamsoffice/

Just Williams Twitter - https://twitter.com/justwilliamsltd

Just Williams LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/just-williams-consultancy-ltd-trading-as-just-williams/  

#39 Aim to be a world champion in life - with Tom Maley 

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: 

• The gift of having amazing role models.
• You’ve got to be thick skinned as art is subjective.
• If people don't like you, it doesn't matter how good your work is, they'll not buy it from you.

Tom was born in Northumberland in 1962, the fourth of five children. He is a designer, artist and sculptor.

Tom originally trained as a design engineer making the switch to full time artist in 2000 with the unveiling of his first public commission, a statue of Wilf Mannion at Middlesbrough Football Club’s Riverside Stadium.

Since then, Tom has carried out several commissioned landmark sculptures as well as his own Pop Art pieces, this includes working for the likes of Newcastle United Football Club, Newcastle City Council, Welbeck Estates and Formula 1.

Tom is also involved in the production ‘Icarus Rising’, a short drama. Tom’s iconic Pop Art sculpture ‘1carus’ features in the film.

Key Resources:

Inspiration North Website - www.inspirationnorth.com

Inspiration North Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationnorth 

Inspiration North Twitter - https://twitter.com/Inspirationorth 

Inspiration North Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiration_north/ 

Inspiration North LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiration-north

Tom’s website - http://www.tommaley.com 

Tom on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-maley-b4a21513/

Tom on Twitter - https://twitter.com/MaleyTom