The Stripped Back Podcast

In Part 2 of our conversation with David O’Connor, we dive deeper into his mental health journey, the importance of asking for help, and how finding purpose through running, community and coaching helped reshape his life.

David opens up about reaching another period of suicidal crisis, the conversation with a trusted friend that encouraged him to seek counselling, and the lessons he has learned through more than a decade of personal growth.

We discuss the importance of self-compassion, building small daily habits, and making mental health conversations more accessible through his work with Aware Ireland.

David also shares the incredible story behind his running journey, from being bullied about his weight to completing marathons, ultraruns and an extraordinary challenge of 10 marathons in 10 days in 2018, raising awareness and funds for mental health along the way.

We finish by exploring his passion for football and player development, why belonging matters, and how his experiences have shaped his individual approach to coaching young athletes.

An honest conversation about resilience, purpose, perspective and recognising that sometimes the smallest steps can make the biggest difference.

If you’re struggling, please speak to someone you trust and consider reaching out for professional support. You don’t have to face it alone.

Podcast Sponsor: Snickers Workwear

www.snickersworkwear.ie

Podcast Venue: N2 Electrical Wholesalers

www.n2electrical.ie

In this first part of a two part conversation, Stephen and Keith sit down with fitness and performance coach David O’Connor for an honest and deeply personal conversation about mental health, childhood experiences and the impact they can have long into adulthood.

David opens up about being bullied throughout his school years because of his appearance, and a frightening mugging at knifepoint that further damaged his confidence and sense of self.

But the impact of those experiences didn’t simply disappear with time.

David takes us through his journey into adulthood, from studying and working in the banking sector to playing grassroots football, and how beneath the surface, anger, isolation and self-blame were quietly building.

He speaks about feeling like an outsider in a workplace culture centred around after-work drinking, struggling to find an outlet through football, and reaching a point where he began questioning his own mental health.

From keeping private diary entries documenting his feelings to recognising that he might be experiencing depression, David shares the difficult reality of what it can look like when someone is struggling but doesn’t know how to ask for help.

This is a conversation about the things men often keep to themselves, the experiences that shape us, and the importance of recognising when someone might not be okay.

Part two of this conversation continues on Sunday November 8th.

If anything discussed in this episode resonates with you, or you or someone you know is struggling, please remember that support is available.

You don’t have to face things alone.

Useful Irish support services:

● Pieta – https://www.pieta.ie/

● Samaritans – https://www.samaritans.org/ireland/

● Aware – https://www.aware.ie/

This podcast is sponsored by Snickers Workwear.

www.snickersworkwear.ie

This podcast is recorded from N2 Electrical Wholesalers.

www.n2electrical.ie

In Part 2 of our conversation with Chris McCarthy from CMAC Electrical, Stephen Buckley and Keith Delahan continue the discussion around the realities of working in the electrical industry in Ireland.

We dive deeper into the challenges facing self-employed tradespeople, the pressures of running a business, and the importance of understanding your numbers, planning for growth, and making decisions that support long-term success.

From career progression and leadership to training, apprenticeships, and maintaining industry standards, this episode explores what it really takes to build a sustainable career and business in the trades.

We also discuss the importance of developing trust within a team, taking responsibility, and recognising that success isn’t always measured by money alone. Sometimes, the biggest motivation comes from the goals you set, the people you work with, and the future you’re trying to build.

If you’re a tradesperson, apprentice, business owner, or anyone working in the construction industry, this is a conversation worth hearing.

Podcast is sponsored by Snickers Workwear Ireland

www.snickersworkwear.ie

Podcast is recorded from N2 Electrical Wholesaler

www.n2electrical.ie

In Part 1 of this episode of The Stripped Back Podcast, Stephen Buckley and Keith Delahan sit down with Chris McCarthy from CMAC Electrical for a brutally honest conversation about the realities of running an electrical contracting business in Ireland.

Chris is known for speaking his mind, and this conversation doesn’t disappoint. From the pressure of going out on your own to the reality of rising material costs, underpricing jobs and the growing influence of social media, we get into the conversations the industry needs to have.

Chris opens up about the early days of building his business, the moment he realised that having plenty of work didn’t necessarily mean making money, and how understanding your numbers completely changed the way he operates.

We also get into the problems with unrealistic pricing expectations, contractors undercutting each other, workmanship standards and the role of QSs and PC sums in creating difficulties for electrical contractors.

But it’s not all about business. We discuss the next generation of electricians, motivating apprentices, the challenges young people face today, and whether the industry is doing enough to prepare tradespeople for life beyond their apprenticeship.

In this episode, we discuss:

• ​The reality of going out on your own – Why a full diary, a fleet of vans and a busy team don’t automatically equal a successful business.
• ​Social media versus real life – The dangers of selling the dream of self-employment without showing the hard work, risks and financial realities behind it.
• ​Knowing your numbers – Why understanding your break-even point, hourly rate, overheads and job costs is essential.
• ​Working for nothing – The consequences of underpricing work and accepting jobs that leave you with little or no profit.
• ​The race to the bottom – How undercutting, cutting corners and inconsistent workmanship standards affect the trade.
• ​QSs, PC sums and unrealistic budgets – The frustration of being expected to deliver quality electrical installations against figures that don’t reflect the actual costs.
• ​Rising costs and the construction industry – The impact of materials, diesel and overheads on electrical contractors.
• ​Business education for electricians – Why financial and business management skills should be a bigger part of the journey from apprentice to contractor.
• ​Mental health and asking for help – The pressure of running a business and why tradespeople need to be more open about their struggles.
• ​The next generation – Motivating apprentices, the challenges facing young people and the importance of practical learning.
• ​Career progression and partnerships – Why supporting ambitious electricians to grow within a business could benefit both employers and employees.

This is an honest look at the challenges facing electrical contractors today, with plenty of food for thought for anyone considering self-employment or already trying to make a business work.

If you’re an electrician, an apprentice, a contractor or someone working in the wider construction industry, this is a conversation worth hearing.

Listen to Part 1 now, and let us know your thoughts. Sponsored by Snickers Workwear www.snickersworkwear.ie

Recorded from N2 Electrical Wholesalers

www.n2electrical.ie

In this episode of The Stripped Back Podcast, Stephen and Keith sit down with Actor, Producer and Promotor, Pól Seoige for an honest conversation about life, career changes, and what happens when the future you had planned suddenly disappears.

Pól takes us back to the collapse of the Celtic Tiger, a period that changed the direction of his career and forced him to rethink what came next. Rather than standing still after the initial shock, he chose to keep moving, travelling to America to visit friends, experience life, and open himself up to new opportunities.

What started as a change in plans became the beginning of a different journey, a reminder that sometimes the biggest opportunities come when life takes you somewhere you never expected to go.

In true Stripped Back style, we get into the realities of navigating uncertainty, adapting when circumstances change, and having the courage to take a different path.

Whether you’re working in the trades, building a business, pursuing a creative career, or figuring out your next move, this conversation is a reminder that a change of plan doesn’t have to mean the end of the journey.

Podcast is sponsored by Snickers Workwear.

www.snickersworkwear.ie

Podcast is recorded from N2 Electrical Wholesalers.

www.n2electrical.ie

A new season. A new theme tune. A new lineup of guests. And some conversations that go deeper than ever before.

We kick off Season 11 of The Stripped Back Podcast with Latisha McCrudden — activist, law student, proud member of the Traveller community, and a powerful voice for a new generation.

In this episode, we sit down with Latisha to talk openly about her life and the experiences that have shaped the woman she is today.

Latisha shares what it was like growing up in a home shadowed by domestic abuse, the impact those experiences had on her, and how she has turned some incredibly difficult chapters of her life into a determination to speak up for others.

We talk about her role as a voice for the next generation of Travellers, but also as a voice for girls who have experienced similar circumstances and may feel that they don’t have one of their own.

We also get into Latisha’s academic journey and the achievements that have brought her to where she is today. Now studying law in college, she talks about her ambitions to pursue a career in family law and how her own experiences have helped shape the direction she wants to take.

It’s a conversation about resilience, education, identity, breaking cycles, finding your voice and using your experiences to help others.

Season 11 starts with a conversation that reminds us exactly why we created this podcast in the first place, to strip things back, have honest conversations and give people a platform to tell their story.

Season 11. New theme, New guests, Same Stripped Back conversations.

If you have been affected by the conversation on this episode, please seek advice and consultation from the following available aid;

Women's Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline

1800-341-900

Thank you for listening, this podcast is sponsored by Snickers Workwear Ireland.

www.snickersworkwear.ie

Recording from N2 Electrical Wholesalers

www.n2electrical.ie

Episode Revisit - Between Season 10 and Season 11, we’re going back to one of the conversations that has stayed with us.

This time, we’re bringing back our conversation with internationally renowned trance DJ Paul Webster, with enhanced audio and visuals giving the episode a fresh new feel.

Paul’s story is one of ambition, music, family, career changes and staying true to yourself.

Growing up in Balbriggan, Paul’s love for dance music started at a young age, eventually taking him from bedroom decks and pirate radio to producing music, playing alongside some of the biggest names in electronic music and performing on some of the world’s biggest stages.

In this conversation, Paul opens up about the moments that changed his career, including the role Judge Jules played in his journey, his breakthrough in trance music, and the incredible experience of playing after Tiësto at Privilege in Ibiza.

But there’s much more to Paul's story than music.

We talk about Ibiza, the evolution of trance and Irish club culture, producing music, working independently without management, and the realities of balancing a career in music with family life.

Paul also talks about stepping away from the traditional path of a touring DJ, his career and his unexpected journey into dentistry, proving that careers rarely follow a straight line.

We revisit the story behind some of Paul's biggest productions, including his work surrounding “Rest of Our Lives”, and the journey that saw the track become one of the biggest releases of his career.

This is a conversation about chasing a dream, adapting when life changes, and understanding what really matters when the lights go down and the music stops.

So, before we open the door to Season 11, sit back and revisit the story of Paul Webster.

Enhanced audio. Enhanced visuals. Same conversation. A fresh way to experience it.

Main Sponsor: Snickers Workwear

Recorded at N2 Electrical Wholesalers

10 Seasons. Still Showing Up.

Ten seasons in… and somehow, we’re still here.

In this special solo episode, Stephen takes a step back from the usual guest conversations to reflect on Season 10 and everything that has happened behind the scenes to keep The Stripped Back Podcast on the road.

2026 has been one hell of a year.

With Keith’s business, Energise Electrical, getting busier month by month, Stephen balancing life as a husband and dad of three, and taking on a promotion within Mitie that completely changed the structure of his working week, finding the time to keep the podcast moving hasn’t always been easy.

But that’s the thing about life.

You don’t always get more time.

Sometimes you just have to find a way.

Stephen talks about getting older, taking opportunities when they come along, balancing family and career with something you’re passionate about, and the importance of having the support of the people closest to you.

He also reflects on just how far The Stripped Back Podcast has come since two tradesmen from Balbriggan decided to give an idea a shot back in 2024.

Ten seasons later, the microphones are still on.

And we’re not finished yet.

Originally recorded in 2025, Now Re-released with enhanced audio and production.

Sometimes you have to lose your way before you find yourself.

In this special enhanced audio Overload Episode of The Stripped Back Podcast, we revisit our 2025 conversation with Daniel Bradley, a raw and honest story about struggle, bad choices, feeling trapped, and believing there was no way out.

Daniel opens up about what it was like to go down the wrong path, face adversity and reach a point where changing his life seemed almost impossible.

But this isn’t a story about where you came from.

It’s about what happens when you decide you’re not going to stay there.

Through determination, resilience and a willingness to confront the things holding him back, Daniel began to break through the adversity and pave a completely new path for himself.

From feeling like there was no way out… to building a life he could be proud of.

This is a conversation about second chances, personal responsibility, resilience and the power of changing direction, no matter how far you’ve gone down the wrong road.

The Overload Episode is a reminder that your past doesn’t have to define your future.

Podcast Sponsored by Snickers Workwear

www.snickersworkwear.ie

Podcast recorded from N2 Electrical Wholesalers

www.n2electrical.ie

Season 10 Finale | Stripped Back Podcast

We’re closing out Season 10 with John Slattery and Keith Moore from Assemble Pro.

We get into how technology is changing the way tradespeople run their businesses, from estimating and invoicing to managing projects, winning work and creating a more professional customer experience.

We talk about the story behind Assemble Pro, why simplicity is so important when building technology for the trades, and how getting the numbers right from the start can make a huge difference to a project.

We also look ahead at what’s coming next, including the potential impact of AI on the construction industry and how technology could change the way tradespeople work in the years ahead.

A great conversation to finish off Season 10.

Check out what Assemble Pro has to offer at www.assemblepro.com

Thanks to everyone who has listened, watched, shared and supported the podcast throughout the season.

That’s a wrap, See you soon on Season 11.

Podcast Sponsor: Snickers Workwear 

www.snickersworkwear.ie

Podcast Venue: N2 Electrical Wholesalers 

www.n2electrical.ie