Joe thought he knew what life after football would look like.

He had the degree.
 He had the plan.
 He had a clear next step.

But the reality felt completely different.

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Joe to unpack what really happens when your identity is built around sport… and suddenly, it’s gone.

From growing up in a football family to playing professionally for over a decade, Joe shares how the transition out of the game hit harder than expected and why most athletes aren’t prepared for what comes next. 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

- What “player care” actually means and why it’s missing the mark 

- The hidden pressures athletes face when they leave the game 

- Why most players don’t feel “ready” for life after sport 

- The identity and ego shift that hits after retirement 

- How relationships change when roles reverse financially 

- Why choosing the wrong second career is more common than you think 

- The mistake of jumping into the “obvious” next step 

- How Joe realized journalism wasn’t the path for him 

- The importance of creating calmness before making big decisions 

- Why uncomfortable environments accelerate growth 

This episode goes deeper than just career transition.

It’s about identity.

Joe opens up about leaving football with fear, not clarity.
 About losing his role as the provider.
 About not knowing how to carry “Joe the footballer” into the next phase of life. 

And that’s the part most people don’t see.

Because from the outside, it looks like a career change.
 But internally, it feels like starting from zero.

Want to go deeper?
If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Josh Allan thought he had it figured out.

He was fast. Really fast.
Running national-level 400m times.
Training with some of the best athletes in the country.

But deep down, he knew something most athletes avoid admitting.

This wasn’t going to be his career.

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Josh Allan, now Head Coach of Men’s Rugby at the University of Toronto, to unpack the real decisions behind leaving one path… and choosing another.

From growing up in Halifax and playing multiple sports at a high level, to representing at national level in both rugby and athletics, Josh shares what it actually looks like when you’re good at everything… but forced to choose one thing. 

And more importantly, what happens when none of those paths turn into the future you imagined.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

•  Why being talented at multiple sports can actually make decisions harder 
•  The moment Josh realized track wasn’t going to be his career 
•  What it really takes to “go all in”… and why most people don’t 
•  Walking away from elite rugby pathways and what that felt like 
•  The reality behind the “3%” who make it professionally 
•  How he ended up moving to Chicago with no real plan 
•  Why sport became his gateway into life, not his destination 
•  Building confidence through coaching, gyms, and personal training 
•  The identity shift every athlete has to face 
•  What he now tells 18-year-olds who think they’re going pro

This episode isn’t about success in the traditional sense.

It’s about awareness.

Josh knew early on that continuing down a path just because he could… didn’t mean he should.

And that honesty changed everything.

From stepping away from track after hitting a ceiling, to returning to rugby, to eventually realizing sport wasn’t going to be the end goal, this is a story about making decisions before life forces them on you. 

It’s also a reminder that just because something doesn’t become your career… doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it.

Want to go deeper?
If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

In this episode, Brad Stanton shares his raw, unfiltered journey from world champion fighter to entrepreneur, coach, and founder of a new wellbeing venture in Abu Dhabi. 

Brad opens up about growing up in a disciplined, athletic household, overcoming bullying through martial arts, and rising to the top of his sport. But behind the success came personal challenges that forced him to step away from fighting, including his father’s illness and the emotional toll that followed.

From working in a warehouse after being at the top… to rebuilding his life in the UAE… to burning out from a successful gym… this conversation dives deep into what it really takes to start again.

Key Topics Covered

•  How early discipline and family shaped Brad’s mindset 
•  Overcoming bullying and finding confidence through Muay Thai 
•  The reality of becoming a world champion at a young age 
•  Walking away from sport at the peak of success 
•  The emotional impact of his father’s illness and passing 
•  Losing identity after sport and starting over from scratch 
•  Why success in business led to burnout 
•  The hidden danger of building a brand around yourself 
•  Lessons from closing a successful gym 
•  Rebuilding with purpose through wellness and community 
•  Why athletes must think beyond sport early 
•  The importance of financial structure when starting a business

Golden Nugget:
 “You are your own worst enemy. The moment you let doubt in, you’ve already failed at day one.” 

Want to go deeper?
If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

 Sometimes the hardest part of any journey isn’t the outcome, it’s learning how to make peace with what actually happened. In this episode, we explore what it really looks like to redefine success, especially when life doesn’t unfold the way you expected. We talk about the pressure to measure everything by results, how long it can take to genuinely feel proud of your effort, and why “good enough” often lands very differently when you’re in it versus when you look back. This is a conversation about growth, perspective, and learning how to move forward without carrying the weight of what could have been. 

What we talk about in this episode:

•  Redefining success beyond outcomes and external validation 
•  Why achieving a goal doesn’t always bring immediate fulfillment 
•  The emotional aftermath of not getting the result you wanted 
•  Letting go of “should have, could have, would have” thinking 
•  How identity and purpose evolve after a major life chapter 
•  Balancing passion with a life beyond one pursuit 
•  The role of perspective in healing and moving forward 
•  Why acceptance is often a long-term process, not a quick shift 
•  How having other areas of meaning can support resilience 
•  Learning to feel proud of the journey, not just the result 

Want to Go Deeper?
If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Born with a disability and introduced to swimming as a child, Charlotte went on to become a Paralympic medalist in the pool before stepping away from the sport she had known almost her entire life. But retirement from swimming did not bring instant clarity. Instead, it brought confusion, anxiety, and a deep loss of identity she had not fully prepared for.

In this episode, Charlotte shares how she found her way through that difficult period, why switching to canoeing gave her a second chapter she never expected, and how she now approaches performance, purpose, and life beyond sport very differently.

What You’ll Hear

• How Charlotte’s early disability shaped her path into sport
• Why swimming gave her freedom, independence, and community as a child
• The chance meeting that introduced her to the Paralympic dream
• What it felt like to make her first Paralympic Games in Beijing
• How a serious infection in Beijing affected her first Paralympic experience
• Why missing out on a medal in 2008 fueled her drive toward London 2012
• The pressure and overtraining that nearly derailed her path to the home games
• What really happened emotionally when she retired from swimming
• Why moving into a second sport did not automatically fix the loss of identity
• The moment she realized she needed help to process the transition
• Why even a “dream life” in sport can still leave someone feeling anxious and lost
• How canoeing became the most successful chapter of her career
• What she is doing differently now to prepare for life after sport
• Why exploring opportunities outside of sport has made her a better athlete

Golden Nugget

“It is important to acknowledge when even the most beautiful life can create this real sense of anxiety and lack of purpose.”

Want to Go Deeper?

Charlotte’s honesty in this episode is what makes it so powerful. She speaks openly about what many athletes feel but struggle to admit. That you can be living the dream, doing sport for a living, winning medals, and still feel lost.

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Chris Lawrence went from debuting in the NRL at 17 while still in high school to building a business that now helps athletes keep learning during and after their playing careers. But his path was not a smooth one.

In this episode, Chris shares what it was really like to be thrown into professional sport so young, the pressure of balancing school with first grade football, and the injuries that forced him to confront the reality that his career could end at any moment. He also opens up about the frustration of trying to study in systems that were never designed for athletes and how that experience shaped the business he runs today.

What You’ll Hear

• What it felt like to debut in the NRL at 17 while still in Year 12
• The moment Tim Sheens told him, “Looks like you’re playing, kid”
• How he scored on debut at Suncorp after one simple piece of advice
• Why trying to balance university and professional sport became so frustrating
• The experience that made him realise traditional education systems were not built for athletes
• How a dislocated hip left him in limbo and facing the possibility of career-ending surgery
• What helped him mentally get through serious injury
• Why he started building a business while still playing
• The reason he believes learning is a skill athletes need to keep developing
• How sport taught him lessons about resilience, clarity, sales, leadership, and performance
• Why building skills early gives athletes more options later
• The mindset shift that helped him know when it was time to stop playing and go all in on business

Golden Nugget

“Everything you do is an accumulation of skills. The earlier you build them, the more options you have later. Opportunities come because you’ve built the reps, not because you suddenly decided it’s time.”

Want to Go Deeper?

This episode is not just about retirement from rugby league. It is about what happens when an athlete starts asking bigger questions while they are still in the game.

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

At six years old, Will Mellors-Blair was named a child maths prodigy. By nine, he was modeling space and time on the football pitch. By eleven, he had already decided that sport would be a vehicle, not the destination.

In this episode, Will joins Ryan to unpack a journey that blends elite football, advanced mathematics, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship. From the Manchester United academy to the University of Michigan, and now into building AI systems that optimize human performance at scale, Will shares how he designed his second act long before his first one ended.

This is a conversation about identity, autonomy, performance, and what happens when you refuse to be put in a box.

What You’ll Hear

• How Will used mathematical modeling to “solve” football games as a child
 • Why being labeled a prodigy gave structure to his mind rather than pressure
 • The moment academy football began to limit his creativity
 • Why he always saw football as a vehicle, not the final destination
 • The culture shock of moving from English football to the University of Michigan
 • What humbled him academically and forced a shift in habits
 • His obsession with tech founders and what he was really searching for
 • The difference between mimicking success and building your own code
 • Why relentlessness is non-negotiable when building something new
 • How poor data use is costing economies billions in lost productivity
 • The concept of training the mind like the body in elite sport
 • How to step back from being the business and build a true team
 • Why major career decisions should align the head, heart, and gut

Golden Nugget

“Don’t just think with your head when making a transition. Align the three brains. Does it make sense logically, emotionally, and intuitively? If it’s yes, yes, yes, you’re on the right path.”

Want to Go Deeper?

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Ryan sits down with Tim, founder of Forged in Sport, to unpack what their research revealed after analyzing dozens of real conversations with athletes who were building businesses, thinking about it, or already deep in it.

The big takeaway: if you don’t sort your identity first, the business won’t fix it. In fact, it can make the emptiness louder.

Tim breaks down seven key insights that reshape how we should think about life after sport, especially for athletes considering entrepreneurship.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why identity comes before your business idea
• How chasing business to replace sport’s “high” leads to burnout
• The money trap: why trying to match athlete income fast can backfire
• Why perfectionism delays everything, and why “start earlier” was the most common regret
• The reality of business: ambiguity, no scoreboard, no clear rules
• The mindset shift athletes must make from “I win, you lose” to “everyone can win”
• Why athlete support often disappears when it’s needed most, and how that damages transitions
• The hidden risk of relying only on your sporting network for business advice
• Why athletes often miss key financial fundamentals like pricing, cash flow, and profit
• Why doing it alone slows progress, and how ego gets in the way of asking for help
• How defining success on your own terms changes everything after sport

Golden Nugget

If you build a business to replace sport, you will eventually burn out or feel empty, even if the business “works.” The identity work has to come first.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Joseph Ogacion grew up in the Philippines, once averaging 0.5 points per varsity basketball game, watching the Sydney Olympics on TV and dreaming of racing there one day. He wasn’t the tallest, the strongest, or the most resourced. But he had something else: the ability to suffer more than anyone else.

Today, Joseph is a marathoner headed to the Paris 2024 Olympics and an elite time trial cyclist, juggling two world-class disciplines while working full-time in pediatric physiotherapy in Australia.

What You’ll Hear

• Why his average of 0.5 points per game in high school basketball became the unexpected beginning of his running career
• How skipping meals to afford a secondhand bike became the gateway to elite cycling
• What it means to be “fair to your sport” and honest with your effort
• The link between his physiotherapy training and athletic edge
• Why he trains at an average heart rate of 181 and what that says about his physiology
• How he learned to channel self-doubt into world-class endurance
• Why switching nationality from the Philippines to Australia opened the door to greater competition
• What every athlete can learn about adaptability and control
• The surprising crossover between hitting Olympic splits and sales quotas at work
• How he balances ambition, fatherhood, and a demanding career
• Why breaking down big goals into daily 3.52-hour training blocks changed everything
• What meeting childhood idol Steve Moneghetti meant after 25 years of dreaming

Golden Nugget

“Be fair to the sport. Every step, every rep, do it with intent. The sport is always fair. You may not see the rewards next week, but after ten or fifteen years, they show up.”

Want to Go Deeper?

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Ben Herring knows what it's like to be knocked back, knocked out, and still come back stronger. In this episode, he shares the raw, unpredictable journey from overlooked schoolboy to pro rugby player, then international coach. From New Zealand to Japan to Australia, his story is filled with lessons on ego, identity, starting over, and building a life beyond sport. 

In this episode, you will hear:

- Why Ben kept his goals private, and how he methodically mapped out his career

- What it's like to have four kids born on four different continents while chasing a coaching dream

- How early rejection and C-team selections shaped his resilience and humility

- Why being overlooked until 21 gave him a major advantage in pro rugby

- The surprising financial advice he followed that set him up for life after sport

- The hard truths of concussion and how personal ownership helped him recover

- Why he originally said no to coaching—and how his wife changed his mind

- What great coaches do beyond tactics and drills

- The art of building culture, and why environment always beats strategy

- How coaching is really about connection, trust, and helping others shine

- Why every athlete should regularly “start again” with a new challenge

- His take on ego, identity, and letting go of the need to be seen

Golden Nugget 

" If you've never had to start from the bottom, you're going to struggle when your sporting career ends. But if you've made a habit of starting again; learning a language, trying something new, being a beginner, you’ll be ready. And you'll be excited."

Want to Go Deeper?

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

In this epsiode, Ryan is joined by two-time Olympian and European judo champion, Gemma Howell. After a 25-year career that included 12 operations, strict weight cuts, and a near obsessive pursuit of excellence, Gemma opens up about what it truly felt like to walk away from elite sport.

Now a full-time secondary school maths teacher, Gemma reflects on the challenges of injury, burnout, and rediscovering joy in a new chapter. She shares the unexpected grief of retirement, how she found purpose again in teaching and coaching judo, and why staying connected to the sport has helped her heal.

What We Discuss:

• Why retiring after the Commonwealth Games broke her heart
• The impact of chronic injury and surgeries on her mental health
• The unhealthy relationship with food and weight in elite judo
• How her ADHD became a superpower on and off the mat
• The emotional challenges of losing an athletic identity
• Finding joy again through coaching and teaching
• Why having “something else” outside of sport matters
• The role of movement, community, and self-compassion in healing

About Gemma:
Gemma Howell is a retired elite judoka who represented Team GB at the London and Tokyo Olympics, and won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Now a secondary school maths teacher and judo coach, she continues to inspire young people through sport and education.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Helen Alfano has worked in elite sport for over 20 years, supporting athletes across disciplines - from judo to netball - through the often invisible work of well-being and personal development.

In this episode, she joins Ryan to unpack what it really means to support athletes as whole humans, not just performers. From early conversations about life after sport, to how programs handle feedback, to the power of coaching without judgment, Helen breaks down the complexity of athlete support in high-pressure environments.

If you're in high performance or responsible for supporting others who are, this conversation will challenge how you think about performance, systems, and care.

What You'll Hear

• Why well-being needs to be part of the performance system, not an afterthought
• How elite programs can create spaces that support both performance and personal growth
• What athletes really struggle with behind the scenes, from identity to isolation
• The importance of early and ongoing conversations about life after sport
• How feedback can be hard to hear and how leaders need to shift their mindset
• Why transitions are hard even when the job is lined up, and what systems often miss
• The unexpected benefits of remote athlete support
• What Helen sees athletes needing most when the spotlight dims
• How to create honest, non-judgmental coaching relationships that last
• Why vulnerability and repair deepen trust, even in high-performance spaces

Golden Nugget

“The support we offer should be human to human. That’s where trust grows. Not from watching game tape or writing programs, but from being willing to ask—how are you really doing?”

Want to Go Deeper?

If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

What happens when the only life you’ve known as an athlete suddenly stops? For many, the answer is silence, confusion, and a deep sense of loss.

Emily Huston, a former USA volleyball player and founder of Home Team, joins Ryan for a real, thoughtful conversation about life after sport. From discovering her love for the outdoors to navigating identity, burnout, and depression, Emily’s story is a powerful example of how difficult it can be to “move on” and why getting a job after sport isn’t the whole answer.

She opens up about retiring twice from volleyball, what it felt like to free-fall without a parachute, and the personal pain that led her to create Home Team, an organization dedicated to helping injured and retired athletes find community, direction, and healing after sport.

This episode explores the hidden costs of life beyond competition and why support for athletes must go beyond job placements and highlight reels.

What You’ll Hear:

- Why Emily retired from sport twice, and what brought her back
- What athletes lose when they leave the game (and why a job doesn’t fix it)
- The “cliff effect” and how it impacts identity, eating habits, and mental health
- How NIL and social media bring fame too early, and the crash that follows
- What it's really like to go from being “Superman” to not recognizing your body
- Why working at a desk feels unbearable for so many former athletes
- The patterns of disordered eating and control that emerge post-retirement
- Why Emily believes athletic departments have failed retired athletes
- The emotional weight of being labeled “irrelevant” after sport
-  How Home Team is creating a new kind of support network for athletes
- The power of awe, nature, and adventure in post-sport healing

Golden Nugget:

“Most people think if an athlete gets a job after sport, they’re fine. But that job can feel more disorienting than retirement itself.”

Want to Go Deeper?

 If you've ever felt like your post-sport life is harder than you expected, or like you’re the only one who’s lost, you're not alone. The good news? There’s help, there’s community, and there’s hope. Visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Lloyd Ashley spent years on the pitch as a professional rugby player. But what came after is just as powerful. In this episode, we sit down with Lloyd to talk about what it really means to transition from sport, how identity shifts when the structure fades, and how building a career in player support gave him purpose off the field.

From playing for the Barbarians to working as a plumber between games, Lloyd’s story is a masterclass in reinvention. He opens up about the fear of regret, the weight of uncertainty, and how small decisions like enrolling in a 12 week counselling course can change everything.

Now leading mental health and wellbeing support for the Welsh Rugby Players Association, Lloyd reflects on the messy, nonlinear path from elite sport to meaningful work and how he's helping others build futures with clarity, honesty, and courage.

What You’ll Hear

• How Lloyd balanced contracts, education, and part time jobs while still playing
• Why his plumbing apprenticeship shaped how he sees life after rugby
• What he learned from falling through a ceiling and earning £20 a day
• The surprising power of a 12 week counselling course that shifted everything
• Why taking your kids to school mattered more than another year in pro sport
• The difference between having options and having a plan
• How he built a post sport life with intention not panic
• Why regret can be more painful than failure
• How lived experience became his biggest asset as a Personal Development Manager
• What most athletes misunderstand about the real world
• How he supports athletes emotionally and practically during transitions
• Why it’s not just about having the answers but asking the right questions

Golden Nugget

“I didn’t want to walk away from sport with regret. So I chose to give everything to every opportunity, every course, every conversation even when I wasn’t sure where it would lead.”

Want to go deeper?

If you are navigating what is next in sport or beyond, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Dr. Zak Zafrani joins us for a conversation that breaks open a topic rarely discussed in sport: testosterone deficiency in men, especially in aging athletes. If you're feeling tired, low on drive, or like you're losing your edge long before you should, this episode will make you rethink what's “normal.”

Zak is a UK-based doctor with a background in family medicine, sports injuries, and hormone health. He’s one of the few experts bridging the gap between athletes and men’s hormone therapy. 

From elite-level competitors to weekend warriors, too many men suffer in silence. This conversation is about equipping you to ask better questions, get tested early, and understand the difference between clinical testosterone replacement and performance-enhancing drug use. Whether you're still playing or transitioning out of sport, this episode gives you a whole new lens to understand your body and performance.

What You’ll Hear

The difference between testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and steroid use

Why symptoms like fatigue, low motivation, and brain fog might not be “just getting older”

How concussions, overtraining, and endurance sports can lead to hormone imbalance

- The red tape and stigma that stop many men from getting tested, especially in public health systems

- Why Zak believes athletes should get baseline testosterone tests early in their careers

- Real-life case studies where low testosterone was misdiagnosed as depression

- What makes testosterone deficiency hard to diagnose and easy to dismiss

- How retired athletes struggle to train the same way and why identity plays a role in burnout

- Natural ways to support healthy testosterone levels through sleep, nutrition, and training

- What the “enhanced games” reveal about public perception, performance, and health risks

- The long-term risks of anabolic steroid abuse and why it often leads to lifelong hormone treatment

- Why more doctors are finally taking men’s health seriously and what still needs to change

Golden Nugget

“Retirement starts at 18. That plan starts at 18. You won’t want to hear it at the start of your career, but if you’re not checking your levels, building your network, and looking at the long game, you’ll wake up at 40 wondering what happened.”

Want to go deeper?

If you are navigating what is next in sport or beyond, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Simon Cox dreamed of playing for Reading FC. That was the goal. And while he wore the badge early in his career, it took almost 10 years and hundreds of games across leagues and countries before he finally earned his first start.

In this episode, Simon opens up about the full-circle journey from youth academy to international football, the grind of lower leagues, and the reality check that comes with retirement during a global pandemic. He takes us inside his unexpected pivot from coaching dreams to launching a gym business, learning how to lead, fail, adapt, and lead again.

What happens when you go from fighting for three points to fighting to keep the lights on in your gym? Simon walks us through that identity shift, the hard lessons in entrepreneurship, and why he stayed in fitness even after closing his first business.

This one is for anyone who's had to start over, anyone trying to figure out what comes next, and anyone learning how to lead a team in sport or business.

 What You’ll Hear: 

- Why Simon’s dream of starting for Reading took almost a decade to fulfill

- His honest reflection on dropping down a league and what it taught him

- The reality of retirement during COVID and navigating life after football

- How he transitioned from pro athlete to gym owner with no business experience

- The steep learning curve of running a franchise and why he eventually pivoted

- How he built loyalty with clients and why that stopped him from walking away

- The pressure of making decisions that impact other people’s livelihoods

- What Roy Hodgson taught him about structure and leadership

- Why relationships, culture, and trust still shape the way he leads today

- His advice to athletes about why retirement planning starts at 18

Golden Nugget

“Retirement starts at 18. No young footballer wants to hear that, but that’s when the plan begins. You’ve got to keep learning, keep making connections, and stay in touch with the people you meet along the way. One message at Christmas could open a door later.”

Looking for career clarity for your next step?
Visit www.secondwind.io to learn more or book a consultation. 

Jabari K. Smith grew up believing sport would be his ticket out. He had the talent, the drive, and the stats to back it up. But when the NFL didn’t come calling, he was forced to reckon with something much harder: the silence after the final game.

In this episode, Jabari shares his extraordinary journey from gang-affected childhood, to a life-changing boarding school, to a college football career at Texas Tech, and eventually, to arena football and entrepreneurship. But the real story begins after the sport ended, when he drove 26 hours home in silence, wondering what it was all for.

What followed was a powerful reinvention. Jabari returned to education, earned a master’s degree, launched multiple businesses, wrote two books, and founded Athlete Mindset Reset, a platform helping student-athletes build a future beyond the field.

This is an unfiltered look at identity, purpose, and how athletes can learn to own their story, not just their stats.

What You’ll Hear:

• How sport helped Jabari break free from gang life and academic setbacks
• Why his first real taste of belonging came through basketball at 13
• The reality of junior college football and the pressure to adapt fast
• His honest reckoning with falling short of the NFL dream
• What it felt like to drive 26 hours in silence after playing his final game
• Why getting his master’s degree became a spiritual turning point
• How he turned his pain into purpose with Athlete Mindset Reset
• The biggest mistake athletes make and what he wishes he knew in college
• How he’s using board games, books, and mentorship to prepare the next generation

Golden Nugget

“The biggest mistake I made in college? Not calling up a CEO and saying, ‘I’m Jabari Smith, number 34 for Texas Tech. Can I take you to lunch?’ You’d be surprised how many would have said yes. But I waited, and by the time I was ready, they had moved on to the next guy.”

This episode is for every athlete who’s wondering what happens after. It’s for the ones still grinding, still hoping, still tied to the dream, and for the ones who’ve already walked away and are trying to figure out what’s next.

Jabari’s story is a reminder that your value doesn’t end when the jersey comes off. And your platform doesn’t disappear unless you waste it.

Want to go deeper?

If you are navigating what is next in sport or beyond, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Charlie Hartley was living the dream. A professional cricketer who’d taken out top international players. Then, just weeks later, he was released. No warning, no time to prepare. Just a crash course in letting go of the identity he had built his life around.

In this episode, Charlie opens up about the highs of pro sport, the brutal business behind the scenes, and how getting frustrated with systems turned him into an entrepreneur with a mission.

From building tech for underfunded sports teams to writing cricket books for teachers, Charlie’s story is less about reinvention and more about remembering who you are underneath the uniform.

What You’ll Hear:

• The emotional rollercoaster of being released at your peak
• Why some athletes are better off leaving sport early
• What sport taught him and why some of it did more harm than good
• How he built Moonrise Sports to level the playing field for underdog teams
• The link between frustration and innovation in Charlie’s entrepreneurial journey
• How sport inflates egos and delays emotional honesty
• Why not every athlete should become an entrepreneur and how to know if you should
• The one piece of advice he’d give anyone leaving a team: find what you love and double down on it

Want to Go Deeper?

This episode is for every athlete who’s been blindsided by a release, left wondering if they’re the problem, and for anyone who's quietly rebuilding something better from scratch.

Visit www.2ndwind.io  to book a consultation and explore resources for career transitions.

Nekoda Smythe-Davis didn’t grow up dreaming of Olympic medals. She was just a girl from a London council estate who found her way onto the mat, fell in love with judo, and kept showing up through wins, losses, injuries, and identity shifts.

In this conversation, she opens up about the weight of expectations, the complexity of walking away, and the courage it takes to rebuild your life from scratch, not for the spotlight but for yourself.

If you have ever had to let go of something that once defined you, this episode will stay with you.

What You’ll Hear

• Why she never saw herself becoming an Olympian and how that mindset shaped her journey
• The burnout behind the glory and how she held it all together working multiple jobs
• What it took to finally make peace with her decision to step away from judo
• How a career-threatening concussion forced her to rethink everything
• Her deep faith and how it helped her find calm, clarity, and purpose
• Why she gave herself permission to rest for an entire year before choosing what’s next
• What she’s building now with Beacon Judo Club and how she’s shaping the future of the sport
• Her message to athletes who feel lost after retirement: you are not broken, you’re becoming

Want to go deeper?
This is more than a story about sport. It’s about letting go of identity, grieving a dream, and choosing self-worth over outside validation.

Let Nekoda’s journey remind you that your life is not over when your career ends. You are allowed to change your mind, rewrite your story, and come home to yourself.

If you are navigating what is next in sport or beyond, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Laura Sidall didn’t grow up dreaming of world championship podiums. In fact, by the time she started triathlon, she was already deep into a corporate career as an engineer. But something inside her kept whispering, what if you gave sport your all? How good could you be?

So at 34, she left the comfort of her steady salary, moved countries, and bet on herself.

This episode is a raw and powerful conversation about risk, reinvention, and resilience. Laura opens up about what it really takes to succeed as a late starter in pro sport, from hitting her physical peak in her 40s to navigating identity loss after retirement.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to start again, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Hear:

• How Laura transitioned from Shell engineer to full-time athlete at 34
• Why structure, rest, and recovery were harder to master than training itself
• The identity crisis of retiring after a decade of elite racing
• Navigating ambition, ego, and the pressure to "do enough"
• The grief of letting go and learning to begin again without a finish line
• What she's learning in her next chapter: giving back, speaking up, and redefining success
• Why women in sport still need louder, braver advocates, and how she’s showing up for that

Want to Go Deeper?

This isn’t just a story about triathlon. It’s a story about courage, curiosity, and rewriting the rules when everyone thinks it's too late to start.

Laura’s story reminds us that starting over doesn’t mean you failed. Sometimes it’s the bravest next chapter you’ll ever write.

 💼 Want Career Clarity for Your Next Step?

Visit www.2ndwind.io  to book a consultation and explore resources for career transitions.

Jamie Soward opens up about chasing the footy dream without a clear pathway, losing it all twice, and what it really took to reinvent himself. From writing résumés at 16 to training while on the dole, to playing in front of 60,000 fans and then selling toilets, Jamie's journey is as humbling as it is honest.

He’s played State of Origin, won a grand final, coached at the top level — and then had it all fall apart. But what came next? A traineeship. In water regulation. At 40.

If you've ever found yourself starting again or afraid to, this conversation will speak to you.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why Jamie sent a résumé with his highlight tape and why it worked
• How working full-time while chasing a dream taught him discipline
• Why being dropped to part-time felt scarier than losing games
• What it felt like to sell toilets after a career in the spotlight
• Why a rookie mindset helped him succeed in a completely new field
• How he’s using his story to create job pathways for Indigenous athletes
• Why being judged only on Sunday is dangerous and what it means to win during the week

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

 “In sport, you’re judged on Sunday. But in life, you can win on Monday. On Wednesday. On Friday. You just have to be willing to start over and redefine what a win looks like.” 

This episode isn’t just about one man’s career. It’s about how we find clarity in chaos, humility after status, and build a legacy through service, not spotlight.

If you’re navigating a transition, whether from sport, from identity, or from what you thought your life was going to be, let Jamie’s story remind you that starting again might be the beginning you never expected but always needed.

Need Career Clarity or Transition Support? 

If you are navigating what is next in sport or beyond, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

Rach Taylor knows what it means to sacrifice everything for one goal. She was Rach the Rower, a girl from rural Australia who made it all the way to the Olympic podium. But after winning silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she found herself couch surfing, broke and questioning her worth outside of sport.

In this episode, Rach opens up about what it was really like to go from the high of Olympic glory to the uncertainty of starting over. She talks about clawing her way up Maslow’s hierarchy, how she stumbled into HR, and the healing journey that led her to coaching, investing and living a meaningful portfolio life.

If you have ever felt lost after the thing you built your identity around ends, this conversation is full of truth, courage and practical wisdom.

What You’ll Hear

• Why her Olympic silver medal brought conflicting emotions
• The painful crash after the circus of the Sydney Games ended
• How she fell into HR by accident and built a career from the ground up
• The burnout that pushed her to walk away from corporate life
• What a “portfolio life” really looks like and how she designed hers
• Why she is using her story to advocate for athlete transition reform
• The advice she gives every athlete and career changer she coaches

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

 "I was willing to mortgage my future for the present. And at the time, that felt like a fair trade."

Tune in for a masterclass on rebuilding identity, embracing reinvention and finding meaning beyond the podium.

💼 Want Career Clarity for Your Next Step?

Visit www.2ndwind.io  to book a consultation and explore resources for career transitions.

Dr. Lamia Zafrani saw firsthand what the system lacked and built a new way forward. A powerlifter, an OB-GYN, and a passionate advocate for female athletes, Lamia sits at the intersection of performance and pregnancy, challenging outdated norms that have sidelined women for far too long.

In this episode, we go deep into her journey. From being the one who gets called when nobody else knows what to do, to creating a model of care that truly supports elite female athletes through pregnancy and postpartum. She does not just talk about the science. She brings the nuance, the humanity, and the stories of women who have felt unseen and unheard in medical spaces.

If you are an athlete thinking about family planning, a coach supporting women, or someone navigating your own physical transitions, this conversation is the permission slip, the blueprint, and the fire you did not know you needed.

What You'll Hear:

• Why elite athletes are still being told to “just stop training” when pregnant
• The emotional and identity shifts women face during pregnancy and after birth
• Why preconception care is more than a checklist and when to start thinking about it
• How Lamia is helping build policy changes for female athletes, not just temporary fixes
• The real stories behind training while pregnant, including PBs that shocked everyone
• How Lamia blends strength coaching with clinical expertise to support recovery
• Why postpartum plans need to be built around the athlete, not the average woman
• How high performance women are redefining what is possible after motherhood

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

“No two pregnancies are the same, not even for the same woman. If we are serious about supporting female athletes, we cannot use cookie cutter care plans. We need systems built around the real bodies and real lives of women who perform.”

This episode will challenge you to think differently about strength, identity, and the seasons of life. 

Need Career Clarity or Transition Support? 

If you are navigating what is next in sport or beyond, visit www.2ndwind.io
to learn more or book a consult.

When the final whistle blew on her decade-long professional basketball career, Abiola Wabara wasn’t just facing retirement. She was starting over, from scratch.

In this raw and candid episode, Abi sits down with host Ryan to share the untold side of life after sport. From playing across Europe and representing Italy’s national team, to working in a call centre, driving Uber, and experiencing panic attacks, Abi reveals what it really took to rebuild her identity and why she created GloBall Life, a platform designed to support other athletes through the transition she had to figure out alone.

This isn’t just about sport. It’s about ego, burnout, identity loss, and the uncomfortable process of starting again. But it’s also about strategy, courage, and how small choices, like carrying a resume in your Uber, can change everything.

If you’re approaching a career pivot, feeling behind, or wondering how to turn chaos into clarity, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Hear

• The hidden cost of leaving sport without a plan
• How Abi went from elite basketball to interpreting, Uber, and PT work
• Why she turned down money in her final season for a master’s degree
• The ego battles of saying no to second division offers
• Experiencing burnout, anxiety, and identity crisis after retiring
• The life-changing Uber ride that led to a job at Accenture
• How being an athlete became her superpower in corporate life
• The early struggles of launching GloBall Life solo
• What it took to build a founding team and stay focused without funding
• Advice for athletes preparing for life after sports

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

"I was willing to hustle for a short amount of time so the long-term would be something I’d be proud of. I knew what I wanted for myself. I just didn’t know how to get there yet."

 — Abiola Wabara

💼 Want Career Clarity for Your Next Step?

Visit www.2ndwind.io  to book a consultation and explore resources for career transitions.

Theo Brown opens up about the messy, uncertain path from elite academy footballer to non-league player, to juggling ten different jobs in five years, before finally stepping into his purpose as a social entrepreneur.

He was once chasing football dreams at Leicester City. But after injury setbacks and getting released, life after sport hit hard. No plan. No clear identity. Just odd jobs, quiet doubts, and the feeling that everyone else had it figured out.

But somewhere in the chaos, something powerful emerged.

Theo found purpose not in a straight path, but in the stumble. In mentoring young athletes. In community work. In learning how to turn pain into purpose and experience into impact.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re late to your own life, like you’re playing catch-up while everyone else is sprinting ahead, this conversation will hit home.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Theo’s early dreams of becoming a professional footballer and the shock of being released
• How he navigated uncertainty, working ten different jobs while figuring out who he was outside of sport
• The mindset shift that helped him stop comparing his journey to others
• How a moment of rock bottom led to a turning point in how he viewed his identity and purpose
• His path to becoming a mentor and launching a social enterprise focused on youth
• Why taking action before having full clarity is sometimes the only way forward
• The importance of vulnerability, community, and redefining what success looks like
• Lessons on self-worth, delayed timelines, and why there’s no such thing as “too late”

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

“You don’t have to have it all figured out before you start. The clarity comes in the doing. Just move.”

This raw and honest conversation with Theo is not just about athletes — it’s about anyone who's ever questioned their direction, battled with identity, or felt like they missed their moment.

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step? For more information or to book a consultancy, visit www.2ndwind.io

Gerrit-Jan van Velze spent nearly two decades in professional rugby, captaining clubs like Northampton Saints and Worcester Warriors. But in this conversation, it's not just the matches or medals that stand out — it's what came after, and everything he had to figure out along the way.

In this episode, GJ opens up about moving from South Africa to England with no backup plan, how leadership has shaped his career, and why his wife’s passion for medicine inspired him to explore life beyond the pitch. He talks through the injury that changed everything, the slow fog of concussion recovery, and how a trip with a friend and some tough questions sparked his transition into entrepreneurship.

You’ll hear about sheep farming, leather boots, and what it's like to go from team huddles to running solo. GJ doesn’t sugarcoat the process, but he also doesn’t buy into the doom-and-gloom narrative around athlete retirement. His story is honest, thoughtful, and proof that life after sport isn’t the end — it’s a reset.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why GJ was “all in” on rugby with no fallback plan
• How seeing his wife’s dedication to her medical career shifted his mindset
• What made him leave South Africa and start over in the UK
• The difference between leadership on paper and actual influence
• Why concussion was a turning point, not just physically but mentally
• How a business idea involving leather boots became his next chapter
• Why community and curiosity kept him grounded during transition
• How he now chooses projects, time, and the people he works with
• His advice for current athletes on financial discipline, exploration, and making space to reflect

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
“If rugby ended tomorrow, what would you do? That question stuck with me. I didn’t have the answer then, but it made me start looking for one.”

If you’re curious about what it means to lead, to pivot, or to rebuild when the game stops, this episode is worth your time.

Connect with Ryan and Second Wind Academy:

• Website: https://www.2ndwind.io/
• Instagram: @2ndwind.academy
  
  

Credits:

• Editing: Nancy at Savvy Podcast Solutions
• Design: Claire at Betty Book Design
• Show Notes: Cerise from Copy & Content by Lola

Emmanuel spent years chasing a dream that so many young athletes grow up holding: making it in the NFL. But behind the highlight reels and ambition was a quieter story. One of internal pressure, identity struggle, and eventually, the courage to say, this isn't who I am anymore.

In this episode, Ryan talks with Emmanuel about what it really takes to walk away from the game, and what happens when you do. From his early years creating "The Brotherhood" in high school to reaching the highest levels of competition, Emmanuel was seen as a leader. But inside, the weight of expectation and a growing disconnection from himself took a toll.

He opens up about reaching a breaking point, experiencing suicidal thoughts, and how faith, mentorship, and deep reflection helped him rebuild a new sense of identity beyond sport. One key idea that shaped his journey was the concept of “Edging God Out,” a mindset he now works hard to avoid, both personally and in his work with other athletes.

What You’ll Learn:

• How chasing the NFL dream became part of Emmanuel’s identity
• Why creating “The Brotherhood” gave him a sense of purpose early on
• What it's like to carry leadership on the outside while struggling on the inside
• The quiet crisis many athletes face when their sport no longer fits
• His experience with suicidal thoughts and how he got help
• How the idea of “Edging God Out” changed the way he saw his path
• What helped him redefine success after stepping away
• The mindset shift that now guides how he supports players in transition

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
“There was a point where I felt like I had nothing to offer. Like everything that made me valuable was tied to my sport. But that wasn’t true. I just had to find my way back to it.”

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when an athlete lets go of the only identity they’ve known, this is that story. It’s raw, reflective, and ultimately hopeful.

Connect with Ryan and Second Wind Academy:

• Website: https://www.2ndwind.io/
• Instagram: @2ndwind.academy
  
  

Credits:

• Editing: Nancy at Savvy Podcast Solutions
• Design: Claire at Betty Book Design
• Show Notes: Cerise from Copy & Content by Lola

Kayla spent years chasing the dream of playing basketball overseas. She trained, sacrificed, and pushed through setbacks with the goal of turning pro. But after college, that dream didn’t happen.

What followed was a quiet but difficult shift. One where she had to face the question that many athletes avoid until it’s too late: What now?

In this episode, Ryan speaks with Kayla about the realities of life after sport—when you’ve put your whole identity into your game, and suddenly it’s not there anymore. Kayla’s story is honest, emotional, and deeply relatable for anyone who’s felt lost after walking away from the thing they’ve worked toward their whole life.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Kayla’s relationship with basketball shaped her life from a young age
• What it felt like to give everything to a sport, only to end up without a contract
• The impact of injury, lack of play time, and how that affected her confidence
• Why “floating” after graduation is more common than most people admit
• How Kayla found purpose by returning to serve athletes at her alma mater
• The role faith played in helping her rebuild her identity
• What helped her move from regret to gratitude
• How she’s using her story to support the next generation of athletes through transition
• The power of letting go of what you thought your life should look like, and owning what it is

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
“Basketball gave me so much, but it also took a lot from me. Learning how to move forward meant accepting both.”

If you’re in the middle of a career shift or trying to figure out what’s next after sport, Kayla’s story will remind you that it’s ok to start again—and that you’re not alone.

Connect with Ryan and Second Wind Academy:

• Website: https://www.2ndwind.io/
• Instagram: @secondwindacademy
  
  

Credits:

• Editing: Nancy at Savvy Podcast Solutions
• Design: Claire at Betty Book Design
• Show Notes: Cerise from Copy & Content by Lola

Chris Platts spent over a decade tracking the careers of 303 young footballers. The result? A raw, honest look at what actually happens in the world of professional sport. Some players made it to the Premier League. Others left with nothing. Many fell somewhere in between.

Chris is a career coach and academic whose work focuses on helping athletes and their families plan for the long game. He works directly with clubs, players, and parents to map out possible futures, reduce pressure, and help athletes stay grounded in who they are, even as the industry pushes them to become something else.

In this conversation, Ryan and Chris unpack the highs and lows of football careers and what it takes to move forward once the playing days slow down or stop completely. If you're transitioning out of sport or supporting someone who is, this episode is packed with insight you won’t hear inside most locker rooms.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why most athletes and families never ask, “What do we actually want from sport?”
• The hidden risks of chasing success without a plan
• How under-21 contracts can leave players stuck with no proof they’re ready for the next level
• Why it’s smart to plan for both success and failure
• How to reduce emotional and financial stress by building a personal “career playbook”
• What clubs want vs. what players need
• What it really means to be prepared for life after sport
• Why “hope” isn’t enough when you’re trying to build a stable future

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
“Hope is not a strategy. But planning helps young players stay present, stay ready, and remember who they are, no matter what happens next.”

If you're at any point of your post-sport career journey, this conversation will help you ask better questions, make clearer decisions, and feel more in control of what’s next.

Connect with Ryan and Second Wind Academy:

• Website: https://www.2ndwind.io/
• Instagram: @secondwindacademy
  
  

Credits:

• Editing: Nancy at Savvy Podcast Solutions
• Design: Claire at Betty Book Design
• Show Notes: Cerise from Copy & Content by Lola

Stewart McCully has spent his life around high performers, from elite athletes to engineers, from corporate execs to sheep shearers.

In this episode, he joins Ryan to talk about what it means to guide people through high-pressure environments and major transitions. A former SANFL footballer and teacher, Stewart now helps athletes and professionals develop the mental skills they often don’t get taught: managing overthinking, building self-awareness, recovering from mistakes, and finding clarity on what’s next.

He also shares what led him to start his own mentoring business, how sponsorships should be a two-way street, and what the shearing world has taught him about mindset, focus, and preparation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why overthinking is the most common barrier for elite performers
• How mentoring athletes goes beyond sport and why trust is everything
• What routines and reset tools help in sport, business, and life
• How confidence and curiosity beat fear and perfectionism
• The mindset behind a good sponsor relationship (for both sides)
• Why shearers are some of the most focused performers Stewart has worked with
• How self-talk and focus are the keys to confidence under pressure
• Why "imagine if" is one of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself
• The value of experimentation when figuring out life after sport

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
"They’re not coming to me because I played footy at Glenelg. They’re coming because I listen, and I help them see what they couldn’t before."

 Resources & Links: 

• Book: The “What If” Trap: Free Your Mind From Overthinking
• Website: https://www.nextlevelelite.com.au/

Connect with Ryan and Second Wind Academy:

• Website: https://www.2ndwind.io/
• Instagram: @secondwindacademy

Tara was known for one thing: martial arts. It shaped how she moved through the world. It gave her discipline, confidence, community, and a sense of direction. But somewhere along the way, the structure that once supported her started to feel like a box she no longer fit inside.

Leaving wasn’t easy. It wasn’t a dramatic moment. It was slow. Quiet. And terrifying. Because when your entire identity has been built on being one thing, stepping away feels like losing your sense of self.

In this episode, Tara walks us through what it’s really like to let go of a version of yourself that you’ve outgrown. She talks about the internal tug-of-war between wanting more and not wanting to disappoint the people who expect you to stay the same. And she shares what helped her reconnect with her voice, her body, and her power, outside of performance.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why Tara made the difficult decision to leave martial arts after years of dedication
• The emotional and psychological toll of untangling identity from achievement
• How sport gave her discipline, but also masked deeper needs she had ignored
• What happened when the applause stopped and the stillness came in
• How she is learning to value herself without external validation or titles
• The mindset shifts that are helping her lead herself instead of proving herself
• Her advice for anyone feeling trapped in a role they’ve outgrown

Golden Nugget

“You can stop doing the thing and still carry the strength it gave you.”

🔗 Need Career Clarity?

Visit www.2ndwind.io to book a consultancy or explore how we can support your next chapter.

What do you do when the one thing you thought you were meant to do doesn’t work out?

In this episode, we meet Sophia, a former academy footballer who faced the heartbreak of being released before ever turning pro. But instead of letting it define her, she turned the page and built something even more powerful.

From navigating identity loss to finding her voice in the corporate world, Sophia shares the raw truth about rejection, self-worth, and what happens when your plans fall apart but you don’t.

Now in tech and on a mission to lead with purpose, she opens up about the inner work, the setbacks, and the mindset shifts that helped her rewrite her story.

What You’ll Hear:

- The moment Sophia’s football dream ended and what she did next

- Why being released from an academy rocked her sense of self

- How sport shaped her presence, mindset, and leadership style

- The shift from performance pressure to personal power

- Building a meaningful career without losing her identity

How she found clarity by tuning out the noise

Advice for anyone who's had to pivot before they were ready

💡 Golden Nugget

“I thought I had to prove I was enough. But letting go of that idea is what gave me peace and purpose.”

 If You’ve Ever Wondered…

• Am I more than my role or title?
• What happens if the plan doesn’t work out?
• Can I reinvent myself and still feel like me?

This one’s for you!

🔗 Need Career Clarity?

Visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a session.
Let’s help you figure out what’s next and build a career that fits where you are now.

In this episode, we sit down with Sandile, a former football academy player whose journey took an unexpected turn when the pandemic paused everything. What started as a pursuit of pro football has now evolved into a career in tech, mentorship, and agri-business. His story is about staying ready, reinventing with intention, and finding new ways to win even when the plan changes.

We talk about what it takes to navigate sudden transitions, how sports skills transfer into the real world, and why it’s never too early—or too late—to pivot into something new.

We talk about:
- How Sandile went from a football academy contract to becoming a tech professional

- What COVID taught him about identity, discipline, and letting go of rigid timelines

- The power of staying ready and showing up even after setbacks

- Why your sport mindset still counts, even if you leave the game

- How Sandile’s career shift opened doors to community impact, mentorship, and entrepreneurship

- His long-term vision of blending tech and purpose to support farmers through agri-tech

If you’ve ever had to pivot before you were ready, this episode will speak to you. Sandile’s story is a reminder that even when the dream changes, your drive doesn’t have to. 

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

 “Just because football ended, didn’t mean I lost everything. The discipline, the mindset, the ability to bounce back — I took all of that with me.” 

 Want support on your own pivot? 

Visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a session.
Let’s help you figure out what’s next and build a career that fits where you are now.

What happens when a former athlete takes his love for sports and turns it into a movement?

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Ed Jones II, founder of Beyond the Field, to unpack how a childhood filled with competition, community, and coaching evolved into a career centered around impact. Ed shares his journey from fast-footed kid in Houston to collegiate player, coach, and now thought leader in player development.

In this episode, we talk about: 

- How a childhood moment with a football helmet and strong winds led to a lifetime love for sport

- Why Ed built a national summit for player development professionals, starting with a single Zoom call

- The five types of mentorship every athlete needs (this structure is gold)

- What most people get wrong about working in player development

- How missed opportunities shaped Ed’s mission to create resources for the next generation

- Why he turned down a quarter-million-dollar offer at age 17

- The mindset shift that came when he realized he wouldn’t go pro and how it freed him

- What makes a great player development coach beyond the sideline

- The importance of building community impact into athlete development

- The “solve-it mentality” that turned his passion into a movement

This one’s full of real talk, useful frameworks (especially if you’re in the player development space), and a powerful reminder: if the horse won’t drink water, maybe it just needs watermelon. 

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
"The value is in being adaptable. If they need you to do something, you can do it." — Ed Jones I 

 Want support on your own pivot? 

Visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a session.
Let’s help you figure out what’s next and build a career that fits where you are now.

Links:
Check out Ed’s book The Player Development Guide on Amazon. 

What if your career isn’t over, it just needs a reset?

In this episode, we’re joined by John Tarnoff, career coach and author of Boomer Reinvention, who shares how he completely pivoted after being laid off at 50. From Hollywood executive to helping thousands navigate second and third careers, John’s story is real, relatable, and packed with insight for anyone figuring out what’s next.

We talk about how to stay relevant in a changing world of work, why your next chapter doesn’t have to look anything like your last, and how to build a career that actually feels good, not just impressive on paper.

We talk about:

- Why your career isn’t a straight line and that’s okay

- How to shift direction without starting from scratch

- What a “60-year career” could look like in today’s world

- The mindset you need to grow, even when it feels like you’re late

- Why failure might be the thing that finally frees you

- Tools like Ikigai and prototyping to test new paths before you commit

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

 “You’re not starting over. You’re starting from experience. That’s the shift. You’re not going back to the bottom of the ladder—you’re building a whole new ladder, using everything you’ve learned. People think reinvention means erasing the past, but it actually means carrying the best of it forward. Your story isn’t restarting. It’s evolving.” 

 Want support on your own pivot? 

Visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a session.
Let’s help you figure out what’s next and build a career that fits where you are now. 

When Jeff Horn stepped into the ring against Manny Pacquiao in 2017, few believed the former schoolteacher could defeat a boxing legend. His stunning victory to become world champion capped an unlikely journey that began when he was a bullied teenager searching for confidence.

Unlike most elite boxers, Horn discovered the sport at 18 after his football dreams faded. "I went to a martial arts gym just to learn some self-defense," he reveals, never imagining where it might lead. His coach saw something special immediately, boldly predicting Olympic qualification and eventually a world championship – both of which Horn achieved through relentless discipline and resilience.

In this episode, we talk about:

- Growing up as a quiet kid who found his feet late and in the boxing gym

- Using losses (18 of them) as fuel for growth

- Why his Olympic dream started with someone else’s belief in him

- Walking away from teaching to go pro and what changed overnight

- The moment he knew it was time to retire

- Building Bullyproof Australia and speaking to kids across the country

- The values that matter most now: courage, respect, integrity, and resilience

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

 "Some of the best coaches weren’t players. You don’t need to be the best at something to know more about it than the people who are." 

Get in Touch!

 To learn more about career transitions after sport or to get in touch with Ryan, visit www.2ndwind.io 

What do you do when your biggest career milestone happens at 23 and you're not even sure how you got there? For Freddie Woodword, representing Team GB in diving at the Olympics was both the dream and the beginning of a much deeper journey.

In this episode, we dive into Freddie’s fascinating transition from elite athlete to cruise ship performer to entrepreneur in the generative AI space. His story is one of raw honesty, reinvention, and building a meaningful life after sport without following a traditional path.

We talk about:

- The Olympic aftershock: How reaching the pinnacle of sport so young forced Freddie to reevaluate everything he thought he wanted

- What comes after the medal: The surprising shift from Olympic diving to performing in high-diving shows aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships

- The courage to walk away: Why Freddie decided not to return to diving after his break, and how he faced the identity crisis that followed

- Leaning into curiosity: How Freddie found new purpose in tech and AI by following his interests, even when the path made no sense at first

- Mental health, ego, and self-worth: A vulnerable look at the internal challenges that come with walking away from a high-performance identity

- Redefining success: What it means to build a life that’s led by values, not pressure, and why he believes AI is the future of his next chapter

Freddie’s story isn't about leaving sport. It's about finding the courage to let go of what no longer fits. Whether you’re an athlete, creative, or professional facing transition, this conversation is a powerful reminder that your identity is not your title, and success isn’t a straight line.

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

"You think the hardest part is getting to the Olympics, but no one tells you how hard it is to stop. The longer I stayed in something that didn’t feel aligned, the harder it became to leave."

Connect with Ryan:

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

Kate takes us back to her early swimming days, competing in the Sydney and Athens Paralympics, and what it felt like to walk away from the pool after years of intense training. She opens up about facing subtle (and not-so-subtle) discrimination as a para-athlete, the identity crisis that followed retirement, and how she unexpectedly found a second wind through teaching and travel.

Now back in Sydney, Kate is slowly finding her way again—this time by helping young para-athletes feel seen, valued, and included. Her story is a powerful reminder that endings can also be beginnings, and that it’s okay not to have everything figured out.

We talk about:

• What life looked like after the 2000 Paralympics—and why it felt like the floor dropped
• Discovering para-swimming by accident
• Juggling training with academics (and sleeping through a lot of school)
• The bittersweet end of her competitive swimming career
• Teaching in Germany and Denmark—and losing it all because of a visa issue
• Why representation in sport still matters
• Reconnecting with the water in a new way through open-water swimming
• Her hopes for the future of para-sport and grassroots inclusion

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

 "Paralympics isn’t about ‘having a go.’ I was in there to win—same as every other Olympian." 

Get in Touch!

 To learn more about career transitions after sport or to get in touch with Ryan, visit www.2ndwind.io 

What happens when your pro sports career ends with a tweet?

Tom Morton found out the hard way. While playing rugby in New Zealand, he saw on social media that his contract with Sale Sharks wasn’t being renewed. No phone call. No meeting. Just a public post that blindsided him completely.

From training with England’s under-20s to waking up across the world with no contract and no plan, Tom shares how he rebuilt not just his career, but also his mindset.

We talk about what it’s really like to start over, why feedback in sport hits different, what the corporate world could learn from it, and how he went from rugby boots to boardrooms without losing who he is in the process.

In this episode, we talk about:

- Why sport doesn’t prepare you for silence, stillness, or starting over

- The brutal moment Tom learned his rugby career was over — via social media

- How a career in finance became Plan B (without a university degree)

- The role of family, self-awareness, and timing in building a new identity

- What mentoring young athletes taught him about letting go — and moving forward

- Why the corporate world still struggles to give feedback — and how sport gets it right

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

“In sport, feedback comes every 10 minutes. In business, it comes twice a year — and by then, you’ve forgotten what you did.”

🎧 Who this episode is for:

• Current athletes who are starting to think, “What’s next?”
• Anyone navigating a big life or career shift
• Leaders curious about what sport teaches that corporate doesn’t
• Listeners who love a raw, human story of loss, clarity, and unexpected reinvention

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

Josh Katz shares his journey as an Olympic judo athlete and the challenges of transitioning between career phases while balancing training, education, and business ventures. He discusses how early family influence and prioritizing education alongside sport created a foundation for success beyond the mat.

In a nutshell, we talk about:

• Growing up in a judo family with an Olympian mother and coach father who emphasized education alongside athletic development
• Qualifying for Rio Olympics at just 18, achieving success earlier than expected
• Financial struggles post-Olympics with having to fund 50% of training and competition costs 
• Devastating failure to qualify for Tokyo Olympics and the mental health challenges that followed
• Creating Team Cats speaking business with his brother to share their experiences with schools and organizations
• Managing ACL injury six months before Paris Olympics and the fear-driven motivation that helped him qualify
• Developing a healthier relationship with goal-setting that balances athletic ambition with life beyond sport
• Finding fulfillment through connecting with others and passing on lessons learned through setbacks

Loved the episode? Drop us a review & share your biggest takeaway!

If you're looking for career clarity for your next step, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io for more information or to book a consultation with Ryan.

Matthew Lloyd, former Australian Olympic cyclist and King of Mountains winner at the Giro d'Italia, shares his powerful journey of transition after career-ending injuries led to addiction and ultimately transformation.

In this episode, we chat about how he:
• Found freedom and joy in cycling from childhood, exploring nature with his brother
• Shifted from triathlon to cycling when coaches noticed his exceptional cycling talent despite poor swimming skills
• Became Australian national champion in 2008 and represented Australia at Beijing Olympics
• Won the prestigious King of Mountains classification at 2010 Giro d'Italia, becoming the first Australian to do so
• Suffered multiple injuries including brain trauma that began a downward spiral in his career
• Survived a catastrophic hit-and-run accident in 2014 that left him with fractured skull, broken spine, and brain injury
• Struggled with identity loss, substance use issues and mental health challenges during decade-long rehabilitation
• Found healing through vulnerability and accepting support after hitting rock bottom
• Now works as a mentor helping others navigate transitions using his lived experience
• Believes the greatest growth comes from finding meaning in hardship and embracing challenges

Loved the episode? Drop us a review & share your biggest takeaway!


Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

From hiding handwritten goals under her mattress at age 12 to representing England in netball and later Jamaica in rugby, Danielle shares the defining moments that shaped her unique approach to achievement. She vividly recounts the emotional journey of childhood trials that became her catalyst for success—a painful rejection that transformed into an unwavering determination to prove herself worthy in everything she attempted.

In this epsiode, we talk about: 

- Juggling multiple roles including netball at high level, rugby for Jamaica in both sevens and fifteens, and three separate businesses
- Creating a personal goal-setting system at age 12, writing goals and hiding them under her mattress as promises to herself
- Using the skills learned in sports—resilience, leadership, communication—to succeed in business environments
- Overcoming rejection in netball trials and using that experience as motivation to prove doubters wrong
- Transitioning from netball to rugby later in life and representing Jamaica internationally
- Building businesses based on her skills rather than accepting full-time employment to maintain flexibility
- Developing a formula for success: ability (continuous learning) multiplied by effort (doing the extras) multiplied by attitude
- Finding purpose in sharing her experiences through motivational speaking and coaching workshops

Loved the episode? Drop us a review & share your biggest takeaway!

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

Jimmy Gavin’s path took him from crushing self-doubt and a life-changing health diagnosis in high school to seven seasons of pro basketball across Europe, through a humbling tech-sales gig, and now into a leadership role directing sports initiatives. Along the way, he discovered that raw honesty, relentless hustle, and a tight-knit support crew can flip every “end” into the start of something even bigger. 

In this episode, we talk about:

- Ego vs. Teammate: Why Jimmy’s drive to build himself up sometimes clashed with coaches and peers, and how he learned leadership by first becoming a follower

- Early Adversity: How Crohn’s diagnosis and a family tragedy wiped out his high-school basketball dreams, then sparked a comeback that led him to JUCO, Division I, and NBA workouts

- Pro Life Abroad: Rookie jitters in Lithuania, adapting to European training (yes, judo at dawn), and finding his true role by leaning into his strengths

- End of the Court: Health complications that forced him to hang up his sneakers, and the therapeutic 50,000-word manuscript he penned to capture that “roar of the crowd” feeling

- Tech Sales Wake-Up Call: What it’s like to swap the hardwood for CRM dashboards, discover you’re not great at it, and question your sense of self all over again

- Friends as Coaches: How three brothers who trained alongside him helped Jimmy rediscover his passion, with one impromptu coaching gig reigniting his energy and sense of purpose

- New Venture: From late-night book drafts to joining Goldfinch Capital as Director of Sport Initiatives, and why relationships, responsiveness, and being the best follower can unlock unexpected doors

- Career-Transition Advice: The single most practical tip Jimmy offers young athletes, show up, stay responsive (yes, reply to that coach’s text), and treat every next thing as the most important thing you have

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:

"Give it everything you’ve got, even if you’re ‘the least qualified person in the room’—that irrational belief will at least get you through the door.” 

Loved the episode? Drop us a review & share your biggest takeaway!

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

In this episode Ryan sits down with Lexi Chambers, an adaptive athlete who has shattered expectations and set multiple world records—all while using a standard NHS wheelchair. After a below-the-knee amputation due to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Lexi refused to let disability define her. Instead, she turned to endurance sports, becoming the first person to wheel from John O’Groats to Land’s End (1,500km) in an everyday wheelchair. Now, she’s preparing for 10 ultramarathons in 10 days (50km/day) and an even bigger challenge: wheeling coast-to-coast across the USA (5,000km) in 2027.

Lexi shares her journey of resilience, how sport became her therapy, and her mission to inspire others to embrace movement—no matter their circumstances.

What You’ll Hear

- Lexi’s life-changing CRPS diagnosis, amputation, and why she refused to hang up her athletic dreams

- How a kitchen “test spin” led to her first world record and eventually wheeling John O’Groats → Land’s End in a standard NHS chair

- The surprising role of extreme training as pain therapy and mental escape

- Balancing a punishing training schedule, gruelling winds, and 4 am starts—plus the “test weeks” that make or break prep

- Building and motivating a novice event-planning crew to pull off “impossible” challenges

- Lessons learned fundraising hundreds of thousands, nailing keynote speeches, and embracing vulnerability on stage

- Upcoming feats: 10×50 km ultramarathons in 10 days for Rugby World Cup charity, then a 5 000 km coast-to-coast across the U.S.

- Lexi’s simple message to anyone doubting themselves: you never know what you can do until you try

Ready to rethink your limits? Tune in and get inspired to take that first (or next) rotation.

💎 Memorable Quotes:

• "The NHS told me I’d ‘grow into’ my wheelchair. I decided to prove them wrong."
• "Pain is my constant companion, but it doesn’t get to dictate my life."
• "Nobody believed a standard wheelchair could do these distances. Now they know it can."
• "If you wait for the ‘perfect’ conditions, you’ll never start. Just go."

Need career clarity? 

Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io

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What happens when an 8-year-old’s Olympic dream doesn’t pan out? For Jess, a former elite taekwondo and boxing athlete, it meant reinventing herself—twice—while battling concussions, identity crises, and the harsh realities of transitioning out of sports.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

- How a diagnosis of low muscle tone led her to taekwondo, and why she became the kid opponents feared
- The brutal truth about combat sports: why concussions in taekwondo went unchecked for years
- Her shocking career pivot: from taekwondo to boxing (and why she almost became the first Aussie to compete in both at the highest level)
- Why she traded kicks for contracts: how a law degree became her backup plan (and turned into a passion)
- The loneliness of elite sports: missing friendships, "normal" uni life, and why athletes struggle post-retirement
- Her new mission: building "Next," a platform helping athletes navigate life after sports

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
"It’s okay to grieve your sport. It’s a loss. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise." – Jess

WHO SHOULD LISTEN?
✔ Athletes thinking about life after sports
✔ Anyone facing a major career pivot
✔ Coaches/parents supporting young competitors
✔ Fans of underdog stories & personal reinvention

Loved the episode? Drop us a review & share your biggest takeaway!

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

In today's episode, we dive deep into the real psychology behind career transitions, decision-making, and finding your true path after sport — and why it’s way less logical and way more emotional than you think.

We are joined by Gavin Freeman, a sports psychologist, MBA lecturer, and corporate strategist who shares fascinating stories from working with elite athletes, Olympic teams, and CEOs leading thousands. Together, we uncover why so many people struggle with change — and the surprising skills you already have to make smoother, smarter career moves.

Inside this conversation:

- Why it's not just what you’re good at — it's how it makes you feel that matters

- How to recognize when a chapter is closing (even if your emotions resist it)

- The "Superstar CV" exercise that helps you rebuild confidence and clarity after leaving sport or any major career

- Why hindsight makes everything look seamless (and why you shouldn't trust it too soon)

- What business leaders, athletes, and everyday professionals really have in common

- How to reframe failure, motivation, and risk so you thrive in your next career move

- A sneak peek into the next episode: Making life-changing decisions under pressure, with no time and incomplete information

Loved the episode? Drop us a review & share your biggest takeaway!

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

Some more about Gavin

He is a fully registered psychologist with experience in the sporting and corporate worlds. 

He has held a directorship within a large consulting company and was the head of HR internally. His  20 years of experience in human capital consulting have been with blue-chip Australian and International organisations across numerous industries, including banking, construction, mining, telecommunication and government.  

Gavin consults across Australia and Asia to CEO, Executives, Managers and  Elite Coaches  delivering a variety of experiential Crisis Management Workshops, Change Leadership Consulting, Strategic workshop facilitation,  Executive Coaching, and Team Building experiences. As a psychologist his insights bring an understanding of human behaviour, and how to best create a high performing culture.

His first book, “The Business Olympian” released in June 2008 captures the mental toughness lessons learned from elite athletes and how these skills can be easily transferred into the corporate world.

His second book, released in 2016 “Just stop Motivating Me” explores the complexity of motivation and examines how a motivational continuum explains not just our motivations but the behaviours associated with them. His third and possibly final book “Don’t let me die in economy class: how the ordinary become extraordinary” was released in Feb 2025, explores how ordinary people went onto to do extraordinary things. 

He  can usually be heard on one of the business radio  and TV shows across Australia.

Gavin was the team psychologist for the Winter Olympic team in Turin 2006 and the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. He was also the Team Psychologist for the Olympic Archery Team in Sydney 2000. At the professional level, he has worked with various athletes from the best sporting leagues around the world, including the NBA, WNBA, and PGA. Additionally, he was the Psychologist for a Team at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Website www.gavinfreeman.com.au

Amazon books -  https://www.am

Greg's journey isn't your typical athlete-to-executive story. This is about what happens when you walk away from elite sport cold turkey (for 10 years), then suddenly find yourself pulled back in – while building a career, starting a family, and even stepping into a boxing ring.

In this episode, we get raw about:

• That moment a 24-hour bus ride revealed his untapped swimming potential
• Why he took a demolition job after retiring from international competition
• The $35,000 mindset shift he wished he'd had earlier
• How getting knocked out in business (figuratively) prepared him for getting in the ring (literally)
• Why "perfect practice makes perfect" applies to spreadsheets just as much as sprints

Key Moments You Can't Miss:

1. The Unconventional Comeback

• Why returning to elite swimming at 35 with three kids was harder (and more rewarding) than his first career
• How shaving 0.6 seconds became an obsession – and what that teaches us about incremental business growth

2. Career Transition Truth Bombs

• "I didn't want to be 28 trying to start a career" – the harsh reality of post-sport timing
• His biggest regret? Not leveraging his athletic network sooner (and how to avoid this mistake)

3. The Anchor Words That Changed Everything
Discover the 3-word performance framework Greg uses for:

• Racing 100m butterfly
• Leading multi-million dollar deals
• Parenting three kids under 10

4. When the Goggles Come Off For Good
Why COVID wasn't actually what ended his second swimming career – it was something far more relatable

Why This Hits Different:

This isn't another "transferable skills" lecture. It's the unfiltered story of an athlete who:
➜ Walked away completely (twice)
➜ Found success in finance without playing the "former swimmer" card
➜ Proves high performance isn't about constant grind – it's about strategic comebacks

"The pool taught me that failure isn't falling short – it's not showing up prepared. That lesson alone built my entire career."

Listen Now If:

• You've ever felt "too old" to pivot
• You're struggling to translate competitive fire into career fuel
• You want proof that work-life balance IS possible for type-A personalities

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

Tag us @2ndwind.academy with your biggest takeaway!

Aleisha’s journey from elite synchronized figure skating to founding a rockstar media company is inspiring, and a masterclass in translating athletic discipline into business success. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, we dive into the gritty reality of career transition: the identity crises, the $35,000 gamble that changed everything, and why "trust the process" isn't just a sports cliché, it's the secret to outlasting 98% of startups. If you've ever felt lost after a major life pivot, or wondered how to turn your competitive edge into career fuel, this episode is your playbook.

Topics Covered:

1️⃣ The Athlete’s Dilemma

• Why retirement feels like "losing your identity overnight"
• How Aleisha’s small-town grit got her to World Championships (and why it matters in business)

2️⃣ The $35,000 Wake-Up Call

• Taking out a high-interest loan without telling a soul
• Why she chose mentorship over a "safe" corporate path

3️⃣ The Relentless Iteration Mindset

• Post-competition debriefs → business growth frameworks
• "Your ego wants to celebrate—excellence demands you dissect every flaw"

4️⃣ The 3-Door Career Crossroads

• Comfortable job vs. agency role vs. entrepreneurship
• How she knew it was time to bet on herself (again)

5️⃣ The Uncomfortable Truth About Success

• Why entrepreneurship is 95% grind, 5% glory (just like elite sport)
• How to fall in love with the daily process, not just the wins

6️⃣ Your New Performance Playbook

• Pre-transition planning: "Start before you’re desperate"
• Why every professional needs a "coach" (yes, even you)

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

What happens when the roar of the crowd fades and the Olympic dream becomes a memory? For Rachel Lewis, the transition from elite athlete to "what’s next?" wasn’t just a career shift—it was an identity crisis, a financial struggle, and ultimately, a mission to change the game for future athletes.

In this raw and inspiring conversation, Rachel opens up about:

• Writing "Olympic volleyball player" in her yearbook at 15—before she even knew how to play the sport.
• Training with boys, living in fire stations, and riding bikes to fundraise—just to keep her Olympic dream alive.
• The brutal reality of professional sports vs. elite competition—and why she felt like a "commodity" in Europe’s leagues.
• The moment her team "ceased to exist" after London 2012—and how she grappled with losing her purpose overnight.
• Hiding behind a "cape" in her post-sport career—why she buried her Olympic past to fit into corporate life.
• Her mission today—helping athletes avoid the pitfalls she faced by building fulfilling lives beyond the podium.

This isn’t just a sports story. It’s about reinvention, resilience, and the uncomfortable truth: most athletes aren’t prepared for life after the final whistle.

🎧 Why You Should Listen:

• If you’ve ever felt lost after a major life change—Rachel’s journey from "Who am I now?" to empowerment is a masterclass in self-discovery.
• For athletes (or anyone) fearing transition—her hard-won advice on planning, curiosity, and asking for help is gold.
• Behind-the-scenes of elite sport—the untold sacrifices, the politics of funding, and what really happens when the uniforms are packed away.
• A wake-up call for the sports industry—why Rachel is fighting to fix a "broken system" that leaves athletes adrift.

 Where to Find Rachel:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-lewis-972257162/

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

In today's episode, Ryan sits down with Marnie—a former dual international athlete (representing England in both netball and touch rugby), mum of two, and entrepreneur who’s revolutionizing early-years sports education and AI adoption in business.

Marnie’s story is one of relentless determination, adaptability, and learning to thrive in multiple arenas—whether on the pitch, in the boardroom, or at home with her young family. From her early days as a self-described "B-team player" in Australia to captaining England teams and launching her own business, Marnie shares how she’s navigated career transitions, motherhood, and the evolving world of AI—all while keeping her love for sport alive.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Power of Adaptability
   • Marnie’s journey from a "B-team" athlete to an international competitor was fueled by her ability to play multiple roles—something she now instills in the athletes she coaches.
   • "Your team is only as strong as the player in their weakest role. Versatility wins games—and careers."
2. When Passion Meets Entrepreneurship
   • Frustrated by the limitations of teaching PE in the UK, Marnie quit her job mid-career to launch Sporty Minis, now impacting 3,000+ kids weekly with early-years sports education.
   • "I lacked purpose as a PE teacher. Starting my own business wasn’t just about freedom—it was about making real impact."
3. AI: The Game-Changer for Busy Professionals
   • Marnie’s top AI tools for efficiency:
     • Otter.ai (meeting notes)
     • Claude (copywriting)
     • Custom GPTs (train AI to sound like you)
   • "AI isn’t a trend—it’s the future. Adopt a growth mindset or get left behind."
4. Athlete Mindset in Business
   • From fearing competition to empowering her team: "Now, my favorite part of leadership is watching others excel—even if they’re better than me."
   • Why her businesses grow faster when she’s not micromanaging: "Sometimes, the bottleneck is you."
5. The Emotional Side of Sport & Transition
   • Post-motherhood, returning to elite sport was her toughest challenge—mentally, physically, and emotionally.
   • Why she still plays (and coaches) at 40+: "Putting on that jersey? It’s the one time I feel purely me—not ‘Mum’ or ‘CEO.’"
6. Advice for Athletes Juggling Careers
   • "Reflect on your strengths. Every skill you’ve honed in sport—discipline, teamwork, resilience—translates to business. The only failure is not trying."

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

When Kuhoo Garg tore her ACL during her comeback tournament after COVID, little did she know this injury would redirect her life's purpose. As a former world #34 badminton player representing India, Kuhoo had dedicated everything to her sport—sacrificing normal college experiences, social connections, and career exploration in pursuit of Olympic dreams.

The forced pause from competition created space for a profound realization. Despite reaching elite levels in her sport, Kuhoo began questioning whether the singular focus had been worth it. "I had a lot of resentment towards the sport," she confesses. "I was blinded by it and gave up on all other opportunities." With no work experience, no interview skills, and limited knowledge of her economics degree's applications, she found herself at a crossroads familiar to many athletes—what now?

Rather than viewing her athletic background as a liability, Kuhoo recognized the transferable skills it had cultivated. The discipline, competitive drive, and resilience that took her to international badminton courts became her foundation for tackling one of the world's most competitive examinations—the Indian Civil Services exam, which accepts just 1,000 candidates from over 1.3 million applicants annually.

What makes Kuhoo's transition story particularly powerful is how she discovered a deeper purpose beyond personal achievement. While playing badminton offered individual accolades, she yearned for broader impact. Now training as an Indian Police Service officer, Kuhoo can provide justice to victims, implement community sport initiatives, and create systemic change—combining her athletic background with public service in ways she never imagined possible.

For athletes contemplating their own transitions, Kuhoo offers wisdom from both sides: "Remember how much of a privilege it is to pursue what you love professionally. Stay humble and recognize the world is huge with endless opportunities." Her journey demonstrates that athletic careers, while temporary, develop invaluable skills that transfer to countless other fields. The key is finding the courage to reinvent yourself when the moment demands it.

Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io 

In today's episode, Ryan sits down with Tarek Moustafa, a passionate advocate for personal development and athlete well-being. Tarek shares his unique journey from being a young boy diagnosed with autism to becoming a mentor, educator, and podcast host. Through his work in schools and his podcast Life in Sport, Tarek is dedicated to helping young people—especially athletes—discover their multifaceted identities and navigate life’s challenges with confidence.

Tarek opens up about his own struggles with self-doubt, his obsession with learning, and how his passion for sport and personal growth intertwines to create a powerful mission: to empower others to find their path.

Key Takeaways:

• Identity Beyond Sport: Tarek emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing multiple identities—whether as a student, athlete, friend, or family member—to build resilience and avoid being defined by a single role.
• The Power of Curiosity: From networking with industry professionals to exploring new career paths, Tarek’s curiosity has been a driving force in his personal and professional growth.
• Letting Go of Control: Tarek reflects on his journey of learning to let go of things he can’t control, a lesson that has been crucial in his development and well-being.
• Player Care in Sport: Tarek shares his insights into the evolving world of athlete well-being, highlighting the gaps and opportunities in player care across different sports and clubs.
• The Role of Mentorship: Through his work with young athletes and students, Tarek demonstrates the transformative power of mentorship and the importance of fostering independence and self-awareness.

Memorable Moments:

• Tarek’s analogy of sport being like McDonald’s—same but different in every culture—offers a fresh perspective on how sport connects people globally.
• His approach to helping young people map out their identities through simple, relatable questions like, “What makes you a student? A friend? A son or daughter?”
• The story of how a casual conversation with a former professional Muay Thai fighter sparked the idea for his podcast, Life in Sport.

Why You Should Listen:
If you’ve ever felt defined by a single role or struggled to navigate life’s transitions, Tarek’s story is a reminder that growth comes from embracing your multifaceted identity. Whether you’re an athlete, a mentor, or someone searching for clarity in your career, this episode is packed with actionable insights and heartfelt wisdom.

Quotable:
“It’s just as important to know what isn’t good as it is to know what is good. And I think it’s really undervalued.” – Tarek

Looking for Career Clarity for your next step? For more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Andrew, a former elite rugby player who carved out a 15-year career across Australia, Wales, Ireland, and France. 

From captaining teams in Europe to managing operations for a global engineering company, Andrew shares how the lessons learned in rugby—discipline, teamwork, and resilience—translated seamlessly into his post-sport career. He opens up about the challenges of letting go of the athlete’s dream, the importance of loyalty, and how curiosity and vulnerability became his superpowers in the corporate world.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Curiosity: Andrew’s willingness to say “yes” to opportunities—even when he felt out of his depth—led to unexpected career paths and personal growth.
• Teamwork Beyond Sport: Discover how the dynamics of a rugby team mirror the needs of a high-performing business team, and why diversity in skills and personalities is key to success.
• Letting Go of the Dream: Andrew reflects on the emotional journey of retiring from professional sports and how he found new purpose in leadership and mentorship.
• The Art of Honesty: Learn why brutal honesty (with a touch of empathy) is crucial in both sport and business, and how it builds trust and respect.
• Goal Alignment: Andrew shares a powerful analogy about running across broken glass and why aligning personal goals with professional ones is the secret to staying motivated.

Memorable Moments:

• Andrew’s unexpected career pivot after a casual chat with an executive committee.
• The culture shock of moving from sunny Queensland to the freezing valleys of Wales—and how it shaped his adaptability.
• Why loyalty and vulnerability are non-negotiables in leadership, both on and off the field.
• The surprising similarities between high-pressure rugby matches and high-stakes business meetings.

Why You Should Listen:
Whether you’re an athlete contemplating life after sport, a professional navigating a career transition, or simply someone looking for inspiration to take the next big leap, Andrew’s story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and the power of staying curious.

Tune in to hear:

• How Andrew turned a one-year stint in Wales into a decade-long international career.
• The moment he realized it was time to hang up his boots and prioritize family.
• Practical advice for athletes and professionals alike on setting goals, building relationships, and embracing vulnerability.

Quotable:
“In sport, you pick yourself. If you’re not getting selected, it’s because you haven’t done what’s needed. The same applies in life—you’ve got to take ownership of your journey.” – Andrew

Looking for Career Clarity for your next step? For more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

In today's episode, we sit down with Mikel Thomas, a three-time Olympian whose journey is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. From his humble beginnings in Trinidad and Tobago to the global stage of the Olympics, Mikel's story is one of triumph over adversity, both on and off the track. He opens up about the pressures of living up to expectations, the physical and emotional toll of injuries, and how he found the strength to keep pushing forward. But this isn’t just a story about sports—it’s about life, community, and the power of perseverance. Whether you’re an athlete, a professional navigating a career transition, or someone searching for purpose, Mikel’s insights will leave you inspired to embrace challenges and redefine what success means to you.

What We Discussed:

• Mikel’s early days in Trinidad and Tobago, where his love for sports first took root and set him on the path to becoming an Olympian.
• The intense pressure and expectations he faced after his Olympic debut, and how he learned to navigate the weight of external validation.
• The physical and mental challenges of overcoming career-threatening injuries, and the lessons he learned about resilience and adaptability.
• The importance of building a strong support system and surrounding yourself with the right community to help you through tough times.
• Mikel’s advocacy for mental health awareness in the sports world, and why he believes it’s crucial to address the emotional struggles athletes often face.
• How he’s using his platform to champion athletes’ rights and create supportive frameworks for life beyond sports.
• The pivotal moments that shaped his personal and professional growth, and how he approaches transitions without losing focus.
• Practical advice for anyone looking to redefine success, find clarity in their career path, and embrace the idea of a “second wind.”

This episode is packed with wisdom, inspiration, and actionable takeaways for anyone looking to push through challenges and find their own path to purpose. Tune in and let Mikel’s story remind you that setbacks are just setups for comebacks.

Resources Mentioned:

• Connect with Mikel: 
  • LinkedIn: Mikel K. Thomas, OLY
• Looking for Career Clarity for your next step? For more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

In today's episode, Ryan sits down with Christine Ngeve, a former multi-sport college athlete turned mental health advocate and career coach for athletes. Christine’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the importance of preparing for life beyond sport. From her days as a three-sport athlete at university to her current work helping student-athletes navigate their identities and career transitions, Christine shares invaluable insights on how athletes can leverage their unique experiences to thrive in the next chapter of their lives.

Christine opens up about the challenges of balancing academics, athletics, and personal growth, and how her athletic career shaped her into the person she is today. She emphasizes the importance of understanding your “fingerprint”—the unique combination of skills, experiences, and traits that make you who you are—and how athletes can translate their transferable skills into the workforce. Whether you’re an athlete, a sports enthusiast, or someone navigating a career transition, this episode is packed with actionable advice.

Key Discussion Points:

- How sports built grit and resilience while shaping an identity beyond athletics.

- Balancing volleyball, softball, track, academics, and personal life in college.

- Advocating for mental health through staff training and crisis support volunteering.

- Navigating the transition from competitive sports to the next phase of life.

- Leveraging leadership, teamwork, and adaptability for career success.

- The power of mentorship and role models in shaping personal growth.

- Helping student-athletes at smaller colleges prepare for life beyond sports.

Resources Mentioned:

• Connect with Christine:
  • Email: peakpotentialjourney@gmail.com
  • Phone: 336-988-4622
  • Instagram: @peakpotentialjourney
  • LinkedIn: Christine Ngeve
• Looking for Career Clarity for your next step? For more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Why You Should Listen:

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who has ever struggled with identity, transition, or finding their purpose after a major life change. Christine’s story is both inspiring and relatable, offering practical advice for athletes and non-athletes alike. Her emphasis on understanding your “fingerprint” and leveraging your unique experiences will leave you motivated to take the next step in your own journey. Tune in to discover how to turn your past experiences into future success!

Transitioning out of a professional sports career is never easy, and for former international badminton player Mithula Umakanth, it was a journey of loss, self-discovery, and reinvention. In this episode, Mithula shares her raw and inspiring story - moving from the highs of elite sports to the uncertainty of finding a new career path.

Now a Master’s student in Finance at UC Irvine, Mithula opens up about navigating identity loss, learning to embrace change, and using the athlete mindset to adapt to new challenges. Her story is one of resilience, learning, and ultimately, self-growth.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

- The emotional toll of retiring from elite sports and the process of grieving an old identity
- How Mithula explored different career paths, from public policy to finance, before finding her next passion
- The athlete mindset and how it helped her adjust to an entirely new life abroad
- The importance of building a strong support system during career transitions
- How she secured a spot in the EY Athlete Program, designed for elite athletes transitioning into corporate careers
- The power of short-term goals over long-term planning in uncertain times
- Practical advice for athletes preparing for their post-sport careers

Key Quotes from This Episode

💡 “I realized that I wasn’t just an athlete—I was someone capable of so much more. But figuring out what that ‘more’ was took time.”
💡 “At first, I stayed away from badminton altogether. I had to find myself outside the sport before I could even think about what was next.”
💡 “Asking for help was the hardest part. But once I did, I realized how many people were willing to guide me.”

Resources & Links

📌 Connect with Mithula Umarkant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mithula-umakanth/
📌 Read Mithula’s recommended book: The Forest of Wool and Steel

📌Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

What happens when an Olympic gold medalist swaps the pool for the office? On this episode, we dive into the incredible journey of former world-class swimmer Mack Horton as he transitions from elite athlete to corporate professional.

Mack opens up about the surreal experience of announcing his retirement from professional swimming and starting his first job at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne the very next day. He shares how he’s adjusted to the challenges of a 9-to-5 routine, all while staying grounded in the discipline that made him a champion.

Here’s what we cover:

• How Mack balances building a new career with the same drive he brought to the pool.
• His shift from competing with others to focusing on personal growth through micro-goals.
• The importance of informal networking, mentorship, and how coffee chats paved his way into advertising.
• The parallels between the mindset of an Olympic athlete and succeeding in a new industry.
• Why moments of uncertainty can become opportunities to find clarity and purpose.

Mack’s story is a powerful reminder that life doesn’t end when one chapter closes—it’s just the start of something new. If you’re an athlete—or anyone—looking for inspiration to navigate career transitions, this episode is for you.

Join us as we unpack Mack’s journey and learn what it takes to thrive after sports.

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

X: https://x.com/_mackhorton 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mackhorton

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mack-h- 

What do you do when life throws 25 shots your way? If you’re Rachel Howard, you save them, earn MVP, and rewrite the playbook for success on and off the pitch. From New Zealand’s national goalkeeper to General Manager of the Pacific Region at Adidas, Rachel has mastered the art of rising to the challenge and leaving a lasting impact wherever she goes.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• Balancing dual careers: Discover how Rachel managed a professional football career while working full-time at Adidas, flying between Germany and New Zealand for training camps.
• The climb to VP: Hear Rachel’s journey from unpaid intern to Vice President at Adidas, driven by adaptability, curiosity, and a relentless hunger to learn.
• Turning setbacks into comebacks: Learn how Rachel transformed the toughest moment in her career—losing her job contract—into a defining comeback.
• Leading with purpose: Explore Rachel’s leadership philosophy of fostering safety, respect, and belonging in diverse teams across the globe.
• Championing women in sports: Get the inside story of the Northern Kahu women’s basketball team, where Rachel is making history as part of an all-women ownership team, setting a bold new standard for sports leadership.
• The goalkeeper mindset: See how Rachel’s calm under pressure, sharp anticipation, and clarity drive her success in the corporate world.

🌟 Why This Episode Matters:
Rachel’s story is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and breaking barriers. From navigating the challenges of women’s sports to paving the way for the next generation of female leaders in business and athletics, Rachel’s journey is proof that bold risks and a commitment to growth can create lasting impact.

🎧 Key Takeaways:

• How saying yes, taking risks, and embracing opportunities can transform your career.
• The importance of balancing ambition with adaptability and a growth mindset.
• Insights into fostering belonging and empowerment in teams.
• Why the future of sports leadership is bold, inclusive, and transformative.

🎧 Tune In Now:
This episode is packed with powerful lessons and inspiration for anyone navigating their career journey. Whether you’re an athlete, a leader, or someone looking for clarity in your next step, Rachel’s story will motivate you to seize opportunities and create meaningful change.

Let’s Connect:
Are you looking for career clarity for your next step? For more information or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io.

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelahoward
• Instagram: @theordinaryolympian
• Instagram: @kahubasketball
• Website: https://www.kahu.basketball/

What happens when your career in sports—or any field you’ve poured your soul into—comes to an end? How do you prepare for life after the spotlight? In this episode, we’re exploring these pivotal questions with Evan Bush, a 16-year Major League Soccer veteran and one of the league’s oldest active players, and Julian Gonzalez, a former rising star in Colombian football turned sports psychologist. Together, they share real-life stories, valuable insights, and practical advice for navigating life’s big transitions.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• Why planning ahead matters: Evan explains how thinking about life beyond the game boosts performance today and alleviates the stress of retirement.
• Redefining identity: Learn how athletes can challenge the narrative that their talents begin and end on the pitch, breaking free from limiting labels to embrace their full potential.
• Embracing professionalism: Discover why maintaining professionalism and nurturing relationships is crucial, because, as Evan notes, "In sport, as in life, bridges burned are opportunities lost."
• Julian’s transformative journey: Julian shares the emotional weight of stepping away from football too soon and how that experience shaped his work supporting athletes through life-changing decisions.
• Different paths, same challenges: We explore how transitions differ between America’s college sports system and Colombia’s professional pipeline, offering universal truths applicable to any career path.

🌟 Why This Episode Matters:
This isn’t just for athletes—it’s for anyone facing a career crossroads or major life change. From Evan’s strategies for preparing ahead to Julian’s heartfelt reflections, their stories offer lessons on resilience, adaptability, and planning for what’s next.

🎧 Key Takeaways:

• Why athletes must think about transitions before retirement feels imminent.
• The power of having a plan to boost performance and ease uncertainty.
• The importance of maintaining professionalism and nurturing relationships for future opportunities.
• How to break free from limiting labels and embrace your full potential.
• Universal truths about life transitions that apply to everyone, athlete or not.

🎧 Tune In Now:
This episode dives deep into the emotional and practical sides of career transitions, offering inspiration and actionable insights for anyone facing uncertainty about their next step. Whether you’re an athlete preparing for retirement or someone considering a big career pivot, Evan and Julian’s stories will leave you feeling empowered and ready to take action.

Let’s Connect:
Are you looking for career clarity for your next step? For more information or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io.

If you loved this episode, share it with someone who needs to hear these lessons. Don’t forget to subscribe for more inspiring conversations. 

What if you let life’s twists guide you instead of forcing the next step? For Lewis Paris, this mindset turned an ACL injury into the foundation of a thriving fitness empire. From dreams of a football career to spinning records as a DJ in Greece, Lewis’s journey is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the power of following life’s unexpected opportunities.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• From football to fitness: Lewis shares how an ACL injury derailed his football dreams but set him on a path to discovering his true calling.
• DJing in Greece: Hear how his experience working as a DJ on the island of Kos gave him the freedom to explore his passions and unlocked his potential for a fitness career.
• More than physical fitness: Discover why Lewis believes true transformation is about building mental strength, resilience, and personal growth alongside physical fitness.
• Building a brand: Learn how Lewis transitioned from managing gyms to creating his own fitness community, emphasizing mentorship and holistic wellness.
• Empowering others: Explore how his personalized training programs and corporate wellness initiatives inspire clients to reach their full potential in all areas of life.

🌟 Why This Episode Matters:
This isn’t just a story about fitness—it’s about navigating life’s unexpected turns and finding purpose in the process. Lewis opens up about the setbacks and triumphs that shaped his journey, offering valuable lessons on resilience, mindset, and creating a life that aligns with your passions.

🎧 Key Takeaways:

• How an ACL injury became a catalyst for reinvention and new opportunities.
• Why fitness is about more than physical transformation—it’s about mental resilience and holistic growth.
• The importance of mentorship and building a supportive community to inspire change.
• How to embrace life’s twists and use them to guide you toward your true calling.

🎧 Tune In Now:
This episode dives deep into the mindset and strategies behind Lewis’s journey from football to fitness, offering inspiration and actionable insights for anyone looking to embrace reinvention and turn challenges into opportunities.

Let’s Connect:
Are you looking for career clarity for your next step? For more information or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io.

Imagine standing perfectly still, focusing on a target 50 meters away as your heartbeat slows to match the rhythm of your breath. Now, picture doing this while navigating the chaos of moving continents, mastering a new language, and building a life with your partner—all while staying true to your identity as an elite athlete. What does it take to stay calm and grounded while pursuing greatness amidst life’s biggest changes? Shreya Saksena knows, and her story is nothing short of captivating.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• Balancing new beginnings: Discover how Shreya transitioned from India to Germany, juggling marriage, a new cultural landscape, and her athletic passion.
• Finding calm in chaos: Learn how precision shooting taught Shreya to embrace calm under pressure—a skill she applies in every aspect of her life.
• Shifting gears: Hear how Shreya’s military upbringing and supportive parents helped her move from the fast-paced world of basketball to the solitary discipline of rifle shooting.
• Expanding perspectives: Explore how Shreya stepped outside her comfort zone as an elite athlete, connecting with diverse perspectives through education and networking.
• Preparing for life after sports: Gain valuable advice on staying present, embracing uncertainty, and building a fulfilling post-sports career.

🌟 Why This Episode Matters:
Shreya’s story isn’t just about sports—it’s about resilience, growth, and finding clarity in life’s most challenging moments. Whether you’re navigating a major life change, pursuing a passion, or simply seeking inspiration, this episode will leave you feeling empowered and ready to take your next leap of faith.

🎧 Key Takeaways:

• How to stay calm and focused under pressure in both sports and life.
• The importance of embracing uncertainty and stepping outside your comfort zone.
• Why focusing on the present can transform how you approach life’s transitions.
• How networking and education can help athletes build new opportunities beyond the field.

🎧 Tune In Now:
This episode dives deep into Shreya’s inspiring journey, offering powerful lessons on calm, courage, and reinvention. Whether you’re an athlete or someone seeking clarity in your next step, her story will inspire you to embrace life’s challenges and thrive.

Let’s Connect:
Are you looking for career clarity for your next step? For more information or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io.

Links:

• Instagram: @shreya_saksena
• LinkedIn: Shreya Saksena
• Email: shreya.saksena@gmail.com

What happens when elite sports and cutting-edge medicine intersect? Ryan invites Karen Brown, to the show.

Karen Brown is an award-winning pharmacist and former Queensland Firebirds netball star transforming how athletes approach health, performance, and safety. Through Batch Tested, Australia’s leading platform for rigorously tested supplements, Karen ensures that athletes worldwide safeguard their careers and health. Her unique perspective as both an elite athlete and a clinical expert has positioned her as a champion for innovation in sports and pharmacy.  

Karen’s influence doesn’t stop at supplement safety. As a business owner, educator, and advocate, she’s paving the way for Sports pharmacy to become a global standard, redefining the pharmacist's role in elite athletic care. Her groundbreaking work bridges the worlds of medicine and sports, setting new standards for clean supplementation and athlete support.  

Tune in to learn more about:  

• How Karen’s passion and entrepreneurial spirit gave rise to Batch Tested, addressing critical gaps in supplement safety for athletes.  
• Why 1 in 5 supplements pose career-ending risks and how Karen is revolutionizing trust in the sports industry.  
• The essence of an emerging specialty is Sports pharmacy, where clinical expertise meets athletic performance, ensuring smarter, safer care for athletes.  
• How setbacks, like missing her dream university course, became stepping stones for her impactful career.  
• Discover Karen’s bold philosophy, Fly the plane while you’re building it, which emphasizes the power of action over perfection.  
• Lessons from Karen’s netball career that fuel her success in business and mentorship.  
•  A visionary outlook on Brisbane 2032, where Karen aims to integrate clinical pharmacists into sports teams for next-level athlete care. 
• The future of clean sports: How Batch Tested is setting a new standard for athlete safety and integrity. 

…and so much more! 

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io  

Links 

Website: https://batchtested.com.au 

                 https://www.linkedin.com/company/batch-tested/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-brown-8b7900106  

What does it take to turn a lifelong passion into a movement that’s redefining dance for young children across the UK and beyond? Meet Anne-Marie Martin, the founder of Diddi Dance, a pioneering dance program that’s bringing rhythm, fun, and early childhood development into one dynamic package for kids under five. Once a professional dancer gracing global stages, Anne-Marie traded in her spotlight for a new mission: to build children’s confidence, creativity, and coordination through dance. And she’s not just making it happen; today, her impact is felt far and wide, she’s scaling it with over 40 franchises, each delivering classes where children grow, laugh, and learn to move freely in their unique way.

Anne-Marie’s story is one of bold pivots and relentless innovation. From the leap of founding her own company to designing a brand-new dance curriculum and even developing original music just for her classes, she’s crafting experiences that make a lasting impact on children and parents alike. As a true industry leader, she’s not only shaping the future of dance education but also mentoring women in franchising through her role with EWIF (Encouraging Women into Franchising) and setting quality standards as a board member of the Children's Activities Association.

Tune in to learn more about:

• How Anne-Marie went from the spotlight of professional dancing to founding Diddi Dance, addressing a major gap in early childhood dance.
• The rewards of teaching young children and how her passion evolved into a focus on holistic child development.
• The unique structure of Diddi Dance, where upbeat routines nurture self-confidence, social skills, and movement abilities.
• Behind-the-scenes stories of building her brand, including navigating a name change and creating original music to make classes unforgettable.
• Anne-Marie's dedication to inclusivity in dance and her role in elevating safety and educational standards for young learners through her role as a board member of the Children's Activities Association.
•  Her work with EWIF (Encouraging Women into Franchising) inspires and mentors women entering the world of franchising and entrepreneurship.
•  With sights on global expansion, how she’s bringing her dream of accessible, joyous dance experiences to kids around the world.

  …and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io  

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-marie-martin- 

Website: https://www.diddidance.com  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/originaldiddidancer   

                    https://www.instagram.com/diddidancecrew   

Channing Chaston, famously known as the 1% Kid, shares the secrets behind his extraordinary journey from dreaming of playing college soccer to becoming a pro athlete with Phoenix Rising. Discover how Channing's mantra of "1% better every day" drove him to overcome the challenges of a rigorous recruitment process and unexpected coaching changes to secure his place at Ohio State. Through his story, we promise you'll gain insights into resilience and the power of persistence, whether you're an athlete or just chasing your own dreams.

Reflecting on his remarkable career, Channing discusses his transition from soccer to becoming an author and educational consultant. He brings a competitive drive and structured mindset to his newly launched training academy, aimed at nurturing young athletes' physical and mental growth. We touch on the "three Ps" - practice, perseverance, and patience - and Channing's vision for helping others become the best versions of themselves. Tune in for inspiring advice on goal setting and the importance of maintaining a positive mindset in your journey towards fulfillment.

Tune in to learn more about:

• How Channing pushed past doubts to earn a spot at Ohio State and what fueled his “1% better everyday mindset
• The transformative power of setting small, achievable goals that add up to monumental success
• His journey from athlete to entrepreneur, educator, and speaker, and the importance of following multiple passions
• Channing’s commitment to empowering youth through goal-setting, self-discipline, and education.
• The unexpected journey to becoming an author and why his story is for every child with a dream.
• His Three Ps; Practice, Perseverance, and Patience, and why they’re the secret to making dreams come true
• Lessons from overcoming setbacks, including injuries and career shifts, and finding new purpose beyond the field
• The unexpected road to becoming an author and why his story resonates with anyone chasing a dream

…and so much more!

Links:

Website: https://www.theonepercentkid.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channingchasten 

                    https://www.instagram.com/the1percentkid/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the1%kid 

Book: The 1% Kid: https://www.amazon.com/1-Kid-Channing-Chasten/ 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com 

Erin Cafaro, a former elite athlete turned neuropsychologist, joins us to share the incredible journey sparked by her father's diagnosis with vascular dementia. She opens up about the powerful influence of personal experiences on career transitions, illustrating how curiosity and passion can lead to unexpected and fulfilling paths. Listeners will learn how Erin's early life in a small California town and the male-focused sports culture set the stage for her career in rowing, ultimately leading her to national and Olympic teams.

From the significance of Title IX in her rowing journey to the importance of emotional balance, Erin's candid reflections offer guidance for athletes seeking fulfillment beyond their competitive careers. The conversation highlights the necessity of recovery and personal growth, taking into account how understanding one's past can empower future endeavors.

Tune in to learn more about:

- Why and how early-life challenges often fuel athletes' ambition and, sometimes become a double-edged sword.

- The psychological and emotional toll of stepping off the podium and the journey to redefine one’s self-worth and purpose beyond achievement.

- Why it’s difficult for athletes to publicly acknowledge mental health struggles and why open discussions are crucial for healing.

- How athletic discipline impacts cognitive resilience and contributes to mental toughness.

- The challenges and rewards of transitioning from a performance-oriented mindset to a more academic one

- Insights into her current work in clinical psychology research  on how athletes cope with life off the podium

- Erin’s perspective on resilience, recovery, and the value of community support in overcoming life’s setbacks.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io  

What happens when a BMX champion swaps the adrenaline rush of biking for the tranquil greens of golf? Join us as Josh, a former professional BMX athlete, narrates this unlikely transformation. After a brain tumor diagnosis, Josh reevaluated his life priorities and took the bold step to transition into a sport where every swing is both a challenge and a chance for growth. Discover how BMX's demand for adaptability and mental focus parallels the world of golf, providing new avenues for fulfillment and self-expression.

Tune in to learn more about:
- Why true mastery isn’t about perfection, but about constant growth; mentally, physically, and emotionally.

- The surprising parallels between BMX and golf, and how golf became a source of healing and purpose for Josh.

- Exploring the surprising parallels between the two sports

- Josh’s raw account of surviving brain tumors and navigating the emotional toll of loss.

- How sponsorship pressures and public expectations shaped Josh’s sense of self, and how he rediscovered his worth beyond sports.

- His powerful advocacy for mental health, metabolic health, and a balanced, mindful approach to wellness.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io  

Links:

Website: https://www.joshperrybmx.com/ 

Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshperrybmx/ 

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/joshperrybmx 

Imagine balancing rigorous training with law school, missing out on the Olympics by just one spot, and still building a legal career that has taken Australia by storm. Today, Ryan is joined by Andrew Mewing, a former Australian swimmer turned co-founder and partner of a leading law firm Batch Mewing Lawyers specializing in construction and employment law, who shares a riveting tale of reinvention.

Andrew takes us back to his early athletic days, starting as a promising rugby player in Southeast Queensland. An unexpected detour due to injuries led him to uncover his hidden swimming talents, eventually bringing him to the brink of Olympic qualification. Balancing the demands of a dual degree in commerce and law with a burgeoning swimming career, Andrew's tale is a testament to the importance of systems over goals and the support network that fueled his dual pursuits. Discover how Andrew's academic dedication and competitive spirit shaped his ambitions, providing a foundation for his future success.

Tune in to learn more about:

- How Andrew balanced sports and academics while swimming for Australia and studying law at the University of Queensland.

- The inspiration behind Batch Mewing Lawyers and its growth from a two-person startup to a 30-person team across Australia.

- A sneak peek into Relative Age Effect, how it  impacted Andrew’s early athletic career and how he overcame it.

- The surprising parallels between swimming laps and legal strategy

- The Importance of leaning on your Support Network and how Andrew's family and friends played a vital role in his journey from sport to law.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmewinglaw  

Website: https://www.batchmewing.com.au  

How do athletes' skills on the field translate into successful franchise ownership? In this episode, we sit down with franchisee broker James Hilovsky from California. James shares his unique insights on the natural fit between athletes and franchising, explaining how the structure, teamwork, and coaching inherent in sports prepare athletes for franchise entrepreneurship. You'll learn why athletes' self-confidence and risk-taking abilities often lead them to outperform their corporate peers in the entrepreneurial world.

James takes us through his comprehensive process as a franchise consultant, walking us through each step he takes to match athletes with the perfect franchise opportunities. From assessing industry interests and investment levels to choosing between owner-operator or manager-led models, James provides a detailed look at the fundamentals of franchising, including initial fees, royalties, and marketing costs. Using a hypothetical scenario of a former pro athlete, he illustrates how he guides clients to make informed decisions that align with their goals and aspirations.

Tune in to learn more about:

- The step-by-step process of launching a franchise, from that first call to signing the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

- Insider tips on evaluating a franchisor’s support system and navigating the FDD.

- Why athletes have a unique edge in the franchising world, and how you can leverage it.

- How to validate a franchise opportunity, including what questions to ask existing franchisees.

- Realistic expectations, common misconceptions and pitfalls in franchising, and how to stay proactive in your business journey.

- A sneak peek into examples of franchises athletes are conquering, from fitness centers to niche services like dog poop cleanup.

- Why athletes often find more satisfaction in the autonomy and challenges of running their own business.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Website: https://www.thefrandream.com 

Linkedln:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-frandream/ 

Email: james@thefrandream.com  

From Triple Jumping in Jamaica to sprinting up the ranks in the tech industry, today’s guest has mastered the art of reinvention. As a former Jamaican World and Commonwealth Games track and field star, Damon McLean competed alongside some of the best, pushing his limits on the global stage. He is no stranger to high stakes and high performance; he has faced some of the toughest competition worldwide.

But when his spikes came off, his story was far from over. Damon has seamlessly transitioned into the fast-paced world of tech sales, where he now leads teams with the same focus and determination that made him a standout athlete. From chasing Commonwealth Games dreams to climbing the ranks in tech, Damon’s story is one of grit, reinvention, and following his passion.

Are you seeking inspiration on how to navigate life's pivot points, this episode is for you!

Tune in to learn more about:

- His powerful story of navigating the highs and lows of competitive athletics and the unexpected twists that led him to a new career in the corporate world.
- The Athlete’s Mindset in Business, how the lessons learned on the track: discipline, resilience, and focus translate to leading in the tech industry.
- Balancing his passion for sports with the realities of life after athletics.
- Damon’s journey into the tech world, the skills he’s applied, and how Damon leveraged curiosity and continuous learning to find new opportunities outside of sports.
- The importance of seeking mentorship and how informational interviews and curiosity helped Damon grow in his new field.
- Practical advice for anyone navigating career transitions and personal reinvention.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonmclean 

Ever feel like the sidelines of youth sports are more of a battlefield than a fun space? Between stressed-out coaches, over-involved parents, and young athletes caught in the middle, finding a balance can seem impossible. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Skye Eddy, a former elite goalkeeper and the visionary behind Soccer Parenting, to unravel the unspoken struggles of youth sports. Skye has transformed her challenges into a mission, pulling back the curtain on the complex dynamics between parents, coaches, and young players.

What began as a mother’s quest to support her daughter’s high-performance soccer career became a full-scale movement to empower parents in youth sports. Skye shares how her platform, Soccer Parenting is reshaping this space by fostering collaboration, communication, and mutual respect among all stakeholders. From her experiences on the field to her insights from the boardroom, Skye reveals what it takes to ensure that kids not only stay engaged in sports but also thrive emotionally and mentally.

If you’re passionate about making sports a healthier, more inspiring experience for your child, this conversation is a must!

Tune in to learn more about:

• Behind-the-scenes stories of Skye’s time playing overseas, the highs and lows of chasing a national team dream, and how these experiences shaped her view on youth sports. 
• The birth of Soccer Parenting and how it’s revolutionizing the relationship between parents and coaches for the benefit of young athletes.
• Practical tips for keeping kids passionate about sports without adding pressure.
• Highlights the common stresses parents and coaches face in youth sports, and how Soccer Parenting helps address these issues
• Skye’s reflections on vulnerability, honesty, and the importance of strong support systems during tough career moments.
• Nuggets on how parents and coaches can work together to ensure that sports remain a positive, enriching experience while maintaining boundaries and balance.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Website: https://www.soccerparenting.com

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/soccerparenting 

X: https://twitter.com/SoccerParenting 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skye-eddy/ 

What happens when a promising football career is suddenly cut short and the real world comes calling? In this episode, Malvin Kamara reveals the untold story of his rise and fall in professional football, and how the same drive that once fueled him on the field helped him reinvent himself as a successful entrepreneur. From playing for top clubs like Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town to facing the harsh realization that his football career wasn’t forever, Malvin takes us on a rollercoaster of ambition, failure, and ultimate redemption.

But this is not just another career pivot story. From the intensity of the football pitch to the relentless grind of entrepreneurship,  Malvin shares the gritty details of life after football: navigating financial struggles, working odd jobs, and finding himself door-knocking in rural Yorkshire before his breakthrough moment in business. Now, as the CEO of Valum Associates, a recruitment firm with a bold vision for success, along the way, he navigated financial struggles, personal challenges, and the daunting leap into an industry he knew nothing about, and he’s here to tell you exactly how he did it.

This is more than just a transition story; it's a blueprint for anyone looking to rise from the ashes of a failed dream and create a new legacy. Prepare for a candid, inspiring, and brutally honest conversation that will leave you questioning: when your first dream dies, what’s your next move?

Tune in to learn more about:

- Malvin's passion for football as a child fueled a singular focus, his dreams entirely consumed by the vision of becoming a professional footballer.

-  How Malvin’s football career shaped his competitive edge and prepared him for entrepreneurial life.

- The defining moment that led him to shift gears into the business realm and how he navigated  early struggles

- His step-by-step journey from financial struggles and odd jobs to launching and scaling a successful recruitment company across international markets.

- Candid insights about the importance of resilience, having the right support network, and knowing when to shift gears in pursuit of long-term success.

- The challenges of building an international business and why resilience is key.

 Personal insights on the sacrifices and lessons learned along the way to entrepreneurial success.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malvinkamara/ 

Website: https://vallumassociates.com/ 

In today’s episode, we dive into the mind of Myriam Robitaille, a Canadian professional beach volleyball player who is redefining what it means to be an athlete. For Myriam, sport is more than just physical prowess; it’s a mental battlefield that pushes the limits of the human spirit. From being scouted at 14 to dominating the indoor volleyball scene, Myriam’s journey has been one of intense physical and mental challenges. The routine of the sport, relentless training, and emotional isolation in Europe left her craving something more.

Her bold pivot to beach volleyball wasn’t just a change of scenery—it was a deliberate step into the unknown, where unpredictable elements like wind and sand demand constant adaptation. In this space, Myriam found her edge, not through brute strength, but through deep mental resilience. Alongside her athletic career, Myriam is thriving as a recruiter at Zeffy, a fast-growing tech startup that supports non-profits through innovative fundraising, satisfying her intellectual hunger in an environment just as intense as her sporting life.

Tune in to Learn more about:

- How Myriam’s transition from indoor to beach volleyball reignited her passion and adaptability.
- Parallels between transitioning from sales to recruitment and from one sport to another.
- The critical role of mental toughness and the importance of working with a mental coach to excel under pressure.
- Strategies for staying motivated and avoiding burnout when passion starts to feel repetitive.
- The significance of mindfulness and presence in overcoming challenges.
- How Myriam’s feedback approach in recruitment mirrors her athletic mindset, emphasizing immediate adjustments for success.
- Her unique strategy for harmonizing dual careers to excel in both arenas.
…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io

Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriamrob 
Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myriamr-?

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In honor of LGBTQ History Month, Ryan is excited to speak with David Watters, an LGBTQ+ rugby player, innovation consultant, and business coach based in the UK. While many of our guests transition from sports to other fields, David's story is unique: he transitioned from the boardroom to the rugby pitch. Now playing for the Airmill Warriors, David is a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports. As an innovator and startup accelerator, he specializes in integrating new technologies into transportation and city infrastructure.

David’s journey marks a significant shift since he first joined LGBTQ rugby. From its humble beginnings with the Kings Cross Steelers in 1995, the International Gay Rugby (IGR) movement has blossomed into a global network of over 100 teams. This growth highlights the broader trend of incorporating diversity and inclusion within traditional rugby clubs and across the sports world.

David’s expertise in building successful sports and corporate teams is evident. He draws insightful parallels between his sports experience and his innovation work, offering practical tips for creating inclusive environments. He emphasizes how rugby clubs can foster a welcoming atmosphere for all.

Tune in to learn more about:

- David's innovative career trajectory and his transition into rugby
- His initial challenges and feelings of exclusion when starting in the sport
- Reflections on traditional rugby cultures and the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ players
- The expansion of the International Gay Rugby (IGR) movement and its impact on creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ players
- The importance of team mentality, recognizing individual strengths, and building a supportive culture
- How the IGR movement has influenced traditional rugby clubs and broader inclusivity in sports
- Practical steps clubs should embrace to foster inclusivity
- David's insightful analogy between sports and business leadership, and the benefits of applying sports lessons to the corporate world and vice versa

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Davids Linkedln:https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcwatters

Website: https://igrugby.org/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrclubhouse/ 

What if the toughest streets of Stonebridge, Northwest London, were the unlikely training ground for a future Olympian and corporate leader? In this episode, Ryan dives deep into the life and career of Marilyn Okoro, a British track & field athlete, 800m specialist, and Athlete Welfare Change Maker. She represented Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she was part of the 4x400m relay team that won a bronze medal (upgraded to silver in 2016).

From a young girl with a passion for running to becoming one of the world's elite athletes, Marilyn’s story is one of resilience, perseverance, and transformation, shedding light on the realities of pursuing excellence in sports and the profound challenges faced during and after an athletic career.  Known for her resilience and candidness, Marilyn has become an advocate for athlete welfare and mental health, working to ensure the holistic well-being of sportspeople beyond their competitive careers.

Tune in to learn more about:

• Reflections of her transitioning from Sport to Corporate Life  
• Emphasizes on the significance of role models and mentors who champion your growth and vision   
• How the boldness required in athletics (facing stadiums full of spectators) translates into the corporate environment.
•  Juggling her athletic career with academic commitments and the importance of maintaining a beautiful balance between sports and education.
•  The stages of retirement she experienced: logical, physical, and emotional, and how each played a role in her journey
• The emotional and psychological aspects of retiring from sports and nuggets on how to navigate life that life season, 

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io  

Links:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/marilynokorooly

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynokorooly

What happens when an Olympian transitions from competing on the world stage to tackling global challenges like climate change? Join us as we welcome Hannah Campbell-Pegg, a former Australian Olympian in Luge, who shares her riveting journey from competing in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympic Games to her current life balancing a PhD, motherhood, and a career in sustainability. Hannah opens up about her unexpected foray into winter sports, which began with a friend's suggestion and led her from the beaches of Australia to icy luge tracks worldwide. 

Hannah was known not only for her athletic achievements but also for her leadership, serving as the head of Luge Australia for over a decade. Even after retiring from competition, Campbell-Pegg continued to contribute to the sport, playing a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of Australian lugers, making her an inspiring figure both on and off the track.

Tune In To Learn more about:

• Her intriguing path to the Winter Olympics 
• Hannah's thrill of competing at the highest level and the challenges of pursuing a winter sport as an Australian 
• Highlights on the sense of a close-knit community among athletic peers and how to leverage it
• The stark contrast of living in a desert climate in Dubai  after years of winter sports
• Sneak peek into her PhD on the impact of climate change on Winter Sports
• The joy in her teaching pursuit and how it complemented her life as an athlete 
• Hannah’s disciplined approach to training and life and how it has immensely guided her life after sports

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io    

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-campbell-pegg-oly- 

X: https://x.com/HCampbellPegg 

What does it take to skateboard at 100 kilometers per hour down treacherous terrains while breaking gender barriers? Join Ryan today as he sits down with Anna Pixner, Austria’s fastest woman on skateboards. Anna is a two-time world champion in downhill speed skateboarder, coach, writer, and advocate for greater recognition and equality for women in extreme sports. Known for her technical prowess and fearless approach to some of the most challenging mountain roads, Anna has mastered the art of navigating hairpin turns at breakneck speeds - all while advocating for greater recognition and equality for women in this male-dominated sport.

From a shy, thrill-seeking child to a world-class athlete who pushes her limits of both physical and mental endurance, Anna turned her passion for extreme sports into a mission to amplify female representation in extreme sports. She desires to make a broader impact, not just within the sport but also in encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones and embrace challenges. She uses her platform to inspire the next generation of athletes, challenge stereotypes, and promote a more inclusive portrayal of women in extreme sports by offering workshops, coaching, and creating her own high-quality media content.

Tune in to learn more about:

• What led Anna to discover her love for downhill speed skating and her first impression of this extreme sport
• The gender disparities, the lack of female representation in extreme sports, and the role the media plays in perpetuating stereotypes. 
• A sneak peek of the different styles within the sport, including racing and free riding, and the technical skills required to navigate steep, challenging mountain roads.
• Why it’s harder for female athletes than their male counterparts in extreme sports
• The psychological aspects of downhill skating and how she uses mental strength to manage fear and push her limits on the track.
• How Anna is championing female athletes in media to challenge stereotypes and encourage a more inclusive portrayal of women in extreme sports.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Website:https://www.annapixner.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annapixner 

Staciana, a gold medalist from the Sydney 2000 Olympics, shares her journey from a determined young athlete to teaching, coaching and becoming an author of The Stolen Dance An Olympian’s Perpetual Search for Healing from Trauma and Grief.

Staciana also opens up about the emotional rollercoaster following her Olympic triumphs. Learn about her struggles with depression and injury, and how therapy, journaling, and a return to the water helped her navigate these challenges.

This episode is an exploration of athlete transition, the importance of mental health support, and finding purpose beyond the pool. Join us for an inspiring conversation that underscores the power of resilience, community, and personal growth.

Tune in to learn more about:

- How she came to develop true athleticism in water and the role a positive peer environment had in the same 

- The importance of mental resilience and psychological strength in athletics.

- How post-Olympic stress syndrome affects athletes and ways to help athletes build physical and psychological resilience.

- Her journey of love & loss and how gratitude was the muscle that brought her to post-traumatic growth

- The power of mentorship and community in overcoming personal and professional challenges.

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out

www.2ndwind.io   

Links:

Website: https://www.bigwinenergy.org/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacianaw?igsh= 

Staciana’s book: 

Stolen Dance: An Olympian’s Perpetual Search for Healing from Trauma and Grief:  https://a.co/d/5RUxEk0 

In today's episode, Ryan dives deep with Jori Davis, a seasoned professional basketball player turned entrepreneur, whose journey spans over 13 years, nine countries, and four continents. From the early days in New Orleans, Davis realized the importance of independence and self-reliance, especially in the competitive world of sports that crafted her into a strong advocate for athletes rights.

After experiencing the challenges and frustrations of negotiating sports contracts through agents and partners who often underpaid athletes, she realized the need for a platform that could bridge the gap between athletes and the support they deserve. This inspiration led her to create WeVolv,  a digital community where athletes can connect, share experiences, and access opportunities directly, without the need for intermediaries who might not always have their best interests at heart. Through WeVolv, Jori has become a pivotal figure in the sports industry, advocating for fair treatment, better support, and enhanced opportunities for athletes worldwide.

Tune in to learn more about:

• What causes the lack of transparency of information and fair compensation in the sporting industry 
• Her sporting journey from the grassroots to professional basketball 
• European vs American sporting system 
• Joris’s journey to self-discovery and adaptation as she played in different places around the globe
• Influence of the female mentors in crafting her sporting and entrepreneurial career 
• Pushing schools to build out ecosystems that help athletes better their perspective 
• How new vision for athletes empowerment and how it is impacting athletes 

…and so much more! 

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out

www.2ndwind.io  

Links:

Website: https://wevolv.net/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joridavis32 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jori-davis-0a16a75a?utm_source 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/wevolv/ 

Imagine having your dreams shattered by physical pain and emotional turmoil, only to find a new path that offers profound fulfillment. That's exactly what happened to our guest, Baden, a former professional rugby player whose career was marked by broken fingers, concussions, and the discovery of arthritis. Baden shares his compelling journey from the rugby fields to the classroom, detailing how he navigated the challenges of injury and the difficult decision to retire. He then reveals how he found a new purpose through teaching, working as a teaching assistant, coaching rugby, and starting a successful kicking business.

Throughout this episode, we'll uncover the critical role that support systems played in Baden’s academic and athletic achievements, with touching anecdotes about influential figures like his long-term partner and his mother, a deputy principal, who kept him grounded and focused. Baden talks about his incredible shift from soccer to rugby at the age of 15, driven by obsessive dedication and a mentor who saw his potential. Join us as and listen to Baden's transformative journey, which offers valuable lessons on perseverance, adaptability, and finding freedom after facing life's toughest moments.

Get in Touch with Us:
Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io

What happens when a career in professional sports comes to an abrupt end? Meet George Taylor, a retired Scottish rugby player who faced this exact dilemma. George shares his inspiring journey from the rugby field to the world of finance, detailing how he navigated this significant life transition. He talks about the lessons he learned from his athletic career, which unexpectedly ended at 25 due to severe head injuries, and how these lessons have shaped his success in his family’s business and his pursuit of accountancy.

Transitioning careers after such a young retirement is no easy feat, yet George's proactive approach sets a powerful example. From gaining qualifications in personal training and coaching to finding his place in the family business, he shares the emotional and practical strategies that have helped him succeed. Discover how maintaining connections with former teammates and translating the ethos of team sports into business management has been pivotal in his journey. George's experience underscores the value of self-belief and the critical need to prepare for life beyond professional sports.

Connect with George on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_georgetaylor_

Get in Touch with Us:
Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io

This week on the 2ND Wind Academy podcast we welcome Will Hooley, who shares his journey from the rugby field to becoming a technical director for Major League Rugby in the United States. Will opens up about his reluctance to follow conventional career paths and how his passion for storytelling led him to this new and exciting profession. Listen in to gain insight on the importance of finding joy in new endeavors and how blending on-field performance with off-field interests laid the groundwork for his post-rugby life.

Transitioning from an elite athlete to a career in journalism and broadcasting is no small feat, and Will’s story is a testament to resilience and adaptability. He reflects on his career highs and lows, the significance of having a backup plan, and the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines an athlete's life. From overcoming career-threatening injuries to seizing opportunities in media, Will shares invaluable lessons for anyone facing a career change. Tune in to hear about the power of networking, building confidence in the corporate world, and strategically preparing for life after sports.

Get in Touch with Us:
Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io