The Better Man

Dave Smith is the Mindset Soldier, ex military, motivational speaker and coach

Anthony is the founder of the Whole Man Academy, Podcast Host, Writer, Public Speaker And Coach

Jack Tipper is a life coach and NLP practitioner

Craig Jones is an entrepreneur, property professional and transformation specialist

Tony is the CEO of Healthcare Management Solutions and a qualified Chartered Accountant

Harry is a personal trainer, transformation coach and owner of Lift Heavy, Live Forever

Eileen is an Accredited Fellow Level Coach with the International Authority for Professional Coaching and Mentoring.

For over 20 years, she has immersed herself in studying how the ego works, what drives our behaviours, and why behaviours are so hard to change.

She is also an Advanced Holistic Coach and a Health Practitioner with the Chek Institute.

Brian is the founder of The Breathing Project, a trauma informed Breathwork practitioner and an emotional tourist guide

Gemma Grao is a contemporary artist whose work is inspired by travelling around the world, using photos she has taken whilst travelling as her references.

Lee McKervey is a 5x IronMan, former amateur boxer and street fighter.

He is also an executive chef and entrepreneur.

Sorin is the founder of Scientifically Savage and helps people looking to improve their physical and mental health.

Sorin uses his experience of homelessness, crime, substance abuse and attempts at taking his own life to encourage conversation, connection and personal growth

Damien is Professor of Health Studies and a psychotherapist.

He previously worked in the Health Experiences Research Group (HERG) at the University of Oxford.

Damien is currently funded to investigate a new NHS-based psychological treatment approach for those living with and beyond cancer, long-Covid and racialised minorities, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sexual health, and caring for people living with Alzheimers in times of Covid.

He has published two books and over 100 peer-reviewed academic journal papers/book chapters.

His key areas of study are depression and recovery; suicide and men; men and mental health; chronic health conditions; HIV and sexuality.

Paddy is the founder of Pure Booch, and has been brewing Kombucha for over 9 years.

He was born in Ireland and has lived in Russia, Pakistan and Oman before moving to Australia where he studied Ecology and Conservation Biology at Brisbane University.

Paddy then moved to South Africa to work as a research coordinator in Kruger National Park, South Africa, mentoring students and volunteers, before finally setting up his own company in Birmingham, England.

Emily and Poal work for South Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind.

Emily  is the marketing & communications manager. Her brother Ben committed suicide in 2008 aged 32.

Poal tried to take his own life in 2015 and is now a qualified Mental Health First Aid Instructor 

Alan Dovey is the Clinical Director of Working Minds UK, and started working with large organisations back in the year 2000 when he took on lead psychological therapist to West Midlands Fire Service, West Midlands Police Service and Jaguar Land Rover

He has over 30 years experience of working in predominantly male organisations and has a specialist interest in the evolutionary aspect of mental health, neuroscience, cognitive behavioural factors that maintain depression and occupational burnout.

He has published widely in mental health and spoken at Conferences around the world on various topics.

He is Accredited Consultant Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and Senior Lecturer School of Health Science and Well-being University of Staffordshire.

Kaaran Knight is a clinical psychologist who works independently and for the NHS.

She works with children and families and specialises in attachment and trauma.

Kaaran is also a climate change activist and has completed the Women In Power initiation in 2019 .

Baz Graham is a former drug and alcohol addict who is now a professional boxing coach, photographer and fully qualified skydiver. 

Baz has also produced and starred in an award winning documentary, Who Am I,  about his own personal journey and battles with addiction

Ben Hrekow left his home and job to embark on a journey of creating a one acre off grid smallholding in East Anglia and has been living in a bell tent since May 2022. 

Ben also is an assistant Vision Quest guide.

James Boardman is an ex Royal Marine Commando Physical Trainer and Sniper.

He's now an author, CEO of The Man Coach and host of the hit podcast It's A State of Mind.

Craig is the owner of Sparta Fitness and one of the most highly qualified and experienced Kettlebell coaches in the UK.

He is also Maximus Method & Erg Army Certified and has competed in ultra marathon events and a variety of combat sports.

He works with clients ranging from professional athletes and British record holders, to everyday gym goers and home trainers who want to maximise their potential.

Simon Gwilliam is the founder of Unbreakable Academy - a community and training platform that equips people with the skills and tools to improve their wellbeing and life. He is also an author and flow trainer.

Dr Phil Goss is Associate Professor, Humanistic counsellor and UKCP registered Jungian psychotherapist.

He was previously course leader for the Integrative Psychotherapy and Masters programmes in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Central Lancashire.

Phil has also published two books: Men, Women and Relationships and Jung: A Complete Introduction

Gots is a Partner & Senior Financial Consultant DipPFS His company, Leamington Financial Services offer a comprehensive financial planning service for all mortgage, pension and investment needs.

Andrew is a certified sleep and productivity coach.

He works with men that have hit a roadblock in the most important areas of their life - Health, Business, Relationship & Parenting. 

Andrew also works with businesses and their staff to improve health and productivity. 

Simon Gwilliam is the founder of Unbreakable Academy - a community and training platform that equips people with the skills and tools to improve their wellbeing and life.

He is also an author and flow trainer

Scott is the CEO of the SCCU Group which offer people the tools to succeed in life.

Scott is also developing a personal discovery and development programme called UP for children and adults with the ambition to get in introduced to the school curriculum.

Lewis is a Team GB Boxer and won gold in the heavyweight division at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

He is now preparing for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Raj Singh Rainu is the owner of Sikh Wills which specialises Wills, Trusts, and end of life planning for the Sikh and Punjabi community.

Raj’s wife died of stomach cancer in 2018 which left him a single Dad to 3 young children. 

He has since remarried and is doing a body transformation for a bodybuilding photoshoot.

Anne Bland is an international relationship and Tantric Sex coach who has specialised in men’s sexuality.

Anne has studied the science of happiness and trauma healing to really understand why we suffer and how we thrive and has worked with mission and impact driven organisations in the UK and Finland.

She also has a MSc. in Philanthropy and Social Investment from Business School in London and 15 years of practical experience in 1:1 clinical setting.

Taylor James is the host of the top 10 mental health and music podcast The Waffle Shop.

Taylor has waffled with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Sean Paul and even Carole Baskin.

The podcast has provided a safe space for so many to talk about their journey and mental health.

Charlie, 11 years of age, and Ben Holmes, 9 years of age, are brothers and lovers of the outdoors and adventures.

Ben and Charlie have conquered England and Wales' highest mountains and are taking part in a climb to tackle Scotland's highest peak, Ben Nevis.

Both have a strong passion for animals and nature.

Charlie and Ben share their perspective and views as we work through a series of big questions about the purpose of life and what it’s like being a young guy in today's world.

Al Peasland is the Director of Leadership Development Organisation Fieri and sits on the Industrial Advisory Board of Coventry University and is a Commercial Advisor to the England Boxing Board of Directors.

An accomplished public speaker, delivering keynotes to audiences around the world in places like MGM Grand Main Arena, Vegas, Al is passionate about sharing his experience to encourage, motivate and inspire others to reach their full potential.

Al is also a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the IMechE, and a Member of the CIM.For the latter half of his career, Al transitioned from Engineering Design into Technical and Commercial roles within the exciting and competitive world of Formula One.

He is a qualified blackbelt or instructor level in 6 different martial arts and Has self published self defence books,  instructional videos and run successful martial arts clubs/schools

Lydia is a psychologist and the founder of Velvet Evolution.

She is an expert in assessing communication styles and building emotional resilience.

Lydia is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and is now a supporter of Safeline as a member on the Board of Trustees and an Ambassador for the charity.

Lydia is also trained in NLP, Performance Coaching and Mindfulness and has spoken on the TedX stage.

Paul Vicary has led a discreet military career, spending his last 21 years with a Specialist Military Unit (SMU).

Paul has also taken part in demanding expeditions, walking 76 days to reach the Geographic South Poles, as well as conquering the North Pole and leading groups to Everest Base Camp.

He has since carved out a career as a Mental Fitness Coach, author and a motivational speaker. He is also a Co-Founder and Director of a Mental Health Training Consultancy.

Ross is a digital strategist and has been the founding member of six influential digital businesses including Somo, Virgin Games and Tribal DDB

He has helped develop the first digital property for 10 Downing Street and has advised the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on interactive media development.

Today Ross is Chief Strategy Officer at Somo, a Digital Product Accelerator, advising global brands such as Audi, HSBC and Lloyds Bank.

He is also an advisory board member to startups including inploi, yodomo and One Question, and Arts organisations Leamington Art in the Park Festival CIC.

Mark Sephton is an entrepreneur, mentor and business coach

Mark’s love for entrepreneurship has been expressed through serving as a podcast host for Brainz Magazine. When not on the mic, Mark is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur, and a speaker for corporate events, entrepreneurship summits, and major conferences worldwide.

He is also the author of three personal development books Inside Job, Plot Twist, and his latest book, Mark of a Man.

Terry Burrows is the owner of Ghost Design and a black belt martial artist.

Mark Wood is a solo explorer, author and speaker.

Mark’s expeditions include solo expeditions to both the Geographic North and South Poles, cycling across America and walking 300 miles across Iceland

He has been a part of major BBC and Channel 5 documentaries and over the years has trained and led people in the extremes of the planet.

His own award winning documentaries covered the life of dog teams in Alaska, a solo survival film in the extremes, and a complex cutting edge expedition documentary showing the harsh reality of global warming and its effect on the Arctic Ocean as his team crossed to the North Pole.

Stephen Reynolds is a writer, director, editor and cameraman that has built a reputation for shooting fast with minimal budget and producing extremely high production values.

He is known for his fast paced shooting style and energy whilst maintaining a strong and slick visual aesthetic.

His first independent feature 'Vendetta' starring Danny Dyer was shot for a mere £100k in 18 days and soon followed up with '12 Rounds' and 'Interrogation' for WWE Studios and Lionsgate.

Joe Sheriff is a professional boxer and owner of Marbella's 12 Round Gym.

He is also the survivor of a horrific knife attack in Las Vegas back in 2012.

Nigel is the founder of 1 Mill Street and Make Good Grow.

His aim was to create a haven for freelancers, digital creatives, start-ups, and businesses.

Nigel was also the founder of Rant and Rave, which he sold back in 2018

Gary Anderson is a speaker, counsellor, author and bodyguard.

Gary, and his wife Michelle, had to come to terms with the death of their twin daughters, who passed away shortly after they were born back in 2003.

They both share their story in order to help support others dealing with heartache, loss and trauma.

Gary is also a qualified NLP practitioner, Reiki instructor and helps people combat PTSD

Anne Bland is an international relationship and Tantric Sex coach who has specialised in men’s sexuality.

Anne has studied the science of happiness and trauma healing to really understand why we suffer and how we thrive and has worked with mission and impact driven organisations in the UK and Finland.

She also has a MSc. in Philanthropy and Social Investment from Business School in London and 15 years of practical experience in 1:1 clinical setting.

Lydia is a psychologist and the founder of Velvet Evolution.

She is an expert in assessing communication styles and building emotional resilience.

Lydia is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and is now a supporter of Safeline as a member on the Board of Trustees and an Ambassador for the charity.

Lydia is also trained in NLP, Performance Coaching and Mindfulness and has spoken on the TedX stage.

Pete served in the Royal Navy for over 8 years and now works in the fire service, and was part of a specialist national rescue team.

He has completed various ultramarathons including the infamous Marathon des Sables.

Pete was diagnosed with PTSD and now supports others to improve their mental health.

Steve is counsellor, international lecturer, expert witness and ex Police Trainer who helps support victims and survivors of violence, natural disasters and terrorism.

He also works for Niemann-Pick (NPUK), a rare disease charity, and Working Minds UK, specialising in bereavement with the focus of working with dads and men who experience loss.

Rich runs a social enterprise with the mission of putting businesses at the heart of working with local communities tackling issues such as gang crime and violence.

When Rich was young he was arrested for suspected dealing of drugs and has also survived a life threatening brain tumour.

Rich is also an adventurer who has sailed the Atlantic ocean and Qatar to Australia, husband and father of two.

Mike Moore has competed for Team GB in middle distance triathlon in the European Championships and is a recovering alcoholic.

He is a husband, father of 3, keen photographer and now contemplating life after retirement.

Arjuna is an Ishaya Monk, meditation teacher, author, ex kayak instructor, husband and father of two.

Duncan has competed in over 30 marathons, 15 ultra marathons and successfully completed the toughest race on foot across the Sahara Desert, the legendary Marathon Des Sables.

He is now training to row across the Atlantic Ocean, unsupported.

Duncan is a father of 2, husband and Managing Director of a marketing business.

Alan Dovey is the Clinical Director of Working Minds UK, and started working with large organisations back in the year 2000 when he took on lead psychological therapist to West Midlands Fire Service, West Midlands Police Service and Jaguar Landrover

He has over 30 years experience of working in predominantly male organisations and has a specialist interest in the evolutionary aspect of mental health, neuroscience, cognitive behavioural factors that maintain depression and occupational burnout.

He has published widely in mental health and spoken at Conferences around the world on various topics.

He is Accredited Consultant Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and Senior Lecturer School of Health Science and Well-being University of Staffordshire.

Tony is a coach and therapist who has worked with thousands of people helping them through life’s most difficult challenges, including, career issues, relationship issues, financial issues, confidence issues, self-worth, self esteem, anxiety, stress, depression, addictions, bereavement and grief.

Rachel is the co-founder of the charity Molly Olly’s Wishes (known as Molly Ollys) and was founded in 2011 alongside her husband Tim.

Their daughter Molly Ollerenshaw was diagnosed aged 3 with a Wilms tumour and despite a long and brave 5 year fight, died in 2011.

They spent a large part of those years in and out of hospital and soon realised that many of the patients they met did not have the emotional or financial support that they had for Molly and her siblings. Molly wanted to help these children and so Molly Ollys was born.

Troy James is a professional boxing coach and ex professional boxer who shared the ring against Olympic Gold Medalist Luke Campbell

Troy is also a husband and father of four.

Laurence is currently the Development & Outreach Director of the ManKind Project UK & Ireland and has worked within men’s personal development for over two decades. He has worked with thousands of men, individually and within groups, for thousands of hours, across languages and geography.

This deep dive into ‘men’s work’ has earned him a reputation as one of the leading voices in elevating and rewriting narratives that encourage men to take responsibility for their lives and the impact they have on those around them and the world more generally. His unique voice and approach is seen regularly in the media surrounding topics of men, masculinity and gender identity.

Ryan the Co-Founder of Mind Health Solutions as well as a motivational speaker, podcaster and mental health first aider

His battles with mental health started from a very young age and he shares his story to help and inspire others.

Mike is known at ‘The Coffeeshop Copywriter’ whose words have earned businesses over the world a combined wealth of $167 million (and counting)

Mike also likes to push his body and mindset to its limits and is taking part in the Thousand-Hundred challenge (a 1,000-pound powerlifting total and 100-mile run in the same 24 hours) to raise money for Macmillan Cancer charity.

Becky is a CBT therapist and mental health expert.

She spent more than 20 years with the NHS and runs her own Therapy & Coaching business

Becky supports individuals' recovery through individual therapy and workshops, alongside coaching people to be creative in making their work and businesses work for them, whilst protecting their mental health.

Phil is a cosmologist working on mapping the large-scale structure of the Universe with radio and optical telescopes.

He did his PHD in Astrophysics at the University of Oxford from 2010 - 2013 and is currently a Reader in Cosmology at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester.

Gary played top level football for clubs such as Coventry City and Wolverhampton when he was diagnosed with MS which ended his dreams and ambitions of becoming a professional football player

Gary travelled to China in the hope of a cure but ended up spending a year in a Coventry hospital and was left to deal with the mental and physical challenges of coming to terms with spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

He is now dedicating his future efforts to helping other MS sufferers.

Lydia is a psychologist and the founder of Velvet Evolution.

She is an expert in assessing communication styles and building emotional resilience.

Lydia is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and is now a supporter of Safeline as a member on the Board of Trustees and an Ambassador for the charity.

Lydia is also trained in NLP, Performance Coaching and Mindfulness and has spoken on the TedX stage.

Mike is an entrepreneur and owner of digital marketing company Breakout Media.

Mike is also a LinkedIn expert and has used the platform to help build a multiple 6 figure business that employs 16 people and applies a 4 day working week.

Mike is also a husband and father of 2 daughters and a BJJ enthusiast.

Kevin has been training in Martial arts for over 28 years. 18 of these have been spent specifically in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Kevin currently holds the rank of 3rd-degree black belt making him one of the highest-ranked Black Belts in the United Kingdom.

Aside from his qualification in BJJ Kevin also holds black belts in Taekwondo, Kickboxing as well as a Brown Belt in Judo. He also holds coaching/instructor qualification in Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, Wrestling and Boxing.

Kevin began training in 2003 with Braulio Estima (Multiple world champion) and gained his Black Belt from Braulio in 2010. Over the past 18 years, Kevin has been an active competitor competing at both national and international level, representing his country both in Gi and No-Gi competition.

Kevin has also held a UKCC level 2 coaching qualification in Freestyle Wrestling and has also competed in this sport. Aside from Martial arts Kevin also works as a secondary school teacher and uses this knowledge in-order to structure and deliver lessons in the most current and up to date fashion.

Chris has been in the coaching world for over 20 years and has a deep interest in human behaviour, self development and building mental toughness.

His mission is to help local businesses thrive while simultaneously spreading his message around personal growth through his social channels

Chris is also on his own journey of self development which has involved breath work, silent retreats and therapy.

Bill is the founder and Co-owner with his partner Erin of DRM, A clothing brand which raises awareness and reduces stigma for mental health. They use 25% of their profits to go into the community work they do. Together they have successfully ran over 5 events, sold over 500 items and raised over 7k for mental health charities.

DRM was set up after Bill lost his younger brother Ollie to suicide in 2014, he was just 18 at the time. After the loss of his brother and his own mental health struggles, he wanted to put his energy into something positive and help to raise awareness for mental health so no-one has to go through the same thing he did.

Geoff Thompson is an author, spiritual teacher, playwright and BAFTA winning screenwriter as well as one of the world’s highest ranking martial arts teachers. He has published 50 books including Watch My Back, Notes From a Factory Floor and the Divine CEO. His most recent feature film, Retaliation is currently receiving great acclaim in the US: it is a muscular biopic about the metaphysical power of forgiveness.

Kit worked for fifteen years in criminal and family law, was a magistrate for several years and sits on adoption panels. She used to advise Social Services on the care of foster children, and has written training manuals on adoption, foster care and judgecraft for members of the judiciary.

Her writing has received numerous awards including the Bridport Flash Fiction Prize 2014 and 2015 and the SI Leeds Literary Reader's Choice Prize 2014 and the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year.

MY NAME IS LEON, her first novel was published in 2016 and shortlisted for the Costa Book Award. She has two children and lives in the West Midlands.

Matthew Evans has been training, competing and teaching Martial and combat arts for the last 30 years.

After a recent accident, Matthew was forced to slow down and concentrate on what was missing from his life. Connecting to the emotional as well the physical side of himself, he felt something was missing while also experiencing PTS from after a family tragedy some years ago.

Matthew felt a calling to plant medicines and Ayahuasca specifically, so went in search of healing and a chance to reconnect to his mind, body and spirit. After receiving his own healing, Matthew now serves others as HHP's Lead Integration Coach on Ayahuasca retreats facilitating Veterans who are looking for their own healing and connection to themselves and family.

Paul Foster is chef owner at the Michelin-starred Salt in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Paul became passionate about food at a young age, helping to cook in his parent’s pubs in Coventry. He now has over 18 years’ experience in some of the most progressive restaurants in the world, including The French Laundry, Restaurant Sat Bains, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and WD50. Paul’s career path has helped to shape his food philosophies and cooking style, which can be described as ‘modern British with a focus on purity of flavour’.

Paul’s hard work has led to a successful career; he has achieved 3 AA rosettes, a place in the top 50 UK restaurants in The Good Food Guide, been awarded Observer Food Monthly ‘Young Chef of the Year’ and The Good Food Guide ‘Best Up and Coming Chef’ award. Paul has received excellent reviews from highly regarded food critics Jay Rayner and John Lanchester and has appeared on national television programmes including Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen.

Paul is an international speaker, a bestselling author and performance coach.  He’s managing director of his own training and education company and also proud creator of of SUMO (Shut Up, Move On) 

Paul’s main aim is to help people achieve better results in life, whilst having more fun in the process. He has shared his SUMO message in 40 countries around the globe to date. Paul works with major organisations in both public and private sectors and as a performance coach with Manchester City Football Club. His academic background is in psychology, and his early career was spent working in Human Resources with Unilever. 

Stuart Williams has been living with a cancer diagnosis for the last seven months and someone who dedicates his life to following his curiosity.

Neil Adams, MBE, is a 2 time Judo Olympic Medallist and 5 time European Champion.

Alan is an author and the Executive Director for Saving Innocence, an anti-human trafficking organisation focusing on the recovery of child victims of sex trafficking.

Tony is an author, counsellor, ex firefighter and martial artist

Jessie is an American health and well-being expert, author, coach, television host and TEDx speaker. He is the co-founder of Pavelka Wellness. 

Karl is a Business Counsellor, Event Management Consultant, Mentor & Author.

Adrian is a coach and mentor who helps young people discover their best in life.

Luke is an author, coach and motivational speaker. 

Jarrett Samuels is the founder of The Pursuit Of Manliness, helping men pursue Biblical Manliness.

Chris is the owner of Lift The Bar, who help personal trainers develop their careers.

Phil Learney is a Human Performance Specialist, the owner of The Advanced Coaching Academy and Co-Founder of HMN24

Markus is the Co Founder of Spoon Guru, big time meditator, a former rock drummer and music industry executive and now a successful entrepreneur.

Rich is the creator of Financeformation, fitness enthusiast and mortgage advisor 

Simon Thomas is a television presenter who worked on Blue Peter for six years, presented live Premier League football on Sky Sports from 2005 to 2018 and now works for Amazon Prime Sports. 

Simon is also a podcaster and the author of Love Interrupted: Navigating Grief One Day At A Time.

Mike is a nutritionist specialising in weight class athletes and owner of Unorthodox Nutrition.

Michael is the former British, Commonwealth and European Heavyweight Champion who has shared the ring with the likes of Anthony Joshua and Audley Harrison.

Oliver is the author of Befriending Bipolar (available on Amazon), an inspirational speaker, monk & coach

Logan is a health and fitness coach based in South Carolina 

Mike is known as ‘The Coffee Shop Copywriter’ whose words have earned businesses over the world a combined wealth of $167 Million (and counting.)

Roger is an author and retired MD in the auto trade.

He has turned his life around drastically and has recently published his first book "Certified".

Arjuna is an Ishaya Monk, Meditation Teacher and Author. We welcome back Arjuna for his second appearance on The Better Man Podcast.

I chat with Chris about the multiple challenges men face in the battle to improve their mental health. Chris is a mental health advocate. 

We had so much fun on the first Better Man podcast that Geoff is back for part 2.

Geoff Thompson is a BAFTA-winning writer, film-maker, spiritual teacher, and martial artist.

Never a dull moment with Hollywood Steve. 

Steve is a movie director, screenwriter and author.  

Steve is a multiple business owner who was once a homeless crack addict. Prepare for some fire. 

Dean is high performance coach, author and martial artist

I talk with Kit de Waal, who is a British/Irish writer. Her debut novel, My Name Is Leon, was published by Penguin Books in June 2016

I talk with Simon Gwilliam, creator of Unbreakable.

I talk with Tony Somers, a good friend, ex firefighter, author and counsellor.