Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Brand to Scale is a podcast where we talk to business leaders and industry influencers about how they built their brands. Each episode dives into real stories about starting up, growing through challenges, and what success looks like behind the scenes. It's an honest look at the people and ideas driving business forward.
00:00:04:05 - 00:00:08:23
Speaker 1
There.
00:00:09:00 - 00:00:13:13
Speaker 1
There.
00:00:13:15 - 00:00:45:01
Speaker 1
Welcome from to Scale, where I explore the real stories behind visionary leaders who turn the everyday into something extraordinary. I'm Jass, your host, co-founder of alchemy, lifelong lover of stories, and endlessly curious about the spark that drives people to succeed. Today, I'm really excited to welcome someone whose journey spans military leadership, international consultancy and personal reinvention. He's the Managing director of light UK, a proud recipient of an MBA, no less, on someone who brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to the table.
00:00:45:02 - 00:00:47:01
Speaker 1
Welcome, Jay.
00:00:47:03 - 00:00:48:07
Speaker 2
Thank you very much.
00:00:48:09 - 00:00:57:18
Speaker 1
Thank you for, chatting with me. Can you give me a little bit of an intro about who you are, what you do, and then I'll ask you loads of probing questions.
00:00:57:20 - 00:00:59:00
Speaker 2
No worries.
00:00:59:02 - 00:01:18:24
Speaker 3
so, yeah, I'm Jay Guthrie. I'm a veteran. I was in the British Army for 28 years. predominantly mechanical engineer during that time, along with a few other roles. went from, young soldier, junior soldier all the way through the ranks and commissioned eventually, from my sense, many, many years later.
00:01:19:01 - 00:01:20:06
Speaker 2
00:01:20:08 - 00:01:35:23
Speaker 3
Did several tours of Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and places like that. and when I left the, British Army, I went into manufacturing. Oh, project management then manufactured.
00:01:36:00 - 00:01:37:08
Speaker 2
whereas a.
00:01:37:08 - 00:01:48:01
Speaker 3
Whole new raft of skills were required. then from that, when, in steel and gas industry, as a general manager, I ran a division for that. And then shortly.
00:01:48:01 - 00:01:49:14
Speaker 2
After that,
00:01:49:16 - 00:02:09:17
Speaker 3
Unfortunately, the full scale invasion of, Ukraine, I ended up, setting up a defense help setting up a defense company out in Ukraine, based in Kyiv. And I was there for two and a half years, and I still consults backwards and forwards from Ukraine to UK and along, one Europe.
00:02:09:19 - 00:02:10:06
Speaker 2
Wow.
00:02:10:07 - 00:02:11:20
Speaker 1
You see some things.
00:02:11:22 - 00:02:13:04
Speaker 2
On the.
00:02:13:06 - 00:02:14:07
Speaker 3
The about.
00:02:14:09 - 00:02:39:01
Speaker 1
Large parts of it. Yeah, definitely. I want to start with, I saw a LinkedIn post from you this week where you posted about your MBA and you being presented by the Royal family, and that must have been a huge moment. So I want to find out more about how that happened and why that happened. But also, how did you end up in the military to begin with?
00:02:39:03 - 00:02:40:07
Speaker 2
so I grew up in.
00:02:40:07 - 00:02:41:24
Speaker 3
A nice little place.
00:02:42:01 - 00:02:43:09
Speaker 2
Called Toxteth.
00:02:43:11 - 00:03:03:23
Speaker 3
and the thing of where the, prospects were and the best while were there, my grandfather was a very, important person in my life. I mean, he was a ZF, technician or an engineer also. he sort of suggested that rather than going down the route, I was going in, that I should start looking.
00:03:03:23 - 00:03:12:22
Speaker 2
At, not the best way. I was I was a high.
00:03:12:22 - 00:03:35:04
Speaker 3
Relative sea cruiser, but when the best but my grandfather sometimes careers office and said, you know, here we are. Originally, I was going to join the Royal Air Force. but the guy wasn't on the desk at the time. and the army sergeant was there, and he. You have. Where you coming into Joyce? On the Royal Air Force like my granddad.
00:03:35:06 - 00:03:43:23
Speaker 3
he was, it was it was very like on what is it you want to do? So is what my granddad said is be good to fix aircraft. It's like, come over here if you fix aircraft in the army.
00:03:44:00 - 00:03:45:22
Speaker 2
So.
00:03:45:24 - 00:04:04:20
Speaker 3
So I went over that the weather over chat to the sergeant there. and, he was. Tell me all about being an aircraft technician in the British Army. 31, 16 years old. I've got glasses this thick, terrible eyesight. And he's like, they'll even let you fly. I was like, I'll join.
00:04:04:20 - 00:04:07:15
Speaker 2
This side or not.
00:04:07:17 - 00:04:12:22
Speaker 1
so that's like, quite nudge someone. Someone wasn't at the desk, send you in a completely different.
00:04:12:24 - 00:04:13:07
Speaker 2
Type of.
00:04:13:08 - 00:04:15:01
Speaker 3
Slide and a whole sliding doors.
00:04:15:01 - 00:04:16:22
Speaker 2
Moment. Wow.
00:04:16:24 - 00:04:27:13
Speaker 3
And ended up joining the British Army as an aircraft technician. Lasted, all the basic training until I retreated and decided what to be a vehicle mechanic. Because I want to be on the ground more. So.
00:04:27:15 - 00:04:28:05
Speaker 2
Wow.
00:04:28:08 - 00:04:30:20
Speaker 3
And I was a 6016.
00:04:30:20 - 00:04:37:21
Speaker 1
Okay, so what happened between 16 and me in.
00:04:37:23 - 00:04:38:23
Speaker 2
so.
00:04:39:00 - 00:05:04:20
Speaker 3
obviously you go through basic training, you learn how to be a vehicle mechanic. You that have to be, in my case, a very bad vehicle mechanic. then you go, yeah, yeah, you get your, you qualified, you go into, you first unit. We learn to be a mechanic properly. you get, you pick a mentor and I was very lucky to have a sergeant and answered Sergeant Thompson, somehow who was, took me under his wing in a in a rough sort of manner.
00:05:05:00 - 00:05:18:06
Speaker 3
Is it was that, showed me the ropes about being a soldier, and I looked at I just thrived. again, needs to get older. My all my childishness. I went to fast join me that join the army in 16.
00:05:18:06 - 00:05:19:18
Speaker 1
How does not.
00:05:19:20 - 00:05:21:03
Speaker 2
Work? Well.
00:05:21:05 - 00:05:27:09
Speaker 3
By the time I got to my face, you as I was 18. So. Okay, so you are not. You spent quite, quite a while in training.
00:05:27:11 - 00:05:30:02
Speaker 2
But. And then,
00:05:30:04 - 00:05:52:22
Speaker 3
We deployed to Bosnia. So I ended up going out to Bosnia on a the tours, join the, the Balkans incident. I was there for, you know, three tours of Bosnia, over the time. not very nice place, beautiful country, but they weren't very nice to each other. finished up, then went over to Northern Ireland.
00:05:52:24 - 00:06:07:15
Speaker 3
starts with, Yeah. Well, did my first tour over there, which is, where as an engineer, on their way back to Ireland on a on a different, different, role may have finished that came back straight out to Iraq.
00:06:07:17 - 00:06:08:15
Speaker 2
00:06:08:17 - 00:06:32:11
Speaker 3
So, telegram for the, the invasion. then back again the following year for, ten months to, finished, then, did my art ops course where I did, high National diploma and engineering, automotive engineering and, and then a degree, and then I got pushed out to, Germany.
00:06:32:13 - 00:06:33:07
Speaker 2
00:06:33:09 - 00:06:44:02
Speaker 3
For March 2nd German tour. How the the Highlanders, we did numerous exercises, preparation. And then we were out in Afghanistan in, muscala in 2008.
00:06:44:04 - 00:06:45:04
Speaker 2
Life.
00:06:45:06 - 00:06:48:18
Speaker 3
which is very, very busy. So, love instance, a lot.
00:06:48:18 - 00:06:49:13
Speaker 2
Of,
00:06:49:15 - 00:06:58:20
Speaker 3
A lot of a lot of things happened. so that was my first real taste of leadership, because I was the commander on the ground.
00:06:58:22 - 00:07:00:00
Speaker 2
you know.
00:07:00:02 - 00:07:02:16
Speaker 3
I, I was DC3 32 three.
00:07:02:16 - 00:07:04:08
Speaker 2
Okay. Yeah.
00:07:04:08 - 00:07:14:00
Speaker 3
So stage three. So, so so, leader. but it was it was my first, not my first taste at leadership, but my first one on operations as a as a commander.
00:07:14:02 - 00:07:15:07
Speaker 2
and we were,
00:07:15:09 - 00:07:27:13
Speaker 3
Looking after, armored fighting vehicle called warrior. there was 15 of them, quite two. It strikes, very kinetic. So a lot of a lot of time on the ground.
00:07:27:15 - 00:07:29:02
Speaker 2
00:07:29:04 - 00:07:42:05
Speaker 3
And it was a bit of an eye opener on, what was what it was to be a leader, but also, being it being able to be an engineer and harsh, austere environments, but also looking after the guys as well.
00:07:42:05 - 00:07:43:24
Speaker 2
So, you know,
00:07:44:01 - 00:07:54:13
Speaker 3
I had a very, very good team. but you also, you've also got it in the back of your mind that, you know, you may not bring everyone back. So what, a few injuries.
00:07:54:15 - 00:08:00:19
Speaker 1
That's incredible. So 33 and you're in charge of how many soldiers on this?
00:08:00:21 - 00:08:14:02
Speaker 3
there was, if, you know, 18 soldiers in this actually, and along with add ons. Okay as well. so all embedded within the armored committee, within the patrol companies.
00:08:14:04 - 00:08:27:22
Speaker 1
So you've been through all of this training, all of this, traveling, seeing lots of stuff. But your first real taste of leadership, you said with this incident and time, what was the difference?
00:08:27:24 - 00:08:29:07
Speaker 2
There was I had.
00:08:29:07 - 00:08:52:06
Speaker 3
Leadership all the way through from corporal. Put your your lead of of sections and stuff. But it's it is more the fact that you're deployed and you're fully responsible for the for these guys on the ground. Well the actions, the training, you know, make sure they're prepared to go out, you know, when you're there is also also keeping up the professional development even when they deployed as well, because you still got career courses to do well there for quite a while.
00:08:52:06 - 00:09:11:20
Speaker 3
So and then send them back for their promotion courses and the like. And rotating through and just an understanding of what the boys think. It's also getting to know the guys as well, so you understand who you team are, who the families are speaking to, the wives before you deployed, you know, children, you know, make sure you know, they're aware of what's going on and everything else.
00:09:11:22 - 00:09:29:09
Speaker 3
And but also knowing you guys means that you can also tell when they're not right. So, you know, if the personality changes or the, the mood changes, you know, is this something in the back of the mind so you can understand. Or if they're not performing well, you know, so often in the back of the mind that's hindering them this understanding.
00:09:29:11 - 00:09:33:12
Speaker 3
Now if you can chat to them and see if there is something else going on and see if you can help.
00:09:33:14 - 00:09:45:12
Speaker 1
Wow, that's a really interesting point. I haven't heard it put like that before in the to be a good leader, you're saying you need to really know your team really, really well.
00:09:45:14 - 00:09:47:10
Speaker 2
Yeah, yeah, that's one.
00:09:47:10 - 00:10:09:15
Speaker 3
Of the, one of the key things for any, military unit or business or company I've worked for is knowing your team known your staff, you know, their personality. I it it was the same mix of military and civilian role with Duty Electric, for example. You know, one of the guys wasn't himself. He wasn't, you know, wasn't performing the way everyone knows he was.
00:10:09:15 - 00:10:28:00
Speaker 3
And some of his managed line managers were getting really upset with them saying, like, you know, I'm gonna have to put my warning what it says. Well, how long do you like this role? He says, I'll just put the months was always anyone checked if anything's happened back home or if that's what at an interview it sends out the other, you know, quite a distinctive personal problem going on.
00:10:28:02 - 00:10:35:01
Speaker 3
Well, we were able to help him with that through the business rather than put him on performance performance manager. Now see if there's a way we can help him that way.
00:10:35:03 - 00:10:36:22
Speaker 1
And that's.
00:10:36:24 - 00:10:37:18
Speaker 3
Improved.
00:10:37:20 - 00:10:54:19
Speaker 1
Yeah, that's huge in there. If you if you have an insight into who the people actually are and how you can help them, then the easier will be to solve the problems. What other leadership qualities or attributes do you think you learned from that time in the military?
00:10:54:21 - 00:11:02:05
Speaker 3
Knowing, you know, new stuff? it's how there's lots of tips and types of leadership as well. It's being able to just.
00:11:02:07 - 00:11:02:21
Speaker 2
One of the one.
00:11:02:21 - 00:11:27:10
Speaker 3
Of the things that was I was advised special by Toma, was pick a pick a mentor. You see someone who you want to be like, who? You who you think that, you know, you could model yourself against, and be that leader, but also look for the bad leaders as well, and and learn from them. You know, there's no such thing as, you know, the no lessons the way there's always a lesson to to be learned.
00:11:27:12 - 00:11:33:14
Speaker 3
if you've got bad leadership, then you understand what is bad leadership. And I don't want to be like that. So it's kind of,
00:11:33:16 - 00:11:33:19
Speaker 2
You.
00:11:33:19 - 00:11:44:23
Speaker 3
Know, trying to, develop your leadership role. But it's not just about being able to rank as well. It's it's being able to, you know, you're approachable. Those open, you know, the guys trust you, that you can come and talk to you. But they also know where the line is.
00:11:44:23 - 00:11:49:00
Speaker 1
Well yeah there's a there's a balance there. Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:49:02 - 00:11:49:10
Speaker 2
Right.
00:11:49:11 - 00:11:52:17
Speaker 3
So you can still maintain the discipline as well. You can't behave on track.
00:11:52:19 - 00:12:00:07
Speaker 1
No you can't. No you can't be I I've seen lots of bad leadership styles. also.
00:12:00:09 - 00:12:01:10
Speaker 2
But.
00:12:01:12 - 00:12:11:07
Speaker 1
What what leadership styles have you seen that where you have thought that like, that's not who I want to be. And I'm going to avoid that. And you don't have to blame. But you know. No, no, no.
00:12:11:07 - 00:12:13:08
Speaker 3
No, I won't do that.
00:12:13:10 - 00:12:17:16
Speaker 2
There's a what's in it for me that, you know, it's like.
00:12:17:18 - 00:12:41:12
Speaker 3
It's it's a it's about, you know, I he she wants to do this, you know, this art or this, you know, this project is to make them look good rather than it being for the good and benefit for this. you let it happen. If it is good. you've got the big shadow leader. You'll stand over, just, you know, it's McMahon Jepsen, you know?
00:12:41:17 - 00:12:58:05
Speaker 3
Yeah, I be the, you know, the the big boss who wants to stand over and just doesn't let anyone, we call it mission command in the in the, in the army where you say, you know, go give it guys a task to do trust and to go and do it and use their own initiative and innovation to go and deliver that.
00:12:58:07 - 00:12:58:19
Speaker 2
and that's.
00:12:58:21 - 00:13:32:02
Speaker 3
One of the things we did in Ukraine. So the culture of Ukraine is very much a, solitary way of doing things where you can't make a decision down the line. You've got to make it. You've got to ask permission, ask permission, ask permission, ask permission, get permission, get permission, get permission. Go. And the timelines just there. So what we were doing, on Ukraine was as project managers and team leaders, we were letting the guys make, use their own initiative on on the repair facilities or the idea, the project or anything you want to do and tell us about it.
00:13:32:04 - 00:13:47:23
Speaker 3
And it's not a case of, you know, just, just get on and do that without any forethought. It's, you know, these the parameters that you need to work with it. But we trust you to get the job done. And the Ukrainians thrived on it. They loved working on it because they weren't asking permission just to change, because the partners change and come change it.
00:13:48:00 - 00:14:05:07
Speaker 3
Here's the spear Park on do that. It's very it's that sort of Asia where you got your mission. Come on. You let them use their initiative and be part of the solution as well. So yeah, that is there part of it because it's all about cultural change. But then they bring in our Western ideas into Eastern European business like that.
00:14:05:07 - 00:14:08:13
Speaker 3
It's it's it's a big cultural change that they need to manage.
00:14:08:15 - 00:14:26:22
Speaker 1
That would be challenging for anyone. I, I can imagine from, from the military background then what was the the pivot into where you are now and what are you doing now? How how did you get here from that career? And also I'm not letting you got away with the the question.
00:14:27:03 - 00:14:31:17
Speaker 2
I'm like not helpful. Yes.
00:14:31:19 - 00:14:40:04
Speaker 3
I was so without just killing mood I was medically discharged PTSD, but quite I had several very rough tours.
00:14:40:06 - 00:14:42:00
Speaker 2
Like.
00:14:42:02 - 00:14:55:03
Speaker 3
and it wasn't just the tours as well as, but, you know, there was other things they say just on data. Say stuff when you going into, farewell countries in the life and you see the, the impoverished and, and the like. So it sort of just built up and.
00:14:55:05 - 00:14:56:19
Speaker 2
So be.
00:14:56:21 - 00:15:03:11
Speaker 3
Good at, mentalism. But everyone knows the cope and that eventually the cope becomes too full.
00:15:03:13 - 00:15:08:23
Speaker 2
Yeah. And my just overflowed. Well, so,
00:15:09:00 - 00:15:15:18
Speaker 3
That so it was, medical discharge. and and it was just a complete rebuild, where I was going to go and what I was going to.
00:15:15:18 - 00:15:16:05
Speaker 2
Do.
00:15:16:07 - 00:15:35:16
Speaker 1
And what life was going to look like. Well, what did you did you take anything from that experience of the overloaded cup on like, or is it just such a different environment that you can't compare it to, like anything else in life or career? Like it was just too much for you to process at that time?
00:15:35:21 - 00:15:38:14
Speaker 2
Well, I didn't know it was at the time.
00:15:38:16 - 00:15:48:23
Speaker 3
I said I was like, everyone saw me as this, you know, the normal jovial Jay, you know, he was I was always more allowed to stand in any corridor that was there.
00:15:49:00 - 00:15:49:11
Speaker 2
Where.
00:15:49:13 - 00:16:06:17
Speaker 3
They could. They could always where my office was. even when I was on the ground out with the guys, you know, it's, you know, it's always the model. Model, even solid, where I was. I like to be center of attention. so no one ever saw. And I never saw it myself. It was just a the snippets where I knew something was wrong.
00:16:06:18 - 00:16:18:16
Speaker 3
And it was only when I reached I decided, you know, when things are gone too far. They reached out and got some help. That's one of the hardest things for soldiers that long, you know, men long soldiers to do.
00:16:18:18 - 00:16:19:01
Speaker 2
Is.
00:16:19:03 - 00:16:39:08
Speaker 3
Go and seek that help. and that's so for not I'm not a huge advocate of now, you know, mental health and and the like and one of this whole civilian course that that is mental health first aid, training. So to understand that there was it it was it was good to be able to help people on the course to understand where you are in your journey as well.
00:16:39:10 - 00:16:41:16
Speaker 2
Yeah. Wow.
00:16:41:18 - 00:16:54:18
Speaker 3
So it was it was very strange to have your whole career taken away from you. You know, because I didn't really have the intention of leaving the army either until I retired and, you know, straight onto a pension and going live in Bali.
00:16:54:22 - 00:16:55:21
Speaker 2
And went.
00:16:55:23 - 00:17:00:15
Speaker 1
Flying in would have stayed. You would have carried on doing what you were doing.
00:17:00:17 - 00:17:01:15
Speaker 3
And you got to a point.
00:17:01:15 - 00:17:05:15
Speaker 2
Where was it is can't you kind of.
00:17:05:15 - 00:17:19:18
Speaker 3
Institutionalized, you know, 20, 28 years in the Army, you know, no, I've known nothing else. And I knew nothing else. I was, you know, from being a young 16 year old all the way through the army was my life. And, you know, it was my family. It was my career. It was, it was everything.
00:17:19:20 - 00:17:34:06
Speaker 1
So that time then during that period where it was a case of what am I going to do now? I'm assuming those are the questions you were asking, or did you already have ideas? And no.
00:17:34:08 - 00:17:36:10
Speaker 2
Not a clue. I was looking for buying.
00:17:36:10 - 00:17:37:13
Speaker 1
Then really.
00:17:37:15 - 00:17:39:15
Speaker 2
It was up and,
00:17:39:17 - 00:17:45:05
Speaker 3
It's a very cloudy, period in my life where I just. I didn't know what I was going to do.
00:17:45:05 - 00:17:49:00
Speaker 2
I didn't have a clue either. I was very lucky in one of the roles.
00:17:49:01 - 00:18:00:13
Speaker 3
This the second to last role in the Army. I was the transition officer for for the Corps. So my job was to go and help, industry understand what service leaders can bring to the party. Well, they can bring to their.
00:18:00:13 - 00:18:01:22
Speaker 2
Businesses whilst.
00:18:01:24 - 00:18:24:15
Speaker 3
Engaged with the civilian sector, sets up job fairs for soldiers, service leavers. go through these chancer companies, say, right, you know, these the soft skills they've got and translate from what their CV from army over to, civilian and how the transition is going to be. So I was helping soldiers transition into the into civilian world as well.
00:18:24:15 - 00:18:33:22
Speaker 3
But I was so I did have a, an understanding of what I could do and where I could do. but I just didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up.
00:18:33:24 - 00:18:37:04
Speaker 2
I grew, doing.
00:18:37:06 - 00:19:00:03
Speaker 1
This because it would feel a bit like that, wouldn't it, if you'd been there for so long and knew. And I was like, right, I have to completely change. Change my like when you were doing that, transition work, then you were essentially selling the skills of these people when you into people's businesses. So what what sort of, you know, values and perspectives and skills were you touting?
00:19:00:05 - 00:19:03:20
Speaker 1
Almost. for all businesses.
00:19:03:22 - 00:19:06:19
Speaker 2
You've got the you've got the, the work, work ethics.
00:19:06:21 - 00:19:32:14
Speaker 3
You know, every soldier's always now most soldiers, you know, just get on with it. They want to strive to succeed. They want to do the best they can. They want to make sure they achieve. They don't like the failed, you know, the the driven and well driven guys leaderships there. So you you've got a wealth of leadership trained the whole way through your career from a junior soldier, through your, you know, your junior cadre, you senior cadre, your law officer, the officer cadres.
00:19:32:16 - 00:19:54:22
Speaker 3
So you're constantly doing leadership training all the way through. And you've got experience where you've got teams that you're looking at and you're completely immersed in it. Know leadership roles. You know it's formation. It's not a 9 to 5 job where you come in at 9:00 and then at 5:00 that it works finished. So you've got, you know, you only officer today, you've got you then pro stuff, especially at the training establishments as well.
00:19:54:22 - 00:20:14:04
Speaker 3
You've got, you know, 18 year old soldiers running around. So you, you got to look after them. Career management understand the the families as well and deployments. And when you deploy you, you know, 24 seven you live in each other's pockets. So you've got that leadership knowledge and, and you know, the ability from it. And then you've got you know, the team building, the teamwork.
00:20:14:07 - 00:20:19:22
Speaker 3
You know, everyone's looking out for each other. You know, you've got that sort of mentality. And it is it is an easy sell.
00:20:19:24 - 00:20:42:03
Speaker 1
yeah it is and it isn't it, it here. When you say all of that now, it makes my brain go, like every person who starts a business and wants to lead a team almost should go through this training because they don't they don't have that training. They don't know how to build teams and cultures and lead with, you know, purpose and, you know, inspire people.
00:20:42:03 - 00:20:46:21
Speaker 1
It's not ingrained in everyone. Not everyone has that training. No, no they don't.
00:20:46:23 - 00:21:02:06
Speaker 3
So whenever I, you know, for the, you know, whenever I started working in businesses, I'd always bring that in and, you know, explain some what we can do, how we can do that team build it in, you know, how we can develop a team and try and lead from the front and try and understand everyone's jobs as well.
00:21:02:06 - 00:21:13:06
Speaker 3
So, you know, understand their frustrations and, you know, be part of the solution. But then it's all that and that's and that's what soldiers and, you know, military officers bring in, like most ministry officers bring in.
00:21:13:08 - 00:21:13:17
Speaker 2
Most.
00:21:13:17 - 00:21:14:01
Speaker 1
Military.
00:21:14:02 - 00:21:15:17
Speaker 2
Out.
00:21:15:19 - 00:21:20:12
Speaker 1
I love the way you all saying that very most, most.
00:21:20:14 - 00:21:27:11
Speaker 3
No, that's I, I was very lucky when I was in the Army, I was very few that I didn't.
00:21:27:13 - 00:21:29:13
Speaker 2
I didn't know how to.
00:21:29:15 - 00:21:35:21
Speaker 1
What? so what did you do when you grew up? What did you decide?
00:21:35:23 - 00:21:40:14
Speaker 2
Well I haven't yeah, that's the thing. It's it's it's it's.
00:21:40:14 - 00:22:04:17
Speaker 3
Kind of been a, It's still a crazy. It's I'm still only five and a half years out the army. So it's it's still, you know, ingrained in in some ways. Yeah. I've, I've bounced around a bit. I'm. I'm old soldiers. Do they bounce and bounce? Bounce. You know, they do a year here to to their, but it's, it's and that's you very looking to fall something very niche that you enjoy because within the military we post every two years.
00:22:04:19 - 00:22:20:12
Speaker 3
So you know, you do your job and then two years later you win a post the next. So you've got that like, but nomadic sort of lifestyle where you move it over and over over again. So when you get into Civilian Street and that's you fully settle down. You've got kids in the same schools, you know, everyone.
00:22:20:12 - 00:22:40:12
Speaker 3
So it's very hard to sell because so what, what's next? What's next? What's a because when you go somewhere and you've achieved it and you, you know, you're doing well, I like you. So what's my next challenge? What's my next challenge? Which is a double edged sword really. Because it's you're very driven. You always want to achieve, you want to deliver, but also you're looking for the next challenge.
00:22:40:14 - 00:22:47:14
Speaker 3
And if you you've got to be lucky enough to build in that position as well. And so I just can't understand why promote very quickly when they're in civilian.
00:22:47:14 - 00:22:49:14
Speaker 2
See that.
00:22:49:14 - 00:22:52:21
Speaker 1
What why why am I still in this job. Highlight what's happening.
00:22:52:23 - 00:22:53:12
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:22:53:14 - 00:23:05:13
Speaker 1
Yeah I think that's probably a really good trait for any business or no entrepreneur to have. Right. Like what's the next then? Really well executed. So yeah. And then move on to the next challenge.
00:23:05:15 - 00:23:21:12
Speaker 3
It's what makes them good planners as well because you know, you've got the whole strategy of it where we're going to, you know, what we need to achieve now. But it's always to show what second, third or effect it's when I achieve this, what else is it going to impact, and what do I need to do to look forward to that as well.
00:23:21:12 - 00:23:31:03
Speaker 3
So you can you can futureproof your decision making. You can futureproof your your strategies that you take and how you're going to deliver over and over and over again.
00:23:31:05 - 00:23:31:21
Speaker 2
wow.
00:23:31:23 - 00:23:48:20
Speaker 1
So many skills. So many skills you bring into into the world of business. So what is it? What is it that you you do? And how did the, you said it's only been about five years, but what was the, I don't know, the spark or the, you know, did you wake up at three in the morning, said, I know what I'm going to do.
00:23:48:20 - 00:23:51:18
Speaker 1
Like what was the the pivotal moment?
00:23:51:20 - 00:24:11:17
Speaker 3
So I've been I've been very lucky in my, with my network as well. so when I left the military, I did a short and short term contract with, Chemical Jacobs where I was doing how jet can program management show? The good thing about, the military is when they come back, they leave with a fantastic resettlement package.
00:24:11:17 - 00:24:32:00
Speaker 3
So, you know, they'd probably through a ppmc mssp. So a fully qualified program manager. so I was doing that. So, one of the one of the big things when soldiers do come out is that so? I'm a project manager. Really? What projects would be run? not for, you know, it's not it's, you know, it's not really.
00:24:32:02 - 00:24:32:10
Speaker 2
The.
00:24:32:10 - 00:24:54:18
Speaker 3
Project as such unless you go to, you know, Abbey road or some other. So it's coming out with that. a raft of qualifications and it's just the experience side within civilian sector people still that. So I went to a defense study. I did some project management with them. and then from that, I, you know, I decided to I want to be in defense all the time.
00:24:54:20 - 00:25:16:02
Speaker 3
You know, I've just left the military and I'm parachuted straight back into the military life with, you know, all the same people used to work with or saw the same people I've posted with. We're just we're in suits now rather than, like, you know, green Army uniform. So I was like, I need I need to change. I need to take a step away just for my mental health, but also to, you know, to challenge myself again.
00:25:16:04 - 00:25:31:20
Speaker 3
So I, work for a company called Alisha Electric UK who do secondary power distribution systems manufacturing. So, you know, you package substations, you know you're little. And when you see you build a and you see the little green box.
00:25:31:22 - 00:25:32:03
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:25:32:04 - 00:25:34:15
Speaker 3
The power cables do not be used to build that.
00:25:34:17 - 00:25:40:14
Speaker 2
Okay. Okay. So I guess so build it.
00:25:40:18 - 00:26:10:10
Speaker 3
and my old boss was, my was my new boss, so he knew me, a guy called John Redwood. Amazing mentor. he filled in the gaps that I didn't have. So leadership I could do management teams. I did understand that process. you know, process engineer, I could do. But funding, you know, pnl all the all the stuff that we don't have to manage in the, in the military because it's a, it's not an open checkbook, but you don't look at the figures, you just get the job done.
00:26:10:12 - 00:26:25:19
Speaker 3
It's being able to plan and strategy and bring that sort of stuff into it as well. So I worked with him for three, 18 months, doing a and the only reason why I left really kind of the operations manager, to use my letters, is now an off commute. They're an hour and half commute back every day.
00:26:25:21 - 00:26:27:02
Speaker 2
Oh.
00:26:27:04 - 00:26:44:24
Speaker 3
So, you know, get up at five in the morning and get in home. It's a nice which isn't an issue. But then doing a little catch up, he knows many of the words that David write them. And then I know the gas company, came over and I said, you want to work with other sources? depends where it says.
00:26:45:01 - 00:26:51:07
Speaker 3
Yeah, it's it's this address and there's like on a seven minutes from my house. So.
00:26:51:09 - 00:26:56:03
Speaker 1
I've done all the traveling I want to do in my life. Now I'm stay in some. Yeah.
00:26:56:05 - 00:26:57:10
Speaker 2
So I, so.
00:26:57:10 - 00:27:15:08
Speaker 3
I went to work for, for this, for the oil and gas company and, I sort of the general manager for the division, we're doing the fiscal engineering, fiscal metering for the skids. So, you know. Yeah, fuel delivery systems, where the big tanker go, the fuel tanker goes in, fills up and then goes to the petrol stations.
00:27:15:10 - 00:27:36:16
Speaker 3
Then we we used to build the skids and the, you know, the, the fuel distribution systems and then monitor and monitor that. So team all of the UK manage them. and then on top of that as well, I saw an opportunity where we could buy one of the companies that was that guy was retired. He's the one that it was one of our suppliers for the fuel.
00:27:36:16 - 00:27:54:03
Speaker 3
And so I was like, pretty, watch it. What are you going to do with the business when you time said so I'm just gonna that this as well that was take that up. So we were able to reduce costs. Be able to reduce what would it be? our outgoings is we monitor the quality of the goods as well and, and make sure that we've got all stock here.
00:27:54:03 - 00:27:55:22
Speaker 3
So it reduces our timelines as well.
00:27:55:24 - 00:27:56:16
Speaker 2
Nice.
00:27:56:18 - 00:28:21:17
Speaker 3
So I ended up talking the CEO into buying a company. And luckily there was money in the company. So I and my first ever purchase of a company as well. So I got to understand, you know, the the legal side of it, the financial side of it, and we were able to take it with minimal costs was, allow the guy who's retiring to keep the money and have his retirement fund as well, so you achieve something from it.
00:28:21:19 - 00:28:34:19
Speaker 3
We when you got to take on that, that, that product. So we developed that as well. And then after a year, it was just a case of the challenge, wasn't there anymore.
00:28:34:21 - 00:28:36:01
Speaker 2
You were. Yeah.
00:28:36:03 - 00:28:37:02
Speaker 1
Is that what you're.
00:28:37:04 - 00:28:39:02
Speaker 2
I was, I was I wasn't bored.
00:28:39:02 - 00:28:41:04
Speaker 3
We just thought there was no growth. And I.
00:28:41:04 - 00:28:41:15
Speaker 2
Was.
00:28:41:17 - 00:28:49:12
Speaker 3
Banging the drum because I bought you another company. Can we have some more money so we can grow and do this and this? And it just it just wasn't in their, their, their strategy or their plan.
00:28:49:14 - 00:28:52:22
Speaker 2
So as that wasn't.
00:28:52:24 - 00:28:55:15
Speaker 3
I think our time is done. It isn't that he's like yeah I think so.
00:28:55:17 - 00:28:57:05
Speaker 2
And so I left.
00:28:57:05 - 00:29:06:04
Speaker 3
And on mutual terms I wasn't sacked, but left me. We left our mutual tannen's.
00:29:06:06 - 00:29:06:24
Speaker 2
so.
00:29:07:01 - 00:29:25:21
Speaker 3
I wasn't sure what I could do. I was still helping veterans, find jobs going through the CVS, being able to, you know, help them find new goals. And I'm still an ambassador for one of the, veteran charities. and while I was trying to find out what else I want to do, former colleague says, right.
00:29:25:23 - 00:29:47:14
Speaker 3
just Ukraine, it obviously, just happened. he was head doing comms for air communications fixed. some of the vehicles going up there. He says, I just need someone to give me. And I was like, brilliant. So I went over to Belgium. Well, the M1, three armored personnel carriers that were there, I just fit in comms system and felt like he was actually doing something for Ukraine effort.
00:29:47:16 - 00:29:57:01
Speaker 3
and then while I was there, quickly called and said, can you help us set up, a another entity? I was like, yeah. Where it says in Ukraine. I was like, yeah.
00:29:57:01 - 00:29:59:08
Speaker 2
So so.
00:29:59:10 - 00:30:05:12
Speaker 3
I said, okay, I'll do this. So turned up in Kiev, with a suitcase, no network, no nothing.
00:30:05:14 - 00:30:08:05
Speaker 1
That's not seven minutes from my house. And no.
00:30:08:07 - 00:30:09:21
Speaker 2
That's not,
00:30:09:23 - 00:30:14:22
Speaker 3
We won't go into the divorce, but.
00:30:14:24 - 00:30:16:08
Speaker 2
It was. It was just a, you know.
00:30:16:13 - 00:30:24:00
Speaker 3
Happy, happy period. And so, yeah, I got an opportunity to, to do that. I and obviously personal, personal things have changed.
00:30:24:02 - 00:30:27:19
Speaker 2
So I was like, well, why don't you do this?
00:30:27:21 - 00:30:51:08
Speaker 3
A new adventure, completely new adventure. it was is it? So is it in 2022? You know, the invasion. It's not long started, and I'm still the, the Polish border with a suitcase, wearing chinos in the shares proper officer dress. Everyone else is asked, like, What are you doing, Jack? Who are you dressed like this? So I turned up on the train, traveled into Kiev, didn't know anybody.
00:30:51:08 - 00:30:52:14
Speaker 2
There wasn't.
00:30:52:14 - 00:31:10:18
Speaker 3
Even. I couldn't even pronounce the currency. went to the hotel, and organized taxi. Turned up the hotel. First night, the all the drone strike started. Looked out the window. And there's policemen shooting at drones with with, with automatic weapons with, like, a.
00:31:10:20 - 00:31:11:01
Speaker 2
have.
00:31:11:01 - 00:31:12:10
Speaker 3
You got yourself into this?
00:31:12:12 - 00:31:14:15
Speaker 2
Wow. Well, yeah.
00:31:14:15 - 00:31:26:08
Speaker 3
And then from that just built a network. it was, it's quite it's quite airy in Kiev at the start because it just wasn't, you know, there wasn't that many people. That is mainly police spooks.
00:31:26:10 - 00:31:34:00
Speaker 1
and you're like mental health from everything you've been through. And suddenly you can hear those noises again, you know, like.
00:31:34:02 - 00:31:51:23
Speaker 3
So it was never the big banks that bother me anyway, so that that side of it was never, too much of an issue for me. It was, it felt cold. If that sounds bad, but it's too comfortable, you know? It's what? What can you. So what? I've, you know, been in the military. Listen to me for all that time.
00:31:52:00 - 00:31:58:11
Speaker 3
for me, that was the isolation I was in a how about goes there by myself. You know, the wasn't a network. Yeah.
00:31:58:13 - 00:31:59:14
Speaker 2
00:32:00:02 - 00:32:17:05
Speaker 3
but then I started building a network. There's a lot of, a lot of ex-military out there. There's a lot of people who say they're no training, but probably weren't, just trying to build security intelligence companies and and the like, but no, those that still engineering. So I was the first one there to set up an engineering company.
00:32:17:07 - 00:32:18:23
Speaker 2
I just want to.
00:32:19:00 - 00:32:37:12
Speaker 1
Pull you up on something you just said then, because I think it's really, you said I just started building my network like it was nothing, you know, like. And you've mentioned, you've mentioned a couple of times where you were in other situations where you've, you know, you had a network and contacts you built from that career military.
00:32:37:12 - 00:33:01:15
Speaker 1
And then you, you went into defense. You had like people knew that this is different, though. You're in a different environment, country different, doing something committed. So how did you just start building? And I'm trying to relate this back to if you are someone who has, you know, started something brand new somewhere different, maybe feels a bit isolated, how do you start just building a network?
00:33:01:17 - 00:33:04:05
Speaker 2
So, so a few.
00:33:04:05 - 00:33:21:21
Speaker 3
Former colleagues throughout there, in shows intelligence world, people like, within the past, one of the, one of the big things is, is LinkedIn. You know, there's a lot of people were putting it all over there in Kyiv. I never did I didn't want anyone to know that was in Kiev.
00:33:21:23 - 00:33:23:00
Speaker 2
but.
00:33:23:02 - 00:33:45:09
Speaker 3
yeah. So they, you know, going on LinkedIn, anything that was mentioned keeps you there. So if I knew them, see if they're in my network or in my extended network, then just touch base for them more. It there's only so many places and coffee shops within Keefe and Bosc that you can go to, and there's always going to, you know, always going to English voice and I'll talk to anyone, mainly okay.
00:33:45:11 - 00:33:45:15
Speaker 2
for.
00:33:45:15 - 00:34:03:06
Speaker 3
A chat to them. And then, just builds it from there. And, there's a few other aims that are out there that we're going to talk away this goes on here, but I knew some of them from in there. So they can do the intro as well. the company that the company that I was working for, they had a few contacts themselves that kept coming in and out.
00:34:03:08 - 00:34:15:01
Speaker 3
So AMS had a, one of the owners actually already been in my defense company, already owned a mushroom farm in, in Ukraine.
00:34:15:03 - 00:34:16:16
Speaker 2
That's, Oh, we we.
00:34:16:16 - 00:34:24:03
Speaker 3
Already have this as a slight, you know, a way in, but that was in the, you know, the far west coast and far west border region got.
00:34:24:05 - 00:34:24:15
Speaker 2
One.
00:34:24:15 - 00:34:31:05
Speaker 3
But we, you know, rather we were able to build an entity quite quickly. But just developing the key network was.
00:34:31:08 - 00:34:33:05
Speaker 2
Key and then.
00:34:33:05 - 00:34:54:07
Speaker 3
Okay, built on building the as well. That was that that was the hardest part. And not just with the network. It was with the Ukrainian companies. Ukrainian government. The emoji means you defense. the the, the ministries as well. But being there right at the start, you kind of build that credibility, your, you know, the reputation and the trust.
00:34:54:09 - 00:34:56:05
Speaker 3
So I was able to do that.
00:34:56:07 - 00:35:12:10
Speaker 1
So how do you what do you do there now then, how have you got such important relationships where you have got that trust? you know, with organizations like that? Well, what is it that you're doing that's making, you know, and then.
00:35:12:12 - 00:35:13:03
Speaker 2
We built the trust.
00:35:13:03 - 00:35:41:01
Speaker 3
Because we would, you know, I helped set up the company that actually deliver something. You know, we're actually they were actually repairing military equipments, for the Ukrainians so much, you know, and they're a nice Russian section. So, so sanctioned. Yeah. Or sanctioned by the Russians. last year, last July, just made a car travel to Russia or India or China or most the places you wouldn't go anyway.
00:35:41:03 - 00:35:43:11
Speaker 1
So you were like, damn.
00:35:43:13 - 00:35:49:01
Speaker 3
Yeah. So good. but it's a total credibility guy with the Ukrainians. They thought it was great.
00:35:49:03 - 00:35:49:23
Speaker 2
and now.
00:35:49:23 - 00:36:20:18
Speaker 3
I went through a company called, like Global Advisors, and I want, like, UK, the Ukrainian, as you can see. And we help, UK businesses, European business, American businesses, with market entry, you know, how to step up and then see the how to develop, how to develop network. You know, the, we, you know, we do something called gateway Program where you can bring a company and set up the entity, and then just step on their front house so we mitigate their risk for them, make sure that, you know, they're comfortable that they're gone.
00:36:20:18 - 00:36:39:09
Speaker 3
And see, and as a project comes in because one of the key things with, with Ukraine is, is you've got to be able to, show that you're going to, you know, be part of their economy, you're going to be able to have an Etsy where they can, you know, they can establish themselves, they can deal with do joint ventures with, with as well.
00:36:39:09 - 00:36:55:02
Speaker 3
So we help companies set up direct people. Then we'll run for the house for them so we can do an engagement for them. And then when they want to come to Ukraine, we, you know, introduce. And so right, right people that they need to speak to make it a targeted visit. So they're not there for a week just bouncing bounce around random people.
00:36:55:02 - 00:37:18:01
Speaker 3
You know, they're two weeks x y z, four x, y z. because I was I was helping out with a few. The trade mission and Department of Business Trade did a fantastic job bringing people that. Yeah, but it's it's the follow up. It's that, you know, that you lose that traction. and what we do is we do the follow up for them and we just keep the dialog going to make sure that, you know, once they've got that momentum, the momentum keeps going.
00:37:18:03 - 00:37:41:22
Speaker 3
And so as the project lands well for UK, UK government pays them to, you know, deliver a project in country. They've gone and see there that they can use as a as a vehicle to be able to deliver. And then we have intelligence on you know what what's happening up there where the risks are, you know, potential joint ventures that they could, could use, you know, so that part of the Ukrainian defense industry as well.
00:37:41:22 - 00:37:48:21
Speaker 3
So it's that's why we don't we don't just do it in Ukraine as well. We do it, you know, globally, near Eastern Europe, Africa, places like that.
00:37:48:23 - 00:37:50:06
Speaker 2
Wow.
00:37:50:08 - 00:37:52:07
Speaker 1
That's pretty incredible.
00:37:52:09 - 00:37:53:19
Speaker 2
Yeah. I'm not I'm quite.
00:37:53:19 - 00:38:01:12
Speaker 3
Lucky because the company itself was founded by two former chiefs of staff for Congress as well. So, profitable. Yeah. But.
00:38:01:14 - 00:38:02:01
Speaker 2
I don't know.
00:38:02:01 - 00:38:03:19
Speaker 1
How she.
00:38:03:21 - 00:38:07:08
Speaker 2
Actually. yeah.
00:38:07:10 - 00:38:25:22
Speaker 3
I'm very lucky with that with the company, because, you know, two former chiefs of staff, you know, you know, the geopolitical, you know, mindset of the Americans, if you know, and, and, and all their partners, and one of the guys is an investment banker as well. So he's, you know, he understands where the funding is. And I get loads of advice from them as well.
00:38:25:22 - 00:38:41:19
Speaker 3
And I've learned so much because it's it's all well and good thing they can. It's a managing director making up. But you've got to still land as well. And you know. Yeah I can't know everything. So being able to still, you know, develop quite professionally is another, another key driver of mine.
00:38:41:21 - 00:38:54:00
Speaker 1
100%. Yeah. Continuous learning and curiosity, I've said it before, is one of my favorite traits in a person. If you can have the ambition to go off and find out some information and learn more about a subject that you're interested in.
00:38:54:00 - 00:38:54:15
Speaker 2
And yeah.
00:38:54:19 - 00:39:14:22
Speaker 1
Why that, is it is a brilliant track. You're, you're you've built your network. You just went out and built a network, and now you're building other people's networks almost by making those connections across. Yeah, across the globe. Why is what you do important? And I don't mean that some mean, but you know what I mean. Like, talk to me like a five year old who knows nothing about this.
00:39:15:00 - 00:39:19:00
Speaker 1
Why is what you do important? What? What impact does it have having?
00:39:19:02 - 00:39:19:21
Speaker 2
Because you make it.
00:39:19:23 - 00:39:41:13
Speaker 3
You're making a difference, not just for the company itself and help them their growth. You have you helping Ukrainian. You know it's it's it's a harsh reality of what's going on out there. You know, it's it's it's a, since the invasion, their whole lives have been turned upside down with development. But the good thing and positive thing is, did their development and innovations come through the roof?
00:39:41:16 - 00:40:10:07
Speaker 3
So it's not a case of the, you know, Western companies, countries putting all their technology in. You know, this is the Western technology. It's better than now taking some of that innovation out as well and then improving our defense networks and our defense industries and anything else. So that and give and take. Now we're beginning. There's lots of stuff going in now, the stuff coming out in Ukraine, you know, it's it's making a difference to their economy in their, their defense sector, but also the UK side as well.
00:40:10:09 - 00:40:27:01
Speaker 3
Well, and it's also the realization politically that, you know, the world's not that safe. You know, it's it's, you know, we've, we've, we've sat on our laurels for quite some time now since the end of cold, Cold War, defense spending has gone down. Army armies got small. That equipment everyone thinks is going to be fighting in the desert forever now.
00:40:27:01 - 00:40:57:17
Speaker 3
And it's quick reality bank. We're back to, you know, conventional warfare with tanks and and and and hands on the ground fighting and so I think but now Jones come into it and and how you know you've got a completely different a battlefield where you know you've got the old school tanks, tank on tank battles, you got trench warfare and everything else, and then you've got new innovation of, you know, FP but Jones and and that and so your, your tactics change and being able to learn from those tactics as well.
00:40:57:19 - 00:41:01:06
Speaker 1
And essentially not the West. So I Korea. Yeah.
00:41:01:08 - 00:41:14:06
Speaker 3
So a lot of the Western the equipment that's gone in there as well as is it's it's a it's sound very, you know, machinery. But it's, it's a proving ground for them as well. So understand where the failing for if it does expand or if it, you know, where we need to improve our defenses.
00:41:14:08 - 00:41:27:24
Speaker 1
And how it's, how is Ukraine, you know, accepted this part now of, you know, businesses coming in and new technology coming in. Is that is it all received positively or has there been.
00:41:28:03 - 00:41:28:20
Speaker 2
Other.
00:41:28:22 - 00:41:30:09
Speaker 1
Stuff that needs. Yeah.
00:41:30:11 - 00:41:31:20
Speaker 2
Yeah. I mean that.
00:41:31:22 - 00:41:52:24
Speaker 3
They want to keep it. Ukraine. a lot of companies when, when, when you go in there, it was very difficult to get the first project off the ground because they said, oh, we're doing this ourselves. We just want money. We just want spare parts. We just want this, and, and trying to, get, you know, work with them to understand their cultures well and saying, well, actually, we're not here to take business means we're going to enhance your business.
00:41:53:01 - 00:42:09:04
Speaker 3
and trying to, not sell it to them, but, you know, be part of the solution. Yeah. Especially with some of the equipment that they couldn't repair it. You know, it's it's kind of it's technology, special tools and equipment that they haven't got. Then we can bring come in and help them develop that. But it's also.
00:42:09:06 - 00:42:09:15
Speaker 2
It's.
00:42:09:15 - 00:42:33:02
Speaker 3
Now that they understand that, you know, we're always involved in Ukrainians within the within the company in the business solutions. It's the knowledge they gain from it as well and how we're helping them develop it in other areas, like, like I said, project management and mission command and innovation and, you know, initiative and the like. So and that's that's what I, what I really enjoy doing is the fact that we're actually given something.
00:42:33:03 - 00:42:53:12
Speaker 3
It's not just a case of we're going in there to make money off of which, you know, not not, not every company's doing that, but that that's in some cases that more of that mentality is being able to be part of the war effort. It's being part of, you know, helping Ukraine stand, you know, stand up against the oppression that the that got.
00:42:53:14 - 00:43:10:12
Speaker 1
Does it feel like you're in the right place, like from where you've come from and all your experiences and you've gone and done other things that you you kind of sat in a, not in a similar space, but you're still contributing.
00:43:10:14 - 00:43:12:11
Speaker 2
Yes.
00:43:12:13 - 00:43:35:08
Speaker 3
It's it's like you say, I was introduced institutionalized, you know, it's it's all I've known is, you know, military. It's just I'm lucky in the fact that I've got my, you know, my engineering hack, my military hack, my, you know, military intelligence head, as well as now business head and and also, you know, developer. And I've had really good mentors along the way.
00:43:35:10 - 00:44:02:11
Speaker 3
so of actually helping, you know, give effect for the UK government and advise the UK government when they come in as well. Right. At the start, I was within, you know, working with the Department of Business and Trade, defense security, export, you know, you know, sizable. This is how it actually is on the ground. You know, we with the British Embassy as well, you know, I can understand from there feel because that the family there it's, you know, building that knowledge base rooms for myself not just for, for businesses as well.
00:44:02:15 - 00:44:10:04
Speaker 3
Yeah. It's again yeah. It's it's it's, it's going to be a big key part of history in you know, it's true at this particular that I'm part of it.
00:44:10:06 - 00:44:44:14
Speaker 1
Yeah. Absolutely is. is there some conversations that you kind of wish were being had around the, the military career that aren't being had? Because from listening to you, the, the education, the skills, the leadership development. And I know that there are, you know, veterans charities for a reason. But everything you describe, there's no reason why these people can't walk into any job or start a business based on what you've said that you know, you come out with.
00:44:44:16 - 00:45:02:08
Speaker 1
Is there a conversation that you wish was being had around, perhaps more people going into the military to develop for themselves that way? I'm trying to put it in a nice way, but, you know, that was opens around. Everyone should, you know, have some sort of service at some point when they were young, there was.
00:45:02:14 - 00:45:03:20
Speaker 2
Yes.
00:45:03:22 - 00:45:05:06
Speaker 1
happening.
00:45:05:08 - 00:45:09:13
Speaker 3
Well, you know, well, in the 50s. Yeah. You know, 40, 50 had national service, so.
00:45:09:14 - 00:45:11:04
Speaker 2
Yeah. That's not it. Yeah.
00:45:11:07 - 00:45:33:15
Speaker 3
It's it's made it's made a difference to my life. But it's not forever. Yeah. That's the thing. You know, the, you know and culture change right now. You know, the. Yeah. generation you know, we were in before maybe, you know, very much a focused behaved, you know, Churchill and you know, respect your elders, that sort of thing.
00:45:33:15 - 00:45:54:22
Speaker 3
And some of that has eroded away. but I think that if some of them went into the military, not everyone would enjoy it. And they it would it would be detrimental to them, you know, it put them back a bit. Yeah. So you've got to have that drive to go in there is the fact that forces as well because, you know, like you say, it's culture, you know, it's different now.
00:45:54:24 - 00:46:00:01
Speaker 3
if we bring. Yeah. You seen bad lads are mean. Oh let's see, they use lager.
00:46:00:03 - 00:46:02:07
Speaker 2
Oh, that was 20 years ago. So, you know.
00:46:02:10 - 00:46:04:08
Speaker 3
You know, we've got a new generation.
00:46:04:10 - 00:46:05:11
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:46:05:13 - 00:46:13:12
Speaker 3
It'd be detrimental to the Army just to force people to doing it. And although, you know, they got got accommodated. Ever happens if there's ever conscription, then.
00:46:13:14 - 00:46:14:08
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:46:14:10 - 00:46:16:00
Speaker 3
You know, they might not have a choice.
00:46:16:02 - 00:46:20:04
Speaker 2
Now, but but it's it's the.
00:46:20:05 - 00:46:29:14
Speaker 3
Army's professional place where you've got to you've got to want to be there. I know you don't want to be far out quite quickly. And, you know, they they don't last very long within the realm.
00:46:29:16 - 00:46:31:15
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah, it's changed.
00:46:31:15 - 00:46:32:08
Speaker 3
My life.
00:46:32:10 - 00:46:55:20
Speaker 1
It's it's hard to say. And maybe I'm wrong, you know, maybe someone can correct me, but I. It's hard to see where that level of, you know, teamwork, leadership, camaraderie that that whole and the discipline that you get from that experience is being taught, anywhere else at the minute. And it's they they're all important skills, aren't they?
00:46:55:20 - 00:46:58:19
Speaker 1
Just as much as, you know, science and yeah, they.
00:46:58:21 - 00:46:59:13
Speaker 2
They are.
00:46:59:14 - 00:47:12:16
Speaker 3
I mean, like I said at the start, you know, I, I grew up in sort of where I was hung around with the wrong people. But we were we did have a, you know, hierarchy. We did have, you know, trust in each other. We did look after each other. We had teamwork, you know, goes for bad things for.
00:47:12:18 - 00:47:13:05
Speaker 2
You know.
00:47:13:07 - 00:47:29:11
Speaker 3
It's for the wrong things. But you know, that is there. It's just a case of being able to harness that. And if you did ask me 20 years ago when I was still in, that should we have, you know, National Service and, you know, start bringing young kids off the street and start, you know, give them discipline and some drive and everything else.
00:47:29:16 - 00:47:51:00
Speaker 3
I mean, yeah, definitely. but as you mature, you understand it's not seeing culture. And you see, you know, you're more red. Crews don't forget in the Army, you're very laser focused at being a soldier. And, you know, it's the best thing where the best at everything we do, you know, we we change lives. Once you're out and you see, you know, the sphere of reality that's out there, you think.
00:47:51:02 - 00:47:52:09
Speaker 2
I nobody.
00:47:52:11 - 00:47:56:11
Speaker 3
If you if you could do that and wouldn't with the people around there.
00:47:56:11 - 00:47:58:21
Speaker 2
So yeah, it's
00:47:58:23 - 00:48:17:05
Speaker 3
It's it's it's a unbelievable career and but you've got a bit you've got to be 100% said you can't just go in just for. Yeah. Oh, it's a job. I couldn't get a job in the streets. Not sure. And you want to work there. You know those people, you just, you know, guys that just join the army and they just plodded through, you know, did they have a happy career?
00:48:17:07 - 00:48:32:14
Speaker 3
They, you know, promoted to a point where they needed to promote. Yeah. They've got a you got a pension out of it and then the left. But it's just you know, but without them you can't, can't shine.
00:48:32:16 - 00:48:34:08
Speaker 2
You got look better. Yeah.
00:48:34:08 - 00:48:58:09
Speaker 1
Absolutely. What are the we've talked about you know leadership and and discipline and teamwork all there any you know, core values or skills like that. You've taken with you from well your entire experience to date really into, you know, your role as and now like what what are you still using?
00:48:58:11 - 00:49:02:18
Speaker 3
colleges. and sorry, I'm a cadet instructor. I was also I.
00:49:02:22 - 00:49:04:06
Speaker 2
Have up to date.
00:49:04:08 - 00:49:07:11
Speaker 3
so and so I also the army cadets.
00:49:07:13 - 00:49:12:03
Speaker 1
Oh, wow. Can't leave that. The teaching and the mentoring.
00:49:12:05 - 00:49:13:12
Speaker 3
It's giving something back, is there?
00:49:13:17 - 00:49:14:22
Speaker 2
Yeah. And it's.
00:49:15:03 - 00:49:36:05
Speaker 3
Not. It's humility. It's it's integrity. You know that. Don't do something that you you regret. You know, one of the, one of the key things, one of the big things. And Kevin, my, one of my face, chat side with one of the, one of the guys, you know, he says the first, the first drop line that they he got from the Ukrainian mob was, we're not as corrupt as we used to be, son.
00:49:36:07 - 00:49:40:06
Speaker 2
You lager. so you you kind of,
00:49:40:08 - 00:49:57:01
Speaker 3
And corruption is still at it. And, you know, the government is trying to stamp it out, but it's having that integrity to not be dragged into it, you know, just to get that project or to win. That thing is, you know, you've got to be able to look yourself in the mirror and say, yeah, I don't feel, you know, what I've done is wrong.
00:49:57:01 - 00:50:20:17
Speaker 3
So it's it's taken out. Integrity serves well. Honesty as well, being honest. if you if you the lines maybe get found out. So especially when you're like if you lied to the scene, you lied to the bosses eventually get found out. Yeah. Thrown under the bus. So it's it's honesty, integrity and and you know, courage. Yeah. But I'm all about, you know, going off to a warzone again.
00:50:20:17 - 00:50:40:12
Speaker 3
It's it's about courage and your convictions. Being able to see right and wrong people. That's something I've always bought in. but also looking after you guys. if, if the guys are happy they perform. They performed. They make you look. You look good. You look at. You look across and down. Not just up. Yeah. No. Yes. Yeah.
00:50:40:12 - 00:50:58:22
Speaker 3
She. But you you but you and your direction. But you need to be strategy. But look out for the guys. Well make them part solution. You know things being a team and you know you know you can't be the good ideas club. You know you can't have every best idea. You just get the idea from the guys. And then but then recognize the contribution to it as well.
00:50:59:01 - 00:51:07:21
Speaker 3
Don't just take credit for you. For you guys with like, you know, you, it's obvious what will happen from it. It's always a team effort. It's never just one one person.
00:51:07:23 - 00:51:10:00
Speaker 1
Always a team effort last. Yeah that's.
00:51:10:02 - 00:51:12:15
Speaker 2
True. And you know how.
00:51:12:21 - 00:51:18:22
Speaker 1
How do you define, success in your role today as it is.
00:51:18:24 - 00:51:20:07
Speaker 3
Making a difference.
00:51:20:09 - 00:51:22:01
Speaker 2
Making a difference.
00:51:22:03 - 00:51:27:14
Speaker 3
Yeah. you obviously you got the monetary success and everything else and.
00:51:27:16 - 00:51:28:12
Speaker 2
00:51:28:14 - 00:51:49:10
Speaker 3
Just left standing out and like to keep on talking about that. But it's, it's, it's the, the success for me is making a difference and being part of a good solution. bringing a team along, it's not just about you and it's not just about you. It's about the team that you bring in as well, whether you're a standalone job, but your client is still part of your team.
00:51:49:10 - 00:51:59:19
Speaker 3
So and then form giving them a good results as well. You know, it's it's you know, it cascades down. So that's success for me is making a difference.
00:51:59:21 - 00:52:17:23
Speaker 1
Another is is the do you have say an input into, you know, recruitment for your team and who you bring into your team? Now, how important is liking who you're working with? especially, you know, from the back one.
00:52:18:00 - 00:52:19:17
Speaker 3
so I said I wouldn't swear on it.
00:52:19:17 - 00:52:25:15
Speaker 2
So I'll tailor I'll tell you what I'm saying.
00:52:25:17 - 00:52:44:12
Speaker 3
So nobody wants to work with difficult people. I'm within, like, we're very lucky in the fact that everyone has a veto. you you may get on great with a guy, but someone knows something about. The more you know one of the ladies that's coming in, it's not the right one. It's going to be a good fit.
00:52:44:12 - 00:53:03:23
Speaker 3
So the team has to work, and you don't have to be the best that game. But you're bringing in knowledge and being able to work with and you can help people develop. So yeah, it's great to have all the best people in. But I use a football analogy. If you've got a load of drifting, Ronaldo's in the dressing room.
00:53:04:00 - 00:53:22:09
Speaker 3
Egos are going to be fighting each other. Me so it's bringing people in that can work together is much better than just bringing in people who are very, very good at job. But their personality sucks. It's, you know, it's being able to build a team that can work together, not just and work together. Well, get on and then they'll perform there.
00:53:22:11 - 00:53:31:05
Speaker 1
How do you how do you put that into action then? If everyone has a veto, how does that work? Does everyone interview everyone like,
00:53:31:07 - 00:53:52:19
Speaker 3
It's because we're still still quite small company. It's it's easy to do, with that. so some of the bigger companies I work with is, you know, we, we used to do the interviews, we and a couple of companies I worked with who did recorded interviews. So you get to see the, the initial chat with the, you know, who, who's going to be the line manager before they come up to, to our level.
00:53:52:23 - 00:54:10:02
Speaker 3
So you get to, you know, understand the personalities well and see, you know, think they have a lot you know, it's not necessity but you know what their personalities like you for me would one of the, one of the big things big things and one of the key card for me is would I go out for a drink with a water, go out for a drink for that?
00:54:10:06 - 00:54:30:04
Speaker 3
And, you know, could I sort and personally, not just that way I don't, you know, it's not a deal, but it's been outside that, you know, build a relationship, not just a professional one as well. It's, you know, it's it's it gives you that good dynamic within the, within the company. And so if you work in a fun place, your day goes quicker, you know, you get more done if you work as well.
00:54:30:04 - 00:54:36:14
Speaker 3
It's just, toxic that I've done that as well, where you just like every day is that I just can't wait to finish with.
00:54:36:16 - 00:54:37:17
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:54:37:19 - 00:54:48:07
Speaker 3
So it's so it's not so much a visa with a Nakomis as we get people then. Because their knowledge and recommendation. And we either worked with them in the past or you know we've had good things.
00:54:48:09 - 00:54:59:05
Speaker 1
Yeah. It's the the culture element again isn't that you need to be able to focus on good fit and then skills you can develop. that being the right.
00:54:59:05 - 00:54:59:18
Speaker 2
Exactly that.
00:54:59:20 - 00:55:26:00
Speaker 1
I house. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. That's really interesting. The veto thing I think I'm going to I'm going to brew about that one. I think that that will come into, into some businesses I'm working with, I'm sure. What about resilience? It's been it's been a weird old time, hasn't it? Generally in the world you've been and done lots of different things.
00:55:26:02 - 00:55:32:14
Speaker 1
Is that how how do you do it?
00:55:32:16 - 00:55:34:20
Speaker 2
it's it's fighting the battles.
00:55:34:20 - 00:55:48:05
Speaker 3
You can fight if you've got control. Fight what you can control, what you can manage, where you can make a change. If you can't make it, if you can't change it, if it's out, you control. There's no point system arc is still going to be there. So get them. Fix what you can fix.
00:55:48:07 - 00:55:49:05
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:55:49:07 - 00:56:05:22
Speaker 3
and then change your plan. Just agile, you know, and somebody sees key. Because if you've got strategy and you've got a plan and then all of a sudden Covid hits or you train gets invaded by Russia or, you know, or Trump.
00:56:05:22 - 00:56:07:20
Speaker 2
Gets elected and.
00:56:07:22 - 00:56:24:11
Speaker 3
Your policy change, your, you know, your funding stream change or, you know, you have that the three year plan that you just had that you spent like six weeks building and selling to the C-suite. You just had one set that's not going to work now. So it's being agile and just thinking on your feet and being able to to do that.
00:56:24:11 - 00:56:31:06
Speaker 3
And just like I say, just fix what you can fix. If you can't fix it, then it's no, it's no longer a priority for you because what what.
00:56:31:06 - 00:56:32:23
Speaker 2
Can you do. Yeah.
00:56:33:00 - 00:56:54:12
Speaker 3
Yeah. And one of the key things and one thing that I always tell anyone, if everyone tells you it's a priority and this is a priority, this is price. If everything's a priority and nothing is nothing. So so then you decide what the priorities are and then you work them. And then you can structure yourself where you know, where you see success is going to be and how you going to get to that end goal is, you know, you've prioritized the way you can.
00:56:54:14 - 00:56:55:19
Speaker 3
They'll Jones strategy.
00:56:55:21 - 00:56:58:01
Speaker 2
Yeah. You've got you you've got your.
00:56:58:03 - 00:57:08:14
Speaker 3
Your your your yeah. your plan from the boss is the strategy. He wants to get to the end goal. And it's up to you how you get.
00:57:08:16 - 00:57:21:06
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. What do you have any coping mechanisms though, you know from everyone get stressed. Everyone has those days where it's just like, is this worth it? Or maybe you don't I don't know, correct me if I'm wrong, but if.
00:57:21:06 - 00:57:22:12
Speaker 2
You know spikes.
00:57:22:14 - 00:57:33:00
Speaker 1
You have you know, what do you do to manage that? Those gremlins inside your head, the you know, saying, saying unhelpful things.
00:57:33:02 - 00:57:41:22
Speaker 3
So if my girlfriend's watching and if you know people, you know me watching, I go to the gym every day and I work out really hard. So what I.
00:57:41:22 - 00:57:42:22
Speaker 2
Do is I.
00:57:42:22 - 00:57:49:16
Speaker 3
Go get my most if I can go for right.
00:57:49:18 - 00:57:50:12
Speaker 2
But now I.
00:57:50:13 - 00:57:57:06
Speaker 3
Get on my motorbike, you know, I just go for go for a ride, you know, 70 mile an hour and then just.
00:57:57:08 - 00:57:58:14
Speaker 2
Hits and there's this.
00:57:58:17 - 00:58:13:18
Speaker 3
And see the countryside and other thing because once you're on that or go and do some DIY around the house, I'm really bothered DIY but it you know, it just do yourself a way not to think about it too much. So it is measured quarterly, I'm told. And then, you know, it takes my mind off all that as well.
00:58:13:20 - 00:58:16:01
Speaker 3
So am I kind of coping strategies.
00:58:16:03 - 00:58:22:03
Speaker 1
I like that I read about this manual repetitive actions are good, aren't they?
00:58:22:05 - 00:58:31:02
Speaker 3
We just we decide that the quickest is it. And the garden. There's a, you know, an empty summer house that just gets loads of, you know, it's like it's just if it's empty, you'll fill up with stuff.
00:58:31:05 - 00:58:38:07
Speaker 2
Yeah. So so I built a pub. Built a pub. Yeah. Built a company called.
00:58:38:09 - 00:58:40:09
Speaker 1
Annual terrible I, I do built.
00:58:40:11 - 00:58:42:13
Speaker 2
Oh well it, it's still, it's still there.
00:58:42:13 - 00:58:46:02
Speaker 3
And you know when you drunk, when you're drunk, it looks really straight.
00:58:46:02 - 00:58:52:23
Speaker 1
But I love the house. Oh my god. So it's still standing works.
00:58:52:23 - 00:58:56:00
Speaker 2
It's like, oh there's loads of scrap scrap.
00:58:56:00 - 00:58:59:12
Speaker 3
Wood from all the DIY do all my renovations better. So I just.
00:58:59:12 - 00:59:02:05
Speaker 2
Built a pub once, a bar they.
00:59:02:07 - 00:59:07:04
Speaker 3
Put lights in, turned into a bit of an interest room. beverage, wine fridge.
00:59:07:06 - 00:59:07:24
Speaker 2
There you go.
00:59:08:01 - 00:59:09:23
Speaker 1
Sounds dream it's me. Number one.
00:59:09:24 - 00:59:14:20
Speaker 2
It was. Yeah. South. I did it a day in it.
00:59:14:22 - 00:59:21:01
Speaker 1
I'm I need it. I need picture evidence of this. I just don't feel like it. Sturdy. Just from your description.
00:59:21:03 - 00:59:22:09
Speaker 2
I'll. I'll send it. Okay.
00:59:22:14 - 00:59:24:03
Speaker 3
I've been drunk, leaning against it, and it's still.
00:59:24:03 - 00:59:25:15
Speaker 2
Up, so that's.
00:59:25:16 - 00:59:49:08
Speaker 1
Okay. Good to know. Yeah, we'll we'll supply photographic evidence. after the podcast show, okay. Well, what is five years? Are you showing any signs of. Right. What's next? Like, what is what is the plan once you've got where you want to get to with this business.
00:59:49:10 - 01:00:09:05
Speaker 3
So luckily with like every day is different. So every projects so okay. So it's always new clients. There's always new project that you want to do. And every client wants something different. So it's a very agile company where I can I get that, you know, you scratch that itch for change. You know, it's not just about defense is about energy.
01:00:09:05 - 01:00:33:01
Speaker 3
It's not about energy. It's about supply chain. It's about, you know, and even if it's just, you know, we need to find some steel or, you know, some of our steels are missing. Can you go and help find that, you know, and all the NGO work. So there's lots of stuff that we can meet there, whether it's advice and, you know, chat to of business trade or chat to the Defense Select committee, what it is, it's just chatting to one of the the you know, the communications companies say, right.
01:00:33:02 - 01:00:41:01
Speaker 3
We want to fit a few radios within the police cars up there. Can you help or, you know, we want to set up a workshop in in Poland. And, you know, every day is different.
01:00:41:01 - 01:00:42:03
Speaker 2
So yeah.
01:00:42:03 - 01:00:55:02
Speaker 3
And you know, I'm they realize the frustration as well because the amount of times that you go, yeah, yeah, we're going to work or they're going to work with you and then nothing happens. And just trying to stay positive from that as well. That's, that's a that's another difficult thing. It's trying to keep that, you know, posts immense.
01:00:55:08 - 01:01:14:07
Speaker 3
Because not not everyone wants to you know, it's once a work with you and there's you know there's competition out there and the like. So it's it's just trying to stay positive when the projects don't want which because that's one big thing I've learned as well is when you're in the Army, you, you kick off the mission, you go and do the mission.
01:01:14:07 - 01:01:33:21
Speaker 3
You going, do you deliver? There's never a competition to, you know, to say, who's got who's going to get that job. You know, you just begin that job. Simple. You've got to project. You deliver. And every day it's a delivery, delivery deliverable. but when you move into a, you know, civilian sector, it's, you know, you know, you're competing for the same, you know, sandwiches.
01:01:34:02 - 01:01:51:23
Speaker 3
As someone said to me, you know, you stealing my sandwiches or not, it's, you know, you're competing as well and it's it's it's if you don't get it, soldiers don't like to fail. You know, no one in the army likes to fail. No. Therefore. So. Well, you know, I assume the Navy, but it's kind of a, you know, we want to you want to achieve.
01:01:51:23 - 01:01:59:00
Speaker 3
And when you don't get it, you know, why don't I get it? What are we don't want you know, it's trying to stay positive of that and not beat yourself up.
01:01:59:02 - 01:01:59:22
Speaker 2
Which I still do.
01:01:59:24 - 01:02:04:21
Speaker 1
Yeah. You you do that quite a lot then I imagine, because I can't win, I hate losing.
01:02:04:23 - 01:02:09:05
Speaker 3
I hate losing, I hate not getting my way.
01:02:09:07 - 01:02:12:05
Speaker 2
Yeah, yeah. It's it's what jobs.
01:02:12:07 - 01:02:16:24
Speaker 1
How do you cope with that though when you do lose.
01:02:17:01 - 01:02:18:04
Speaker 3
slack them off on LinkedIn.
01:02:18:10 - 01:02:22:08
Speaker 2
Yeah. No I know I so.
01:02:22:08 - 01:02:34:20
Speaker 3
I just I go into the next thing we, we have a chat. We do it actually after action we do learn about you know, what could we have done differently. And if there's nothing there that you could potentially then you just, you know, put it in there. Then when file and then move into the onto the next one.
01:02:34:23 - 01:02:37:21
Speaker 3
Always I've got the projection lined off where you.
01:02:37:23 - 01:02:44:17
Speaker 1
Always on to the next thing, always looking for. Yeah yeah yeah. There's a good lesson there. Definitely.
01:02:44:19 - 01:02:45:16
Speaker 2
Yeah.
01:02:45:18 - 01:03:01:16
Speaker 1
Okay. Inventory. You've got a PC. I'm going to bring it back to the alchemy theme, because I have to imagine a personal alchemy formula for success. What is the one ingredient the you couldn't do without and why?
01:03:01:18 - 01:03:05:22
Speaker 3
Drive. Drive the what the want to win.
01:03:05:24 - 01:03:07:16
Speaker 1
The want to win?
01:03:07:18 - 01:03:09:24
Speaker 2
Yeah. Do you go.
01:03:10:02 - 01:03:11:14
Speaker 1
On with that.
01:03:11:16 - 01:03:12:02
Speaker 2
Same.
01:03:12:04 - 01:03:15:16
Speaker 1
Think you're born with that.
01:03:15:18 - 01:03:17:09
Speaker 2
No, no I was.
01:03:17:12 - 01:03:34:00
Speaker 3
I just sort of coaches as a kid and I mean it the all the clubs who went to. Yeah. That's as well was mad killer John Army. but it was more of a, you know, trying to make friends and and that is, is I would and when I first joined the army, it was, it was about just making it through basic training.
01:03:34:00 - 01:03:46:00
Speaker 3
So yeah, the so what make it through base training now what make you through trade training now kits. My first unit don't mess up now or mess up I'm I going to fix it.
01:03:46:02 - 01:03:47:03
Speaker 2
I'll be my first.
01:03:47:05 - 01:03:57:05
Speaker 3
Yeah yeah my first. My first few weeks at my first unit after I passed. This is why Tom was such a legend. I managed to crash my car.
01:03:57:07 - 01:03:58:12
Speaker 2
01:03:58:14 - 01:04:10:24
Speaker 3
I crashed one of the trucks into a building and ended up holding a whole building up with the truck with the Army armored personnel carrier. I thought because I thought I could drive it, I couldn't.
01:04:11:01 - 01:04:12:00
Speaker 2
01:04:12:02 - 01:04:16:04
Speaker 3
I managed to.
01:04:16:06 - 01:04:16:10
Speaker 2
I.
01:04:16:15 - 01:04:33:20
Speaker 3
Managed to, you know, there's lots of hijinx involved in it. You know, it was this. It was. And then it was time to grow up a little bit, from that. So it's, it's, you know, now I've stopped messing up what's next? I want to get promoted. Well, I'm going to do I'm going to get, you know, honestly, this course, this course, this course, this course.
01:04:33:22 - 01:04:38:12
Speaker 3
So the drives instilled me when I joined the Army. Before the army, it wasn't so much.
01:04:38:14 - 01:04:40:01
Speaker 2
01:04:40:03 - 01:04:52:07
Speaker 3
It looks like got the taste of being successful and being good at what I do, or, you know, it's covert. So I looked like I was good at what I can do is, you know, is be the next, the next, the next, the next, and be the best you can.
01:04:52:09 - 01:04:52:15
Speaker 2
Get.
01:04:52:15 - 01:05:10:06
Speaker 3
It. Now I'm out. but also be be someone that I don't. So it's, it's I don't know if it's shallowness or it's what I, I also I care what people think about me as well. So we're good. Okay. You know that I don't, you know, I don't care if you don't like me. I just want to be success.
01:05:10:06 - 01:05:11:11
Speaker 3
But I want, you know.
01:05:11:13 - 01:05:12:17
Speaker 2
I.
01:05:12:19 - 01:05:36:02
Speaker 3
I, I like that I get on with most people as well. So I don't do it. I'd say arrogance or through, you know, yes, I want to achieve, but I don't want to upset people on the way as well. So I want to be that guy that people want to go to and chat to people like, I like to go for a pint with rod and having that, that's very important to me because some people like that are bad within within industry.
01:05:36:02 - 01:05:41:07
Speaker 3
Just. Yeah, they're so focused on themselves and being a success, they forget about all the others.
01:05:41:09 - 01:05:41:18
Speaker 2
Yeah.
01:05:41:18 - 01:05:42:20
Speaker 3
Including the team.
01:05:42:22 - 01:05:43:08
Speaker 2
Yeah.
01:05:43:13 - 01:05:47:03
Speaker 3
So and my team's always the most important thing to me.
01:05:47:05 - 01:05:49:15
Speaker 1
I love for wise words. Lightweights.
01:05:49:17 - 01:05:50:19
Speaker 2
Yeah.
01:05:50:21 - 01:05:54:04
Speaker 1
Thank you so much. I think we'll leave that there with those nuggets of wisdom.