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The Knot is the home of good news for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. On The Knot Pod we interview inspirational leaders, brilliant creatives and successful entrepreneurs who all call Staffordshire home. On this podcast you'll hear their stories, plus how Stoke and Staffordshire have shaped who they are. We'll also discuss hot topics that are impacting our region today. Sign up to www.theknot.news to get early access to these podcasts and get more good news for Stoke and Staffordshire.
Welcome to the Knotpod. 1st episode, pilot of the Knotpod, I think we'll say. And first guest today, George Bethany, cofounder of Xanqdis, a business that we started together, and now founder of Mara Run Club in Staffordshire HQ in Litchfield, and also Run Club in Stone. And some listeners or some people listening might know George from his TED Talk last year at Staffordshire University. Home is just a breath away.
James Routledge:So welcome, mate.
George Bettany:Nice. Thanks for the intro. Thanks for having me.
James Routledge:Pleasure. And we are hosting the KnotPods at Dissident Studios. Dissident are our podcast partner for the Knot pods. They're a social first marketing, photography, and video creation creative agency. Basically, they make really cool stuff that resonates, and they've worked with loads of cool brands, some based in Staffordshire, some global.
James Routledge:So check them out. And this studio is epic. Isn't it? So good. I can't believe we're in stone.
George Bettany:I can't believe it's a 5 minutes walk from your house. It's so good.
James Routledge:I know. I also can't really believe that me and you are in a really cool creative studio creating what I hope is gonna be really good a really good lesson for people, and we're doing it in Staffordshire.
George Bettany:Yeah. And we've got Caelan behind us behind the scenes as well.
James Routledge:And we've got Keelan from Hednesford behind the scenes. So it, yeah, this just feels surreal. I just I don't think I'd have ever thought we'd be doing this.
George Bettany:No. Well, we met at uni, Sheffield, and we connected because we were both from Staffordshire. So my dad went to your school. That's the first thing that we connected on was, oh, you're from Stoke. My dad's from Stoke.
George Bettany:Yes. So back then, you know, we wouldn't have thought we'd be here now. So
James Routledge:I feel like you recognize my accent or something.
George Bettany:I don't remember. I think it was you it's more your humor. I think, you know, at uni I think the Midlands, when you go to uni, you're either southern, so someone says, are you from down south or you're from up north? No one says you're from the Midlands, and it's just us. We're the only 2 from the Midlands in my head.
George Bettany:Mhmm. So I think our humor was the same, and maybe that's from maybe that's the Staffordshire thing. So definitely a Stoke thing.
James Routledge:Yeah. There's there's a sarcasm, I think, and, like, a wit and something quick. I just remember meeting, and I don't know how we got on to it, but I remember you mentioned Lichfield. Because I'll be honest, growing up, I didn't even know Lichfield was in Staffordshire. I actually had no idea.
James Routledge:I was just saying to Keelan, like, I think growing up in and around Stoke, you sort of look north. You look sort of like the Peak District or Manchester. You don't really look down for some I didn't even know Cana Chase existed. I'm not even joking. Then we went to some school trip in Shugborough or something when we were younger.
James Routledge:Yeah. We did the same. Like, I didn't really know because I very much resonated. So I'm from Stoke even though actually, technically, like, county lines. I would've I would've technically grown up in in Staffordshire.
James Routledge:So, yeah, I remember you talking about Stafford Rangers. Mhmm. Playing with Stafford Rangers. I think I knew a couple of people that played there. Yeah.
James Routledge:And then obviously, your dad goes the same school as me, which was that was the that was the finishing search. When you when you were growing up, did you was it Litchfield or Staffordshire? Like, did you make that connection?
George Bettany:The only connection I had was playing football for Staffordshire. So playing for county. Do you remember the the thing of playing for county? That was that was the thing, wasn't it? But other than that, yeah, literally and you know what?
George Bettany:I didn't like growing up in Lichfield.
James Routledge:Well, no, that was the first place I wanna start because I can remember when we met, I feel like we both had not like we definitely didn't have a negative upbringing. I think, you know, but I think we both had this almost I don't know, like, resentment somehow or, like, angst to where we'd grown up. Like, I because I can remember you saying I actually really remember you saying you didn't really like Litchfield.
George Bettany:No. I tried to, like, distance myself from it, I think. I, I just never felt like I I could be myself. I just felt like it's a kind of place growing up as maybe it was more my insecurity and my own judgment of myself, but I kinda just felt like everyone had a bit of ego. And at school, just yeah.
George Bettany:People would show off, and I just didn't feel like I could be myself. I felt like an in betweener, you know, like, yeah. And so I I had a lot I knew a lot of people, but never felt like I had a good friendship group. And I think even being entrepreneurial and being creative, I just didn't think, like, the room we're in now and the peep you know, meeting Keelan behind the camera and the people here, they're they're creative. You can feel it as soon as you walk in.
George Bettany:I never had that. So, yeah, for a few reasons, I just didn't feel like I was at home. That's literally what my TED Talk was all about. It was kind of like not feeling at home, feeling like I had to go away to find a home. So it's a bit of probably I think it was more me than the area, and I couldn't find other people like me, so it took time to find them.
George Bettany:And coming back now since I've been back, I feel like I met loads of creative people. Yeah. I genuinely think it's more me than the area, to be honest.
James Routledge:Yeah. Because growing up was football for you, wasn't it? That was, like, the big the big thing. And then did that put you in a certain circle? And and is that why maybe you didn't explore the more creative entrepreneurial side?
James Routledge:Or did you feel like you couldn't explore that creative entrepreneurial side? I don't
George Bettany:know. Because I used to think that being entrepreneurial, I had to go somewhere else to to to pursue that. I just felt like it didn't exist here. However, my family are from Roadster. So my granddad worked at JCB.
George Bettany:He was one of the first employees at JCB. And
James Routledge:What do you mean? Staffordshire's biggest success story. Yeah.
George Bettany:One of the world's biggest companies. Yeah. It's a multi $1,000,000,000 company that was built on the hill up the road from my grandma and granddad's, and they both worked there. And even going to their house, I never saw that big brand on there.
James Routledge:Didn't make that connection.
George Bettany:I never thought Yeah. Someone from Roaster has built this absolutely global brand.
James Routledge:Do you think that's because we don't celebrate that sort of stuff in the same way? Like, it's almost not
George Bettany:Well, my granddad never talked about it. I'm like, why why didn't my granddad talk to me about that? Yeah. We never talked about that sort of thing. We did yeah.
George Bettany:We talked about football. We talked about Derby and but we never talked about that. So, yeah, I just felt like I couldn't find other people like me. School, in the change rooms at at Derby playing football, so I felt like I had to go somewhere else to kinda find it. And then connect, to be fair, it works, connecting with you at uni.
George Bettany:You were the first person that saw some of the things that I was doing back then, and rather than judge me for it, you said, that's cool. Like, what are you doing?
James Routledge:What? You were the first well, I think you were, like, the second properly entrepreneurial person I'd met. I remember there was a lad at school that sold sweets in the playground. What was the Sam the sweet man. Great.
James Routledge:Mate, he was making a fortune. That's a
George Bettany:great point.
James Routledge:He was making a fortune. The funny thing about that is the next day, I was like, mom, I need to get into this. And I bought a load of marshmallows. And, like, I think I did it the next day and made, like, a 5. I thought, I said, just boring.
James Routledge:Like, I don't fancy this, And get back to playing football in the yard or something.
George Bettany:I do like that brand though, Sam The Sweet.
James Routledge:Sam The Sweet, mate? Yeah. He's got legs. I'd love to know what he's doing now, actually. But, yeah, you were the first, proper entrepreneurial person I met.
James Routledge:Like, you were a bit of a, yeah, a bit of a doughboy, like, into different stuff, like trying to sell some things, make some money, make some stuff happen. And I just thought that was cool. I still thought that was exciting. I've never really met that. We didn't have that.
James Routledge:Like, I feel I feel like growing up, the school I went to, Painsey, was quite academic. So they set you up straight away. They split you into a and b bands straight away. It's kinda like, if you're smart, that's good. Mhmm.
James Routledge:And I was fairly academic, and I was good at school. So and then there was sport as well. So I do there wasn't much I don't know. I didn't feel like creative stuff, whether that be art or music and entrepreneurship, which I class in the same category, was championed at all really. And, like, you know, my family yeah.
James Routledge:Dad's a teacher. Mom's a nurse. Like, all that got that history in the pottery. Like, deep like, going back, you've got that history in the potteries and a sort of probably a working class history. So and then in Stoke, I think you just had, like, John Caldwell
George Bettany:Mhmm.
James Routledge:And Robbie Williams. And, yeah, honestly, that was kind of it. So I didn't even know you could start. But I honestly don't even think I knew you could, like, start businesses. It just wasn't really a thing.
James Routledge:And I feel like for me, I had a really I loved I loved my life, you know, with my mates. I really felt like I was part of a pack. And, yeah, we'd go to the pub on the fry on the Friday and then out in Newcastle. And then Saturday, we'd go up on like, I loved it. We had that, like Yeah.
James Routledge:Pack. It was great. And you obviously saw that when we got became mates, and you hung around with with my mates. We had such a fun time, basically. But all I knew is I had to leave.
James Routledge:That's all just in my whole being, especially taking a gap year before uni working full time at KFC. Just being like, I've gotta leave. I just I just I didn't know what I wanted. But I I suppose I saw nothing I wanted here, which is sad to say really, but I don't think I saw anything I wanted at all. I don't think I saw a person that I wanted to be like.
James Routledge:I don't think I even saw a house that I wanted to live in. And I don't think I saw a job that I wanted to have. Yeah. And it was just like, I need to go. Yeah.
James Routledge:I don't know where to, but I need to go, which sounds really similar.
George Bettany:Yeah. I've I I I question whether you need to do that to have perspective, because now coming back to Lichfield, I'm so grateful. I'm so it's such a nice place. But growing up, it was labelled boring, older. You know, if you stay there, you're stuck.
George Bettany:I just think maybe that's an age. I honestly think part of it is just perception and growing up. I think a lot of people listening to this will have had the same thing where you gotta go away to have perspective on family, friendship, like you just described. And and yeah. I I love being here now, but I would never when we first met, would never have thought to be back here in Norway.
James Routledge:Well, tell me about the the sort of cities you've been to since then because the punch line is you've returned and you're back in Montreal until then. That's the punch line. Yeah. Yeah. So everyone knows that because we're here.
James Routledge:But just I don't know. Just like what was your experience of those other other cities?
George Bettany:Well, I just tried to find people like us every place I went, so went to Sheffield for uni. Yep. And even that, I didn't wanna go. I remember deferring my my place. I was like, oh, I I just didn't know, you know, you're young aren't you?
George Bettany:So ended up going to Sheffield, met you, then that kind of turned into very we started a business together and dropped out of uni, so then from Sheffield moved to Newcastle. And in Newcastle, we were straight immediately put into, like, an entrepreneurial ecosystem, some and communities, and loads of other creatives and entrepreneurs from that. So again, felt like a fit in, loved it in Newcastle, and loved it in Sheffield. Then we were sort of drawn to London, because again, I think by being in that scene, we're introducing more people. A lot of them were based in London, especially in, like, the Shoreditch area, a lot of tech, creative entrepreneurs there.
George Bettany:So we moved to London. You kinda led me through you literally drew a lot of that. London.
James Routledge:Yeah. That that's how it felt. I don't think at that point, sort of what, 10 years ago, 7, 8 years ago, I just didn't feel like if you wanted to start a company in this country, you could be anywhere else, which I think is ridiculous now, actually. But that's how I felt. Mhmm.
James Routledge:So we have to go.
George Bettany:Yeah. True. And I think you gotta experience it to meet you know, we were so young and learning, and we just wanted to learn from the best and meet the best. And, naturally, in I don't think that all the best are in London, but there's a lot more people in London.
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:So there's a lot of great people in London. Didn't mean to say there's not a lot of great people here, but there's just more just based on numbers.
James Routledge:There there are.
George Bettany:Yeah. So London took us there, then I've kind of took some time out and traveled and went to different places, and then, outside of the UK. Then when I came back, lived in Manchester, so I had a year in Manchester again in, like, the entrepreneurial scene there. And then forgotten now. Then London Back
James Routledge:to London.
George Bettany:Back to London. Yeah. And then when lockdown happened, that's I came back during lockdown. It kind of in initially started as a when I when I moved back to London and we were running Sanctus, our previous company there, I just thought I'll be in London for the next until I'm I don't know, for the next 20 years, and at some point, I'll get out.
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:No I don't think any of us saw this saw this hybrid remote working possibility where there's the opportunity to be able to work from your laptop, from anywhere, really, and then maybe have the, you know, going into the office a day or 2 a week. I was 5 days a week, 6 days a week, in the office living in London, working in London, so COVID gave me the opportunity to just step out for, like, a moment. I remember I thought it was gonna be 2 weeks of COVID, and then I'll be back down. It's 3 weeks, 4 weeks. And my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife, I was living in her flat.
George Bettany:I thought I brought it back for a couple of weeks, and it ended up being a year. Yeah. By the end of that year, the world was different. And I think so many people listening to this probably had a similar experience where their living or working situation has changed dramatically in the last couple of years. And I'm probably one of them where I've I'm now able to live here and work from here, and I've been able to build and create from here.
George Bettany:So Yeah. Yeah.
James Routledge:It's changed everything, hasn't it? I mean, I I don't I think living in London for me, I didn't really think about my life, to be honest. I just thought about my work.
George Bettany:That's all we talked about.
James Routledge:Yeah. We we we were building Sanxis, and that was absolutely at the center of my world. And, obviously, I'd met Sarah at the same time, so she was a big part of my life. But I don't think she'd mind me saying that because she'd probably agree that really everything in my life and her life, to be fair, and our life was just revolved around work. Even where we lived, it's like, oh, you know what?
James Routledge:We'll live on we'll live in Stockwell because that's the right place on the northern line for you to be able to go east and me to be able
George Bettany:to get away.
James Routledge:To get to the office to get to work. So everything just revolved around work. And then COVID just changed that because, suddenly, work was then sitting on my laptop in a 1 bedroom flat that I didn't lie that much. And I was like, is this it? Like, is this actually what my life is reduced to?
James Routledge:And I feel like that just changed everything because I did exactly the same thing. I mean, we we were getting we were, like, 18 months into COVID and just finding it hard living and working in the 1 bed bedroom flat we had, which was in a lovely area. But we served notice on our flight. We're getting all condensation in the walls. And, like, the landlord was in Antigua.
James Routledge:I was fuming about that. I was like, why are you why have you got 6 properties? And I you know, and you were in Antigua. And I'm, like, paying you $1700 a month in rent. So I was just I was just I was disillusioned, basically.
James Routledge:And then, yeah, we were supposed to we were supposed to move in with Sarah's parents for, like, 2 weeks. And then it just we just never went back. Just did exactly the same. Yeah? Because it just I suppose, like you said, it just became possible, didn't it?
George Bettany:It was more like a an opportunity. It was like a window that I thought was temporary. So I thought, oh, I'll take that opportunity to spend a bit more time with Han because we I I was traveling up to Birmingham to the Midlands. She was moving traveling to London to see me. So it's like an opportune it's like a window that I thought was temporary, and it's just become permanent.
George Bettany:So
James Routledge:Yeah. Yeah.
George Bettany:It I
James Routledge:think the other thing that did happen at the same time, which is hard to pull out, is obviously we're both of a certain age as well. I was
George Bettany:just gonna say, do you not think this is just your twenties? You spend a lot of time, like, trying to figure out, you know, who you are, but also your work, your career's such a big thing. Like, you you leave school or go to uni, it's like, who what do I do? Who am I? So I do think you're trying to search for that.
George Bettany:Yeah. And then as you get, you know, by the end of our twenties, we had our friendship group, We had Sarah and Han. So you got your partners. You know? So I don't I don't know.
George Bettany:I just I feel like it's an age thing as well. There's
James Routledge:that as well. That unique thing. No. There's definitely that as well. I suppose I suppose the thing that I'm curious about for now I'm back here and I see younger people here of, like, can you do that search here?
George Bettany:Well, back to the remote working thing. There's a lot of people in Lichfield that I've got to know through running and through the run clubs and stuff that are young, younger than me. And when I ask when they join, oh, how you doing? They're, oh, I've just moved to Lichfield, or I've just moved close to Lichfield. And my second question is, oh, cool, you know, what brought you here?
George Bettany:It's it's usually work, and Lichfield looks is a beautiful place to live, and I'm now able to live here because I can get the train to London or train to Birmingham or even train to Manchester. So genuinely, the transport I know it's meant to.
James Routledge:No. It's not, mate.
George Bettany:But, like, the transport
James Routledge:Maybe we're well placed. In Litchfield. Yeah. We're a well placed county.
George Bettany:So everyone's like, oh, I can easily get to Birmingham, easily get to London, and for the my other 2 or 3 days, and work from home.
James Routledge:It's 1 hour it's 1 hour 17th London from Stafford. It's big. And it'll be less than that from Litch.
George Bettany:It's big. Yeah.
James Routledge:It's big. It's massive.
George Bettany:Whereas growing up, I I none none of us talked about that.
James Routledge:No. We need to celebrate the the well placed Transport Links. They obviously would it'd be great if they were more consistent or whatever. But, yeah, Stoke, 40 minutes to Manchester, 40 minutes to Birmingham, you know, 1 hour 24 on the Ivanti when it when it shows up on time and it works down to London like that. That's banging.
James Routledge:So true. That is actually banging.
George Bettany:We are getting old. They listen to us. But it's true.
James Routledge:It's true. Me, I'm passionate. I'm not old. I have to feel passionate. Kealan's laughing.
James Routledge:Kealan, you're 20 1, mate. You just you I don't know. I don't know. We'll bring you in in a second, but I I'm proud of that. I think that's something to celebrate because that means, you know, you can, in theory, stay.
James Routledge:Yeah. And and still consume Mhmm. Or create or connect with people. That doesn't mean I I'm not on this bandwagon of, like, everyone no one must ever leave. I just do feel it saddens me that this area, Staffordshire and Stoke in particular, but but the surrounding areas that are in Staffordshire has got a a talent retention problem.
James Routledge:Just facts like that's well known. It's well spoken about. Like, people are leaving. If I look at if I think about the people in my year at school who are really smart, if I, like, think back who was in the top sets and stuff Yeah. It's good.
James Routledge:And who's who's who's living in the area now that I know of. It's not many of them. They've gone. They've gone because they've got they've got jobs or opportunities elsewhere. And that that just that just it just hurts.
James Routledge:I just feel sad about that, like, for this region, for the young people in this region now and who they're gonna be inspired by. And it's not that that will never be the case. It's just I would love people to have an option. Because, like, what we both kind of agreed is that we both felt we didn't have an option. Mhmm.
James Routledge:Whether that's true or not, we felt like we didn't, and I would like to change that really.
George Bettany:Yeah. I think the fact that we're here and although you say people have left, I do feel like I've seen the more people.
James Routledge:A 100% a 100% bumped into someone yesterday in Bear that Sarah knows from school
George Bettany:Mhmm.
James Routledge:Who's like, he's moved back. He's commuting down to London, works in finance. I think there's a sort of a bit of a, like, moved back to Staffordshire support club that's happening where everyone's like, oh, it's a big transition today. Yeah. Where'd you get your coffee from?
George Bettany:Take a look at that.
James Routledge:Where'd you get your coffee from? Yeah. There's no sushi.
George Bettany:Yeah. Like, as
James Routledge:if it's the biggest thing in the world. How you how did you find that, yeah, transition? Like, moving back to Litchfield, the place you never thought you'd be? Yeah. How did you how did you find that?
James Routledge:Like, did you just find it easy?
George Bettany:Or No. What what I found was Han was so grounded in, like, she knew and knows who she is. So she's never strayed too far because she knows her family makes her happy, being close to here makes her happy, and she knows herself so well. So that that grounding energy, I was I was with Han when I was 16, 17. I went on this stupid entrepreneur journey trying to find myself, and I've ended up coming back, and we're now married.
George Bettany:Yeah. And she's I had to do all that when actually You could've just
James Routledge:stuck around.
George Bettany:Yeah. The things that make me happy are Han, my family, being outdoors, being active. It's all here. All the answers are here. So however, because I had I don't know, like coming back here, when I first moved back, I literally knew and literally my mom and dad and Han's fam Han's mum, and her family, and that scared me, because I felt like I was starting again.
George Bettany:And I didn't want it to be the lit field that it was when I was 16. I was scared of being, like, an in betweener again, and feeling how I felt. I wanted it to be a new Lichfield in Staffordshire, so I've had to build again. So for the 1st couple of months, I just remember feeling anxious, and it's the only word I've got for it, anxious. Almost like I've done the wrong thing.
George Bettany:And, oh my god, I've got a house that's a bit old and a bit shit, and I only know my mum and dad, like, what am I doing? Yeah. So that was definitely it took time to meet people, and it took time to, like, start again and build friendships, and even work opportunities like Mara and Staffs Uni that we've been working with. Even being here, like, it takes time to meet people and get to know people. So, Were you intentional
James Routledge:about all that? Like because it sounds like there's a few big pillars you're having to start again. The one that you know is strong is your family. They've not gone anywhere. Yeah.
James Routledge:So you've moved back and you know you've got that. But then it sounds like actually everything else really. Mhmm. Like, your house you've bought a house, which is great. Probably something that you might not have done in London or elsewhere.
James Routledge:Yet then work and kind of mates or or social circle, that sounds like they were totally up for grabs basically. Well,
George Bettany:to be fair, work didn't change. The one thing that helped me was I realized during lockdown that my passion was being active and especially running. It kind of came back. Like, it's kind of like I grew up being like a an athlete, and then it went away. I kind of ran away from it.
George Bettany:And then during lockdown, that you know, I I got back with Han, my my childhood, whatever you wanna call her. And then I found running again. So it's kinda like reconnecting with who I really am. That's what happened. So through running, I then met other people when I moved back.
George Bettany:I was just running on my own, up and down the canal, and then an old somebody that I knew, Kane, I'll shout out, mate, if he's listening. He knew me when I was younger, and he saw me running on Strava and said, oh, you should run with me and Brian, my mate. So that was my first, out of nowhere, little link. I've ever been really nervous. It was like going on a date.
George Bettany:Like, these lads, I haven't
James Routledge:seen 20 years. Almost.
George Bettany:And then another mate that I played for Stafford Rangers with, Jay Yeah. Saw me on Strava. So I guess, anyone listening, that work for me was doing something I enjoyed, and that was kinda like my, what's the word, where it kinda helped ground me. When I felt anxious, doing the thing that made me feel good helped me feel helped ground in me. So that running was that thing, and then others saw that and kind of connected around that.
George Bettany:And then I feel like all my friends now have come through running. It's kind of really helped.
James Routledge:And and I feel like from what I've seen, I just feel like I remember in London, like, you were you were still in London. Like, you still cared about your fitness. Like, you know, you'd always go to the gym. You would try and run. I remember, like, you'd signed up to the London marathon, and, like, it was there.
James Routledge:It was definitely in there. We played We'd
George Bettany:go to the gym. We'd
James Routledge:play football. A little bit of football to go. I mean, it was all a bit yeah. It wasn't quite right. It was all we were trying our best.
James Routledge:I mean, I mainly just was there for the sauna, really. But, and and then I wonder if, like, you've come back also, mate, to an area where running running's sick around here. It's nice to go running here. Like, running isn't that nice in London. Yeah.
James Routledge:Well, it can be, but it's harder. I find it harder anyway. So I wonder if also, one, you had to. Because in a way, you had to do something that you loved and hoped that that would just lead to making new connections and and settling you Mhmm. Here.
James Routledge:And also, it it is a nicer environment to do it.
George Bettany:You just reminded me. During lockdown, I was so used to the London culture of going for a drink. Because in London, you work really hard, and then you don't want to go back to your flat because it's so shit. So you go out.
James Routledge:That's that's So it's Pines at the Allan Pussycat.
George Bettany:On a Tuesday, on a Wednesday, on a Thursday. It's almost every night. That's the that's the London culture. So I remember coming back and being in Hans' flat on a Wednesday being, like, Han, let's go for a drink. And she'd be, like, what?
George Bettany:Like, she went, what do you wanna buy? It's Wednesday. I was, like, well, what do we do? And she was, like, we just sit in. And I couldn't get my head around it.
George Bettany:So actually, naturally, especially during lockdown, I kept trying to drink because that's what I did. So but I would drink indoors, like, just me. Yeah. Han doesn't drink.
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:So I would just be drinking.
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:And, like, halfway through the certainly
James Routledge:doesn't doesn't feel quiet.
George Bettany:Halfway through lockdown, I was like, it scared me for the for the first time because I felt reliant on it because I didn't have any other outlet. Yeah. And that's kind of
James Routledge:We did need a sedative pack in those days, though, maybe. It was tough.
George Bettany:To a degree, it was good. And then there was a certain point where I was like, I'm looking forward to a drink on a Tuesday afternoon. This isn't right. And that's where running sort of I was like, I actually have to do something else here. And then I forced myself to go to for a run even though, honestly, I couldn't run very far.
George Bettany:It was like literally down this canal, and I'd have to walk back. But when I got back, the endorphins that it released, I didn't need the drink. It literally I was like, I don't need a drink. I don't need a high, because I've just got the high from something else. So I just kind of was forcing it at first, and then the more I did it, the more it felt good.
George Bettany:And then like you said, I think the kind of, I don't know, the the realization that this feels better than it did in London, I think, came later. I was almost not even aware of my surroundings until a little bit later on, but yeah. And now I'm a few years into that, and, really, I'm appreciative of being able to run outdoors down a canal in nature. You know, Staffordshire is phenomenal for
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:It's it's unbelievable. Yeah.
James Routledge:It really is.
George Bettany:Yeah.
James Routledge:Well, tell us tell us more about that running journey because that that's been a huge thing for you getting set up here. Like so it started COVID. Basically, I need a I need a hit of dopamine and endorphins. I need something else to do. And then you've you know, you're now sitting here wearing a Marrow Club top, and, you know, you've just ran Manchester marathon in a in an amazing time.
James Routledge:And and you, yeah, you're a runner.
George Bettany:Right?
James Routledge:And you're a run coach, and and you you run a a really dynamic, what I would say, successful run club. So just yeah. Just just tell us about that.
George Bettany:Yeah. I wouldn't have thought I'd be doing this. I think
James Routledge:So it wasn't on the cards, was it?
George Bettany:No. None of it's been planned out. It's it's just following even moving back, the risk of moving back to it just doesn't make any sense, and being back with hand doesn't make any sense.
James Routledge:Back is such a funny word. Is it? Sorry to jump in, but you're back moving back. I feel like for me, it's been this massive thing of, like, a back I feel I felt like leaving London to return home to where I grew up is is a backward step. Even True.
James Routledge:I moved back. I'm not calling you hours. Everyone says it. We all say it. And for me, it's kind of felt like, at times, like I failed.
James Routledge:Well, that can moving back can be perceived as that. I think others perceive it as
George Bettany:that. Like, you've gone tomorrow and tried and come back. There's definitely an element to
James Routledge:But you did make it. Like, you didn't make it in London. Yeah. You couldn't you couldn't afford to buy down there. You couldn't you couldn't quite make your life work down there as if I don't know who's saying this.
James Routledge:These are just fictitious voices in my head. But it's as if moving back is some sort of failure, and it's not.
George Bettany:Mhmm. No. I I chose. I think I was avoiding choosing because I felt like I was scared of it. I was like, I just know my mum and dad, but my heart was taking me there, and I couldn't hold that in anymore.
George Bettany:Like, we Sanctus is a coaching business, the business that we run before where you do 1 to 1 coaching sessions. Like, if you've never tried something like that, you know, therapy or something like that, where you've got a confidential space, I would have these one to 1 sessions in London, honestly, every session. She'd ask me, like, what what do I what makes you feel good? I'd say the same things, like, my family. Hand would come up running, being outdoors, being active, and it was just, like, it was staring me in the face.
George Bettany:I was just avoiding it. Yeah. So when I did go back, although it was scary, I feel like even with the running, it was like stepping into it. And and now 3 years on or whatever it's been, my life is feels, like, really clear. It didn't feel clear about then.
George Bettany:It was more just trusting my gut, stepping into it, following it, and just being like, I need to keep running, so I'll keep running. I need to see hands, so I'll see hands. I need to be see my mum and dad more, go and see them more, regardless of what that means. And now I'm trying to do more of that. So, like, I'm really drawn to bringing Mara and this philosophy of running to more people, and I'm not trying to think about it too much.
George Bettany:I'm just going with where my energy is. So
James Routledge:So the running journey started, like you said, lockdown, and then you started running in a particular way, basically. And then you started running with others. Yeah.
George Bettany:Marrow is a run club and a a brand. And I think think we have a unique philosophy towards running, which is combining mindfulness and presence with running. Like, we believe that if you run-in that way, you'll run further, you'll run faster, and you'll enjoy it way more. You'll feel far more fulfilled if you run-in the Marrow way. And we've got hundreds of people now as part of our run clubs, running in this way.
George Bettany:I'm coaching people to run-in that way. I've been practicing running in this way, and I'm running further, faster than I've ever run before. And, yeah, I you know, on a lot of my sort of when I was younger and I'd run, I hated it. I I I would spend all of my time on a run-in my head judging myself. Like, I should be faster than this.
George Bettany:I should I used to be able to be fitter. I used to be fitter. I used to be able to run faster. When I played football, I'd spend every game in my head judging myself, thinking, you know, that pass was bad. I should've done that.
George Bettany:I wish I would've done just I wasn't present on any run on any in any football match. And as a result, I didn't perform my best. I didn't enjoy it. I didn't look back on many football matches or any runs and think that was enjoyable. So during lockdown, I applied everything I'd learned in through my mental health journey and well-being journey with Sanctus, applied all of that, and learned I read a brilliant book called The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, which is all about presence.
George Bettany:I I read a book called Mindful Ultra Running. And in this book, the guy basically says, if you think too much about a run when you're trying to complete an ultra long run, it will crush you. There's no way. You have to stay in the moment, and that's where you feel lightest. So during lockdown, not only did I get out and run and not drink, I also got out and ran in a completely new way.
James Routledge:Yeah. I
George Bettany:was I'd never run-in this way. And I started to become aware of how much I was thinking on every single run. It's like draining. The more I raised my awareness to my mind, I was like, my god. I'm I'm thinking And
James Routledge:that's what's tiring you out, isn't it? As someone that's also felt that since you've brought my attention to this way of being essentially, but way of running. Yeah. It it is, like, with that level of thought, you must I mean, you're probably actually expending energy. Well, you are expending energy.
George Bettany:It's weighing you down. It's on a run, those thoughts are weighing you down. They're deconstructive. You're it's comparison, and it's judgment, and you're constantly judging yourself about and also it's fear. It's fear of, I might have to walk, I might not be able to run today, I might have to stop.
George Bettany:It's fear of that. So once you let go of what might happen in the future, once you let go of maybe how fit you used to be, and you really just settle into, like, your breath your breath, your breathing on a run, your stride, and the next step, what's around you, bring yourself into the present, that is the lightest place you can be, and as a result, that's where all your true performance lies, and it's just practice. So I practice that way of running during lockdown, ran my first marathon, and I'd always been told a marathon is the I hear people talk about these marathons like, you'll never want to do it again. Get it done, and it's the hardest thing you'll ever do, and oh, god, it's brutal. Suffering, suffering, suffering.
George Bettany:I ran it, and honestly, I ran in that way. Every training run I ran, I felt light. And on the day I completed it, felt light.
James Routledge:Mhmm.
George Bettany:And I was emotional. I was like and it makes me gives me goosebumps now of the feeling I had. I was like, why has no one taught me to run-in this way? I wish I'd had this when I was playing football.
James Routledge:Well, it's deep because it's like, why has no one taught me to live a life like this? Why has no one taught me that Yeah. I can, you know, I can let go of Outcome. The the thoughts and feelings or outcome or the future thoughts that I have, and I can just be present, and I can enjoy the run all all my life. What I find really cool is obviously having sort of taken a lot of inspiration from from the philosophy that you've created and applied it to running myself.
James Routledge:Like, I I would have never like, I I can run a comfortable half marathon now. Not quickly, but Mhmm. I can run a half marathon. I can never I would never have ever been able to do that before or thought that I'd be able to do that. But what has really surprised me about Mara, this, like which for me has kinda become at first, it was an added bonus.
James Routledge:And if I'm honest now, it's almost become the primary thing that I think is amazing, is the community. Mhmm. I'm like, that's really surprised me because you've got an amazing you've created this amazing approach. But it's brought such cool, lovely people Mhmm. Together.
James Routledge:Mhmm. And, you know, obviously, your run club in Litchfield is is popping. It's big. Yeah. I mean, what?
James Routledge:50, 60 people every Wednesday coming to run together or more? Yeah. You know, very well established run club in Litchfield. And, obviously, we'll talk more about it later, but plans to do more of that this way. And we've got a little we've we've just kind of piloted that and started that in stone.
James Routledge:And for me, having a Mara run club in stone, it's yeah. It's created communities. It's created connections. And it's sort of then, like, this whole thing's happening where people are drinking less. And running is almost seeming to be replacing that.
James Routledge:It's just I just find that, yes, the philosophy's amazing, and there seems to be loads of other stuff that's coming with it and that's kinda happening in the world. Yeah. Because running is kicking off.
George Bettany:A 100%. But if you take the themes of what we've been talking about, kind of people not wanting to be in the pub in London, people wanting to be more outdoors, people wanting to be more at home, like, closer to home where they've grown up. I think people are we're not unique people. No. Other people want that.
George Bettany:So I've created this place where you can come, and you won't be judged for your ability, but equally, like, that's what we value. People feel safe there, and that's what they're looking for. So I think the rum club is the modern pub. It's the modern you see your friends on a Friday night for a beer. This group of people are now seeing them each other on a Wednesday night for a run.
George Bettany:And you when you make that accessible and inclusive and everyone's welcome, that's what it's becoming. I think own that's only gonna keep going.
James Routledge:Yeah. And then you run at a pace you can talk at, which is aerobic. And then Yeah.
George Bettany:I mean, I could you could turn this into
James Routledge:a No. We're not. We're not.
George Bettany:We're not. So this is the man podcast, though.
James Routledge:We're not having that right. If you
George Bettany:let me. Stop. Yeah. Yeah.
James Routledge:But it does work. I'm not just Yeah. It genuinely works. And, you know, for me, it has created community for me. So it it's it's brilliant in that sense.
James Routledge:And as someone that I drink, I don't really drink anymore. Like, it's pretty much gone out of my life. So just because I don't don't know. I don't really fancy it. And it's become a great way to connect Mhmm.
James Routledge:With people in a way that's, like, fun, and you're outdoors, and, yeah, it's something to do. Well,
George Bettany:in in London, we met a lot of people, but you meet them through work. So I actually don't have that many friends in London. I just had a lot of I thought I did, but, actually, they're just people that I knew through work. Yeah.
James Routledge:It's not that deep.
George Bettany:Yeah. What was hardest about moving back to Lichfield was I was lonely. And a lot of people that have joined Mara are admittedly also lonely, because it's hard to meet people, especially when you remote work for a computer that might not be based in Lichfield.
James Routledge:Yeah. How
George Bettany:do you meet people if you don't really like going to the pub? Yeah. And whoever goes to a pub and talks to someone Hey. They don't know? Hey.
George Bettany:You look friends. You look cool. Yeah. No one does that. So, genuinely, how else are you gonna meet people?
George Bettany:It's it's just it makes sense now. But when I first started doing these runs, I was on my own. I was just kind of like, I I just believe
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:People need this, so I'll keep going.
James Routledge:So, obviously, the full circle thing for you is that you're back where you grew up
George Bettany:Yeah.
James Routledge:In a in the place where you used to believe, oh, I can't really be creative and entrepreneurial.
George Bettany:I'll be myself.
James Routledge:And then now, I would say, obviously, as someone who knows you very well, you're you're you're absolutely flying. Like, you're you're creating you're creating a brand. You create you've created a community, something that, you know, is on its way to being sustainable as a as a business, really, that can support you. Mhmm. And you love it.
James Routledge:And, like, you've almost completely busted that myth that sort of 16 year old George has. True. And you you fully live in it, which is crazy.
George Bettany:And I'm the happiest, honestly, I've ever been. Easy. Easy. And I've probably earned less. I've got less.
George Bettany:I don't know. People might perceive it as, like, I don't know. But I it but but I've got more. I've got way more.
James Routledge:Well, that's I was I was gonna ask you that. Like, what do you think what impact do you feel like living here as on your well-being?
George Bettany:I I'm just healthier, in in every way. More balanced. You know, we were saying how everyone in London is just work, work, work. I feel like we've got work and family and life, and that feels healthy now. And Han's taught me so much of how to you know, work is just work.
George Bettany:It's not it's not all of you, and that's helped me feel more balanced in myself. Being outdoors, drinking less, friendships, that just makes you feel, obviously. No. You Healthy is the word.
James Routledge:You've got everything that you know, there are books like what's that Johann Hari book, which is like Mhmm. Lost connections. Yeah. Literally, like, depression and anxiety are caused by isolation and lack of community Yeah. Whatever.
James Routledge:And you've you're in a place now, and you've created that for yourself where you've got actually everything you need.
George Bettany:Yeah. And I wanna give that to, honestly, everyone around me or as many people as I can, because I just think I've seen so many different people and seen I've been in different rooms, different boardrooms, and different lived in different places, and I've seen the health healthiest, happiest people that one of the healthiest, happiest people I've ever seen is this guy called Sam Cox, and he lives in who lives in Litchfield, again, might be listening. And I came back from London, and I'd seen kind of, like I I just couldn't find anyone that seemed happy. It's hard to find. Met him, and his skin was glowing.
George Bettany:And he's, like, always outdoors in nature. Probably owes less than some of the millionaire bankers that I'd met or the millionaire entrepreneurs in London that we'd met. But I was, like, whatever you're doing, I'm just gonna copy because you look so healthy and so good.
James Routledge:Do you think how we're talking about Staffordshire is is the truth? Like, are we in a bit of a bubble, like you know what I mean? When you drive around the streets or yeah. I I because I feel like how you're describing your life in Staffordshire is very available to anyone that lives here. Really believe that.
James Routledge:You know, in Staffordshire, I think because of the way it's a massive county, if you take Stoke in in into the consideration, I think Stoke on Trent is the city that's, got the most access to green spaces in the country Cool. Because it's because of how it's set up. Mhmm. You can kind of always get some green space, basically. And then you just drive through it.
James Routledge:It's it's abundant. Like, there's loads of space, and it's green. And I really feel like it's a a a place where you can be very healthy, and you can live in community. But there are certain areas that we that we all drive through that are deprived and, you know, that just just feel downtrodden. They don't feel like they've got that.
James Routledge:So Mhmm. Yeah. What do you think about that? Do you feel like we're in a bit of a bubble, or is it just because of maybe how much we the money we've got or what we earn? Or are we privileged in that sense?
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:Just, you
James Routledge:know, just curious.
George Bettany:Probably I I probably am privileged, you know, although my family, Roaster, Stoke, my family are from these places. At the end of the day, Lichfield is a nice place. Like, if you look at all of Staffordshire, Litchfield's
James Routledge:Yeah. It's Southall.
George Bettany:Up there. Right up there. And and, you know, when you go down Southall when we're around those London areas, it's it's nothing really. But in Staffordshire, when I've come I feel really grateful for it. But I think, yeah, I've got I I know people that have stepped more into nature or gone to Cannock Chase and realized that that's on their doorstep.
George Bettany:Yeah. And and it's filled them up and given them balance when, you know, there's other parts of their life that are more difficult, whether it's not having as much money, or not being able to do other things, or work's really stressful or difficult. I know people that have been out in nature that's right on their doorstep, and that's and they didn't know they could do that. So, yeah, I think, I feel privileged to have family, friends, good friends now, and and to live in Lichfield. But I do think it's closer than I thought it was Yeah.
George Bettany:To being healthier.
James Routledge:That's my my perspective is, like, there are loads of big factors that we haven't got time to discuss. It's like, you know, career opportunities in Staffordshire, average wages, like, you know, living just like general living standards that aren't aren't as there aren't as many opportunities as there are in some of the places in the in the country. That's just that's just facts. Like, if you want a job in finance, you're not staying. You're struggling in Staffordshire, basically.
James Routledge:You want a job in the creative scene, you're still kinda struggling. You you're gonna get drawn to, there are opportunities more than more than people think, but you kinda still gonna feel a little bit like, I can't have what I want here. So that's that. However, what I do feel like is that people here, and especially in Stoke, where I think this is really strong, focus more on what they've not got than what they have. And I and I really think there's a strong angst of, like, oh, it's better in London.
James Routledge:It's better in Manchester. Oh, look what they've got. They've got. And, yes, in London and in Manchester, you can get, like, a 1,000,000,000 different food options and sushi restaurants. And there's, like, 20 independents when you walk out the door.
James Routledge:You can get a deli Deliveroo. True. However, there's a lot here that you can't get elsewhere, and there's a lot that we've got, and that we can have. And and, you know, it can be an affordable life as well Mhmm. That is is great.
James Routledge:And, like, there's loads to be proud of. So I think both are true. I think there are lots of, like there's deprivation, and there's real, like, issues and challenges that need to be faced. And there's a lot of good that if we actually lent into that and accepted that, we'd be proud of that. Because I I feel like a lot of the a lot so much of the stuff that you've described, I feel like is really something to be proud of.
James Routledge:You know? To to live the lifestyle you live and many other people live. That's grounded with family. That's outdoors. That's kind of in a way simple.
George Bettany:Yeah.
James Routledge:Like, that that's something to be proud of. And I feel like often for us here in in in Stoke and in Staffordshire, yeah, we're not proud of that. We think that's boring, or we think that's not good enough. And, again, that upsets me. And, you know, I I would like us to celebrate what we have more than kinda criticize what we've not got, basically.
George Bettany:Yeah. Well, I think to bring it back to Mara, I wanna bring more events and and community to more of Staffordshire. So, if you listen to this, you live in Stoke. Mara's coming to Stoke very soon. So, yeah, expect more yeah.
George Bettany:I'll I'll talk about that more.
James Routledge:We're gonna plug that. We're gonna plug that in
George Bettany:a minute.
James Routledge:I've got well, I've got I've got a few few last questions before we start to wrap up. I suppose just I suppose just like it's not really on a tangent, but bringing it kind of back to money a little bit and and work. Sitting here now as someone who's like, you are whether you like like this label or not, you're an entrepreneur. It's what you've it's all you've ever done. You've never really had a job just like me.
James Routledge:We've never had jobs other than KFC. And was it Timpson's?
George Bettany:Where were you at?
James Routledge:Ernest Jones or something?
George Bettany:Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
James Routledge:Yeah. And most of you fancy going back there, or I don't know. Jewelers. I mean, I loved it at KFC. I thought it was great.
James Routledge:But, yeah, I suppose the question is and it's a bit of a pointy one. Do do you feel like you can be successful here? Mhmm. Do you feel like you can build whether it's wealth or opportunities or a career? Like, you're 32.
James Routledge:It's not like we're I know we're joking because Keelan's 21, and it's it's made us feel old. But, you know, we're 32. It's not like we're, you know, we're at in a way, we're entering probably the the primal peak of of our careers. And we would both hope to be sticking around here for a long time. How possible does that feel for you?
George Bettany:I don't know because I'm always I just live on the edge a little bit. So I don't know if I'm the best the best You
James Routledge:know the best role model.
George Bettany:Study. Because I've always been used to uncertainty. Like, I've never felt like anything I've done is that's what drives me, is the fear that it's all gonna go away next week. Honestly, that that's basically what keeps me going is I've gotta make things work and get to a certain place. So, yeah, I don't I actually feel safer to to your point here than I did in London.
George Bettany:So I'm still entrepreneurial. I'm still gonna create things. I'm still gonna live on that edge. But I feel safer here because I've got better, deeper foundations. Yeah.
George Bettany:I've got people around me that support me. Now, I didn't have that in London in the same way. The depth that I've got now feels stronger. So although everything I create is probably always very fragile until it really grows and builds, I've got better foundations Yeah. Is the best way to put it.
George Bettany:And I think that matters. I think that matters when you go through hard things in life. When I've had situations very recently where, if I was going through that alone, it would have been much harder. So I think having community
James Routledge:Yeah.
George Bettany:Essentially is what it is. I think community is very close here in Staffordshire. Honestly, it's such a friendly, warm, welcome. When I think of my grandma, stokey, proper stoke grown up born in the center of Stoke, how she would walk down the street in roaster and would know everyone.
James Routledge:She had community. It's all anyone talks about. If you say to people I was actually on a Reddit thread the other day, Reddit of Stoke on Trent. And it was actually quite it's quite a nice community on there. It wasn't your typical, like, let's all just slam Stoke.
James Routledge:It was pretty, like, genuine. Like, people were just genuinely trying to help each other out. And, someone posted just it was basically just like, why do you live here? That was that was the thread. Why do you live here?
James Routledge:He was like, everyone's quite negative about this area. Why do you live here? And, basically, honestly, in no particular order, it was it was transport. It was it was ease of access. Literally, someone put junction 15 in 16.
James Routledge:Like, being able to get to other places Yeah.
George Bettany:Yeah.
James Routledge:Green spaces Nice. Yeah. The people, What is which is why you just said the people was massive. And then oatcakes. Genuinely, oatcakes was just a strong yeah.
James Routledge:Everyone obviously, everyone loves the Staffordshire oatcakes. So, yeah, I I feel it too. Like, the people's a big part. And for me, if I was to, like, just riff off what I just asked you I mean, last year, I created this masters entrepreneurship program with staffs that Mhmm. Me and you have have been a part of.
James Routledge:And part of that was just meeting other entrepreneurs. And and I met people as impressive, successful, that built businesses, that scaled to a level that, yeah, I'd met in London. Mhmm. Maybe not as many, and maybe I had to try a bit harder to find them, but they they were definitely there. Mhmm.
James Routledge:So that that really inspired me. And then also for me, like, as a creative, I'm I'm just curious if, like, living in London, when I look back to starting at 25 in London, I was insecure in myself, but also just in my environment. Like, I was insecure. I was, like, frantic of, like, oh god. It's loud.
James Routledge:Or, like, you know, I don't wanna go back to my flat because it's not that great there. You know? It it doesn't just insecure. I wasn't stable. And I feel really stable now.
James Routledge:And I'm just I don't know yet. But I'm kinda like, what as a creative, as as an entrepreneurial person, what do I create from here? Mhmm. When I feel like this, when I feel comfortable, what do I make? Do I make a different kind of business?
James Routledge:Do I make something that's more that gives more to others perhaps? The way I don't think so much about what can I take? Yeah. I'm just interested. I don't know the answer to that yet.
James Routledge:But Yeah.
George Bettany:I think it's as simple as people aren't so the people I know now aren't leaving. Honestly, that feeling. When I lived in London or Manchester at uni, it always felt transient because the people that I work with or live next to or lives near, I always just thought, I'm I might be moving on there, probably moving on. So you don't spend the time. When you go on a run-in London, no one looks at you because you're never gonna see them again.
George Bettany:The first time I went for a run-in Staffordshire again, the first person to run back, it said hello. And the next person said hello. I was like, what's going on? And it's because the next week you might see them, so it's worth investing. Yeah.
George Bettany:Yeah. And also the people that I've now got to know, you spend time developing the relationship because they've bought a house in Lichfield or Rougely or up along the then they're not moving. So you spend the time, and then the depth that you have there of relationship is, for me, has made me feel more stable and and safer. And I think that's that's right in front of us all here.
James Routledge:So yeah. Love it. Love it. Right. We're gonna end.
James Routledge:I've got I've got 4 questions, 4 quick fire questions
George Bettany:k.
James Routledge:For the knot. This is I'm gonna play with this as it's something that we might do at the end of everyone. So straight off the bat I mean, these well, anyway, we'll just go with it. Best coffee in in Staffordshire.
George Bettany:Oh, I love,
James Routledge:oh, what's
George Bettany:the one in the train station at Stoke? Pod. Do you
James Routledge:know that's the best coffee in Staffordshire?
George Bettany:Two reasons. The coffee is really good. Wow. And oh my god. I've forgotten his name.
George Bettany:That's Kieran. Kieran. Well done. Kieran behind the bar.
James Routledge:Wow, man.
George Bettany:He's phenomenal. That's breaking news. I love him.
James Routledge:He sizzle every time he does. That's breaking news.
George Bettany:Yeah. That's huge. Budstoke.
James Routledge:It's okay. So Budstoke for best coffee. Best food?
George Bettany:I'm not a foodie, man. You're rubbish at this,
James Routledge:aren't you? It's not good, isn't it?
George Bettany:Yeah. I'm not a foodie. Good.
James Routledge:Just give me something.
George Bettany:I I don't have one. I don't think, like, onto the next guest. Okay. Genuinely, onto the next question. Next guest.
George Bettany:Food's not for me.
James Routledge:Best just thing to do. What'd you most like do?
George Bettany:Oh, that's easy. Can it chase? Easy. Just get on the chase. Wow.
George Bettany:Get on the chase.
James Routledge:That's genuinely, like, if I if if I go to your head, see Easy. You can do.
George Bettany:Yeah.
James Routledge:Easy. Run, walk. Anything. Yeah. Just there.
James Routledge:Love it. Honestly. I love it. I think that's it. I think we'll we'll leave it.
James Routledge:Okay. So we've got no food because you'd be rubbish with that. It'd be I know you may.
George Bettany:It's a croissant with a co with a coffee. Coffee, I can talk about all day.
James Routledge:But What kind bakery where would you get a croissant for me?
George Bettany:I mean, Borr Street Bakery in Litchfield. There you go. I mean, that's more for the coffee though, going No.
James Routledge:But Borr Street, you can get a chocolate knot there and that.
George Bettany:Yeah. The chocolate knot in Borr Street is phenomenal. There you go.
James Routledge:We've got bod we've got bod coffee, a chocolate knot from Borr Street, and then we're getting out and kinda chasing. It's the perfect day.
George Bettany:It's a dream morning for me, Dennis.
James Routledge:Spot on. And then just before we wrap up, like, you you touched on earlier, where where do you wanna point people to? Like, what's next? Is there anything that you'd love anyone listening or seeing this to follow or go and check out?
George Bettany:Yeah. I think follow me on insta at George Betteny is probably the best place, or Mara, at Mara Run Club or at Mara Running. Mara Run Club dot com. Mara Running dot com. Yeah.
George Bettany:And we're the plan for this year is to do more in Staffordshire, so we're launching in Stoke. We're bringing a big track social event to Northwood Stadium in Stoke next month. Yes. That's gonna be big. Yeah.
George Bettany:We're doing a retreat in Cannock Chase next month as well. And, yeah, we're just gonna be putting on more events, more on clubs, more community stuff this year and stuff. But just so, yeah, follow the follow us and get involved.
James Routledge:Love it. Well, thanks for being on today. This has been this has been brilliant. I've I've really enjoyed this. It's been kinda surreal, like, talking about this kind of stuff and doing it here, and it feels really right.
James Routledge:So thanks for being the first guest on on the Not Pod pilot. And, yeah, the plan is to bring more conversations like this basically to just I wanna go deep on Stoke and Staffordshire. I wanna hear people's perspectives. I'd like to talk about some of the stuff that I think matters and change people's perspective. Like, I think, you know, I I believe what you're saying is is really valuable, and I hope there are people out there that that well, I know there are people out there that I think need to hear it, need to hear someone else's perspective.
James Routledge:And and especially when a little so much of the mainstream news about this region is so negative. Yeah. I wanna bring something light and different, basically. And before we wrap up again, big fat big shout out, Keelan. Thank you, mate.
James Routledge:Nice, Keelan. Thanks to thanks to, Dissident for hosting. And yeah. Please check out Dissident, Dissident Creative Agency. Hopefully, you can tell by watching and listening to this that the quality of our content is excellent.
James Routledge:So they are worth checking out. And final thing, if you want some regular good news about Slocane Staffordshire in your inbox, sign up to The Knot. We send out no more than 2 emails a week. You get curated good news, things to do, spotlight, food recommendations direct in your inbox, and you'll be in good company with a 1000 other notters on there. So that's on the knot dot news, the knot.news.
James Routledge:And we'll see you again soon. Cheers, everyone.