I am back- Lets bring it...

After a few months away, The Edge is back.

In this episode, I open up about life, leadership, family, loss, grassroots football, coaching, growth, and what’s next for the podcast.

From becoming Vice Chairman at Stafford Falcons FC, to coaching our U8 girls to a shield final victory, reconnecting with guests, and finding new creative outlets through Lean thinking and 3D printing — this episode is about moving forward without pretending life is perfect.

This is a real conversation for leaders, coaches, parents, business owners, and anyone trying to become a better version of themselves.

Cwcedge.com

Transcript

0:00

Welcome back to The Edge. Yeah, it's been a while. A few months actually. Not that I wanted to, but I think sometimes in life stepping back, you know, it's not quitting. Sometimes it's surviving, sometimes it's adapting. Sometimes it's just handling what's right in front of you. And that's exactly what this past couple of months has been for me. But today, this isn't a sad episode. This isn't an apology episode. This isn't a where have I been? Pity party. This is a reset for me. It's a revival. Because through everything that's happened to me over the past six months, life hasn't stopped. Growth hasn't stopped. Leadership hasn't stopped. Learning definitely hasn't stopped. And if I could be honest about anything, I think I've got even more to give now than I did before. So wherever you're listening from, maybe you're walking your dog, you're driving to work, you're sat in the office, you're in your workshop, you're on a run. Maybe you're hiding from the chaos for that 40-minute break that you need yourself. Welcome back to the edge. Over the past few months, life has genuinely thrown a few things my way. Some have been expected, some completely unexpected for me. And I think one of the biggest lessons I've learnt myself is that you can be organized, you can be disciplined, you can be motivated, focused, and life will still throw a curveball and humble you. I've dealt with some difficult family situations recently, the kind of situations that that remind you of what actually matters. Not followers on Instagram, not algorithms, not productivity hacks, but people. Real people. Because none of us truly know what tomorrow looks like. And one thing I promised myself after that period of shock was that if I come back to this podcast, I'd come back real, not polished, not pretending that everything's perfect, just real. Like recording. Do it when there's noise in the house. Because that's what I think leadership actually is. Leadership is not standing on a stage pretending that life is flawless. Leadership is carrying responsibility while still finding a way to move forward in difficult situations. There's something else I wanted to mention as well, and honestly, I nearly didn't. But I think if this podcast is going to come back properly, then it has to come back honestly. Recently a good friend of mine, John, within uh Eccleshall football community reached out to me randomly to check in on me. And it genuinely meant a lot to me because sometimes people don't realise how powerful a simple message can be. Just a are you alright, mate? I haven't heard much from you and I haven't seen any new podcast buddy. Is there anything wrong? That matters. Especially when life gets noisy. And April for me has always been a difficult month since 2024. Twenty-two, twenty-three years ago I was involved in a canoeing incident at sea, an incident where I ended up fighting for my own life while trying to save somebody else's life. I managed to save one person called Steve, but tragically we lost Al Stevenson and honestly something that never fully leaves you. Certain dates, certain smells, the weather, certain moments, they can all bring things back, and every April, without feel, I feel it. Some years are heavier than others, but I will say this, it does get better. It always does. Not because I forget. You never forget. But because you learn how to carry it differently, and I think that's an important message for anyone who's listening today. Healing. Healing doesn't always mean the pain disappears, guys. Sometimes healing means you become strong enough to carry it while still living your life positively. And recently, our football club, Stafford Falcons Football Club, also experienced heartbreak as a community, as well as a person's parents. We tragically lost one of our under under 15 players in an unforeseen accident, which he was out playing with his friends at a local park, taking far, far too young guys. And honestly, there are no perfect words in moments like that. There just aren't. But what I did witness at a vigil held for Broden was a community. Was people coming together, supporting one another, checking in on each other, standing shoulder to shoulder, and sometimes in life, that's leadership too. Not presentations, not strategies, not titles, just being there for people. And I think that's one of the biggest lessons I've learned over recent years. Never underestimate the power of checking in on someone. One message, one phone call, one conversation, it can genuinely matter more than you realize. So if you're listening to this today and somebody pops into your head, send them a message. Check in on them. Because life moves fast. And sometimes the strongest people are the ones carrying the heaviest things. But despite all of that, despite loss, despite grief, despite difficult periods in my own life and your life, life still moves forward. There is still growth, still purpose, still laughter, still community, still memories to create, and honestly, that's one of the reasons I wanted to bring this podcast back properly. Because I feel real conversations matter now more than ever. And during the time away, I realized something important. I miss this. I miss the conversations, I miss the messages from people, the community, the thinking space, the ideas coming from from other people to to talk about different um different scenarios and different podcasts. Because the age was never about becoming famous. It's never been about pretending to be some guru. It was about helping ordinary people become better versions of themselves. Better leaders or better parents, coaches, better teammates, better humans. And honestly, I think the world needs more normal talking honestly people in the world. Not fake perfection, just honest growth. That's what I want this next phase of the podcast to become. I want to reach out to my guests again to get them lined up to come back on. Jenny, I'm coming for you. I want more conversations, more real stories, more leadership, more operational improvement, more football, more mindset, more business, more growth. And probably, hopefully, a bit more um shorts on YouTube from me and a bit more of humour as well. Because life's too short to be serious all the time. I'm a serious guy. But I'm trying to relax more. And one thing that definitely hasn't slowed down is football. And honestly, grassroots football continues to teach me so much more about leadership than any boardroom could ever teach me. I've now stepped into the role of vice chairman at Stafford Falklands Football Club, which is a massive responsibility because grassroots football, it's not just about kicking the ball on the field. It's community, it's safeguarding, mentoring, confidence building, structuring for young people, it's creating friendships, it's creating life lessons, and I genuinely care deeply about it. At the same time, I'm still coaching my lads under 11 side, and honestly, watching kids grow in confidence is one of the best feelings in the world. Not just football ability, but confidence. Seeing the quieter kids become leaders, seeing the nervous kids try new things, seeing players encourage each other, that matters. And one of the proudest moments recently was helping coach my young girl in her under eight side to a shaded final. Which they went on and win. And not only win, they played brilliantly and honestly, watching those girls lift that trophy, seeing the smiles, seeing the confidence, seeing the parents so proud of what they've achieved this past year, that's what grassroots football is all about. Not social media clips, not managers' egos, but development, belonging, confidence, effort, teamwork. That's the stuff that matters, guys. And I genuinely think businesses could learn a lot from grassroots sport. I should try and bottle this because it would be brilliant. Because the best environments make people feel safe. And people who are safe allow mistakes to encourage growth, to celebrate effort, to develop confidence. That applies in football, that applies in leadership, and that applies in life. Now, here's something slightly different. I recently got a new 3D printer from Bamboo Labs and uh an X2D, to be exact. And honestly, I'm getting a bit obsessed with it. But not just because it's cool. Because my brain instantly went, How can I make life easier? That's the lean mindset. Most people see gadgets. I see a system. I see waste reduction. I see organization. I see problem solving, I see practicality. And already I'm looking at home organization, football coaching tools, potential custom storage, practical fixes, printing useful items instead of buying more rubbish. And honestly, it's become a really creative outlet for me. God, I just noticed all my wrinkles. And leadership, people often forget this. You need hobbies, you need something that lets your brain create, not consume, but create things. And I think modern life has trapped people into constant consumption, scrolling, watching, reacting. But creating something, it's building something, learning something that gives energy back. It gives you a sense of purpose. So there'll definitely be more content around that coming soon, hopefully, especially around practical lean improvements in my own home. Because Kaizan, continual improvement, shouldn't just exist at work, it should exist everywhere. It makes things so much easier. Now moving forward, here's what you can expect from the edge. Firstly, consistency. Again, I'm not chasing perfection anymore. Perfection kills momentum. I try to do something every week. I might do releases every couple of weeks now to get everything fitted in. Done, done beats perfect every time. Secondly, more guests. I've started reconnecting with the people, as I mentioned before. People with real stories, real leadership experience, real life lessons. Not just polished LinkedIn sound bites, but real conversations. And thirdly, more operational improvement and leadership content. Because honestly, the world is crying out for better leaders. Leaders who communicate properly, leaders who empower people, who create standards, who hold accountability, who stay humble and continue learning. And I want this podcast to become that space where people can genuinely improve. Whether you're a supervisor, a coach, a parent, a project manager, business owner, team leader, or someone just trying to get their life together, there'll be something here for you. And lastly, I want this next chapter of my life to feel more human, less polished, more real. I think people connect more with authenticity than perfection anyway. Finally, if you've been listening to this podcast from the start, thank you. Honestly, if you've messaged me and you're listening to this, thank you. Please share an episode. Please support the journey. Thank you. And if you're brand new here, welcome. This podcast is for people trying to improve, not perfect people, improving people, and if there's one thing I've learned recently, life can hit you hard, but purposes keep you moving. Community keeps you grounded, and growth keeps you alive. So wherever you are right now, please keep building. Keep learning. Keep showing up. Even when life gets difficult. Remember to talk, people. Because progress isn't always loud. Sometimes progress is simply refusing to stop. And trust me, we're only just getting started again. This is the edge. If this episode helped you in any way, please share it with somebody you might need it. You can find the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. You can also follow everything we're building over at cwcage.com. And as always, listeners, keep improving, keep leading, keep moving forward. I'll see you in the next one.