Crack On Podcast

Part 2 of our interview with World Champion Athlete Jamie Baulch.

In this part, Jamie talks about what it was like training with the biggest starts of world athletics - Frankie Fredericks, Colin Jackson and Linford Christie - and how one particular track session convinced him he was destined to win gold.

Jon and Jamie also discuss the low points and Jamie shares his mindset tips for consistently rebounding from setbacks, going again... and cracking on!

Jamie Baulch is a world champion athlete and Olympic silver medallist. A 400m runner of genuine world class, he's trained with, competed against and beaten some of the biggest names in Athletics.

But there is so much more to just the medals with this guy. Adopted by a family in South Wales, he's a proud Welshman, but his story begins in England and a young single mother who felt unable to raise him and gave him up so he could gave a better chance in life.

Decades later, he set out to find both his genetic mother and father in two separate award-winning documentaries for the BBC. What he found, and the journey of discovery and identity he went on, make for fascinating and emotional stories which he shares here with Jon.

We also get to hear incredible insights into the mind of a champion. How he went from under-achieving as nailed-on favourite... to a mindset switch that enabled him to make winning a World Championship gold medal look like the easiest thing in the world.

And then there's the story of how it only truly dawned on him that he was the fastest man in the world... while pushing a shopping trolley around a supermarket in Cwmbran.

This interview was so full of good stuff that we have split it over two episodes. This is Part 1, Part 2 will follow a week later. Both episodes contain amazing stories from Jamie's life - from what made him, to the bits of himself he discovered uncovering his roots... to the mindset of a world-beater.

Nick Collins is both a chef and and an entrepreneur. He is the Founder and CEO of both Clever Chefs and Epic Caterers, two hugely successful Welsh hospitality companies achieving outstanding growth.

Nick grew up in Cardiff and still lives in his home city. A competitive self-starter, in this episode he shares with Jon what fires his drive to succeed, but also how he is learning, growing and changing as he progresses.

Stories come thick and fast - from being a private chef in the Alps' most exclusive resort cooking for A-listers... to taking on (and beating) £100m national catering providers.

There are moments where Nick reveals a fiercely focused business mind, but others where a creative, reflective and even apologetic side emerges.

The result is an episode with so many different access points for anyone listening, whatever their work or life context.

Nick has a passionate belief that anyone can achieve anything. But he doesn't just leave it there with a throwaway quote... he breaks down and illustrates real tangible steps anyone can take to "crack on" and get to where they want to get to.

Phil Davies holds one of the greatest job titles in the world - Director of Rugby for World Rugby. It's a perfect role for someone who has lived and breathed the game for decades and has always sought to bring improvement and progress... both on the field and off it.

Phil tells Jon about how he learned the values of hard work and respect from growing up in a working-class Welsh community. He reveals the profound impact the miner's strike of the 1980's had on him in terms of gratitude, aspiration and determination.

Phil is brilliant at picking out and sharing lessons and insights from all the stages of his career. His playing days for Llanelli and Wales taught him how teams come together through shared identity and collective purpose.

Management roles at Leeds, Cardiff and Namibia shaped his simple "3 C's" plan for success - communication, connection and collaboration.

Now, as he has risen through the ranks of world sport, he is able to analyse the bigger picture and shares valuable advice on how to navigate the politics of top-of-industry boardrooms to deliver real change and progress.

Lawrence Khen is a South Wales entreprenuer who owns 35 properties and also runs his own mentoring and consultancy business Foresight Property Partners.

Born to a Syrian refugee father and a British mother, Lawrence had a tough but formative and enjoyable childhood growing up in working class Swansea.

He learnt to earn and hustle from his father - traits that have stayed with him in a career that has included painting and decorating, being an international corporate high-flyer with Aldi and even stock trading.

But Lawrence's incessant drive to push himself has led him to the brink of physical and mental disintegration and he has had to refocus his life.

Severe health issues forced him to adapt and plan, but he never lost his streetwise business instincts and he is a great example of self-reliance and ingenuity.

We never know when challenges will come to us, and they may leave us searching for answers... but Lawrence's story teaches us the value of graft, strategic thinking, adaptability and purpose.

The Crack On podcast had a re-boot in 2023. We started doing face-to-face interviews in Jon's home instead of remote recordings and moved to a monthly format.

The result has been a series of brilliant guests and fascinating in-depth conversations. The feedback we've had has been fantastic and we're really happy with the way the podcast is growing and what it means to people - thank you.

We all have challenges in life - hearing how others managed to navigate through theirs and "crack on" can inspire and teach us valuable lessons.

Since it's holiday time we decided to have a bit of a look back with this episode and pick some highlights from 4 of our guests this year:

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Chris Macnamara - Founder of the Brogue Trader and Welsh business legend

Lucy Cohen - co-founder of Mazuma Accountants which is a real South Wales success story

Stifyn Parri - from a village in North Wales to the West End, 80's sitcom stardom and Producer of many of Wales' biggest events

Polly James - face of the Darts on Sky TV, commercial radio star and Cardiff hero

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Thank you for listening in 2022 and see you in 2023 when we plan to go even bigger and better.

Crack On!

The second part of an amazing interview with Welsh Rugby legend Colin Charvis.

This time he speaks about the hardest moment in his career, plus reflects on the incredible moment when he met Nelson Mandela and presented his team to the great man as Wales captain.

Plus, we hear about life after rugby and how his values shape his approach to business.

Finally Colin answers what is often the hardest question for us all.. "Are you happy?"

This is another fascinating and inspirational listen full off insights and life lessons that we can all benefit from hearing.

Colin Charvis is a Welsh Rugby legend. He pulled on the red jersey 94 times, captaining the team through a vital period of growth. A proud servant of Swansea and with experience of playing in France and for the British and Irish Lions, Colin has had a glittering rugby career.

But, like anyone, he has faced challenges. His childhood brought loss and adversity. He has faced serious injury, discrimination and criticism in his time in the game. His transition from professional sports player to businessperson has brought a whole new set of highs and lows.

In this interview Colin talks openly and honestly to Jon about his life and career. He shares a vast amount of hard-learned wisdom that anyone listening can apply to their own lives.

There are fascinating insights into motivation, leadership and teamwork. There are also moments of real emotion as Colin explores the early life lessons that shaped him as a person (and player) of the utmost character and integrity.

This interview was of such length and quality that we have decided to run it across two parts. This is Part 1, Part 2 will be released a week later.

Andrew Jenkins was pronounced dead by the side of the road, aged 21, after a horrific car accident. But he didn't die... and overcoming his physical injuries was just the start of his battle.

Growing up in a traditional Welsh valleys family with rugby high on the agenda (and talking about feelings low on the priority list) meant Andrew was ill-equipped to handle his trauma's impact on his mental health.

For 20 years he struggled, with the verdict (from himself and others) being that he was never the same after the crash.

But recently he has had a transformation - one which has given him a purpose to share his story and help others facing similar issues. Through reflection, research, counselling and the support of key loved ones in his life, Andrew has embraced a growth mindset and gone from closed to open.

He has had some life-changing difficult conversations, including ones with the surgeon who saved his life, his parents and his son.

He shares his story here with Jon in a powerful and touching episode. There is empathy, advice and vital insights here for anyone who is struggling mentally.

Radio DJ, TV Presenter and total Cardiff legend... Polly James is known for her charisma, talent and uncanny ability to live life at 100 miles per hour all the time.

At her happiest on the radio, interviewing sports stars or at the darts... she has carved out an impressive media career for herself. Despite an adventurous outlook on everything, her path always seems to circle back to Cardiff - a city she loves... and that certainly loves her back.

In this buoyant and life-affirming conversation, Jon and Polly talk about her formative years, how athletics built her work ethic and a passion for preparation. Plus we hear how she skilfully navigates a path from community radio to Red Dragon FM, Capital Breakfast, Radio X and now Sky Sports TV and beyond.

Plus there are fascinating moments of reflection where Polly gives valuable lessons from her own life on overcoming scary situations, making time to slow down and taking a different approach to social media. She also shares important insights on building mental resilience through gratitude and support networks.