BROWN BEAR STUDIOS

This is one of the most important conversations I’ve ever had. And honestly… I think it has the potential to save lives. This week on the podcast I sat down with the incredible Rose Rowkins to talk about suicide prevention, emotional literacy, masculinity, parenting, hope and the power of human connection. And one line from the conversation really landed: 👉 “Most people don’t want to die… they want the pain to end.” That distinction matters. As many of you know, this mission is deeply personal to me. There have been moments in my own life where I felt completely lost. Moments where I measured my worth through money, status, business success and achievement. Moments where I isolated myself. Moments where I genuinely believed everyone else had life figured out except me. And through this journey… through the podcast… through the You Alright Mate? movement… through conversations like this… I’ve realised how many people are carrying pain silently. Especially men. We’ve created a world where people often feel safer hiding their pain than speaking about it. That has to change. One of the biggest things I took away from Rose’s work and the ASIST training she delivers is this: 👉 Suicide prevention does not belong solely to professionals. It belongs to all of us. The way we listen. The way we check in. The way we ask questions. The way we create safe spaces for honesty. The way we remind people they matter. These things save lives. This conversation reminded me again that sometimes hope starts with one person simply saying: 👉 “Are you really alright?” If someone came to mind while reading this… Don’t wait. Reach out ❤️ Comment ‘HOPE’ below and I’ll send you the link 🔗 to the episode directly Thank you again Rose, for this conversation and for all the amazing work you do 🙏 That is genuinely saving lives ❤️

Can’t believe it’s taken me a week to post this. I’d like to thank Sam Thomas and Jackie Irving- Wilkinson for inviting Thomas Dalton and I to be a part of the celebrations and 500th issue of Sussex Business Times last week. Fantastic night and met some amazing people that are responsible for making Brighton and Sussex such an amazing place to be a part of the business community. Hears to 500 more! Not sure I’ll be front cover eye candy when they reach 1,000 tho. You can read my article here: https://lnkd.in/eXrX3MXT Shout out to the people that made my evening so good: Joel Lawton, Helen Packham, Jess Rad, Dean Stone, Lyndsey Clay, Kyriakos Baxevanis, Mary Kemp, Ben Freakley, Gemma King, James Mallinson

How Much of Your Life Is a Performance?… and what does it really mean to be yourself? In this weeks episode of the podcast, I sit down with my good friend Craig Whiteley, West End performer, drama teacher, and someone who has experienced both the highs of standing ovations and the deeper lessons that come after. We explore the masks we wear, the roles we play, and the question so many of us avoid… 👉 Who am I… really? From performing on the West End to teaching the next generation, Craig shares powerful insights on authenticity, resilience, self-belief, and why success isn’t what we’ve been taught. This is an honest, emotional, and deeply human conversation between two close friends, about identity, kindness, and finding balance in a world full of noise. This episode was an emotional rollercoaster, as I cried with deep emotion and I cried through belly laughter in equal measure.. Thank you mate, for being an amazing guest and allowing me to share one of our many wonderful conversations with the world. You are definitely one of my people when I have a choice to make, I will ask... “What would Craig do?” Ps please watch the trailer until the very end... pure gold 😊 Comment ‘LEGACY’ (you’ll understand why) and I’ll send you the link 🔗 directly. #YouAlrightMate? #Success #Authenticity #YAM

👉 Have we been sold the wrong version of success? The one that tells us: More money = more happiness More status = more worth More achievement = more fulfilment Yet so many people reach it… and still feel empty. Good job. Nice house. Keeping it together. But underneath? Pressure. Disconnection. No peace. No real sense of self. This week on the podcast, I sat down with Volker Ballueder for a powerful conversation about what success really means. We explored: 👉 why achievement doesn’t always equal fulfilment 👉 why men silently struggle 👉 emotional intelligence 👉 comparison culture 👉 midlife awakening 👉 purpose, peace and alignment Because success that looks good on the outside… can still feel empty on the inside. Maybe real success is: Peace. Purpose. Connection. Being yourself. 🎧 New episode of Different Hats out now. Comment ‘SUCCESS’ and I’ll send you the link direct. #Success #MensMentalHealth #Podcast #EmotionalIntelligence #YouAlrightMate

“We don’t need to rebuild broken men… We need to raise emotionally healthy boys.” That line has been sitting with me all week, as this is a conversation we have got to have. After watching the manosphere documentary, one thing became clear… We’re teaching men how to win. But not how to feel. And it’s costing more than we’re willing to admit. 🎙️ New episode OUT NOW! My honest take on what’s really going on 👇 Have you seen the documentary? What was your take on it? I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts, comment below. 👇 #YouAlrightMate? #Success #Manosphere #YAM

Am I living a life I chose or one I drifted into? 👇 This was just one of the questions we discussed in this deep conversation on this weeks episode of the podcast, as the brilliant Marc Convey returns for the second time. This is a deeply thoughtful, human conversation about healing, self-awareness, purpose, burnout, contentment, and the power of connection. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself, questioned the path you’re on, or wondered what real success actually looks like, this episode is for you. This conversation came at the right time for me and one I really needed, more than I realised. 🎙️ Episode is NOW Live on all channels, comment ‘CONNECTION’ below and I’ll send you the link 🔗 to the episode directly Thanks for listening 🙏 #YouAlrightMate? #Success #5Pillars #YAM

“Do men often feel things deeply but simply lack the language to express what’s going on inside, and can creativity help us find that language?” This was a question the brilliant Simon David Eden and I explored during this weeks episode of the podcast. Simon shares his extraordinary journey growing up in Moulsecoomb, being expelled from school at 12, finding refuge in writing, drawing and music, and navigating the devastating loss of his brother to suicide. We also explore his upcoming exhibition Shadow Light: Songs My Brother Taught Me, a profoundly personal body of work exploring grief, brotherhood, masculinity, and emotional inheritance between men. This conversation goes far beyond Simon’s creative career. It’s about what happens when boys and men are never given the language to express what they feel. It’s about the mentors who change our lives. It’s about why creativity matters. And it’s about the urgent need to create spaces where men feel safe enough to ask for help. It was a truly honest, heartfelt and for me really important conversation. 🎧 Episode out now.. Comment ‘CHANGE’ and I’ll send you the link directly. “Why Men Suffer in Silence… And How We Change It” #YouAlrightMate #MensMentalHealth #BreakTheSilence #DifferentHats #SuicidePrevention

Sometimes the small wins are enough to give you that little boost, to just keep going 🫶 I hit a couple of small milestones this week.🙏 1500 followers on Instagram. 
And the BIG one 😊 1000 subscribers on the podcast YouTube channel. 🥳 Now in the world of content creation… I know that’s tiny and maybe insignificant. But for me? It’s a small win.
A small shift.
Moving the needle… just a little. If I was driven purely by views or subscribers, I’d have stopped this years ago. I set out on a mission to reframe success and reduce male suicide. And I’ve always said, if I help just one person… maybe that’s enough. 
Maybe that’s success. But the truth is, the more people I reach, the more chance there is of helping more people. Who do we need to reach? Who might be struggling that needs a message or just a little bit of hope? And that’s the metric that matters to me. So I’m grateful to my good friend, the legend, Matt Cheney He said to me recently,  “A podcast is like a flyer. It can look amazing. But unless you hand it out to the right people, it’s just a flyer sat on your desk… or in someone’s bin.” Matt, thank you for helping me hand out my flyer to a few more people, Thank you to everyone that’s subscribed or followed my journey so far, I’m truly grateful for your support 🙏 If you haven’t yet subscribed to my channel please 🙏 do. Let’s reach more people, let’s spread the message as it might just land when someone really needs to hear it ❤️ You Alright Mate? #YouAlrightMate #Success

When was the last time you answered “You alright mate?” honestly? This one sets the bar. Not just for this series. For the whole You Alright Mate? journey. “I’m okay… but I’m not all right.” That line alone stopped me in my tracks. In this game-changing conversation with the truly inspirational Paul Jukes, @outta_puff_daddys we talked about masculinity, mental health, joy, community, and why men were never meant to carry it all alone. We laughed. 🤣 We cried. 🥲 We were real. ❤️ This isn’t theory. It’s lived experience. It’s honesty. It’s hope. If you care about redefining success, supporting the men in your life, or simply answering “You Alright Mate?” a little more truthfully… This episode is for you. Plus find our what Paul would do if he was Prime Minister 😳 🎙️ Out now.. On all podcast channels link 🔗 in Bio Sponsored By Brown Bear Studios Rivervale Carpenter Box, part of the Sumer Group Produced By H2 Productions Ltd Martin Leppard #YouAlrightMate? #ReframingSuccess #MensMentalHealth

Life is not a rehearsal 👇 None of us are getting out of this alive. 25 years ago, I was an admin clerk in a law firm. If you’d told that version of me what I’d be doing now… I’d have laughed. And if I’m honest, it’s tough at the minute, and I’ve been in my head a lot lately. Truth is building something that matters isn’t easy. That’s why this week’s Journal is a reminder, to me as much as anyone, to seek the joy. To stop gripping the wheel so tightly. To enjoy the journey while we’re building it. Because now is enough. New episode of Behind the YAM Movement is live. Comment ‘JOY’ and I’ll send you the link 🔗 directly. You alright, mate? 👊 #SeekJoy #YouAlrightMate #MensMentalHealth #TheJourney #LifeIsNotARehearsal

“Life’s not perfect, but you just gotta make lemonade where possible, take advantage of every opportunity, and in that beautiful things happen” ~ Stephanie Prior, Prior Media & Marketing In this episode of the Different Hats Podcast, I sit down with founder and HERstory creator Stephanie Prior at a pivotal moment in her life, 33 weeks pregnant, scaling her business, and learning to let go of control. Stephanie opens up about: 👉 Growing up navigating identity, belonging and racism 👉 The turning point at 16 that reshaped her path 👉 From pageantry to public life, and what representation really means 👉 Building HERstory into one of Sussex’s leading women-in-business platforms 👉 The fear of losing control as a founder 👉 Delegation, leadership and commercialising her business 👉 Why success isn’t just money, it’s self-belief, gratitude and legacy As Stephanie prepares for motherhood, she reflects on ambition, vulnerability and what it means to build something that doesn’t depend entirely on you. This is a powerful case study in redefining success in real time. 🎙️ The episode is now live on all platforms - Comment ‘HERSTORY’ below and I’ll send you the link directly. If you’ve ever struggled to delegate, felt the pressure to prove yourself, or wondered what success really means… this one’s for you. Sponsored By Brown Bear Studios Carpenter Box, part of the Sumer Group Rivervale Produced By H2 Productions Ltd Martin Leppard #RedefiningSuccess #YouAlrightMate? #Leadership #LetGoToGrow #WomenInBusiness

Am I doing the right thing? That’s the question that’s been running through my head this week. Episode Two of The Journal: Behind The YAM Movement is now live. 🧢 Another hat down. 📈 Moving the needle... slowly. 🧠 An inner critic that’s been louder than usual. If you want to see what building a movement really looks like, not polished, just honest, have a listen tonight. You Alright, Mate? Watch here or comment “YAM” below and I’ll send you the 🔗 directly. #YouAlrightMate #YAMMovement #MensMentalHealth #DifferentHats #RedefiningSuccess