Different Hats Podcast

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, I sit down with Charlotte Ricca, performance psychologist, former journalist, sea swimmer, horse rider, and passionate advocate for emotional literacy, to explore what success really means when life feels overwhelming.This episode goes far beyond high performance.Charlotte shares candidly about:navigating burnout, anxiety, and periods of depressionchanging her relationship with alcohollearning to sit with discomfort rather than mask itbalancing ambition, motherhood, identity, and self-worthand why choosing connection over being right can transform relationshipsThis is an honest conversation about:✨ mental health✨ parenting✨ redefining success✨ suicide prevention✨ emotional resilience✨ values, purpose, and presenceIf you’ve ever felt pressure to “hold it together”, to perform, or to keep going when things feel heavy — this episode will land.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 – Introduction02:30 – “Are you alright… really?” and showing up authentically07:00 – Finding glimmers: joy, nature, sea swimming & presence11:00 – Alcohol, identity & changing coping mechanisms18:30 – Masking discomfort vs sitting with emotions22:30 – Why confidence follows action (not the other way around)27:00 – Anxiety, fear & reframing pressure as privilege32:00 – Emotional literacy, parenting & allowing children to feel39:00 – Guilt, self-care & choosing yourself without shame45:00 – Identity beyond roles: parent, athlete, professional52:00 – Success, money & redefining what “enough” really means59:00 – Career pivots, purpose & living without regret1:05:00 – Overwhelm, burnout & taking one small step at a time1:12:00 – Depression, hope & why feelings always pass1:18:00 – Suicide prevention: asking the hard questions1:26:00 – Teaching kids emotional regulation & resilience1:34:00 – Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation1:41:00 – Living in alignment with your values1:56:00 – Advice to younger self2:04:00 – Final question: choosing connection over being right🎧 KEY TAKEAWAYYou don’t need to fix everything.You don’t need to feel “on” all the time.Sometimes, staying alive, staying present, and taking one small step is success.🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast🔗 Connect with Charlotte RiccaWebsite: https://kindabrilliant.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlottericca/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-ricca/💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment below. Your support helps us spread this important message and change the narrative around success and mental health.SPONSORED BY:Rivervale – https://www.rivervale.co.ukBrown Bear Studios – https://www.brownbearstudio.co.ukCarpenter Box – https://www.carpenterbox.com🎬 PRODUCED BY:H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk/

I thought my 100th podcast episode was the start of my journey.I didn’t realise it would change everything.Recorded the day after my 47th birthday, this 18-minute solo episode reflects on the most transformative year of my life, not the easiest, not the most “successful,” but the most honest.A year of silence.Sobriety.Relationships changing shape.Asking for help.And finally facing the question I’d spent years avoiding:Why am I not enough?In this episode, I share the lessons I learnt, the breakdowns, and the moments that rebuilt me.We explore:Redefining success beyond money and statusThe Five Pillars of Success as lived experienceMale mental health, vulnerability, and asking for helpSobriety, self-worth, and sitting with discomfortWhy connection, not achievement, saved meThis episode marks a shift.From building businesses to building a movement.From push motivation to pull motivation.From wearing many hats… to finally choosing the right one.If you’re navigating change, feeling lost, or quietly struggling, this episode isn’t here to give you answers.It’s here to give you permission.Because sometimes the bravest thing you can say is:"Help"⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 – Introduction01:45 – Stripping Life Back: Silence & Sobriety03:20 – The Five Pillars of Success05:40 – When Relationships Change Shape07:50 – “Why Am I Not Enough?”10:20 – When It Got Dark12:40 – Asking for Help14:30 – Clarity, Purpose & Letting Go15:50 – From Business to Movement17:00 – I Am Enough🎧 MORE EPISODES:👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast💡 If this resonated, please like, share, and comment, it helps spread this message and challenge how we define success.SPONSORED BY:Carpenter Box | Brown Bear Studios | Rivervale | Plus XSPECIAL EPISODE PRODUCED BY:Matt Cheney - Brown Bear Studios

In this deep, thoughtful conversation, I am joined by entrepreneur, technologist and systems-thinker Neil Witten to explore what success really means, and why so many of us feel disconnected from the lives we’re building.Neil has spent years questioning the systems we’re told to follow in education, work, entrepreneurship and culture, and asking a more human question instead:“What am I uniquely designed to do?”Together, Neil and I explore:Why success has become overly defined by money, status and productivityThe hidden cost of ignoring curiosity, play and soft skillsWhy many people wait for crisis before changing their livesThe role parents, schools and culture play in shaping identityWhy self-awareness may be the most important skill of the futureThis is not a conversation about hacks or shortcuts.It’s about listening to your gut, working on yourself, and choosing alignment over approval.If you’ve ever felt like you’re climbing the wrong ladder…If you’ve questioned the systems you’ve inherited…Or if you’re quietly asking “Is this really it?” .. this episode is for you.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 – Introduction03:30 – Why we struggle to talk honestly (especially men)10:45 – How culture hijacked our definition of success18:40 – Purpose, play & being wired for something30:15 – Education, neurodiversity & one-size-fits-all systems42:10 – Soft skills, hiring & the future of work55:30 – Childhood, curiosity & learning outside the system1:10:45 – Entrepreneurship, risk & waiting for permission1:28:20 – Parenting, autonomy & enabling potential1:45:10 – Creating your own catalysts for change2:02:30 – Letting go, evolution & redefining your role2:18:40 – Final reflections: living true to yourself🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast🔗 Connect with Neil WittenWebsite: https://www.pigsinflight.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilwitten/💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment below.Your support helps us change the narrative around success and mental health.SPONSORED BYRivervale – https://www.rivervale.co.ukBrown Bear Studios – https://www.brownbearstudio.co.ukCarpenter Box – https://www.carpenterbox.com🎙️ PRODUCED BY:H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk

What happens when you’ve done everything “right”… but still feel worthless, lost, and exhausted by your own mind?In this deeply honest and moving episode of the Different Hats Podcast, I sit down with Matt Cheney, creative producer, storyteller, and someone who has quietly fought one of the hardest battles of all: the one inside his own head.Matt opens up about late ADHD diagnosis, imposter syndrome, self-worth, burnout, grief, suicide attempts, and the masks many men wear just to survive. He shares how losing his father, his relationship, his career structure, his identity, and his sense of belonging brought him to rock bottom, and how a single moment, a run, and one unexpected email helped him choose to keep going.This is not a story about “fixing yourself.”It’s about learning how to live with yourself.If you’ve ever:• Felt like you weren’t enough• Lived with a relentless inner critic• Been successful on the outside but empty inside• Struggled to accept love, compliments, or rest• Wondered if it’s possible to keep goingThis conversation will stay with you.⏱️ Episode Chapters00:00 – Introduction01:21 – “You Alright Mate?” check-in02:54 – Shiny objects vs investing in yourself07:35 – Redefining success beyond money12:30 – Loving your work… but hating yourself16:13 – Creativity, kids & permission to try22:14 – Childhood, belonging & emotional safety28:51 – Rugby, leadership & fear of failure32:58 – ADHD, masking & self-worth40:20 – Parents, caregiving & inherited patterns49:05 – Imposter syndrome & burnout56:00 – Relationships, vulnerability & being seen1:06:51 – Injury, grief & losing everything1:18:42 – Suicide attempts & the pain beneath them1:19:34 – The email that changed everything1:28:56 – “You are the sky, everything else is weather”1:35:50 – Learning to live with the inner critic1:46:29 – Giving without needing anything back1:53:29 – Silence, endurance & the meaning of “keep going”2:08:20 – Advice for anyone feeling lost2:12:27 – A life well lived💬 Key Themes Explored• ADHD & late diagnosis• Imposter syndrome• Masculinity & emotional literacy• Suicide, grief & recovery• Self-worth vs external success• Receiving love & compliments• Identity beyond achievement• Why “keeping going” matters🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast🔗 Connect with Matt Cheneyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcheney1/💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment. Your support helps us change the narrative around success and mental health.SPONSORED BYRivervale – https://www.rivervale.co.ukBrown Bear Studios – https://www.brownbearstudio.co.ukCarpenter Box – https://www.carpenterbox.com🎙️ PRODUCED BY:H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk

What happens when life forces you to face the one thing most of us avoid thinking about?In this deeply honest and moving episode, I sit down with Gavin O’Donoghue, who shares his journey living with stage 4 metastatic melanoma, the reality of a terminal diagnosis, and the mindset shifts that have helped him keep showing up with hope, humour and heart.This is a powerful conversation about presence, fatherhood, friendship, legacy, and what success really means when the “big stuff” is stripped away.If you or someone you love is navigating illness, grief, anxiety, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life, this episode is a reminder that connection, love, and meaning are the real measures of a life well lived.Chapters00:00:02 Introduction00:00:47 Gavin’s honest answer: “Life is pretty tough right now”00:08:12 Hope as a lifeline in dark moments00:08:47 The power of presence + “the greatest Christmas ever”00:09:58 Was Gavin always present, or did cancer change that?00:10:36 Work, busyness, and the struggle to switch off00:13:50 Society’s pressure, productivity, and the “success” trap00:15:03 Gavin’s old definition of success vs. what it became00:24:26 Leadership lessons: helping others win00:26:34 Giving, reciprocity, and building a “personal board of directors”00:36:07 Teaching kids success before crisis forces the lesson00:37:56 What really matters at the end of life00:44:35 Curiosity, learning, and taking control where you can00:45:13 Mindset tools: breathwork, gratitude, and community support00:54:38 Why vulnerability is strength (and isolation makes it harder)00:57:04 “That’s what makes you rich” — relationships as real wealth00:59:17 Men, friendship, banter, and why community matters01:01:02 Creating legacy: recording stories for his boys01:05:49 The balance between hope and realism01:07:33 Why we avoid talking about death (and what we miss)01:09:52 Gavin’s diagnosis story: from stage 2 to stage 401:25:16 How Gavin keeps going after setbacks01:25:39 Purpose, therapy, goals, and finding reasons to keep moving01:35:32 The Open qualifier: “my biggest f*** you to cancer”01:39:13 The example he’s setting for his children01:42:22 The “A-grade letter” exercise + “Go brave”01:55:19 Paying it forward: Wolo, awareness, and impact01:57:57 Biggest life lessons: love, honesty, vulnerability, meaning02:13:14 Closing words + “Go brave”🧠 Key themes in this episodeLiving with terminal cancer and staying human in itHope vs. realism: holding both at the same timePresence, gratitude, and the small moments that become everythingFriendship, banter, love, and why men need communityLegacy: creating memories for your children while you still canRedefining success beyond money, status and achievementGavin’s life tools: curiosity, journaling, breathwork, therapy, humour👤 About Gavin O’DonoghueGavin is an executive search consultant with 20 years’ experience in financial markets. Since 2019 he has been living with melanoma, and following a stage 4 diagnosis, he has endured multiple treatments while continuing to show up for his family, his friends, and his purpose with honesty, humour and heart.💬 Quote to sit with“Success now is hugging my boys… being present… love… connection… the simple stuff.”✅ If this episode resonated…Please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs a bit of hope today.And if you’re going through something right now send the text. Ask the question.Those three words can matter more than we realise.🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast🔗 Connect with Gavin O’DonoghueInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/odonoghue.gavin/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-o-donoghue-12ba5312/💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment below. Your support helps us spread this important message and change the narrative around success and mental health.SPONSORED BY:RivervaleBrown Bear StudiosCarpenter BoxPRODUCED BY: H2 Productions: https://h2productions.co.uk/

What if the secret to better business, better parenting and better mental health was… letting go of control?In this powerful, reflective conversation, I sit down with culture-change consultant and “buddish” thinker Jon Barnes (Pala) to talk about rewilding organisations, autonomy, depression, silent retreats, parenting, Buddhism, phones, presence and what it really means to be human.We explore how to move from command-and-control to self-managing, autonomous teams, how tiny experiments can transform culture, and why CEOs often save two days a week when they stop making every decision.Jon also shares openly about his dangerous depression, how a 10-day silent retreat changed his relationship with his thoughts, the difference between having anger vs being angry, and why he now calls himself “buddish”.This episode weaves perfectly into the You Alright Mate? mission and my Five Pillars of Success, especially Presence, Balance, Authenticity and Relationships and asks how we can equip both adults and kids to sit with their emotions in a world designed to distract us.🔍 In this episode we explore:How Jon went from hierarchy to rewilding organisations and self-managed teamsWhy autonomy at work can save leaders days each week (and create happier teams)Simple culture shifts: meetings, decisions & information sharing as leverage pointsParenting, failure and letting our kids do what lights them upJon’s story of clinical depression, SSRIs and finding mindfulnessWhat really happens on a 10-day silent meditation retreatThoughts vs emotions – and learning to notice rather than be owned by themPhones, tech, attention & why boredom might be a superpowerBeing “buddish”: Buddhist psychology, compassion & reducing suffering“This too shall pass” as a life toolkit – for the highs and the lows⏱️ CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS00:00 – “You alright mate?” check-in & intro to Jon Barnes06:15 – From traditional schooling to autonomy & a Costa Rica jungle school15:30 – Discovering self-managed teams & a new kind of leadership26:40 – What autonomy really looks like at work (and why CEOs gain 2 days a week)36:20 – Culture change as small experiments & the power of atomic habits45:05 – Rewilding organisations: the Knepp Estate metaphor & letting go of control55:40 – Parenting, autonomy for kids & reframing failure as learning1:05:30 – Meetings, decisions & information sharing as the heart of culture1:15:00 – Hitting the wall: depression, burnout and calling in sick to life1:27:30 – Inside a 10-day silent retreat: thoughts, emotions & the noisy mind1:40:10 – Tech Monopolies, smartphones & the attention economy1:50:20 – Teaching presence & emotional literacy to children2:00:00 – Peak experiences, the lake moment & “this too shall pass”2:10:10 – Being “buddish”: compassion, suffering & altered traits2:22:50 – Top Table card question on boundaries & closing reflections🎙️ ABOUT JON BARNESJon Barnes is a culture-change consultant, facilitator and co-founder of Pala, helping organisations move from rigid hierarchies to more autonomous, human-centred ways of working. His work draws on ideas from rewilding, permaculture, mindfulness and Buddhist psychology, and he’s the author of books including Tech Monopolies. Jon describes himself as “buddish” not religious, but deeply influenced by Buddhist thought and the practice of mindfulness.🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast🔗 Connect with Jon BarnesWebsite: https://teampala.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonbarnesdotme/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbarnesdotme/💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment below. Your support helps us spread this important message and change the narrative around success and mental health.🤝 SPONSORED BY:Rivervale – www.rivervale.co.ukBrown Bear Studios – https://brownbearstudios.co.uk/Carpenter Box – https://www.carpenterbox.com/PRODUCED BY: H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk/

What does success really look like once you’ve “made it”?In this powerful conversation, I sit down with entrepreneur and former RocketMill CEO Sam Garrity for a deep and emotional exploration of ambition, success, fear, leadership, culture, mental health and reinvention.Sam shares how RocketMill grew from a Yellow Pages idea to a high-growth agency, built on people-first culture and relentless belief. He opens up about anxiety, panic attacks, childhood trauma and the fear of embarrassment that silently shaped his drive.He reveals the benefits and the cost of being “all in”: the emotional load, the mental space it consumed, the presence he lost at home, and why selling the company brought grief and joy.This episode dives into:• Panic attacks, anxiety and the roots of self-belief• The fierce drive behind RocketMill, and the application behind “All in” mentality • Culture, leadership and why behaviours matter more than values on a wall• The emotional reality of selling a company, the euphoria and the grief• Rebuilding identity, relationships and purpose after the exit• Breathwork, emotional release and healing old wounds• Why pride, integrity and community now matter more than everIt’s raw, human, inspiring and full of lessons for anyone chasing big goals, navigating change, or trying to understand what success really means.🕒 CHAPTERS0:00 – Introduction 5:13 – “You alright mate?” — honest check-in7:28 – Redefining success through purpose9:04 – Success evolving through childhood → adulthood17:27 – Ambition vs purpose19:09 – What really drives Sam21:11 – Upbringing, instability & resilience27:05 – Fear of failure & self-belief31:12 – Embarrassment, failure & reframing it42:26 – Early career: Express, Daily Mail & culture55:36 – The birth of RocketMill1:00:00 – Betting the farm & starting from nothing1:02:07 – “Are we all in?” — the RocketMill mentality1:07:32 – Sacrifice: being there but not present1:12:32 – Advice to founders: be braver1:13:59 – Pushing the boulder uphill1:26:17 – COVID: guaranteeing 200 jobs1:28:50 – People-first culture in action1:30:17 – Selling the company — everyone wins1:39:31 – Euphoria & grief after the sale1:50:00 – Breathwork, emotion & healing1:51:26 – Community, Samaritans & purpose2:00:45 – Seek pride in everything you do2:02:34 – Storytelling card2:05:26 – Closing reflectionsA profound conversation for founders, leaders, parents, creators, anyone striving to succeed while staying grounded, healthy and human.🔗 SPONSORSBrown Bear Audio – Elite podcast studio. 👉 https://brownbearstudios.co.uk/Carpenter Box – Accountancy & advisory specialists. 👉 https://www.carpenterbox.com/Rivervale – Making motoring manageable. 👉 rivervale.co.ukProduced by: H2 Productions – h2productions.co.uk🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

⚠️ Warning ⚠️ This episode contains content that may be alarming to some listeners. We do talk about suicide which we know can be distressing.What happens when the “good guy” from Big Brother – the man who seemed confident, calm, and collected – finally removes the mask?In the opening episode of Series 9, filmed at our incredible new home Brown Bear Studios, Jason Burrill sits down for his first ever deep mental-health interview, and it’s one of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever had.Jason reveals the truth behind the success, the fame, the acting career, the public persona… and the hidden mental health battles he’s carried since childhood bullying at age 11.For decades he lived behind an act, Batman on stage, Bond on film sets, Big Brother winner on TV, while secretly battling anxiety, PTSD, emotional shutdown, fear, avoidance, and a near-fatal mental health crash that left him planning to end his life.In this raw, vulnerable conversation, Jason shares:How bullying shaped every part of his adult lifeWhy he couldn’t walk into Tesco, but could walk into the Big Brother houseHow success became a mask, not a feelingHis darkest moment… and the phone call that saved himWhy men struggle to open upHow we can change the narrative for our sons, friends, fathers and future generationsThis episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in men’s mental health, resilience, trauma, identity, and redefining success beyond money, fame or status.🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast🔗 Connect with Jason BurrillInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonburrill/SPONSORED BY:Brown Bear Studios - https://brownbearstudios.co.uk/Carpenter Box - https://www.carpenterbox.com/Rivervale – www.rivervale.co.ukPRODUCED BY:H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk/*If you’ve been affected by any of the topics in today’s episode, please reach out to local support services or find resources via Samaritans (UK) or equivalent helplines in your country.