Podcast
Unlocking Human Potential with Andy Hosgood
Hosted by Andy Hosgood · EN
Welcome to Unlocking Human Potential with host Andy Hosgood, a show dedicated to exploring what it really takes psychologically, behaviourally, and practically to help humans thrive, through conversations with leaders, founders, coaches, behavioural experts, and people shaping how humans perform and grow.
Is this for you?
Are a Leaders, founders, business owners and ambitious professionals who want to do more than just “perform” they want to grow, inspire, and bring out the best in themselves and their people.
The mission is simple:
To explore how individuals and teams unlock potential in themselves, in others, and in the organisations they shape.
Every episode is a deep but relaxed conversation built around three core questions:
- Optimising Yourself:
- Unlocking Potential in Others:
- And the best advice for you the listener
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Stop Saving People. Start Solving With Them | Tim Holmes on Human Leadership
3w ago01:11:30Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailStop Saving People. Start Solving With Them | Tim Holmes on Human LeadershipFrom rugby league to executive leadership, lessons in performance, identity and creating environments where people thrive.What happens when the thing that defined you disappears?For Tim Holmes, former professional rugby league player turned leader, wellbeing coach and performance specialist, that question became deeply personal.After injury ended his playing career at just 21 years old, Tim found himself facing something many ambitious people experience but rarely talk about:If I’m no longer what I do… who am I?In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, we explore identity, leadership, pressure, purpose, and why the answers we’re searching for are often already inside us we just haven’t created enough space to hear them.This conversation goes beyond sport.We discuss:• Why helping people isn’t the same as saving people• The difference between solving problems and rescuing others• How identity can quietly trap high performers• Why leaders need to put their own oxygen mask on first• How to listen when your internal voice starts getting louder• Why performance and purpose aren’t always the same thing• Practical ways to create environments where people thriveTim shares his personal journey through injury, identity loss, depression, rebuilding, and ultimately choosing purpose over comfort.If you’re a founder, leader, athlete, ambitious professional or someone wondering whether the path you’re on still feels like yours this conversation is for you.🎧 Listen now.And ask yourself:What action have you been putting off that you could start today?About Tim Tim Holmes is a former professional rugby league player turned high-performance leader, wellbeing coach, and sports executive with a passion for people, culture, and unlocking potential. From competing in the Super League with Widnes Vikings, to leading player welfare, strength & conditioning, and club operations, Tim has built a reputation for bringing energy, accountability, and human connection into every environment he enters. Now working across leadership, team development, customer experience, and performance culture, Tim combines elite sport lessons with real-world business insight helping teams, organisations, and individuals create environments where people thrive both on and off the field.LinkedInInstagram Support the show
Transcribe →Presence, Purpose & Leadership with Paul Whyte
May 1601:11:49Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, I sit down with transformational coach and leadership mentor Paul Whyte for a deeply reflective conversation on self-awareness, presence, leadership, and the hidden patterns that shape our lives.So many people live in constant reaction mode — stuck in overthinking, distraction, pressure, and autopilot. But what if the key to unlocking more clarity, confidence, and peace isn’t doing more… but becoming more present?Together, we explore:Leadership and emotional intelligenceThe power of mindfulness and presenceSelf-awareness and conscious decision-makingReflection and personal growthPsychological safety and human connectionCoaching, perspective, and asking better questionsWhy many people feel disconnected from themselvesPaul shares powerful insights around:becoming aware of your thoughts rather than controlled by themlearning to respond instead of reactcreating environments where people feel safe to thinkand how presence can transform leadership, relationships, and wellbeingThis episode is honest, practical, thoughtful, and deeply human.If you’re a leader, founder, coach, healthcare professional, or someone trying to navigate pressure while staying connected to yourself, this conversation will resonate deeply.🎧 Listen now and start unlocking your human potential.About Paul Some people teach leadership from a textbook. Others teach it from scars, setbacks, experience… and actually living it.Today’s guest is Paul Whyte , a transformational coach, and leader who’s built a reputation for helping people cut through noise, reconnect with what matters, and lead with more clarity, confidence, and purpose. What I love about Paul’s approach is that it’s deeply human. It’s not about pretending to have all the answers, it’s about self-awareness, intuition, perspective, and having the courage to think bigger than your current circumstances.People around Paul talk about his wisdom, his ability to challenge thinking, and the way he helps others raise the ceiling on what they believe is possible for themselves. In this conversation, we explore leadership, mindset, growth, resilience, and what it really takes to create meaningful change, not just in business, but in yourself.So if you’ve ever felt stuck between where you are… and what you know you’re capable of becoming, this conversation is going to resonate.”Paul Whyte LinkedinPaul Whyte IG Support the show
Transcribe →Why We Still Struggle to Prioritise Our Health | Steph Hardcastle.
May 1601:04:33Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWhy We Still Struggle to Prioritise Our Health | Steph HardcastleThe gap between knowing what helps and making it work in real life In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, I sit down with health coach Steph Hardcastle for a deeply honest conversation about stress, health, behaviour change and why so many of us find it hard to turn healthy intentions into healthy habits. Most people already know what would help them feel better. Eat well. Sleep more. Slow down. Move more. Reduce stress. But they still struggle to make those changes happen consistently in real life. Why? Because knowledge alone isn’t enough. The key to change is knowing how to make it happen. In this conversation, we explore:The link between identity, behaviour change and healthy habits Why health often falls to the bottom of the priority list The role environment plays in the workplace and at homeHow wellbeing affects performance at workHow women’s health changes in midlife The role of lifestyle medicine in prevention and long-term healthHow health coaching creates real change by bridging the gap between intention and action Steph shares her own experience of navigating stress and explains how that journey shaped her work as a health coach. Today, her work focuses on helping women make lasting health changes feel possible, manageable and sustainable in everyday life, and on helping organisations understand how the environments we create at work can directly affect performance, energy and resilience. This is an honest, grounded conversation about health, pressure, identity and what it really takes to create meaningful change. If you’re stretched thin, overwhelmed or disconnected from your health, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about stress, habits and lasting change. 🎧 Listen now and start unlocking your human potential.About StephWhat happens when someone stops chasing “healthy” and starts looking at what helps them truly live well?Today’s guest is Steph Hardcastle, a Health and Wellbeing Coach whose work focuses on helping women in midlife reduce stress, improve energy and create health changes that actually last. What I really like about Steph’s approach is that it cuts through the noise. No extreme fixes. No perfection culture. No pretending life isn’t busy and complicated. Her work is grounded in real-life wellbeing, helping people understand the link between stress, nutrition, sleep, hormones, and the everyday habits that impact how they think, feel and function. Steph’s own path into health coaching was shaped by both professional and lived experience. A linguist initially, Steph went on to have a career in marketing and communications, running her own business in Australia. But after navigating the pressures of becoming a single parent to a child with additional needs, she became deeply interested in what helps people regain a sense of control over their health and lives.In this conversation, we explore the human side of health: the relationship between pressure, purpose, and behaviour change - and what it really takes to make change happen in real life. Because knowing what to do is one thing. Having the clarity, consistency and confidence to live it is something else entirely. The truth is, high performance means nothing if your health is constantly being pushed to the bottom of the list. So if you’ve been running on adrenaline, feeling stretched thin, or wondering why you don’t quite feel like yourself anymore, this conversation is going to resonate.LinkedinInstagram Website Support the show
Transcribe →Identity & Human Potential with Susie Kindred
May 801:02:06Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWhy self-awareness, willingness and discomfort matter when it comes to thriving under pressure.In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, I sit down with Susie Kindred for a deeply human conversation about pressure, wellbeing, resilience, and what it truly means to thrive in modern life.So many ambitious people appear successful on the outside while quietly feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, emotionally exhausted, or stuck. This conversation explores why.Together, we unpack:The relationship between discomfort and performanceEmotional intelligence, self-awareness, and training presence under pressureWhy so many high performers operate from fear and self-protection instead of trustThe importance of play, compassion, and staying connected to what mattersHow leaders can better understand themselves and othersThis isn’t just a conversation about achievement or potential.It’s a conversation about being human.Susie shares honest and practical reflections on identity, sustainable high performance, and what we need to be willing to experience in order to grow. If you’re a leader, founder, creative, athlete, or someone navigating pressure, growth, or change, this episode will challenge your thinking and help you reflect on how you show up in the world.About Susie:Today’s guest is someone who sits right at the intersection of high performance… and being fully human.Susie Kindred is a clinical psychologist, performance and mindset coach, and someone who has spent over 15 years working with leaders, athletes, creatives, and high achievers operating under real pressure. But what makes Susie different is this, she doesn’t just focus on performance in isolation. Her work is about sustainable high performance… helping people thrive without burning out, think clearly under pressure, and stay connected to what actually matters. She’s worked across clinical psychology and high-performance environments, blending science with real-world application to help people train their minds like they train for everything else. In this conversation, we go deep into the inner game, how you manage pressure, navigate self-doubt, and build a version of success that actually feels good to live.If you’ve ever achieved a lot… but still felt like something was missing this one’s going to land.” https://kindredthriving.com/resources/ https://kindredthriving.com/shift-waitlist/ Support the show
Transcribe →Why Most Leaders Stay Stuck (And How to Break Free) | John Carrington
May 401:17:40Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailStrategy, decision-making, and the mindset shift from busy operator to effective leader.In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, we sit down with John Carrington to explore what it really takes to lead with clarity, confidence, and intention in today’s fast-moving world.Too many leaders find themselves stuck in reactive mode, firefighting, overwhelmed, and constantly pulled in different directions. But what if the real shift isn’t about doing more… but thinking differently?John shares powerful insights on:The transition from operator to strategic leaderWhy clarity is the foundation of performanceHow to make better decisions under pressureThe hidden cost of staying reactiveBuilding trust, alignment, and momentum in your teamThis is a conversation about leadership at a human level, understanding yourself, your patterns, and how you show up when it matters most.If you’re a leader, founder, or ambitious professional looking to step out of chaos and into control, this episode will challenge your thinking and give you practical tools to move forward.About John John Carrington is a Non-Executive Director, business coach, and advisor who’s spent years operating at board level, both nationally and internationally. He’s led organisations as a Managing Director and CEO, navigating complexity, pressure, and the kind of decisions most people avoid. John made the decision 12 months ago to back away from the CEO role and move into a more fulfilling venture helping others thrive as a chair of Vistage. What stands out about John is his no-nonsense, pragmatic approach, he’s driven by purpose, focused on results, and known for helping leaders cut through the noise to actually execute, not just plan. In this conversation, we go beyond titles and into what it really takes to lead, how you keep pushing yourself when things get tough, how you stay grounded under pressure, and what it means to build both short-term wins and long-term strategy at the same time.If you’re serious about leadership, not just talking about it, but living it this one’s for you.”🎧 Listen now and start unlocking your leadership potential.Linkedin ProfileChimp ParadoxBlackBox Thinking Haptiv8Start with Why VideoSupport the show
Transcribe →Running Towards Fear: Adam Brashaw on Pressure, Identity & Unlocking Human Potential
Apr 1101:17:45Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA deep dive into performance psychology, martial arts mindset, and building confidence when everything is on the line.Most people avoid pressure.Today’s guest runs straight into it.Adam Brashaw is an elite stunt performer working on major Hollywood productions, doubling for actors in high-risk environments where failure isn’t an option. But behind the action is something deeper, a mindset built through years of discipline, martial arts, and relentless personal development.In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, we go far beyond the stunts.We explore:What happens psychologically when the stakes are highHow to stay calm, focused, and effective under pressureThe role of discipline, martial arts, and identity in elite performanceWhy confidence isn’t something you’re born with it’s something you trainHow to build resilience in both your personal and professional lifeAdam also shares insights from his journey into action design, fight coordination, and building his own brand through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, highlighting how performance isn’t just about what you do, but who you become in the process.If you’re a leader, business owner, athlete, or someone navigating pressure in your own life this conversation will challenge how you think about fear, growth, and what you’re truly capable of.🎧 Listen now and start unlocking your potential.About Adam Most people run from pressure… today’s guest runs straight at it or jumps over it!.Adam Brashaw is one of the film industry’s elite stunt performers doubling Ryan Reynolds in The Hitman’s Bodyguard and working on blockbuster productions like Avengers: Age of Ultron and Assassin’s Creed. When the stakes are high and the margin for error is zero… Adam’s the guy they trust.But this isn’t just about stunts.He’s a lifelong martial artist with a black belt in Kali plus a practitioner of Jeet Kune Do, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and many others….That depth has taken him beyond performing into becoming an action designer and fight coordinator, shaping the scenes you feel, not just watch.Away from Hollywood, he’s also the founder of Cuddle Club Jiu Jitsu building discipline, confidence, and connection off the mats as much as on them. And if you follow his journey on Instagram, you’ll see this isn’t a job… it’s a way of life.Today, we go beyond the action… into mindset, pressure, and what it really takes to perform when it matters most.Instagram - Adam BrashawCuddle Club IGCuddle Club website ikigai bookSupport the show
Transcribe →From Elite Sport to Elite Leadership: The Truth About Identity, Pressure & Performance
Apr 601:06:44Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailDr Mathew Inness on life after sport, redefining success, and what high performers get wrong about resilience.What happens when the thing that defined you… disappears?In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, I sit down with Dr Mathew Inness, former professional cricketer turned performance expert to explore the reality behind high performance.Not the highlight reels.Not the medals.The human side.We unpack what it really means to transition from elite sport into a new identity, and why so many high performers struggle when the external validation fades.This is a conversation about pressure, purpose, and rebuilding from the inside out.In this episode, we explore:The hidden psychological cost of high performanceWhy identity becomes your biggest strength… and your biggest trapWhat happens when performance no longer defines youThe transition from elite sport into business and leadershipHow to build resilience that isn’t dependent on outcomesThe mindset shift from external success → internal alignmentThis isn’t just for athletes.If you’re a leader, founder, or high performer who’s ever felt:Stuck despite successLost in transitionOr unsure what comes nextThis conversation will hit home.Listen now and start unlocking your next level of potential.About Mathew Dr. Mathew Inness is a former professional cricketer who competed at first-class level across Australia and the UK for over a decade, before transitioning into the world of elite performance. But what makes his journey powerful isn’t just the sport it’s what came next.With a PhD in sports science, an MBA, a background working with Olympic medal wining athletes as well as World Championships, and over a decade inside elite AFL environments including premiership success. Mathew has become one of the leading minds in high performance and human development. With almost 30 years in Professional and Olympic sport, he’s now leading high-performance and medical teams at the very top level of sport, helping individuals and organisations unlock what they’re truly capable of not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. This is a conversation about what it really takes to perform under pressure, build resilient systems, and maximise human potential when it matters most.Linkedin ProfileSupport the show
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Nicki Allen: From Physio to Founder | Human-Centred Innovation in Healthcare
Mar 3001:06:32Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailPhysiotherapist turned founder on health tech, autism support, wearable technology, leadership, and purpose-driven innovationWhat happens when you stop accepting the system… and start building something better?In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, Andy sits down with Nicki Allen, physiotherapist, innovator, and founder of Haptiv8, a health-tech company redefining how we support children with movement challenges.After years working in healthcare, Nicki saw first-hand the gaps particularly for children with autism and additional needs where traditional systems weren’t delivering what patients and families truly needed. Instead of accepting it, she chose to act. Through Haptiv8, she is developing wearable, sensory-driven technology designed to improve movement, enhance rehabilitation, and provide real-time insights for clinicians and families alike. But this conversation goes far beyond healthcare innovation.We explore:the courage it takes to step outside traditional career pathshow curiosity can become the foundation of innovationthe emotional side of leadership and decision-makingwhat it means to build something with real human impactand how to trust your instincts when something doesn’t feel rightThis is a conversation about purpose, leadership, healthcare, innovation, and the human side of building something that matters.About Nicki Nicki Allen physiotherapist, innovator, and founder of Haptiv8, a health-tech company redefining how we support children with movement challenges.Nicki’s work sits at the intersection of clinical practice, technology, and human-centred care. After years working in healthcare, she saw first-hand the gaps in how we support children with conditions like autism particularly those struggling with mobility and development and decided to do something about it. Through Haptiv8, she’s developing wearable, sensory-driven technology designed to improve movement, enhance rehabilitation, and give both clinicians and families better insight through real-time data. But behind the innovation is a much deeper story one of curiosity, courage, and stepping outside traditional pathways to build something that could genuinely change lives. This is a conversation about more than healthcare or technology.It’s about seeing a problem, trusting your instincts, and having the courage to create something better.”@haptiv8 Nicki Allen Support the show
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Nyla Whelan on Confidence, Self-Worth & Reinventing Yourself in Midlife
Mar 2401:07:14Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailHealthy by Nyla founder on mindset, women’s health, confidence, self-worth, habit change, motherhood, and authentic transformationWhat happens when you stop chasing perfection… and start becoming more fully yourself?In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, Andy sits down with Nyla Whelan, founder of Healthy by Nyla, to explore mindset, confidence, women’s health, self-worth, motherhood, stress, and sustainable transformation. Through her coaching, Nyla helps women build stronger bodies, healthier habits, and more confidence — but behind that work is a deeply human story of self-doubt, people-pleasing, burnout, and growth. Nyla speaks openly about growing up with insecurity, navigating her parents’ divorce, becoming a mother, raising children with autism, overtraining, stress-related health issues, and the pressure of trying to look like she had everything together while internally feeling very different. In this conversation, we explore:how mindset shapes choices, behaviour, and outcomes why perfectionism and external validation can quietly drive burnout how stress, sleep, and recovery affect health more than most people realise why authenticity is one of the most powerful tools in personal growthand how women can rebuild confidence at any ageNyla also shares practical tools that listeners can use straight away, including walking in nature, positive affirmations, gratitude, and getting honest about what they really want from life. This episode is for women, parents, coaches, leaders, and anyone interested in mindset, confidence, women’s health, self-development, recovery, and human potential.About NylaNyla Whelan founder of Healthy by Nyla, online coach, and a passionate advocate for helping women build stronger bodies, healthier habits, and more confidence in themselves. Through her coaching, Nyla supports women in learning how to train with purpose, fuel properly, build lean muscle, and break free from the cycle of extreme dieting. But behind the coaching is a real story of growth. Nyla’s journey through motherhood, challenge, and self-development has shaped the way she shows up today with honesty, warmth, and a level of authenticity that makes her deeply relatable to the women she supports. This episode explores the lessons she’s learned, the strength she’s built, and how becoming more fully yourself can unlock real transformation”@Healthy_by-nylaSupport the show
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The Edge of Chaos: Rick Cost on Leadership, Performance & Human Potential
Mar 2401:28:03Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailRick Cost a performance leader on sports science, recovery, leadership, environment design, and helping teams perform at the edge of chaosWhat does it really take to build a high-performance environment in elite sport?In this episode of Unlocking Human Potential, Andy sits down with Rick Cost human movement scientist, physiotherapist, and high-performance leader working at the top level of world sport to explore the deeper science and philosophy behind performance, leadership, recovery, and team culture.Rick shares a fascinating perspective on performance through the lens of entropy: the idea that great environments need enough structure to create safety, but enough disorder to spark innovation, growth, and better thinking. He describes strong leadership as helping people operate at the edge of chaos where structure ends, but creativity and ownership begin. This conversation explores:how elite leaders create safe but agile environmentswhy values and clarity give people confidence to think for themselves how trust, belonging, and shared leadership unlock better ideas why leaders should guide people rather than over-control them and how performance, recovery, and personal wellbeing must work together over timeRick also speaks honestly about family, travel, leadership pressure, and the importance of leading by example including sleep, recovery, and not glorifying overwork. This episode is for coaches, leaders, founders, practitioners, and anyone interested in high performance, sports science, leadership, team culture, recovery, and human potential.About Rick Rick Cost, a human movement scientist, physiotherapist, and one of the most respected minds in elite sports performance. With more than 25 years working at the highest level of international sport, Rick has helped shape how teams think about performance, recovery, and the science behind keeping athletes operating at their absolute edge. Rick’s career has taken him across Olympic sport and elite football, including leading performance environments at Dutch giants Feyenoord, directing high performance for U.S. Soccer, and today overseeing performance at Olympique Lyonnais in France’s Ligue 1. He’s known for bringing together sports medicine, strength and conditioning, analytics, and emerging technologies to better understand the balance between training load, recovery, and injury prevention. But beyond the data and science, Rick’s real mission is helping athletes and teams unlock their potential, pushing the limits of performance while protecting the wellbeing of the people behind it.So today we explore what it really takes to build high-performance environments in modern sport and also some more about entropy of the sun!Ricks LinkedInSupport the show
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