At 38, Matthew White’s world changed overnight. A seizure on the football pitch led to a devastating diagnosis, an extensive, incurable brain tumour. In this deeply emotional Different Hats Series 8 finale, Matthew shares his journey of survival, hope, and redefining success in the face of uncertainty.

He opens up about the physical and emotional battles of brain surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, and the profound lessons he’s learned along the way, about time, presence, gratitude, love, vulnerability, and what it really means to live.

Through his writing and advocacy, Matthew has become a voice for resilience and change, challenging stereotypes about masculinity, illness, and success. His words are raw, real, and profoundly moving.

Join Matthew and I was we explore themes of identity, perspective, vulnerability, fatherhood, curiosity, emotional literacy, and the courage to keep learning, no matter what life brings.

00:00 – Introduction

05:30 – Redefining success and identity after illness

10:00 – Living authentically vs. living society’s narrative

15:00 – The importance of curiosity, learning, and participation

20:00 – Finding joy in the small things

25:30 – The seizure, the scan, and hearing the words “It’s cancer”

33:00 – Family resilience and being home for Christmas

39:00 – Controlling the controllables

42:30 – Balancing hope and realism

45:00 – Documenting his journey to help others

49:00 – Processing trauma and finding control through learning

56:00 – “Don’t give up — it will get better”

1:03:00 – Building emotional intelligence through psychotherapy

1:10:00 – Finding his voice again

1:17:00 – The power of asking for help

1:23:00 – Creating a cocoon of support and redefining vulnerability

1:30:00 – Lessons from his children

1:38:00 – Rethinking time and what really matters

1:45:00 – The evolved version of Matthew White

1:48:00 – Perspective: what really matters each day

1:50:00 – The biggest lesson of all: never stop learning

1:52:00 – Messages for his wife and children

1:55:00 – Living in hope and staying one step ahead

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 Connect with Matthew White

Instagram: @livingwithabraintumour

💡 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.

Search Seven – www.searchseven.co.uk

Nostos Hove – www.nostos-hove.co.uk

Rivervale – www.rivervale.co.uk

Plus X – https://www.plusxinnovation.com/

🎥 PRODUCED BY: H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really mean to speak your truth in a divided world?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Jonathan Lea solicitor, entrepreneur, and founder of The Jonathan Lea Network, for an honest conversation about courage, conviction, and authenticity.

Jonathan opens up about growing his law firm, navigating controversy, and standing firm on his beliefs during one of the most polarising times in modern history. We talk about free speech, the fear of speaking out, and why honest debate, even when uncomfortable, is essential for personal and societal growth.

From lessons in leadership and fatherhood to the rise of AI in law, this episode is a masterclass in integrity, presence, and redefining success.

• Redefining success through courage and authenticity
• Free speech, emotional intelligence & healthy debate
• The impact of COVID, censorship & social media
• Leadership, balance & presence in fatherhood
• The future of law and AI’s role in human creativity

00:00 Introduction

03:21 “How do you define success?” – career, family, campaigning

10:16 Success as a feeling vs. milestones; surviving a tough market

25:50 Should debate be taught in schools?

27:00 Pandemic years: campaigning, reputation, and staying civil online

33:48 Values vs. opinions: can relationships survive big differences?

38:13 “Freedom movement,” Tommy Robinson, and division

41:38 Immigration, patriotism, compassion & policy

50:41 Who benefits? Foreign policy, media narratives, and nuance

1:07:31 Why Jonathan spoke out during COVID

1:10:05 Censorship, protests, platform bans & media framing

1:20:36 Did speaking out hurt business? (what actually happened)

1:26:38 Leadership vs. being anodyne; standing for something

1:28:35 Lockdowns, collateral harms & vaccine passports

1:31:41 Can opposing truths coexist?

1:36:02 How to speak up safely (regulators, sources, IHRA, AI checks)

1:43:35 How his firm uses AI (ChatGPT & Gemini) across legal work

1:55:23 Will AI replace lawyers? Where humans still add value

1:59:48 The next 5 years: tech, team, and growth mindset

2:06:02 New fatherhood, balance & presence

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 CONNECT WITH JONATHAN LEA:

Website: https://www.jonathanlea.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanlea/

Search Seven – www.searchseven.co.uk

Nostos Hove – www.nostos-hove.co.uk

Rivervale – www.rivervale.co.uk

Plus X – https://www.plusxinnovation.com

🎥 PRODUCED BY: H2 Productions

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does true success really mean? In this inspiring conversation, I sit down with Sarah Willingham, entrepreneur, investor, former Dragon on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, and co-owner of the Brighton i360.

Sarah opens up about:

✨ Why she believes success is freedom, the ability to meander through life on your own terms.

✨ The heartbreaking loss of her soulmate during Covid and what he taught her about presence, happiness, and living fully.

✨ Her bold decision to take her four children out of school for three years to travel the world and why she calls it the best decision of her life.

✨ The challenges of entrepreneurship in hospitality, surviving Covid, and leading through tough times.

✨ Why she doesn’t believe in a career path but instead a life path building businesses and choices around lifestyle, values, and family.

✨ The lessons she’d tell her 20-year-old self (and why polishing basil leaves became her metaphor for life).

This raw and honest conversation shines a light on redefining success away from money, fame, or status, and instead towards balance, freedom, and presence.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by society’s blueprint for life, Sarah’s story will inspire you to carve your own path and embrace the beauty of just being.

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 Defining success: freedom & presence

06:00 Curiosity, chaos & why Sarah loves variety

13:30 The flawed dictionary definition of success

17:00 Walking, nature & recalibrating from adrenaline

26:00 Diarising “nothing” & finding presence

28:30 Taking kids out of school to travel the world

39:00 Challenging the education system

53:00 Finding her “thing” in business

1:01:00 Entrepreneurship, resilience & the WHY

1:07:30 Surviving hospitality during Covid

1:10:30 Balance, chaos & polishing basil leaves

1:14:20 Advice to her 20-year-old self

1:17:00 What does a life well lived look like?

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 Connect with Sarah Willingham

Website: https://sarahwilligham.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahwillingham/

💡 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:

Preston Insurance: https://prestoninsurancebrokers.co.uk/ - Episode Sponsor

Search Seven www.searchseven.co.uk

Nostos Hove www.nostos-hove.co.uk

Rivervale www.rivervale.co.uk

Plus X https://www.plusxinnovation.com/

PRODUCED BY: H2 Productions: https://h2productions.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.