The Bouncebackability Podcast

“Play is more than an activity; it is a feeling.”  In today's episode we are joined by special guests Adam Lusby and Dr Maarten Koeners. Both experts and advocates of the transformative power of play, the conversation illustrates how playfulness can be used to create ‘prosocial environments’, be that in classrooms, competitive sports or the workplace. We discuss the crucial link between play...

Today we speak to former professional rugby player, Rich Bryan. Having experienced the highs and lows of professional rugby (including having Rusty as a teammate at Bath), Rich’s playing career was ended by a difficult knee injury at the age of 30, resulting in a challenging career change that would test his resilience and mental well-being. In 2011 Rich joined the Rugby Players Association (RPA)...

Today we speak to Luke Doherty, Managing Director at Mindful Peak Performance. Having trained as an elite rugby player and capped for England under-18s, Luke’s passion for marrying elite performance and mindfulness has now developed into the wellness space with mind-blowing results. Achieving advanced-level mindfulness training qualifications from Breathworks and the Oxford University Mindfulness...

Today on the Bouncebackability Podcast we speak to  James Rutter, Chief Creative Officer at a pioneering frozen food company COOK. James joined COOK in 2010 after 15 years as a financial journalist and editor. He now oversees internal and external branding and communications across the organisation.  COOK is a founding UK B Corp, committed to using its business as a force for good in society and h...

Today on the Bouncebackability Podcast,  Simon and Rusty reflect on the first series, sharing insights from their conversations with some amazing and truly insightful guests. Learn about defining resilience, the impact of toxic environments, the significance of language in shaping our attitudes towards challenges or setbacks and loads more. Join us as we explore these key themes and how they’ve in...

Today on the Bouncebackability Podcast, we speak to John Fletcher, Head of Pathway and Elite Coach Development at Scottish Rugby. John has not found himself in this position by accident. With 10 years heading up England Rugby’s pathway, experiencing the position of Director and Rugby as well as founding The Magic Academy coaching development organisation, John knows a thing or two about the sport....

Today on the Bouncebackability Podcast, we speak to the international speaker and storyteller, Clare Murphy. Clare has an impressive CV. Not only is she the Director of Story at the Mission Critical Institute in the USA, she’s also a consultant and trainer for worldwide organisation, such as the National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, BLESMA Limbless Veterans, and University of Bristol. C...

In today’s episode of the Bouncebackability Podcast, we have the pleasure of talking to Associate Professor of Sport and Performance Psychology, Dr Mustafa Sarkar. Join us as we take a deep-dive into the parallels and learning opportunities that come from elite sport, with special focus on how the environment shapes the performance and resilience of team productivity and mindset.  Mustafa shares h...

In this episode of the Bouncebackability Podcast with Simon and Rusty, we welcome an incredible guest – a senior defense consultant and Tornado F3 fighter pilot, Justin Reuter. Drawing on his own personal journey as a military weapons instructor (think the UK’s equivalent of ‘Top Gun’) and Commander of the UK Air Forces in the Middle East, Justin shares his insights on how civilians can adopt mili...

Welcome back to the Bouncebackability Podcast with Simon Ursell and Rusty Earnshaw. Today we are joined by a very special guest, Kirk Vallis, Global Head of creative Capability Development at Google. We delve into some fascinating topics, including - the intersection of AI and creativity; the power of experimentation as a catalyst for safer and more ambitious goals, and the concept of Ten X thinki...

In this episode, Simon and Rusty welcome their special guest Suzanne Brown to share her insights and experiences around emotional fitness within the workplace. Suzanne emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of psychological safety, both within oneself and in relationships with others.  Together they discuss the impact of providing emotional fitness classes to employees and the lasting eff...

Myke Parrott is the Founder of I-Gem Associates – an ambitious and innovative recruitment company with expertise within the gaming and data science & engineering industries. He has over 15 years of recruitment experience and has always been passionate about developing people and creating great opportunities for them. Over 18 months ago, Myke’s company adopted a 4-day working week with positive...

Phoebe Schecter is pioneering the world of American Football, having empowered women in sport by becoming the first British female coach in the NFL. Her bounceback moment was taking a complete 180 away from her comfort zone and moving to the UK. Despite her initial lack of interest in American Football, she seized an opportunity to push her limits and face imposter syndrome head-on. Join us as we...

Welcome to the first episode of the Bouncebackability podcast! Fasten your seat belts, we’re in for a bouncy ride. In this episode, Rusty and Simon share their motivation behind setting up the pod and its aim to provide genuine insight, as well as ideas how we can navigate unknown territories and the potential to use these experiences to thrive, not just survive, during challenging times.   Simon...