The HODCAST - Building Conversations

Season One Finale. In this episode of The Hodcast, Sam La Roche sits down with Tyler Butt — a fast-rising entrepreneur with over 4 million followers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. But this conversation isn’t about social media. It’s about something far more important: Why everyday life feels harder than it should. From building a brand at a young age to helping millions simplify their routi...

Most people don’t choose their life. They inherit it. In this episode of The Hodcast, Sam La Roche sits down with Will Polston to explore why so many people feel stuck, even when they’re doing everything “right”. From identity and belief systems to high performance and burnout, this conversation goes beyond typical self-development advice and asks a harder question: Are you building a life that’s...

What happens when kindness becomes a professional standard, not just a personal choice? In Conversation 50 of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Carmel Saulbrey, Founder of The Kindness Code, shares her experience leading therapeutic children’s homes and working with young people who have experienced trauma. This is a conversation about courage, leadership and what it really takes to support peo...

What does it mean to take real pride in your work? In Conversation 49 of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Timmy Mercer, Hod carrier for over 4 decades, shares his experience as a hod carrier and what it means to build a reputation through consistency, discipline and graft, Hard Graft! This episode explores the value of roles that are often overlooked and the people who quietly set the standard...

What does it mean to design a life you can actually live? In this episode of The Hodcast, Patrick Whitlock sits down with Sam La Roche to talk about his journey as a bricklayer, trainer, father and gay man working in construction. For years Patrick felt he had to hide a part of himself in order to fit into the culture of building sites. In this conversation he reflects on the pressure that creates...

How much do you really know about the bricks around you? In Conversation 47 of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Max McClean of Camtech Building Products Ltd and Marc van Rijn of Caprice Baksteen share the story behind one of the most important materials in construction. From sourcing clay in the rivers of the Netherlands to producing bricks at incredible scale, this episode explores the craft,...

How do we genuinely prepare students with special educational needs for the workplace? In this episode of The Hodcast, Michelle Belsey, Careers Curriculum Lead and Teacher at Castledon School Academy Trust, joins Sam La Roche for one of the most uplifting conversations we have had. Michelle works directly with students with special educational needs, building confidence, employability skills and r...

What does it take to start building a serious business at 20 years old? In Conversation 45 of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Naud Van Rijn shares his journey from passion for combat sports to founding Capra Core, a performance focused combat sports brand. We discuss • The discipline martial arts builds • Starting a company at a young age • Building identity through sport • Leadership and res...

There was a time when culture was built in rooms, not feeds. Before everything became content. Stu Whiffen joins Sam La Roche to reflect on representing a generation of cultural operators who worked before social media shaped how we create, share and consume. Stu’s journey spans musician, club promoter, promoter at The Pink Toothbrush in Rayleigh, founder of Pod Bible, host of Off The Beat & T...

Why does social media feel more hostile, divided, and polarised than ever? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche, Charles Arthur explores how social media platforms shape behaviour and why division is not an accident, but a by product of how these systems are designed. Charles Arthur is an experienced journalist and author, best known for his work covering technology and its impa...

How can lessons from motorsport improve the way we build? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche , George Blundell , Managing Director of Explore Modular , shares how racing shaped his thinking around precision, preparation and performance. We talk about • Why by working together we achieve more • Parallels between motorsport and modular construction • Leadership under pressure •...

In this episode of The Hodcast, I am joined by Clare Friel, Managing Director of Friel Marketing, for a wide-ranging conversation about marketing, AI, leadership, and legacy in a digital and construction-led world. We talk about how people and businesses really behave online, not how they intend to. Clare shares her perspective on authenticity without virtue signalling, how leaders should decide w...

Why is construction overlooking one of the most skilled and disciplined talent pools available? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche, Will Draper, founder of Military to Masonry, explains why ex military personnel are ideally suited to construction and how better pathways could transform both the industry and the lives of service leavers. We talk about• The transferable skills v...

Exclusive for Hodcast listeners! www.authenticbrew.com Our listeners gets a 10% discount throughout January if they use ‘ AR10 ’ at checkout! For more from Andy Ramage go to the links below! www.andyramage.com www.coachbusiness.school What if high performance is not about doing more, but removing what is holding you back? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche , Andy Ramage shares...

How do you move from running a business to shaping an industry? In the first episode of the new year, Sam La Roche sits down with Garry Staines to reflect on the progress made since his last appearance on The Hodcast and how new initiatives have reshaped his approach to leadership, training and influence. Garry shares insight into • Building Site Ready Solutions and new training pathways • The imp...

This special episode of The Hodcast brings together some of the most powerful moments from conversations recorded throughout 2025. Hosted by Sam La Roche , this highlights episode features clips from • Charlie Collison• Cllr Jessica Power• Lee Marley• Richard "Greeny" Green• Bob Noseda Together, these voices reflect the themes that shaped the year. Training, leadership, skills, regenerat...

What actually keeps young people engaged in training and work, and why do so many systems fail them? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche , Martyn Price MBE shares his experience of building employability and training models that focus on people first, not just outcomes. We talk about • Why dropout rates remain high• The role of relationships in employability• What makes pre emp...

Rupert Bates joins Sam La Roche to discuss the future of house building in the UK, what leaders are really talking about, and how media, industry and education must align to inspire the next generation. Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd Powered by Garry Staines #TogetherWeCanShow House Media - https://www.showhouse.co.uk/ WhatHouse? Awards - https://www.whathouse.com/awards/ BBQ...

Why is construction struggling to attract young people, and what do we need to change to fix it? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche , Dan Edwards , Founder of Constructed Pathways , shares what he has learned from working directly with young people, schools and industry leaders. We discuss 📉 Why many young people do not see construction as a real opportunity 🎓 How education...

How do you attract people who are not ready to buy, commit or make a decision? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche , Jill Willis , Founder of Attract & Engage , explains why the answer lies in stronger storytelling, better communication and a clearer understanding of the 95 percent who are not yet ready to take action. We talk about: 📰 The influence of her journalism backg...

What happens when someone hits rock bottom and chooses to climb their way back up? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche , Logan Price , Degree Apprentice, Mental Health Ambassador and advocate for innovation and sustainability in construction, opens up about his journey through mental health struggles and recovery. We explore: How he faced suicidal thoughts and rebuilt his minds...

This week Sam La Roche talks with Mark Imray about the real state of UK construction. Mark started as an apprentice and worked his way up to construction director and beyond, giving him a lifetime of insight into how the industry works. They explore what the sector needs in 2025, why mentoring matters, what apprentices are facing on site and how strong leaders can shape the future. #TogetherWeCan...

Why is the construction industry struggling to attract and keep people, and what can we do to fix it? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche, Andy Stevens, founder of The Build Network UK, talks openly about the challenges that are stopping people from joining the industry and what needs to change. We cover: 👷 The barriers to bringing new people into construction💬 When and how r...

Can failure be the foundation for future success? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche , Nick Brasier , Construction Director at Stonebond , shares how the lessons learned through failure have shaped his leadership and approach to building teams in construction. We talk about: 👷 How challenges and setbacks became turning points💬 Why good leaders learn more from mistakes than v...

What does true regeneration look like beyond the headlines? In this episode of The Hodcast , hosted by Sam La Roche, Darren Rodwell, former Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, shares his perspective on leadership, housing, and creating opportunity in one of London’s most ambitious boroughs. We talk about:🏙️ The real challenges of regeneration and renewal💬 Balancing housing growth with communi...