Full-time to Fulfilled with Matt Crabtree

Host Matt Crabtree speaks with Adrian Hands, Partner at Positive Momentum, whose 30-year career spans media, technology and TripAdvisor before making the move into independent consulting. Adrian shares why curiosity, relationships and redefining success have been central to his journey; offering practical insights on building a trusted network and embracing career reinvention.

Host Matt Crabtree speaks with Paul Goundry, Partner at Positive Momentum with 20 years' experience helping businesses and leadership teams grow; having traded a senior corporate career for independent consulting five years ago, he hasn't looked back since.

  From commercial radio to Cambridge, Dr Mark Bloomfield charts a shift from leading transformation at Global to a portfolio career spanning consulting, board work and teaching at Cambridge Judge Business School. A COVID reset clarified priorities and sparked small, deliberate steps that built momentum, including a simple energy filter for choosing projects.   Mark's 100 people in 100 days practice - meeting with curiosity and no agenda - unlocked opportunities and reinforced that relationships beat credentials. He shares practical ways to track AI for commercial impact without the noise, and the everyday benefits of independence, from school pick ups to greater presence. If you are weighing a move from full time leadership to an independent path, this episode offers clear tactics, realistic expectations and a humane lens on success.  

  From leading banks to leading conversations in coaching, Andrew D'Arcy shares how he shifted from a high-profile corporate career - including CEO roles at Wesleyan Bank and senior leadership positions at RBS - to building a practice centred on curiosity, leadership, and helping others realise their potential.   Andrew reflects on stepping away from the corporate treadmill, why non-executive roles weren't the right fit, and how he chose to invest in becoming a professionally qualified coach. He talks candidly about the challenges of starting out, the importance of networking with intent, and the surprising lessons he's learned from clients along the way. With honesty and practical insight, Andrew reveals what fulfilment looks like for him today - flexibility, purpose, and the joy of seeing others thrive.

From finance boardrooms to coaching breakthroughs and bare-minimum Mondays, Andy Jones shares how he rewrote the rules of working life after a high-flying corporate career. Andy reflects on what it took to step away from senior roles at investment banks and financial institutions to build a new life as an executive coach and facilitator. With warmth, humility and humour, he opens up about the moment a coach changed the course of his life, why he returned to the classroom in his fifties, and how a single coffee would kickstart a whole new chapter. This is a conversation for anyone wondering if, and when, it's time to leap.

  From executive boardrooms to a colourful "fruit salad" of advisory, coaching, and charitable roles, Mark Evans shares how he transformed a high-powered corporate career into a life rich in variety, purpose, and fulfilment.   Mark reflects on leaving behind his role as Managing Director at Direct Line Group to build a portfolio career aligned with his values. He discusses the power of planning ahead, the importance of reframing ego, and the unexpected joys of coaching and charity work. With refreshing honesty and humour, he also unpacks what he misses from corporate life — and why, despite that, he's never looked back.

Stepping away from a high-profile career in journalism to start a consulting business is no small shift, but in this episode, Luisa Baldini shares how she turned her experience as a BBC correspondent into a thriving consultancy in communication and media training. From covering global news stories to coaching senior leaders, Luisa's transition was driven by a desire for more control, more impact, and a more balanced lifestyle. She opens up about the unexpected challenges of leaving a well-known brand, the power of storytelling in business, and why she believes strong communication skills are more crucial than ever in today's world. You'll discover why networking matters more than you think, how to position yourself with confidence, and the importance of pricing with conviction. Whether you're considering a leap into consulting or just looking to sharpen your communication skills, Luisa's insights on reinvention, resilience, and staying curious will leave you inspired.

Leaving the security of a corporate career can feel like a leap into the unknown, but in this episode, Alex Hambrook shares how he transformed his experience in corporate banking and FinTech into a thriving consulting practice. As a former Strategic Development Director at HPD Software and with a career that spans RBS, ABN Amro, and Ebury, Alex didn't just survive stepping out on his own—he flourished, even amidst the challenges of the pandemic and a growing family. In this conversation, Alex reflects on how he built a flexible, fulfilling career while maintaining a strong work-life balance. You'll learn how to leverage your network, keep your positioning broad yet credible, and craft a consulting model that matches your ambitions. Alex's insights on variety, resilience, and finding energy in uncertainty will inspire anyone considering a move to independent consulting.

A special one off edition of Full time to Fulfilled featuring content produced by Google's extraordinary new NotebookLM platform that in one click has turned my book into an AI generated podcast! It's cheesy and all a bit forced but mind blowing in terms of how easy it was to produce. What could you do with this technology?

This fascinating episode charts the journey of a global executive leader operating at the highest level in the world of law to the life of an independent coach, advisor and educator. Richard Macklin previously served on the Global Board of the world's largest law firm as Global Vice Chair and Global Client Partner, responsible for the global client and markets strategy for a $2.5bn business located in 82 countries. Today he's a partner at The Alexander Partnership, a teaching Associate at the Møller Institute at Cambridge University, a course contributor at Oxford Saïd Business School and a Faculty member of Meyler Campbell, delivering executive coach training and leadership development. He also serves on the advisory board of Imperial College's MBA programme. He's also one of the most energised, wise and inspiring people we know.