EXECS WHO RUN

Simon Feldman’s story is not a typical Execs Who Run conversation. A founding partner in one of Australia’s largest retail groups, his life imploded after he embezzled $16.7 million and was sentenced to six and a half years in prison. What followed was a brutal reckoning with consequences, identity, and the long, messy process of rebuilding.In this conversation, Simon opens up about how the collapse unfolded, what prison is really like beyond the clichés, and why the years after release were arguably harder than the sentence itself.We also explore how running — introduced through his partner KJ — became a pathway to stability, connection, and a new life anchored in purpose rather than pressure.This episode is raw, honest, and a reminder that reinvention rarely comes from comfort.Episode Highlights• Step inside the boardroom moment where Simon’s life collapsed in seconds• How a random accounting anomaly unravelled a $16.7 million fraud• What prison is actually like when you are not built for violence• The mental fight to survive four years inside and four harder years on the outside• Why the right partner, the right habits, and the right boundaries can change everything• How running became his anchor — physically, emotionally, and relationally• The leadership lesson he lives by now: empower people, and let them go with their heart• His best advice for life, leadership, and running after everything he’s lived throughConnect with SimonBook: When a Good Man Makes Bad Decisions→ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/When-Good-Man-Makes-Decisions/dp/1922810709→ Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/when-a-good-man-makes-bad-decisions-simon-feldman/book/9781922810703.htmlConnect with Execs Who RunWebsite → https://execswhorun.comInstagram → https://instagram.com/execswhorunLinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/execs-who-runConnect with JasonInstagram → https://instagram.com/jasonzane_LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhuntIf this episode resonates, share it with a friend who runs. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it helps more leaders find the miles that matter.

Scott Pugh has spent the past 15 years building teams and markets across Asia, most recently as the GM of APAC for Figma. Outside the office, he’s obsessed with some of the toughest endurance challenges in the region — including Hong Kong’s infamous 298-kilometre Four Trails Ultra Challenge.In this conversation, Scott opens up about the moment he told himself he “couldn’t run”, how he rewired that script, and what ultra-endurance has taught him about resilience, failure, leadership, and never giving up. We unpack the endurance mindset, how to debrief failure without ego, and why the biggest breakthroughs happen when you choose goals you have no right to complete.HighlightsHow a disastrous 800-metre school race convinced Scott he wasn't a runner for 15 yearsThe brutal reality of Hong Kong Four Trails and the humbling lessons from two DNFsWhy failure is a better teacher than success, if you debrief like an operatorHow Scott uses endurance mindset principles to lead high-performing teams across AsiaThe power of big, uncomfortable goals to drive growth in life and leadershipWhy his best thinking happens while run-commuting through SingaporeThe surprising overlap between ultra runners and elite sales performersConnect with Scott:→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottpughExecs Who Run:→ Website – https://execswhorun.com→ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/execs-who-run→ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/execswhorunJason:→ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhunt→ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jasonzane_If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who runs.Follow Execs Who Run on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it helps more leaders find the miles that matter.

Luke Carlson has spent two decades mastering performance — in business and in running. As the founder and CEO of Discover Strength, a 30-plus-location fitness company built around evidence-based strength training, Luke’s leadership philosophy is as structured as his marathon build-ups. A former NFL strength coach turned entrepreneur, he’s now chasing a sub-three-hour marathon at age 45, while running one of the most disciplined fitness franchises in the world.In this episode, Luke shares what the process really looks like — from building a company “built to last,” to running 31 marathons with precision, and balancing science, ambition, and joy along the way.HighlightsHear how Luke turned a single 2,000-sq-ft gym into a global franchise guided by purpose, not ego.Learn why he believes most runners (and leaders) get the 80/20 rule completely wrong.Discover how to train smarter: the science-based strength plan every runner should follow.Explore the connection between structure, leadership, and freedom — in business and in running.Understand why progress, not perfection, drives both performance and fulfilment.Take away Luke’s timeless framework for vision, purpose, and growth that any leader can apply.Connect with Luke Carlson:→ Instagram – @lukecarlson3070→ Discover StrengthConnect with Execs Who Run:→ LinkedIn – Execs Who Run→ Instagram – @execswhorunConnect with Jason Hunt:→ LinkedIn – Jason Hunt→ Instagram – @jasonzane_If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who runs. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and leave a quick review — it helps more leaders find the miles that matter.

Jess Baird Walsh has turned a simple 30-day challenge into an extraordinary streak of over 1,150 consecutive days of running — and she’s not stopping until she raises $1 million for the Indigenous Marathon Foundation. A leader in AI and innovation, startup founder, and mother of three, Jess brings the same consistency, grit, and self-accountability to her career that she does to the road. In this episode, she and Jason unpack what running every day has taught her about resilience, identity, and finding purpose beyond personal achievement.HighlightsHear how a doctor’s advice to “try running” changed Jess’s life at 18.Learn how a 30-day challenge became a three-year streak (and counting).Discover what running every day taught her about resilience, self-leadership, and accountability.Explore how she found her new purpose supporting the Indigenous Marathon Foundation.Understand why running is her anchor for navigating challenge, grief, and growth.Find out how Jess balances running, parenting, and leading innovation at a major firm.Connect with Jess:→ LinkedIn – Jess Baird Walsh→ Support the Indigenous Marathon FoundationConnect with Execs Who Run:→ Website – execswhorun.com→ LinkedIn – Execs Who Run→ Instagram – @execswhorunConnect with Jason Hunt:→ LinkedIn – Jason Hunt→ Instagram – @jasonzane_If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who runs. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and leave a quick review — it helps more leaders find the miles that matter.

When a rockstar turns 50 and runs his first marathon, and his coach breaks a world record in a suit — this is what happens next.What happens when two very different runners cross the same finish line — one in a three-piece suit, the other five days after his 50th birthday?In this Execs Who Run bonus episode, Jason Hunt and Tim Minchin sit down to relive the Melbourne Marathon. Jason shares what it took to break the Guinness World Record for fastest marathon in a suit, while Tim unpacks how his first 42km run reshaped his idea of aging, endurance, and joy.It’s an unfiltered, funny, and surprisingly deep conversation about pain, pacing, pride, and why running can be both ridiculous and profoundly human.In This Episode:How Tim’s first marathon turned into a lesson in midlife momentumJason’s behind-the-scenes of running 2:38 in a full tailored Institchu suitThe strange overlap between art, leadership, and enduranceWhy discomfort tolerance beats raw talent — in sport and in lifeWhat’s next: Tim’s London Marathon dream and Jason’s next record attemptConnect with Tim Minchin:→ timminchin.com→ Instagram – @timminchinConnect with Execs Who Run:→ Website – execswhorun.com→ LinkedIn – Execs Who Run→ Instagram – @execswhorunConnect with Jason Hunt:→ LinkedIn – Jason Hunt→ Instagram – @jasonzane_If this conversation made you want to go for a run (or buy a better suit), share it with a friend who runs. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — and leave a quick review to help more leaders find the miles that matter.

Ned Phillips has sold horse manure door-to-door, run companies across Asia, and now runs Backyard Ultras for fun — the kind where you loop 6.7 kilometres every hour until everyone else quits. The British-born entrepreneur and former CEO turned solopreneur has built and lost multimillion-dollar startups, led with empathy through failure, and found joy in suffering. In this conversation, Jason and Ned explore how endurance sports and business share the same brutal truths: pain is inevitable, ego is fragile, and resilience is a choice.HighlightsHear how Ned went from selling fertilizer to running a listed financial company in Asia.Learn how building and losing a $20M startup reshaped his definition of leadership.Discover how he found running through a 100km race — as his first ever run.Explore the philosophy of Backyard Ultra and the fine line between grit and madness.Understand what “the art of suffering” really means, in running, leadership, and life.Find out why empathy and curiosity are the most underrated sales and leadership skills.Connect with Ned:→ LinkedIn – Ned Phillips→ Ned’s Website – teachpeoplesales.comConnect with Execs Who Run:→ Website – execswhorun.com→ LinkedIn – Execs Who Run→ Instagram – @execswhorunConnect with Jason Hunt:→ LinkedIn – Jason Hunt→ Instagram – @jasonzane_If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who runs. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and leave a quick review — it helps more leaders find the miles that matter.

Tim Minchin — comedian, composer, lyricist, actor, and accidental marathon trainee — shares the story of how running has been a thread through every stage of his life. From childhood asthma in Perth, to Melbourne’s struggling artist years, through the highs of Matilda, the heartbreak of Larrikins, and his current build-up to the Melbourne Marathon, Tim reflects on how running has given him resilience, self-worth, and perspective at every stage. It’s a conversation about creativity, leadership, and why running continues to shape the way he approaches life and work.In this conversation, we cover:Growing up with asthma and discovering endurance through hockeyWhy running became a coping mechanism in his toughest Melbourne yearsThe role running played during creative success and setbacks — from Matilda to LarrikinsStories from his 91-minute half marathon in London and a City2Surf PB at 49Training routines, favourite Sydney routes, and rediscovering the joy of runningHow running connects to resilience, creativity, and leadership in his life todayPreparing for the Melbourne Marathon at 50, and what it means at this stage of his lifeReflections on identity, ambition, and proving things to yourself when no one else is watchingFollow Tim Minchin:Website: timminchin.comInstagram: @timminchinSpotify: Tim MinchinStay Connected with Jason & Execs Who Run:Jason Hunt: LinkedIn | InstagramExecs Who Run: LinkedIn | InstagramWebsite: execswhorun.comJoin the community: Execs Who Run Strava Group

Phoebe Pincus — COO of Startmate, co-founder of Cheeky Run Club, and marathon runner — joins Execs Who Run to share how running has transformed her approach to life and leadership. From ocean swims in Bronte to the cultural boom of run clubs post-COVID, Phoebe shows how running can be more than exercise — it can reshape identity, community, and confidence.In this episode, we explore:Why her Always Swim mantra is about more than just the oceanThe leap from Startmate Women Fellowship to COOThe founding story of Cheeky Run Club and the rise of running cultureDiscipline, systems, and the myth of willpowerHow running builds resilience and self-confidence in work and lifeThe lessons she’s learned from burnout, overtraining, and recoveryHer advice on balance, leadership, and doing hard things with joyQuote from Phoebe:“Discipline isn’t forcing yourself to do hard things — it’s building systems so the good things feel easy.” — Phoebe PincusFollow Phoebe Pincus: Instagram: @cheekyrunclubLinkedIn: Phoebe Pincus Stay Connected with Jason & Execs Who Run: Jason Hunt: LinkedIn | InstagramExecs Who Run: LinkedIn | InstagramWebsite: execswhorun.comJoin the community: Execs Who Run Strava Group

Xavier Shay joins Execs Who Run to explore how software engineering, executive leadership, and distance running all thrive on structure, systems, and sustained effort.From his time scaling Square in the U.S. to leading innovation at Bendigo Bank, Xavier brings deep insight into building cultures that work—and staying grounded through running.🔑 Key Moments in This Episode:Accidentally signing up for a half marathon on a Wednesday (and running it solo)The shift from software engineer to manager at Square during hypergrowthHow leadership became a natural extension of systems-thinkingCEO role at Up and how the fintech was integrated post-acquisitionThe benefits of running clubs and community in San Francisco and MelbourneHis most meaningful race: a 3-day 200km ultramarathon with his fatherThe power of consistency, simplicity, and knowing your personal operating systemWhy more companies should have gyms—and how wellness builds workplace cultureFollow Xavier Shay:Xavier Shay’s Blog: https://xaviershay.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xaviershay/Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/xshayStay Connected with Jason & Execs Who Run:Jason Hunt (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonzanehunt/Execs Who Run (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/execs-who-runInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/execswhorun/Website: https://execswhorun.com🎧 Support the Show:Enjoyed this episode? Please follow, rate, and review Execs Who Run on your favourite podcast platform—and share it with someone who runs toward big goals.

In this inspiring conversation, Catriona McGregor—General Counsel and executive leader at Domain—shares her remarkable journey through law, leadership, motherhood, scuba diving, and ultramarathon running.Key Moments in This Episode:Growing up in Scotland and England, and her winding path into lawHow scuba diving in Fiji and the Galápagos shaped her spirit of adventureMoving to Sydney and building a leadership career at DomainMotherhood, identity, and discovering running as personal sanctuaryFrom a first 10K to half-marathons, trail races, and the Ultra-Trail Australia 100kmLessons on perfectionism, fear of failure, and resilienceThe parallels between long-distance running and executive leadershipPreparing for her next big challenge: the UTMB OCC race in ChamonixFollow Catriona McGregor:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catriona-mcgregor-b1520338/Stay Connected with Jason & Execs Who Run:Jason Hunt (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonzanehunt/Execs Who Run LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/execswhorunInstagram (Execs Who Run): https://www.instagram.com/execswhorunJason’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonzane_/Strava Group: https://www.strava.com/clubs/execswhorunWebsite: https://execswhorun.com👉 If Catriona’s story inspired you, please follow, rate, and review Execs Who Run on your favourite podcast platform—and share this episode with someone who could use some motivation.