The Mojo Podcast

Standing at the national anthem, sick, sore, and not sure he deserved his spot, Tom Wickham had a choice. His partner Candace had said she might fly over with their baby son to watch him play. So he closed his eyes and made himself one promise: be the man his younger self would look up to. He scored inside the first five minutes. They won 5-0.Tom is a dual Olympian and dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist for Australia's hockey team, the Kookaburras — but this episode isn't really about hockey. It's about the mid-career conversation that nearly finished him ("you care about everyone but yourself"), the three-word mantra he built to survive it, and why he now says the same thing to his kids, his clients, and himself. We go deep on pressure, purpose, and what it actually means to lean into your truth when everything in you wants to run.Tom Wickham is a coach, mentor, speaker, podcast host, facilitator, and founder of Game Changer Coaching & Mentoring. Through The Game Changer Way, he explores leadership, pressure, performance, and what it means to live and express authentically.Find Tom: gccoaching.co | Instagram @gccoaching.co | @tjwickham | Game Changer podcastHis Golden Thread in fullThe Golden ThreadThe Golden Thread… this is the essence we all carry. This is the highest frequency and vibration. This is authenticity.I feel myself reaching a new threshold here. It is pleasurable and somewhere I want to return to. I get excited to vibrate along this thread.It feels like home, true home, away from all inputs and yet so attuned to all of them at the same time.When I am one with the Golden Thread, I feel I am not body, I feel I lose the judgement of the physical world and of myself.It doesn’t even feel like love, it just feels silent, yet powerful beyond explanation… it feels like creation.It feels like what sits before a heart beat, before life, before anything in this dimension. It feels like the threshold to the expansive unknown… our gateway to the next dimension.”

Jon Mailer is the founder of PROTRADE United, Australia and New Zealand's leading business advisory and coaching organisation for the trades and construction industry. He's also the author of Not Just a Tradie — a book less about what to do and more about who to be.But before the business success came the breakdown.When his daughter was just six months old, Jon was running a 24-person business coaching company, carrying the full weight of provider pressure, not sleeping, refusing to ask for help, pushing harder when he should have stopped. Then one Saturday morning, standing in the shower having a shave, numbness crept down the left side of his body.He'd contracted Guillain-Barré syndrome — a rare autoimmune disorder that progressively attacked his nervous system. Within hours he was 95% paralysed. Four weeks in hospital. Learning to walk, talk and feed himself again.He went in as one man. He came out another.In this episode, Jon and I explore what it really means to go through the fire — and why that journey, as brutal as it is, is often the exact path a man needs to take to discover what he's actually made of and what he's here to give.We get into: Why the lone wolf approach doesn't work — and what it actually costs you The physical reality of a nervous breakdown and what it forced Jon to confront Gratitude as the antidote to resentment — a tool Jon's wife handed him in the hospital The messiness of awakening — why it's never a straight line from dark to light The wake-up, grow-up, clean-up journey and what each stage actually demands Why parenting is the ultimate test of your leadership What it means to lead without a mask — being the same person in every room Jon's hope for the future and the world his daughter is growing into Jon and I have shared a men's group together for over a year. That closeness shows in this conversation. It goes deep fast.Connect with Jon: protradeunited.com.au | [email protected] Jon's book: Not Just a Tradie — available via PROTRADE United

What does it mean to truly lead from the inside out? In this episode, I sit down with Matt Hocking — founder of planet-centred design and impact agency LEAP, co-founder of GOODFEST, B Corp ambassador, and one of the most genuinely thoughtful leaders I've had the pleasure of talking to. Matt's journey began at The Eden Project, where his deep fascination with the natural world first took root, and it's shaped everything he's built since.We get into the real stuff — burnout, what it strips away, and what it reveals. Matt talks openly about his own experience of running on empty, and how hitting that wall became one of the most clarifying moments of his life. It's a story a lot of leaders will recognise but rarely talk about.Nature sits at the heart of Matt's philosophy — not as a nice-to-have, but as a genuine teacher. We explore how reconnecting with the natural world helps leaders slow down, recalibrate, and rediscover what actually matters. In a business culture that rewards relentless doing, Matt makes a compelling case for the power of stillness.We also get into some territory that I think is long overdue in leadership conversations — the role of love and heart in how we lead. Matt believes the future of leadership looks less like command and control, and more like stewardship. Sharing responsibility. Creating the conditions for others to flourish. He talks about why uncomfortable conversations aren't something to avoid but something to lean into — because that's where the real growth happens.One of my favourite moments in this conversation is when Matt talks about agency — the idea that each of us, wherever we sit in an organisation, has the power to create change. Not waiting for permission. Not looking upward for the answer. Just beginning.As Matt puts it, the antidote to despair is action.In this episode we cover: What mojo means to Matt and why it fluctuates His journey through burnout and the profound self-discovery it triggered Why nature is one of the most underrated leadership tools available The shift from ego-driven leadership to heart-led stewardship Why difficult conversations are a gift, not a threat How to reclaim your agency when the world feels overwhelming Connect with Matt: Website: matthocking.eco LEAP Agency: leap.eco LinkedIn: Matt HockingHope you love it Richard 🦋 And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email. [email protected] I'm also opening the doors for a new Mojo Men's Group - starting in Feb '26. It's a powerful and safe space for Men to open up and grow together. https://www.mojo-leadership.com/mojo-men-s-groupThe Mojo Podcast Hosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza @mojorichard on Instagram [email protected] www.mojo-leadership.com (http://www.mojo-leadership.com) 

David McQueen works with CEOs and boards when decisions start to carry more consequence than certainty. He's someone who sits in rooms where the stakes are high, the information is incomplete, and there's no margin for error.In this episode, we discuss: What mojo means when you work at the sharp end of leadership The role of humanism and treating people with genuine respect Why silence creates space for deeper understanding Navigating change and the courage required to evolve Bravery in leadership - having the conversations others avoid Executive presence as a tool for judgment, not performance What gives David hope for the future Find out more about David's work on his website - https://davidmcqueen.co.uk/Hope you love it Richard 🦋 And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email. [email protected] I'm also opening the doors for a new Mojo Men's Group - starting in Feb '26. It's a powerful and safe space for Men to open up and grow together. https://www.mojo-leadership.com/mojo-men-s-groupThe Mojo Podcast Hosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza @mojorichard on Instagram [email protected] www.mojo-leadership.com (http://www.mojo-leadership.com) 

Ben Branson built Seedlip into the world's first non-alcoholic spirit brand. Five years after our first conversation, he's back - this time with a new venture (Sylva), recent autism and ADHD diagnoses, and a completely different understanding of himself.We talk about what the pandemic taught him about pivoting fast, why he's now extracting flavours from wood, and how discovering he's neurodivergent has changed how he leads. Ben's honest about what it's like to finally understand why his brain works the way it does - and how that's made him a better founder, father, and human.If you're curious about leadership, neurodiversity, or what it means to become more yourself as you get older, this one's for youHope you love it Richard 🦋 And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email. [email protected] I'm also opening the doors for a new Mojo Men's Group - starting in Feb 26. It's a powerful and safe space for Men to open up and grow together. https://www.mojo-leadership.com/mojo-men-s-groupThe Mojo Podcast Hosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza @mojorichard on Instagram [email protected] www.mojo-leadership.com (http://www.mojo-leadership.com) 

Davie Gowans built the business, hit the numbers, ticked all the boxes society said mattered, and felt emptier than ever.In this conversation, Davie opens up about the moment he realised that "success" as the world defines it wasn't the finish line he thought it was. What followed was a journey of stripping back – the control, the expectations, the identity tied to achievement – to find something more real underneath.We talk about what happens when you stop chasing and start listening. About the freedom that comes from letting go of who you're supposed to be. And about the quiet power of being in service to others rather than in pursuit of more.If you've ever wondered whether there's more to the game than winning it, this one's for you.Hope you love it Richard 🦋 And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email. [email protected] The Mojo Podcast Hosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza @mojorichard on Instagram [email protected] www.mojo-leadership.com (http://www.mojo-leadership.com) 

Dr. Alice Bunn works in space. Actual space. So when she talks about high-stakes collaboration, she means it. This conversation goes deep on leadership, trust, the courage to be wrong out loud — and why surrounding yourself with the right energy matters more than most of us admit.Alice's full bio is below. Hope you love it Richard 🦋 And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email. [email protected] The Mojo Podcast Hosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza @mojorichard on Instagram [email protected] www.mojo-leadership.com (http://www.mojo-leadership.com) Dr Alice Bunn is a globally recognised leader in science and engineering, with a distinguished career spanning strategic leadership, international diplomacy, and public engagement. Awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Honours List in 2022 for her services to the UK space sector, Alice is President of the UKspace Trade Association and has a 25- year career in the space sector where she has held leadership positions in national, European and global contexts. Alice sits on the Advisory Board of Strategy International and acts as strategic advisor to a number of companies spanning the UK and international space sectors. As former Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, she led a global organisation of over 115,000 members, where she successfully reversed a 15-year financial decline and implemented a transformative strategy focused on societal impact. Previously, Alice served as International Director at the UK Space Agency, where she secured record investments in the European Space Agency and pioneered new approaches to civil space security and infrastructure. Alice is a passionate advocate for science communication and is a chartered engineer. Alice is regularly called upon as a media expert contributor to all things space and engineering, appearing on BBC, Radio 4, ITN, Sky News and in demand as a speaker at international summits and conferences such as Davos, UN Summits, TEDx and more. Alice has a PhD in Metallurgy from Darwin College, University of Cambridge, and is also a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Aeronautical Society. As an avid wild swimmer, she proudly sits as the Chair of the Board at SwimTayka, a drowning prevention charity that teaches kids in developing countries to swim.

Oli Johnson is a 3x founder, exited entrepreneur, and the creator of PrescribeLife.AI, an AI-driven health tech solution helping leadership and performance coaches to help their clients stay healthy and high performing. With two decades of experience in technology within investment banking in London before launching and scaling multiple ventures, Oli brings his own perspective on the high-pressure world of leadership, success, and sustainable performance. Having personally dealt with the intense demands of both corporate and startup life - culminating in his own experience of burnout - he has made it his mission to solve a problem he once faced: how do you stay at the top of your game without sacrificing your health? This led to the creation of PrescribeLife.AI, a science-backed platform that uses biomarker data, facial scanning, and DNA resilience testing to detect burnout early and deliver personalised, actionable solutions. Now living in Ibiza, Oli balances running his latest venture with a slower, more intentional lifestyle - proof that high performance doesn’t have to come at the expense of wellbeing. Together with his co-founder, a UK consultant psychiatrist, he’s on a mission to help other founders and executives thrive, not just survive. Topics we explore: - Burnout and recovery Oli shares his own founder story, how burnout hit him hard, and what recovery looked like. - The challenges of startup life and leadership we look at the emotional and mental load founders carry, and how the current startup culture can be unsustainable. - How AI is reshaping the health tech landscape How Oli's new business is using the latest AI supported digital health technology to build resilience and predict and prevent burnout in real time.Remember to subscribe to be notified about new episodes. And please do rate & review this episode on Apple Podcasts.Hope you love itRichard 🦋And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email.The Mojo PodcastHosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza@mojorichard on [email protected]

"There is no White Knight coming to save you." My former boss Lindsay Pattison said this to me recently, and it landed hard. Lindsay was global CEO of Maxus, part of Mark Read's core WPP team, running a global agency network at what she calls "200 miles an hour." At that speed, you don't have time to question whether you're going in the right direction. You just go. Until the day she realized: this pace was making decisions for her. So she did something radical. She chose to pause. Not because she had to. Because she wanted agency over what came next. The conversation we had about this decision is one of the most honest I've recorded. It's about: * What it really means to have agency when you're at the top (it's not what you think) * The responsibility that comes with leadership that nobody talks about * How to make massive life decisions without certainty * What happens when you stop running and start choosing This is exactly why I'm launching the new series Mojo Under Fire - conversations about the crucible moments that forge great leaders Remember to subscribe to be notified about new episodes. And please do rate & review this episode on Apple Podcasts.Hope you love itRichard 🦋And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email.The Mojo PodcastHosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza@mojorichard on Instagramrichard@mojo-leadership.comwww.mojo-leadership.comChapters 00:00 Introduction and Initial Reflections on Mojo 03:01 Understanding Mojo: Authenticity and Magnetism 05:57 Navigating Change: The Power Pause 08:42 Leadership Evolution: From Solving to Listening 11:41 Agency and Accountability in Leadership 14:48 Crucible Moments: Testing Belief and Confidence 21:42 Gender Dynamics in Leadership: The Double Bind 23:35 Navigating Ambition and Confidence 26:02 The Importance of Supporters and Allies 26:48 Empowering Women Through Programs 30:27 Building a Network of Allies 32:23 Reframing Self-Doubt into Confidence 34:01 Handling Pressure in High-Stakes Meetings 38:51 Building Trust Through Crisis Management 43:22 Embracing AI as a Transformational ToolLindsay is a seasoned marketing and media executive with extensive leadership experience across global organizations. Most recently serving as Chief People Officer at WPP she oversaw people strategy for 110,000 employees worldwide, led AI-powered workforce planning initiatives, and managed executive talent acquisition across all c-suite roles.Previous roles include WPP’s Chief Client Officer, managing 50 Global Client Leaders, representing >£4.8bn revenue, successfully driving organic growth for Top 50 clients with a culture of ‘high performance, high support’.   Lindsay was Global CEO of WPP’s fastest growing media agency Maxus in 2014-17 after an extraordinary period of success as UK CEO.Lindsay currently serves as Senior Independent Non-Executive Director for Rugby World Cup and sits on the Board of NASDAQ-listed Waldencast PLC as Chair of the Compensation Committee. She is also an Advisory Council member for AI leadership coaching company Valence.A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Lindsay founded the ‘Walk the Talk’ initiative for senior women, which expanded globally across WPP and reached over 3,000 female colleagues. She also served as President of WACL in 2014.After leaving WPP in June 2025, Lindsay on taking what’s been described as a ‘power pause’ or gap year, before beginning her next career chapter. 

When everything changes, how do the best leaders not just survive but find their groove? The Mojo Podcast: Mojo Under Fire explores the defining moments that either break leaders or forge them into magnetic forces others want to follow.In this episode, Emma Stace shares her journey of leadership, emphasising the importance of self-awareness, accountability, and building relationships within teams. She discusses her personal experiences, including challenges and transformative moments that shaped her leadership style such as a difficult divorce. Emma highlights the significance of feedback culture, navigating conflict, and the need for intentionality in leadership, especially in a rapidly changing world influenced by AI. The conversation underscores the value of human connection and the continuous journey of personal and professional growth.Emma helps teams make complicated things simpler. After years improving services in UK government, she now works at The Open University on strategy and digital change. She believes progress starts with listening, clear purpose and small steps that add up. Colleagues know her for plain speaking, curiosity and care. She’s happiest when the team gets the credit and the work speaks for itself.Remember to subscribe to be notified about new episodes. And please do rate & review this episode on Apple Podcasts.Hope you love itRichard 🦋And if you'd like to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me to talk about some coaching can help get your Mojo back - just drop me an email.The Mojo PodcastHosted by leadership coach Richard Stokes from Ibiza@mojorichard on [email protected] Takeaways- Mojo is about the connection between heart and mind.- Leadership requires humility and accountability.- Building relationships is key to effective leadership.- Conflict can lead to commitment and better teamwork.- Feedback should be a two-way street in teams.- Intentionality in leadership helps set boundaries.- Resilience is crucial during challenging times.- Creating a safe space for feedback fosters growth.- Leadership is about empowering others, not just directing them.- The future of work requires keeping the human element at the forefront.Chapters00:00 Finding Your Mojo: The Connection of Heart and Mind03:06 The Journey of Leadership: Embracing Imperfection05:56 The Energy of Leadership: Self-Reflection and Team Dynamics08:57 Crucible Moments: Transformative Experiences in Leadership11:48 Building a Team: The Shift from Hero to Collaborator14:57 Values and Boundaries: Defining Work-Life Balance18:00 Continuous Growth: The Ongoing Leadership Journey25:04 The Art of Slowing Down27:36 Creating a Feedback Culture30:17 Intentional Leadership and Team Dynamics32:13 Navigating Conflict for Commitment36:27 The Loneliness of Leadership39:18 Hybrid Work and Human Connection41:45 Advice for Leaders in Crisis45:23 The Future of Leadership in an AI World