Crossing The Pond

#95 - Custard - James Stuart 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

My guest this week is James Stuart, a guy who literally crossed the pond as a youngster when his parents brought a little piece of England to Florida in the shape of a proper English pub. From those early roots, James went on to cut his teeth in NYC's restaurant scene before helping open some of Manhattan's most iconic restaurants and hotels. Now living in Miami with his wife and two children, he's co-founded CUSTARD, his own hospitality consultancy, writing the next exciting chapter of a remarkable career. We talk hospitality, hustle, leadership, and what it really takes to build something of your own. #CrossingThePondPodcast #JamesStuart #Hospitality #CUSTARD #NYC #Miami #Restaurants #Hotels #Entrepreneurship #BritishExpat #NewEpisode #HospitalityLife #FoodAndBeverage

#94 - Luxury - Mike Pearson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

What does luxury really mean? For Mike Pearson, a man who has built a career in the world of luxury watches, the answer goes far beyond the industry. In this episode, Gary and Mike explore the quieter luxuries: supportive parents, a career that opened unexpected doors, a life shaped by travel, and a family to come home to. A warm, honest conversation about recognising the good in your life and not taking it for granted. #CrossingThePondPodcast #CTPPodcast #Podcast #NewEpisode #LuxuryWatches #Luxury #CareerJourney #Expat #Gratitude #Leadership #Storytelling #PersonalGrowth #LifeJourney #PodcastLife #LifeStories #christopherward #watches #EvertonFC

#93.5 - The Monday Mood - 6/15 - "5 Minutes with Friends"

What if the most powerful thing you did this week took just five minutes? Over the last two weeks, Pat McCarry and Regsan Watkins both said something that stopped me in my tracks. Both of them spoke about receiving messages from people they hadn't heard from in years, people telling them they'd made a difference. And both of them said the same thing: they never would have known. That's the thing about connection. It doesn't announce itself. It just quietly shapes people, and most of the time, nobody ever says it out loud. This week on Crossing the Pond, Gary sits down with Blake Landis to talk about Five Minutes with Friends. A simple idea, and a movement we're trying to start. One call. One voice note. Five minutes with someone you've been meaning to reach out to. Because the effort doesn't have to be massive for the impact to be enormous. #CrossingThePond #MondayMood #FiveMinutesWithFriends #NewEpisode #HumanConnection #MakeTheEffort #PickUpThePhone #Friendship #Community #ExpatLife #BritInAmerica #UKtoUS #Reconnect #YouNeverKnow #ShowUp #MondayMotivation #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #Podcast #PodcastLife #YouTubePodcast #ListenNow #Storytelling #Inspiration #LifeLessons #StayConnected #CommunityFirst #RealTalk #NewBeginnings #MakeTime

#93 - Recruiting - Regsan Watkins 🇦🇺🇿🇦

This week on Crossing the Pond, we're joined by Regsan Watkins, whose journey began in Melbourne, Australia, and led him halfway around the world to pursue the dream of playing college soccer in the United States. We explore the international recruiting process, what it takes to leave home as a young student-athlete, and the challenges of adapting to a new country, culture, and education system. Over the past decade, Regsan has built a life and career in America while navigating the highs and lows that come with living thousands of miles from family and friends. Now, with a decade of experiences behind him and a recent move back to Australia, Regsan reflects on the lessons learned, the opportunities gained, and what it feels like to return home after ten transformative years abroad. #crossingthepondpodcast #recruitingprocess #collegesoccer #recruitingagency #adjustment #soccer #studentathlete

#92 - Attunement - Pat McCarry 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

We welcome Pat McCarry to the show this week. An educator, coach, and leadership mentor whose career has taken him from the classrooms of Wales and England to coaching and curriculum development roles across the globe. After training  at Loughborough University, Pat has spent decades working in education, teacher development, elite coaching, and executive leadership. His journey has included designing curricula in Thailand, developing coaches in the United States, and researching leadership through the culture of the legendary New Zealand All Blacks. Today, Pat combines executive coaching with his passion for mathematics, helping people think differently about both leadership and learning.