Episode 56 — Sarah Connelly

Episode 56 — Sarah Connelly

This week we're joined by Sarah Connelly, a grey area drinking coach, speaker and educator based in Brisbane, Australia. Originally from Hertfordshire, Sarah has been alcohol-free since 2019 and coaching since 2020. Her approach is science-backed, identity-focused and built around small group coaching for high performers. In this episode we cover what grey area drinking actually looks like, why understanding the science of alcohol removes the shame, the difference between coaching and more traditional routes like AA, and why investing in a programme changes outcomes. We also get into the state of alcohol-free culture in Australia, the very real problem of 24-hour home alcohol delivery, and why group coaching creates connections and results that one-to-one often can't match. A really informed and honest conversation from someone who has both lived it and built a career around it. Find Sarah: Website: www.sarahconnelly.com.au [http://www.sarahconnelly.com.au/] Instagram: @sarahconnelly Join our free community: Every Monday at noon. Email the word Community to: info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk [info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk] Coach with Steve: Web: www.soberilliant.com [http://www.soberilliant.com/] Insta: @sober.illiant [http://sober.illiant] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant [http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant] Coach with James: Web: http://alcoholfreecoach.com [http://alcoholfreecoach.com/] Insta: @alcoholfreecoach_ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032 [http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032]

Episode 55 — Henry Beercock | 1,000 Days and Building a Community From Scratch

This week we're joined by Henry Beercock: What Henry has accomplished since making the decision to go AF 1000 days ago s simply astonishing , he's a community builder, run club organiser, loneliness campaigner, and someone who has built something simply remarkable in his hometown of Hull. Henry went from binge drinking every weekend and tipping the scales at 19 stone, to losing 7 stone, running marathons, setting up a local alcohol-free community, and being nominated for a BBC Make a Difference Award. He's also the Hull organiser for Empty Chair UK, a campaign tackling loneliness that started with one man, one pub, and one empty chair, and has since gone international. We get into how Henry built a community without being preachy about it why showing up quietly and letting people come to you works so much better than trying to convince anyone of anything. The story of Dan, who came to one of Henry's events having never run before and just completed the Leeds Marathon alongside his 63-year-old dad. The state of alcohol-free options in pubs. And why Henry decided that if no one else was going to fix the choice, he'd make his own beer Schmaltz Brew, launching August 2026. A genuinely brilliant guest and a conversation we could have kept going for hours. Find Henry: Instagram: @henrybeercock Alcohol-free community: @alcohullfree_ Beer: @schmaltzbrew Empty Chair UK: @emptychairsuk   Join our free community:  Email the word Community to: info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk [info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk] Coach with Steve: Web: www.soberilliant.com [http://www.soberilliant.com/] Insta: @sober.illiant [http://sober.illiant] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant [http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant] Coach with James: Web: http://alcoholfreecoach.com [http://alcoholfreecoach.com/]  Insta: @alcoholfreecoach_ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032 [http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032]

Episode 54 — Siobhan O'Connor | Independence Day, A Sober Wedding and the Irish Drinking Identity

This week we're joined by good friend - Siobhan O'Connor. Journalist, former Dublin radio presenter, and four years alcohol-free on the 4th of July. Independence Day. As Steve points out, it doesn't get more fitting than that. Siobhan's story is one we haven't heard quite like this before. Growing up in Ireland in the 80s where drinking wasn't just normal, it was expected. The wine o'clock culture that crept in with motherhood. And the moment on a beach, Prosecco in hand, watching other mums be fully present with their kids, that made everything click. We get into the I deserve it narrative aimed at women, and then there's the wedding. Siobhan recently got married in the Algarve, sober, and the best part she remembers every single minute of it. A brilliant conversation with a brilliant guest. Join our free community: Every Monday at noon. Email the word Community to: info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk [info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk] Coach with Steve: Web: www.soberilliant.com [http://www.soberilliant.com/]  Insta: @sober.illiant  [http://sober.illiant] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant [http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant] Coach with James: Web: http://alcoholfreecoach.com [http://alcoholfreecoach.com/] Insta: @alcoholfreecoach_ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032 [http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032]

Ep 53: Steve's 5th Year AF and how to get through the first week and the first month

No guest this week just Steve and James, and we're recording on a very special day. 27th June 2026. Five years alcohol-free for Steve. We crack open an ice-cold Estrella Zero and mark the occasion properly. So this week we break down exactly what week one and month one actually look like. We get into why approaching it with curiosity rather than dread changes everything. We also talk about the power of filling your head with the right stuff — books, podcasts & audiobooks on dog walks If you're thinking about taking a break, this one's for you. And if you want a full reading list, head back to episode 39. Join our free community: Every Monday at noon. Email the word Community to: info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk [info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk] Coach with Steve: Web: www.soberilliant.com [http://www.soberilliant.com/] Insta: @sober.illiant [http://sober.illiant] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant [http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant] Coach with James: Web: http://alcoholfreecoach.com [http://alcoholfreecoach.com/] Insta: @alcoholfreecoach_ [%20@alcoholfreecoach_%20] LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032 [http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032]

Episode 52 — Happy Birthday The AF Revolution

No guest this week — just Steve and James, and it's a big one. Episode 52. One whole year on the sound waves, and we can't believe it We reflect on the last 12 months, the guests we still can't quite believe said yes. Andy Ramage, Catherine Gray, William Porter, Laura Willoughby, Anna Donaghy, Denise Hamilton-Mace, and so many more and what it means to have built something from scratch that now reaches listeners in over 30 countries.  Steve also gives a (not so brief) race report off the back of his Slateman Ultra Triathlon in Snowdonia.  We also get into exercise in midlife — why motivation isn't really the problem, why consistency is everything, and why Couch to 5K is still one of the best things you can do if you're a couple of weeks into an alcohol-free break and wondering where to start. Plus the Stephen Bartlett wine debate. Thank you to everyone who's listened, shared, and shown up to the community over the last year. We're not going anywhere. If you want to help the pod grow like, subscribe, and leave a review. It genuinely makes a difference. Join our free community: Every Monday at noon. Email the word Community to: info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk [info@thealcoholfreerevolution.co.uk] Coach with Steve: Web: www.soberilliant.com [http://www.soberilliant.com/] Insta: @sober.illiant [http://sober.illiant] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant [http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesmith-soberilliant] Coach with James: Web: http://alcoholfreecoach.com [http://alcoholfreecoach.com/] Insta: @alcoholfreecoach_ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032 [http://linkedin.com/in/james-lloyd-48313032]