What leaders can learn from education

What leaders can learn from education

What happens when you step outside the boardroom and into a classroom? In this episode of It’s Not So Lonely at the Top, Pete shares why becoming a school governor has sharpened his leadership lens more than most business environments ever could. From relentless clarity and real-time feedback to culture being tested under pressure—not just talked about—education offers a raw, unfiltered view of leadership in action. This isn’t theory. It’s leadership without the safety net. Pete breaks down the powerful lessons business leaders can take from schools, including why people development isn’t a “nice to have,” why visibility matters more than you think, and how simplicity often beats strategy. If you want to lead better, communicate clearer, and build a culture that actually holds under pressure; this one will make you think. 🎧 Perfect for listeners interested in: Entrepreneurship, service business growth, leadership, scaling trades businesses, wellbeing strategies, and building a high-performance team. Join the Community: Interested in joining Pete and other high-performing leaders in the Mastermind? Find out more about how we challenge and support each other at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/].   ABOUT 🎙️ The INSLATT Podcast – It’s Not So Lonely At The Top Running a business can feel like steering a ship through choppy seas… and sometimes, the captain’s chair gets lonely. That’s why the INSLATT Podcast exists — to bring together bold, brilliant business leaders who get it. Whether you’re leading a growing team, managing risk, or simply carrying the weight of high-stakes decisions, this podcast is your safe harbour. Every episode dives into honest, energising conversations with business owners and performance experts who’ve been there, done it, and got the T-shirt. 🎧 Why Listen? * Learn from real-world stories and leadership lessons that don’t make it into the textbooks. * Discover practical tools to lead with purpose, clarity and momentum. * Explore topics like performance, mindset, wellbeing, risk, resilience motivation, and culture — all with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach. * Feel part of a community of leaders who want to grow without the ego. 🧭 This isn’t just another business podcast. It’s fuel for your leadership journey. 📍 Where to Listen & Learn More: 🔗 INSLATT Podcast is available on YouTube AND your favourite podcast app.  Remember to SUBSCRIBE 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts & more 🌍 Learn more at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/] New episodes are released weekly on a Wednesday at 6am Your host is Pete Rushmer - https://www.peterushmer.com/ [https://www.peterushmer.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/]   The podcast is bought to you by 'It's not so lonely at the top' thank you for listening.

S1 Ep20 Meet Iain Crighton - Business Start Up Coach

In this episode of It’s Not So Lonely at the Top, Pete is joined by Iain Crighton for a conversation about purpose-driven leadership, business growth, mentoring, resilience and the power of giving without expecting anything in return. Iain shares his journey from the automotive industry and business ownership through to coaching, community leadership and helping others achieve more than they thought possible. His philosophy is simple but powerful: when you lead with generosity, clarity and purpose, good things tend to happen — often in ways you could never have planned. Pete and Iain explore what it really means to build a business that makes a positive impact, why community involvement can create both social value and commercial growth, and how mentoring can help business leaders scale with more confidence and fewer costly mistakes. Iain also shares his ambition to help transform Peterborough’s start-up ecosystem by improving survival, sustainability and long-term growth through better support and mentorship. This is a conversation full of wisdom, lived experience and practical leadership lessons — from protecting your time and working on the business, to rebuilding trust after betrayal, supporting your people through difficult moments, and staying focused on what really matters. A brilliant listen for business owners, leaders, mentors and anyone who believes business can be both commercially successful and deeply meaningful. About Iain Iain Crighton is an experienced business coach, mentor and former managing director with a strong background in the automotive and retail cycle industries. With a Master’s degree in Retail Management from Loughborough University School of Business and Economics, and as a Fellow of the Institute of the Motor Industry, Iain brings a rare blend of commercial experience, leadership wisdom and genuine community spirit. His mission is simple but powerful: to give without the expectation of receiving. It is a philosophy that has shaped much of his work, whether supporting business leaders, helping them find the right mentors, or encouraging people to achieve more than they ever thought possible. Iain is passionate about business as a force for good. Alongside his commercial career, he has played an active role in supporting local communities through voluntary leadership positions, including serving as a Trustee of the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, a Trustee of SportsAid Eastern and Chairman of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce for eight years. His community impact is significant. He helped launch a successful youth development programme at his local cricket club, led a team that raised over a quarter of a million pounds to support young athletes through grants, and played a part in the early journeys of three future Rio Olympic medallists. Iain has also led environmental and community legacy projects, including coordinating the planting of the first 5,000 trees for a new city forest, now named Crightons Wood. The project brought together local primary school children, the Environment Trust and the wider community, creating something lasting for future generations. In 2012, Iain was selected to carry the Olympic Torch through the city as part of the London Olympic Torch Relay, a fitting recognition of his contribution to business, sport and community life. At the heart of Iain’s story is a deep belief in service, generosity and helping others grow. Whether in business, mentoring, sport or community work, he has consistently used his experience and influence to create opportunities for others and leave things better than he found them. 🎧 Perfect for listeners interested in: Entrepreneurship, service business growth, leadership, scaling trades businesses, wellbeing strategies, and building a high-performance team. Join the Community: Interested in joining Pete and other high-performing leaders in the Mastermind? Find out more about how we challenge and support each other at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/].   ABOUT 🎙️ The INSLATT Podcast – It’s Not So Lonely At The Top Running a business can feel like steering a ship through choppy seas… and sometimes, the captain’s chair gets lonely. That’s why the INSLATT Podcast exists — to bring together bold, brilliant business leaders who get it. Whether you’re leading a growing team, managing risk, or simply carrying the weight of high-stakes decisions, this podcast is your safe harbour. Every episode dives into honest, energising conversations with business owners and performance experts who’ve been there, done it, and got the T-shirt. 🎧 Why Listen? * Learn from real-world stories and leadership lessons that don’t make it into the textbooks. * Discover practical tools to lead with purpose, clarity and momentum. * Explore topics like performance, mindset, wellbeing, risk, resilience motivation, and culture — all with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach. * Feel part of a community of leaders who want to grow without the ego. 🧭 This isn’t just another business podcast. It’s fuel for your leadership journey. 📍 Where to Listen & Learn More: 🔗 INSLATT Podcast is available on YouTube AND your favourite podcast app.  Remember to SUBSCRIBE 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts & more 🌍 Learn more at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/] New episodes are released weekly on a Wednesday at 6am Your host is Pete Rushmer - https://www.peterushmer.com/ [https://www.peterushmer.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/] Your guest today is Iain Crighton-  Links - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iain-crighton-mbe-fimi-56b063b/ The podcast is bought to you by 'It's not so lonely at the top' thank you for listening.

S1 Ep19 Meet Chris Welch - Managing Director at Welch Group

In this episode of It’s Not So Lonely at the Top, Pete is joined by Chris Welch, Managing Director of Welch Group, a fourth-generation family logistics business with a proud heritage and a forward-thinking approach to transport, innovation and sustainability. Chris shares what it is really like to lead a long-established family business while still pushing for progress, modernisation and growth. From carrying legacy and responsibility, to building culture, developing people, embracing change and leading the move towards greener logistics, this conversation gets under the bonnet of modern leadership in a traditional industry. They explore the balance between respecting the past and shaping the future, why strong values matter in business, how leaders create trust through clarity and consistency, and what it takes to keep evolving when the world around you is changing fast. This is a brilliant episode for business owners, directors, transport professionals and family business leaders who want to build something that lasts — without standing still. About Chris Chris Welch is the Managing Director of Welch Group, a family-run logistics business based in Cambridgeshire. Welch Group has a long history in transport and logistics, with Chris representing the fourth generation of family leadership within the business. As Managing Director, Chris is responsible for shaping the strategy, continuity and growth of the business, while supporting the culture and teams across the group. Welch Group describes its vision as “making this part of the world as good as it can be,” reflecting a strong focus on people, community and positive impact. (Welch Group [https://welchgroup.co.uk/about-us/meet-the-team/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]) Chris is known for combining family-business values with a progressive approach to logistics, including innovation, customer collaboration and sustainable transport. Welch Group has been recognised for its work around decarbonisation, electric vehicles and helping move the transport industry towards a greener future.  Chris Welch is Managing Director of Welch Group, a fourth-generation family haulier proving that heritage and innovation aren't opposites. The business runs on a simple idea: "making this part of the world as good as it can be". That means investing in people before it's required, decarbonising before it's easy, and contributing to the communities around our depots because it's the right thing to do. From commissioning the UK's first HGV-accessible supercharger to running electric HGVs commercially for over four years, including supporting big names like the British Antarctic Survey's, Welch Group is proof that family SMEs can lead where others follow. Chris is a recognised national voice on fleet electrification and practical net zero transition, working with government, industry bodies, and major innovation programmes to help the wider sector find a route forward that actually works. Chris Welch | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-welch-98777589/] https://www.linkedin.com/company/welchstransport/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/welchstransport/] www.welchgroup.co.uk [http://www.welchgroup.co.uk]   🎧 Perfect for listeners interested in: Entrepreneurship, service business growth, leadership, scaling trades businesses, wellbeing strategies, and building a high-performance team. Join the Community: Interested in joining Pete and other high-performing leaders in the Mastermind? Find out more about how we challenge and support each other at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/].   ABOUT 🎙️ The INSLATT Podcast – It’s Not So Lonely At The Top Running a business can feel like steering a ship through choppy seas… and sometimes, the captain’s chair gets lonely. That’s why the INSLATT Podcast exists — to bring together bold, brilliant business leaders who get it. Whether you’re leading a growing team, managing risk, or simply carrying the weight of high-stakes decisions, this podcast is your safe harbour. Every episode dives into honest, energising conversations with business owners and performance experts who’ve been there, done it, and got the T-shirt. 🎧 Why Listen? * Learn from real-world stories and leadership lessons that don’t make it into the textbooks. * Discover practical tools to lead with purpose, clarity and momentum. * Explore topics like performance, mindset, wellbeing, risk, resilience motivation, and culture — all with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach. * Feel part of a community of leaders who want to grow without the ego. 🧭 This isn’t just another business podcast. It’s fuel for your leadership journey. 📍 Where to Listen & Learn More: 🔗 INSLATT Podcast is available on YouTube AND your favourite podcast app.  Remember to SUBSCRIBE 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts & more 🌍 Learn more at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/] New episodes are released weekly on a Wednesday at 6am Your host is Pete Rushmer - https://www.peterushmer.com/ [https://www.peterushmer.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/] Your guest today is Chris Welch-  Links - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-welch-98777589/ The podcast is bought to you by 'It's not so lonely at the top' thank you for listening.

Brian Sagaseta's Testimonial

In this episode of It’s Not So Lonely at the Top, Pete is joined by Brian Sagaseta from Chiltern Distribution, a business leader who has been part of the INSLATT journey through one-to-one coaching, leadership development, vision and values work, motivational mapping, and the mastermind community. Brian shares openly about the impact coaching has had on him as a leader, the value of having space to think, and how being surrounded by other ambitious business owners has helped him gain clarity, confidence, and perspective. They explore what it really means to lead a growing business, why personal development is not a luxury but a leadership responsibility, and how the right support can help you make better decisions, build stronger teams, and stop carrying everything alone. This is a powerful conversation about growth, accountability, self-awareness, and the quiet transformation that happens when leaders invest in themselves as much as they invest in their business. Perfect for business owners, directors, and senior leaders who know they want to grow — but do not want to do it alone. About Brian Brian Sagaseta is a business leader at Chiltern Distribution, a company focused on delivering high standards across logistics, transport, and customer service. Over recent years, Brian has invested in his own leadership development and the development of his team. Through one-to-one coaching, the INSLATT mastermind, motivational mapping, and vision and values work, he has taken a proactive approach to building a stronger, clearer, and more aligned business. Brian is passionate about doing things properly, leading with honesty, and creating a business that is not only successful, but also built on strong values, accountability, and continuous improvement. His journey reflects what many leaders experience: the pressure of carrying responsibility, the need for trusted support, and the real value of stepping out of the day-to-day to work on yourself, your team, and the future of the business. 🎧 Perfect for listeners interested in: Entrepreneurship, service business growth, leadership, scaling trades businesses, wellbeing strategies, and building a high-performance team. Join the Community: Interested in joining Pete and other high-performing leaders in the Mastermind? Find out more about how we challenge and support each other at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/].   ABOUT 🎙️ The INSLATT Podcast – It’s Not So Lonely At The Top Running a business can feel like steering a ship through choppy seas… and sometimes, the captain’s chair gets lonely. That’s why the INSLATT Podcast exists — to bring together bold, brilliant business leaders who get it. Whether you’re leading a growing team, managing risk, or simply carrying the weight of high-stakes decisions, this podcast is your safe harbour. Every episode dives into honest, energising conversations with business owners and performance experts who’ve been there, done it, and got the T-shirt. 🎧 Why Listen? * Learn from real-world stories and leadership lessons that don’t make it into the textbooks. * Discover practical tools to lead with purpose, clarity and momentum. * Explore topics like performance, mindset, wellbeing, risk, resilience motivation, and culture — all with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach. * Feel part of a community of leaders who want to grow without the ego. 🧭 This isn’t just another business podcast. It’s fuel for your leadership journey. 📍 Where to Listen & Learn More: 🔗 INSLATT Podcast is available on YouTube AND your favourite podcast app.  Remember to SUBSCRIBE 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts & more 🌍 Learn more at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/] New episodes are released weekly on a Wednesday at 6am Your host is Pete Rushmer - https://www.peterushmer.com/ [https://www.peterushmer.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/] Your guest today is Brian Sagaseta -  Links - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-sagaseta-3b6b14a6/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-sagaseta-3b6b14a6/] The podcast is bought to you by 'It's not so lonely at the top' thank you for listening.

Stop Emotional Eating

Most people don’t have a food problem… they have an emotional one. In this episode, Pete sits down with Luke Harrison to unpack the truth about emotional eating—and why willpower isn’t the answer most people think it is. They move beyond the noise of diets, calorie counting, and quick fixes, and get to what actually works: building a way of eating that fuels performance, fits real life, and doesn’t fall apart under pressure. Luke challenges the traditional “diet” mindset, showing why short-term restriction often leads to long-term frustration. Instead, he breaks down how to create a sustainable lifestyle approach—one built on three pillars: enjoyment, effectiveness, and sustainability. The conversation gets practical too. From simple meal prep hacks using everyday office tools, to creating go-to meals that satisfy both physically and emotionally, this is about making good nutrition easy—even on your busiest days. They also tackle emotional eating head-on. Not with guilt or rigid rules, but with awareness and smarter substitutes—helping you stay consistent without feeling deprived. Because the goal isn’t perfection… it’s control without obsession. Intermittent fasting gets a reality check as well. Done right, it can work. Done wrong, it can backfire. Luke shares when it helps, when it doesn’t, and why there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. This episode is a reset for anyone who’s tired of starting over. If you want to eat better, think clearer, and perform at a higher level—without swinging between extremes—this one’s for you. About the Guest Luke John Harrison is a coach, gym owner, and podcast host helping men over 35 rebuild their energy, discipline, and self-respect in a world that’s quietly grinding them down. After more than a decade running a successful private gym and coaching hundreds of clients, Luke has become known for his no-nonsense approach to fitness, mindset, and personal responsibility, cutting through quick fixes, hustle culture, and surface-level motivation. He’s on a mission to help men break free from burnout, poor habits, alcohol-led coping, and the slow erosion of confidence that often comes with work, family pressure, and modern life. His work focuses on building physical strength, emotional resilience, and long-term consistency, not just “getting in shape,” but becoming someone you actually respect again. Two time author, renowned speaker and relentless content producer Luke prides himself on output and the power in showing up every day to help people move forward Links - https://www.facebook.com/luke.j.harrison.31 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eostimharris/] 🎧 Perfect for listeners interested in: Entrepreneurship, service business growth, leadership, scaling trades businesses, wellbeing strategies, and building a high-performance team. Join the Community: Interested in joining Pete and other high-performing leaders in the Mastermind? Find out more about how we challenge and support each other at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/mastermind/].   ABOUT 🎙️ The INSLATT Podcast – It’s Not So Lonely At The Top Running a business can feel like steering a ship through choppy seas… and sometimes, the captain’s chair gets lonely. That’s why the INSLATT Podcast exists — to bring together bold, brilliant business leaders who get it. Whether you’re leading a growing team, managing risk, or simply carrying the weight of high-stakes decisions, this podcast is your safe harbour. Every episode dives into honest, energising conversations with business owners and performance experts who’ve been there, done it, and got the T-shirt. 🎧 Why Listen? * Learn from real-world stories and leadership lessons that don’t make it into the textbooks. * Discover practical tools to lead with purpose, clarity and momentum. * Explore topics like performance, mindset, wellbeing, risk, resilience motivation, and culture — all with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach. * Feel part of a community of leaders who want to grow without the ego. 🧭 This isn’t just another business podcast. It’s fuel for your leadership journey. 📍 Where to Listen & Learn More: 🔗 INSLATT Podcast is available on YouTube AND your favourite podcast app.  Remember to SUBSCRIBE 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts & more 🌍 Learn more at https://www.inslatt.co.uk/ [https://www.inslatt.co.uk/] New episodes are released weekly on a Wednesday at 6am Your host is Pete Rushmer - https://www.peterushmer.com/ [https://www.peterushmer.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterushmer/] Your guest today is Luke Harrison -  Links - https://www.facebook.com/luke.j.harrison.31 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eostimharris/] The podcast is bought to you by 'It's not so lonely at the top' thank you for listening.