Today’s guest is entrepreneur and former rugby league player James Laithwaite.

Describing himself as one of rugby league’s ‘unluckiest’ players, James Laithwaite broke the same leg four times, broke his neck - it was the first time his now-wife watched him play - and lost the only career he had ever imagined.

At 27, he went from playing professional rugby league in front of tens of thousands to labouring on building sites, with a baby on the way and no fallback plan.

Then he and his wife Michelle started meal prep business FuelHub.

Their son was born on the day the company launched - James talks about leaving the hospital that morning to deliver its first meals. They later sold everything, emptied their savings and risked it all to keep it alive.

Seven years on, FuelHub is one of the fastest growing companies in the UK. It produces around 25,000 meals a week, and works with Team GB, England Rugby, major football clubs, Eddie Hearn and Matchroom.

This is a brilliant conversation about entrepreneurship, injury, identity, family, obsession and starting again.

As ever, if you enjoyed this episode, please do subscribe using the button below, or click subscribe wherever you watch or listen to this podcast.

Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming giveaway with FuelHub - the best way to find out about it is to follow us on Instagram:

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richleighpod

Follow James on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaithwaite

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Interviews that might just change your life.

And if not…? You’ll probably enjoy them anyway.

After my younger brother Jordan took his own life, I sold the PR agency I’d spent over a decade building and decided to go all-in on creating something meaningful.

This podcast is the result.

Project Possible is a podcast about success through adversity. About what's truly possible.

Expect famous faces and unsung heroes.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, each episode explores the lives, minds and experiences of extraordinary people from business, sport, entertainment, academia and beyond.

Subscribe wherever you watch or listen.

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Sign up now to the free weekly newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://projectpossible.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for behind the scenes, giveaways, ways to get involved and more.

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Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rich@richleigh.co

More about Project Possible here: https://www.richleigh.co/podcast

Dan Goodwin, better known as Spider-Dan, is a legendary climber, daredevil and high-rise safety campaigner.

In 1981, aged 25, he climbed the Sears Tower, then the tallest building in the world, wearing a homemade Spider-Man suit and using equipment he had designed himself.

He later climbed the World Trade Center, among a dozen skyscrapers, free-soloed both sides of the CN Tower and developed an unlikely friendship with Spider-Man's creator and Marvel founder Stan Lee.

We talk about controlling fear when one mistake means death, the moments he came closest to falling, why firefighters once tried to knock him from a building, and the real reason behind his spectacular climbs.

They also discuss his complicated feelings about Alex Honnold and the way modern climbing history is presented, surviving stage-four cancer, the power and limitations of positive thinking, turning 70, and why Dan hopes he still has another 70 years ahead of him.

This is a conversation about risk, recognition, survival and refusing to live an ordinary life. It's about challenging the possible.

Buy Dan's memoir 'Untethered' here: https://www.amazon.com/UNTETHERED-WHEN-SUCCESS-YOUR-OPTION-ebook/dp/B0GZ2PFL3Z

Follow me on Instagram here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/richleighpod

=====

Interviews that might just change your life.

And if not…? You’ll probably enjoy them anyway.

After my younger brother Jordan took his own life, I sold the PR agency I’d spent over a decade building and decided to go all-in on creating something meaningful.

This podcast is the result.

Project Possible is a podcast about success through adversity. About what's truly possible.

Expect famous faces and unsung heroes.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, each episode explores the lives, minds and experiences of extraordinary people from business, sport, entertainment, academia and beyond.

Subscribe wherever you watch or listen.

=====

Sign up now to the free weekly newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://projectpossible.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for behind the scenes, giveaways, ways to get involved and more.

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Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rich@richleigh.co

More about Project Possible here: https://www.richleigh.co/podcast

Hilary Henriques MBE is the founder and CEO of Nacoa (National Association for Children of Alcoholics), a charity she established more than 35 years ago after discovering the profound impact parental alcoholism can have on children.

We talk about growing up in chaotic homes, why children so often blame themselves for their parents' drinking, the hidden effects of childhood trauma in adulthood, breaking generational cycles, and whether forgiveness is always possible.

Hilary shares stories from thousands of calls to the Nacoa helpline, including children as young as five, and reflects on a lifetime spent helping people realise they are not alone.

We also discuss Nacoa's "Chasing Yesterday" campaign, which sees Calum Best and others attempt an extraordinary Guinness World Record by running two marathons across the International Date Line - effectively going back in time to do so! Don't worry... all is explained in the episode!

It's a powerful conversation about childhood, resilience, and the lives we build afterwards.

Find out more about Nacoa at nacoa.org.uk

Follow me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/richleighpod

=====

Interviews that might just change your life.

And if not…? You’ll probably enjoy them anyway.

After my younger brother Jordan took his own life, I sold the PR agency I’d spent over a decade building and decided to go all-in on creating something meaningful.

This podcast is the result.

Project Possible is a podcast about success through adversity. About what's truly possible.

Expect famous faces and unsung heroes.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, each episode explores the lives, minds and experiences of extraordinary people from business, sport, entertainment, academia and beyond.

Subscribe wherever you watch or listen.

=====

Sign up now to the free weekly newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://projectpossible.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for behind the scenes, giveaways, ways to get involved and more.

=====

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rich@richleigh.co

More about Project Possible here: https://www.richleigh.co/podcast