The Natural Resilience Podcast

Neil McManus is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers ever to represent Antrim. Over a remarkable 17-year inter-county career, he captained his county, competed at the highest level of Gaelic Games and became one of the most respected figures in Irish sport.But this conversation goes far beyond hurling.In this episode of the Natural Resilience Podcast, Neil joins Ciarán May to explore the leadership lessons learned from elite sport, the importance of community, and the transition from athlete to entrepreneur.Growing up in Cushendall, Neil developed a deep connection to place, identity and service. Today, alongside his sporting legacy, he is helping create opportunities for future generations and has embarked on a new journey as a founder, building solutions designed to solve real-world problems.Together they discuss:✅ Leadership under pressure✅ Captaining teams and managing expectations✅ High performance and resilience✅ Lessons from elite sport that apply to business✅ Entrepreneurship and start-up life✅ Community, connection and belonging✅ The future of work and the impact of AI✅ Why human skills matter more than everWhether you're a founder, leader, entrepreneur, athlete or simply someone looking to perform at a higher level, this conversation is packed with practical insights and timeless lessons.---🎙 About the Natural Resilience PodcastHosted by Ciarán May, founder of Natural Resilience, this podcast explores leadership, resilience, wellbeing and sustainable high performance through conversations with exceptional people from business, sport, public service and beyond.New episodes released every two weeks.Connect with Ciaran May on LinkedinWebsite - www.natural-resilience.co.uk-If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who would benefit from the conversation.#NeilMcManus #Leadership #Hurling #AntrimGAA #Entrepreneurship #FounderJourney #BusinessLeadership #HighPerformance #Resilience #NaturalResilience #Podcast #NorthernIreland #CiaranMay #SportAndBusiness #LeadershipLessons

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What does it really take to build a world-class business from Belfast and compete on the global stage?In this episode of the Natural Resilience Podcast, Ciarán May sits down with Greg Bradley, CEO and Founder of Blk Box, one of Northern Ireland's most successful international brands in the fitness and performance industry.
From humble beginnings to supplying some of the world's leading sports organisations, professional teams, elite athletes and high-performance facilities, Greg shares the real story behind Black Box's growth.
This is an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, business growth and the realities of scaling a company internationally.
Greg discusses:
* How Blk Box was founded
* The early challenges of building a business
* Scaling from Belfast to global markets
* Winning major international contracts
* Leadership lessons learned through growth
* Managing risk, uncertainty and setbacks
* Building a high-performance culture
* The future of the fitness and performance industry
* What founders and entrepreneurs need to know about sustainable growth

Whether you're a founder, entrepreneur, business owner, leader or someone interested in building a successful brand, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world lessons from one of Northern Ireland's leading business success stories.

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, wellbeing and high performance.
#GregBradley #BlackBoxFitness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #FounderJourney #StartupSuccess #HighPerformance #BusinessPodcast #NaturalResilience #ScaleUp #NorthernIrelandBusiness #CEO #FounderFirst #LeadershipDevelopment #FitnessIndustry #BusinessSuccess #Resilience #Innovation #Podcast

What happens when someone decides to challenge one of the biggest cultural norms in Ireland?

In this episode of the Natural Resilience Podcast, I sit down with Jim Fitzpatrick, founder of Sober Irish, to discuss the rise of alcohol-free living, changing attitudes towards drinking, and why choosing not to drink no longer means opting out of life.

Alcohol-free beverages are experiencing huge global growth, particularly amongst younger generations who are prioritising health, energy, performance and meaningful connection over traditional drinking culture.

But this isn't a conversation about prohibition or telling people how to live. It's a conversation about choice.

Jim shares the story behind building Sober Irish, the inspiration behind the name, the challenges of launching a business that disrupts cultural norms, and why he believes Ireland can still be synonymous with great craic, community and social connection… just without the alcohol.

We also discuss:
• Why alcohol consumption is declining around the world
• The changing relationship younger generations have with alcohol
• Building a challenger brand in a traditional market
• Identity, habits and social pressure
• Entrepreneurship and starting a purpose-driven business
• The future of alcohol-free products
• Why socialising doesn't have to revolve around drinking

Whether you drink alcohol, are sober curious, or simply interested in changing consumer trends and modern Irish culture, this is a fascinating conversation.

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations exploring resilience, leadership, business, health and the people shaping the future.

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Instagram: @naturalresilience_

LinkedIn: Ciarán May

Website: https://www.naturalresilience.co.uk

#SoberIrish #AlcoholFree #SoberCurious #IrishBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #NaturalResilience #Health #Wellbeing #FounderJourney #Podcast

In this powerful episode of The Natural Resilience Podcast, I sit down with Leah McCourt for a conversation that goes far beyond the cage.While many people know Leah as one of Ireland's most successful mixed martial artists, this discussion focuses on the person behind the fighter. We explore the role that faith has played throughout her life, the challenges and responsibilities of raising children as a single mother, and the resilience required to navigate adversity while remaining true to your values.Leah shares her honest reflections on motherhood, identity, purpose, belief, personal growth, and the realities of balancing elite performance with family life. Whether you're interested in leadership, resilience, faith, personal development, parenting, or sport, this episode offers powerful lessons that extend far beyond MMA.Topics covered in this episode include:• Leah McCourt's journey through professional MMA• Faith, belief, and spirituality in challenging times• The realities of single motherhood• Building resilience through adversity• Balancing family, career, and personal purpose• Mental strength and emotional wellbeing• Identity beyond achievement and performance• Leadership, responsibility, and role modelling for children• Lessons from elite sport that apply to everyday lifeThis episode is a reminder that resilience is not simply about enduring hardship—it's about finding meaning, staying grounded in your values, and continuing to move forward when life becomes difficult.If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who would benefit from hearing Leah's story.

What really happens when you bring ambitious founders together and build a business growth programme around health, accountability, leadership and real human connection instead of hustle culture?In this solo episode of The Natural Resilience Podcast, I reflect honestly on the first five months of the Fit Founders Club — a founder-first programme designed for business owners who want to scale sustainably without sacrificing their health, family life or themselves in the process.Over the past five months, we’ve brought together a room of founders, CEOs and entrepreneurs from across Northern Ireland for a completely different type of business community. Not another WhatsApp group. Not another networking event based on surface-level conversations. A genuine environment built around performance, resilience, accountability, systems, wellbeing and long-term thinking.In this episode, I break down:What’s worked so far inside the Fit Founders ClubThe biggest lessons from working closely with ambitious foundersWhy loneliness and pressure are still massive issues for business ownersThe importance of health, sleep, stress management and recovery in leadershipHow accountability changes behaviourWhy in-person connection matters more than everThe power of getting founders out of reactive modeWhat I’ve learned personally as a facilitator and founderThe challenges, surprises and unexpected wins from the programme so farWhere the Fit Founders Club is heading nextI also share insights from some of our recent experiences and workshops, including:Private founder sessions at BlackBox FitnessLeadership and systems workshopsWHOOP performance tracking and health educationEOS-inspired business planningFounder vision presentationsConversations around sustainable high performanceBuilding a founder operating system that supports both business growth and personal wellbeingThe Fit Founders Club was built on a simple belief:You should not have to destroy your health, relationships or peace of mind in order to build a successful business.This episode is for founders, entrepreneurs, CEOs, business owners and leaders who are trying to build something meaningful whilst navigating pressure, responsibility and ambition in the modern world.#FitFoundersClub #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #FounderLife #Resilience #HighPerformance #MentalHealth #BusinessOwner #CEO #Founder #NaturalResilience #Podcast #PerformancePsychology #LeadershipDevelopment #SustainableHighPerformance #EOS #Accountability #HealthAndPerformance #NorthernIrelandBusiness