Today I’m talking to Calum Clark, ex-international Rugby Union player turned high-performance psychologist.

Having started on the rugby trail aged just 15, Calum turned professional three years later and spent fourteen years playing at the highest level He turned out for three different Premiership clubs as well as England. In that time he experienced the highs of winning 3 Premiership titles and 2 European Cups and the lows of career-threatening injuries, disciplinary setbacks, and various off-field issues. Realising there was a lack of professional support, guidance and expertise to help navigate such things, he completed the first of two Psychology MScs alongside the final years of his playing career. He then became Head of Player Development and Wellbeing at Saracens, before going on to become their Head of Psychological Performance, with a number of his clients, including Ben Earl, going on to excel at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

In our conversation, Calum shares… - The importance of drilling - as an individual and as a team. - How we all need a north star… - And which pressure was worse - playing for England or finishing his Psychology thesis.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome back Mollie Pearse, Meta’s Head of Marketing for EMEA, for round two of our insightful conversation on "Better Under Pressure."

Mollie's journey from entrepreneurial beginnings to leading teams at top organizations like IMG, Octagon, HSBC, and LinkedIn before landing at Meta showcases her remarkable leadership and dedication to 'audience-first' marketing principles.

Outside of work, Mollie's passion for pushing boundaries shines through her pursuits in ultra-distance sports, where she explores the depths of human potential while raising funds for charity.

As our discussion unfolded, it was clear that there were too many valuable insights to fit into one episode, so we're back for more!

In this episode, Mollie delves into:

- The challenging decision to step back from a 24-hour endurance race and the importance of listening to one's body and mind. - Her approach to fostering a sense of belonging within teams, grounded in shared human experiences and authentic connections. - A pivotal interview experience where she embraced her unique strengths and dared to 'play her game.'

If you missed our initial conversation, be sure to catch up before diving into this one! Connect with Mollie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-pearse-09842b28/?originalSubdomain=uk

Today I’m talking to Mollie Pearse, Meta’s Head of Marketing for EMEA. Having started her career as an entrepreneurial businesswoman and quickly learning the power of true ‘audience-first’ marketing, she has since led teams at IMG, Octagon, HSBC and LinkedIn before arriving at Meta. Mollie inspires her teams to think differently about commercial goals, enabling them to surpass expectations. When she isn’t doing that, she’s out exploring the limits of human potential by running, swimming and cycling ultra-distances to expand her comfort zone and raise money for charity. As I spoke with Mollie, it soon became abundantly clear there were far too many nuggets to squeeze into a single 50 minute podcast, so we broke it into two conversations. In this, our first conversation, Mollie shares… - How hating sport as a child helped her gain power over her environment… - What she learnt from swimming in open water through jellyfish… - And why we should all have our Personal Board of Directors.