What happens when the life you planned no longer fits?

Mark Todd’s story begins in hospital corridors. Born with scoliosis, he missed school, endured painful surgeries, and was once laughed at for daring to imagine university. Against the odds, he became a solicitor. But something still felt unfinished.

So Mark did something quietly radical. He left the courtroom for the coast.

Today, Mark is CEO of Ocean Youth Trust South, Chair of the Association of Sail Training Organisations, and an MBE for services to sailing and young people. In this deeply human conversation, he shares how the sea became his teacher, and how adventure can become a lifeline for those who feel they don’t quite fit.

With warmth, humour and honesty, Mark reflects on:

• Growing up with a visible difference and learning resilience early
• Being underestimated and deciding not to accept it
• The moment he realised law - a respectable, hard-won career - still wasn’t enough
• How sailing creates space for young people to discover who they really are
• Why challenge, nature and teamwork can change the course of a life
• What it feels like to be recognised with an MBE, and why it’s only “level one”

This episode explores what happens when the life you worked so hard to build no longer feels like home, and how freedom can be found in unexpected places, far beyond classrooms through taking people and outside their comfort zones.

It’s for anyone who’s built a life that looks “right,” yet hears a small, stubborn voice wondering what might happen if they followed something braver.

Listen & Connect

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🎙️ More episodes: Tell Beyond Podcast with Dr Heloise Finch

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Credits

Host: Dr Heloise Finch

Guest: Mark Todd, MBE (CEO, Ocean Youth Trust South)

Email: tellbeyond@sell-beyond.com