Alexander Millar was a window cleaner when his life fell apart at 42. The drawings he made to cheer up his dad became the Gadgies, and his paintings now hang in homes around the world.

We talk about:

- His dad, and growing up never quite good enough

- Painting in the back of his car between gallery visits

- The exhibition that sold out in half an hour

- Why he calls it a breakthrough instead of a breakdown

- Why every Gadgie is his dad

The full story, and Alex's life pivot: https://www.thethirdhalf.uk/p/alexander-millar-the-window-cleaner

James Walker is back. When we last spoke, in January, he'd just been given a guitar for Christmas. Since then he has walked 100 miles of Menorca's wild coast, finished at DXC and walked away from the top of corporate life after 40 years, and, at 60, founded an AI research lab, Scorpion Labs.

We talk about why he finally stepped away, how AI has made things that once took weeks take a morning, the one-person unicorn, what happens to mentoring when entry-level jobs disappear, and his advice for anyone who feels stuck: start. As James puts it, "Execution is cheap and ideas are getting scarce."

Scorpion Labs: scorpion-labs.com

James on X: @jxwalker

Full conversation and write-up: https://www.thethirdhalf.uk/p/james-walker-scorpion-labs

A rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify helps other people find the show:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-third-half/id1853911473

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2nR8QROgumoaQp2YD2WLQj

#lifepivots

Mike McGrath went from street fundraising in London to leading Air Ambulances UK without a predictable corporate ladder in sight, and he still calls himself an ‘accidental CEO’.

We talk about:

* Two summers in South Africa that pointed him towards charity work

* Leading the campaign for Childline’s 30th anniversary in 2016

* The question from his trip to Japan that guided his path

* Why the UK's air ambulances still depend on public generosity

The full story, and Mike's life pivot: www.thethirdhalf.uk

This conversation touches on suicide prevention. If you ever need someone to talk to, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night. Children and young people can call Childline free on 0800 1111.

#lifepivots