Join us for a snapshot of inspiration from Chief Inspector of Thames Valley Police talking about mental health in the Police Force. Why he is now their mental health advocate and a story of how tragedy showed him that you must never stop trying, even when it feels too hard.

Steve Whittle is the Founder of charity Tough to Talk, reducing male suicide by breaking the silence and showing male centric spaces how to actually deal with the suicide crisis. In this 10 minutes, we talk to Steve about why he focusses specifically on men and what the difference is between suicide behaviour in men and women.

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Guest intro

Rich Hayes is an entrepreneur and the creator of the Dream Machine, a mobile pitching platform built to help everyday people share their ideas, get practical support and find momentum. He has also played a key role in bringing HelpBnk’s mission to life alongside Simon Squibb, helping founders move from “I’ve got an idea” to “I’m doing the thing”.

Episode summary

Rich Hayes joins Jenny and Matt for a grounded, energising conversation about what it really takes to keep showing up for a dream. From a steady childhood in Milton Keynes and early ambitions to join the military, to working on luxury yachts in the south of France, Rich shares the twists, setbacks and moments of reinvention that shaped his entrepreneurial journey.

He talks openly about the power of tenacity, why asking for advice often opens more doors than asking for work, and how the Dream Machine grew from one bold idea into a practical platform for aspiring founders. The conversation explores pitching, rejection, education, creativity, technology, brand-building and the difference between waiting for permission and simply beginning.

This is an episode about movement: doing the hard things, staying in the game long enough, and creating opportunities for yourself and others before everything feels ready.

What You’ll Learn

• Why persistence matters more than polish in the early stages

• How Rich turned rejection and uncertainty into a new direction

• What entrepreneurs can learn from “dock walking” for opportunities

• Why asking for advice can be more powerful than asking for a job

• How the Doorbell of Dreams helps people sharpen their pitch

• What makes some founders instantly memorable when they present

• Why creativity and non-traditional paths matter in business

• How technology is changing the way founders can build and grow

• What brands really need to understand before seeking sponsorship

• Why it is never too late to begin working on your dream

Memorable lines

• “The more doors you knock on, the luckier you get.”

• “The most dangerous thing you can have this year is an idea.”

• “Five years is still going to pass.”

• “Please don’t wait. Just do it.”

• “If you stay small enough, long enough, you’ll be big enough soon enough.”

Guest picks

Book: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

Music: The Wanderer by Dion

Quote: “If you stay small enough, long enough, you’ll be big enough soon enough.”

Tool / Framework: Bring two solutions to every problem, then recommend the best one

Connect links

Rich Hayes / Dream Machine

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HelpBnk Website

HelpBnk Insta

About Leading BOLDLY

Leading BOLDLY is the podcast for founders, leaders and change-makers who want practical wisdom, honest conversations and bold ideas they can put to work in the real world.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share it with someone sitting on an idea, and ask yourself the question Rich keeps bringing to life: what’s your dream?

If you want, I can now turn this into the full Leading BOLDLY format with an SEO pack and social posts as well.