In this episode, Jeannette talks to the entrepreneur and rugby star Paul Thorburn, who played 300 matches for Neath and 37 international matches for Wales, 10 of them as captain. He holds the record for the longest successful kick in an international test match. He gained the record during the 1986 Five Nations Championship at Cardiff Arms Park against Scotland. His penalty kick measured exactly 64.2 metres. He explains the role that having a winning mindset had in his sporting success and how he has applied what he learned while playing rugby to the world of business.

Paul shares the details of his journey through life, so far. Including, how despite initially failing his A levels he resat and passed them so that he could attend Swansea university. There he got access to high-level coaching, which enabled him to excel at the sport he loved. Paul also explains how he prepared himself to become a successful entrepreneur and business consultant once his sporting career was over.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Being in the right place at the right time plays a role in a successful career. But you have to recognise and take the opportunities.
• Team sport benefits people in many ways. You form strong, long-lasting relationships with your teammates.
• Having a winning mindset only produces results if you are disciplined about your training and preparation.
• Analysing your performance is an essential component of personal growth.
• Put any personal differences with team members aside and respect them.
• Employing experts to take care of different aspects of your business is vital.
• If you have an aspiration, go for it.
• Be true to yourself and give people the respect you would like to receive yourself.

BEST MOMENTS

‘You make your own luck. ´

‘Neath was the first (rugby) club to start having individual performance analysis.’

‘I apply the same (business) principles, regardless of my clients sector. A business is a business.’

This is the perfect time to get focused on what YOU want to really achieve in your business, career, and life. It’s never too late to be BRAVE and BOLD and unlock your inner BRILLIANCE. If you’d like to jump on a free mentoring session just DM Jeannette at info@jeannettelinfootassociates.com or sign up via Jeannette’s linktree https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Brave, Bold, Brilliant podcast series - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/brave-bold-brilliant-podcast/id1524278970

EPISODE RESOURCES

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/paul-thorburn-605b831a

ABOUT THE GUEST

Paul Thorburn was born to Welsh parents in West Germany in 1962 where his father was serving in the Royal Air Force. He spent his childhood in various RAF Stations across England and was educated in a boarding school. He went on to study Microbiology at Swansea University.

At that stage in his life, his main focus was his rugby career. He played 300 matches for Neath and went on to play for the Welsh national team 37 times. Including captaining the Welsh team on 10 occasions.

After graduating he started work with a security business, but within 18 months then moved into a sector to use my qualifications and I started working for Glaxo Pharmaceuticals in a business development role, promoting their range of pharmaceutical products to the GPs and Pharmacists in South Wales.

In 1991, he joined the Welsh Development Agency (WDA). A Government funded quango, tasked with attracting investment projects into Wales. His role, as one of the Project Managers, was to assist in securing foreign direct investment into Wales – these organisations included automotive component manufacturers, consumer electronics manufacturers, biotechnology companies, service industries and financial institutions.

After a 5-year career with the WDA, John was then appointed Tournament Director for the 1999 Rugby World Cup Tournament, my role here was to deliver the World’s largest International Rugby Tournament. This one was the first one to be staged following the decision to make rugby a professional sport. Wales was the official host Nation, but the 42 International matches were spread across Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland, and France, with the Opening Ceremony, the Opening match and the Final taking place at the New Millennium Stadium.

As Tournament Director, John´s role was to put the event together, delivering the venues, training grounds, the hotels for participants and all the Officials, the team, and the official logistics programme, including overseas travel for the Teams, Officials; the medical provision; the Ceremonies and Official functions during the 7-week event.

This was a 4-year contract, which ended in March 2000, on completion of the Tournament reports and reconciliation of the Tournament finances and distribution of the monies to the hosting Unions. 

After 4 years working as an Executive Search and Selection Consultant, recruiting senior Execs into Public and Private sector roles, John returned to the professional world of rugby. He joined the Welsh Rugby Union as a Special Projects Manager, a role which included working on the pre-event preparations for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and assisting the Official Hosts, France in delivering the event. As well as overusing the Commercial programme for the Welsh Rugby Union, securing sponsorship for International events, as well sponsorship for the domestic rugby programme in Wales, also securing and managing the Licensing programme – merchandise etc.

In 2006, John was appointed Strategic Development Manager for the Ospreys, one of the professional rugby clubs in Wales. In essence, he oversaw the commercial programme for the club, securing sponsorship, and all other income generation activities.

In 2010, John left the world of rugby, setting up his own Business Development consultancy, where he works alongside a handful of diverse organisations, assisting them in securing contracts with private and/or public sector clients, working in the construction, financial services, telecoms, and recruitment arenas.

John is also the Secretary of Cardiff Business Club, one of the longest established clubs in the UK, which has HRH The Prince of Wales as its patron.

ABOUT THE HOST

Jeannette Linfoot is a highly regarded senior executive, property investor, board advisor, and business mentor with over 25 years of global professional business experience across the travel, leisure, hospitality, and property sectors. Having bought, ran, and sold businesses all over the world, Jeannette now has a portfolio of her own businesses and also advises and mentors other business leaders to drive forward their strategies as well as their own personal development.

Jeannette is a down-to-earth leader, a passionate champion for diversity & inclusion, and a huge advocate of nurturing talent so every person can unleash their full potential and live their dreams. 

CONTACT THE HOST

Jeannette’s linktree - https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot

https://www.jeannettelinfootassociates.com/

YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtsU57ZGoPhm55_X0qF16_Q

LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jeannettelinfoot

Facebook - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jeannettelinfoot

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jeannette.linfoot/

Email - info@jeannettelinfootassociates.com

Podcast Description

Jeannette Linfoot talks to incredible people about their experiences of being Brave, Bold & Brilliant, which have allowed them to unleash their full potential in business, their careers, and life in general. From the boardroom tables of ‘big’ international businesses to the dining room tables of entrepreneurial start-ups, how to overcome challenges, embrace opportunities and take risks, whilst staying ‘true’ to yourself is the order of the day.