10forty

This week on the 10forty Podcast, Conor sits down with George, the man behind G Force Fitness, an encouraging conversation.

George opens up about his journey through addiction, seeking help and completing a 16-month treatment programme in Scotland. He speaks candidly about relapse, falling off the wagon, suffering a mild stroke and the mindset it took to rebuild his life again.

From selling papers outside a school on the Crumlin Road and cutting grass after asking his mam for new runners (and getting a lawnmower instead), to leaving school young, getting into fights, climbing pipes and waving at the principal from outside the building — George’s early years were anything but conventional.

After treatment, he took a job as a kitchen porter, working long shifts and learning the ropes from the ground up. When a chef called in sick, George stepped up, working alongside the combi and dessert chefs — a moment that showed the eagerness and hunger that would define his future. We dive into what the role of a kitchen porter really involves, the different shifts and how his brother helped him get his foot in the door.

We also unpack his time in window tinting (including the day he burned a hole in a car while distracted and got fired), working from his back garden and the many lessons learned along the way.

George shares how he got into training, completed his PT qualification and how exercise gave him direction, feeling, and meaning. He speaks honestly about competing in bodybuilding, taking steroids and the toll it took on his body. We debate whether the PT industry should be regulated and discuss his coaching philosophy, standards and approach to building both people and business.

During Covid, George started doing live Instagram workouts from his kitchen — heater on full, towels everywhere, growing his following from 1,100 to 9,000. When gyms were closed, he launched free bootcamps in a local field. What started with 10 people grew to 20… then 90… then 150 at a single session. The Gardaí shut it down. He moved locations. Kept going. Local TDs got behind him.

He saved his first €2,000, bought dumbbells and built momentum.

Two years in a field before moving into a facility.

Today, G Force Fitness has over 900 members, runs seven classes per day (05:30, 06:15, 09:30, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00) with four PTs per class and has built something far bigger than a gym — it’s a community.
• Kids under 16 train for free
• Family deals for accessibility
• Training local schools and addiction recovery centres
• Over 120 HYROX competitors with 15 flags at Dublin HYROX and zero penalties
• A free running club with 13 volunteer mentors
• Affordable memberships for those who can’t pay premium prices

“Train in the rain to look insane or remain the same.”

We talk about purpose, leadership, recruiting and developing PTs from scratch, training people in groups to maximise both impact and profit and why helping people will always be the mission.

This is a story of resilience, redemption, community and relentless belief.

If you’re in business, in fitness, in recovery, or simply trying to build something meaningful — this one is for you.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally.

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters.

Get 25% off your first month’s storage using the code CS25

HERE WE GO!

Are you interested in sharing your career journey on the podcast?

Whether you're keen to talk about your path or promote a specific job or career route, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕

Sponsorships: Want to partner? Reach out to us at [email protected]

In this week’s episode, we sit down with John Sweetman, author of Identity and host of the Lines of Enquiry podcast.

John takes us inside a career shaped by detail — beginning with his first job in animation, his lifelong connection to art and the path that ultimately led him to An Garda Síochána. We talk about his early days in uniform, his first posting and the moment an incident involving a local publican being struck with a bottle quietly redirected the course of his career.

That moment led John into the Garda Technical Bureau, where we explore the process of becoming a fingerprint expert and what it’s really like to attend crime scenes — and whether exposure to that world ever truly becomes normal.

John also shares how he later transitioned into handwriting analysis, breaking down the training, responsibility and precision required to be recognised as an expert witness and what a life spent paying close attention can do to the way you see the world.

To close, we ask John whether he’d still recommend the Garda as a career today and what advice he’d give to anyone considering stepping into that line of work

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally.

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters. Get 25% off your first month’s storage using the code CS25

HERE WE GO!

Are you interested in sharing your career journey on the podcast? Whether you're keen to talk about your path or promote a specific job or career route, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕

Sponsorships: Want to partner? Reach out to us at [email protected]

This week on the 10forty Podcast, I’m joined by Brandon, founder of Dublin Homeless Awareness, a frontline non-profit supporting people experiencing homelessness across the city.

We dive into Brandon’s journey — from leaving school early to finding purpose through community action, leadership and eventually founding Dublin Homeless Awareness in 2018. What started as a Transition Year project sleeping rough evolved into a fully operational non-profit providing emergency accommodation support, referrals to addiction servicesand on-the-ground crisis response.

Brandon explains what the organisation actually does day to day: conducting welfare checks, calling doctors, supporting people during overdoses, administering life-saving medication, responding to stabbings and even carrying out river rescues as trained emergency first responders. We also talk about why they wear a uniform, how presence matters on the streets and the obstacles they face while working late into the night — often until 5am — to keep people safe.

We discuss their role during the Dublin riots, navigating COVID-19 while changing in a garden shed and how strong relationships with the homeless community and local businesses have been built over time. Brandon also shares lessons from his early jobs — including directing traffic at the 3Arena — and how those experiences shaped his conflict resolution and de-escalation skills.

The conversation covers his work experience with An Garda Síochána, Dublin Fire Brigade and the Ambulance Service, his long-standing ambition to work in emergency services, and why he’s now drawn to the social care and addiction support space. We talk about his decision to return to college to study addiction studies, what he’s learning around motivational interviewing and what’s next for Dublin Homeless Awareness.

We also break down how the organisation recruits and onboards volunteers from colleges, how they’ve built a team of 20, the interview and training process and how they keep their team safe while operating on the streets.

If you’re interested in volunteering or learning more, reach out to Dublin Homeless Awareness on social media.

A powerful, honest conversation about purpose, service and making a real impact where it matters most.

Download the Rough Sleeper App and report a rough sleep in need.

Once reported, the Dublin Simon Community will be alerted and can get support to that person as quickly as possible.

👉 Download on Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roughsleepers&hl=en_IE

Follow the guys and the work they do

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dublinhomelessawareness/photo/7562300428612799766
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/p/DP7MEZljb4N/

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally.

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters. .

HERE WE GO!

Are you interested in sharing your career journey on the podcast?

Whether you're keen to talk about your path or promote a specific job or career route, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕

Sponsorships: Want to partner? Reach out to us at [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the 10forty Podcast, we sit down with Gerard Edwards, a highly skilled stonemason and conservation specialist, to explore his journey into the trade, building a business and preserving history through his work.

Gerard shares how he started his first business at just 20, how he landed his very first job and how one opportunity led to the next. We discuss how he became a stonemason, the different projects he’s worked on and how he grew his team to 18 people.

We also dive into some of the prestigious conservation projects Gerard has been involved in, including work at Ashford Castle and Adare Manor and what it takes to work on some of Ireland’s most historic and high-profile buildings.

Gerard speaks openly about his dyslexia, his decision not to return to school and how he built a successful career through hands-on learning, specialist training and experience in the field.

We talk through the highs and lows of the recession, the challenge of getting back to work afterward and how that period ultimately led to the creation of his current business, Balance Conservation Ltd.

The conversation also covers Gerard’s specialist conservation training in the UK, including being trained by a master craftsman with a doctorate in bricklaying. He explains why he enjoys the variety in his work and how, in his 30s, he developed a deep appreciation for history and art.

We explore how buildings were constructed and plastered across different eras, comparing Victorian and Georgian architecture and what makes conservation work so unique.

Gerard breaks down how to become a stonemason, the pathway into conservation work, what he looks for in an apprentice and how people can get started in the trade. We also discuss the SPAB course he completed in the UK and its importance in heritage conservation.

Finally, we look ahead to the future—whether Gerard sees himself staying in business long term and how Ireland, the UK, Australia, and Canada are all competing for the same skilled workforce.

A fascinating conversation about craftsmanship, resilience, and building a career outside the traditional education system.

Connect with Gerard

Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerard-edwards-946496122/

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally.

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters.

IT.ie — trusted IT support and managed services, delivering reliable technology solutions that keep businesses connected, secure, and running smoothly.

HERE WE GO!

Are you interested in sharing your career journey on the podcast?

Whether you're keen to talk about your path or promote a specific job or career route, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕ Sponsorships: Want to partner? Reach out to us at [email protected]

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Martin Brady — former Army sniper, high-performance coach, keynote speaker, and mental performance expert.

Martin shares his remarkable journey from a young boxer following a family tradition into the Defence Forces, joining the army just two weeks after his 17th birthday. Having left school after Transition Year, he spent 18 years in the Defence Forces, including overseas deployments — even celebrating his 18th birthday in Liberia. He reflects candidly on life overseas, early lessons in responsibility and the realities of military life, which he looks back on with genuine pride.

We dive into:
• Life in the army and the mindset required to perform under pressure
• Advice for parents whose son or daughter is considering joining the Defence Forces
• What to do if you’re thinking about leaving the army and transitioning to civilian life
• How 90% of our actions are driven by the subconscious mind
• Martin’s approach to coaching, business and becoming the person you want to be known as

Martin also explains the inspiration behind writing his book Change Your Jacket, including the powerful moment that sparked it — a simple question about why someone wore a different jacket and what they had to do to earn it. We discuss the full process of writing the book, identity change and the mental shift required when moving from soldier to civilian.

Other key topics include:
• Why ideas “pick you” when you’re in the right state of mind
• How Martin was selected as the face of a VW pickup truck ad (2026) from over 400 candidates
• Sending out the right “vibrational frequency”
• Practical steps to change your situation
• Why you shouldn’t commit to an identity you’re no longer happy with
• Getting yourself tuned into “Unstoppable FM”

We also talk about Martin’s work today, his business and his mission to help others reinvent themselves mentally, physically and professionally.
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🔗 Connect with Martin Brady
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-brady-a219ba169/
• Podcast – Reinventing Yourself: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WMJItYWFdxSyJXqohnXkS
• Book – Change Your Jacket: https://www.amazon.ie/Change-your-jacket-military-performance/dp/B0FGB5PBFY

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in mindset, personal transformation, military life, or becoming unstoppable in the next chapter of their life.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally.

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters.

IT.ie — trusted IT support and managed services, delivering reliable technology solutions that keep businesses connected, secure, and running smoothly.

HERE WE GO!

Are you interested in sharing your career journey on the podcast? Whether you're keen to talk about your path or promote a specific job or career route, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕

Sponsorships: Want to partner? Reach out to us at [email protected]