Life Stories

On this episode of the Andy Thomas Life Stories Podcast,Andy Thomas sits down with Paul Wimpenny for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about career pivots, leadership, and staying grounded whileworking at scale.
 
Paul shares his journey from frontline care into seniorleadership - opening up about the pressure that comes with responsibility, the importance of building strong teams, and why purpose always has to come before position. This isn’t a polished highlight reel… it’s real talk about setbacks,growth, and learning to lead with authenticity.
 
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
 
-        Moving from clinical work into leadership
-        The mindset shifts required to grow yourinfluence
-        Why people matter more than job titles
-        Lessons learned the hard way
-        Staying human in high-pressure environments
 
Whether you’re a clinician, healthcare professional, orsomeone navigating your own career path, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about success and impact.
 
🎧 Watch now -  and get inspired to lead better.
 
👇 Let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments
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From Failing Exams to Building a National HealthcareBusiness | Andrew Walton on Life Stories
 
In this episode of the Andy Thomas Life Stories Podcast,Andy sits down with Andrew Walton, founder of Cora Health and First ContactHealth, to explore an incredible journey from struggling at school to becomingone of the UK’s leading MSK healthcare entrepreneurs.
 
Andrew shares his story growing up in Newcastle, failingexams, finding his way into physiotherapy, and eventually building large-scalecommunity MSK, diagnostics, and surgical services across the UK. Along the way,he opens up about resilience, imposter syndrome, leadership, and why cliniciansmust start valuing themselves properly.
 
You’ll hear about:
 
✅ Turning academic setbacks intofuel
✅ Moving from NHS clinician tobusiness founder
✅ Building teams smarter thanyourself
✅ Lessons from failure, growth,and mergers
✅ Why MSK care is undervalued - andhow that can change
✅ His bold new vision for privateMSK with First Contact Health
 
This is an honest, inspiring conversation for clinicians,healthcare leaders, and anyone thinking about doing things differently.
 
🎧 Tune in and getinspired.
 
👇 Share your thoughts inthe comments
👍 Like & subscribefor more real-life stories from healthcare leaders
 
#LifeStoriesPodcast #AndyThomas #AndrewWalton #Physiotherapy#HealthcareLeadership #MSK #Entrepreneurship

In this episode of the Andy Thomas Life Stories Podcast,Andy is joined by Andy Barker - former Leeds Rhinos Head Physio and founder of TheNew Grad Physio.
 
Andy shares his journey from struggling to get onto a physiodegree to working in elite sport, stepping into leadership early, and latermoving into business and mentorship.
 
They discuss the realities of professional sport, whycommunication and people skills matter as much as clinical expertise, and howmentorship can help bridge the gap between university and real-world practice.
 
A thoughtful conversation on career development, leadership,and supporting the next generation of physios.
 
🎧 Watch now on the AndyThomas Life Stories Podcast.

Andy Thomas Life Stories Podcast - Episode with Alex Manos |From Elite Sport to Coaching, Purpose & Personal Growth
 
In this episode of the Andy Thomas Life Stories Podcast,Andy is joined by Alex Manos, a former Premier League physiotherapist turnedcoach, for one of the most honest and reflective conversations on the show todate.
 
Alex shares his journey through elite football - fromworking at Crystal Palace, operating under intense pressure at the highestlevel, to realising that success on paper doesn’t always equal fulfilment inlife. He opens up about the realities of working in professional sport, theisolation that can come with senior roles, and the personal challenges thatultimately forced him to reassess who he was and what he wanted.
 
This conversation explores:
 
The pressures and expectations of elite sport environments
 
Why saying “I don’t know” is difficult,  but essential, in high performance
 
Transitioning from physiotherapy into coaching and personaldevelopment
 
How personal adversity can become a catalyst for meaningfulchange
 
Leadership, vulnerability, and creating healthier culturesin sport and business
 
Why learning to say “no” is one of the most powerful skillswe can develop
 
Alex explains how coaching transformed not only his career,but how he works with people - helping athletes, leaders, and professionalsfind clarity, balance, and purpose beyond performance alone.
 
This episode is about far more than sport or healthcare.It’s about identity, growth, and what it really means to succeed over the longterm.

Andy Thomas Life Stories Podcast - Episode with Matt Taylor| Building a Career, a Business & Resilience in Healthcare
 
In this episode of the Andy Thomas’ Life Stories Podcast,Andy is joined by Matt Taylor, Clinical Director at Response Healthcare Group,for a wide-ranging and honest conversation about careers in healthcare,entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.
Matt shares his journey from growing up in the North West,discovering physiotherapy almost by chance, to running a national healthcareorganisation spanning private clinics, occupational health, and NHS services.Along the way, he reflects on the realities of working in MSK healthcare, thechanging role of physios, and why understanding business is no longer optional.
Topics covered include:
* Choosing physiotherapy and navigating an evolving jobmarket
* The gap between healthcare training and real-worldbusiness skills
* Pain, communication, and treating people - not justsymptoms
* Starting a clinic from a single room and scalingsustainably
* Resilience, mistakes, and why longevity matters more thanperfection
* Lessons from elite sport, including working at World’sStrongest Man
 
This episode goes beyond clinical practice. It’s aboutmindset, adaptability, and learning to balance care, commerce, and long-termthinking - whether you’re a clinician, business owner, or just curious abouthow healthcare is changing.