He played in the Premier League. He calls his career mediocre. Now that’s leadership.

Rudy Gestede went from global footballer to the boardroom with zero ego and a work ethic built on grit, faith, and no backup plan. He’s not here to impress you. He’s here to challenge everything you think leadership looks like.

How do you lead when your body gives up before your ambition does?

In this no-frills episode, former Premier League footballer turned Blackburn Rovers exec Rudy Gestede drops his playbook for leading with honesty, handling pressure without whining, and navigating elite sport, injury, and impostor syndrome without falling apart.

No flashy philosophy. No “I always wanted to be a leader” narrative. Just straight-up lessons in ownership, discipline, and what happens when you stop blaming and start building.

Why Listen to This Episode?

Whether you’re leading in sport, business, or life this one’s for the people who don’t want a hype talk. They want the truth.

• You want leadership advice from someone who actually had to earn it

• You’re transitioning careers and feel like you’re making it up as you go

• You’ve failed, doubted yourself, or been lied to and want to do better anyway

• You’re tired of watching leaders fake it with charisma and crumble under pressure

• You want to build something without needing to shout, scheme, or show off

  
  

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  Mic Drop Moments

  “Leadership? I’m still shit at it. But I’m learning every day.”
  Say hello to your new favorite truth bomb.

  “You don’t need to like everyone but you do need to respect them.”
  Basic human decency. Rare leadership strategy.

  “I opened a restaurant to learn how to manage people.”
  Imagine being this committed to not being mediocre.

  “I didn’t give myself options. I gave myself a goal.”
  Resilience 101: remove the escape hatch.

  “We had six managers in two years. I saw what good and bad looked like.”
  If you’ve survived a toxic org, you’ll feel this in your spine.

  “If you fake leadership, people will see it. Every time.”
  Truth has a weird way of showing up even if you hide behind buzzwords.

  “I lead by shaking hands with every person in the building.”
  Forget all-hands Zooms. Try human connection.

  “The worst leader I ever hired? That’s on me.”
  Accountability: often mentioned, rarely modelled.