"For me opening the door was the same door that had shut in my face previously. But going back there and thinking, well, what am I able to do? …I tried many things, but I realised it's music. So I sat down with a blank piece of paper and thought, I've got to make my way again."

Imagine being at the height of music stardom in the 90s, performing on Top of the Pops, being helicoptered between gigs, and having fans waiting outside your house. Then suddenly, there is silence.

In this episode Lee Murray shares what happens when the music stops. Lee was the drummer in the band Let Loose, which enjoyed headline and chart success in the 90s. And then, due to various moving doors, and sliding doors moments the record contracted ended. Lee shares the moment he got the letter, sitting on his stairs thinking now what do I do?

It wasn’t an easy few years, navigating what to do next, trying things that didn't work out. But eventually returning to his roots and the love that was there all the time, drumming. Lee set up his own drum school Lee Murray Drum Hub, and now specialises in using lessons to help people with their mental health and to help neurodivergent children in particular.

Here are the highlights:

03:37 As a kid, I was obsessed with music, I dreamt of a music career.

07:48 Non-stop touring and performances for eight years.

21:02 Try new things without fear; be in the right mental space to succeed.

24:16 Drumming, which offered direction and mental wellness benefits.

38:20 Childhood dreams of being a pop star drove adult ambition.

The things that helped Lee navigate change.

Music: "Are Friends Electric" by Gary Numan

Boos: ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne

The one piece of advice: “You’ll have real highs and you will have the lows. It’s about trying to equip yourself with the tools to ride through that. So you can experience the highs and enjoy them knowing that it may not last forever, and you will get times where it's going to dip. Equip yourself with the resilience to think it will pass…Keep telling yourself that you're worth it.”

About Lee:

Lee Murray, drummer of 90s boy band Let Loose, found salvation in music amid mental health struggles. The band, known for playing their instruments and writing songs, had a hit with "Crazy For You" in 1994. Lee joined at 17 in 1987, but faced challenges after their 1996 split. Drumming helped him recover, leading to work with artists like Westlife, Ronan Keating and Lisa Stansfield.

Recently, Lee founded the Lee Murray Drum Hub, using music to support mental health and neurodivergent children. Let Loose reformed in late 2023 with Matthew James Pateman as lead singer, performing at shows and festivals. They're set to release a new single, "Glorious," while Lee's solo single "Never Give Up On Us" launches on January 31st.

Find out more here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0g45wn6

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lee_murrayinsta

More about the host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

"I made the decision to jump off that entrepreneurial ledge, which was incredibly intimidating at the time… But, I was so compelled to see what was on the other side of fear, which was leaving full time, gainful, fantastic employment and chase a dream"

In today's episode, we have Ant Duckworth, the co-founder of Dear Coco.

I’ve been following Ant’s journey and the evolution of ‘Dear Coco’, his award winning coffee truck, since the dream started. We all have these tiny ideas, small dreams, but how many of us decide to take action and step into trying, and giving it a go.

Ant shares the moment he decided to go for it, and how he now navigates each step to be very intentional with where his business goes. He shares the importance of setting rules and guiding values for yourself - he has his Five Codes he lives by. The first rule being ‘owning the dark’ - the concept of acknowledging the most defining, meaningful work happens in the dark away from the spotlight when no one is watching.

Ant has made that corporate to entrepreneur leap, from director at American Express to owner of a coffee truck in a side street in London. Dear Coco is growing, and continues to make its mark in the competitive coffee market. It's a story to encourage you to take tiny steps to action your small flickering flame of an idea, and when the moment is right, back yourself to make it happen.

Here are the highlights:

06:05 Launched renowned coffee truck as side hustle.

10:19 From surfing to serving London's best coffee from a truck.

20:43 Coffee truck work: it’s hard, challenging but extremely rewarding.

31:10 Maximize life through personal code and improvement.

36:06 Relatability attracts non-coffee followers online.

43:48 Confront fears; make the jump despite resistance.

The things that helped Ant navigate change.

Music: Jack Johnson

The one piece of advice: “There is something great and powerful sitting on the other side of fear. Maybe fear is stopping you from reaching out and grabbing the door handle and walking through. But know that there is something very valuable on the other side of that fear for you.”

More about Ant

Ant is Founder & CEO of Dear Coco Coffee, former International Marketing Director for American Express, Australian surfer, father of three daughters and coffee lover.

Ant spent 16 years leading International Experiential Marketing teams within some of the world’s most powerful brands. In 2021, during a global pandemic Ant built Dear Coco as a side hustle to his corporate career. He built the business as a love letter to his youngest daughter, Coco.

In three years, Dear Coco became the world’s most popular and successful coffee truck, with a cult local and global following. It is the most followed coffee truck in the world on Instagram.

Ant is now full-time Founder & CEO growing venture-backed Dear Coco into the world's next great coffee company and enabling other coffee entrepreneurs.

Instagram @dearcocolondon

Website www.dearcoco.com

More about the host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk