by Abigail Irozuru
Podcast hosted by Team GB Olympian, Speaker, Coach, Businesswoman and woman of God, Abigail Irozuru. Featuring personal reflections and guest interviews with Olympians, Paralympians and their High Performance Teams on Peak Performance, Resilience and Holistic Health & Wellbeing. More about me on https://abigailirozuru.com/
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/14/2021
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September 30, 2025
<p><strong>Episode Summary:</strong></p><p>What does it take to transition from Olympic rowing tobuilding a disruptive start-up? In this episode of Define Your Success, host Abigail Irozuru speaks with Olympian and Daylilies co-founder Jennifer Casson about resilience, mental health, and innovation.</p><p>Jennifer shares her <strong>unexpected Tokyo 2021 Olympic qualification story</strong>, the lessons learned from supportinga teammate through anxiety, and the reality of navigating life after elite sport. She also reveals how <strong>frustration with traditional bras inspired Daylilies</strong>, a brand on a mission to revolutionise bras for modern, athletic women. From <strong>patenting and 3D printing</strong> to building in public and joining the <strong>IOC Business Accelerator</strong>, Jennifer reveals the transferable skills that fuel her journey and why failure is never the end.</p><p>If you’re an athlete, entrepreneur, or anyone curious about turning setbacks into stepping stones or how to leverage your network for new opportunities, this episode is packed with insights on failure, adaptability, and defining success on your own terms.</p><p>🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite platform.</p><p><strong>What You’ll Learn in This Episode:</strong></p><p>✔ The highs and lows ofJennifer’s Olympic journey and what it taught her about resilience<br>✔ How to support teammates through mental healthchallenges in high-pressure environments<br>✔ The challenges of transitioning out of elite sportand finding a new identity<br>✔ Why Daylilie is disrupting the bra industry forathletic women<br>✔ Transferable skills from sport to entrepreneurship – and why feedback is your friend<br>✔ The power of networking and partnerships inbuilding a business<br>✔ Jennifer’s definition ofresilience and success </p><ul><br></ul><p><strong>Connect with Jennifer & Daylilie:</strong></p><ul><li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/daylilie_bras/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">@Daylilie_bras</a></li><li>Website: <a href="https://www.daylilie.com/">https://www.daylilie.com/</a> </li><li>LinkedIn: Jennifer Casson</li></ul><p><strong>Listen & Subscribe:</strong></p><p>🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms.<br>👉Don’t forget to <strong>rate, review, and share</strong> if you enjoyed this episode! </p><p><br></p><p>Connect with Abigail and the podcast:</p><p><strong>Send us a voice message</strong> - <a href="https://anchor.fm/define-your-success/message">https://anchor.fm/define-your-success/message</a> </p><p>Email - <a href="mailto:info@defineyoursuccess.uk">info@defineyoursuccess.uk</a> </p><p><strong>Instagram: @ Definesuccessuk - </strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/defineyoursuccess.uk/"><strong>https://www.instagram.com/definesuccessuk/</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p>Twitter: @DefineSuccessUK - <a href="https://twitter.com/DefineSuccessUK">https://twitter.com/DefineSuccessUK</a> </p><p>Abigail - Instagram: @absisdabest - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/absisdabest/">https://www.instagram.com/absisdabest/</a> // Twitter - @airozuru - <a href="https://twitter.com/Airozuru">https://twitter.com/Airozuru</a> </p><p> </p><p>Show Notes</p><p><strong>Hot Pepper by Alex-Productions | </strong><a href="https://onsound.eu/"><strong>https://onsound.eu/</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Music promoted by </strong><a href="https://www.free-stock-music.com"><strong>https://www.free-stock-music.com</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License(CC BY 3.0)</strong></p><p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US"><strong>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US</strong></a></p>
August 19, 2025
<p>A compelling conversation hosted by Olympian, Abigail Irozuru, with Team GB and British athletics trailblazer, Kelly Sotherton MBE, a triple Olympic medallist and CEO of the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA).</p><p><strong>Key takeaways from the conversation include:</strong></p><ol><li><p><strong>Reshaping the Athlete Journey:</strong> Kelly's mission is to make the athlete's path smoother and more pleasant, ensuring they gain crucial life skills that extend beyond sport.</p></li><li><p><strong>The BEAA's Vital Role: </strong>As CEO, Kelly oversees the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA), which offers essential support (for issues like selection, safeguarding), athlete representation, and fosters a strong athlete community.</p></li><li><p><strong>Addressing Modern Sport Challenges:</strong> Kelly highlights social media as a primary challenge for athletes, stressing the importance of authentic communication and directing concerns to the "right people" for impactful change, rather than just social media.</p></li><li><p><strong>Athlete Identity & Transition Advice: </strong>For developing athletes, Kelly advises fostering "dual identities" to prevent post-sport identity loss and building "good links" (networking) for smoother career transitions.</p></li><li><p><strong>Defining Success Beyond Medals:</strong> Kelly defines personal success not solely by achievements, but fundamentally by health (mental and physical), integrity, honesty, and authenticity – values that shape daily behavior and personal growth.</p></li></ol><p><br /></p><p><strong>British Elite Athletes Association BEAA - </strong><a href="https://www.britisheliteathletes.org/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.britisheliteathletes.org/</a> </p><p>Instagram: @KellySotherton <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kellysotherton/?hl=en" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/kellysotherton/?hl=en</a> </p><p><strong>Send us a voice message</strong> - <a href="https://anchor.fm/define-your-success/message" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/define-your-success/message</a> </p><p>Email - <a href="mailto:info@defineyoursuccess.uk" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@defineyoursuccess.uk</a> </p><p><strong>Instagram: </strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/definesuccessuk/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>@ Definesuccessuk </strong></a><strong>- </strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/defineyoursuccess.uk/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.instagram.com/definesuccessuk/</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p>Abigail - Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/absisdabest/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">@absisdabest</a> - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/absisdabest/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/absisdabest/</a> </p><p><strong>Hot Pepper by Alex-Productions | </strong><a href="https://onsound.eu/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://onsound.eu/</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Music promoted by </strong><a href="https://www.free-stock-music.com" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.free-stock-music.com</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)</strong><br /><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US</strong></a> </p>
July 29, 2025
<p>Welcome to the loooong-awaited Season 4 premiere of Define Your Success! We kick off this new season with an incredibly inspiring conversation with <strong>Lewis J. Richardson</strong>, an Olympian who medalled at the 2024 Paris Games and recently made his pro debut (June 2025). Lewis takes us on a raw, honest, and truly profound journey, offering a rare glimpse into the complex world of professional boxing and the personal battles fought outside the ring.</p><p>In this episode, Lewis delves into:</p><ul><li><strong>The Transformative Leap from Amateur to Pro:</strong> Discover the dramatic differences between amateur and professional boxing, not just in terms of <strong>round duration (from 3 to 4-12 rounds)</strong>, but especially the <strong>business aspect</strong>. Lewis likens the transition from being "employed" by GB Boxing (funded by the National Lottery and offering a holistic program) to becoming <strong>"self-employed"</strong> and building your entire support team from scratch.</li><li><strong>The Unforgettable Moment of Olympic Qualification:</strong> Hear the goosebump-inducing story of Lewis's "absolute highlight" – securing his Olympic qualification on <strong>May 31st, 2024</strong>. He reveals why this moment meant more to him than even an Olympic medal, highlighting the <strong>notoriously difficult qualification process</strong> in boxing where only <strong>one person per country</strong> can qualify per weight category, and his light middleweight division was the <strong>most highly contested</strong>.</li><li><strong>Overcoming Adversity and Silencing the Naysayers:</strong> Lewis transparently shares the relentless <strong>doubts he faced</strong> throughout his career – "He's not strong enough. He's not big enough. He's not fit enough. He's not good enough". He details significant challenges, including a <strong>bad back injury in 2018</strong> and the difficult <strong>Tokyo Olympic cycle</strong> where he faced the world number one on his 23rd birthday.</li><li><strong>The Gut-Wrenching Weight Category Dilemma:</strong> Learn about the crushing blow when his long-standing <strong>75kg Olympic weight category was removed</strong>, forcing him to consider moving up or down. Having boxed at 75kg since he was 16, the decision to <strong>drop to 71kg</strong> seemed nearly impossible, sparking widespread disbelief. Lewis shares how he <strong>defied these expectations</strong>, proving his doubters wrong at every step.</li><li><strong>Rediscovering Purpose in the Crossroads:</strong> Lewis openly discusses the <strong>"lack of direction" and "lack of purpose"</strong> he felt in 2022-2023 when his Olympic dream seemed over and the professional path wasn't aligning. He credits working with a <strong>clinical psychiatrist</strong> and taking a <strong>"</strong><a href="https://stories.uksport.gov.uk/changemakers/changemakers/powered-by-purpose/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Powered by Purpose</strong></a><strong>" course</strong> and the <a href="https://www.thetrueathleteproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">True Athlete Project</a> with helping him "look within" and <strong>"rediscover himself"</strong>.</li><li><strong>The Power of a Trustworthy Team and Loyal Sponsors:</strong> Lewis emphasises the critical importance of surrounding yourself with <strong>"people you trust"</strong> in the "shark's business" of boxing. He outlines the essential team members, from a <strong>good coach, manager, promoter, and lawyer</strong> to a nutritionist and psychologist. He also passionately highlights the <strong>vital role of loyal sponsors</strong> like Maldon Demolition (since 2016) and Datum Group (since 2017), emphasising the importance of <strong>deep, non-transactional relationships</strong>.</li><li><strong>Beyond the Ring: Life, Hobbies, and Humility:</strong> Get to know Lewis beyond his athletic prowess and his commitment to being a <strong>positive role model</strong> for the next generation.</li><li><strong>Post-Paris Highlights of a Hometown Hero:</strong> Lewis gushes about his incredible experiences since Paris, including <strong>turning on the Christmas lights in Colchester</strong> (his hometown) and meeting <strong>King Charles at Buckingham Palace</strong>.</li></ul><p>This episode is a masterclass in <strong>resilience</strong> – defined by Lewis as "being able to grow, being able to come back from adversity, and being a better person off the back of it". Lewis' story is a testament to the power of unwavering self-belief and the profound impact of having the right support system when defining your own success.</p><p><strong>Connect with Lewis:</strong></p><ul><li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lewisjrichardson_/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">@LewisJRichardson</a></li></ul><ul><li>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lewisjrich_/video/7511751234412481794" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">@LewisJRich</a></li></ul><p>Website - <a href="https://lewisrichardson.org/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://lewisrichardson.org/</a> </p><p>Email the podcast at <a href="info@defineyoursuccess.uk" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">info@defineyoursuccess.uk</a></p>
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Podcast hosted by Team GB Olympian, Speaker, Coach, Businesswoman and woman of God, Abigail Irozuru. Featuring personal reflections and guest interviews with Olympians, Paralympians and their High Performance Teams on Peak Performance, Resilience and Holistic Health & Wellbeing.
More about me on https://abigailirozuru.com/
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