About Wheels Up - Safety and Security for Business, Executive and VIP Travellers Podcast
Welcome to the Wheels Up podcast, the resource to help business, executive and VIP travellers stay safe on the ground and in the air. Join travel security and executive protection professional Troy Claydon with cohost Ben Hosking as they share tips on how to give yourself or those in your care a safe journey no matter where your travels take you.https://expertsonair.fm/wheels-up/ http://www.panopticsolutions.com/
Ep 17 – The Physiology of Protection: Performing Under Pressure with Dr Adam Szlezak & Ben Hartley
Your body doesn't respond to actual threat. It responds to perceived threat. In close protection, policing and any high-consequence role, that one fact separates the operator who stays composed from the one who becomes a liability to the principal and the team.
In Episode 17, Ben Hosking is joined by Panoptic Solutions' Executive Protection & Training Manager Ben Hartley and returning guest Dr Adam Szlezak, a performance coach working in psychophysiology. Ben Hartley describes his path from infantry digger to builder, to professional gridiron player in Germany, to Army Military Police close protection officer. He then opens up the nine-day residential Close Protection Course he wrote, from the barrier fitness test to the final full mission profile.
Dr Adam explains the science underneath it: survival biology and the "crocodile at the water hole", Recognise & Regulate, building your own somatic profile, and co-regulation. Co-regulation is how an operator's body language signals safety or threat to a principal and to an aggressor. Together they cover how to read the physical warning signs in a crowd, why failure points are data rather than defeat, why skills fade, and why the best operators never stop training the basics.
"High-level operators aren't constantly regulated. They're constantly regulating." – Dr Adam Szlezak
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:26 Meet Ben Hartley
8:21 Dr Adam Szlezak returns
12:08 Inside the nine-day course
18:53 Pass/fail pressure: perceived safety vs perceived threat
32:08 The crocodile at the water hole: Recognise & Regulate, co-regulation
39:24 Combatives, getting off the X and the intelligent operator
51:00 Reading people: crowds and physical warning signs
1:07:28 Failure points: capability over pass/fail
1:13:28 Range day, skill fade and the taser story
1:28:51 Reality-based training and what's next
1:50:10 Outro
Course dates and intakes: panopticsolutions.com
Look Far, Look Near, Look Rear.
This episode contains strong language.
5 May 2025
Mark Wright - Entrepreneur & UK Apprentice Winner
In this enlightening episode of the Wheels Up podcast, hosts Troy Claydon & Ben Hosking engage with successful entrepreneur and Winner of UKs The Apprentice Mark Wright. The conversation delves into the intricacies of digital marketing and entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and a robust online presence. Mark’s experiences shed light on the dynamic nature of the business world and the qualities essential for success.
10 Mar 2025
WheelsUp Short Show – Chain Reaction CEO Michael Byrom
Guest: Michael Byrom – CEO, The Chain Reaction Challenge FoundationConsultant at McBride Legal | Director at Southern Cross Soloists Ltd
In this episode, we speak with Michael Byrom, a legal expert and philanthropist dedicated to making a difference through The Chain Reaction Challenge Foundation. With a career spanning over 40 years in commercial law, corporate governance, and contract negotiation, Michael shares his journey from the legal world to leading one of Australia’s most impactful cycling-based fundraising initiatives.
Listeners will gain insight into the intersection of business, philanthropy, and endurance challenges, as Michael discusses how The Chain Reaction Challenge Foundation has raised over $44 million for children’s charities and continues to build a legacy of executive networking through high-performance cycling events.
Key Takeaways
🔹 Transforming Passion into Purpose – How Chain Reaction uses endurance cycling to drive fundraising and executive engagement.🔹 The Power of Executive Networks – Why senior business leaders are drawn to this initiative and how they make an impact beyond the boardroom.🔹 Lessons in Resilience & Leadership – What endurance sports can teach corporate leaders about perseverance, teamwork, and goal-setting.🔹 Future Goals for Chain Reaction – Insights into the foundation’s ambitious targets for 2025 and the events shaping the next chapter.
👤 About Michael Byrom
Michael Byrom is a highly regarded legal consultant with over four decades of experience in commercial, corporate governance, and real estate law. A director of The Chain Reaction Challenge Foundation and Southern Cross Soloists Ltd, Michael brings his expertise and leadership to organizations that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
Since its founding in 2007, Chain Reaction Challenge Foundation has raised over $44 million for children's charities, supporting more than 50 organizations across Australia. The foundation continues to connect business leaders with meaningful philanthropy through high-endurance cycling events, fostering a culture of giving, leadership, and community impact.
🎧 Tune In
Discover how Michael Byrom and Chain Reaction Challenge Foundation are redefining corporate philanthropy through endurance cycling. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your network!
🔗 Follow Us
🌐 Website: www.panopticsolutions.com📍 LinkedIn: Panoptic Solutions📧 Email: info@panopticsolutions.com
#Philanthropy #CorporateLeadership #EnduranceCycling #Fundraising #ChainReactionChallenge #ExecutiveNetworking #Resilience
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
33,084
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
4.7 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
25
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
32
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