This episode is a plot twist in real time.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned I’d be trekking to Everest Base Camp and climbing Lobuche East Peak in November. It’s a terrifying and exciting move—and it all came about thanks to the guest on today’s show: Matthew Stewart. (https://au.linkedin.com/in/drmatthewstewart)
Matt is a long-time friend, adventurer, and the CEO behind The Custodian Way, a collection of businesses with one mission: creating 30 million impact moments annually by 2030. He's also the founder of Experiences Not Felt Possible—the exact program I’m now joining.
In this conversation, we explore:
• Why climbing mountains is just a vehicle (and not the point)
• The problem with chasing your “why” too soon
• How redefining everyday language changes everything (from patients to athletes, clinics to arenas)
• The 5-stage opt-out hiring process his team uses (hint: it flips traditional recruitment on its head)
• The importance of creating pages in your Book of Life
• How to build workplaces where no one gets performance managed out
• Why your dream doesn’t have to look “big” to be bold
You’ll also hear about:
• Dreaming big with constraints
• The story of Carol and the Brisbane clock tower that’ll stay with me forever
• Why saying “If it is to be, it’s up to me” can shift you out of a funk instantly
This isn’t a feel-good fluff piece. It’s a real, raw look at designing a life where the experiences define the strategy, not the other way around.
Follow Matt:
🌐 matthewstewart.co (https://matthewstewart.co) or connect on LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/drmatthewstewart)
📸 @mattjstewart on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mattjstewart/)
🔗 The Custodian Way (https://www.thecustodianway.com/) and Experiences Not Felt Possible (https://experiencenotfeltpossible.com/)
*New* You're invited to join Leanne's free community, Work Fame. (https://www.workfa.me/)
Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com
P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are three ways I can help:
1. Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9RyOeXZfW4)
2. Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint (https://2hourwork.shop/) .
3. Red Carpet Campout: Inspire, Indulge, Invent. Let’s take your ideas outside in (https://www.leannehughes.com/events/red-carpet-campout) June 2025.
Let's connect on all the channels:
Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannehughes/)
Leanne Hughes on Instagram (https://instagram.com/leannehughes)
Visit my website: leannehughes.com (https://www.leannehughes.com)
Email me: hello@leannehughes.com
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