I founded Laird & Co. Mentoring after encouragement from those I have helped over recent years. I recognise the need in others to have someone in their corner: to journey with them, listen non-judgementally, helping them realise their vision by supporting and sharing effective tools.
My passion in life is to encourage, enable and enrich the lives of others: I find great joy in helping people achieve their full potential and encouraging them to succeed, however they define success.
I have a depth and breadth of experience forged as a Royal Marine Commando with over 12 years service including multiple tours of duty across the globe. Since 2015 I have worked with veterans, youths, television personalities, entrepreneurs and professional athletes. I have also contributed to other successful businesses.
I maintain physical fitness by testing myself in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I am energised by learning from others and spending time with my daughter Heidi and dog Daisy.
My strength is my 'why'.
David Laird is a semi-retired doctor with a passion for enabling others. He qualified as a Doctor from Belfast Medical School in 1981. After 8y training in Anaesthesia he was appointed to a Consultant post in Durham. As well as working in elective and emergency anaesthesia including intensive care, he was responsible for delivering and developing the Pain Service and built an effective multidisciplinary team. He also established the Palliative care service.
He has been heavily involved in medical education in the local hospital, in the Northern Region and Nationally and held the Wyeth travelling fellowship to North Carolina. He delivered training and developed courses in Anaesthesia, Pain, Education and Mentoring for Senior Doctors and Doctors in training as well as supporting a wide range of health professionals in their development.
He retired after 30 y as a full time NHS consultant Anaesthetist and Pain Management Specialist in Durham to work part time before returning to full time work because of COVID last year. Now learning about retirement. He is a mentor at Durham University. He is a father of 4, who is learning to garden, enjoys cycling and reads, to both fuel and satisfy curiosity.
Shanaze Reade is multiple World Champion in BMX and track cycling, two time Olympian, world record holder, Coach, Motivational Speaker, TV Presenter and Commentator.
Shanaze also likes to give a lot of her time to charitable organisations that can help youths being brought up in deprived communities while promoting health and fitness.
After reaching the top of her sport and arguably being the most successful female cyclist in the world, Shanaze struggled with the transition from being a full time athlete into the 'civilian' world. After overcoming her own struggles with her mental health and addiction she became driven to give back and help others who are struggling.
Shanaze has a unique ability to encourage and lift others up through her raw authentic style of communicating.
In her spare time Shanaze still trains harder than most athletes, enjoys walking her dog Reggie and making memories with her girlfriend Teddy.
Bob Beswick runs BB Performance. For the past 20 years he has been heavily involved in professional sport, as both a Rugby League athlete and strength and conditioning coach. The experience gained throughout this time, has taught him many valuable lessons that has strongly influenced his behaviour, identity and coaching philosophies.
Bob strongly believes in education and in 2014 graduated from Bolton University with a MSc. Sports science. His educational journey didn’t stop there, constantly looking to challenge his own beliefs and knowledge, whilst staying true to his principles.
Having played a sport he loves all over the world, he has developed a strong appreciation for travel and new adventures. Bob is very fortunate to have experienced different cultures, meet new people and see some remarkable places. He loves spending time outdoors, either climbing a mountain, taking a bath in a lake somewhere or running from dinosaurs with his daughter. If he does stay inside, then you will find him reading a book or playing guitar. Bob finds both of these activities useful tools in maintaining a healthy mind.
Bob has a genuine passion to see people live life to the fullest and contributing to that through his work brings him great joy. Some of his proudest moments as a PT / Coach have not been in the gym, but when the client rings him to tell him of a new job, they quit smoking or show signs of self-confidence not seen before.
Vasiliki is a translator, interpreter, transcreator, blogger, consultant and director of Greek to Me Translations Ltd. She works with English, Greek and French herself and has a team of trusted colleagues who can cover other languages. The offered language services serve mainly the legal, creative, and psychometrics industries.
Vasiliki is a Chartered Linguist, member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and Panhellenic Association of Greek Translators (PEM). She is registered with the Greek Embassy in the United Kingdom as a certified translator and interpreter. She holds a BA in English Language and Linguistics and Masters in Business Translation and Interpreting. She is a Steering Group Member of the CIOL Translating Division (CIOL TD) and CIOL Business, Professions and Government Division (CIOL BPG). She is an Associate Lecturer in Legal Translation at London Metropolitan University teaching Legal Translation, Translation for International Organisations, Linguistics, Translation Theory and Strategy. She is a public speaker and writer for industry magazines.
Her mission is to help organisations and individuals achieve their goals through the power of words. Through mentoring, Vasiliki helps aspiring or young translators to overcome self-limiting believes, build a business mindset and achieve their highest potential. You can follow her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or visit her website at www.grtome.com
Andie McCallum is a former corporate office worker turned professional hacker. After spending a number of years working in the supply chain and logistics arena he became increasingly unhappy, his physical and mental health suffered and he knew something had to change.
Andie took a leap of faith and invested education in a field he had zero experience but a keen passion. This was the first step outside of his comfort zone and one that within 12 months would lead him to change the course of his life and become a professional hacker.
He has since become a strong advocate in self-accountability, self-discipline and developed a model for teaching others how to build unbreakable habits and routines. He lives what he teaches, from having never done any form of exercise and being almost an unhealthy 20 stone to a healthy 13 and a half stone, in under 18 months. Andie did this by simply committing to a minimum of 15 minutes of exercise every day. Every day completed was a day counted, a day missed results in the counter being reset. As of writing this (21/09/2021) Andie is on day 777.
At the heart and mind of this is Andie’s ability to teach others how to identify their core values and enable them to discover their “WHY” and from there build a solid, realistic path toward small achievable goals that then compound into something greater, as he puts it “Simply putting one foot in front of the other.”
Andie is an enigmatic, analytical yet creative thinker who can inspire people around him by living his values. He helps others to ‘hack’ their own brain and rewire how they approach changes in their lives, harmonising task with emotion to unlock incredible results
Gareth Smith is a former Royal Marines Commando, Paramedic and also physician associate that has used his artistic nature to unlock his true potential and free himself from negative thoughts and actions.
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After being medically discharged from the Royal Marines, Gareth became a paramedic, but still desired the adventure he missed from the Royal Marines, he decided to embark on a career as a remote paramedic, working in some of the worlds most hostile countries. This how ever led him down a path of isolation. Trapped in negative thought patterns, Gareth decided to return back to the UK where he became a Physician Associate and now works in the Emergency Department.
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The transition for Gareth was not easy, however he utilised creative writing and photography to express his thoughts and feelings when he couldn’t find another way. Gareth now has a passion to help others, not just in his day job, but by expressing his feelings so others can connect and feel safe to express theirs.
For the last 10 years Steel has been a Royal Marines Commando, spending the last two years of his service as a medic with the country’s elite amphibious fighting force, the Special Boat Service (SBS). Prior to his decade in the corps, he was an infantryman in the army for several years, which included a tour of duty in Iraq aged 20. Sandwiched between the army and marines was a year travelling the world.
It was his deployment to Afghanistan in 2008-2009 with Zulu company, 45 Commando which saw him witnessing friends endure horrific injuries in the most unimaginable of circumstances and demonstrating incredible fortitude and selflessness. His experiences in the desert, coupled with the sadness of losing his father to cancer, led to a period of deep reflection and a decision to follow his heart and become a magician. .
Maria is a successful Consultant and Managing Director, with a degree in IT and over 20 years of experience helping organisations with their data management strategy. She holds herself to high professional standards and has a passion for excellence in service delivery.
In her early 20s, Maria was identified as a potential ‘future Leader’. She undertook a 3 year management advancement training programme, in which she learned to regularly challenge the boundaries of her comfort zone, be ambitious and pursue ongoing development of personal and professional skills. Maria has provided career-development mentoring to others, to share these tools and techniques.
Maria has gone on to work in different countries, with clients across industry sectors such as: finance, retail, construction and aviation. Maria has spoken at technical conferences in the UK, Europe and the United States and has received awards from tech companies and consultancies.
Maria is also a musician and a keen traveller, pursuing recreational interests as enthusiastically as her career. In keeping with a work hard / play hard ethic, she once resigned from a job to travel the globe in 80 days, visit 22 cities in 12 countries, and see all the new wonders of the world!
Disabled Adventurer and Motivational Speaker
World First Expedition Leader
Darren Edwards is a former mountaineer and Army Reservist who sustained a life-changing injury in the summer of 2016. The near-fatal climbing accident would leave Darren permanently paralysed from the chest down. With determination, grit and positivity, Darren has overcome adversity to become a Disabled Adventurer, World First Expedition Leader and Motivational Speaker.
Refusing to let the word disability define who he is as a person and committed to helping challenge the perception of what those with a disability can achieve, Darren has gone on to lead a record-breaking and world first expedition (Kayak 4 Heroes), which saw him lead a team of five injured/wounded veterans in kayaking 1,400 kilometres from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’ Groats in Scotland.
In 2022, he aims to become the first disabled person to complete a marathon in Antarctica and to run seven marathons in seven days on seven different continents - known as the World Marathon Challenge.
Darren is a passionate mental health advocate, having lost his father to suicide in 2021. In Spring 2022, he will row the English Channel in memory of his father and in support of mental health charities across the UK.
Kev, is a Secondary Physical Education Teacher, Grappling gym owner, Mind Coach and DJ.
After spending many years working in the Health, Fitness and Leisure industries as a gym instructor, Personal Trainer and Freelance Group Exercise Instructor. Due to becoming unhappy and frustrated in his role, Kev decided it was time to fulfil a childhood dream of going to University to become PE Teacher.
At the age of 28, Kev applied to Edge Hill University to study PE & School Sport. After meeting with the Head of the Faculty before formally applying, Kev was offered a conditional offer due to his age and prior experience. On the condition that he could submit and pass an assignment to a first year students standard, due to him not having any A-Level qualifications.
Once he had been accepted onto the course, Kev, resigned from his secure job working in a Local Authority Leisure Centre. Then he and his partner embarked a 12, month backpacking holiday, through Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and South Asia.
Kev, has competed in many different types of Martial Arts; Kick-Boxing, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It was during his time competing in Muay Thai, that lead him to working with a Mind Coach to overcome barriers in performance.
This inspired Kev, to study how people can achieve their goal by removing mental barriers, instil confidence, manage anxiety & fear’s.
In 2021 Kev’s first Mind Coach, opened up the opportunity to train to become a Mind Coach. Kev, now holds small workshops, teaching people how they can manage their anxiety, reduce stress and guided mediations.
In his spare time, Kev loves teaching and competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu , walking his beloved Labradors Monty & Scout. On top of Kev’s business and personal pursuits, he still finds to time to DJ in venues around the North West of a weekend.
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“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. ”Proverbs 27:17