Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves

Ryan Gonsalves
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Former professional footballer Ryan Gonsalves dives deep into the unique challenges and triumphs of transitioning from elite sports to fulfilling careers. Through candid conversations with athletes, the Career Clarity Podcast explores their inspiring journeys, uncovering lessons on identity, resilience, and reinvention. Whether you're an athlete or simply seeking inspiration for your next chapter, this podcast will empower you to unleash your second wind.  Ryan Gonsalves transitioned from professional football with Huddersfield Town in the English Footbaal League, to a career in financial services by leveraging his adaptability, transferable skills, and willingness to embrace new opportunities.  While playing semi-professional football, he pursued education and began working at GE Money Capital Bank, where he gained global experience and developed expertise in Lean Six Sigma and process improvement. His sports background often helped him stand out during interviews, creating memorable connections with hiring managers.Later, Ryan joined HSBC in Hong Kong, where he worked for nearly a decade in consumer banking, focusing on global projects such as researching homeownership behaviors. His ability to understand consumer insights and behavior became a cornerstone of his success in the financial sector. After over 20 years in banking (including back in Australia at AMP, Westpac, COmmenwealth Bank and NSW Treasury, Ryan transitioned into career coaching, inspired by helping fellow athletes navigate their post-sports careers. Ready to take the next step? Connect with Ryan at letschat@2ndwind.io.

  1. 4D AGO

    185: Chris Lawrence - How to Build Businesses & Skills While Still Playing

    Send a text Chris Lawrence went from debuting in the NRL at 17 while still in high school to building a business that now helps athletes keep learning during and after their playing careers. But his path was not a smooth one. In this episode, Chris shares what it was really like to be thrown into professional sport so young, the pressure of balancing school with first grade football, and the injuries that forced him to confront the reality that his career could end at any moment. He also opens up about the frustration of trying to study in systems that were never designed for athletes and how that experience shaped the business he runs today. What You’ll Hear What it felt like to debut in the NRL at 17 while still in Year 12The moment Tim Sheens told him, “Looks like you’re playing, kid”How he scored on debut at Suncorp after one simple piece of adviceWhy trying to balance university and professional sport became so frustratingThe experience that made him realise traditional education systems were not built for athletesHow a dislocated hip left him in limbo and facing the possibility of career-ending surgeryWhat helped him mentally get through serious injuryWhy he started building a business while still playingThe reason he believes learning is a skill athletes need to keep developingHow sport taught him lessons about resilience, clarity, sales, leadership, and performanceWhy building skills early gives athletes more options laterThe mindset shift that helped him know when it was time to stop playing and go all in on businessGolden Nugget “Everything you do is an accumulation of skills. The earlier you build them, the more options you have later. Opportunities come because you’ve built the reps, not because you suddenly decided it’s time.” Want to Go Deeper? This episode is not just about retirement from rugby league. It is about what happens when an athlete starts asking bigger questions while they are still in the game. If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    40 min

  2. MAR 3

    184: How Will Mellors - Blair, a Former Pro Footballer Turned Data Into A Playbook For Productivity

    Send a text At six years old, Will Mellors-Blair was named a child maths prodigy. By nine, he was modeling space and time on the football pitch. By eleven, he had already decided that sport would be a vehicle, not the destination. In this episode, Will joins Ryan to unpack a journey that blends elite football, advanced mathematics, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship. From the Manchester United academy to the University of Michigan, and now into building AI systems that optimize human performance at scale, Will shares how he designed his second act long before his first one ended. This is a conversation about identity, autonomy, performance, and what happens when you refuse to be put in a box. What You’ll Hear • How Will used mathematical modeling to “solve” football games as a child  • Why being labeled a prodigy gave structure to his mind rather than pressure  • The moment academy football began to limit his creativity  • Why he always saw football as a vehicle, not the final destination  • The culture shock of moving from English football to the University of Michigan  • What humbled him academically and forced a shift in habits  • His obsession with tech founders and what he was really searching for  • The difference between mimicking success and building your own code  • Why relentlessness is non-negotiable when building something new  • How poor data use is costing economies billions in lost productivity  • The concept of training the mind like the body in elite sport  • How to step back from being the business and build a true team  • Why major career decisions should align the head, heart, and gut Golden Nugget “Don’t just think with your head when making a transition. Align the three brains. Does it make sense logically, emotionally, and intuitively? If it’s yes, yes, yes, you’re on the right path.” Want to Go Deeper? If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    57 min

  3. FEB 17

    183: Tim Stoller: The Business Lesson Athletes Learn Too Late

    Send a text Ryan sits down with Tim, founder of Forged in Sport, to unpack what their research revealed after analyzing dozens of real conversations with athletes who were building businesses, thinking about it, or already deep in it. The big takeaway: if you don’t sort your identity first, the business won’t fix it. In fact, it can make the emptiness louder. Tim breaks down seven key insights that reshape how we should think about life after sport, especially for athletes considering entrepreneurship. What You’ll Hear: Why identity comes before your business ideaHow chasing business to replace sport’s “high” leads to burnoutThe money trap: why trying to match athlete income fast can backfireWhy perfectionism delays everything, and why “start earlier” was the most common regretThe reality of business: ambiguity, no scoreboard, no clear rulesThe mindset shift athletes must make from “I win, you lose” to “everyone can win”Why athlete support often disappears when it’s needed most, and how that damages transitionsThe hidden risk of relying only on your sporting network for business adviceWhy athletes often miss key financial fundamentals like pricing, cash flow, and profitWhy doing it alone slows progress, and how ego gets in the way of asking for helpHow defining success on your own terms changes everything after sport Golden Nugget If you build a business to replace sport, you will eventually burn out or feel empty, even if the business “works.” The identity work has to come first. Want to Go Deeper? If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    46 min

  4. FEB 3

    182: Joseph Ogacion - The Mindset of a Dual-Sport Athlete: From Manila Streets To Olympic Start Lines

    Send a text Joseph Ogacion grew up in the Philippines, once averaging 0.5 points per varsity basketball game, watching the Sydney Olympics on TV and dreaming of racing there one day. He wasn’t the tallest, the strongest, or the most resourced. But he had something else: the ability to suffer more than anyone else. Today, Joseph is a marathoner headed to the Paris 2024 Olympics and an elite time trial cyclist, juggling two world-class disciplines while working full-time in pediatric physiotherapy in Australia. What You’ll Hear Why his average of 0.5 points per game in high school basketball became the unexpected beginning of his running careerHow skipping meals to afford a secondhand bike became the gateway to elite cyclingWhat it means to be “fair to your sport” and honest with your effortThe link between his physiotherapy training and athletic edgeWhy he trains at an average heart rate of 181 and what that says about his physiologyHow he learned to channel self-doubt into world-class enduranceWhy switching nationality from the Philippines to Australia opened the door to greater competitionWhat every athlete can learn about adaptability and controlThe surprising crossover between hitting Olympic splits and sales quotas at workHow he balances ambition, fatherhood, and a demanding careerWhy breaking down big goals into daily 3.52-hour training blocks changed everythingWhat meeting childhood idol Steve Moneghetti meant after 25 years of dreamingGolden Nugget “Be fair to the sport. Every step, every rep, do it with intent. The sport is always fair. You may not see the rewards next week, but after ten or fifteen years, they show up.” Want to Go Deeper? If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    49 min

  5. JAN 27

    181: Ben Herring - From Player to Culture-Builder: What Athletes Need to Unlearn and Relearn After Sport.

    Send a text Ben Herring knows what it's like to be knocked back, knocked out, and still come back stronger. In this episode, he shares the raw, unpredictable journey from overlooked schoolboy to pro rugby player, then international coach. From New Zealand to Japan to Australia, his story is filled with lessons on ego, identity, starting over, and building a life beyond sport.  In this episode, you will hear: - Why Ben kept his goals private, and how he methodically mapped out his career - What it's like to have four kids born on four different continents while chasing a coaching dream - How early rejection and C-team selections shaped his resilience and humility - Why being overlooked until 21 gave him a major advantage in pro rugby - The surprising financial advice he followed that set him up for life after sport - The hard truths of concussion and how personal ownership helped him recover - Why he originally said no to coaching—and how his wife changed his mind - What great coaches do beyond tactics and drills - The art of building culture, and why environment always beats strategy - How coaching is really about connection, trust, and helping others shine - Why every athlete should regularly “start again” with a new challenge - His take on ego, identity, and letting go of the need to be seen Golden Nugget  " If you've never had to start from the bottom, you're going to struggle when your sporting career ends. But if you've made a habit of starting again; learning a language, trying something new, being a beginner, you’ll be ready. And you'll be excited." Want to Go Deeper? If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    1h 22m

  6. JAN 20

    180: How Gemma Howell Turned Pain, ADHD, And Elite Judo Into A Life Of Service And Strength

    Send a text In this epsiode, Ryan is joined by two-time Olympian and European judo champion, Gemma Howell. After a 25-year career that included 12 operations, strict weight cuts, and a near obsessive pursuit of excellence, Gemma opens up about what it truly felt like to walk away from elite sport. Now a full-time secondary school maths teacher, Gemma reflects on the challenges of injury, burnout, and rediscovering joy in a new chapter. She shares the unexpected grief of retirement, how she found purpose again in teaching and coaching judo, and why staying connected to the sport has helped her heal. What We Discuss: Why retiring after the Commonwealth Games broke her heartThe impact of chronic injury and surgeries on her mental healthThe unhealthy relationship with food and weight in elite judoHow her ADHD became a superpower on and off the matThe emotional challenges of losing an athletic identityFinding joy again through coaching and teachingWhy having “something else” outside of sport mattersThe role of movement, community, and self-compassion in healingAbout Gemma: Gemma Howell is a retired elite judoka who represented Team GB at the London and Tokyo Olympics, and won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Now a secondary school maths teacher and judo coach, she continues to inspire young people through sport and education. Want to Go Deeper? If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    1h 3m

  7. JAN 13

    179: Dr. Helen Alfano - What Athletes Don’t Say Out Loud: How Wellbeing Powers Performance

    Send a text Helen Alfano has worked in elite sport for over 20 years, supporting athletes across disciplines - from judo to netball - through the often invisible work of well-being and personal development. In this episode, she joins Ryan to unpack what it really means to support athletes as whole humans, not just performers. From early conversations about life after sport, to how programs handle feedback, to the power of coaching without judgment, Helen breaks down the complexity of athlete support in high-pressure environments. If you're in high performance or responsible for supporting others who are, this conversation will challenge how you think about performance, systems, and care. What You'll Hear Why well-being needs to be part of the performance system, not an afterthoughtHow elite programs can create spaces that support both performance and personal growthWhat athletes really struggle with behind the scenes, from identity to isolationThe importance of early and ongoing conversations about life after sportHow feedback can be hard to hear and how leaders need to shift their mindsetWhy transitions are hard even when the job is lined up, and what systems often missThe unexpected benefits of remote athlete supportWhat Helen sees athletes needing most when the spotlight dimsHow to create honest, non-judgmental coaching relationships that lastWhy vulnerability and repair deepen trust, even in high-performance spacesGolden Nugget “The support we offer should be human to human. That’s where trust grows. Not from watching game tape or writing programs, but from being willing to ask—how are you really doing?” Want to Go Deeper? If you are looking for career clarity for your next step, visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    45 min

  8. 12/16/2025

    178: Emily Huston - The Cliff Effect in Sport

    Send a text What happens when the only life you’ve known as an athlete suddenly stops? For many, the answer is silence, confusion, and a deep sense of loss. Emily Huston, a former USA volleyball player and founder of Home Team, joins Ryan for a real, thoughtful conversation about life after sport. From discovering her love for the outdoors to navigating identity, burnout, and depression, Emily’s story is a powerful example of how difficult it can be to “move on” and why getting a job after sport isn’t the whole answer. She opens up about retiring twice from volleyball, what it felt like to free-fall without a parachute, and the personal pain that led her to create Home Team, an organization dedicated to helping injured and retired athletes find community, direction, and healing after sport. This episode explores the hidden costs of life beyond competition and why support for athletes must go beyond job placements and highlight reels. What You’ll Hear: - Why Emily retired from sport twice, and what brought her back - What athletes lose when they leave the game (and why a job doesn’t fix it) - The “cliff effect” and how it impacts identity, eating habits, and mental health - How NIL and social media bring fame too early, and the crash that follows - What it's really like to go from being “Superman” to not recognizing your body - Why working at a desk feels unbearable for so many former athletes - The patterns of disordered eating and control that emerge post-retirement - Why Emily believes athletic departments have failed retired athletes - The emotional weight of being labeled “irrelevant” after sport -  How Home Team is creating a new kind of support network for athletes - The power of awe, nature, and adventure in post-sport healing Golden Nugget: “Most people think if an athlete gets a job after sport, they’re fine. But that job can feel more disorienting than retirement itself.” Want to Go Deeper?  If you've ever felt like your post-sport life is harder than you expected, or like you’re the only one who’s lost, you're not alone. The good news? There’s help, there’s community, and there’s hope. Visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a consult.

    58 min
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About

Former professional footballer Ryan Gonsalves dives deep into the unique challenges and triumphs of transitioning from elite sports to fulfilling careers. Through candid conversations with athletes, the Career Clarity Podcast explores their inspiring journeys, uncovering lessons on identity, resilience, and reinvention. Whether you're an athlete or simply seeking inspiration for your next chapter, this podcast will empower you to unleash your second wind.  Ryan Gonsalves transitioned from professional football with Huddersfield Town in the English Footbaal League, to a career in financial services by leveraging his adaptability, transferable skills, and willingness to embrace new opportunities.  While playing semi-professional football, he pursued education and began working at GE Money Capital Bank, where he gained global experience and developed expertise in Lean Six Sigma and process improvement. His sports background often helped him stand out during interviews, creating memorable connections with hiring managers.Later, Ryan joined HSBC in Hong Kong, where he worked for nearly a decade in consumer banking, focusing on global projects such as researching homeownership behaviors. His ability to understand consumer insights and behavior became a cornerstone of his success in the financial sector. After over 20 years in banking (including back in Australia at AMP, Westpac, COmmenwealth Bank and NSW Treasury, Ryan transitioned into career coaching, inspired by helping fellow athletes navigate their post-sports careers. Ready to take the next step? Connect with Ryan at letschat@2ndwind.io.

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