The Grounded Man

John Douglas
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 The Grounded Man Podcast by Deru is for hardworking men building businesses, carrying responsibility, and providing for their families — who feel they should be freer.  The world has changed, and leading through hard work and long hours now limits a man’s influence.  Deru is changing how leaders lead - from the inside out. It's a way to carry the load without constant pressure - so you can enjoy what you’re building, and still have energy for life!

  1. 1d ago

    The Season of Return: Leading from your true nature

    What happens when you stop forcing life and start returning to who you really are? In this episode of The Deru Way, John explores the first season: Return. He shares a recent experience that left him frustrated and explains how awareness helped him see the real issue behind it, let go of the story he had created, and return to a more grounded state. John also explores how fear, pressure, scarcity, and the need to prove yourself can disconnect you from who you are. He explains how stepping back, becoming more aware, and reconnecting with nature can help you move from survival toward greater trust, clarity, and presence. Want to check how present you are in your business and life? Book your Deru Presence Check here: https://calendly.com/johndouglas-coaching/deru-presence-check  00:00:54 — The Season of Return 00:01:07 — In and Out 00:01:36 — Expectations vs. Reality 00:02:22 — What Was Really Bothering John 00:03:45 — The Power of Awareness 00:05:19 — Returning Your Energy 00:06:08 — Returning to Truth 00:06:19 — Leading From Survival 00:07:28 — Fear and Procrastination 00:08:59 — The First Season: Return 00:09:19 — Observing Yourself 00:10:55 — Scarcity and Ego 00:11:29 — Fear and Separation 00:12:03 — Reconnecting With Life 00:13:36 — From Force to Flow 00:15:24 — Everything Is Connected 00:17:20 — Putting Ego in Its Place 00:17:41 — Get Back Into Nature 00:18:24 — Going Outside to Go Within 00:19:25 — From Survival to Thriving

  2. 6d ago

    The Deru Way: Opportunity is present, but are you?

    Are you leading your business from presence, or are you leading from pressure? In the first episode of The Deru Way, a special six-week series of The Grounded Man Podcast, John explores why there has never been more opportunity to grow a business, but also never been more noise and distraction competing for your attention. He explains why staying grounded and present is becoming increasingly important, and how being reactive, firefighting, and spending too much time on low-value work can take you away from the areas where your time matters most. John also looks at the cost of losing presence both in business and at home. He explains why time itself isn’t the problem, but how present you are within those hours, and explores the difference between leading from pressure on the outside and leading from presence on the inside. John also shares the meaning behind Deru — to be solid, firm, and steadfast — and why returning to who you are behind the work, roles, successes, and failures creates greater trust in yourself and the process. John then introduces the five seasons of The Deru Way: Return, Release, Rooting, Rise, and Restore. He explains how each season reflects a natural part of growth, from developing greater self-awareness and letting go of limitations to finding clarity, taking aligned action, and creating an environment that supports who you want to become. He closes with two reflections on what a lack of presence may be costing you in your business and in your life at home. Want to check how present you are in your business and life? Book your Deru Presence Check here: https://calendly.com/johndouglas-coaching/deru-presence-check  00:00:54 — Introducing The Deru Way 00:02:16 — Are You Present for the Opportunity? 00:03:26 — The Cost of Noise and Distraction 00:04:54 — How Distraction Shows Up in Business 00:05:26 — What Would 10 Hours of Presence Be Worth? 00:06:40 — The Cost of Distraction at Home 00:07:25 — Time Is Not the Problem 00:08:17 — What Deru Means 00:09:09 — Leading From Presence vs. Pressure 00:11:45 — Introducing the Five Seasons of Growth 00:12:41 — Return: Coming Back to Truth 00:13:19 — Release: Letting Go to Grow 00:14:33 — Rooting: Creating Clarity and Direction 00:15:04 — Rise: Becoming the Man You Want to Be 00:15:18 — Restore: Creating the Right Environment 00:16:08 — Growing Yourself and Your Business 00:17:21 — What Is Distraction Costing Your Business? 00:18:26 — The Grounding Question

  3. Sep 4

    Lessons from 40 years leading a family business with Michael O’Reilly

    How do you grow a family business without losing the values that built it? In this episode, John is joined by Michael O’Reilly, second-generation Managing Director of Pneumatics Group, for a walk-and-talk about his four decades in the family business. Michael reflects on its humble beginnings, why holding stock became a competitive advantage, and how learning every part of the company has been both a strength and a challenge. Michael also shares the story of buying the business from his dad, navigating recessions and difficult family moments, and the important role his mam played in creating the heart and energy of the company. He explains why reputation, trust, and looking after people have remained central to how the family leads and grows the business. John and Michael also explore the value of outside support, the impact of working with Deru, and how greater clarity and accountability have helped Michael focus on the areas where his time matters most. Michael discusses achieving the company’s most profitable years in decades, making decisions with greater confidence, and creating more space for his family and life outside the business. Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 00:01:48 — Introducing Pneumatics 00:04:31 — The Early Days 00:05:43 — Why Holding Stock Pays 00:06:44 — Taking More Responsibility 00:08:08 — Knowing Everything: A Strength or Weakness? 00:11:43 — Reputation Is Our Goal 00:12:09 — Reputation Pays 00:14:11 — Being the Conscience of the Company 00:17:31 — Building a Brand 00:18:20 — Buying the Business Off Dad 00:21:42 — Overcoming Challenges as a Family 00:25:57 — The Role Our Mam Played 00:30:56 — Getting Support to Lead and Grow 00:33:23 — Working with Deru 00:41:16 — The Most Profitable Years in Decades 00:43:34 — Growing with Confidence 00:45:36 — How Michael Leads Outside the Business 00:49:05 — The Deru Mechanism 00:50:13 — What Surprised Michael About Deru 00:52:13 — What Michael Is Most Excited About

  4. Aug 25

    If you don't take the time, you won't have the energy

    How much of your week is intentionally designed to protect and raise your energy? In this episode, John explores why making time for yourself isn’t selfish — it’s essential to how you lead. He shares a simple exercise around work, family, and yourself, and explains why where you actually spend your time and energy is a better reflection of your priorities than what you say matters most. John also introduces the idea of grounding yourself each morning, starting with just 10–15 minutes to reset, recharge, and sharpen your thinking. He looks at gratitude as a powerful way to move out of frustration, protect your energy, and create more space to lead your business, family, and life with greater clarity and presence. Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 00:01:23 — Making Time for You 00:02:29 — Where Your Priorities Really Are 00:03:32 — Invest in Yourself First 00:06:31 — Protecting Your Energy 00:07:11 — Energy, Time & Freedom 00:09:39 — The 15-Minute Reset 00:10:37 — The Grounding Ritual 00:12:23 — Practicing Gratitude 00:13:19 — Gratitude Over Frustration 00:15:07 — Being Grateful for What’s Ahead

  5. Aug 17

    How a hike can grow your business

    What are you carrying that you no longer need to hold onto? In this episode, John reflects on the first Grounded Man Hike and the conversations that came from stepping away from business, pressure, and everyday noise. He shares the idea behind carrying a stone up the mountain, what it represented, and why letting go can sometimes be just as important as pushing forward. John also looks ahead to the next Grounded Man Hike in Glendalough and explains why community, clarity, challenge, and celebration are at the heart of the experience. Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 00:01:04 — The Grounded Man Hike 00:03:06 — What Are You Carrying? 00:04:20 — Letting Go at the Summit 00:05:19 — The Next Hike 00:06:45 — Who It’s For 00:08:23 — Community, Clarity & Challenge 00:11:03 — What to Expect 00:14:13 — Join the Next Hike

  6. Aug 12

    Success is being in my best energy everyday - Sam Harte

    Can you grow a successful business without sacrificing your energy, your family, or the life you actually want to live? In this episode, John is joined by Sam Harte, director of Harte Outdoor Lighting, for a walk through Wicklow as they explore what it means to work on yourself while growing a business. Sam shares how purpose, presence, the Leadership Hour, and focusing on his daily energy have helped him step away from the constant grind, think more strategically, and create more space for the things that matter most. They also discuss trust versus control, why we tend to push harder when things get difficult, building a stronger culture within a business, and how coaching and accountability can help you become a better leader. Want to connect with Sam Harte and learn more about Harte Outdoor Lighting? Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-harte/ Explore Harte Outdoor Lighting: https://www.harteoutdoorlighting.ie/ Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 00:01:12 — Meet Sam Harte 00:05:22 — Finding Purpose Beyond the Daily Grind 00:08:17 — Finding Growth in Hard Times 00:10:41 — Control vs Trust 00:14:24 — You Are Not Your Thoughts 00:16:41 — Finding Presence in Everyday Life 00:21:14 — The Leadership Hour 00:26:28 — Energy and Better Results 00:27:53 — Working On the Business, Not In It 00:31:50 — Building a High-Performance Culture 00:35:16 — Building a Life Around Family 00:36:17 — Redefining Success 00:40:20 — Why We Double Down Under Pressure 00:45:18 — Coaching and Accountability 00:50:31 — The Grounded Man Hike

  7. Aug 4

    Growing your business – and freedom – by growing your people.

    There's a version of success where you build something real — a team, a reputation, clients who trust you — and somehow end up more trapped than when you started. This week on The Grounded Man, we get into why that happens — and why the fix isn't a better system, it's learning to grow people instead of managing tasks. We talk about the real cost of downsizing to avoid people problems, why not trusting your team is really about not trusting yourself, and who you are when you're not the hardest worker in the room. Growing your business — and freedom — by growing your people. If you'd like to connect with likeminded business owners to see how they are leading others better and with more freedom, attend the next Grounded Man Hike. Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro: welcome to The Grounded Man 00:54 — Why delegation keeps landing back on your desk, half-done 03:36 — It eats at your ambition — the cost of downsizing to escape people problems 06:58 — Business is 90% people — so growth means growing people 08:50 — From manager of tasks to leader of people 11:21 — Not trusting others is really not trusting yourself 14:45 — Treating your business like a forest, not a machine 21:04 — This week's question: where do you need to develop people more?

  8. Jul 29

    Does your business Revolve around you – or Run without you?

    Are you spending too much time working in the business instead of on it? In this episode, John explores why strategy execution is not just about knowing what needs to be done, but creating the space, structure, and leadership rhythm to actually do it. He explains why business owners can get trapped in doing, fixing, and firefighting, and how shifting into clearer thinking, better decisions, and leadership alignment can help the business start running without everything revolving around you. Interested in joining our next Grounded Man Hike? Click here for more: https://www.derunation.com/TGM-Hike 00:01:05 — Working On the Business 00:02:30 — The Knowing-Doing Gap 00:04:20 — When the Old Way Stops Working 00:08:15 — Stop Being the Fixer 00:10:15 — Creating Space to Think 00:12:10 — Letting Go of Control 00:14:20 — Choosing What Is Important 00:15:40 — Building Your Leadership Team 00:18:20 — Working on the Bigger Picture 00:21:30 — The Grounded Man Hike

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About

 The Grounded Man Podcast by Deru is for hardworking men building businesses, carrying responsibility, and providing for their families — who feel they should be freer.  The world has changed, and leading through hard work and long hours now limits a man’s influence.  Deru is changing how leaders lead - from the inside out. It's a way to carry the load without constant pressure - so you can enjoy what you’re building, and still have energy for life!

Information

  • Creator
    John Douglas
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Grounded Man
  • Show Website
    The Grounded Man

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