Dream In Public

Caolan Kelly

Dream In Public is not a a podcast. It's a philosophy. A stage for shameless dreamers to share what they’ve kept hidden. Here we explore courage, creativity, and the cost of chasing what matters. I sit down with founders, creators, and contrarians who dared to risk it all... So you’ll be inspired to risk it too.

  1. 10/22/2025

    # 21 Brian Downes: 1,000+ Stages Later, The Hardest One Was His Own Mind

    👉 Follow the show + leave a 5-star rating to help more people become shameless dreamers and turn vision into reality. He’s delivered over a thousand talks across Ireland and Europe - but the hardest stage he ever faced was inside his own mind. Brian Downes built a career helping others lead, perform, and speak with power - all while wrestling with ADHD, anxiety, and the kind of silence that doesn’t show on camera. This isn’t a story about public speaking.It’s a story about being seen - about turning chaos into clarity and learning that the bravest thing you can ever say on stage… is the truth. In this episode, we dive into: 🟧 The misunderstood gift of ADHD - and how to use it as a superpower 🟧 Panic attacks, Lexapro, and the two-year war nobody saw 🟧 The “F**k It Switch”: how to kill perfectionism in real time 🟧 Why therapy isn’t for the broken - it’s for the brave 🟧 Doing hard things on purpose: how pressure builds peace 🟧 Why audiences don’t want polish - they want presence Whether you’re leading a team or just trying to lead yourself through the noise, this one’s proof that courage isn’t found in the spotlight — it’s forged in the shadows. Follow Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianpdownes/ https://briandownes.com/ https://www.performancenerds.com/ Follow Caolan: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_caolan/ https://open.spotify.com/show/1jMeGl3yO3JJYfPWQATbSD https://www.linkedin.com/in/caolankelly55/

    48 min

About

Dream In Public is not a a podcast. It's a philosophy. A stage for shameless dreamers to share what they’ve kept hidden. Here we explore courage, creativity, and the cost of chasing what matters. I sit down with founders, creators, and contrarians who dared to risk it all... So you’ll be inspired to risk it too.