Former Royal Marines Commando, Ben Williams, shares his journey from struggle to success, highlighting pivotal moments of self-discovery and resilience. He narrates overcoming drug addiction, a court-martial trial, and founding tech company Loopin for corporate wellbeing. Themes include challenging military experiences, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and the commando mindset.
Ben Williams overcame childhood struggles and drug addiction to join the Royal Marines.
After battling suicidal thoughts, Ben underwent a transformative journey towards self-improvement.
Ben reflects on the emotional toll of combat, transitioning to civilian life, and the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Deep dives
From Challenging Past to Military Success
Ben Williams, after a tumultuous upbringing involving family turmoil and struggles with drug addiction, found his path to success. His desire to be part of the military journey stemmed from childhood inspirations, eventually leading him to the Marines despite initial setbacks.
Overcoming Dark Moments and Suicidal Thoughts
During a period of despair, Ben battled suicidal ideations and drug abuse. A pivotal moment occurred when he realized he couldn't even follow through on that action, spurring a deep introspection and prompting him to seek a profound change in his life.
Transformative Military Experience in Combat
Ben's military journey took him to operational tours where he faced intense combat situations and the loss of comrades. These experiences compelled him to reflect on the significance of individual actions in the larger context of service and sacrifice.
Transforming Military Experience into Coaching and Entrepreneurship
The podcast guest shares his journey from a military experience marked by intense moments like saving lives during warfare, grappling with guilt over past actions, and facing court-martial cases, to transitioning into coaching and entrepreneurship. He reflects on the emotional toll of combat experiences, the struggle of readjusting to civilian life, and the importance of seeking help and emotional expression as a man.
Navigating Business Challenges and Personal Growth
The podcast reveals the guest's entrepreneurial venture's highs and lows, including securing investments, overcoming financial setbacks, and balancing the pressures of running a business. He discusses the constant stress and high adrenaline levels associated with entrepreneurship, leading to memory issues and the realization of needing a break for self-care and mental well-being.
In this episode, Fergus is joined by Ben Williams, a former Royal Marines Commando with an incredible story to tell.
Fergus and Ben explore the turbulent upbringing that moulded Ben's attitudes for several years, and after two pivotal moments whilst working on nightclub doors, Ben fell into an existence of suicidal thoughts, drug addiction, and battling life on the brink.
Ben then saw a YouTube advert for the Royal Marines, and renewed his sense of purpose through training for, and passing through the selection process. Ben shares with us his account of an IED incident in Afghanistan, that had him sent home, and then led him back to his old ways with drugs and alcohol, to the point where he was faced with a court-martial trial for one incident in particular.
Ben was spared a sentence from a judge that took pity on him, and Ben has since flourished as part of the training team at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, into corporate coaching, and now, into founding tech company: Loopin - which is focused on revolutionising corporate wellbeing.
This is Ben's story.
Ben's Social Media: @ben_williams_cm
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