What happens when you’ve built the business, earned the money, and achieved the success — but still feel unfulfilled?

In this powerful bite-size episode, science-based spiritual coach Gaia Ferreira joins Paul to explore the moment many entrepreneurs inevitably face: the wake-up call.

Whether triggered by burnout, a life crisis, or just the quiet voice inside saying, “this isn’t it”, this episode reveals why success without self-connection is never enough.

Gaia breaks down her Total Intelligence Method — integrating body, mind, heart, and purpose — and explains why entrepreneurs must stop chasing more and start living aligned.

• Why high-achieving entrepreneurs often feel empty at the top

• The 4 D’s of crisis and how they trigger transformation (Death, Divorce, Disease, Disaster)

• Why your body always knows the truth — even when your mind lies

• The real reason you're stuck in “more mode”

• The simple practice to reconnect with yourself in under 5 minutes

• How to stop chasing significance and start living with meaning

“Your body never lies — but your mind will tell you all sorts of stories. Most of us are living from who we’re not.”

Website: GaiaFerreira.com

Links to Full Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-total-intelligence-method-7-steps-to-living-your/id1712661051?i=1000684380892

https://youtu.be/tVWzcMt5Ryo?si=QFuE3cMkeSsHN-XA

In this episode, Adie McGinnis shares his remarkable entrepreneurial journey—from humble beginnings to building one of Ireland's most successful recruitment businesses, Sigmar Recruitment.

Adie opens up about leadership, company culture, building trust with his team, and navigating two major business collapses. He also reflects on the importance of humility, luck, and finding purpose beyond financial success.

This conversation is a masterclass in building lasting businesses while staying grounded.

Key Topics Covered:

• The early days of Sigmar Recruitment
• How to build company culture
• Leadership through crisis: 9/11, 2008 crash, and COVID-19
• The power of trust, loyalty, and goodwill in business
• When (and when not) to take on external investors
• Why most entrepreneurs ultimately crave freedom over money
• Finding purpose and peace after financial success
• The deeper conversation around aging, purpose, and giving back

Notable Quotes:

"Most entrepreneurs don’t actually chase money — they chase freedom."

"Culture isn't a mission statement. It's how you show up for your people every single day."

"Humility keeps you out of trouble. Arrogance leads you into it."

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adie-mcgennis-b28204/

Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8 figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO Mastermind. As a CEO, Paul has a depth of 'real life' experience of what it takes to be successful in business and life.

Connect with the host:

https://www.theonehourceo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

Show Notes:

In this bite sized episode, Mike Kelly shares how his successful corporate career nearly cost him everything — his health, his marriage, and his peace of mind. Working 16–17 hour days, disconnected from his true self, Mike spiraled toward complete burnout. But what happened next became the catalyst for profound personal change.

If you're a business leader, entrepreneur, or high-performer, this conversation is a wake-up call.

Key Topics:

• The real reason leaders burn out

• How work addiction destroys personal leadership

• The cost of ignoring your own well-being

• Mike's personal breakdown story

• Links to full Episode #70

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-is-what-the-best-leaders-know-in-conversation/id1712661051?i=1000682402041

Show Notes:

In this Bite-Size episode, Steven Twohig and I unpack one of the most difficult parts of transformation: why most people never change, even after powerful breakthrough experiences.

We discuss:

• The illusion of instant transformation.
• Why breakthrough events (like UPW) often aren’t enough.
• The brutal 2-year period I personally went through after my own wake-up moment.
• The fear that keeps most people from facing the work.
• Why real change requires going into the messiness — not avoiding it.
• How identity plays a crucial role in whether we follow through.

This is the honest, unfiltered truth about the price of real change — and why so few ever pay it.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steventwohig/

Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8 figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO Mastermind. As a CEO, Paul has a depth of 'real life' experience of what it takes to be successful in business and life.

Connect with the host:

https://www.theonehourceo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

Chris O’Connell built a €25 million business. Then he lost it all—his company, his marriage, his home, and almost his life.

In this raw and powerful episode, Chris opens up about the pain behind the public success, the collapse that nearly broke him, and the long road back to purpose, mental health, and self-worth.

This isn’t just a story of business failure—it’s a story of rebuilding from the inside out.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why success can sometimes hide deep wounds
• The emotional toll of losing everything—and how to survive it
• How Chris transformed his pain into purpose
• The mindset shift that changed everything
• Why healing starts with honesty, not hustle

Full Episode:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-losing-my-%C2%A325m-business-was-one-of-the-best/id1712661051?i=1000680134298

https://youtu.be/t9x_ndawoIY?si=ql3Zno9K0pjpXh63

Host Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8 figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO Mastermind. As a CEO, Paul has a depth of 'real life' experience of what it takes to be successful in business and life.

Connect with the host:

https://www.theonehourceo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

Summary:

In this soul-baring episode, Paul sits down with author and creative voice P. Lister to explore what it really means to grow through emotional pain. From the depths of Vipassana meditation to the vulnerability of writing a deeply personal book, P. shares how facing pain — instead of fleeing from it — became her path to healing and creative freedom.

This conversation is a reminder that growth doesn’t always feel like progress — it often feels like breaking. But you’re not broken. You’re just growing.

Topics Covered:

• Why emotional pain often signals transformation
• The surprising lessons of 10-day silent meditation
• How vulnerability fuels creativity
• What it means to write the truth — and stand for it
• How to stop seeing yourself as broken and start owning your journey

Power Quotes:

“You’re not broken — you’re just growing.” “I thought I was falling apart. I was really just unfolding.” “My mind created more suffering than the pain.” “The stories I feared most… became the doorway to healing.”

Host Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8 figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO Mastermind. As a CEO, Paul has a depth of 'real life' experience of what it takes to be successful in business and life.

Connect with the host:

https://www.theonehourceo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

Episode Summary:

In this transformative conversation, Paul Ryan is joined by trauma specialist Laurel Wiers to unpack why so many of us overreact — and how emotional triggers formed years ago may still be silently shaping our lives, relationships, and leadership.

Laurel shares her groundbreaking MINT Method, which blends neuroscience, somatic therapy, and memory integration to help entrepreneurs, high performers, and everyday individuals release stored trauma and reconnect with their truest selves.

If you've ever thought “Why did I just react like that?” — this episode offers both the answer and a pathway to lasting healing.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• Why emotional triggers often come from “small t” traumas — not just major life events
• How overreactions are messages from your nervous system asking to be healed
• The difference between your personality and your pain
• How unresolved events silently shape confidence, decisions, and relationships
• Why traditional talk therapy isn’t always enough — and what to do instead
• What healing actually looks like (hint: it’s not as hard or scary as you think)
• How to reset your emotional system and return to who you were before the wound

Key Quote:

“You’re not broken. You’re just carrying unprocessed pain. And it can be healed — for good.” — Laurel Wiers

About Laurel Wiers:

Laurel is a trauma specialist and the creator of the MINT Method — a powerful, integrative approach to healing emotional triggers and helping individuals reset their nervous systems. After years as a licensed therapist, Laurel now works with high performers and entrepreneurs ready to finally move beyond what’s been holding them back.

She is also the speaker behind the new TEDx talk:

TEDx: “Overreacting or Just Remembering?” Search for Laurel Wiers TED Talk on YouTube to watch it now.

Connect with Laurel:

Website: www.laurelwiers.com TEDx Talk: Overreacting or Just Remembering? — on YouTube now

Listener Reflection:

What triggers are showing up in your life right now — and what might they really be pointing to? Take 60 seconds today and ask: Is this who I am… or is this who I became to survive something?

Host Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8 figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO Mastermind. As a CEO, Paul has a depth of 'real life' experience of what it takes to be successful in business and life.

Connect with the host:

https://www.theonehourceo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

Awaken Your Inner CEO: Shane Cradock on Mental Clarity, Purpose & Leadership #92

In this powerful follow-up episode, I reconnect with Shane Cradock — executive coach, keynote speaker, and author of The Inner CEO — to dive even deeper into the mental and emotional foundations of great leadership. Shane shares fresh insights on cultivating clarity, navigating stress, and unlocking your full potential by shifting how you think, lead, and live.

We explore the concept of the “Inner CEO,” why mindset matters more than ever in today’s world, and how entrepreneurs and leaders can align purpose, performance, and personal well-being.

If you’re ready to lead with more intention, authenticity, and impact, this conversation is for you.

👉 For the full conversation with Shane, go back to Episode #73.

https://youtu.be/vEHJqqWQ7vM

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-inner-ceo-transform-your-mental-health-and/id1712661051?i=1000685149512

Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8 figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO Mastermind. As a CEO, Paul has a depth of 'real life' experience of what it takes to be successful in business and life.

Connect with the host:

https://www.theonehourceo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/