Charles Tyrwhitt founder, Nick Wheeler, started the business with just £99, a Morris Minor (with a hole rusted through the floor), and zero understanding of how you make a shirt. Today, it’s a £400m global empire – but his story is one not short of tragedy.

In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Nick to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that he turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. We’d love to know yours, let us know in the reviews...

POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:

I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.

This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.

CHAPTERS:

00:49 A Person – Learning from your children's fresh perspective

01:33 A Habit – 474 days of Duolingo (and still can't speak Italian)

02:32 A Comfort – Singing on a Brompton around London

03:12 A Piece of Advice – Stop stressing about what you can't change

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‪@charlestyrwhitt‬

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Website – https://www.charlestyrwhitt.com/uk/home

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In this special tribute episode, we revisit my conversation with the legendary Dame Jenni Murray. Recorded in February 2021 in the early days of the podcast, Jenni joined me to discuss her remarkable 33-year tenure at BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, her harrowing battle with breast cancer, and the lifelong, deeply personal crisis of obesity that she detailed in her book, Fat Cow, Fat Chance.

Jenni was a pioneer who proved that no topic was too difficult to discuss. In this incredibly frank and moving conversation, we explore the roots of resilience, the complexity of forgiveness, and why "getting on with it" was the only strategy she knew when the world seemed to be unravelling.

POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:

I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on.

This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley; visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.

1. Action Eases Anxiety: When the "shit hits the fan," shifting into a practical, task-oriented mode can prevent you from folding in on yourself.
2. Vulnerability is Bravery: Resilience isn't just about being "tough"; it's about the courage to drop the mask and admit when the pressure is too much.
3. Forgiveness is a Process: Moving past personal trauma requires acknowledging the full, complicated humanity of those who hurt us.
4. Set Your Own Milestones: In times of health or personal crisis, creating small, achievable targets (like writing a eulogy or finishing a treatment) provides a vital sense of control.
5. Words Matter: Shaming – whether of oneself or others – never leads to positive change; empathy and understanding are the only true paths to recovery.

1. 01:50 – "Fat Cow": The Reality of Public Shaming
2. 06:05 – Inherited Habits: A Childhood Defined by Food
3. 08:10 – The Black Bombers: Amphetamines and University Weight Loss
4. 18:20 – Reconciling with Her Mother
5. 22:30 – The Failure of Therapy vs. the Power of Friendship
6. 29:35 – The Phone Call to the Samaritans
7. 36:35 – December 2006: Cancer, Loss, and the Mastectomy
8. 43:00 – "Just Get On With It": The Instinctive Practicality of Crisis
9. 52:00 – A Vascular Necrosis: The Hidden Cost of Chemotherapy
10. 57:05 – The Turning Point: Metabolic Surgery and a Second Chance
11. 01:06:10 – Crisis Cures: Dogs, Crime Novels, and New Forest Ice Cream

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Ryan Holiday – bestselling author of The Daily Stoic, Ego is the Enemy, and The Obstacle is the Way – joins me on Crisis What Crisis to explore why intelligence doesn't protect you from stupidity, why modern life's frictionlessness is making us weaker, and what ancient Stoic philosophy can teach us about navigating today's world.

POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:

I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.

This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Intro – Ryan Holiday’s Crisis Compass

00:18 Who Guides You in Crisis? (Marcus Aurelius)

00:58 The Power of Role Models in Stoicism

01:08 Daily Habit: Why Journaling Matters

01:24 Finding Calm: The Simple Power of Walking

01:46 One Rule to Live By (Epictetus’ Advice)

02:03 What Stoicism Really Teaches About Control

02:15 More Stoicism Episodes

BUY RYAN'S BOOK:

Wisdom Takes Work – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-Takes-Work-Important-Journey/dp/1788166299

FOLLOW RYAN:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday/?hl=en

X/Twitter: https://x.com/RyanHoliday

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryan_holiday

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmBIKsrzIjdHRuqs2I8nHA

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After building MTV and rising to the very top of the global media industry, Tom Freston experienced dramatic setbacks that forced him to rebuild - not for the first time.

In this Crisis Compass segment, the co-founder of MTV and former CEO of Viacom reveals the personal habits, relationships and mindset that helped him navigate the highs and lows of an extraordinary life.

Tom shares the quiet routines and pieces of advice that keep him grounded today.

POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:

I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.

This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.

IN THIS EPISODE:

01:10 – The people Tom relies on for advice and perspective

02:25 – The daily habit that keeps Tom grounded

04:05 – The moment that changed how Tom sees business problems

05:30 – Finding comfort in nature and music

TOM’S BOOK:

Read Tom’s book: Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu Follow Tom Freston:

https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Adventures-Timbuktu-Tom-Freston/dp/1668089793

FOLLOW TOM:

Instagram – www.instagram.com/tomfrestonunplugged/?hl=en

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From building a multimillion-dollar clothing business in India only to be wiped out by a global trade embargo, to redefining pop culture for a generation at MTV and Nickelodeon, Tom Freston’s career is a masterclass for any aspiring entrepreneur.

In this episode, Tom joins me to discuss the resilience required to reach the top and the sheer guts needed to start over when it's all taken away. He shares his "decidedly non-traditional" path to the C-suite and why humility, earnestness, and curiosity are the ultimate defining traits for success.

POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:

I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.

This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE:

1. Building the MTV empire: The legendary "I Want My MTV" campaign and the David Bowie sauna story.
2. The reality of being fired as the boss at Viacom by Sumner Redstone and receiving a hero’s send-off from 1,000 employees.
3. Returning to Afghanistan to help launch the country’s first television network.
4. Why stepping off the "conveyor belt of conformity" is the best classroom for a young person today.

LESSONS YOU’LL LEARN

1. Skills are transferable: It’s never too late to change careers.
2. Optimism is a competitive advantage: back yourself when no one else will
3. The most successful careers are rarely the most conventional
4. Know when to disappear: recovery needs space, don't rush the next move
5. Hire people smarter than you: it's your best protection against your worst instincts

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro

04:44 - Stepping off the conveyor belt of conformity

12:30 - Where does confidence come from?

17:23 - Becoming a millionaire in your 20s

22:11 - The sudden collapse of Hindu Kush

31:06 - The ground floor of MTV

36:44 - The "I Want My MTV" Hail Mary pass

45:28 - Being fired as CEO of Viacom

53:30 - Reassessing life and finding Phil Stutz

56:28 - The "perfect circle" back to Afghanistan

1:00:26 - The Tom Freston manual for young people

TOM’S BOOK:

Read Tom’s book: Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu Follow Tom Freston:

https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Adventures-Timbuktu-Tom-Freston/dp/1668089793

FOLLOW TOM:

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Following the loss of his daughter Sushila to anorexia, broadcaster Sir Trevor Phillips reveals the daily habits, personal anchors, and life advice that keep him grounded.

In this "Crisis Compass" segment, we move away from the headlines to look at the personal resilience required to survive a 22-year battle with mental illness.

THE COMPASS QUESTIONS:

In this episode, Andy Coulson asks Trevor to reveal:

1. The person who shaped his perspective during his darkest hours.
2. The daily habit he refuses to give up (even in crisis).
3. The piece of advice he returns to when uncertainty takes over.
4. His ultimate source of comfort.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:

This is a bonus segment. Listen to the full, wide-ranging conversation with Sir Trevor Phillips here:

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8be66777-24c2-42ee-9d97-c59f4996be30/

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 – Sir Trevor Phillips: A life forged in crisis

01:06 – The people he turns to for strength

02:32 – The daily habit for mental clarity

04:00 – Life-changing advice for hard times

05:26 – Finding comfort after loss

FOLLOW TREVOR:

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