What if success didn’t mean sacrificing your health, family or sanity?
In this episode Junaid sits down with Leo Gestetner — founder, CEO, and late-blooming endurance athlete — to unpack how to build thriving companies without burning out. Leo recounts starting as a 13‑year‑old selling secondhand computers, transforming his life from “couch potato” to marathoner and triathlete, and reframing entrepreneurship as a long race, not a sprint.
This conversation blends practical routines (what gets scheduled gets done), hard-earned resilience (the “wall” in marathons and business), and the emotional payoff of pacing yourself for a sustained, meaningful life. If you’re tired of hustle porn and want a playbook for sustainable ambition, this episode is a masterclass in balance, discipline, and reimagining success.
Top takeaways:
- Schedule your life: you won’t make time for fitness, family, or reflection unless you calendar it.
- Build for the long game: treat business like a marathon — pace, recovery, and consistency matter more than bursts.
- Reframe failure: setbacks teach more than success; willingness to fail is a core entrepreneurial advantage.
- Manage energy, not just time: focus on what gives you the most value and protects your health span.
- Small, repeatable habits scale: achievable challenges compound into lasting transformation.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 — Intro & Leo’s origin story: selling computers at 13
- 02:30 — From entrepreneur’s DNA to need-driven hustle: early influences
- 04:40 — The turning point: choosing sustainable success over pure scale
- 06:50 — Scheduling, boundaries & routines that protect family and fitness
- 09:40 — Marathons as metaphors: hitting the wall in sport and business
- 14:00 — Culture of failure: what Steve Jobs and Corning taught about risk
- 17:30 — Pacing life: digital nomad chapter and lessons on reinvention
Guest links:
- Website: https://leogestetner.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leogestetner (search “Leo Gestetner” on LinkedIn)
- Podcast appearances & resources: (see personal website for links)
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Junaid Ahmed is a multi-passionate creator, storyteller, and home studio architect who believes your voice can change your world. As the host of Hacks and Hobbies, he dives deep into the journeys of people turning passion into purpose — from garage inventors to global entrepreneurs.
The podcast began as a simple idea: record honest conversations about side projects, creativity, and the hustle behind the scenes. Years later, it’s become a movement — showcasing the real, raw, and inspiring stories of everyday innovators.
Whether he’s building pro-level studios or geeking out over podcast gear, Junaid’s mission is clear: help people show up with confidence, clarity, and character.
🎧 New episodes weekdays. New perspectives in every story.
