Looking Sideways Action Sports Podcast

In this latest follow-up episode to The Announcement, I’m joined by activist, entrepreneur, engineer, and policy researcher Len Necefer for a conversation in which we discuss the tension between ideological purity and pragmatic action when it comes to genuine environmental and social change.Len, a proud member of the Navajo Nation, works at the intersection of Indigenous peoples, natural resource, and environmental policy. He is the founder of Natives Outdoors, a board member at the Honnold Foundation, and somebody whose work has become essential when it comes to the current debate around how to create meaningful impact in an imperfect system.  This, of course, was a key theme of my Announcement series proper. And it is the territory Len provocatively and articulately explores through his work and writings, in which he respectfully yet firmly challenges the comfortable assumptions around ‘purpose’ that tend to dominate the discourse in outdoor and adventure spaces.As you’ll be aware if you’ve read Len’s brilliant Substack or follow him on social media, he is not interested in letting individuals, brands, or organisations mark their own homework. Instead, he is interested in asking the only questions that truly matter: Will this have an impact? Is your work upsetting the right people? Is it calculated to drive forward the change you claim to seek? The more I explore these avenues, the more I think these are really the only honest questions worth asking, which is why I admire Len’s work and his willingness to ask these questions so outspokenly and articulately. From this challenging conversation, you'll gain insights into:- Why accountability matters more than stated intentions in purpose-driven business- How Indigenous perspectives fundamentally shift conversations around environmental policy and outdoor access- What it means to take genuinely bold approaches, rather than performative stands- Why challenging industry orthodoxy is essential to meaningful progressThis was the type of challenging and progressive conversation that Len specialises in— full of provocations, unimpeachable logic, and the moral integrity we sorely need at this time. For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS10 for 10% off anything from Finisterre--Filmmaker, surfer, seeker and - OK, then - influencer: Seth Hughes is one of British surfing’s most thought-provoking creative presences.We’ve been friends for a few years now, and like everybody who follows him on Instagram, over the last few years I’ve been following his ‘apprenticeship to the land and sea’ with fascination and interest. I’ve also appreciated the increasingly searching and occasionally uncomfortable questions he likes to pose.How to regain a new understanding of health and wellness. How to regain our lost relationship to nature. How we escape the pernicious power of addictive technology. And how to reconcile our ‘real’ and public-facing selves, and the many masks we wear.These are Seth’s preoccupations and themes. And they were among the many topics we discussed in this meandering, insightful and hugely enjoyable exchange, recorded during my visit to Cornwall at the end of October 2025.We began this conversation on the site of the old mining slag heap that forms a backdrop to our mutual pal Chris Hines’ beautiful property, before heading inside to record this evocative conversation.I’m very grateful to Seth and Chris for the lovely afternoon. I learned a lot from our conversation, not least about my own views and behaviours.Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. --To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS10 for 10% off anything from Finisterre--Skateboarder, photographer, artist, Toy Machine company owner - Ed Templeton is one of skateboarding’s most influential and beloved influences. And as a 14-year-old who obsessively wore out their copy of 1281 back in the day, he was a real and important influence on me personally when it came to working out how to express myself as a creative person. What, you could be into this stuff - and also art, culture, and literature? And skateboarding and snowboarding could be the catalystt for this exploration? This was revelatory to me.  All of which is why I’ve been hoping to interview Ed since I began Looking Sideways back in 2017. In October 2025, we finally made it happen.Whenever you interview somebody of such notoriety, who at this point has been interviewed countless times, the challenge is always the same: how can I make this person comfortable, and get them to open up?As is often the case on Looking Sideways, a shared interest in art and creativity was the foundation of a conversation rich in insight and honesty.Yes, we spoke about skateboarding, Toy Machine, Welcome to Hell, art and photography, as you might expect.But we did so through an unexpectedly wistful and nostalgic lens as Ed, now in his 50s; and with the wit, candour and humility that have always been his hallmarks; grapples with the topics that come for us all in the end: aging, impermanence, the value of possessions, the influence of our forebears, and the legacy we want to leave behind.Special thanks to Don Brown and Thomas Campbell for their help with this one.--To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS10 for 10% off anything from Finisterre--Legendary surf and skate film-maker Thomas Campbell’s new film Yi-Wo has been ten years in the making.So when TC got in touch to ask if he could come back on the podcast to talk me through the decade-long creative process that went into the making of this instant classic, I was in. I’ve had the good fortune to see Yi-Wo a few times now, and can confirm that this long-awaited release is a wondrous, challenging and completely artistically uncompromising piece of work that confirms TC’s position as surfing’s premiere bloody-minded auteur.And personally, I appreciate that. As we discussed during our conversation, in times of social and political turmoil such as these, the role of art becomes ever more important. Especially a work like Yi-Wo, which rejects immediacy, defies easy characterisation, and asks many necessary questions of the audience.If you’ve listened to my first two chats with Thomas, during which we delved into his creative process in great detail, you’ll appreciate this conversation as a complement to those previous exchanges.Here is the culmination of ten years of ‘sitting in the chair’, as he likes to say, an active demonstration of where TC’s curiosity, principles and artistic integrity have led him; and a brilliant summation of the fact that, in the end, creativity is about making decisions, putting one foot in front of the other, and seeing where it leads you and your audience.As ever, it was a great privilege to get such a priceless insight into this unique artist’s creative process, and to catch up with one of surfing’s great original voices.--To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

In this fourth follow-up episode of The Announcement, which was recorded live at MAD Fest in early July 2025, I’m exploring a question that is directly related to the topics I explored in The Announcement series proper - what does effective activism for brands actually look like?MAD Fest is a huge festival for brands and agencies that takes place each year in East London, and I was invited to take part in this year’s event by organiser Dan Brain, who it turns out is an avid Looking Sideways and Announcement listener. As he put it in a very kind blog he wrote in the lead up to the show, ““I’ve been a big fan of Looking Sideways for some time now and I’m excited to bring a live version to MAD//Fest that will ask important questions like whether brands can use their reach, cash and influence for good, or if there’s a fundamental contradiction between sales growth and sustainability”To help me answer these question, I spoke four brilliant guests, each experts on the topic in their own particular way: Finisterre CMO Bronwen Foster-Butler, activist Lauren MacCallum, CEO of B Corps Chris Turner, and author and purpose pioneer Thomas Kolster. Among the questions I was interested in discussing: - What role (if any!) should brands play in activism and using their scale, audience and money to address local, national and global issues? - Is purpose something all brands should establish, or an act of greenwashing that sounds good in an annual report but delivers little meaningful impact? - Are brand partnerships and activities an effective means through which to drive change? What followed was a lively, passionate and very well informed discussion recorded in front of an equally engaged crowd - they’d put me in a prime slot on the big stage, much to my surprise - and we got through a lot in our allotted 35 minute stage time. A note on the sound - a few audio teething issues meant we weren’t able to hear our fellow panelists super clearly, which might account for the somewhat strident way we’re all speaking to each other during this conversation. But hey, it was live, and that’s the way it goes sometimes. Huge thanks to Dan and everybody at MAD Fest for getting me involved, to Bronwen, Lauren, Chris and Thomas - looking forward to hearing what everybody thinks. For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS10 for 10% off anything from Finisterre--250 episodes of Looking Sideways! And to mark the occasion, I invited the great Jeremy Jones back for this second visit, six years after we recorded our first conversation for the podcast.Much has changed in Looking Sideways land since that first chat. Back then, the show was basically me interviewing famous action sports types about their lives and careers. This was pre-Type 2, and certainly pre-The Announcement, and since then Looking Sideways has evolved into something pretty different.All of which made Jeremy an especially fitting guest with whom to mark this milestone. Why? Because few high-profile professional snowboarders, surfers or skateboarders (if any, come to think of it) connect the worlds of performance and activism like Jeremy does.As a pro rider, he is of course one of the greatest to ever do it. Certainly, he’s one of the most influential snowboarders ever, whether that’s through his own extraordinary feats, his company Jones, or his creative work as a proponent of what he calls ‘shralpinism’.Then there’s his hugely influential activism. For right or wrong, in many ways Jeremy’s strategic work with Protect Our Winters has come to define winter sports activism over the last decades, and he’s certainly the figure who has come to be associated with what he refers to as the outdoor state’s response to the climate crisis.All of which makes him the perfect guest to connect the past and present of Looking Sideways for this milestone episode: especially as he’s been such a supporter of my own work in recent years.We caught up to record this episode in early July 2025, and it’s an open, relaxed and revealing conversation about politics, risk, family life, and what snowboarding means to Jeremy now in the classic Looking Sideways mould.Hope you enjoy this episode, and thanks to everybody for supporting Looking Sideways over the last eight years.--To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS10 for 10% off anything from Finisterre--As America's current democratic crisis has unfolded over the last few months, I’ve pondered an increasingly uncomfortable question: where is the meaningful opposition from our community as fundamental institutions and public lands face unprecedented assault?How to account for the relative silence from community leaders, athletes, ambassadors, brands and media as democratic norms erode, judicial independence faces mounting threats, habeas corpus is openly threatened, corruption becomes increasingly brazen, and environmental protections are dismantled at alarming speed?These musings led me to this week’s guest: , a Montana-based journalist who is one of the few people out there actually speaking truth to power, and whose work has become an increasingly vital source of methodical, forensic reporting when it comes to the current administration's systematic attack on America's public lands and outdoor heritage.What distinguishes Wes from many of his peers in American outdoor media is his willingness to report on these issues with both uncompromising authority and controlled fury.His background gives him unique insight into what's happening to public lands, while his journalistic approach represents a return to fundamental principles of fact-based reporting that feel increasingly rare.In today’s conversation, we discussed:- The specific threats facing America's public lands under the current administration.- Why traditional opposition forces have been largely ineffective in the face of these challenges.- How Wes's professional experience informs his understanding of this historical moment.- What meaningful resistance looks like, including his decision to run for office.- Why this period may be as consequential as the Civil War or Civil Rights era.After listening, I'd welcome your thoughts on the role journalists, industry leaders, and citizens should play as democratic institutions face mounting pressure.Is a return to rigorous reporting and civic engagement enough to meet this moment? Or are new approaches needed?Once you've listened, I'd love to know what you think--To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

In this third follow-up episode of The Announcement, I'm sharing my original January 2024 conversation with John Elkington and Louise Kjellerup Roper of Volans in its entirety.This conversation addresses perhaps the most significant yet under-discussed aspect of the Patagonia ‘Earth is our only shareholder’ story - its relevance as a model for most businesses, especially publicly-traded or shareholder-owned companies.Because the uncomfortable reality is that structural and organisational constraints make a similar action nearly impossible for most businesses. That’s why I decided to dedicate episode three of the Announcement series to an in-depth exploration of a simple question: what can ‘ordinary’ businesses do to have an impact? And if you want to understand the history of what tends these days to be referred to as ‘business for good’, and how it impacts most companies, there is really only one place to start: John Elkington.It really is difficult to understate John's profound influence on how we conceptualise the relationship between business and sustainability. For decades, he has defined and shaped sustainable business conversations, whether that’s through his ‘triple-bottom line’ framework, or groundbreaking works like Green Swans. For this chat, I was joined by his equally brilliant colleague Louise Kjellerup Roper, CEO of Volans, and expert on helping business with ‘transformation’ as they seek to lessen their impact. From this in-depth conversation, you'll gain insights into:Why capitalism, in John’s view, is the ‘least worst’ model. The historical context of the ‘business for good’ movement, and where it stands todayHow a backlash comes hand-in-hand with progressive policies. What meaningful corporate transformation might actually look like beyond Patagonia's unique example.After listening, I'd welcome your thoughts on how these practical pathways compare to the more radical restructuring we explored in the series proper, and whether they offer sufficient solutions to our current challenges.For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS10 for 10% off anything from Finisterre--What happens when one of the world's foremost documentary filmmakers turns her lens on the world of action sports and mountain culture in vital films such as Mountain Queen and The Crash Reel?That’s the question at the heart of this conversation with the brilliant Lucy Walker, a filmmaker who I think is one of the most important nonfiction storytellers of our era.Bold statement, perhaps, but one I'm happy to stand by – and I think if you've seen Lucy's work, you'll likely agree.Take her exceptional The Crash Reel, which documented Kevin Pearce's traumatic brain injury and its aftermath. What struck me immediately was how Lucy avoided the typical pitfalls that usually stymie outsiders when they attempt to tell action sports stories.Here, clearly, was a grown-up, accomplished filmmaker at the height of her powers creating something that was nuanced, cerebral, and an important contribution to our culture.Since then, I've followed Lucy's career closely, which brings us to her latest triumph – Mountain Queen – the story of Lhakpa Sherpa, ostensibly about the most successful female Everest summiteer of all time, but in typical Lucy Walker fashion, about so much more.I won't explain further because if you haven't seen it yet, it's streaming on Netflix, and I'd rather you experience firsthand the craft, guile, artistry, wit, and intelligence with which Lucy approaches her subjects.I've wanted to interview Lucy for years and, with some help from our mutual pal Jamie Brisick, we made it happen on Lucy’s last trip to London.What follows is an in-depth exchange about documentary filmmaking, storytelling, and the unique lens through which Lucy views the world – whether that’s the mountains of Nepal or the wildfire-ravaged landscapes of California (the subject of Bring Your Own Brigade, another of her must-see documentaries).It's a conversation that goes well beyond action sports into questions of representation, climate change, the craft of documentary film-making, and what it means to truly capture someone's story.I had a great time chatting to Lucy, who really opened up about her career process and influences. Once you’ve listened, I’d love to hear what you think.--To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

In this second follow-up episode of The Announcement, I explore a crucial counterbalance to the billionaire-driven change narrative: the power of citizenship and grassroots movements in reshaping our collective future.I'm joined by Jon Alexander, co-founder of the New Citizen Project and co-author of the increasingly influential book Citizens - a work that offers a compelling, necessary vision about who we are and how we might move forward together.This exchange builds directly on themes discussed in my original three-part Announcement series. While those conversations examined top-down change models driven by government, business and the philanthropic sector, Jon presents a fundamentally different vision: one where citizenship, not consumerism, takes the leading role in driving societal transformation.In the months since my original series aired, we've witnessed the increasing tension between communities, grassroots movements and wealthy power brokers playing out across global politics. As we all navigate these complex dynamics, Jon's perspective - that ‘to change the future, we must change the story’ - couldn't be more timely.In this conversation, you'll gain insights into:Jon’s view of the three dominant post-war stories - the consumer story, the subject story, and the citizen story.Why citizenship represents a more historically accurate and hopeful vision of human potential than the consumerist tale we’re currently shackled to.How grassroots movements can effectively counterbalance billionaire and corporate power.What a collaborative, empathetic vision of society might actually look like in practice.Once you've had a chance to listen, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how Jon's citizenship framework might complement or challenge the perspectives presented in previous episodes. For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS for 15% off anything from Db Journey.--The notion of the visionary founder is the most ubiquitous of modern tropes.It is also one of the most harmful, as one glance at the madness that unfolds on LinkedIn on any given day ably demonstrates.And in a way the idea that the founder is fuelled by a weird diet, 4am starts and a particularly itchy social media trigger-finger reminds me of another toxic stereotype - the myth of the anointed creative.Both rely on this idea that these roles are only open to a particular type of borderline toxic gunslinger, operating slightly outside the margins of society.I was reminded of this during my recent Creative Exchange conversation with Db founder Truls Brataas, which I am sharing today.Because Truls’ tale is a much-needed reminder that kindness, gentleness, and a constant striving for evolution, are equally valid foundations when it comes to running a successful, visionary company.Truls’ story of how he steered Db from plucky winter sports start-up, to renowned global luggage brand, is the perfect demonstration of the value of doing things with care, and on your own terms.That’s why, if you’ve ever wondered what it takes to run your own company, harbour ambitions to begin something yourself, or have launched your own start-up, my conversation with Truls is a must-listen.Plus! A special Housekeeping Corner Db Fund update as we whittle down a record number of entries. --To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

In this first follow-up Announcement episode, I explore a question which I began to examine in episode two of The Announcement, and which is now at the centre of global politics: are billionaires fundamentally damaging to democracy, regardless of their political leanings?I'm joined once again by Carl Rhodes, academic and author of Woke Capitalism: How Corporate Morality is Sabotaging Democracy and his new book Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire.This conversation builds on our earlier examination of Patagonia's decision to transfer ownership to a climate-focused trust, which formed a large part of episode two of the original series. When we first spoke, many viewed the critique Rhodes espoused as a nuanced and even obscure point (particularly to partial commentators inclined to see Patagonia and Chouiniard’s actions as ‘good’ by default).In the months since, especially following Trump's inauguration, this critique has become one of the most contentious topics in global politics. The growing influence of Elon Musk and his DOGE cadre, for example, has suddenly made Rhodes' arguments much more accessible to millions of people worldwide.Which is why I decided to release my first conversation with Rhodes in its entirety, and record a follow-up conversation in which we explore billionaire influence in our current political landscape, and discuss alternatives to billionaire-led social change.From this conversation, you'll gain insights into:How billionaire philanthropy can undermine democratic processesWhy the "good billionaire" narrative is problematic for public policyWhat democratic alternatives to billionaire-led social change might look likeOnce you've had a chance to listen, I'd love to know what you think about these conversations with Carl and the topics we discussed.For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use SIDE25WAVES10 for 10% off anything from session at The Wave in Bristol!--“A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labour and his leisure, his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves other to determine whether he is working or paying. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.”- ChateaubriandOver the years, I’ve featured a lot of individuals on this show who aspire to the ideal articulated in the above quote. But few have managed to combine their interests and their work to quite the same degree as Les Seddon-Brown, this week’s guest. I’ve known Les for almost 30 years. We grew up together in the snowboarding industry, and were close friends from the very beginning. In the intervening years, we’ve supported each other in our various ventures, and I’ve watched with pride and admiration as his career has evolved and developed.And with the brilliant Rematch, his latest venture, Les is driving his own vision of creative, artistic and commercial excellence with complete single-mindedness, and with his ethics and values intact. It’s one reason I’m such an admirer of what he does, because I know how difficult it is, and how lightly he wears it. It was Les who invited me to Sri Lanka in the first place. So after ten days of brilliant waves and good times, we headed to the spectacular Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, where we sat down for a reflective look back over Les’s brilliant career for this conversation. This was a memorable one - and not just for because of that extraordinary recording location. Have a listen and let me know what you thought of our conversation. --To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use SIDE25WAVES10 for 10% off anything from session at The Wave in Bristol!--Packing it all in to lead your dream lifestyle in an exotic location is a fantasy every traveller has indulged in at some point. Few make it a reality. And yet that’s exactly what the inspirational Ed Templeton - no, not that one - and his wife Sofie have accomplished with the brilliant Soul & Surf community they have created in Sri Lanka, India and Portugal. I’ve been hearing about Soul & Surf for a least a decade. I’ve crossed paths with Ed and Sofie over the years, and we’ve many mutual friends. So when the pair invited me to stay with them for a couple of nights at the beginning of my recent trip to Sri Lanka in February 2025, I leapt at the chance. Sure, I was keen to check out their wondrous spot at the Cove in Ahangama, above.But I was also curious. How had they done it? What sacrifices had they made to create this beguiling reality? And what lessons can others take from this tale of people dreaming big, and upending their lives to pull it off? To find out the answer to these questions and more, I sat down with Ed towards the end of my trip to record this fascinating conversation. It’s a classic lifer tale, the supremely inspiring story of how the lessons you accrue over the years, if you’re prepared to listen, can be the foundation for the type of life you’ve always dreamed of. I was also interested in Ed’s take on the current state of tourism in Sri Lanka; especially in the light of the explosion of development that has taken place on the island in the two decades since I last visited. The result is a properly inspiring conversation about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and a snapshot of an island and community on the cusp of great change. My thanks to Ed, Sofie and Kit for the incredible hospitality, and for welcoming me into their community so whole-heartedly. --To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

“Well, I think the simple answer, and nothing here is simple, is that capitalism dies with its mistakes.” - John Elkington, Founder, VolansPatagonia’s September 2022 decisions to make ‘Earth’ the company’s only shareholder was huge news, particularly in the worlds of climate activism, business, philanthropy, the outdoors, and action sports. And at the heart of this decision, as the company made clear at the time, was a desire to shake up the capitalist and democratic status quo. What does this actually look like? Is The Announcement really at the vanguard of a ‘different form of capitalism’? And where does it fit into the ongoing story of ‘business for good’, a story that has been unfolding for the last 50 years?For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

“Whenever anybody with that level of wealth and power moves money into an opaque system, we should wave our red democracy flag, and say, ‘However virtuous they may be, we want to hold you to a higher standard’." Patagonia’s September 2022 decisions to make ‘Earth’ the company’s only shareholder made headlines around the world.So perhaps understandably, it wasn’t long before commentators began to scrutinise the details of the announcement. Was it all just an elaborate tax dodge? What are the ethical implications of billionaire philanthropy on this scale? And where does The Announcement sit within the context of the long history of corporate philanthropy? The Announcement is a new three-part podcast documentary series from Looking Sideways, hosted by Matt Barr.Episode 3 will be released on Monday January 27th. For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

“Going purpose, not going public.”Patagonia’s September 2022 decisions to make ‘Earth’ the company’s only shareholder was huge news, particularly in the worlds of climate activism, business, philanthropy, the outdoors, and action sports.Here was the most influential company in the outdoor world, and one of the most influential businesses on the planet per se, relinquishing control of their profits for the greater good.But … what did this actually mean? Why did the company do it? How was the decision made? Who was involved?And is this really a critical moment in the history of capitalism, as Patagonia believe?The Announcement is a new three-part podcast documentary series from Looking Sideways, hosted by Matt Barr.Episode 2 will be released on Monday January 20th.For bonus and behind-the-scenes material, click here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

"Earth is our only shareholder.”In September 2022, Patagonia's billionaire owner Yvon Chouinard relinquished control and made 'earth' the company's only shareholder.But … what did this actually mean? Why did he do it? What about the scrutiny the company received? And is this really a critical moment in the history of capitalism, as Patagonia believe?The Announcement is a new three-part podcast documentary series from Looking Sideways, hosted by Matt Barr.This is a story about legacy, purpose, what we leave behind, and courageous people doing things differently.It’s about capitalism, democracy, the movement of money, and the history of giving it away.Above all, it’s about the power of symbolism, and the importance of storytelling when it comes to helping us get our heads around something as vast and conceptual as the climate crisis, and our own role in it.Episode 1 will be released on Monday January 13th. Find out more here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use LOOKINGSIDEWAYS massive discounts on ski and snowboard hire from my friends at Intersport Rent. --Ah, Christmas. A time of friends, family and tradition - which in Looking Sideways world means the much loved Festive Special with my close pals and stalwart podcast supporters Tim and Gendle! If you’re new here (and many thousands of you subscribed anew this year), I’ve known Tim Warwood and Adam Gendle, two incredibly funny and talented broadcasters, commentators, TV presenters, directors and all round media polymaths, for coming up to three decades now. We met through the extremely tightknit British snowboarding community, and spent a very fortunate decade snowboarding and travelling the world together. It was a wondrous run that forged bonds to last a lifetime. So when I launched Looking Sideways back in 2017, I invited the boys on to record a freewheeling special to mark the festive season. That episode was so well received that it soon evolved into something of a Christmas Looking Sideways tradition: all of which means that we are back once with our very own addition to the Christmas canon (even if, this year, we managed not to get blind drunk while recording this one). Apart from that, it was the usual story - our highlights of the year, our hopes for 2025, the usual quiz (spoiler alert: I lost yet again), and a freewheeling catch up for our annual Yuletide review.As ever, wherever you’re listening to this, grab a festive drink and a mince pie, don the Santa hat, and join us as we wax festive for a couple of hours. I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy another brilliant Looking Sideways year, so huge thanks for listening and supporting what I do. I’ll be back refreshed, rested and ready to go once again in 2025 - in the meantime, have a brilliant break 🎄--To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Use SIDEWAVES10 for 10% off anything from session at The Wave in Bristol!--Regulars who’ve been following Looking Sideways at all closely for the last two years will be familiar with the name Chris Nelson. Alongside Demi Taylor and Lewis Arnold, he’s one of the triumvirate of creative talents behind the brilliant Big Sea, which I’ve been championing since I saw the first cut back in November 2022. But I actually go way, way back with Chris. To the mid-1990s, in fact, when we were both young journalistic tyros from either side of the Pennines, keen to forge creative careers based around our respective passions of surfing and snowboarding. In many ways, our careers have followed similar trajectories. And one of the things I’ve always admired about Chris in the decades I’ve known him is the strong sense of editorial and moral integrity that has always been such a clear hallmark of his work.Whether it’s the early years as a start-up publisher inspired by terrace fanzine culture, the hugely influential Footprint books that redefined surf travel for a generation, his trailblazing work as one of the co-founders of the London Surf Film Festival, or the four-year mission to bring The Big Sea from idea to the big screen, this thread has guided his work since the beginning. Chris has been an influence on my own work and approach since we became friends back in the mid-1990s, and the release of The Big Sea seemed like the perfect occasion to sit down and cast a reflective eye on his unique career. --To find out more about what I do, you can sign up as a subscriber to my Substack newsletter here. There's a brilliant community and much more than just the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe