REAL TALK - with WILL WOODHAMS

Will Woodhams is a doyen of marketing, an alumnus of Harvard business school and an aficionado of luxury. He also knows a lot about restaurants...and butter. Having started his career with LVMH, he was appointed Chief Marketing officer aged 29, for French Connection UK. Most recently he stepped down as CEO of Fitzdares, a specialist bookmaker for 2000 invite-only members. Since stepping down and following an intervention from a friend, Will has lost 20 kilos and is committed to a life of 'less is more', punctuated by more movement and exercise, which he now says that he can't live without. Currently Will is on the board of Marble Group, a marketing agency and will be beginning a new venture in September. 

MF: What's your day-to-day at the moment?
WW: Having stepped down as operating CEO of Fitzdares, I have more time on my hands and am loving being more active, focused on fitness and overall wellness - since I stopped working fulltime I have lost 20 kilos. The highs and lows of gambling are fairly dramatic and I basically didn't see it as a growth sector in the UK, so after nearly seven years, it was time for something else. I am consulting for a few businesses and looking for new things, but ultimately loving more time with my pregnant wife Annabel and my son Stanley. 

MF: What would you love to do more of, when you're not working?
WW: Eating and drinking, haha! Or hanging out with friends. I am sociable, but these days I know when I should hold a weekend for myself or just need a holiday from it all. 

Will wearing his Flyweight 2:0 tee (Blue)

MF: How does movement & exercise help you physically and mentally?
WW: I've always had goals focused on weight loss. But although successful in achieving these goals, the weight creeps back up. I think mentally I've often had a 'f**k it" mentality towards exercise and not really appreciated the value of it to my way of being, as I've always loved excess. This has now changed and at the moment I feel exercise and moderation are key to my way of living, which I love. I have a very different view since a health scare last year. After that and following an intervention from a friend, I created a powerpoint presentation and within 10-days I had implemented the plan, which I am now completely committed to. It really focuses me and sometimes I go back and read it, to reassert my priorities.

I love classes, which make me accountable to being somewhere at a certain time. They're also fun and I can subscribe to the duration of the class, i.e. I am not going to leave early, am I! 

REAL thought: Holding yourself accountable for your own goals is the only way you can achieve what you seek. Keeping to the promises you make to yourself builds great confidence and self-reliance. Live the story you want to tell. 

The best thing for my mental health, (other than my beloved wife and son - who are absolutely fundamental to my happiness!), is Lime Bikes. They make London more fun, more accessible, more interesting and I'm outside doing it, breathing fresh air. I go to every meeting on one, racking up loads of minutes and miles as I go. It means I am not on my phone, I am not listening to anything and I am thinking creatively, peacefully alone with my thoughts - I love it. 

MF: How do you cope with hard things?
WW: Getting out and breathing, whether that's via a good lime-bike ride or walking, it promotes problem-solving and gives me perspective. If I am lazy and fall back into historical patterns of excess, I do not feel sharp and I will push things away. If I am fit and healthy, my frame of mind is to get stuff done. So for me exercise is like an expression of intent - be fit, be sharp, get stuff done. Part of staying sharp is taking time off - you cannot be sharp all the time.

REAL thought: If you're feeling under pressure or overly burdened by stress, or if you're feeling anxious or going through grief - give your mind a moment to breathe as you walk, jog, cycle or jump. Or talk to someone. Using our body reminds us what we are capable of and that we have control over ourselves. 

Will wearing his Flyweight 2:0 tee (Blue)

MF: What does your world look like in 5-years, in an ideal scenario?
WW: Everyone in my family is happy.
MF: Say no more!
WW: That's got to be it, right? If you want anything more then you're greedy.

MF: What is the best day of the year for you?
WW: Best day of the year is... no, I don't have one. May and September are my favourite, it's when I get stuff done. They are both wonderful times of year in this country and it's when I am happy. September in particular is when everyone is back, rejuvenated

MF: What's the one thing you'd love to get off your chest?
WW: I am a happy-go-lucky guy and I like 99% of people. There is kindness in everyone and I love finding that. But, when people are c**ts - call it out! It is so good for you. Some people are just 'grifters' ...there are two types of people in this world; "grafters" and "grifters". Grifters want to do as little as possible for maximum return. Grafters just want to be happy and make things happen. Grifters love talking, theorising and using technical language to appear worthy, but never get stuff done. More graft - less grift, haha.