In this Unmasked bonus episode, we rewind to Season 1, Episode 1 - where I (Gary Parsons) was the one being interviewed.

Sarah asks me a big question:

“What self-care strategies did you adopt as a leader?”

What follows is a deeply personal story - one I hadn’t shared publicly until then. I talk openly about a time I was struggling in silence, the pressure of leading through burnout, and the practical steps I took to start prioritising myself again.

This isn’t about bubble baths or to-do lists. It’s about:

- Recognising the warning signs that most leaders ignore

- The raw truth behind my breakdown moment

- What ‘real’ self-care looked like (and didn’t look like)

- Learning to stop performing and start healing

This is the story behind the brand. The moments most leaders keep hidden.

What is Unmasked?

It’s our new short-form series between full episodes - offering unfiltered insights, reflections and honest answers to the questions we don’t talk about enough.