Looking Sideways Action Sports Podcast

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 un...

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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 stat...

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...

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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...

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 Fo...

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“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 doi...

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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 Portug...

“Well, I think the simple answer, and nothing here is simple, is that capitalism dies with its mistakes.” - John Elkington, Founder, Volans

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.

And at the heart of this decision, as the company made clear at the time, was a desire to sh...

“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 announ...

“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 di...

"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 Sidewa...

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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 t...

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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 wi...

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One of the odd things about podcasting (at least the way I do it, anyway) is when a episode you’re convinced is one of the best, most enjoyable conversations you’ve ever had doesn’t get the pick up it deserves.

That was very definitely the case with my autumn 2022 conversation with legendary ski film-maker Greg Stump. Which is...

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As anybody who’s watched your typical softball chat-show conversation will be aware, interviews with people at a certain level of fame and renown, such as this week’s guest Jordy Smith, tend to unfold in one of two ways.

There’s the filtered, on-message, and generally uninteresting stuff we’ve all heard countless times before.

And then, very rarely, there’s...

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What a treat to welcome the great Jamie Brisick back for his third Looking Sideways appearance.

The occasion? The release of The Life and Death of Westerly Windina, his brilliant documentary collaboration with Australian director Alan White about the life and times of Peter Drouyn and Westerly Windina.

But also, a welcome chance to catch up with one of surfi...

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Over the last year, it’s been one of the biggest stories in British surfing.

How Croyde’s own Laura Crane headed to Nazare, and surfed the biggest waves ever snagged by a British woman.

No wonder if’s been covered by everybody from Carve to BBC Radio Five Live.

But if you’ve been listening a little bit more closely, you’ll realise that there’s actually much ...

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I’m joined by one of THE all time greats this week: Tommy Guerrero, legendary skateboarder and musician; and one of the select few to have shaped the way we collectively view this entire sideways culture.

Tommy was, of course, part of the original Bone Brigade crew, alongside Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain and Rodney Mullen.

His parts in Future Prim...

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Hallvard Kolltveit describes himself as ‘the surf photographer that doesn’t know how to swim properly’.

It’s a good line, and one that sums up Hallvard’s witty and self-deprecating take on his own unconventional route through action sport and outdoor media.

If you’re unfamiliar with his work, he's one of the first really popular post...