The Leisure Experts on the Always Better Than Yesterday Podcast

Bethan & Joni

TLE Directors

2 min read

January '26

Directors Bethan Laker and Joni Harding of The Leisure Experts have been featured on the Always Better Than Yesterday podcast, sharing an honest and values-led conversation about heart-centred leadership, purpose-driven business and creating positive experiences in the leisure and aquatics industry.

Hosted by Ryan Hartley, the episode explores the real story behind The Leisure Experts, a consultancy and education business working across the leisure, aquatics and physical activity sector in the UK and Ireland. Bethan and Joni reflect on how the business was born from heartache, courage and a deep belief that the industry deserves better leadership, better support and better experiences for people and communities.

Heart-Centred Leadership in the Leisure and Aquatics Sector

Rather than focusing on growth metrics, targets or traditional hierarchy, the conversation centres on what it truly looks like to lead and build a business the heart-centred way . Bethan and Joni speak openly about putting people before policy, humanity before hierarchy, and culture before control .

The episode offers a real-life case study of leadership rooted in integrity, trust and lived experience — not theory or box-ticking. It challenges fear-based systems that still exist across parts of the leisure and aquatics sector and offers an alternative approach grounded in connection, care and courage.

Creating Positive Experiences In and Around Water

At the core of The Leisure Experts’ work is a commitment to creating positive, meaningful experiences in and around water - experiences that save lives, build confidence and open access to opportunity.

In the podcast, Bethan and Joni explore why aquatic experiences should be centred on joy, belonging and opportunity, rather than fear, compliance or minimum standards. They discuss how leadership, culture and operational decisions directly shape the experiences of both teams and communities.

What You’ll Hear in This Podcast Episode

Listeners will hear honest reflections on:

How The Leisure Experts was founded from purpose and a genuine love for the leisure and aquatics industry
What heart-centred leadership looks like in practice, beyond leadership theory
Why positive aquatic and leisure experiences should be built on joy, trust and belonging
How strong culture and high-performing teams are created by putting people first
The courage required to do business differently - and the unexpected “miracles” that can follow

Supporting the Leisure Industry Through Consultancy, Training and Transformation

The Leisure Experts work alongside operators, teams and organisations across the UK and Ireland to deliver consultancy, education, operational support and transformation , all grounded in real-world experience and practical impact.

This podcast episode reflects the organisation’s wider mission: to walk alongside the leisure and aquatics industry with care, integrity and courage, supporting meaningful change that benefits both people and communities.

As Ryan Hartley shares at the close of the episode: “Those with ears, let them hear.”

Listen to the Episode

🎧 Listen to the full episode of the Always Better Than Yesterday podcast on Apple Podcasts:

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/always-better-than-yesterday-with-ryan-hartley-a/id1424969217…