PRsonal EP27: ‘I didn’t care that I was the black sheep’: Meet Carl Swansbury from Rycroft Glenton - Video

Carl Swansbury didn’t take the traditional route to the top.

He tells PRsonal host Charlotte Nichols how he became one of the UK’s youngest ever chartered accountants – and didn’t go to university.

Having turned down the chance to study law at Durham University, he instead joined PwC on-route to his current role as head of corporate finance at Rycroft Glenton

In this episode, the pair discuss everything from the challenges of the covid pandemic, jumping out of an airplane, the value of hard work and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.

Oh – and which other podcast includes a question about playing golf in the nude?!


Key moments


00:00:07 - Introduction and setting the rules for the conversation.
00:00:35 - The reality of the ‘challenges’ people face day-to-day
00:01:34 - Family heartbreak of losing his uncle suddenly
00:06:12 - Carl’s biggest charity challenge to date that wasn’t his ‘greatest moment’.
00:07:10 - ‘What was your final thought before jumping out the airplane?’
00:12:10 - The good and bad things about living through a pandemic
00:16:51 - ‘Have you ever played golf naked?’
00:21:59 - Carl’s secret work he hid from his mates to do well at school
00:25:40 - How Carl’s parents ‘tag teamed’ to help him as a child
00:29:06 - Shunning a law degree at Durham University to join PwC
00:30:38 - Becoming the youngest qualified chartered accountant in the UK.
00:32:40 - Why university may not have been a perfect fit Carl’s personality
00:35:43 - Being treat like a ‘black sheep’ for not having a degree
00:41:10 - ‘We shouldn’t be box ticking’: Discussing boardroom equality
00:44:30 - Carl Swansbury’s personal values – and the one that drives his wife mad.
00:47:14 - Working a 65 hour week
00:48:56 - Why time is now more ‘precious’ as a dad
00:56:28 - ‘On a regular burnout I’m close to burnout’
01:00:40 - How to avoid burnout
01:01:09 - Difficulty in committing to a career or employer
01:01:36 - ‘5:30am, porridge and a jog’: The morning routine
01:02:31 - Supportive team effort in managing routines
01:03:02 - Carl rates himself in the key categories
01:08:43 - How good is Carl at sex?


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