EPISODE · Apr 21, 2026 · 1H 5M
67. From Special Forces to World Record Cyclist: Dean Stott on Evacuating Embassies, Defying Limits, and Living Relentlessly
from Permission To Shine · host Andrew Namanny
What does it take to go from a surf shop dropout to one of Britain's most elite Special Forces operators, then reinvent yourself all over again?Dean Stott MBE spent 16 years in the military, including time in the Special Boat Service (SBS), the UK's equivalent of SEAL Team Six. After a catastrophic parachuting accident at 15,000 feet ended his career, he refused to stop. He built a private security company from scratch, single-handedly evacuated the Canadian Embassy from war-torn Libya, rescued 220 people from Israel within 96 hours of the October 7th Hamas attacks, and, oh yeah, broke the world record for cycling the 14,000-mile Pan-American Highway in just 99 days, raising over $1.4 million for mental health charities along the way.In this conversation, Dean opens up about:— The parachuting accident that tore every ligament in his knee and ended his military career— Dressing as Taliban to run double agents in Kandahar, and the moment he nearly fired his weapon by mistake— How he buried 30 weapons in the Libyan desert and built a security empire from nothing— Why he believes anticipation is worse than participation— The raw "dead or divorce" conversation that changed everything in his marriage— Cycling 14,000 miles having barely ridden a bike — and smashing the world record by 17 days— How breathwork kept him calm in a boxing ring at age 49— His friendship with Prince Harry and the Heads Together mental health campaign— The Race Across America he's planning next, and why it's going to be specialDean is one of those rare humans who makes you rethink what's actually possible. This one will stay with you.📖 Dean's book: Relentless🌐 Dean's website: www.deanstott.com📸 Dean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanstott/💼 Dean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-stott-mbe-24725880/🎙️ Follow Permission to Shine:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/permissiontoshine_/💼 Host Andrew Namanny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-namanny/
What this episode covers
What does it take to go from a surf shop dropout to one of Britain's most elite Special Forces operators, then reinvent yourself all over again?Dean Stott MBE spent 16 years in the military, including time in the Special Boat Service (SBS), the UK's equivalent of SEAL Team Six. After a catastrophic parachuting accident at 15,000 feet ended his career, he refused to stop. He built a private security company from scratch, single-handedly evacuated the Canadian Embassy from war-torn Libya, rescued 220 people from Israel within 96 hours of the October 7th Hamas attacks, and, oh yeah, broke the world record for cycling the 14,000-mile Pan-American Highway in just 99 days, raising over $1.4 million for mental health charities along the way.In this conversation, Dean opens up about:— The parachuting accident that tore every ligament in his knee and ended his military career— Dressing as Taliban to run double agents in Kandahar, and the moment he nearly fired his weapon by mistake— How he buried 30 weapons in the Libyan desert and built a security empire from nothing— Why he believes anticipation is worse than participation— The raw "dead or divorce" conversation that changed everything in his marriage— Cycling 14,000 miles having barely ridden a bike — and smashing the world record by 17 days— How breathwork kept him calm in a boxing ring at age 49— His friendship with Prince Harry and the Heads Together mental health campaign— The Race Across America he's planning next, and why it's going to be specialDean is one of those rare humans who makes you rethink what's actually possible. This one will stay with you.📖 Dean's book: Relentless🌐 Dean's website: www.deanstott.com📸 Dean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanstott/💼 Dean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-stott-mbe-24725880/🎙️ Follow Permission to Shine:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/permissiontoshine_/💼 Host Andrew Namanny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-namanny/
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67. From Special Forces to World Record Cyclist: Dean Stott on Evacuating Embassies, Defying Limits, and Living Relentlessly
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