68 Greg Barden: "We’re starving for real connection, here’s one way back”

Greg Barden's journey defies conventional career paths in ways that might make most of us rethink our own trajectories. From his early days in the UK Special Forces to an unexpected pivot into professional rugby with Bristol Bears and ultimately captaining England's Rugby Sevens team, Greg's life has been defined by adaptation and purpose.What truly sets his story apart is how these seemingly disparate experiences converged into a powerful mission. During military deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, Greg discovered something profound in his interactions with locals—commerce created connection. Whether buying fresh bread from a baker in Lashkar Gah or coffee from Baghdad's bazaars, he witnessed how simple transactions dismantled walls between people from vastly different worlds.Now, as founder of Xplore Local—an app connecting people with genuine independent businesses—Greg has taken his mission mobile. Traveling across the UK in a converted VW Transporter with his wife and six-month-old daughter, he's experiencing firsthand the communities he aims to champion while building a technological platform that helps others do the same.Greg's perspective cuts through conventional narratives about "supporting small businesses." Instead, he frames the choice to engage with local commerce as profoundly self-interested: "Loneliness is one of the fastest growing diseases in the Western world," he notes, suggesting our digital isolation and commercial habits directly contribute to this epidemic of disconnection.Whether you're building a business, seeking more meaningful community connections, or simply wondering how your daily choices impact the world around you, this conversation offers refreshing perspective on how commerce can become common ground for human connection. Download Explore Local today and discover what happens when you experience your community like a local again. Connect with Greg on LinkedInXplore website Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback...Forging Resilience supports Save A WarriorSave A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide.Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work.If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior.Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters.Support the showFollow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |