He Coaches CEOs and World Leaders but Never Learned How To Face His Own Pain

René Carayol built a global career advising leaders, CEOs and prime ministers. But behind the authority and confidence was a man raised to be strong, silent and unshakeable. Growing up in a Gambian family, he learned early that men do not talk about fear, grief or weakness. They keep moving. In this conversation René opens up about losing his mother young, becoming a single father and carrying emotional weight without ever speaking about it. He talks about the pressure on Black men to be strong, the guilt and shame men hold inside and the moment he realised how much that silence was costing him. René reflects on the death of his sister, the impact it had on his emotional world and how fatherhood softened him and changed the way he leads, loves and lives. He explains why men need permission to be vulnerable and how real strength comes from honesty, not silence. This is an intimate and powerful episode on masculinity, grief, identity and the lifelong journey of learning to open up. Themes Masculinity and emotional suppression Single fatherhood Grief and loss Black male identity Cultural expectations Leadership and vulnerability Shame and silence Fatherhood and purpose Emotional growth and reflection Why this episode matters Many men grow up believing that strength means silence. René’s story shows how harmful that belief can be and how life changes when men finally speak their truth. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Breaking the Silence on Men's Mental Health 00:02:40 Meeting René: The Man Behind the Corner Office 00:06:31 The Immigrant's Dream: From Gambia to London 00:09:56 Finding Your Spike: The Power of Strengths Over Weaknesses 00:21:38 The Four Friends: Building Your Support Network 00:25:15 Invisible in Plain Sight: The Reality of Being a Black Father 00:23:01 Seventeen Uncles: How a Football Team Became Family 00:19:22 The Mentoring Secret: Why Mentors Gain More Than Mentees 00:33:47 Empowerment Over Delegation: The New Leadership Model 00:35:10 The Loneliest Job: Inside the CEO's Corner Office 00:48:17 When She Left: Becoming a Single Father at University 00:49:20 The Day the Guilt Disappeared: A Son's Pride 01:09:36 Loss and Resilience: Losing His Wife to Cancer 01:13:50 The Unbreakable Bond: Single Parenting Creates Connection 01:18:25 May 2nd: Grief, Remembrance, and Being There for Each Other 01:17:28 The Postman's Kindness: Light in Dark Places 01:06:12 The 3am Phone Call: What True Coaching Looks Like 01:19:34 50% Fatherless: The Crisis Facing Young Men Today 01:22:13 Look Out for Each Other: René's Message to Men 01:22:43 A Decent Father: How René Wants to Be Remembered Follow René Carayol Website: www.carayol.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/renecarayol YouTube: www.youtube.com/ReneCarayol X: www.x.com/renecarayol Follow The Dad Project Instagram: www.instagram.com/thedadprojecthq Facebook: www.facebook.com/thedadprojecthq TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@thedadprojecthq YouTube: @thedadprojecthq LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-dad-project/ #SingleDad #Fatherhood #MentalHealthMatters #Leadership #Loss #Healing #TheDadProject #ParentingWithPurpose #MasculinityRedefined #VulnerabilityIsStrength #MenSupportingMen