It was fun to step off the beaten track recently – and I mean well off the beaten track – to go meet Dan Sodergren in a trendy, little eatery called ‘The Edge Cafe’, in Manchester.
Dan is a self employed Technology Consultant and a regular Tech expert on a number of major media outlets including Radio 4. The first time I saw him, he was on the iconic red sofa of the BBC Breakfast set chatting with Louise Minchin and Dan Walker.
Dan seemed huge, dwarfing his end of the sofa. He wore jeans with a blazer and printed Tee underneath. His rock star locks tumbled down his broad shoulders and wide chest, almost to his waist. He exuded confidence and vitality, leaving me with no doubt as to his intellectual ability and knowledge of his field. He seemed really personable, easy going, smart and completely without any self-consciousness – considering he was being beamed into my, and an unknowable number of homes across the country. It was one of those extremely rare moments when I thought aloud, as the last of the night fell away in the early morning light, ‘Where do these amazing black men hide themselves?!’
The reality is that Dan Sodergren has done anything but hidden himself away. He’s founder and lead trainer of his own business Great Marketing Works. And, as I’ve already alluded to, is often in the media, sharing his expertise in technology.
But lately, Dan has had to become an expert in an entirely different field – Diabetes. He was diagnosed with the illness in 2017 having lived for near on 20 years with an odd set of symptoms, which he thought was ‘… just me.’ According to him.
Hardly the shrinking violet personality type, Dan took the bull by the horns becoming an expert patient, starting a website, writing a book, becoming a guinea pig on the ITV two part documentary, Fast Fix: Diabetes – all while, shedding weight and bringing his diabetes under control. Did I mention he’s married with a young child as well?
Meeting up with him in Manchester for an interview for the Women 101 Show was great fun. It felt like a bit of an adventure for me – yes, I probably do need to get out far more than I do! Taking a train from London to Manchester, a city I have no experience of, then hopping on a tram to meet a man I’d never met before, in a cafe I’d never been to before, did qualify as an exploit of sorts for me! What made it great was just how easy Dan is to speak with. From his, ‘Hi Michelle, did you get here alright?’ in parallel with a strong, vigorous handshake, the ice was broken, and the conversation just flowed on like a mighty river. Kind of felt like I was talking to my brother really.
So, do tune in to The Women 101 Show on www.prayz.in radio, Thursday 6th Dec 8-9pm and on Sunday 11th Dec 3-4pm to listen to Dan Sodergren’s and my conversation about how he’s reversed his diabetes and his mission to ‘help 100,000 people learn how they can reverse their condition.’ Download Dan’s ebook here: http://www.type2diabetesfree.com/
Keep your head on straight and your heart on strong!
Michelle
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