A DEDICATED business owner from Basingstoke has been recognised as a role model for his inspirational mental health work including helping people talk more openly about mental health.

Matt Holman, from Kempshott, is the owner of a mental health training and consulting company, which is called Simpila Healthy Solutions. The company is dedicated to raising awareness, education and support to the mental health conversation across society.

He also hosts a podcast called ‘Matt Holman Talks Mental Health.’


He has been recognised in the InsideOut Leaderboard, alongside 105 other incredibly inspiring people, including popular athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, ex-professional footballer Clarke Carlisle and other representatives across the world.  

Matt said that he was very proud of his achievements.


He said: “I am very proud to be recognised with the incredibly inspiring individuals represented on this truly global community. 

"To know so many people who are so open about their journey with mental health, with all being authentic and genuine, will only help to improve the conversations in the future. 

“My journey to help improve the conversations continues, and if through talking openly about my experience I can help others, then I am achieving success in my life.”  

Each year InsideOut publishes a list of senior leaders from global workplaces who are open about their experience of mental ill-health. 

The list is designed to celebrate each leader who has decided to be open and help play their part in ending the stigma and helping others in their organisation speak out and seek help. 

Matt said that he is happy that more people are now talking about their mental health.

He added: “We are, learning more about the need to provide a safe space to talk without judgement, accepting that we cannot fix the challenges of others, and our role in supporting each other. 

“As humans we have been through significant impact to our mental health during the pandemic, we are now starting to return to a new normal, and starting to see increases to the challenges to our mental health.  

“We have all been impacted.”

The list gets bigger each year and hopes to create a ripple effect of more and more executives speaking out until it is  normal to talk about mental ill-health in the business world.

As previously reported in the Gazette in November 2020, he launched a podcast channel, Matt Holman Talks Mental Health, recording conversations with everyday incredible humans, with over 100 episodes recorded and shared so far.

In February, Matt hosted a 24 Hour Global Podcast Recording event, recording 24 episodes of the podcast in 24 hours and raising over £2,500 split between MIND and Samaritans.

In July he also ran the London Half Marathon for the mental health charity Samaritans.