Founder & CEO of Be World Class Group | Elite Sport Psychology Consultant | Author & Keynote Speaker
The Architect of the World Class Mind
It is September 1994, and a nineteen-year-old sits on a train heading toward the South West of England, staring numbly out the window as the landscape blurs by. Just hours earlier, the only future he had ever envisioned—flying fast jets for the Royal Navy—evaporated in a testing room. He had failed the aptitude test. There were no re-tests and no second chances. For a young man who had lived with tunnel vision, the world felt as though it had been plunged into darkness. Yet, in the quiet of that train carriage, a “sliding door” was beginning to creak open. What Simon Hartley didn’t know then was that the end of his dream as a pilot was the beginning of a journey that would lead him to the sidelines of the Premier League, the pits of Formula One, and the boardrooms of the world’s most influential corporations.+4
A Compass Guided by Curiosity
The trajectory of Simon’s life was not built on a linear path of success, but on the relentless pursuit of curiosity. Growing up, he displayed a precocious entrepreneurial streak, earning the nickname “the newspaper baron” in his village by subcontracting multiple delivery rounds to other local kids. Whether it was washing cars under his “Soap and Suds” banner or cycling three miles to start a 7:00 a.m. shift at a fishing tackle shop, Simon learned the value of a tireless work ethic early on.
The true turning point of his career occurred when he stopped chasing what he thought he should do and started following what he loved to do. After the devastating failure of his aviation dreams, Simon returned to college to study Sport Studies—not because it was a “safe” career path, but because it genuinely fascinated him. This pivot transformed his academic experience. Abstract concepts that had once baffled him in physics suddenly became clear when applied to the flight of a javelin. Curiosity turned effort into energy, leading him to Leeds Beckett University to pursue an MSc in Sport and Exercise Science.+3
It was there, in a crowded lecture hall, that a single question about the 1994 World Cup Final changed everything. The lecturer asked why Roberto Baggio—the best player in the world—missed a decisive penalty. That question lit a fire in Simon’s mind: “How can the best in the world make mistakes like that?” From that moment on, Simon wasn’t just a student; he was a seeker of the “mental game”.+2
Engineering Performance at the Highest Level
For over 25 years, Simon has operated at the absolute pinnacle of human performance. His career took him into the high-pressure environments of English Premier League and Bundesliga football, International Rugby Union, and Team GB Olympic programs. He became the silent engine behind some of the greatest achievements in modern sport, working with athletes and teams that have collectively amassed over 40 world championships and world records.+4
Whether he was serving as the Head of Sport Science at Sunderland AFC or consulting for legendary clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, Simon’s mission remained the same: to distill the principles of world-class performance and help others adopt them. In 2008, he founded Be World Class, a venture dedicated to helping individuals and organizations maximize their potential and make their “best” even better.+4
Simon bridged the gap between elite sport and global business. He realized that the “restless spark” found in Olympic medalists was the same fire driving successful entrepreneurs. This insight led him to work with global giants such as adidas, GE, and Procter & Gamble, proving that the psychology of a world champion is a universal language.+4
A Global Vision for Excellence
Today, Simon’s influence extends far beyond the locker room or the boardroom. He is a prolific author of titles such as Silence Your Demons and Peak Performance Every Time, using his writing to share the mental strategies of elite performers. His upcoming book, Follow Your Curiosity, encapsulates the philosophy that has guided his entire life.+2
As the Chair of BWC Media and Co-Founder of Success Engineers, Simon is leveraging collaboration to scale his reach. Through documentaries like This Is Mental and the upcoming “Success Talks” event in 2026, he is empowering a new generation of leaders to rethink what is possible. His work with organizations like FC Bayern Munich and his global speaking engagements continue to challenge the status quo of leadership.+4
Central to Simon’s approach is a deep-seated belief in human agency, a concept he draws from Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. He lives and coaches by the principle that:
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way".
Looking Ahead
As Simon looks toward 2026 and 2027, his focus is on expanding the “Be World Class” community globally, with major conferences planned for London and Calgary. He remains committed to helping others find their “sliding door” moments, encouraging them to view setbacks not as ends, but as invitations to explore the unknown.
Simon Hartley does not just coach people to win; he coaches them to become world-class in their own unique way. His journey—from a disappointed teenager on a train to a world-leading performance consultant—is a testament to the power of curiosity. He reminds us all that when we stop pushing against what isn’t working and start following the “pull” of our own interests, we don’t just find a career; we find a legacy.+2
