Sebastian Bates is a British entrepreneur, author, and martial artist best known as the founder of the Warrior Academy, a Dubai-based organisation dedicated to developing children's confidence, focus, and resilience through martial arts. With over 25 years of experience and a background in professional martial arts and extreme sports.
He is the best-selling author of The Warrior Method and Not a Victim, host of the Warrior Academy Podcast, and founder of the Bates Foundation and the "Not A Victim" anti-bullying campaign, initiatives that reflect his commitment to empowering young people and fostering positive character growth worldwide. In this episode, Sebastian dives deep into the journey behind founding the Warrior Academy and the powerful mission driving its global impact.
He discusses how early life challenges and experiences with bullying shaped his vision for empowering children through character development and martial arts. Listeners will hear insights on transforming victim mentality into resilience, the psychology behind bullying, and how celebrating a child as a victim can unintentionally disempower them. Sebastian also explains the Warrior Academy's unique approach to measuring the "3Cs"— Confidence, Conduct, and Concentration and why focusing on the lowest "C" drives transformational growth. The episode highlights inspiring testimonials from over 50,000 children who've been through the academy, explores the impact of the Bates Foundation across Eastern Africa, and reflects on how charity work and purpose-driven entrepreneurship can redefine personal and professional success.
02:53 – Sebastian's backstory and why he founded the Warrior Academy
10:20 – Turning testing times into success: using challenges as motivation for growth
14:46 – Symptoms of a victim mentality and practical steps to overcome it
20:56 – Building the Warrior Academy
40:08 – Understanding why bullying occurs and how to support bullies
42:34 – The Bates Foundation: the purpose behind it
56:50 – What drives Sebastian: finding purpose through meaningful impact
59:10 – The role of Dubai in accelerating the commercial growth of the business
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