Peter Shilton: The England legend and his wife Steffi run their own consultancy giving management advice to businesses
Back in 2016, the husband and wife duo set up Peter & Steffi Shilton Consultancy, providing expert advice in public service, healthcare and the sporting industry, as well as a voice for global media
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When England legend Peter Shilton married Steffi Shilton, a senior manager working for the NHS, in 2016 they made a conscious decision to work together.
They started up Peter & Steffi Shilton Consultancy, with the idea of passing on their valuable experience in the fields of healthcare and football to businesses, brands and services.
Now, as SunSport's chat with the pair proves, it's their own business that is booming.
"Pete had asked me to go into business with him, and I think it's easier when you're married," Steffi told SunSport.
"I was working as a senior manager in the NHS, sometimes 70 hours a week and it wasn't giving much time to our relationship.
"I didn't want to give up work completely, so we thought we'd work together."
Steffi, 50, is available as a consultant, while Peter, 69, gives motivational and after-dinner speeches to businesses and in the football community.
She also liaises with UK and global media, repping Peter's media interests and securing global endorsements.
Peter revealed: "I'd obviously done after-dinner speaking, motivational speaking and endorsements. I had a lot of experience with that.
"We found that people want to deal with us on a day-to-day basis. We get much more work by people just ringing up and dealing with us directly."
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The former Leicester City goalie divulged he delivers his motivational speeches taking on the experience and advice he got from inspirational managers over the years.
"Every manager has a different way of doing things. I've had a different experience of different types of management skills over the years," he said.
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"I was very young when I started out. I developed a lot of the skills myself.
"You've got to set yourself goals. It's what I did in my career. And once you've reached that goal, you have to set yourself another.
"I also experienced a lot of different eras - I started off in the 60s and played till mid to late 90s, and have followed the industry ever since.
"And I think the way Steffi and I deal with people, we're very honest and they know where they stand, which people like."
That no-nonsense approach, juggling consultancy with media engagements has meant Steffi has been in high demand, even in the football community.
"I've been approached by a couple of former footballers and celebrities who have asked if I wanted to be their agent," Steffi, a former Jazz singer told us.
"I don't quite feel experienced enough yet, but I wouldn't rule it out in the future. For the moment, it's enough work looking after Peter Shilton!"
But clearly, they thrive on working as a couple.
Peter revealed: "Honestly, I love working with Steffi. But we do separate it.
"We can put it to bed and then be husband and wife, we can go out, walk the dog, go out for lunch and we're able to separate work.
"If we do work, we make sure we work hard that day. If there's nothing in the pipeline, we will spend time together."
Alongside their consultancy, the two do their bit for charity. Steffi is a trustee for Mid and North East Essex and Suffolk Mind, while Peter's a patron for Little Haven's, a children's hospice in Essex.
And the EX Three Lions No. 1 has his own project, the Art of Goalkeeping - a short film that he feels will benefit the current crop of keepers and make its way into grassroots as a tool for future shot-stoppers.
"There was no goalkeeping gloves when I started or goalkeeping coaches," he said.
"I think I was one of the first goalkeepers to tell managers we need to go on our own and do some specialised work.
"But goalkeeping coaches didn't really start coming into the game until the Premier League really.
"And it was a lot of foreign goalkeeping coaches who came in and had different techniques to what we had.
"I think some of the basic techniques - body position, footwork, the basic techniques that make you consistent have been lost a little bit in the modern game.
"My film shows 14 different techniques that you would do before you start training, it's not about training exercises, it's an educational tool.
"It's aimed at youngsters, but I think it could be used for international keepers too, because I'm often thinking when watching a game if a player had used a certain technique they could've stopped that goal."
When he hung up gloves, Shilton did go into football management and had spell at Plymouth Argyle. But it wasn't enough to convince him it was where he saw his future.
"It is quite difficult when you retire," he said.
"A lot of players try to stay in the game and take their coaching badges. I had a spell in management at Plymouth, which I thought was successful.
"It wasn't what I really wanted though, to move around the country and take on jobs.
"I spoke to friends and they all advised going into motivational speaking. It took a long time to develop it."
Shilton, who won 125 caps for his country, was part of an England team that reached a World Cup semifinal in 1990.
As a manager and motivator himself now, he admitted he's been impressed by Gareth Southgate.
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"Initially, I wasn't sure of Gareth's appointment because of his previous management record," he said.
"But he's done exceptional well. The way he manages, he's not a shouter, he comes across very calculated.
"And in the World Cup, the way the team prepared, the spirit... there was no egos. They came across as a good bunch of genuine lads all pulling together and they went out playing like that.
"They had the luck of the draw, but the spirit and effort really came across. I think we should be very hopeful for the future."