Flourishing Edge Podcast with Ashish Kothari

We often talk about strategy, technology, and profit as the engines of success. And in times of rapid change and uncertainty, it’s easy to double down on those levers. But what if we’re missing the most important one? In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Niren Chaudhary, former CEO of Panera Brands, joins Ashish Kothari to share a leadership philosophy rooted in something many leaders o...

What if the success stories you believe, the leadership advice you follow, and the wellness rules you swear by are built on shaky evidence—or no evidence at all? Even well-meaning ideas like grit, purpose, and diversity can cause harm when taken at face value. So, we challenge you to think critically before embracing feel-good narratives. In today’s Happiness Squad Podcast episode, Ashish Kothari...

Ever walked into a conversation with the best intentions…only to walk out with a broken relationship?  The cost of emotional avoidance in the workplace is massive, and invisible. Most people don’t fail at communication because they’re cruel. They fail because they never learned how to do it without causing damage. In today’s Happiness Squad Podcast episode, Ashish Kothari and Dr. Carole Robin...

We live in a world that glorifies hustle, high performance, and constant doing. We rarely pause to ask what truly drives us or what it might cost to keep going without pause. Success demands work, but what if it's not always about pushing harder? While it might not sound like it, slowing down, looking inward, and rediscovering your purpose can redefine your performance and growth. In this powerful...

Sometimes, it feels like work wasn't designed with us, humans, in mind. Human suffering at work is becoming far too common in our tech-driven world of work. It’s burning us out, disconnecting us, and draining our energy. We’ve lost sight of the one thing that truly powers progress: people.  But there's a way to break that mean cycle. A better way to redesign work to fuel joy, not exhaustion....

Many leaders today are emotionally dysregulated, and that shows up in the way they lead, communicate, and coach others. If you think emotional intelligence is just a “soft skill,” this one’s your wake-up call. In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Dr. Dan Docherty, President of Braintrust and Neurocoach, to expose the hidden cost of emotional dysregulation a...

Our workplaces are full of smart, capable people who are stuck in survival mode. They’re overwhelmed, constantly busy, and unsure how to sustain high performance. Meanwhile, organizations continue to default to control-based leadership, even though it's no longer effective in a fast-changing, “loosely coupled” world. Does this mean consistently driving high performance while maintaining personal w...

At work, we often operate in transactional mode, almost always skipping the human side of communication. But if you want to build trust, boost performance, and create a culture of belonging for your teams, you need to let go of silence, stress, and surface-level interactions.   The only way to make meaningful connections is intentionally embracing positive communication. However, it’s easier...

Too often, leaders think their biggest job is solving problems and driving results. But in the process, they unintentionally become task machines: skipping the “hello,” missing the human moments, and delivering feedback like checklists. That’s a sure way to build a culture where people feel unseen, unappreciated, and disconnected. In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast , Ashish Kothari and...

It's no secret that artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of work. But one question looms large: will AI strip us of our humanity—or help us become more of who we’re meant to be? As technology accelerates, it's easy to fear that empathy, connection, and self-awareness will fall behind. But what if the secret to thriving in the age of AI is not rejecting it—but learning how to pair it wit...

Would you trade your brain health for career wins? You might already be and you're not noticing it. It's in the way you push through the back-to-back meetings, rely on caffeine to stay sharp, and squeeze in rest when you can. Your brain is keeping score of that behavior, and if you keep doing it, your performance, energy, and health will slowly decline—even while you’re “succeeding.” Today’s Happi...

What do you do when $150 billion in economic pressure is knocking on your door? If you're leading a small or medium-sized business right now, you're not just navigating volatility—you're steering through a full-blown storm. Between plummeting markets, rising tariffs, and a fog of uncertainty, we can no longer afford to keep doing business as usual. In this special episode of the Happiness Squad Po...

So many of us are negotiating every day: at work, at home, and most importantly, with ourselves—without even realizing it. Yet, when we think of “negotiation,” we often imagine a high-stakes business deal or a zero-sum game where someone wins and someone loses. That mindset is long obsolete. It's been holding us back from better relationships, greater confidence, and even personal happiness. ...

Most businesses start with a bold “why,” but along the way, profits take over, and purpose fades into just another corporate slogan. Now, with ESG and purpose-driven business facing backlash, companies are backing away, fearing controversy and short-term losses. But the truth is that leaders who abandon purpose risk more than just bad PR; they lose trust, culture, and long-term success. In this ep...

Employees are burnt out, disengaged, and silently struggling with their mental health. Meanwhile, leaders assume they’re doing enough because their company offers an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) or has a "Mental Health Matters" poster in the breakroom. But most employees never use these resources. Not because they don’t need help, but because they don’t feel safe enough to ask for it.  T...

If you want your company to scale, here's one question you need to ask yourself: Are you growing your people as fast as you're growing your revenue?  Too many leaders obsess over business expansion but ignore the foundation that makes it possible—PEOPLE.  In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Ryan Heckman remind us that when you invest in your people’s growth...

We’ve been sold this idea that work and life are two separate things—one to survive, the other to enjoy. But here’s the truth: It’s all just life.   The best workplaces don’t force people to "balance" their time between stress and fulfillment. They create cultures where work itself is a source of purpose, growth, and well-being. That’s exactly what Teresa Roche, Chair of the Learning Innovati...

keep up with endless demands. Trying to "just get through the day" instead of truly thriving can impact you far beyond your personal well-being. It cascades down to your teams, organizations, and long-term success. So how do you shift from just surviving to actually thriving?  That’s what we dive into in this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast with Ashish Kothari and Renee Moorefield, CEO...

Episode Summary: In this episode, we dive deep into the power of rewiring our minds and relaunching our lives with transformational coaches Hillary DeCesare and Ashish Kothari. We explore how limiting beliefs hold us back, why traditional habits don’t always stick, and how the Belief Blaster tool can help you break free from subconscious patterns. Plus, we introduce the Rewire & Relaunch progr...

Most leaders think of creativity as something exclusive to artists, but it’s actually a skill leaders can learn to master. Just like art, leadership requires taking risks, challenging assumptions, and building what doesn’t exist yet. If you’re ready to stop playing it safe and start making a real impact, it’s time to unleash your creative edge. In this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast, Ashis...

The world glorifies the grind of entrepreneurship, but nobody talks about the toll it takes on your well-being. Stress, self-doubt, and a constant need to prove yourself can leave even the most driven entrepreneurs feeling stuck. Without addressing the root cause, you risk burnout and a loss of purpose. Self-discovery is the game-changer most entrepreneurs overlook.  In this Happiness Squad P...

We live in a world where success often leads to burnout, anxiety, and loneliness instead of fulfillment. Ashish Kothari, Founder and CEO of Happiness Squad, faced this firsthand, realizing that titles and achievements alone weren’t enough. His journey from relentless striving to meaningful happiness led him to uncover truths about well-being that many miss. In our latest episode, Ashish shares how...

Uncertainty has become the new normal, and as a leader, it can feel like the ground beneath you is constantly shifting. How do you inspire confidence when you're struggling to find it yourself? Without a strong foundation in your leadership, it can be difficult to respond to challenges and your team could feel it too.  In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Jason H...

Leadership often feels like navigating a high-stakes game where every decision could make or break the outcome. Yet, the best leaders aren’t the ones who power through with toughness alone—they are the ones who master the ability to stay calm under pressure.  In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Brent Lang explore how mental calmness helps leaders build resilienc...

Social media was supposed to connect us, but instead, it’s become a source of stress, manipulation, and mental health challenges. From endless scrolling to harmful algorithms, the negative effects are clear. In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast , we uncover the truth about social media’s negative impact on our minds and explore practical ways to take back control with Mark Weinstein. Mar...