Happy MBA

You don’t need a better plan. You don’t need more qualifications. And you definitely don’t need to wait until you've got the perfect plan. In this episode, we unpack the real reason so many thoughtful, capable people stay stuck at the starting line: fear . Fear of getting it wrong. Fear of being judged. Fear of committing to something that might not work. Rather than trying to “overcome” fear or f...

The average age of an entrepreneur in the UK is 46, and more than a third of businesses are run by people over 50. Entrepreneurship isn’t just for the young; in fact older individuals bring valuable wisdom, experience, and networks to their ventures. Midlife entrepreneurs are often more thoughtful in their approach, focusing on meaningful work rather than just scaling for the sake of it. This conv...

In this episode, we open a new chapter of the podcast. After years as The Happy Entrepreneur , we’re evolving the show into Happy MBA , a name that better reflects the work we now do and the people we serve. This conversation is about: what’s changing, why it matters, and who this podcast is really for. If you’ve ever felt a bit out of place in traditional business culture… this one’s for you. 🎧...

Ever wondered what 500 million years of mountain wisdom could teach you about where you take your business or work from here? Laurence and Carlos explore how the French Alps create the perfect environment for profound perspective shifts. Discover why conversations beside Alpine lakes spark innovations that stuffy conference rooms never could, and how shared adventures build deeper connections than...

Sharing on social media can feel like stepping into the spotlight with nowhere to hide. No wonder so many of us shrink from it. How do we show up bravely without losing ourselves? How do we share our voices in ways that build genuine connections instead of just chasing likes and follows? How can we show up without cringing inside? In this episode, Laurence and Carlos are in conversation with visib...

The idea of "personal branding” can be a bit exhausting. The thought of carefully curating a version of yourself that’s optimised for engagement feels like too much effort if you struggle to be anything other than yourself. Amanda Baker  has been developing a framework to help people navigate their own authenticity, and Carlos will be bringing his own reflections on what it means to market yo...

What if we reframed failure as a step toward clarity rather than away from success? In this episode, Laurence and Carlos sit down with  Anne-Laure le Cunff , neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and author of the book  Tiny Experiments , to explore why failure isn’t failure – it’s feedback. Anne-Laure’s work is all about curiosity-driven learning; turning doubt into discovery through small, low...

Carlos, Laurence, and Lana present the fourth and final session in their Vision Tribe Summit from February 2025. This conversation will help you Reframe sharing your voice on social media from self-promotion to a tool for personal clarity and connection Overcome perfectionism, fear of adding to the noise, and imposter syndrome Build authentic connections by asking questions, curating content that...

Carlos, Laurence, and Lana present the third session in their Vision Tribe Summit from February 2025. This conversation will help you Develop a healthier relationship with money by understanding your personal money stories and how they affect your current attitudes Create multiple income streams through a product pyramid approach rather than solely relying on selling your time Price your services...

Carlos, Laurence, and Lana present the second session in their Vision Tribe Summit from February 2025. This discussion will help you Shift from traditional marketing approaches that target everyone to creating deeper impact with those who truly resonate with your values Discover why vulnerability in sharing your journey can be your greatest asset in building genuine community connections Understan...

Carlos, Laurence, and Lana present the first session in their Vision Tribe Summit from February 2025. In this session they explore four key dimensions of success: Finding ways to earn while doing what you love rather than chasing wealth at the expense of fulfilment Prioritising what genuinely energises you rather than constant multitasking driven by feelings of "not-enoughness" Surrounding yoursel...

Chip Conley  is the founder of the Modern Elder Academy and author of  Learning to Love Midlife: How to Embrace What’s Next . In this discussion with Laurence and Carlos, he delves into the opportunities and challenges of navigating purpose and professional transitions during this pivotal stage of life. If you’re an experienced professional or seasoned entrepreneur who’s achieved financi...

Feel like you’re stuck in a loop of fear, overwhelm, and endless faffing about? You’re not alone. Making a big change, whether in life or work, can feel like staring at a blank page with no idea where to begin. But getting moving doesn’t have to be scary, boring, or complicated. In this episode, Laurence, Carlos, and Lana lift the lid on a framework that’s been a game-changer for their Vision 20/2...

What if it’s punk to pause? To quote the Nap Bishop Tricia Hersey, that “rest is a form of resistance”? Caro Turlings and Jobbe Holtes are multi-talented creatives and  Vision alumni  with a deep love for music, dancing, and dressing up. They join Laurence and Carlos to explore How to forget DIY and embrace DIT (Do it Together) Stepping out and stepping up How creativity, rest, and disco...

Carlos and Lana dive into the concept of creating Minimum Lovable Products: products that "thingify" your thoughts and turn your ideas into tangible, helpful solutions. These MLPs help you connect with the people you want to serve, promote your mission, and build momentum for your idea. Whether you're looking to iterate your big vision or start marketing your idea, this episode is about creating c...

Sarah Bayliss is the author of  Do Nourish: How to Eat for Resilience .  She combines expertise with lived experience, helping professionals and entrepreneurs make intentional choices about their nutrition and overall wellbeing. Her approach goes beyond just food. In this episode, they explore  h ow Sarah’s 7 Pillars can support resilience, energy, and clarity, the impact of small,...

We know that people will benefit from what we do, and one way to help others find us is through posting on social media. But what do you do when you don't have a content strategy, a target audience, and you're not yet clear on what you're going to post about? If this sounds like you, you're not alone. A question submitted by the Happy Startup School community sparked this conversation: "How do you...

A question submitted by our community sparked this conversation: "How are your values embodied with real examples in your current business? How have your values helped – or even emerged – when things get tough or friction arises?" In this episode, Carlos, Laurence, Lana and guest Stephanie dive into their stories, sharing honest reflections, and discussing how their manifestos shaped their actions...

How do you change direction without a map? By reconnecting to your inner navigation system. But many of us fall shy of it, because it means engaging with the messy parts of ourselves that we don’t want to acknowledge, let alone embrace. Someone who’s walked this tough but rewarding path is Vision 2020 alumnae  Beth Derry . As a successful copywriter for 25 years, Beth has written for and coll...

You probably know about  4,000 weeks . It’s what Oliver Burkeman suggests is the average time we all have on this earth. But do you know about 90,000 hours? That’s how long many of us will spend working during our lives. And it's essentially a third of your life. Life isn’t about work, but work can profoundly shape the quality of your life. So it can feel painful to be stuck in a rut in your...

When Laurence and Carlos started the  Happy Startup School , they didn’t have a business plan. Instead, they focused on what felt important: community, creativity, and meaningful work. They followed their intuition and sensed their way forward, building connections, thinking out loud, and engaging with guides, not gurus. Many solopreneurs and freelancers think they need a clear path or a step...

You’ve exited your business or you’ve left your job. What next? You’ve gone from being busy and feeling like you had direction to now floating around aimlessly. This is what our guest David Spinks calls the Abyss. In his  Substack post , he shared his experience of stepping down from the company that he co-founded and trying to work out what’s next. In this conversation with David, you’ll hea...

Michelle Grant is an alumna of our  Vision 20/20 program  and was part of Tribe 2 that started in September 2020. She’s the founder of  The Great Full  and offers coaching and community for women leaders within the realms of food systems, sustainability, and regeneration. Michelle combines her deep knowledge of sustainable systems with her passion for personal and professional...

Can you learn to be more creative, courageous, and resourceful when it comes to pivoting your professional life? On this episode, Carlos and Laurence are joined by  Iesha Small , a career pivot coach and seasoned communications professional, to talk about how we can adopt an entrepreneur’s mindset when thinking about following a new professional path. Iesha shares her inspiring journey from m...

Are you a solo founder curious about AI? Do you want to know how it could help you be more impactful, more effective, and free up your time? Or are you a conscious business owner who worries about what AI is doing to our humanity and our creativity? If so, this conversation with  Kerry Harrison , AI educator and professional copywriter, is for you. Kerry makes AI accessible. She teaches pract...