Happy MBA

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.🎧 About this episodeIn Episode 171 of the Happy Entrepreneur podcast, Carlos and Laurence talk candidly about:Why Happy MBA felt like the right evolutionThe kinds of struggles we repeatedly see in founders, freelancers, and solopreneursWhy “knowing the theory” rarely solves the real business challengesThe limits of traditional MBA-style thinkingBuilding businesses from the inside outWhy energy, fun, and sustainability matter just as much as moneyThis isn’t a rejection of business fundamentals, it’s a rebalancing. A reminder that businesses are built by humans, with lives, values, families, fears, hopes, and changing seasons.🧠 Key themes we explore1. Business problems are often personal problemsYes, pricing, customers, and sales matter. But what often blocks progress is confidence, isolation, fear, or having too many ideas and no clear place to start.2. Not everyone fits the “successful entrepreneur” stereotypeIf the loud, ruthless, growth-at-all-costs model leaves you cold, you’re not doing it wrong. You’re just building something different.3. Why Happy MBA isn’t an MBATraditional MBAs focus on plans, prediction, and scale. Happy MBA focuses on:Action over overthinkingLearning by doingDesigning a business that fits your life nowDefining success on your own terms4. Sustainable businesses need sustainable energyBurnout and “bore-out” are real. If the joy goes, the business usually follows. We talk about how to build something that’s financially and energetically viable.5. Structure as a playground, not a cageWe believe in giving people enough structure to feel safe but enough freedom to play, experiment, and reconnect with why they started in the first place.👋 Who this podcast is forThis show is for you if you’re:A solopreneur or freelancer without a big teamSitting on ideas but unsure which one to commit toFeeling like the “mad one” for wanting something differentIn transition from employment to self-employment, or from an old business to a new chapterWanting to build work that makes money, does good, and feels more like...

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 visibility specialist Kevan Smith, exploring how to show up online with consistency, authenticity, and courage.LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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-risk experiments. Her approach aligns deeply with how we support entrepreneurs, coaches, and creatives inside our Vision 20/20 group coaching program:Curiosity leads to clarity. What fascinates you is often pointing you toward the work you’re meant to do.Small experiments create momentum. You don’t need a master plan—just a first step.Failure is data, not a dead end. When you stop seeing failure as personal, you start seeing opportunity.Exploration before exploitation ensures alignment. Before you "scale" an idea, make sure it truly fits you.Structure + flexibility = a sustainable, fulfilling business. The key is having just enough structure to guide you, but enough freedom to adapt.If you’re navigating a career transition, designing a business that truly fits, or just wrestling with the fear of getting it wrong, this conversation is for you.LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

Carlos, Laurence, and Lana present the third session in their Vision Tribe Summit from February 2025.This conversation will help youDevelop a healthier relationship with money by understanding your personal money stories and how they affect your current attitudesCreate multiple income streams through a product pyramid approach rather than solely relying on selling your timePrice your services based on value rather than hourly rates, allowing you to better communicate the transformation you provide to clientsLinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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 fulfilmentPrioritising what genuinely energises you rather than constant multitasking driven by feelings of "not-enoughness"Surrounding yourself with people who energise you and share your valuesCreating ripple effects by simply being your authentic self rather than trying to change the world through effortLinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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 20/20 programme. They share what they’ve learned, what’s worked, and why this approach has helped their community turn “I’m too scared to start” into “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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 connections and value.LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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 post on social media when I'm still not clear?"Laurence, Carlos, and Lana dive into their experiences, sharing honest reflections, and discussing how they developed an ability to post what they stand for and believe in online.LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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 collaborated with clients such as Microsoft, Allianz, and Heineken to help them communicate their impact on people and the planet.But when she reached her mid-forties, she knew she could trust her instincts – instincts that told her she wanted more from life.Beth knows all too well how life's difficulties can shape us. As a teenager and young adult, she faced painful mental health challenges and turned to self-harm as a way to cope.At the time, the support available wasn’t enough. She didn’t have the answers she needed.It wasn’t until decades later, after years of therapy, coaching, and innovative techniques like havening, that Beth found her way back to herself – and began envisioning a new way of working.In 2023 she founded Lovely Messy Humans, an initiative dedicated to educating people on the science of being human, focusing on emotional resilience, regulation, and healing from trauma.She joins Laurence and Carlos to explore embracing the messiness of a new venture, turning struggle into strength, integration, wholeness, and the power of starting small.LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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-by-step plan to reach a defined goal. But if you’re feeling stuck and procrastinating, it’s likely because that plan is missing something.Wayfinding is about trusting your intuition and tapping into your creativity to explore possibilities. It’s not about having a fixed destination; it’s about discovering the right one, through experimentation, reflection, and bold action.Join Laurence, Lana, and Carlos as they discuss what wayfinding is and how it can help you get unstuck and take action.LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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 development.Her leadership programs like "Be the Change" and "Lead the Change" offer a supportive community and tools to empower women changemakers to take care of their personal wellbeing, as well as that of the planet.She’s passionate about the importance of inner work to create impactful outer change, blending theory and practice, science and philosophy, and engaging the head, heart, and hands in her learning journeys.She is also a professionally certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, trained in the Enneagram, and a seasoned yoga and meditation teacher.In this episode, Carlos, Laurence, and Michelle explore questions likeHow can we develop more intuitive leaders?How can we promote more feminine energy in leadership?Why does the old style leadership need to change anyway?LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort

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 practical ways to save time while adding your brilliant human creativity to the mix. Drawing on two decades of copywriting work and five years of AI experience, she can help you create compelling, human content in less time.When it comes to productivity, AI provides a lot of potential for us to save time, whether that’s doing research, coming up with new ideas, or producing content.However, when it comes to our creative output, if we outsource all the thinking to AI, where does that leave us?We need to remember that humans buy from humans. As entrepreneurs who offer something unique (not off-the-shelf commodities), one of the most valuable things we have is our story.Stories are a connection superpower. Told well, they take people from knowing you to liking you to loving you in an instant.But will people still connect with your stories if AI is now writing them? And if so, who are they really connecting to? You, or an imitation of you? Will the stories you share match up to the experience you’re selling?If you’re passionate about doing business at a human level, these thoughts will trouble you. By the end of this conversation, you’ll be able to better articulate what troubles you about AI so that you can use it more consciously. And you’ll also learn how to use it in a way that amplifies your impact and efficiency without losing your humanity.LinksJoin the conversation liveBecome a member of the Happy Startup SchoolJoin the next Vision 20/20 cohort