The Happy Entrepreneur

Laurence has been reading the book Nature Fix recently and it inspired him to write a post on our Medium publication entitled Hiking The Therapy Trail Where Life and Work Meet. If you’d like to have read go to http://ahappy.link/read.He says that it backs up what we intrinsically know. That when we lose ourselves in nature time stands still and we learn to behave more generously to ourselves and one another. We use our senses fully and become much more present to our surroundings. This helps us to open up, let our guard down and connect with each other on a deeper level.At our latest Alptitude retreat this story played out once again. According to one of our alumni “we’re pioneers in the art of igniting collective inspiration, support and trust, magically between strangers”. This doesn’t happen by accident. It takes careful design, curation, hosting and collaboration to create the conditions for nature to weave its magic.Just over two weeks since we came back from the Alps I reflect with Laurence about how it went and why we need these times in nature. Things we cover are:Listen to your body for the early warning signalsPeople don’t value enough the idea of stoppingIt’s almost more important to take time out when you can’t or when you don’t feel like you can’t because usually the time you need it the mostIt’s counter-cultural to step off the treadmillMost people believe that working hard is the best way to solve a problemWhen our bodies aren’t working properly and our minds aren’t clear enough we’re going to be less effectiveTo make the shift happen we need to stopChanging your environment and spending time in nature can change your perspective on the way you workWhen you’re not close to something you can view it with fresh eyes and propose different approachesPut fun at the heart of what you do, or why do it?It’s important to have a constant reminder of the values the core of what you doFocus on what you need and connect with others with similar needsIt’s so important to integrate the whole of yourself in what you doLeading a simple life is about focussing on our intrinsic motivations and core needsWhat are the positive things to simplify our lives and so benefit the planet?From Friday 13th to Sunday 15th of September we’re hosting our Happy Startup Summercamp. While we know that strictly isn’t summer the event also isn’t just for startups.At its core Summercamp about learning, play and friendship.We want to promote personal growth in business.We advocate holding our work lightly so that we can be more creative.And we know that we can’t create impact on our own. We need to work with others that give us energy and support.As well as inspirational talks we’ve got activities and experiences such as Blingo Bingo, Botannical Brewmaking, Yoga, Mindful raving, saunas, hot tubs, lake swimming, japanese swordfighting, chi-gung breathing and dancing (lots of dancing).To find out more about Summercamp go to http://happystartupsummer.campBusiness doesn’t have to be boring. And it definitely shouldn’t be lonely. I hope you can join us in September.

It’s over a week now since we got back from Alptitude, our retreat for leaders and professionals. Alptitude is for people who want to make space for themselves so that they can get clear on their next steps. It’s a time to get away from the noise of the everyday in order to hear that inner voice called our intuition. In this episode of the podcast I talk to Meghan French Dunbar, founder of Conscious Company Media. One of the things that we discuss towards the end of the episode is the need for leaders and team members to turn up as their best selves. This requires self knowledge and being more conscious about who we are. This is the work. And this kind of work requires time, space and safety. In the episode we also talk about what a conscious business is and discuss the extra challenges that come up when running one.How do we stay true to what we believe and the vision we want to create but also still make it sustainable and work within the current business paradigmThe number one thing that founders of mission driven businesses have said that they wished they had done at the beginning was have a substantiated business model that would drive enough revenue to keep goingThere are many types of conscious business but fundamentally it is a business that has a higher purpose beyond profit and takes all stakeholders into account, not just shareholdersSocial impact investors that invest because of the purpose do exists but they’re hard to find and when push comes to shove they’re still strongly influenced by ROI and metricsWhen you’re a conscious business you’re not only trying to hit your financial metrics but also your impact metrics, which adds to the complexityImpact investors have wonderful intentions but they also put double the pressure on the entrepreneur because of the extra metrics they need to hitWhen it comes to impact there are some things that just can’t be measuredWhen you have a gut feeling about an investor: listen, listen, listen. They need to walk the talkWhen you’re reactive in business it can feel like a pinball machine and you’re the pinballBe aware of your emotional stateAre you above the line or below the line - receptive or closed down?As leaders we need to show up as the best versions of ourselves: being able to consciously respond rather than just reactThe one of the most common things that business leaders say is that you should listen to your intuition and your gutGive space for that inner voice to speakMeditate and journal regularly and look for patternsAs a leader you get the organisation you deserve and your organisation can only grow as much as you doLeaders should model the behaviour that you expect in your organisationIf your behaviour and actions don’t align with the values you espouse you break the trust with your employees and partnersTop three bits of advice from business leaders: take care of yourself, take care of yourself, take care of yourself.Identify the things make you a thriving human and do themYour energy is your own responsibilityThe only thing that I would gift my younger entrepreneur self is to not hold it so heavily and bring levity, joy and fun to what you’re doingIf it’s not going to matter in 5 years don’t spend more than 5 minutes worrying about ithttps://consciouscompanymedia.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanfrenchdunbar/https://stagen.com/https://ahappy.link/15commitments

Casper ter Kuile is one of the authors of the How We Gather report which is an exploration into how Millennials are finding and building communities of meaning and belonging. He’s also the co-host of the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text which itself has grown into a community and business in its own right. During our conversation we discuss what community means to Casper and how our need for belonging in the modern age is being met by different secular organisations.Some excerpts from this episode:in a time of social isolation and mental health crises how do we live lives of deep connectioncommunity is a group of people where you are deeply known and deeply lovedthere’s an overuse of the word community because there’s such a need for itcommunity is not fun all of the time: it can be stifling and people know your businesscommunity is wonderful but is also terriblethe pendulum as swung to the other side where people are too free but it comes with this sense of disconnectionrelationships are held by structuresthere’s been a shift that people would rather affiliate with thought leaders, influencers and people rather than institutions and companiesit’s incredibly powerful to see ourselves in another’s storyin fitness communities people come for the body but stay for the breakthroughpeople gather around a common activity (the third thing)you can only lead others as far as you’ve gone yourselffill up yourself before you can help othersleaders need a place where their needs are met as well (which isn’t necessarily their own communities/organisations)in our culture having a hot body is something we will pay forit’s easier to build communities around fitness groups because culturally it’s more acceptable to pay for thatdonations are a simple way to generate financial sustainability for communitieshave something of value that people recognise and then have community as the second layer of value that people get as a benefitthere’s a hesitation about money and community but we shouldn’t be afraid to bring money into community and articulating its valuecommunity is a powerful healthcare strategycould we see tax breaks for communitiesin order to pay for community people need to not only justify to themselves but also to their peerscan we design our organisations based on the principles of communityif a community is only for itself only, it will die.communities need a purpose bigger than itselfmore and more of us our finding our closest friendships at workmaybe there’s something beyond the triple bottom line which is about our relational connection in organisationsa covenant is about how we’re going to be in this work that we’re doing together and can help with managing conflictit’s not just about scaling wide but also scaling deepTo find out more about Casper’s work check out:https://www.howwegather.org/http://www.caspertk.com/http://www.harrypottersacredtext.com/

For over a year and a half I’ve been coaching various members of our community on a one to one basis. I get great joy from working with people one to one and helping them get clarity about the what’s ahead of them and what’s getting in their way. I want to help people create businesses and do work that gives them joy, energy and an income. I want to be the best I can be at that and so having the opportunity to talk to Pete Mosley about coaching and mentoring was an amazing privilege. A speaker at our 2017 Summercamp, Pete leads a portfolio existence. He’s a keen writer contributor to Psychologies Magazine and the Quiet Revolution website. He’s a coach for people who aren’t comfortable with self promotion. And he delivers training and group coaching. He trained as a coach with Barefoot Coaching. In this episode we talk about what coaching means to him, the difference between coaching and mentoring and the hidden hurdles that get in our way.Excerpts from this episode:* When building a business not only do you need to consider your value proposition and the problem/solution fit but also the venture/entrepreneur fit.* People are happy to pay for advice but not so much to get help get clarity about what they should be doing* The difference with between mentoring and coaching is the direction of flow of creativity and energy. For mentoring the flow is from mentor to mentee while for coaching the flow is from coachee to coach, where the coach is using probing questions.* Coaching is about championing somebody and helping them engage with what they’re about to do enthusiastically.* You should only be setting goals for yourself that have meaning, that make sense, play to your strengths and that give you pleasure. Otherwise the chance of you attaining them are pretty low.* Taking ownership is about being the best informed and best resourced person to make the decision.* If there’s a mismatch between your values and your goals then you can run aground.* People adopt structured approaches to coaches because it benefits the business model.* The most valuable aspect of coaching is the quality of the relationship between coach and coachee, something more subtle than just a business transaction* Sometimes the rushing towards solutions can be the most damaging thing you can do as it’s the worst possible thing for free thinking* Human beings aren’t supposed to be time bound or expectations bound* There’s something very fertile in the chaos * Your definition of success doesn’t have to be like anybody else’s.* Hiring people that think differently and with diversity of attention* Authenticity isn’t something that you can claim, it’s something that is bestowed on you by others.* The thing that most people fear isn’t the situation but the unpleasant sensations and the discomfort they feel.* These unpleasant feelings and sensations are there to inform us and guide us. We can learn to work with these unpleasant feelings.You can find Pete on Twitter - @petemosleyHe regularly writes articles on LinkedIn and for Psychologies Magazine and he’s the author of the book The Art of Shouting Quietly.

In the episode with Jon Barnes we explore his ideas on education and work. He shares his thoughts on the way we've been schooled and how it has impacted on the way we work. We're all brought up told exactly how things are: what to wear, where to sit and when to speak. Schooling is something done to us rather than for us. We're not given autonomy, and so we don't learn accountability and so lose our sense of agency. This has repercussions on our sense of freedom and our ability to act independently or entrepreneurially as adults. He tells the story of the changes he saw in his son, Ivor, when they took a family adventure to Costa Rica and enrolled him in Casa Sula, a school that promotes independent learning. Talking about Ivor's shift from needing to told what to do to becoming more self driven and motivated starts our conversation about Jon's own work and why he considers himself an activist trying to change the restrictive systems that exist in the workplace.

In this episode of the podcast I’m joined by Nigel Berman founder of School of the Wild. Nigel has joined us at Summercamp for the past few years. His gift to camp is an immersive experience that leaves attendees with a sense of awe and fuels their creativity.During our conversation he shares his entrepreneurial adventure in accountancy, magazine publishing, speed dating events, online ecostores and now experiences in nature.  He currently works with leaders and organisations to help them with innovation and problem solving by getting them into the wild.Nigel’s entrepreneurial journey has been based on following his passion.If you’re looking for an alternative path to being an entrepreneur that doesn’t involve getting an MBA and selling yourself to venture capitalists then I recommend you listen on. For Nigel this path is about deciding what you really love and what you can give.This is why we love having Nigel contribute each year, he aligns so closely to our mission. Our Happy Startup Summercamp is the antidote to the always on culture that many of us find ourselves in. This is your chance to slow down, connect with others, and connect with yourself. You’ll leave camp looking at the world very differently, more optimistic, full of possibility and overloaded with creativity.

 On this episode of the podcast I talk to Christine Chopyak, a visual strategist and idea builder from Denver, Colorado.We met last year at our Alptitude retreat on Mount Hood in Oregon. She's the author of Picture your Business Strategy, a book that helps you master the principles of "strategic illustration", a proven system for visualising ideas.Christine discovered the power of visual strategy nearly 20 years ago and it’s changed her life and how she relates to people. For her it’s a way to make ideas come alive.Christine will be joining us at this year’s Summercamp and will be running a workshop for people who want to learn how to use drawing to help them get more clarity for their business.Here are some nuggets from our conversation:Too many thinkers like to hear themselves talk.Designing your week to help you manage your energyWhen you’re too attached to an idea you can forget what you’re actually trying to doVisual strategy helps you see where you’re going and see where you’ve been in one breathThe brain processes images 60 times faster than textIn order for your brain to understand an image it only needs to be 30% accurate80% of the population learn visuallyFrom the ages of 0 to 3 we make sense of the world through shape and colour and so we all have the capacity to visualise ideasPrototyping and storyboarding your service or product is the best way to understand your customer. It’s both fun and revealing.The more complicated your business the more important it is to try and visualise itWe don’t get to see the diversity of solutions unless we try and visualise themEngaging with your customers and clients using a visual approach can help you uncover what they really needOnce we get our ideas on a page we see patterns that we can’t see when we’re in our own headsWhen you give people a picture they’re not so quick to start editing while they’re much more keen to edit your textDrawing together helps you start building togetherDoodling helps you listen and retain information betterUse word anchors if you feel like you’re not great at drawingJoin us at Summercamp to get hands on experience of being a visual strategistFind out more about Christine on her website - www.arlosoul.comAnd you can email her on info@arlosoul.com.Her book is available on Amazon and is called Picture Your Business Strategy: Transform Decisions with the Power of Visuals

At Summercamp we devote much of the middle Saturday afternoon to hosting an Open Space session. This is a chance for all the attendees to have the conversations and curate the discussions that they want to have. We've found it a powerful way to connect people and to surface the real needs of our attendees. It's a bit scary for people not used to it but if you open yourself up to possibility and ride the uncertainty you WILL find the person and have the conversation that is most important for you.Last year the session was hosted and held by Line Morkbak alongside Marcus Pibworth and Nick Stevens. In this episode I talk to Line about her work and also about what Open Space is and how it works. We also touch on the topics of serendipity, the future of work, leadership and collaboration.As well as being a master facilitator and creator of collaborative environments Line's on a mission to discover powerful workplace innovations across the globe. Her project Leap Laboratory (https://www.gleapconsult.com/the-leap-lab) is a series of interviews with changemakers who are experimenting with inspiring ways to rethink workplace structures and collaboration.More about SummercampWebsite - www.happystartupsummer.campGallery - https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheHappyStartupSchool/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1912693348767824Trailer video - https://vimeo.com/298048389

This is the second in my series of podcasts about Summercamp and the people who'll be there. In this episode I'm joined by Christina Kisley where we talk about her work to help people grow. She says “I love helping people grow.” She's an expert in organisational effectiveness and an entrepreneur coach.We met on our Alptitude retreat in 2018 and her wealth of knowledge and humble way means you can’t help feel both inspired and at ease in her company. During our conversation we talk about two types of growth: maturing growth and restorative growth. The latter is about addressing the pain in our past so as to live more fully in the present. And by living more fully we have better relationships and become better business owners, entrepreneurs and leaders.The lower your ability to lead, the lower the lid on your potential and the potential impact of your organization. Christina says “when you’re in a startup or a small team your stuff can get in the way real fast”. She calls this the Law of the Lid, and you’re the lid. We also talk about how growth happens in community and that “we are so much more invested in each other when we heal and grow together.”Our Happy Startup Community exists to create spaces for people to find their role in the world before it’s too late. Part of finding that role is personal growth and a space where this growth can happen is our Happy Startup Summercamp. I hope you’ll join us there.More about SummercampWebsite - www.happystartupsummer.campGallery - https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheHappyStartupSchool/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1912693348767824Trailer video - https://vimeo.com/298048389

This podcast is the first in a series of episodes where I'll be focussing on our annual event here in the south of England called the Happy Startup Summercamp. We first held this event in 2013 and we're now into our 7th year. Summercamp is the business event that Laurence and I were looking for when we were running our digital agency. It's a heady mix of inspirational talks, practical workshops, fun activities, deep conversations and serendipitous connections. We have veteran campers who come back every year and we have new attendees who have no idea what they're in for. They come together as strangers and leave as friends.Over the next 5 episodes I'll be talking to some of our Summercamp contributors so you can get to know them and what they bring to camp. My hope is you'll have a better understanding of what it's like to be at the event.I'm kicking off the series with the MC of Summercamp and the glue that sticks everything together. Sanderson Jones is one of the founders of Sunday Assembly and also the creator of Lifefulness. In Sandeson's words Lifefulness is to congregation what mindfulness is to meditation. During the discussion we talk about peak experiences, the importance of gathering with others and what it's like to be on startup love island. If you're passionate about building community and hosting events that create real impact then listen on.More about SummercampWebsite - www.happystartupsummer.campGallery - https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheHappyStartupSchool/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1912693348767824Trailer video - https://vimeo.com/298048389