Here's something I've found to be true in my own life: Change never feels easy.

But it becomes easier when you are surrounded by the right people.

Because if you're a part of this community, I bet that the change you want is not just about making more money.

It's about making more meaning.

From agency grind to Happy Startup

As you may know, Laurence and I once ran a successful web design studio.

From the outside, things looked great.

Conventional wisdom told us the next step was obvious: scale up, hire more people, win awards, chase bigger clients.

But inside, something was shifting.
The work no longer felt alive.
Success on paper did not feel like success inside.

So instead of following the playbook, we listened to what was going on within.

Alongside the agency, in response to the new businesses we were working with, we quietly started building The Happy Startup School.

Bit by bit, we gathered our tribe, people who were asking the same questions about life and work, who showed us there was another way.

They listened.
They modelled a different way of doing business.

And they gave us the courage to close the agency and follow what was alive, trusting we would make it work.

That is when Mondays stopped feeling like dread.

Our work feels like flow, and we’re making money while making things we love.

The Monday test

I spoke with a successful coach last week. From the outside, everything looked perfect: thriving business, big community, respected leader.

But then he admitted quietly:

“Carlos, I don't feel excited when I wake up on Monday anymore.”

I know that feeling well. I hear it from the people we coach. Because it doesn't matter how good it looks on the outside if something feels off on the inside.

This is when change is calling. But it’s hard to do it alone.

Finding your people

Last Thursday, after our Vision 20/20 Open Day, one of the attendees said something that stuck with me:

“My experience with you all in yesterday’s group session left me filled with hope, excitement and peace.

I spoke with my sister later that afternoon to share, ‘I think I have found more of my people.’”

That is the shift.

When you find people who get it, who energise you, who remind you what really matters, change stops feeling like a battle and starts feeling like flow.

But where is this change taking you? Are you just moving away from discomfort or moving towards success?

What success feels like

I'm guessing that for you, success isn’t just about outward measures anymore like making money. It’s about creating alignment in four areas:

Happy Money: making money in ways that feel clean and aligned rather than heavy or draining.
Intentional Time: designing your days around what matters most instead of filling them with what matters least.
Authentic Connections: building relationships that nourish you and your work.
Effortless Impact: doing work that changes lives without burning yourself out.

When you focus on how success feels rather than what success needs to look like then you’re able to tap into your creativity and start designing the journey that’s right for you.

The four paths in Vision 20/20

But finding the right path forward can feel intimidating.

It's easy to fall into analysis paralysis and get overwhelmed with all the different opportunities that start coming your way.

That’s why it’s important to understand where you’re at right now so that you can clearly define in which direction to head next.

To help you with this we’ve laid out some simple paths in our Vision 20/20 program to get you more focused on what matters and what you need to do next.

The journeys people tend to take through the program are:

1. The Pathfinder

This is for those who come in with lots of ideas but little clarity. This path helps them to cut through the noise, choose a direction, and test things without overwhelm.

👉 Example outcomes: pick one idea to pursue, design a minimal lovable product, validate an idea with real conversations.

2. The Builder

This is for people who already have a foundation but want to turn their expertise into a business model that sustains them. This path is about structure, offers, and pricing.

👉 Example outcomes: create a product pyramid, package services into a program, set pricing that feels confident and fair, stop selling your time

3. The Shifter

For mid-career professionals in transition. They are moving away from what no longer serves them and need courage, support, and a way to reframe success.

👉 Example outcomes: redefine success on your own terms, identify a new niche, explore aligned business models.

4. The Flourisher

For those who already have something working but want it to feel more aligned, playful, and effortless. They are moving from striving into flow.

👉 Example outcomes: simplify your business model, create more space in your week, shift from hustle into a more joyful rhythm.

Anne’s story: The Shifter

Anne Burniston is a great example of The Shifter.

She had already built a remarkable career. Years of experience, a strong presence in business, and a reputation for being the person others turned to.

When her role ended, she became curious about who she was really for in this next chapter. She knew she wanted to apply her experience to help businesses grow.

What she discovered through Vision 20/20 was that it is not about any business. What lights her up is supporting purpose-driven entrepreneurs.

The ones who want to shine their light and amplify their impact.

That is where she now chooses to focus her structured and strategic knowledge.

Anne joined Vision 20/20 not for a quick fix, but for a community and a structure that would help her shape her wisdom into something new.

Through the program she gave herself permission to pause, reconnect with what energised her, and experiment with fresh possibilities.

Her words after the closing ceremony:

“I feel more discerning about what I say yes to. I am building something that is mine, not performing someone else’s script.”

Anne did not reinvent herself. She evolved into the next version of who she already was.

Having this clarity is what Vision 20/20 is designed to do: help you bring clarity and confidence to the change you are ready for.

Your next step

If you have been feeling that tug, that sense that something inside is ready for change, you do not have to figure it out alone.

The next cohort of Vision 20/20 begins on October 13th. It's a 5-month journey for midlife professionals and entrepreneurs who are ready to move from “good on the outside” to alive on the inside.

When you are surrounded by the right people, asking the right questions, with the right support, that is when your mojo comes back.