Episode Overview

In this episode, I welcome Mike Jones, founder of Better Happy and author of The Happy Business Revolution, to explore how entrepreneurs can escape the "owner trap" and build more happiness into their businesses. Drawing on Mike's unique background in the military and his transformative experiences living in monasteries, we uncover valuable insights about the true meaning of happiness and how to create a business that serves both clients and the business owner alike.

Key Highlights

Mike's Journey from Military to Monastery to Business

• Joined the military in his early twenties seeking an escape from his hometown
• After two tours in Afghanistan, realised military life wasn't fulfilling him
• Spent time living with monks in Thailand and Nepal, gaining life-changing insights
• Discovered that Eastern philosophy views happiness as underlying fulfilment rather than constant ecstasy
• These experiences led him to start his own businesses with a completely different perspective

The Buddhist Approach to Emotions

• Learning to see emotions as "passing clouds" rather than part of one's identity
• Understanding we are not our emotions, but the experiencer of emotions
• This separation from emotions is particularly valuable for business owners on an emotional rollercoaster
• The practice of not attaching to emotions, whether positive or negative

The Owner Trap: Lessons from Mike's First Business

• Started a gym with the desire to help others, focusing entirely on client happiness
• Created a business that made clients happy but left him burnt out and unfulfilled
• "I went into business thinking, 'I'm just going to provide a good service and really look after our clients and the business will just be fantastic'"
• By COVID, despite having a great team and happy clients, he was miserable

The Core Four Model of Business Relationships

1. The business itself - expects cashflow and profitability
2. Customers - expect positive products/services and give money/referrals
3. Team - delivers service and expects wages, belonging, growth opportunities
4. Business owner - provides leadership, finance, growth and expects returns

Why Business Owners Neglect Themselves

• "Business is the most extreme form of personal development there is in disguise"
• We're evolutionarily wired to be modest, which works against valuing ourselves properly
• Society often pushes a message that making good money means exploiting others
• The common trap: "If you're not going to make good money, have a job"
• Passion alone won't sustain a business—financial reward must justify the stress and risk

Breaking Free from the Owner Trap

• "I thought about me from day one" - Mike's approach to his second business
• Being "sensibly selfish" - balancing client care with personal wellbeing
• Defining happiness through values alignment rather than constant emotional highs
• The danger of "putting life on hold" while building a business
• Understanding that business is a marathon, not a sprint

Practical Steps to Escape the Owner Trap

• Create an "aligned strategy" that starts with what YOU want from your business
• Plan what you want your business to provide in terms of finance, fun, freedom and fulfilment
• Shift from being a reactive business owner (letting the business happen to you) to a proactive one
• "You can solve all your problems and still not have what you want" - Jim Rohn
• Stop constantly firefighting problems and focus on creating what you truly desire

Final Thought

Looking after yourself first isn't selfish—it's necessary for creating sustainable impact. As Mike points out, "If you're constantly burning yourself out to put other things first, you're going to die early, you're not going to be happy to be around, you're not going to have clarity of mind." True business happiness comes from creating a business that serves both clients AND yourself.

Chapters

00:00 Escaping the Owner Trap

02:57 Mike's Journey to Happiness

05:47 Buddhism and Emotional Intelligence

08:51 The Shift in Perspective on Happiness

11:55 The Military's Approach to Emotional Training

14:54 Building Better Happy

17:59 Defining Personal Happiness

19:00 The Importance of Learning and Growth

20:06 Understanding the Business Marathon

20:26 The Core Four: Business Relationships

22:55 Overcoming Personal Development Challenges

25:30 The Trap of Modesty in Business

26:29 Building Confidence in Pricing

29:14 Rationality in Business Decisions

31:20 Future Aspirations and Business Evolution

33:34 Escaping the Owner's Trap

Resources:

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Connect Further:

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Find Mike Jones online:

betterhappybusinessclub.com

betterhappy.co.uk

mikejones.live

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