Order my new book Habits of High Performers here - www.thehabitbook.com 

What if your brand’s real growth lever isn’t features but happiness?

In this episode of Lead on Purpose, I sit down with Mark, co-founder of Squint Consulting, to unpack why we are living through an unhappiness crisis and how the smartest brands grow by deliberately creating happier customers and happier teams. We explore the simple model behind happy brands and how it reshapes products, pricing, and culture.

We cover:

• The unhappiness trend Gallup is tracking and why it now drives consumer choice
 • A practical model of memories, behaviours, and beliefs that sparks growth
 • How Olipop moved from sparkling tonic to soda and unlocked a huge valuation
 • Why execution beats slogans, with lessons from Happy Meals, Nike, and Chipotle
 • Turning choice into joy, from Netflix browsing to service design people love
 • Building a high trust, low meeting culture that lifts performance and morale
 • The danger of trend hopping and how to return to brand fundamentals that last
 • Personal creativity habits that widen focus, including walks, mind wandering, and sauna

You will walk away with practical ways to design happier experiences, raise perceived value, and build a culture where great thinking thrives and growth follows.

• Learn more about Squint Consulting here - https://squintconsulting.com/about/
• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lestermarky/?originalSubdomain=nl
• If you’re interested in having me deliver a keynote or workshop for your team contact Caroline at [email protected]

Website: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/

James Laughlin is a High Performance Leadership Coach, Former 7-Time World Champion, Host of the Lead On Purpose Podcast and an Executive Coach to high performers and leaders. James is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

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Join me at the 2026 Goal-setting Workshop here - jjlaughlin.com/2026goals

- If you're interested in booking me for a keynote or workshop, contact Caroline at [email protected]

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