Build a business that feels great

Happy MBA is for people at a turning point. Solopreneurs, founders and midlife professionals that have outgrown their old definition of success, and are now ready to build something more meaningful.

The brave ones who know that the next chapter of their work life starts with pursuing what lights them up, not what burns them out.

This program is for you if:

✔ You want to build something with heart
✔ You’re seeking more fulfilment and freedom
✔ You’ve had enough of selling your soul for little reward

This isn’t a course or certification. It’s your launchpad to head into the second half of life with new-found clarity and intention. Where you become the boss of your own happiness.

Register your interest today to be on the waitlist for our Spring 2026 cohort.

Apply now

Welcome. Happy MBA is the program we wish existed when we started out in business many years ago. Born from years of building our own businesses and realising that there had to be another way. Since 2020 we've helped 200+ people from more than 30 countries build more fulfilling businesses and meaningful work lives. We’re excited to share this journey with you and the wonderful community we’ve grown and nurtured.

Happy MBA creators and mentors Laurence McCahill, Lana Jelenjev and Carlos Saba

A 5 month inner journey to clarity and purpose, radiated out into your work, life and ambition.

Redefine what success means for you

Dream boldly and see your vision clearly

Find the sweet spot where money and meaning meet

Amplify your voice and bring your ideas to life

“On the program my mindset shifted. I found a supportive and inspiring community and 3 wonderful mentors who encouraged me to follow my heart. They and the whole tribe have been key to what I was able to birth off the back of the program: a live podcast, a coaching program and much more to come. I would have never thought I was capable of this. I am forever grateful. This program has enabled me to share my gifts to the world."

Véronique Péron, leadership coach, France

200+ people from 30+ countries have charted a more fulfilling path in work and life, now it’s your turn.

Rather than launch a new business on the program, we encourage our students to get comfortable experimenting with their ideas where there’s less at stake. They get to dream big and move from idea to action faster, making more progress in months than many make in years, and building habits that last a lifetime. Our alumni have launched:

  • Coaching programs

  • Online courses

  • Podcasts

  • Retreats

  • Books

  • Blogs


But it’s not all about creating something new. Many of our alumni have discovered a new-found clarity on their future direction, reframed what they are currently doing or redesigned their existing business so they get to fall in love with it all over again. Priceless.

How it works

Build your business from the inside-out starting this Spring

  • A 5 month group coaching program

  • A proven curriculum developed over 6 years and 12 cohorts

  • 4 powerful modules to build clarity and confidence in your path

  • Achieve results with just 2-4 hours a week time commitment

  • Intimate cohort with no more than 20 participants worldwide

  • Your own personal advisory board of up to 6 peers

  • Your own dedicated coach to keep you accountable during the program

  • Fully remote – with in-person meetups encouraged where possible

  • Lifetime access to program materials and our global alumni community

  • Early access invites to our intimate retreats and annual festival

“The program is powerful sh*t, it cleared the path for so much. It’s saved me so much time and would have saved me a tonne of money had I taken in 10 years ago! It’s really powerful, so powerful.”

Georgina Jones, keynote speaker and coach, UK

Apply today

Spring cohort starts March 2026.
Just 20 spots available.

During the program, clarity emerges. The essence of you amplified.

Feeling stuck

Where clarity begins

Fulfilment unfolds

Ideas begin tangled. Direction feels unclear.

Through this journey, a single point of truth emerges, and from it, fulfilment radiates outward.

This is the essence of the transformation we see on Happy MBA.

Where there was confusion, there’s now clarity.
Where there was indecision, there’s now action.
Where there was self-doubt, there’s now an inner confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Dates for each cohort are shared on the home page.

    The program runs over 5 months, with a clear beginning, middle, and end — though many people stay connected long after the formal program finishes.

    Our Spring 2026 cohort starts on 17 March, with the final call on 14 July.

  • Most people spend around 2–4 hours per week, including:

    • Live calls

    • Light reflection or journalling

    • Small experiments or conversations

    Some weeks will be lighter. Some weeks you’ll want to linger longer because something has energy.

    This is not a “keep up or fall behind” program. It’s designed to fit alongside real work, real lives, and real energy levels.

  • There are regular live sessions across the program, including:

    • Up to 8 whole group sessions for teaching and shared conversation
      (up to 2 hours each)

    • Up to 16 small group (buddy group) calls
      (1 hour each)

    • Occasional integration or “reset” sessions as the program unfolds
      (around 90 minutes)

    The rhythm is shared clearly at the start so you can see what’s coming and plan around it. The basic cadence is:

    • One whole group call every fortnight

    • One small group call each week

    The live sessions act as anchor points — a place to think out loud, feel supported, and maintain momentum alongside everything else you’re managing.

  • No.

    This isn’t school, and no one is taking attendance. Life happens. Your energy fluctuates. Some weeks you’ll be all-in, others you’ll be quieter.

    People get the most from the program when they attend live as often as they reasonably can, but completion is about engagement and integration, not perfect attendance.

  • All core sessions are recorded, so you can catch up in your own time.

    That said, the program is designed so that missing a session doesn’t put you “behind”. Each module stands on its own, and we regularly help people re-orient and re-enter without guilt or catching-up stress.

    You won’t be the only one doing that. Promise.

  • Live sessions are scheduled in UK-friendly time zones, with international participants in mind. Dates and times are shared in advance so you can plan, and all sessions are recorded if you can’t attend live.

    Typically:

    • Whole group calls run on a Tuesday or Thursday at 3pm (UK time)

    Small group (buddy) calls are arranged by each group and have usually taken place on Fridays at either 10am or 2pm (UK time)

  • No, the program is fully remote so accessible to anyone, anywhere.

    We’ve had students join from more than 30 countries including Australia, the USA, India, as well as all over Europe and the UK.

  • No. And in many cases, that’s a bonus.

    Some people arrive with:

    • A half-formed idea

    • Too many ideas

    • An existing business that no longer fits

    • A vague sense that something needs to change

    Happy MBA starts before ideas, not after them. We work from values, needs, energy, and direction first — and let ideas emerge from there.

  • Yes — though it’s always optional.

    We host in-person gatherings, retreats, and events through the Happy Startup ecosystem, including Summercamp, Alptitude, and smaller gatherings when we can — often in Brighton, London, and wherever Laurence and Carlos happen to be in Europe.

    Alongside this, members regularly arrange their own meet-ups, both online and offline. There’s an active, connected community that stays in touch and makes things happen without it needing to be organised from the centre.

    The core program is fully online, but real world connection is very much part of the culture.

  • Definitely not.

    If you already knew the answer, you probably wouldn’t need the programme.

    Many people join precisely because:

    • The old path no longer fits

    • The next chapter feels foggy

    • They don’t want to make another “sensible but wrong” move

    Clarity is something we build together, not a prerequisite.

  • The program includes a mix of:

    • Recorded modules you can watch in your own time

    • Live sessions for conversation, reflection, and integration

    • Written materials, including guidance, tools, case studies, and worksheets

    You don’t have to attend everything live to benefit, but the live sessions are often where people have their “aha” moments and things really start to click.

  • Cohorts are kept small enough to feel safe and human, but large enough to give you fresh perspective.

    • Whole group calls: no more than 20 people

    • Buddy group calls: small groups of 6–7, designed for honest conversation

    • Feedback and discussion spaces: facilitated so everyone has time to speak and be heard

    These aren’t webinars. They are highly interactive Zoom calls built around real conversation.

  • The investment reflects the high-touch nature of the program, deep mentorship and the transformation it brings.

    There are 3 plans you can choose from:

    • Solo £1000+vat
      If you’re just getting started and like learning solo

    • Group £3500+vat
      If your time is short and you want answers now

    • Coaching £5000+vat
      The stakes are higher and you want Carlos or Laurence’s direct input on your business

  • If VAT applies, it will be clearly stated at checkout.

    If you’re unsure (especially if you’re outside the UK or purchasing via a business), just drop us a message and we’ll clarify before you book.

    No nasty surprises.

  • Yes we offer payment plans for both the group and coaching plans. Email hello@happystartups.co to enquire.

  • Currently we don’t have a scholarship scheme for Happy MBA but we hope to have something in place by 2027.

Got another question? Email us at hello@happystartups.co