Flourishing Edge Podcast with Ashish Kothari

• The Science of Meaningful Work and the 3 C’s of Flourishing with Dr. Tamara Myles

  What if you could make every job deeply meaningful — no matter the industry, title, or task?In this episode of The Flourishing Edge Podcast, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Tamara Myles, author, researcher, and founder of Keynote Speaker, to explore the science of meaningful work. Together, they reveal how leaders can turn workplaces into thriving communities where employees feel valued, challenged, and connected.From her groundbreaking research, Tamara shares the Three C’s of Meaning — Community, Contribution, and Challenge — and how these elements can unlock performance, loyalty, and fulfillment across organizations.💡 What You’ll Learn:🌱 What makes work meaningful: Why it’s not what you do but how you experience what you do.🧩 The 3 C’s Framework:Community — Creating belonging through care and authentic connection.Contribution — Recognizing impact and helping people see how their work matters.Challenge — Stretching potential with support to inspire growth and pride.💬 Leadership’s impact on meaning: Research shows leaders shape 48% of how meaningful work feels.🪞 The power of positive feedback: How one simple “thank you” per week can halve burnout and disengagement.🔁 Gratitude as culture: A story of how one leader’s “five Friday thank-you emails” transformed an entire team.🧠 The ROI of meaning: How fostering meaningful work drives productivity, retention, engagement — and even financial performance.🤖 Meaning in the age of AI: Why human connection, purpose, and mattering are more vital than ever in a technology-driven world.🧘 Guest Spotlight: Tamara MylesFounder, Keynote Speaker & Researcher on Meaningful Work🔗 Connect with Tamara on LinkedInTamara Myles is a leading expert in organizational psychology and meaningful work. Her research, consulting, and talks help companies cultivate workplaces where people don’t just perform — they flourish.🪞 Key Insight: “Meaningful work isn’t about what you do — it’s about how you experience what you do.”__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

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• From Scarcity to Sustainable Abundance: Jennifer on Healing, Systems Thinking, and the Seven Laws of Enough

  What if the secret to flourishing wasn’t about doing more—but about realizing you already are enough?In this inspiring episode of the Flourishing Edge Podcast, host Ashish Kothari is joined by Jennifer Cohen, Founder and Director of Seven Stones Leadership Group, to explore how shifting from scarcity to sustainable abundance can transform your leadership, your relationships, and your life.Together, they uncover the seven timeless laws that help us move beyond fear, scarcity, and separation—toward joy, connection, and sufficiency.💡 In This Episode: Key Takeaways🌎 The root of scarcity: Why our modern systems of economics and culture condition us to feel “not enough.”💫 The 7 Laws of Enough:Stories Matter – Recognize that the context you live in shapes your reality.I Am Enough – Shift from striving to sufficiency.I Belong – Remember your inherent connection to everything.No One Is Exempt – Accept both life’s joys and sorrows as part of being human.Resting Is Required – True peace begins when we stop resisting what is.Joy Is Available – Learn to access the inner joy that isn’t dependent on outcomes.Love Is the Answer – The universal truth that heals and unites us all.🌱 The origin of the Seven Stones philosophy: How Jennifer’s own healing from trauma and systems thinking shaped her life’s work.💬 From scarcity to sufficiency: How to live and lead from the truth that there is enough for all, for all time.🔁 Daily practices for flourishing: Create intentional connections, reflect on “What is happening now?” and “How is that enough?”, and anchor your day in gratitude.❤️ Love as leadership: Why authentic care and connection are the most powerful forces in business and beyond.🧘 Featured GuestJennifer CohenFounder & Director, Seven Stones Leadership GroupCo-author of The Seven Laws of EnoughJennifer helps individuals, teams, and organizations redefine success through sufficiency, sustainable abundance, and conscious leadership.🔗 Connect with Jennifer CohenLinkedIn🧭 Connect with the HostAshish KothariFounder of Happiness SquadHost of Flourishing Edge PodcastHelping leaders unlock breakthrough performance through science-based practices of flourishing.🪞 Quote-Worthy Insight“Enough isn’t an amount — it’s a place to come from. It’s a stand.”__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

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• How Self-Awareness, Intuition & Breathwork Unlock Human Flourishing with Emma Seppälä

  In a world of constant noise, speed, and digital overwhelm, how do we reclaim our inner stability and thrive?This week on The Flourishing Edge, Ashish Kothari welcomes Emma Seppala, Yale School of Management faculty member, bestselling author of Sovereign and The Happiness Track, and pioneering researcher in well-being science.Together they explore what it truly means to be sovereign—to live with awareness, agency, and mastery over one’s mind and emotions—even amid the chaos of technology, AI, and nonstop change. Emma shares groundbreaking research on breathing, intuition, and emotional regulation, revealing how ancient contemplative wisdom meets modern neuroscience to help us flourish in work and life.💫 Key Topics & InsightsWhat “Sovereign” Really Means:Reclaiming inner mastery in an age of distraction, self-criticism, and external noise.Why self-awareness—not self-judgment—is the foundation for resilience and performance.The Science of Self-Compassion:How harsh self-talk lowers creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence—and how awareness and kindness to self reverse it.Technology, AI & the Age of Uncertainty:Why constant stimulation erodes intuition, and how stillness, silence, and mindful discernment safeguard our humanity.→ “AI can inform us, but only intuition can guide us.”The Power of Intuition & Alpha States:Neuroscience behind gut wisdom and creativity: relaxed minds in alpha-wave mode generate breakthrough ideas.How to train intuition through rest, presence, and trust in your inner knowing.Sovereign Relationships:Why the most loyal teams and cultures are built on care, not control.The two simple leadership moves:1️⃣ Make people feel seen, heard, valued, appreciated.2️⃣ Model calm self-awareness through your own meditation or reflective practice.Sovereign Emotions & Healing Trauma:Adults suppress; children feel and release. Emma explains how emotional endurance and courage transform leadership presence.→ “Feeling is not weakness—it’s wisdom.”The SKY Breath Meditation Breakthrough:Emma’s landmark research at Yale and Stanford showing that the SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) breathing practice:Rapidly reduces PTSD symptoms in veteransNormalizes anxiety responses for up to a yearOutperforms standard therapy for emotion regulationPrevents burnout in college studentsProven pathways to emotional sovereignty and nervous-system healing.Daily Practices for Sovereignty:🌞 Morning: Yoga + SKY Breath + Meditation (≈ 1 hr)🌅 Evening: 30 min silent meditation🌳 Nature immersion & walking daily🙏 Gratitude for life’s simple privileges💻 Strict boundaries with technology & news💞 Service mindset—leave everyone feeling better than before they met you💬 Memorable Quotes:“Self-awareness, not self-criticism, is the key to unlocking your potential.” — Emma Seppala“We can’t stop the waves of change, but we can learn to master the inner ocean.” — Ashish Kothari“Feeling is not weakness—it’s wisdom. Sovereignty begins when you allow yourself to feel.” — Emma Seppala🪷 About the Guest:Emma Seppala is a psychologist, researcher, and faculty member at Yale School of Management. She is the author of Sovereign and The Happiness Track, and Science Director of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, and TIME. Emma’s research bridges neuroscience, psychology, and ancient contemplative practices to help individuals and organizations thrive.🔗 Connect with Emma on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaseppala/ 🌻 About the...

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• How Founders Can Flourish Without Burning Out with Lisa Mikkelsen

  Founders are praised for their grit — but what about their grace?In this powerful episode of The Flourishing Edge, Ashish Kothari sits down with Lisa Mikkelsen, Partner at Flourish Ventures, to explore the hidden mental and emotional costs of entrepreneurship — and how founders can thrive without sacrificing their well-being.Lisa shares hard-won insights from 25 years in startups and venture capital, where she’s seen firsthand how “image management,” stigma, and burnout quietly derail brilliant founders. Together, they unpack how the VC world can evolve from “get rich or die trying” to “grow well and thrive together.”This is a must-listen for founders, funders, and anyone passionate about building sustainable success — from the inside out.💡 Key Topics & Takeaways:1️⃣ The Hidden Barriers to Founder Well-beingImage management: Founders feel pressured to project confidence even when struggling.Fear and stigma: Many hide their stress to avoid losing investor trust.Reality check: Nearly 70–90% of founders experience mental health challenges — they’re not alone.2️⃣ The Survival Trap of StartupsHow founders slip into “I’ll rest when…” thinking.Reframing survival mode with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — recognizing safety and rest as non-negotiable for creativity and performance.Why postponing self-care leads to operating at 30–50% capacity when founders need 100%.3️⃣ Lisa’s Journey: From Startups to Mental Health Advocacy25 years across startups and VC revealed one truth: behind every business problem lies a human one.Personal inspiration: raising a neurodiverse child changed how Lisa views inclusion, empathy, and awareness in leadership.How Flourish Ventures shifted its mission to center founder mental health.4️⃣ The Flourish Ventures Model: Investing in Human FlourishingBeyond capital: providing coaching, therapy access, and community circles for founders.Hosting monthly CEO and CXO gatherings designed for real conversations, not “chest-pounding.”Funded and validated the first 7-question mental health diagnostic tool designed specifically for entrepreneurs.Taking the movement global — reshaping the VC–founder relationship through empathy, trust, and transparency.5️⃣ Rethinking the VC–Founder RelationshipOnly 10% of founders tell investors when something’s going wrong.Flourish Ventures combats that by training investors in:6️⃣ The Organizational Ripple EffectFounder well-being sets the tone for company culture.Flourish Ventures runs CXO retreats and leadership coaching to spread healthy habits beyond the C-suite.Spotlight on the “frozen middle” — how empowering middle managers transforms entire organizations.7️⃣ Flourishing at Work and in LifeAshish and Lisa reflect on the Happiness Squad model and McKinsey research:97% of burnout factors come from job, team, and organizational systems — not individuals.To flourish at work = to flourish in life. You can’t “survive work” and hope to thrive elsewhere.“Work is where we spend most of our waking hours — it should be a source of joy, not depletion.”8️⃣ Lisa’s Daily Practices for Flourishing🌿 Time in nature — even 5 minutes daily📝 Journaling to process emotions and build self-awareness💤 Sleep as a non-negotiable🧘‍♀️ Quarterly rest breaks to reset energy and clarity💨 Breathwork & mindfulness to stay anchored in the present9️⃣ Advice for Founders“Find a way to disconnect from work every single day — even for five minutes. Build that muscle.”And for investors:“The next time you talk to your founder, ask how they are doing — not how the business is doing. Then ask again: how are you...

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• The 4-Day Workweek Revolution: Redefining Productivity and Human Flourishing with Karen Lowe

  What if working less could help us live more — with greater energy, purpose, and joy?In this eye-opening conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with Karen Lowe, South Africa’s lead advocate for the 4-Day Workweek movement and founder of 4 Day Week South Africa, to explore how shorter work weeks are transforming productivity, culture, and well-being across the globe.Karen shares how a passion project in Cape Town became the world’s fourth major pilot of the 4-Day Workweek — and the results are nothing short of revolutionary: higher revenue, lower burnout, better sleep, deeper engagement, and teams that flourish together.This episode challenges the modern obsession with “more” and makes a powerful case for the 4-day week as both a science-backed productivity strategy and a human sustainability movement.💡 Key Takeaways & Topics Covered:Karen’s Origin Story:How a curiosity about human well-being and burnout in South Africa led to running a national pilot for the 4-Day Workweek — now one of the most successful global case studies.The 180-100 Model Explained:100% pay, 80% time, 100% productivity — a simple but transformative framework for redesigning work around efficiency, not excess.Flourishing Defined:Flourishing isn’t just about happiness — it’s a felt sense of capacity, energy, connection, and purpose.Time is our new currency, and how we spend it determines how much we truly thrive.Workplaces Are Broken — Here’s How to Fix Them:With only 20% of people thriving at work, Ashish and Karen discuss why most workplaces are “fundamentally broken” and how human-centered redesign can heal them.Trust, Autonomy, and Agency:Successful 4-day week cultures are built on permission — trusting employees to co-create boundaries, prioritize deep work, and use time wisely.The South African Case Study:Over 82% of organizations kept the 4-day workweek two years after the pilot.Science Meets Flourishing:German trials even measured lower cortisol in hair samples, proving physiological stress reduction.From Burnout to Breakthrough:A powerful story from Stellenbosch University shows how cutting hours from 5 days to 4 dropped absenteeism from 51 days to 4 — while improving service delivery and saving millions in costs.Leadership Lessons for the Future of Work:→ Productivity starts with permission→ Recovery is doing→ Trust and meaning drive output→ Rest fuels creativity and innovationAshish’s Personal Reflection:From his own experience at McKinsey working 70% time while increasing client impact, Ashish reflects on how less can truly be more — when done with purpose and trust.🧭 Notable Quotes:“Flourishing is a felt state — a sense of capacity, connection, and purpose that comes from using time deliberately.” – Karen Lowe“We don’t need to fix work; we need to redesign it for humans.” – Ashish Kothari“The 4-day week isn’t about working less — it’s about working better.” – Karen Lowe🪴 About the Guest:Karen Lowe is the Founder and Director of 4 Day Week South Africa, a nonprofit initiative driving the movement toward shorter, smarter, and more humane work weeks across the African continent. Her work bridges neuroscience, productivity research, and organizational psychology to help businesses thrive through human flourishing.🔗 Connect:Host: Ashish Kothari | Founder of Happiness Squad and author of Hardwired for HappinessIf today’s conversation inspired you to rethink how you work, share this episode with your team or leader.Subscribe to the Flourishing Edge Podcast for weekly insights on how to lead, live, and flourish at the edge of...

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