What does it really mean to speak your truth in a divided world?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Jonathan Lea solicitor, entrepreneur, and founder of The Jonathan Lea Network, for an honest conversation about courage, conviction, and authenticity.

Jonathan opens up about growing his law firm, navigating controversy, and standing firm on his beliefs during one of the most polarising times in modern history. We talk about free speech, the fear of speaking out, and why honest debate, even when uncomfortable, is essential for personal and societal growth.

From lessons in leadership and fatherhood to the rise of AI in law, this episode is a masterclass in integrity, presence, and redefining success.

• Redefining success through courage and authenticity
• Free speech, emotional intelligence & healthy debate
• The impact of COVID, censorship & social media
• Leadership, balance & presence in fatherhood
• The future of law and AI’s role in human creativity

00:00 Introduction

03:21 “How do you define success?” – career, family, campaigning

10:16 Success as a feeling vs. milestones; surviving a tough market

25:50 Should debate be taught in schools?

27:00 Pandemic years: campaigning, reputation, and staying civil online

33:48 Values vs. opinions: can relationships survive big differences?

38:13 “Freedom movement,” Tommy Robinson, and division

41:38 Immigration, patriotism, compassion & policy

50:41 Who benefits? Foreign policy, media narratives, and nuance

1:07:31 Why Jonathan spoke out during COVID

1:10:05 Censorship, protests, platform bans & media framing

1:20:36 Did speaking out hurt business? (what actually happened)

1:26:38 Leadership vs. being anodyne; standing for something

1:28:35 Lockdowns, collateral harms & vaccine passports

1:31:41 Can opposing truths coexist?

1:36:02 How to speak up safely (regulators, sources, IHRA, AI checks)

1:43:35 How his firm uses AI (ChatGPT & Gemini) across legal work

1:55:23 Will AI replace lawyers? Where humans still add value

1:59:48 The next 5 years: tech, team, and growth mindset

2:06:02 New fatherhood, balance & presence

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 CONNECT WITH JONATHAN LEA:

Website: https://www.jonathanlea.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanlea/

Search Seven – www.searchseven.co.uk

Nostos Hove – www.nostos-hove.co.uk

Rivervale – www.rivervale.co.uk

Plus X – https://www.plusxinnovation.com

🎥 PRODUCED BY: H2 Productions

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does true success really mean? In this inspiring conversation, I sit down with Sarah Willingham, entrepreneur, investor, former Dragon on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, and co-owner of the Brighton i360.

Sarah opens up about:

✨ Why she believes success is freedom, the ability to meander through life on your own terms.

✨ The heartbreaking loss of her soulmate during Covid and what he taught her about presence, happiness, and living fully.

✨ Her bold decision to take her four children out of school for three years to travel the world and why she calls it the best decision of her life.

✨ The challenges of entrepreneurship in hospitality, surviving Covid, and leading through tough times.

✨ Why she doesn’t believe in a career path but instead a life path building businesses and choices around lifestyle, values, and family.

✨ The lessons she’d tell her 20-year-old self (and why polishing basil leaves became her metaphor for life).

This raw and honest conversation shines a light on redefining success away from money, fame, or status, and instead towards balance, freedom, and presence.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by society’s blueprint for life, Sarah’s story will inspire you to carve your own path and embrace the beauty of just being.

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 Defining success: freedom & presence

06:00 Curiosity, chaos & why Sarah loves variety

13:30 The flawed dictionary definition of success

17:00 Walking, nature & recalibrating from adrenaline

26:00 Diarising “nothing” & finding presence

28:30 Taking kids out of school to travel the world

39:00 Challenging the education system

53:00 Finding her “thing” in business

1:01:00 Entrepreneurship, resilience & the WHY

1:07:30 Surviving hospitality during Covid

1:10:30 Balance, chaos & polishing basil leaves

1:14:20 Advice to her 20-year-old self

1:17:00 What does a life well lived look like?

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 Connect with Sarah Willingham

Website: https://sarahwilligham.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahwillingham/

💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment below. Your support helps us spread this important message and change the narrative around success and mental health.

SPONSORED BY:

Preston Insurance: https://prestoninsurancebrokers.co.uk/ - Episode Sponsor

Search Seven www.searchseven.co.uk

Nostos Hove www.nostos-hove.co.uk

Rivervale www.rivervale.co.uk

Plus X https://www.plusxinnovation.com/

PRODUCED BY: H2 Productions: https://h2productions.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really mean to live a successful life? Is success about achievements, wealth, or status or is it something much deeper?

In this powerful episode of the Different Hats Podcast, I sit down with my good friend Dr. Carlos Saba, co-founder of The Happy Startup School. Carlos shares his journey from chasing external markers of success to redefining it as a feeling of alignment, acceptance, and agency.

We dive into:

• The evolving definition of success beyond money and milestones
• Emotional intelligence and why schools must nurture curiosity, not just grades
• Why shame, comparison, and old money stories hold us back
• The idea of “Happy Money” and how our stories around money shape our lives
• Midlife transitions, the “second mountain,” and asking Who am I becoming?
• How to create your own blueprint for life and stop living by outdated societal narratives

This conversation is packed with wisdom on presence, purpose, and emotional awareness, reminding us all that success is not about having more, but about being more.

00:00 – Intro What is Happy Money?

06:02 – Redefining success as a feeling of alignment

07:31 – From black belts to diaries: chasing early success goals

12:45 – Why being still is so hard in today’s society

17:56 – Childhood, conditioning & the stories we inherit

21:27 – Is the school system broken? Emotional literacy & curiosity

26:27 – Parents, teachers & environments shaping emotional awareness

29:08 – Rage, shame & teaching children emotional intelligence

32:43 – Can we measure emotional intelligence like grades?

37:48 – The “Second Mountain” of purpose & contribution

42:45 – Finding your values and purpose vs. chasing titles

48:21 – Questioning the life blueprint: marriage, career & curiosity

53:14 – Compassion, forgiveness & letting go of “the one way”

55:41 – Feeling stuck? Where to start with transition

59:10 – The First Mountain vs. the Second Mountain

1:01:43 – Redefining money: Happy Money & financial stories

1:09:51 – Scarcity, shame & abundance

1:13:29 – What is happiness? Acceptance & agency

1:15:35 – Responsibility, awareness & self-compassion

1:18:31 – Life as an adventure, not a scoreboard

1:20:29 – Chaos, stories & infinite games

1:25:24 – Death, joy & making the game better

1:29:13 – Agency, acceptance & connection

1:30:13 – Summer camp, friendship & fulfillment

1:33:30 – The key midlife question: Who am I becoming?

1:36:02 – Closing tradition: Storytelling card reflection

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 Connect with Dr. Carlos Saba

Website: https://www.happystartupschool.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlossaba

💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment below. Your support helps us spread this important message and change the narrative around success and mental health.

SPONSORED BY:

Search Seven – www.searchseven.co.uk

Nostos Hove – www.nostos-hove.co.uk

Rivervale – www.rivervale.co.uk

Plus X – https://www.plusxinnovation.com/

PRODUCED BY: H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.