# From hustle to happiness: rewriting the rules for small business success

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/flying-solo-45727/from-hustle-to-happiness-rewriting-the-rules-for-small-business-success
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/flying-solo-45727/from-hustle-to-happiness-rewriting-the-rules-for-small-business-success.md
Podcast: [Flying Solo](https://stenobird.com/podcast/flying-solo-45727)
Published: 2026-06-25T14:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ARDME7354157875.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ARDME7354157875.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/flying-solo-45727/episodes/from-hustle-to-happiness-rewriting-the-rules-for-small-business-success
Duration seconds: 2726

## Resource

Declan Edwards is the founder of BU Happiness College, a positive psychology researcher, and author of the book How to Be Happy. In this episode of Flying Solo, Declan explains why happiness isn’t just a lucky outcome or the reward for success—but a practical skill that anyone can learn and practice. Declan shares insights from more than a decade of happiness research, unpacks the myths around what truly brings fulfillment (beyond just landing the next big client or hitting a revenue milestone), and delivers actionable strategies so that solo business owners can build happier, more meaningful lives—without waiting for everything to be perfect. If you’ve ever found yourself postponing happiness for some future achievement, this episode is for you. Declan Edwards emphasises that happiness is not just a fleeting emotion or lucky accident, but a skill that can be learned and practised through evidence-based methods. The concept of the "hedonic treadmill" (the "I'll be happy when..." mindset) traps individuals in a perpetual pursuit of future milestones rather than experiencing happiness in the present. Declan Edwards built his curriculum around 75 distinct skills that can increase one's happiness, though mastering all is not necessary—expanding your toolkit is what matters. The pressures of business ownership often amplify the happiness trap, as soloists connect their worth and contentment to their business outcomes. Introspection and self-knowledge are highlighted as vital skills, helping business owners separate their identity from the success or failure of their business. Success does not guarantee happiness; research shows that building happiness skills first makes professional and personal success more likely. The notion that happiness is simply about thinking positiv…

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