A great question to ask yourself if you’re considering starting something is, ‘Would I still want to do this business even if it doesn’t make any money?’ If the answer is yes, then that’s a good start.
Luke McLeod has become a leading voice in mindfulness, with a mission to help individuals and organizations reduce stress and improve well-being. He is the founder of Wellbeing At Work (WAW) and Soul Alive, and the author of the best-selling book Everyday Enlightenment.
With over two decades of experience in meditation techniques such as Vedic, Kundalini, Zen, and Vipassana, Luke has worked with countless individuals—from high-powered executives to athletes—showing them how to use mindfulness as a tool for reducing stress, improving focus, and enhancing overall health. But Luke’s journey wasn’t always about calmness and serenity. His personal experience with stress, overwhelm, and burnout led him to understand the urgent need for wellness practices in the workplace, and ultimately, to build a business around helping others cope with and overcome these challenges.
In this week’s Founder’s Playbook, Luke shares his journey, insights on building a meaningful business, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
How it all began
“A bit of stress isn’t a bad thing,” Luke shares. “But too much of it and it can begin to affect almost every part of your life.” Luke saw firsthand how stress was a silent killer, wreaking havoc on relationships, health, and careers. It didn’t take long for him to recognize that the widespread nature of stress was a significant issue not enough people were addressing.
“I’ve seen it break families apart, put people in the hospital, and cause people to lose their jobs,” Luke reflects. “It’s a silent killer, yet it’s very treatable and not enough people were taking it seriously.” This realization sparked his decision to launch Wellbeing At Work (WAW), an initiative aimed at reducing stress and improving mental health in the workplace. Luke’s mission became clear: help people manage stress, regain control of their well-being, and provide them with tools to improve their mental and physical health. With his first-hand experience of stress in the corporate world, Luke had a unique perspective. His goal was simple: to create a culture where businesses and individuals could manage stress in a healthy, sustainable way.
Bumps along the way
Business can be very stressful and serious at times so try to find regular moments where you and your team can reset, recharge and have some fun.
As with most entrepreneurial journeys, the road to success wasn’t without its challenges. Luke quickly learned that building a business required more than just passion and expertise. It also demanded resilience and the ability to adapt when things didn’t go according to plan. One of the biggest hurdles Luke faced came early on when he launched a service aimed at the public. Though the service was valuable, the financial and time commitments were significant, and the returns didn’t match the effort. “The silver lining of this was that a few individuals who attended these public offerings invited me in to run some sessions for their workplace,” Luke recalls. “I soon realised that focusing on delivering more of these sessions for the corporate sector made a lot more sense from a financial and time perspective.”
This pivot helped Luke see the corporate sector as the ideal space for his services. The shift allowed him to refine his offerings and expand his reach. It was an important realization—failure wasn’t the end—it was just another lesson in the journey. Every setback offered valuable insights into what his clients truly needed. Luke found that the corporate sector provided the perfect backdrop to integrate workplace wellness practices.
“Initially, I launched a service for the public and although it was valuable, the time and financial input required for it outweighed the return,” Luke shares. “The silver lining of this was that a few individuals who attended these public offerings invited me in to run some sessions for their workplace.” This shift in focus opened up new opportunities and helped Luke grow his business with more sustainable results.
Key takeaways
As Luke’s business grew, so did the wisdom he had gained from his own experience. Today, he’s a trusted voice for entrepreneurs and businesses looking to improve their employees’ mental health and overall well-being. Through his work with Wellbeing At Work, Luke offers valuable advice to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in the world of business. One piece of advice that Luke cannot stress enough is the importance of passion for the work you’re doing. “You have to really care about the business,” he says. “Otherwise, you’re probably not going to stick it out. It’s a lot easier and financially sensible not to start a business.” But for Luke, this passion was rooted in something deeper than just profit. He truly believes in the transformative power of mindfulness and wellness and how it can change the lives of individuals.
Before diving into entrepreneurship, Luke suggests asking yourself one simple yet powerful question: “Would I still want to do this business even if it doesn’t make any money?” If your answer is yes, then you’ve found something worth pursuing. For Luke, his answer was a resounding “yes.”
His commitment to his business wasn’t driven solely by financial gain; it was fueled by a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others. While passion is essential, financial viability is equally important. Luke advises aspiring entrepreneurs to “do the numbers.” While his early days involved offering services for free to build his credibility, he quickly learned that, once the initial client base was established, the business had to start making money. “The business has to stack up financially,” Luke insists. “Once you have the clients, you better have some great services or products that are profitable, otherwise, it’s game over.”
And perhaps one of the most important lessons Luke has learned is to embrace fun in the workplace. It’s easy for the pressure of entrepreneurship to become overwhelming, but Luke emphasizes the need for balance. “Business can be very stressful and serious at times,” he admits.
“So try to find regular moments where you and your team can reset, recharge, and have some fun.” By maintaining a healthy work-life balance and fostering a fun environment, Luke has created a culture that thrives on creativity and positive energy—a key ingredient for long-term success.
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In this week’s Founder’s Playbook, Luke McLeod unpacks his Wellbeing At Work journey, blending purpose and profit to tame the corporate storm Founder’s Playbook, founder playbook Dynamic Business
