Prepare. To. Be. Happy.

Returning to Hospitality Meets, Klaudia Mitura - work psychologist, L&D leader at the Science Museum Group, host of The Happiness Challenge podcast, author of The Alphabet of Happiness, and an actual Certified Chief Happiness Officer (yes, really) delivers one of the most uplifting, honest, and quietly powerful conversations we’ve ever recorded.

This episode is not about toxic positivity, pretending everything’s fine, or slapping a smile on life’s messier moments.

It’s about science backed happiness, micro habits, curiosity, resilience, and learning how to live with the noise in your head - not silence it.

It’s warm.

It’s funny.

It’s deeply human.

And it might just change how you think about happiness altogether.

In This Episode

1. Klaudia’s return to the podcast nearly four years on, and how life has unfolded since
2. Losing a job, being separated from family, rescheduling a wedding four times, a family cancer diagnosis… and why happiness still mattered
3. Why Klaudia decided to treat her life like a scientific experiment
4. What the science of happiness actually tells us
5. Why happiness isn’t a destination - it’s a starting point
6. The power of micro-habits and why 1% changes beat life overhauls
7. Why happiness fuels kindness, generosity, optimism and impact
8. The danger of “I’ll be happy when…” thinking
9. Why curiosity might be the most underrated life skill of all

Happiness, But Not the Cringey Kind

Klaudia is very clear on one thing:

This is not about toxic positivity.

It’s not about ignoring grief, stress, uncertainty, or the very real challenges of life and work.

It’s about acknowledging them and giving yourself the tools to cope, recover, and move forward.

As Klaudia explains, happiness:

1. Helps us regulate our nervous system
2. Makes us more resilient under pressure
3. Increases kindness, generosity and problem solving
4. Gives us the energy to face hard things, not avoid them

Or put simply:

Happiness doesn’t deny reality.

It helps you deal with it.

Stand-Out Quotes

“Happiness is not a destination. It’s a starting point”

“We regret not allowing ourselves to be happier”

“You can be going through something hard and still experience joy”

“Happiness fuels kindness. Without it, we can’t change anything”

“You don’t need a life overhaul - you need small habits, done consistently”

Why Listen

This episode is for you if:

1. You’re tired of overcomplicating happiness

This week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Dulcie Swanston, bestselling author, executive coach, leadership trainer, neuroscience and psychology “magpie,” and one of the clearest thinkers you’ll ever meet in hospitality.

Dulcie’s career spans 23 years at Bass PLC / Mitchells & Butlers, senior HR leadership, graduate programme design, global executive coaching, and now running multiple businesses that all share one simple mission:

Make complicated things simple, and usable now!

From accidentally falling into hospitality after realising acting wasn’t for her… to becoming one of the most trusted leadership thinkers in the industry… this episode is packed with stories, insight, Yorkshire humour, and a lot of truth.

In This Episode

1. Why Dulcie believes “it’s not bloody rocket science” and why simplicity is a leadership superpower
2. Accidentally landing a graduate role at Bass PLC because it was the only application deadline still open, and why that changed everything
3. Turning up on day one… only to be told the marketing department no longer existed
4. Becoming the company’s first ever “commercial graduate” a role nobody could quite define
5. Working across finance, property, operations, HR and brand, and why that breadth became a gift
6. Managing O’Neill’s pubs taking £50–60k a week and winning global performance awards
7. Recruiting and developing women into leadership roles when talent was hidden in plain sight
8. Finding her true calling in HR in her mid 30s and realising leadership is about helping others be great at their jobs
9. The difference between leaders whose teams perform only when they’re present… and leaders whose teams thrive when they’re not
10. Why great leaders (and great coaches) aim to make themselves redundant

Imposter “Syndrome”? Not Here.

One of the standout sections of the episode is Dulcie’s reframing of imposter syndrome which she refuses to call a syndrome at all.

Instead, she calls it:

Well, tune in to find out

Her take?

“If you think you’re finished as a leader or coach — you’re finished.”

She shares powerful imagery about the two voices on our shoulders, why our brains constantly lie to protect us, and how learning to notice those lies without shame is the key to growth.

Stand-Out Quotes

“Happy people make more money.” Dulcie Swanston

“The brain isn’t a video recorder — it’s an editing machine.” Dulcie Swanston

“Great leaders get their teams to perform brilliantly when they’re not there.” Dulcie Swanston

“If you think you’re done learning — move aside.” Dulcie Swanston

“Comfort with ambiguity is one of the greatest leadership strengths there is.” Dulcie Swanston

Why Listen

This episode is a goldmine for anyone who:

This week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Matt McCabe, Founder of Subu Connect - a platform created to bridge the gap between food and beverage suppliers and global buyers across airlines, foodservice and hospitality.

Matt’s story is one of curiosity, courage, accidental brilliance, and a lot of beautifully human learning along the way. From a 19-year-old Irish hotel management student taking a leap into a German kitchen… to buying food for prisons, parliaments and planes… to building his own tech platform from scratch - this is a masterclass in connection, leadership, humility and trust.

It also includes one of the greatest stories ever told on the podcast involving… mayonnaise.

In This Episode

1. How a leap of faith took Matt from hotel school in Ireland to cooking in Germany, Switzerland and London — including a stint at The Dorchester with 120 chefs in the kitchen
2. The moment Matt realised chefs don’t buy food and how that insight led him into procurement and supply chain leadership
3. Why asking for help (and admitting you don’t know something) is one of the most powerful leadership skills you can develop
4. What running food supply for UK prisons, the House of Lords, and then Emirates Airline Catering taught him about scale, systems and humanity
5. The emotional and cultural challenge of moving his family to Dubai - and what that transition really felt like
6. How a chance LinkedIn event invitation on holiday led to the creation of Subu Connect almost overnight
7. The reality of becoming a founder: self-belief, risk, financial uncertainty, and emotional investment
8. Why Matt believes “Every Connection Matters” - and how relationships compound over time

Stand-Out Quotes

“I never really believed in myself. I was waiting for the lightbulb moment — and I used that as an excuse not to start”

“Every connection matters. No conversation is ever wasted”

“I physically feel it when the company struggles — like you would with a child or a loved one”

“We’re not the stars — the suppliers are. We’re just the stage”

“People didn’t invest in the platform. They invested in me and what I stand for”

Why Listen

This episode is a beautiful exploration of:

1. Career reinvention and courage
2. The hidden emotional side of entrepreneurship
3. Leadership through vulnerability and trust
4. The power of curiosity and asking better questions
5. Why hospitality skills translate into almost every other industry
6. How values shape sustainable businesses

It’s a reminder that...