14th November 2025
Inspire Club Podcast: EP #35 – Laura Cooke
In this inspiring episode of the Inspire Club Podcast, host Matt Manners talks with Laura Cooke, co-founder of Positive Foundry, educator and leader in the science of well-being and resilience.
Laura shares how a former head of school, Rob Brisk, changed her career trajectory by seeing something in her she hadn’t yet seen in herself. “You’re a great teacher,” he told her — words that unlocked a lifelong passion for teaching, learning and empowering others.
But not all lessons come from the positive. Laura reflects on how ego — in herself and others — can block curiosity and growth: “The greatest conversations happen when we let our guard down.”
She discusses the modern challenges of leadership in what she calls a VUCA world — volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous — and offers guidance on where to focus: building relationships, practising empathy and controlling only what you can.
Laura also shares her daily rituals for beating stress — 20 minutes of exercise, 10 minutes of meditation and a gratitude practice that helps her “rewire the brain to see the good.”
Her best advice? Straight from her father: “Work hard, play hard.” It’s the philosophy that underpins both her business and her outlook on life.
Listen now for practical tips, emotional intelligence insights, and reminders to find humour and humanity in every day.
