EP. 34 Fun Is the Secret Weapon

with Kari Esmail

What if the thing missing from your business, creativity, and nervous system… was fun?

In this refreshing conversation, Lauren sits down with author and founder of The Fun Side, Kari Esmail, to explore burnout culture, nervous system regulation, entrepreneurship, creativity, joy, and reclaiming play as an adult.

Together, they unpack the pressure so many entrepreneurs feel to constantly achieve, optimize, perform, and prove their worth through money, productivity, and external validation — and how that path often disconnects us from ourselves.

Kari shares her personal journey from hyper-achieving entrepreneur to reclaiming laughter, creativity, and presence after realizing success without joy was leaving her exhausted and unfulfilled.

This episode explores:

hustle culture and burnout
nervous system regulation
entrepreneurship and self-worth
reclaiming play and creativity
perfectionism and overachievement
authenticity and magnetism
joy as medicine
social media and validation
feminine leadership
redefining success
community and connection
using fun to unlock creativity

Kari also shares practical tools for bringing more joy into daily life through what she calls “play infusion” intentionally weaving small moments of fun, movement, creativity, laughter, and presence back into your routines.

This conversation is a reminder that success was never meant to feel this heavy — and that maybe the most powerful thing we can do is actually enjoy being alive while we build our dreams.

About Kari Esmail

Kari is author of bestseller Fun Because and founder of The Fun Side – a movement where career-driven women step out of hustle culture and use fun as a secret weapon for growth and success.

She offers virtual and in-person experiences that bring the joy back into life and business — empowering women to create a more enjoyable path to success.