Join your host, Ashleigh King, as she welcomes Kenny Primrose, teacher, writer, and host of The Examined Life podcast, for a thoughtful and deeply resonant conversation about wisdom, curiosity, and what it really means to live well in a world of constant noise.

From the audacity of writing letters to David Attenborough and Gordon Brown to find "the right questions," to navigating the flighty impulses of an undiagnosed ADHD mind, Kenny shares how leaning into discomfort has reshaped his purpose. Together, Ashleigh and Kenny explore the power of storytelling, the dopamine hit of "time bending," and the redemptive nature of facing the things we usually run away from.

Themes of this conversation:

🌵 The power of a good question

How asking the right things can be more redemptive and life-giving than having all the answers.

🌵 Living deliberately in a changing world

Stepping back to notice "the water we’re swimming in" and how clear writing leads to clear thinking.

🌵 Shy bairns get nowt

The "audacity" of reaching out to dream guests and why interesting people are often just waiting for a compelling reason to say yes.

🌵 ADHD, dopamine, and "time bending"

Navigating time blindness, the rush of a deadline, and finding natural ways to regulate a restless mind through exercise and presence.

🌵 Facing the dark to find the light

Kenny’s journey into a podcast season focused on death, dying, and grief, and why we must sit with sadness to truly grow.

🌵 Validation vs. Value

Why your happiness shouldn't depend on external likes, and the Disney-inspired wisdom of being "enough" regardless of the win.

This episode is for anyone navigating:

• The search for deeper meaning and wisdom
• Living with (or suspecting) neurodivergence
• Creative burnout and the "last 10%" of a project
• The challenge of staying present when you want to "outrun your problems"
• A desire to bridge divides through better dialogue

Chapters

• 00:00 "If you're not enough without winning..."
• 03:05 Teaching, Philosophy, and the "Good Life"
• 06:02 The Origin of The Examined Life
• 09:39 Reaching out to David Attenborough & Gordon Brown
• 12:15 Living Generously in a Polarised World
• 17:17 The Integrity of Guesting & Podcasting Values
• 23:23 Using Substack for Long-Form Writing & Support
• 30:31 Owning Creativity as a "Slow Learner"
• 34:33 The November Pattern: Moving, Travel, and ADHD
• 39:00 Time Blindness and the Adrenaline Rush of Deadlines
• 43:24 Running Towards the Hard Realities of Grief
• 48:35 One Word to Nurture Your Zest: Alignment

Links & Resources

Visit The Examined Life Website

https://examined-life.com/

Subscribe to Kenny’s Substack

https://kennyprimrose.substack.com/

Connect with Kenny Primrose on LinkedIn

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-primrose-4058341b

Connect with Your Host, Ashleigh King

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-elizabeth-king/

This podcast was filmed at Flamingo Heights Podcast Studio. 🦩

If you would like to record a podcast or have any questions about starting a podcast please write to: 💌 bookings@flamingoheights.co.uk

www.flamingoheights.co.uk

In this insightful and empowering episode of Nurture Your Zest, host Ashleigh King sits down with business exit strategist and operations expert Laurie Stirling to unpack what it really takes to build a business that doesn’t rely on you to survive. From her early beginnings in Australia to building and exiting a 14-year business, Laurie shares a powerful story of resilience, reinvention and redefining what success looks like on your own terms.

With honesty, clarity and a refreshingly practical approach, Laurie dives into the systems, mindset shifts and strategic thinking required to scale sustainably.

Key topics discussed:

🌵 From survival to strategy

Laurie shares her journey growing up in challenging circumstances, the pivotal moment that shaped her relationship with money, and how that experience fuels her mission to help others build financial independence through business.

🌵 Why you are not the problem in your business

Many founders believe they are the bottleneck, but Laurie explains why it’s almost always a system issue, and how shifting this mindset can unlock growth and reduce overwhelm.

🌵 The 5 business bottlenecks every founder faces

From brand awareness to cash flow, Laurie breaks down the five key stages where businesses get stuck — and how understanding your bottleneck can transform your results.

🌵 Stepping into the CEO role

Using the powerful “captain of the ship” analogy, Laurie explains why founders must move beyond doing everything themselves and instead focus on vision, strategy and direction.

🌵 Systems, delegation and scaling sustainably

If systems feel overwhelming, this episode offers practical, accessible ways to start — including how to document processes, delegate effectively and build a team that complements your strengths.

🌵 Building a business that can run without you

Laurie shares how she transitioned from running a business to helping others step back, scale up, and even prepare for exit — creating freedom, flexibility and long-term value.

🌵 Entrepreneurship, identity and mindset

From fear of visibility to capacity challenges, this conversation explores the internal blocks that hold founders back — and how to “lock in” and take action anyway.

Chapters

00:00 From leads to systems
02:05 Laurie’s journey: from Australia to entrepreneurship
05:56 Building a business from scratch (before social media)
09:52 Financial independence and the drive behind Laurie’s work
11:42 Adapting to change: technology, AI and staying ahead
12:57 The role of a founder: captain vs operator
16:32 Understanding business bottlenecks
17:56 The 5 bottlenecks explained
23:14 Using data to make smarter business decisions
25:07 When systems feel overwhelming
27:12 Strengths, weaknesses and building the right team
29:44 Customer personas vs real paying clients
31:23 Letting go: delegation, control and leadership mindset
34:02 Simple ways to start building systems
37:06 From bookkeeping to business exit strategist
42:25 Creating scalable impact and extracting IP
45:17 The power of collaboration and learning in community
47:15 Life beyond business: creativity and balance
48:16 Laurie’s “one word” to Nurture Your Zest

Links & Resources

Visit Laurie Stirling’s Website

https://www.lauriestirling.com/

Connect with Laurie Stirling on LinkedIn

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lauriestirling

Laurie’s Bottleneck Quiz

https://bottlenecks.scoreapp.com

Check Out Laurie’s Art Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/ladylaurieartist

Connect with Your Host, Ashleigh King

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-elizabeth-king/

This podcast was filmed at Flamingo Heights Podcast Studio. 🦩

If you would like to record a podcast or have any questions about starting a podcast please write to: 💌 bookings⁠@flamingoheights.co.uk ⁠

⁠www.flamingoheights.co.uk⁠