If you’ve been stuck between what you should do… and what your heart is actually telling you—stop scrolling.

Because today’s guest, Mike Handcock, made a choice most people never make.

He was running thousands of people as head of marketing for a billion-dollar company—on paper, it was everything. But one day he looked around the boardroom and realized:

No one here wants to be here. They’re just too scared to leave. So he did something radical—he left.

Walked away from safety, status, and success—because staying meant betraying who he really was. In this episode, Mike reveals what it takes to make that kind of leap.

And if you’re feeling stuck right now—this might be the conversation that changes everything.

In 2 years you will be working for AI

Or an AI will be working for you

Here's how you can future-proof yourself:

Join 1,000,000+ pros at companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon that are using AI to get ahead.

Sign up and start learning AI

For most of his life, Mike Handcock obeyed the rules.

He did well in school. Climbed the corporate ladder. Landed a high-level role as General Manager of Sales and Marketing at the largest financial services company in New Zealand.

From the outside, it looked like he’d made it.

He was running thousands of employees, earning serious money, and sitting at the top of an industry. But inside?

He was dying a slow death. Each week he sat in board meetings surrounded by people who were well-dressed, well-compensated—and completely disengaged.

And then one day it hit him:

“None of these people actually want to be here. They’re just too scared to leave.”

That moment changed everything.

Mike didn’t rage-quit or burn the place down. He made a plan.

Over the next 6–8 months, he designed his exit strategy. Because he knew that if he didn’t leave now, he’d wake up at 55—just like the others—and wonder what the hell happened to his life. And when he finally left, he didn’t just start a business.

He started over.

He went all in on a vision that was completely his: Helping others wake up from the dream that isn’t theirs.

Since then, Mike has built five companies, coached founders in over 50 countries, and launched a global leadership movement focused on conscious entrepreneurship.

Not hype. Not hustle.

But purpose, integrity, and legacy.

This isn’t just a story about career change.

It’s about permission. How many people are living lives they didn’t choose…

…showing up to jobs they hate…

…because they’re scared to break the illusion of security?

Mike’s story is proof that success isn’t about climbing higher. It’s about getting honest about where that ladder is actually taking you. And having the guts to climb down, even if you’re halfway up.

1. The most dangerous comfort is the one that looks like success.

Just because it’s high-paying doesn’t mean it’s worth your life.

2. You don’t have to blow everything up—just plan your exit.

Mike took 6–8 months to prepare. Strategic escape > reckless leap.

3. Leadership isn’t about control. It’s about alignment.

Mike left to build a business that reflected his values, not his résumé.

4. If your boardroom is filled with fear, leave the room.

Staying in the wrong environment is how potential dies slowly.

5. The business you build should come from your heart—not your job title.

Mike left sales and marketing not because he failed, but because it wasn’t who he was anymore.

The boardroom won’t miss you. But the life you could build just might.

Ready to stop playing small?

The Circle of Excellence isn’t for everyone.

It’s for the few who are done following—and ready to lead with purpose.

Apply to join a private global network of conscious entrepreneurs, creators, and thought leaders building businesses that actually matter.

👉 circleofexcellence.club

Thats a wrap for today

Talk soon, Roman.