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Building Resilience and Self-Awareness: Lessons from Paul Lacy

By Steople
On May 6th, 2025
Building Resilience and Self-Awareness: Lessons from Paul Lacy
In Episodes 11 and 12 of the Leadership and Wellbeing podcast, we explore the deeply personal and professional journey of Paul Lacy, co-founder of Kikki.K and now CEO of Dream Life. These episodes uncover the essence of resilient leadership – how to bounce back from adversity while nurturing a high-performing, psychologically safe workplace.
Rising From Setback: The Kikki.K Story
Paul’s story begins with the rise and fall of global stationery brand Kikki.K. From starting with a dream to growing an international company employing over 1,500 people, Paul and his business partner Kristina Karlsson built something extraordinary. But the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic saw the company fall into administration not once, but twice.
Despite immense personal and professional loss, Paul shares how he began the process of rebuilding not just a business, but himself. From grief emerged a renewed focus: Dream Life, a venture focused on inspiring people to chase their goals through coaching, mentoring, and beautifully designed wellbeing tools.
The Power of Vulnerability and Coaching
Paul speaks openly about the mental and emotional toll of losing Kikki.K and stepping in and out of the CEO role during those turbulent years. Working with a coach (Hayden) allowed him to develop clarity, emotional regulation, and a renewed leadership mindset. He reframed vulnerability not as weakness, but as strength – a message that resonates with today’s most impactful leaders.
In Episode 12, Hayden reflects on Paul’s courageous decision to seek feedback through a 360-degree assessment. While some insights were hard to hear, Paul used them as a growth tool proving that resilient leaders are also curious learners.
Psychological Safety: A Foundation for High Performance
A key pillar of Paul’s leadership evolution is the creation of psychological safety. Inspired by Amy Edmondson’s research, Paul actively worked to foster a culture where team members could speak up without fear of judgement or reprisal.
Psychological safety doesn’t just support wellbeing, it fuels innovation, collaboration, and high performance. Paul’s leadership demonstrates that when people feel safe, they also feel seen, and that drives extraordinary results.
From Chaos to Clarity: Making Space for What Matters
In our reflections, we also discuss Paul’s shift toward more mindful time management. By reducing back-to-back meetings and scheduling time to reflect, he increased both his wellbeing and his effectiveness as a leader. This echoes insights from Stephen Covey’s important vs. urgent framework and Cyril Peupion’s Work Smarter, Live Better approach.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
  1. Resilience Comes From Within – Even in crisis, you can rebuild your confidence, purpose, and leadership impact.
  2. Feedback Is a Growth Tool – When received with curiosity, even confronting feedback can spark transformation.
  3. Psychological Safety Drives Success – Cultures of trust allow for better collaboration, risk-taking, and innovation.
  4. Create Space for Wellbeing – Leaders need time to pause, reflect, and protect their energy.
  5. Lead With Vulnerability – Authenticity builds trust—and opens the door to deeper team engagement.
Whether you’re building a business from the ground up like Paul, or leading in complex corporate environments these episodes offer powerful, real-world strategies to lead with courage, clarity, and compassion.
Listen now to Episodes 11 & 12 of the Leadership & Wellbeing podcast – https://haydenfricke.com/leadership-and-wellbeing-podcast/
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