Where founders talked feelings - and meant it.

First Thursday at SETsquared Bath: Where founders talked feelings - and meant it. 

Start of the year. First Thursday back. Inbox chaos. And a room full of founders doing the least expected thing: getting real about emotions.

Led by the brilliant Sarah Dena from The Culturevators , this wasn’t your typical ‘new year, new goals’ session. It was a focused exploration of the emotional undercurrents that shape how we lead, collaborate - and build anything that lasts.

We dug into:
The emotional habits we default to under pressure.
The actual cost of ignoring how we feel.
Why clarity around our internal state leads to stronger conversations, better decisions, and more resilient leadership.

One deceptively simple question that landed hard:

What emotion do you want more of in 2026

This wasn’t about self-optimisation. It was about alignment - figuring out what’s really driving you, what’s draining you, and what you need more of to make 2026 sustainable and successful.

We left with sharper self-awareness, shared language, and a framework we can use throughout the year - not just today.

Weren’t there? Here's one valuable prompt to try now:

Before your next big conversation - be it with a client, investor, or your team - pause and ask:

What am I feeling about this? What is that emotion enabling or limiting?

When named, emotions become data. When ignored, they become drag.

Big thanks to the SETsquared Bath community for starting 2026 with insight over noise.