Serial entrepreneur, business coach, and best-selling author Lisa Bean, from County Durham, is known for being funny and kind, with a brutal honesty on what it truly takes to succeed in business and her brand new show – ‘Laugh or You’ll Cry’ – premiers on Friday 6th March at Leeds Beckett’s Knowledge Exchange, helping business founders and entrepreneurs get honest about what it really takes to build and scale a successful business.
“I have found business brutally hard”, says Lisa,
“and I just wish someone had told me the truth of what it takes to succeed much sooner. My intention with these shows is to make entrepreneurs feel better about their journey, to show them the truth of what’s required to succeed in business, and to get them taking bigger, bold action towards their dreams now.”
Having sold a recruitment company and built a half-million-pound marketing agency in her twenties, Lisa now combines real-world commercial experience with a Master’s degree in Psychology to tackle the mindset, skill gaps, and isolation that often hold founders back.
The show takes place at the state-of-the-art theatre at Leeds School of Arts, part of Leeds Beckett University, and marks the latest collaboration between Lisa and the university’s Knowledge Exchange – a programme designed to connect businesses, entrepreneurs and the wider community with the expertise, facilities and talent within the university.
Lisa said;
“Leeds is fast becoming a hub for independent businesses and creative founders, and Laugh Or You’ll Cry is my way of bringing something different – a raw, honest look at what it really takes to be an entrepreneur. I can’t wait to return to the stage and share an evening of honesty, humour, and brutal real-world insight.”
The show arrives in quarter one, a time when many entrepreneurs are reassessing and setting their goals for the full year ahead – full of ambition, but often carrying doubt, fatigue, or the feeling that they’re somehow behind. Drawing on her recent master’s research in psychology, Lisa explores why entrepreneurs tend to perform better when they’re surrounded by other supportive entrepreneurs – and why confidence often grows through action, not before it.
“What I found,” said Lisa,
“wasn’t a lack of ambition, intelligence, or work ethic. In fact, most participants were highly capable and deeply committed to what they were building. What was present, almost universally, was self-doubt. Many believed they were “doing it wrong”, even when their actions were sensible, strategic, and brave. They worried about being visible, being judged, or being seen to fail – not because they were incapable, but because the cost of getting it wrong felt personal.”
Rather than a traditional motivational talk, ‘Laugh Or You’ll Cry’ is an evening of stories about what it really takes to be successful – the first attempts, learning to back yourself, building new skills through giving it a go. Lisa will also be sharing the results of her masters study, which helped her to identify one of the biggest underlying traits of successful entrepreneurs.
Lisa, who has been described as ‘Mel Robbins meets Sarah Millican – just without the swearing’ and ‘a posh Northern Ellen DeGeneres’, brings a show that blends humour with insight, creating space for reflection without taking itself too seriously. The event also brings the university community into the mix, with students from across Leeds Beckett – including those studying within the School of Arts – getting involved behind the scenes, offering hands-on experience in live production and performance. And, by hosting the event within the School of Arts’ modern theatre space, the evening reflects the Knowledge Exchange’s wider aim: connecting education, creativity and enterprise in a way that benefits both the city and its people.
Richard Whitehead, Manager of The Knowledge Exchange from Leeds Beckett University said;
“The Knowledge Exchange exists to open the doors to the university and our role is to bring the city and the university together. With this event, we’ve been able to collaborate with local businesses, The School of Arts, and our Business School. Lisa’s approach to empowering entrepreneurs resonates deeply with what we aim to achieve here – bringing people together to create real, lasting impact.”
Lisa has previously delivered several sell-out events through the Leeds Beckett Knowledge Exchange, working closely with its team to create accessible, practical sessions for founders, freelancers and business owners across the region.
Richard continues;
“Leeds has an incredible entrepreneurial energy. That idea of momentum is central to Laugh Or You’ll Cry and when Lisa brings people together into these spaces to learn, something shifts – ideas grow faster and confidence follows.”
Laugh Or You’ll Cry takes place at the Leeds School of Arts theatre on Friday 6th March 2026. More information at: https://lisa-bean.com/show/
