In this episode of The Engaging Marketeer, host Darren Jamieson sits down with Ash Lawrence—also known as the Flip-Flop Psycho—to uncover the psychological barriers that hold business owners and salespeople back from success.
As a business coach, psychologist, and mindset expert, Ash helps individuals break through fear, imposter syndrome, and bad habits that sabotage their growth. From sales strategies to the psychology of high-performance athletes (and even a deep dive into why Tottenham Hotspur struggle to win trophies), this episode is packed with actionable insights, humor, and no-nonsense advice. If you’ve ever doubted your abilities or struggled to push your business to the next level, this is one conversation you won’t want to miss!
The interview
Darren: The first thing that sticks in my mind—why the name Flip-Flop Psycho? It’s a bit… aggressive.
Ash: Yeah, so that’s just probably… my Marmite personality coming through.
About ten years ago, I was working with a personal trainer at a gym. He recommended a client to me who then attended one of my seminars. This guy actually owned the hotel where I was holding the seminar.
Now, when he turned up, he was expecting a psychologist in a suit. Instead, he saw a guy in shorts and flip-flops.
So, as part of the introductions, he stood up and said, “I was expecting some serious psychologist, and what I’ve got is this guy in flip-flops.”
“We’ve got a Flip-Flop Psycho here!”
And it just stuck. It became a brand. And to be honest, it’s worked well—people definitely remember me!
Darren: Yeah, I can see that. Do people ever ask if you’re going to start shouting at them or getting aggressive?
Ash: Yeah, sometimes. The thing is, I don’t usually introduce myself as a psychologist. If you do, people immediately put their fingers together and go, “Oh no, you’re analyzing me, aren’t you?”
People assume psychologists analyze every little thing they do, but honestly, nothing could be further from the truth—at least in my case.
Darren: So, you’re not analyzing me right now?
Ash: Oh, mate, I’ve already done it. You’re done.
Darren: I’ve seen you talk about the fact that people are creatures of habit. They use the same language patterns, the same behaviors. Can business owners actually change that?
Ash: Absolutely. Well, I hope so—otherwise, I’d be out of a job.
This idea that “you are who you are” is rubbish. You can be whoever you want to be, if you put the time into it.
In business, if you’re not getting the results you want, it’s because you’re not doing the right things. It’s that simple.
If you don’t have enough money, you need to change what you’re doing to earn more money.
If you’re not happy, you need to change what you’re doing to be happy.
It all comes down to cause and effect—you get what you deserve based on what you do.
Darren: As people, we hate change. We love our comfort zones. How easy is it to actually get out of that?
Ash: There’s an old saying:
People don’t change until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change
Habits exist because our brains need shortcuts. If we had to think about every little thing we do, we’d be completely overwhelmed.
But if your habits are holding you back, you have to break them. If you want something different, you have to do something different.
Most people put up with discomfort until it gets unbearable. And then, and only then, they decide to change.
Darren: One of the big things I’ve seen you talk about is fear—fear stopping businesses from growing, fear stopping athletes from excelling. How does fear manifest in a business owner or a sportsman?
Ash: For business owners, fear usually comes in two ways:
- Imposter syndrome—thinking, “What if they find out I’m making it all up?”
- Fear of risk—being too scared to take action.
For athletes, especially those who play in big arenas, the fear is usually about looking stupid in front of 30,000+ people.
Darren: And how do you overcome fear?
Ash: Awareness precedes change.
It all comes down to belief systems. I work with something called the cognitive thought process:
- Your belief creates a thought
- Your thought creates an emotion
- Your emotion leads to an action
- Your action gets you a result
- Your result then reinforces your belief
It’s a cycle. If you want to change the outcome, you have to change the belief that started it all.
Darren: How do you know if you’re experiencing imposter syndrome… or if you’re just actually a bit crap?
Ash: If you were genuinely crap, you wouldn’t keep getting work.
Imposter syndrome is just a set of symptoms—not a fixed condition
A quick fix? Put an elastic band around your wrist. Every time you think, I’m not good enough, snap the band. Then replace that negative thought with three positive alternatives.
That rewires the brain’s pathways and shifts your mindset.
Darren: Sales is another area where fear is a huge factor. Why do people struggle with it so much?
Ash: It comes down to fear of rejection. On my sales courses, I ask people to write down their first thoughts about:
- Car salesmen
- Double glazing salesmen
- Insurance salesmen
It’s always negative. Then, I get them to make a cold call in front of everyone. The moment they pick up the phone, their body language changes—because they’re terrified of rejection.
But here’s the thing:
Sales is just a conversation
If someone says “no,” it’s not personal. It just means next opportunity.
Darren: You’re a massive Tottenham fan, so I have to ask: why do Spurs struggle with actually winning trophies?
Ash: It’s all about not attaching to the outcome—or as I call it, NATO: Not Attached to Outcome.
When athletes focus too much on winning, they get in their own heads. Harry Kane, for example—he’s a world-class striker, but when he missed that penalty against France, he was thinking, This is to take England to the semi-finals, instead of This is just another penalty.
Same in business. If all you think about is “I need to make sales”, you’ll struggle. If you focus on the process—building relationships, networking, improving your craft—success comes naturally.
Darren: Ash, this has been absolutely brilliant. Where can people find you?
Ash: Easiest way? Search #FlipFlopPsycho—I’m all over the place. Or visit ashlawrence.co.uk.
Darren: Perfect. I’ll drop links below. Thanks again, Ash!
Connect with Ash:
Ash Lawrence is a business coach, psychologist, and mindset expert dedicated to helping individuals and business owners break through the mental barriers that hold them back. Through his unique and direct approach—rooted in psychology, behavioral change, and years of experience—Ash helps people overcome imposter syndrome, fear of failure, and self-limiting beliefs to achieve real, lasting success. Whether working with entrepreneurs, sales teams, or elite athletes, his focus is always on building the right mindset, implementing effective strategies, and embracing the process over the outcome. If you’re looking to rewire your thinking, level up in business, or simply gain a new perspective on personal growth, Ash Lawrence is the expert to follow.
You can get in touch with Ash here:
Website: https://ashlawrence.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ash.lawrence56?fref=ts
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlawrence/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DrAshleyLawrence
About your host:
Darren has worked within digital marketing since the last century, and was the first in-house web designer for video games retailer GAME in the UK, known as Electronics Boutique in the States. After co-founding his own agency, Engage Web, in 2009, Darren has worked with clients around the world, including Australia, Canada and the USA.
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/engaging-marketeer/id1612454837
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenjamieson/
Engaging Marketeer: https://engagingmarketeer.com
Engage Web: https://www.engageweb.co.uk
