The Mangrove

"It was designed on the back of a fag packet"

Ok - not quite. But it did start with a conversation in a pub (as it does) between The Mangrove’s founders Damon Newman and Marie de Guzman, beginning with that philosophical question - "What do we want in our lives right now?"

And so it began. Discussing all of things we wanted - more happiness, more fulfilment, something to look forward to each morning. And we certainly weren’t alone.

People we spoke to, people we observed, people we overheard - whether they were people we were close with, people we worked with or strangers speaking on the tube - they all seemed to be in that same boat...floating nowhere. Even the things we were seeing - articles in the papers and magazines, advertising in public transport - were all pointing to that same dilemma - how can one achieve more satisfaction in life?

So we knew what the issue was. It was a matter of what we were going to do about it. Exactly how were we going to realise that happiness and fulfilment we sought?

Well, that’s where we got stuck.

We knew that there were self-development offerings out there, and whilst they may work for others, we knew they weren’t for us. We couldn’t imagine ourselves meditating crossed-legged, regressing into childlike states through hypnosis, or being put through some new-age Freudian analysis. Nor did the idea of screaming at the top of our lungs "YES - I CAN!" appeal to us. So what did?

We wanted practical. We wanted action-based. We wanted solutions. And, like everyone, we wanted it now.

But we didn’t know where to go.

So The Mangrove was born.

Building on our background and knowledge in neuroscience, The Mangrove began as an idea of providing practical hands-on well-rounded activities, delivered by experienced professionals, for people like us - individuals in a period of transition, wanting to change their professional and personal lives through effective and practical ways. And for time-poor individuals like ourselves, we wanted this to be delivered in a concise package so that they could get started straight away.

So are you ready?