Who we are

Our team is made up of senior, experienced facilitators. We are all passionate about creating better, more enriching experiences in workshops, meetings and training.

Where we began

Jonathan Bannister founded Make Happy in 2010 with the aim of freeing up ideas and creativity within every organisation and making them unafraid of change.

Since then, we have grown into a diverse team of dedicated senior facilitators.

We come from various backgrounds and industries, and we bring this diversity of experience and thought to create unique, meaningful experiences for our clients. Wherever your event is in the world, we have people to help.

The world we hope to create

We want to lead the way in transforming education and business by harnessing the power of creativity.

Our mission is to empower organisations to build workplaces that foster resilience, psychological safety, and creativity.

We are determined to revolutionise how people think about creativity and its impact on the world.

Why we care so much about creativity

Creativity is critical to success in today’s rapidly changing business landscape.

Organisations that foster a culture of creativity are more innovative, adaptable, and competitive. Creative thinking allows businesses to solve problems more effectively, generate new ideas, and uncover new opportunities. It enables organisations to embrace change and respond to disruptions, positioning them to remain relevant and thrive long-term.

Additionally, a creative workplace attracts and retains top talent, as people are drawn to companies that value their individuality and provide opportunities for growth and expression. In short, creativity is essential for businesses that want to flourish and make a meaningful impact in their industry.

Our wonderful people

Experienced, specialised and enthusiastic facilitators ready to make your meeting, workshop or event a success.

Jonathan Bannister

Founder

Jonathan is the Founder of Make Happy. He leads the design, development and delivery of all our workshops and training.

Sophie Paton

Partner

Sophie is a Partner at Make Happy. An experienced facilitator, she loves working with teams and groups to foster resilience, collaboration and kindness.

David Lunken

Partner

David is our partner in the US. Jonathan and David teach the foundation CPS course at CPSI each year. They design and run virtual team building workshops.

Rob

Design Partner

Rob runs October Associates, which specialises in corporate identity and branding. October works with us to bring our strategies to life across digital, print and experiential.

Rich

UX Partner

Rich is a UX developer who helps us with all things digital.

Fiona

Office Manager and Accounts

Fiona has worked with Jonathan for more than 20 years. An extensively experienced accounts director, she is in charge of accounting & finance and is also known as Mum of the office. She hopes that one day Jonathan will keep it tidy.

Simon

Facilitator and Trainer

Simon specialises in learning and development in professional service firms, through his dual qualification as a solicitor and a learning and development professional.

Fiona

People and change partner

People consultant as well as accredited coach and facilitator, Fiona has more than 18 years' experience of running public relations businesses both in the UK and internationally. She helps clients with employee engagement, change management, training and development, leadership coaching and facilitation.

Anna

Project Manager

Anna is our team project manager and ensures that we are always on point. In addition, she helps Sophie, Jonathan and Caroline facilitate our larger workshops and events.

Tom

Graphic Designer

Tom is an experienced graphic designer hailing from Poland. He provides us with graphic and digital support for all of our clients. His particular strengths are WordPress, brochure design and applying brand guidelines across marketing materials.

Tilly

Chief Dog

Tilly is a long-standing Make Happy staff member. Her responsibilities include keeping staff motivation and wellness high. She hopes that one day she’ll get the carpet all to herself.