E88: What Every Business Owner Needs to Know About Their Brain with Natalie Mackenzie

In this episode of Dream Business Dream Life, Emma is joined by Natalie McKenzie, also known as The Brain Lady and Cognitive Strategist, to explore how brain health directly impacts business performance, decision-making, burnout, and long-term wellbeing.

From sleep deprivation and hustle culture to digital overload, AI, and poor nutrition, Natalie explains how everyday business habits quietly affect how your brain functions, often years before we notice the consequences. This conversation challenges the idea that pushing harder leads to better results and instead makes the case for protecting your brain as a core business strategy.

If you’ve ever experienced brain fog, exhaustion, overwhelm, poor focus, or burnout, this episode will change how you think about productivity, success, and sustainability in business.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your brain controls every business decision you make
• How poor sleep can reduce decision-making by up to 40%
• The early warning signs of cognitive overload and burnout
• Why hustle culture is damaging long-term brain health
• How AI and digital overload affect critical thinking
• Why most people skip the basics and jump straight to supplements
• The surprising link between brain health and future dementia risk
• How understanding your cognitive strengths can improve business efficiency
• Why doing hard things is actually good for your brain
• Natalie’s surprisingly simple brain-friendly habits (including eggs 🥚)

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• Brain health for entrepreneurs
• Burnout prevention for business owners
• Cognitive performance and decision fatigue
• Sleep, nutrition, hydration & productivity
• AI, technology & brain function
• Sustainable success without hustle culture

Who is Natalie?

Natalie Mackenzie is a cognitive & brain health expert for business owners, with a background in Psychology, Neuropsychology and business strategy. She works with founders, leaders and entrepreneurs to optimise their cognitive performance , overcome decision fatigue and avoid burnout-through blending cognitive science and practical business frameworks, to also look after brain health for later life. Natalie is sought after media expert, regularly sharing her expertise on cognition in publications such as The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Independent and many others.

www.thecognitivestrategist.com https://www.instagram.com/thecognitivestrategist/

Want to connect? Find me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamemmahine

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-hine

Website: https://www.emmahine.co.uk

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaHineStrategy