#48: What if coming home means returning to where your story began?
In this episode, I connected with Hartini Kandari, a Dutch-Indonesian therapist, author and musician whose journey moves between loss and belonging.
Born in Indonesia and adopted to the Netherlands at four months old, she lost her cultural identity overnight only to spend decades finding her way back. Today, as she prepares to remigrate to Bali, her story bridges healing, heritage and faith.
Deep dive talking points:
👉🏾 Adoption and identity: how language, smell and ancestry shape belonging beyond nationality;
👉🏾 The body remembers: early loss expressed through tension, skin and voice before words could catch up;
👉🏾 The therapy of music: violin as her first language of connection and resilience;
👉🏾 Writing through wounds: creating her book 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 to help adoptees reflect, heal and feel seen;
👉🏾 Faith and homecoming: rediscovering God, roots and rest after decades of inner restlessness!
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 Healing isn’t about fixing what’s broken it’s about remembering what’s whole;
🙌🏾 Sometimes our restlessness is a compass pointing us back to where our story began;
🙌🏾 Real connection starts when we stop performing and begin allowing ourselves to feel!
Hartini’s empowering quote:
🙌🏾 “With ACT therapy we don’t aim to heal what’s broken because we are not broken we learn psychological flexibility”
Books mentioned:
📚 Adoptie Impact: invites adoptees to pause, embrace both gratitude and grief, and gently reclaim their place by giving every feeling the space to exist!
📚 The Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier: a foundational work on the separation trauma experienced by adoptees.
👉🏾 Hartini’s path invites a question that lingers beyond adoption:
What happens when we finally return physically emotionally spiritually to the place that once felt lost? Sometimes the journey home is less about geography and more about remembering who we’ve always been.
Connect with Hartini:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hartini-kandari-75105844/
Company website: https://www.hartini.nl
A word from our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
Great strategies don’t fail because of process they fail when behavior doesn’t align. Neotopia helps teams turn awareness into lasting change through behavior that moves people forward.
And to all Men who want to be part of the next Women’s Health at Work session on December 3rd can find all details and registration here:
#47: What if loving yourself could become an act of service?
In this episode, I've had an amazing convo with Samantha V.P. Noten, a Dutch-Surinamese artist whose Ikigai-inspired creations bridge art, self-love and soulful connection.
Her journey has moved through loss, anger and awakening, from corporate life and caretaking roles to a deeper calling as a visual guide who helps others remember they are enough. Through her intricate pen-and-ink symbols, Sam translates emotion into reflection, creating art that reminds people to return to their essence.
Deep dive talking points:
👉🏾 The language of symbols: how each drawing becomes a mirror for self-awareness and healing;
👉🏾 Art as a compass: tracing her path from corporate structures to intuitive creation;
👉🏾 The ripple effect of self-love: how one person’s inner alignment can inspire change in others;
👉🏾 Guidance and ancestry: being led by unseen wisdom from her roots and nature;
👉🏾 People first leadership: why empathy and emotional intelligence redefine what management can be!
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 Self-love is not selfish. It is the foundation that allows you to love others freely;
🙌🏾 What you create through alignment ripples far beyond your intention;
🙌🏾 Every act of gentleness toward yourself is a quiet revolution against the noise;
Sam’s empowering quote:
🙌🏾 “You are enough. My art is a reminder to be kind to yourself and to love who you are"
Books mentioned:
📚 Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles: exploring the intersection of purpose, joy, and contribution.
👉🏾 𝗦𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: it is the beginning of connection. When we dare to see our own light, we help others remember theirs!
Connect with Sam:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samnoten/
Company website: https://samnoten.com/over-mij/
A word from our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
Great strategies don’t fail because of process they fail when behavior doesn’t align. Neotopia helps teams turn awareness into lasting change through behavior that moves people forward.
And to all Men who want to be part of the next Women’s Health at Work session on December 3rd can find all details and registration here:
#46 Isabel’s journey of becoming: what if leadership begins when women reclaim their own voice and redefine success on their terms?
In this episode, I connected with Isabel Fonseca: leadership coach, founder of Nextfem Leaders School, and a someone who has turned loss and transition into a powerful mission of empowerment. Born in Uruguay and with a career that began in finance, Isabel’s journey has woven together corporate strength and spiritual depth. Her story is one of grief transformed into growth, of intuition reclaimed, and of helping women in corporate spaces lead with confidence, clarity and authenticity.
Deep dive talking points:
👉🏾 Becoming her: exploring the constant evolution of self, holding both presence and vision;
👉🏾 Women in leadership: redefining what it means to lead as a woman, not as a man;
👉🏾 Grief as alchemy: turning life’s hardest moments into a deeper love of life;
👉🏾 Friendship as chosen family: redefining who shows up in both highs and lows;
👉🏾 Courage and compassion: navigating the liminal stage between who we are and who we are becoming.
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 Embracing discomfort is often the doorway to growth, not something to avoid;
🙌🏾 True empowerment begins when we learn to have our own back and become our own best fan;
🙌🏾 Putting ourselves first is not selfish but an act of service to the world we want to shape;
Isabel’s empowering quote:
“Cultivate the courage and the compassion to go through that in-between that we are now”
Books mentioned:
📚 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: a reminder to pursue dreams and transform challenges into gold;
📚 Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza: sometimes the right book arrives when we are ready;
📚 Warrior Goddess Training by HeatherAsh Amara: integrating masculine and feminine energies;
📚 Playing Big by Tara Mohr: for women who want to speak up, stand out and lead;
Isabel’s story invites us to look at the liminal spaces in our own lives—the in-betweens where change brews quietly and discomfort holds possibility. What might shift if you fell a little more in love with that in-between?
Connect with Isabel:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabel-fonseca-coaching/
Company website: https://www.isabelfonseca.com
A word from our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
Great strategies don’t fail because of process, they fail when behavior doesn’t follow. Neotopia helps teams turn change into lasting action, through positive reinforcement that actually sticks.
#45 Veroniek’s quest for presence: what if real success begins when you stop ticking boxes and start listening within?
In this episode, I connected with Veroniek Vermeulen, founder of Silatha, who turned her own search for meaning into a mission to bring more psychological safety into workplaces. Moving from a career in engineering and corporate leadership to meditation retreats and entrepreneurship, Veroniek is reshaping conversations around taboo topics and creating cultures where people can show up as their full selves.
Deep dive talking points:
👉🏾 Breaking taboos: why topics like menopause, monthly cycles, and men’s emotions belong in the workplace;
👉🏾 Psychological safety: the invisible Wi-Fi every organization depends on;
👉🏾 From ticking boxes to presence: leaving the picture-perfect life behind;
👉🏾 Meditation and monasteries: lessons from sitting with pain and living in the now;
👉🏾 Leading with respect: why dignity and connection must guide change.
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 Real change begins when you dare to sit with discomfort instead of avoiding it.
🙌🏾 Psychological safety is not a one-off workshop, it is a cultural foundation that requires ongoing care.
🙌🏾 Presence is not found in achieving more but in learning to let go and simply be.
Veroniek’s empowering quote:
“I would love we really treat every human with dignity and respect”
Books mentioned:
📚 Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: a timeless reflection on freedom and response to life.
📚 Go Figure by Lisa Falco: a powerful exploration of women’s bodies through science and storytelling.
📚 The Female Body Bible: understanding and living in tune with the female body.
📚 The Authority Gap: uncovering gender bias and pathways toward equity.
📚 Humankind by Rutger Bregman: a hopeful case for the goodness of people.
What if the freedom you seek isn’t in proving yourself but in allowing yourself to simply be human?
Connect with Veroniek:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veroniek/
Company website: https://silatha.com
A word from our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
Great strategies don’t fail because of process, they fail when behavior doesn’t follow. Neotopia helps teams turn change into lasting action, through positive reinforcement that actually sticks.
#44 Alexandra’s leap into entrepreneurship: what if trust was the missing bridge between promise and product?
In this episode, I connected with Alexandra van Viegen, founder of Onboardly, a company reimagining how SaaS businesses keep momentum after the sale. With a background in mathematics and machine learning and as a mother of three, Alexandra made the leap from corporate stability into the unpredictable world of startups.
Her journey is rooted in resilience and fueled by an intrinsic drive to build not only a business but a model of trust, relationships and self-care that her children can look up to!
Deep dive talking points:
👉🏾 Onboarding as the bridge: why customer success begins the moment a deal is signed;
👉🏾 Breaking the chain: fixing the trust gap between sales handover and customer success;
👉🏾 Habits and relationships: embedding human connection into scalable SaaS growth;
👉🏾 Taking the leap: moving from corporate stability to the unknown of entrepreneurship;
👉🏾 Extreme self-care: showing her children that choosing yourself can make you a better parent.
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 Growth starts with trust not with automation;
🙌🏾 A successful day is defined by taking action that opens the next door;
🙌🏾 Extreme self-care is a foundation for serving others fully.
Alexandra’s empowering quote:
🙌🏾 “I think I would be most proud 20 years from now that my children say their mother chose for herself”
Book mentioned:
📚 The Lean Startup by Eric Ries: the spark that turned reflection into action.
Connect with Alexandra:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vvalex/
Company website: https://onboardly.tech
A word from our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
Great strategies don’t fail because of process, they fail when behavior doesn’t follow. Neotopia helps teams turn change into lasting action, through positive reinforcement that actually sticks.
What if the real key to sustainable growth isn’t in more technology but in honoring the promises we make to one another?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 43
What if showing up exactly as you are is the most powerful thing you can offer?
In this episode, I had the honor of sitting down with Salmaan Sana, facilitator, trainer and infinite student of connection and purpose. His story is a gentle yet profound invitation to shift from performance to presence, from doing to being.
In our conversation, we explored the small but powerful moments that shape our lives and work, from picking up your child while moderating a big event, to letting go of ego just before stepping on stage.
What we explored:
👉🏾 Authenticity in action: redefining professionalism through human presence;
👉🏾 Parenting with purpose: letting our kids shape who we become;
👉🏾 Community and connection: building spaces for non-transactional relationships;
👉🏾 Worthiness and ego: trusting that you are enough, exactly as you are;
👉🏾 Spiritual growth: finding meaning through books, belief and self-compassion;
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 "Presence is more powerful than performance. True impact comes from being real, not perfect"
🙌🏾 "You don’t need to earn your worthiness. It’s already within you"
🙌🏾 #Slow is not weak, It’s where the real listening, living and growing happens;
Books mentioned:
📚 The Alchemist | Paulo Coelho
📚 Conversations with God | Neale Donald Walsch
📚 The Untethered Soul | Michael A. Singer
📚 The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People | Stephen Covey
📚 The Power of Now | Eckhart Tolle
📚 A New Earth | Eckhart Tolle
📚 Humankind | Rutger Bregman
Connect with Salmaan:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salmaansana/
Company website: https://salmaansana.com
A word from our sponsor:
Great strategies fail without the right behavior.
See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.
What might happen if you showed up this week with more presence than pressure?
#42 Vassia’s work to normalize loneliness: what if loneliness wasn’t a sign that something is wrong, but a signal that something deeper is ready to be seen?
In this episode, I connected with Vassia Sarantopoulou, founder of Anti Loneliness, a practice that’s grown from a solo effort to a thriving team of 12 psychologists supporting internationals around the world. Through her own journey as a therapist and expat, Vassia is reframing the narrative around loneliness, burnout and the high cost of perfectionism.
What we explored:
👉🏾 Loneliness as signal: breaking stigma and naming what so many silently feel;
👉🏾 Perfectionism & performance: the inner toll of conditional self-worth;
👉🏾 Therapy for therapists: why healing the healer is part of the work;
👉🏾 Building Anti Loneliness: scaling a mission from pain to purpose;
👉🏾 The human side of helping: boundaries, supervision and running a heart-led business!
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “You can be high-functioning and still feel like you’re failing especially when perfection is your standard”
🙌🏾 “Healing isn’t fixing it’s remembering who you were before you thought you had to earn love”
🙌🏾 “Loneliness doesn’t make you broken. It makes you human!”
Book mentioned:
📚 “Locked in work mode” (upcoming), Vassia’s forthcoming book on perfectionism, self-worth and reclaiming authenticity!
Connect with Vassia:
A word from our sponsor:
Great strategies fail without the right behavior.
See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.
What if your need to be perfect is actually a call to be more fully yourself?
#41 Elisa’s Journey to integration: some people walk through fire. Others learn how to turn the ashes into meaning.
In this episode which marks the 🥳1 year anniversary🥳 of ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨, I sat down with:
Elisa Viaud, organizational psychologist, therapist and someone who knows what it means to carry complexity and create from it. From growing up as a cultural outlier to navigating burnout at Tesla and personal healing from early trauma, Elisa's story is a rich tapestry of dualities: pain and hope, intellect and emotion, light and dark. Her work is about weaving them together.
What we explored:
👉🏾 Pain as catalyst: transforming personal wounds into creative power;
👉🏾 Belonging vs. fitting in: why embracing your outlier identity matters;
👉🏾 Cognitive diversity: how multiple perspectives fuel real innovation;
👉🏾 Integrity in complexity: standing in truth without polarizing others;
👉🏾 Spiritual grounding in a corporate world: what she carried from Uber and Tesla into her own practice;
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “Awareness is half the work once you see clearly, you begin to heal”
🙌🏾 “Pain doesn’t disappear when ignored, it transforms when acknowledged”
🙌🏾 “You don’t have to become someone else to be accepted. You have to become more of yourself”
Books mentioned:
📚 The Body Keeps the Score | Bessel van der Kolk
📚 It Didn’t Start with You | Mark Wolynn
📚 The Courage to Be Disliked | Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga
📚 Happy Oysters | Rubem Alves
Connect with Elisa:
A word from our sponsor:
Great strategies fail without the right behavior.
See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.
Which part of yourself are you still trying to hide or fix, when it might be the very thing that holds your pearl?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 40
Simone’s rebellious rise in tech: some careers follow a roadmap. Others are built by those who dare to redraw the map entirely.
In this episode, I had the chance to speak with Simone Mink, Product Operations Lead at Mendix and a self-described “rebel with a cause” Her path from leisure management to tech leadership is anything but linear and that’s exactly what makes it powerful. Her story invites us to embrace discomfort, show up fully and redefine success from the inside out.
What we explored:
👉🏾 From leisure to low-code: how a creative thesis at the zoo opened a door to tech;
👉🏾 Reframing burnout: what it taught her about boundaries, energy and self-worth;
👉🏾 Vulnerability as strength: the power of showing emotion, even on a keynote stage;
👉🏾 Neurodivergence & advocacy: creating space for difference in tech and leadership;
👉🏾 Redefining success: letting go of external validation and embracing her own pace!
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “You don’t need permission to take up space. You already belong”
🙌🏾 “Self-worth grows when you stop outsourcing it”
🙌🏾 “Discomfort isn’t a warning sign, it’s often the path to growth!”
Connect with Simone:
A word from our sponsor:
Great strategies fail without the right behavior.
See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.
Where in your life are you still seeking approval you no longer need?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 39
Angligène’s path to inner freedom & self-leadership
What if the truest version of leadership doesn’t come with a title but with the courage to be fully yourself?
I had the pleasure of speaking with Angligène Servania-Woods, founder of The Bridge and co-founder of The Lead In. Her journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change. In our conversation, we explored key challenges, turning points and the moments that reshaped her path to success.
What we explored:
👉🏾 Letting go of titles: moving beyond the limits of identity defined by profession;
👉🏾 Mental emancipation: breaking free from systemic and societal expectations;
👉🏾 The power of presence: learning to hold space and connect without fixing;
👉🏾 Self-leadership: creating frameworks for deep, personal transformation;
👉🏾 Community & co-creation: building spaces that nurture authenticity and mutual growth;
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “Holding space for others begins by being truly present with yourself”
🙌🏾 “You’re not your profession, you’re the person beneath the title”
🙌🏾 “Sometimes freedom starts by giving yourself permission to change your story!”
Connect with Angligène:
A word from our sponsor:
Great strategies fail without the right behavior.
See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.
If no one were watching, who would you allow yourself to become?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 38
From pulpit to platform, Daan’s call to speak..again..
What if the story you’ve been living quietly is the one that could set others free?
I had a fascinating conversation with my friend Daan Schmidt, founder of StoryBrand Nederland and Buzzlytics. His journey from pastor to purpose-driven entrepreneur shows how transformation doesn’t erase your past...it gives it new meaning!
In our convo, we explored the defining moments, inner pivots and unshakable values that continue to shape how Daan leads, lives and now prepares to speak from the stage again!
What We Explored:
👉🏾 From pastor to entrepreneur: rewriting identity without losing soul;
👉🏾 Transparency in business: building trust through “They Ask You Answer”;
👉🏾 Living with purpose: how near-death clarity fuels present-day action;
👉🏾 Generosity and excellence: leading with heart in business and life;
👉🏾 Speaking again: why he’s returning to the stage with a deeper story!
Nuggets of Empowerment:
🙌🏾 Excellence isn’t perfection: "it’s presence and intention”
🙌🏾 Trust starts by answering the questions people are afraid to ask;
🙌🏾 Your calling is often hidden in what nearly broke you!
Connect with Daan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dtschmidt/
Website Story Brand Nederland: https://storybrand.nl
Website Buzzlytics: sthttps://buzzlytics.nl
Struggling to improve organizational behavior?
Discover how Positive Reinforcement can help you inspire and motivate with real impact!
Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
What story have you been holding back, while the world might be waiting to hear it?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 37
Behind the Mask, Marie’s movement to humanise the workplace..
What if taking off your mask at work was the most radical leadership act of all?
I had the pleasure of speaking with Marie Chaproniere, founder of the Behind The Mask Community, an invaluable movement reimagining what it means to be authentic in professional spaces. Her path shows how personal adversity can be transformed into a platform for collective healing and workplace change!
In our deep dive aka learning XP on steroids (at least for me), we explored key challenges, turning points and the moments that redefined what success truly means!
What We Explored:
👉🏾 Authenticity at work: unmasking as a practice of courage and connection;
👉🏾 Burnout & boundaries: how misalignment led Marie to rediscover her voice;
👉🏾 Neurodiversity & ADHD: embracing different ways of being and processing;
👉🏾 Cultural identity: weaving her Spanish roots into personal empowerment;
👉🏾 Community & safe spaces: why transformation starts with shared vulnerability!
Nuggets of Empowerment:
🙌🏾 Unmasking is not weakness, but courage: "true leadership is rooted in truth";
🙌🏾 Resilience means knowing when to pause: "strength is also found in stillness";
🙌🏾 We don’t heal in isolation: "change happens through collective reflection!"
Connect with Marie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariechaproniere/overlay/contact-info/
Website Behind The Mask: https://behindthemask.info
Struggling to create lasting behavior change?
Discover how Positive Reinforcement can help you inspire and motivate with real impact!
Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
What part of yourself have you been taught to hide—when it might just be your greatest source of connection?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 36
From conflict to code, Khaled’s mission to rebuild through tech..
What if your refugee story became the blueprint for empowering an entire generation?
An open conversation with someone I deeply admire: Khaled Shaaban, Syrian refugee, social entrepreneur and founder of Subul Impact Outsourcing. His journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful systemic change.
In our deep dive, we explored key challenges, turning points and the moments that reshaped his path to success!
What We Explored:
👉🏾 Subul’s mission: creating remote tech job pathways for youth and women in Syria and the Middle East;
👉🏾 Economic empowerment: measuring impact by how income changes communities;
👉🏾 Identity as power: turning refugee status into a badge of leadership and resilience;
👉🏾 Trauma & drive: channeling the pain of war into a force for rebuilding;
👉🏾 Funding for impact: raising €1M to match 10,000 talents with European tech roles!
Nuggets of Empowerment:
🙌🏾 This is a duty, not a choice: "when mission becomes bigger than self";
🙌🏾 Success is never self-made: "it takes a community to rise";
🙌🏾 We can solve one problem by solving another: "tech as a tool for systemic change!
Connect with Khaled:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-shaaban/
Amazing video on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/k-shaaban_europe-syria-right-activity-7338471309531643904-GQwl
Website Subul: https://subul.org
Struggling to improve organizational behavior?
Discover how Positive Reinforcement can help you inspire and motivate with real impact!
Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
If purpose could rise from rubble, what could you build with the pieces of your own story?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 35
Lighting the Way, Kimberly’s Path from Grief to Growth
What if the most painful loss of your life became the spark that illuminated your purpose?
Feeling privileged to have had a deep dive with Kimberly Fuqua, Microsoft's EMEA Director CX, transformation lead, DEI advocate and founder of Luminous Leaders. Her journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change.
In our convo we explored the grief that shaped her, the mission that drives her, and the leadership philosophy rooted in empathy, courage and action!
What We Explored:
👉🏾 Restoring trust through empathy: rebuilding customer relationships with active listening and integrity;
👉🏾 From Microsoft to mission-driven: a career evolution from recruitment to transformation and now coaching;
👉🏾 Inclusion as daily practice: championing diversity, equity and neurodiversity across continents;
👉🏾 Healing through purpose: transforming the loss of her son into light and legacy;
👉🏾 Empowering the next generation: mentoring Gen Z to lead with authenticity and impact;
Nuggets of Empowerment:
🙌🏾 Empowerment starts within: "you don't give power to people; you help them unlock what they already carry";
🙌🏾 Grief is not the end: "loss can shape your leadership, your priorities and your purpose";
🙌🏾 Leadership is human: "vulnerability, presence and listening are more powerful than any title"!
Connect with Kimberly:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-fuqua-842381152/
Website Kimberly: https://kimberlyfuqua.com
Struggling to improve organizational behavior?
Discover how Positive Reinforcement can help you inspire and motivate with real impact!
Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
What would change if we treated leadership not as a destination, but as a practice of lighting the path...for ourselves and for others?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 34
Leading with kindness: Neil’s mission to humanize work and life
What if the most disruptive leadership tool of the future… is kindness?
I had the pleasure speaking with Neil Schambra Stevens, founder of Mercury Jam Coaching and former CMO for brands like Vans and Polaroid. His journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change.
In our conversation, we explored key challenges, turning points and the moments that reshaped his path to success!
What we explored:
👉🏾 Kindness as a leadership practice: moving from performance-driven to people-driven cultures;
👉🏾 Burnout & self-care: how personal loss and exhaustion led to a new philosophy of balance;
👉🏾 Corporate to coaching: why leaving global brands was the start of something more human;
👉🏾 The science of kindness: its link to innovation, retention, and psychological safety;
👉🏾 Technology with heart: building an AI-powered kindness & self-coaching app;
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “Kindness isn’t fluffy, it’s a strategic act of leadership”
🙌🏾 “You can’t pour from an empty cup...self-care is the foundation of service”
🙌🏾 “What we do with our 90,000 working hours matters. Let’s use them meaningfully”
Connect with Neil:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-schambra-stevens-mercuryjam/
Website Mercury Jam: https://www.mercuryjam.com
Struggling to create lasting behavior change?
Discover how Positive Reinforcement can help you inspire and motivate with real impact!
Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
What’s one small, intentional act of kindness you can offer today, to someone else or to yourself?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 33
From drivenness to depth: Alisher’s mission to rethink hiring with purpose
Could a billion-euro business problem be solved by asking better questions of ourselves first?
I had the pleasure of speaking with Alisher Jafarov, founder and CEO of Avery, a B2B SaaS company revolutionizing how companies hire. His journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change.
In our conversation, we explored key challenges, turning points and the moments that reshaped his path to success.
What we explored:
👉🏾 The talent crisis in europe: how misaligned hiring is costing companies more than they think;
👉🏾 AI for good: using technology to match people, purpose and performance;
👉🏾 From corporate to startup life: why leaving a successful career can be a leap toward deeper impact;
👉🏾 Drivenness vs. presence: the tension between ambition and being fully in the moment;
👉🏾 A vision beyond business: building an island for great minds to change the world!
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “Purpose isn’t a luxury...it’s a compass when everything feels uncertain”
🙌🏾 “Being driven is powerful, but not if you forget to stop and breathe”
🙌🏾 “The future of hiring isn’t just faster, it’s more human!!”
Connect with Alisher:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisherjafarov/
Website Avery: https://www.getavery.ai
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Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
When’s the last time you paused not to plan the next move, but to truly acknowledge how far you’ve already come?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 32
Procurement with Purpose: Peter’s Path to Inclusion & Authenticity
What if your professional role became a gateway to create systemic change in business and in society?
I had the honour of speaking with Peter Zerp, Inclusive procurement strategy expert at Accenture, ESDP board chair and NGO board member. His journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change. In our conversation, we explored key challenges, turning points and the moments that reshaped his path to success.
What we explored:
👉🏾 Inclusive procurement: making supplier diversity a strategic priority in global business;
👉🏾 Authenticity at work: the courage to bring your whole self into professional spaces;
👉🏾 Overcoming bias: the daily effort it takes to unlearn assumptions and open doors;
👉🏾 Redefining success: moving from status and titles to meaning and fulfillment;
👉🏾 Personal reflection & growth: why looking inward might be the most radical act of all!
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “Diversity isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’...it’s a necessity for real progress”
🙌🏾 “Authenticity means being honest with yourself first and then with the world”
🙌🏾 “Everyone has something special. We just need to create space for it to be seen”
Connect with Peter:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterzerp/
Learn more about ESDP | Empowering ethnic minority businesses:
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Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
When was the last time you looked inward, not for flaws but for the quiet brilliance that makes you...you?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 31
Visibility, vulnerability & angel investing: Tessa’s Journey of Empowering Women!
How do you go from structured boardrooms to backing bold founders all while staying true to your own story?
I had the pleasure of speaking with Tessa de Flines, co-founder of Nearwater Consultancy, angel investor and former board member of Female Ventures. Her journey is a masterclass in combining business strategy with emotional depth, showing how personal and professional transformation go hand in hand.
In our conversation, Tessa shared how years in the corporate world led to a conscious pivot toward purpose-driven entrepreneurship, angel investing and supporting the next generation of female leaders.
What we explored:
👉🏾 From corporate to consultancy: realigning career and purpose after nearly two decades in banking;
👉🏾 Empowering female founders: visibility, access and long-term advocacy;
👉🏾 Sharing grief publicly: how losing her cat Nava opened space for connection and compassion in her network;
👉🏾 The power of fractional roles: offering structure without the full-time burden;
👉🏾 Angel investing with heart: treating ideas and people with the respect they deserve;
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “Visibility isn’t vanity, it’s a vital leadership skill”
🙌🏾 “Great ideas are sacred. Angels are here to help them grow”
🙌🏾 “Let your story speak especially in the spaces where you feel most professional”
Connect with Tessa:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessadeflines/
Website Nearwater: https://nearwater.nl
Struggling to create lasting behavior change?
Discover how Positive Reinforcement can help you inspire and motivate with real impact!
Check out our sponsor: https://neotopia.nl
What part of your story are you still keeping hidden and what might happen if you let it be seen?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 30
From pain to purpose! Trishanka’s journey of healing, identity & unconditional Love.
Some stories don’t just inspire, they shift your entire perspective.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Trishanka Smaal, a powerful voice of resilience, transformation and self-acceptance. Her journey rising from the depths of abuse, violence and rejection to healing, wholeness and empowerment is nothing short of extraordinary!
In our conversation, we explored raw moments, bold choices and the sacred process of becoming who you truly are.
What we explored:
👉🏾 Identity & authenticity: embracing gender identity and living beyond societal expectations;
👉🏾 Healing & inner Work: the multi-layered process of facing trauma and building self-love;
👉🏾 Family & ancestry: breaking toxic cycles through Family Constellation and spiritual tools
👉🏾 Love & compassion: the power of unconditional love, especially when directed inward;
👉🏾 Spiritual growth: navigating twin flames, shamanism and the deeper energies of life!
Nuggets of empowerment:
🙌🏾 “Healing begins when we dare to accept all parts of ourselves even the ones we fear the most"
🙌🏾 “Every layer of pain uncovered is a layer of power waiting to be reclaimed”
🙌🏾 “We are all essential to the world especially when we feel lost, broken, or unseen"
Have you ever had a “Trishanka moment"...a turning point where someone else’s truth helped awaken your own?
✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 29
When healing meets code...building an AI therapist called Amber-mind!
What if the therapist you needed as a teenager...was the one you built as an adult?
So much enjoyed speaking with Kuhu Singh, founder of Amber-mind, an AI-powered mental health companion designed to offer 24/7 support. Her journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change. In our conversation, we explored how personal pain became purpose and how technology is now helping to democratize access to mental health care!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱:
👉🏾 The birth of Amber: from teenage diary entries to 500+ users in a growing mental health startup;
👉🏾 Affordability & access: why therapy must be accessible especially in cultures where it’s still taboo;
👉🏾 Personal struggles as fuel: Kuhu’s raw journey through depression, burnout and healing;
👉🏾 Cultural sensitivity in AI: how Amber is designed to “get you,” no matter your background;
👉🏾 Entrepreneurship & evolution: the pivot from Expresso to Amber and the power of starting over!
𝗡𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:
🙌🏾 Start where it hurts: the most powerful ventures often begin with personal wounds;
🙌🏾 You don’t need to be perfect to build something meaningful: you just need to be real;
🙌🏾 Technology can hold space: when designed with empathy, even AI can support healing!
Connect with Kuhu:
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