What does it mean to lead a business like an ecosystem, where care, collaboration, and trust shape every decision?

In this episode of The Magic Hour Podcast, I sit down with Annelies Tjebbes, Founder and CEO of Roots & Rivers Consulting, to talk about de-centering the founder, building systems that honour people over productivity, and making intuitive, values-led decisions in a world that often pushes the opposite.

With an engineering background and a deep commitment to anti-capitalist leadership, Annelies brings both structure and soul to the way she builds. We explore how she shifted from data to intuition, created rhythms that protect her team’s energy, and made “no” one of her most powerful leadership tools.

This episode is about more than running a sustainable business. It’s about showing up as a whole person while making space for others to do the same.

🎧 In this episode, we explore:

⚡ Why saying “no” is essential if you want to say “yes” with clarity and intention

⚡ How panic attacks became a turning point in understanding Annelies' limits and listening to her body

⚡ The power of empathy as a leadership skill (and why it’s not “soft”)

⚡ How to integrate anti-capitalist practices in small business and push back against extractive systems

⚡ Reframing leadership through ecosystems, not hierarchies

⚡ The spectrum of intuition and how to build trust in your gut

If you’re reimagining how to lead, collaborate, and grow without losing yourself, this one’s for you.

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📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast

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