I’m Zeva Bellel, a certified career transformation coach for women. I’m based in Paris, France, but I hail from Brooklyn NY. Back in 1999 I left everything known and familiar to to me to follow my dream of one day becoming French. It was a wild decision that made no “logical” sense (especially if you asked my grandpa, Sol, who thought I was nuts).
Since then, in life, as well as in work, I’m fascinated by how we become the version of ourselves we’re meant to become. Especially when our paths are strewn with unexpected challenges, doubts as well as inexplicable urges and desires.
However, in a world obsessed with overnight success stories and fancy ribbon cuttings, we neglect the insights and learnings that emerge during the messy middle of the transformation process. The consequences are that we often believe transformation should be obvious, quick and pain-free, since we have few examples to guide us and inspire us forward.
That’s what On Becoming sets out to do—tell the true transformation stories of inspiring women entrepreneurs, creatives and innovators. Instead of merely focusing on where they are now, we’ll peel back the onion and take a lovingly honest look at their becoming journey. We’ll hear about how they made difficult decisions in the pursuit of deep self-expression and fulfilment, especially when they wandered off course and deviated from the classic path. Listen to find out how their hidden journeys can help unlock your own potential.
Subscribe now to follow every episode.
You can also follow me on Instagram, get my newsletter or book a call with me at www.zevabellel.com
Credits
Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner
Editing Matthew Jordan
Music © Fabrice Fortin
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I’m Zeva Bellel, a certified career transformation coach for women. I’m based in Paris, France, but I hail from Brooklyn NY. Back in 1999 I left everything known and familiar to to me to follow my dream of one day becoming French. It was a wild decision that made no “logical” sense (especially if you asked my grandpa, Sol, who thought I was nuts).
Since then, in life, as well as in work, I’m fascinated by how we become the version of ourselves we’re meant to become. Especially when our paths are strewn with unexpected challenges, doubts as well as inexplicable urges and desires.
However, in a world obsessed with overnight success stories and fancy ribbon cuttings, we neglect the insights and learnings that emerge during the messy middle of the transformation process. The consequences are that we often believe transformation should be obvious, quick and pain-free, since we have few examples to guide us and inspire us forward.
That’s what On Becoming sets out to do—tell the true transformation stories of inspiring women entrepreneurs, creatives and innovators. Instead of merely focusing on where they are now, we’ll peel back the onion and take a lovingly honest look at their becoming journey. We’ll hear about how they made difficult decisions in the pursuit of deep self-expression and fulfilment, especially when they wandered off course and deviated from the classic path. Listen to find out how their hidden journeys can help unlock your own potential.
Subscribe now to follow every episode.
You can also follow me on Instagram, get my newsletter or book a call with me at www.zevabellel.com
Credits
Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner
Editing Matthew Jordan
Music © Fabrice Fortin
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Full disclosure: This episode almost didn’t make it to you. After our conversation, I got one of those dreaded error messages—my guest’s audio was supposedly damaged beyond repair. Which meant I had to do the unthinkable: ask her to re-record the whole thing. And not only was that a professional bummer, it felt like a crime. Because the conversation you’re about to hear was full of spontaneous, goosebump-inducing moments—those rare, honest sparks when something deeper comes through.
So yes, we did a backup recording (thank you, Ana, for your grace). But right before I sent the files off to my editor… I discovered the original audio—the one you’re about to hear—was perfectly intact. Don’t ask. Just thank the podcast gods.
Now, about my guest: Ana Tajder is a Croatian-born journalist, author, and host of the award-winning podcast Thank You, Mama, where she’s interviewed over 170 women from 80 countries about the lessons they learned from their mothers. She’s also the daughter of renowned Yugoslav actress and artist Jagoda Kaloper, a university lecturer in Vienna, and a two-time author whose work explores storytelling, sociology, and the cultural legacies passed down through the motherline.
I invited Ana on because—whether she knows it or not—she’s been quietly building what I’d call a doctorate in mother-daughter wisdom. I wanted to know: after all these conversations, what has she learned not just about our mothers, but about us? What resurfaces in women’s lives at midlife? What gets inherited, and what gets rewritten?
Ana’s story is extraordinary. She grew up with a fiercely independent, creative mother—and carries the legacy of a Croatian island ruled by “white widows,” badass women who held down entire communities while the men were gone. That matriarchal strength runs through this entire episode.
We talk about:
Connect with Me:
•Book a discovery call at www.zevabellel.com
•Subscribe to my Substack: On Becoming
•Email me: zeva@zevabellel.com
•Leave me a voice message on Speakpipe
Credits: Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner; Editing Matthew Jordan; Music © Fabrice Fortin; Mai's photo bt Lyloutte Studio
P.S. If you love this episode, share it with a friend, leave a 5-star review, or drop me a line. I love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.