Journeys of Empowerment

#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 43What 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 BregmanConnect 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.Learn more: https://neotopia.nl  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:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassia-sarantopoulou/ Company website: https://www.antiloneliness.com A word from our sponsor:Great strategies fail without the right behavior.See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.Learn more: https://neotopia.nl   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 AlvesConnect with Elisa:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisaviaud-orgpsychologist/ Company website: https://elisaviaud.com A word from our sponsor:Great strategies fail without the right behavior.See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.Learn more: https://neotopia.nl  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 40Simone’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:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonemink-lowcode-digitaltransformation/ A word from our sponsor: Great strategies fail without the right behavior.See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.Learn more: https://neotopia.nl   Where in your life are you still seeking approval you no longer need?

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 39Angligène’s path to inner freedom & self-leadershipWhat 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:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angligène-servania-woods-b1383b31/ Company website: http://thebridge.amsterdam A word from our sponsor:Great strategies fail without the right behavior.See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.Learn more: https://neotopia.nl  If no one were watching, who would you allow yourself to become?

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ - Episode 38From 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 37Behind 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 36From 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 35Lighting the Way, Kimberly’s Path from Grief to GrowthWhat 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 34Leading with kindness: Neil’s mission to humanize work and lifeWhat 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 33From drivenness to depth: Alisher’s mission to rethink hiring with purposeCould 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 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  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 32Procurement with Purpose: Peter’s Path to Inclusion & AuthenticityWhat 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: Website: https://esdp-org.eu 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 When was the last time you looked inward, not for flaws but for the quiet brilliance that makes you...you?

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 31Visibility, 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 AtVenture Platform: https://www.atventureplatform.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 part of your story are you still keeping hidden and what might happen if you let it be seen?

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 30From 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"Connect with Trishanka:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheyenne-smaal/ 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     Have you ever had a “Trishanka moment"...a turning point where someone else’s truth helped awaken your own?

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 29When 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:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhu-singh-li/ Website Amber-mind: https://www.ambermind.ai   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    

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 28Bicultural by design...not by defaultWhat if your deepest strength is the part of you that never fully fit in?I had the honour speaking with Kemo Camara, founder of Omek, a global community built to empower biculturals of African descent. His journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change. In our conversation (for me education on steroids), we explored how bicultural identity, when embraced consciously, becomes a superpower for navigating our complex world.𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱:👉🏾 From Guinea to global citizen: Kemo’s personal migration journey shaped by resilience, community and purpose;👉🏾 The origins of Omek: how a spark of belonging grew into a 75-country movement;👉🏾 Conscious biculturalism: turning inner conflict into cultural integration and leadership;👉🏾 Diaspora as a catalyst: why global communities hold the key to local transformation;👉🏾 Legacy and values: how Kemo is teaching his children to stand tall in their cultural heritage;𝗡𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:🙌🏾 Your identity is a toolkit: use it to connect, lead and build bridges across cultures;🙌🏾 Community is not a nice-to-have...it’s a must: belonging fuels transformation!🙌🏾 Vision demands stewardship: real change happens when we think beyond ourselves and our time;Connect with Kemo:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kemo-camara-diaspora-expert/Website Omek: https://myomek.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 

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 27Becoming Emily the courage to be who you areWhat if the bravest thing you could ever do…is simply be yourself?I had the pleasure of speaking with Emily van Putten founder of SheUnfolds, speaker, activist and tech professional whose deeply personal journey of gender transition, emotional resilience and purpose-driven advocacy is nothing short of transformative!! Her story is one of confronting pain, embracing truth and becoming whole in her own words, by following her ❤️.𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱:👉🏾 Growing up in disguise: navigating childhood in a gender that didn’t align with her inner truth;👉🏾 Drag as a doorway: how expression sparked self-awareness and the courage to transition;👉🏾 The power of support: why loving partners, friends and colleagues can make or break a transition journey;👉🏾 Mental health & identity: from suicidal ideation to healing and the ongoing emotional challenges;👉🏾 Creating change: emily’s bold plans for a children’s book on consent and a women-in-tech retreat;𝗡𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:🙌🏾 You don’t need permission to be you: the world might resist, but your truth is yours to claim;🙌🏾 Vulnerability is power: Emily’s raw honesty shows that emotional openness fosters real connection;🙌🏾 Small gestures matter: a colleague’s quiet support can echo louder than public applause;Connect with Emily:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyvanputten/ Website: https://emilyvanputten.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      

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 26The 3Ms of Women's Health: Menstruation, Motherhood & MenopauseWhat if we approached women’s health the way we do language learning habitual, inclusive and empowering?I had the pleasure of speaking with Kasia Pokrop, co-founder of 3mbrace Health | Formerly Mamamoon Health. Her journey of resilience, empowerment and transformation is a true testament to defying expectations and creating meaningful change in the health sector. In our conversation, we explored the critical gaps in women's health and the solutions she's pioneering to close them.𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱:👉🏾 Reimagining women's health: why the 3Ms (menstruation, motherhood, menopause) need holistic, lifelong support;👉🏾 The Mama Moon app: a “Duolingo for birth prep,” built to reduce birth trauma and postpartum depression!👉🏾 The role of men: why men need to show up (!!) speak up and support women's health;👉🏾 From corporate to purpose-driven: Kasia’s bold leap from Philips Digital Health to founding 3mbrace Health;👉🏾 Bringing change to the next generation: the urgent need to introduce women's health education in schools;𝗡𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:🙌🏾 Health is not just a women’s challenge: when men are involved, relationships, understanding and support systems flourish;🙌🏾 Language matters: ‘3mbrace’ was chosen to unite women across life stages, without being a trigger;🙌🏾 Digital done right: habit-based microlearning can create real impact in pregnancy and postpartum journeys!;Connect with Kasia:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasiapokrop/ Website Mama Moon: https://www.mamamoon.me/yoga-retreat-for-mothers Website 3mbrace: https://www.3mbracehealth.com/phases/motherhoodHolistic approach to women's health EVENT 24th of June: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/tickets-womens-health-panel-discussion-1259277285259    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      

✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ – Episode 25The lotus blooms in muddy water. That’s what makes it beautiful!Finally I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeena Earthiva, artist entrepreneur, former Bollywood singer, and founder of Conscious Music Code. Her journey is a profound reminder that healing and creativity often rise from our deepest struggles. Jeena didn’t just lose her voice for three years..she lost a sense of herself. But what she uncovered in that silence was even more powerful: her truth, her mission, and her music.At the peak of her Bollywood career, Jeena was plunged into silence—literally. The loss of her voice triggered a deep identity crisis. For years, she battled anxiety, depression and insomnia, feeling like a zombie moving through life. But within that darkness came a quiet knowing: perhaps this breakdown held the seed of transformation.Together we explored music not just as art, but as medicine..a way to heal, rewire and reconnect. Jeena’s vision of bringing mental fitness through music into schools and workplaces invites us all to remember: we are more than what we’ve endured.What We Explored:The Conscious Music Code: using music to train the mind and elevate awareness;From voice loss to soul gain: transforming a personal crisis into a calling;Mental fitness with music: making emotional training mainstream in workplaces and schools!The impact of objectification in music industry: challenging harmful norms and reclaiming narratives;Authenticity & connection: the power of unfiltered, heartfelt human expression!Nuggets of Empowerment:“Your voice isn’t gone. It’s waiting for you to listen differently.”“Mental fitness isn’t luxury—it’s liberation.”“Visibility matters when your mission is to remind people of their own power.”Connect with Jeena Earthiva:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeenaearthiva/ Website: https://consciousmusiccode.com Workshops: https://jeenaearthiva.com/workshops-for-teams/ Ready to lead real change? Explore Neotopia’s approach: https://neotopia.nl    Discover No More Boring Workshops:https://www.strategysprint.company/nomoreboringworkshops   What emotion have you been afraid to feel...but know it’s time to listen to?Your story might be the song someone else needs to hear!