Journeys of Empowerment

Michiel Sujeet Reith
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Real-life stories: conversations with founders and leaders who turned inner shifts into meaningful change;Lessons from role models: grounded wisdom from people who chose clarity over pressure and aligned their work with who they are;Reclaim your clarity: a journey of self-discovery, agency and purposeful direction;Join the movement: a community that believes in growth through honest reflection, one story at a time!Empowerment begins with a single step your choice to listen, reflect and reconnect with what’s true for you 🙏🏾

  1. #63 | Anna Fedusiv | "A decent life and ripple effects!"

    3D AGO

    #63 | Anna Fedusiv | "A decent life and ripple effects!"

    #63: A decent life and ripple effects! Fascinating convo with Anna Fedusiv, CPCC, ACC, founder of Empowerment LAB and a Ukrainian coach and community builder who brings clarity, depth and lived experience into conversations about work, identity and what it means to live well. Anna grew up in post soviet Ukraine in a time of scarcity, hustle and emotional absence, shaped by entrepreneurial parents and a culture focused on survival. Her journey moved through a corporate marketing career, leadership roles, motherhood, burnout, grief, war and a deep inner reckoning.  What stood out in our conversation was her honest inquiry into success, her courage to redefine it on her own terms and her commitment to live a decent life that creates ripple effects for others. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 a decent life: redefining success beyond performance, expectations and status; 👉🏾 growing up in scarcity: how survival shaped ambition, validation seeking and burnout patterns; 👉🏾 burnout and leadership: the shift from individual contributor to team responsibility; 👉🏾 grief and war: putting the oxygen mask on first to remain human and of service; 👉🏾 empowerment in practice: from marketing to coaching and building spaces for awareness and agency; Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 success without meaning quietly empties you, even when everything looks right on paper; 🙌🏾 awareness is not weakness. it is the moment you reclaim choice; 🙌🏾 your history can be heavy and still be a source of strength when you stop diminishing it; Anna’s empowering quote:  🙌🏾 “i’m a badass” Book mentioned: 📚 Drive | Daniel Pink: autonomy, mastery and purpose as a lens for motivation and meaningful work; Question for you: What would shift if you allowed yourself to define a good life on your own terms, without borrowing expectations from others? Connect with Anna: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annafedusiv/  Company: https://www.annafedusiv.com  Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens

    1h 24m
  2. #62 | Krystal Wu | "You’ve got the key!"

    FEB 10

    #62 | Krystal Wu | "You’ve got the key!"

    #62: You’ve got the key! A fascinating deep dive with Krystal Wu 吴漾 wu, founder of WayBeyond Coaching and an intercultural strategy partner who supports managers to lead across differences with more clarity and care and who is also building a platform and community where coaches and clients can find each other through real connection. Krystal’s story begins in southeast china in 1995, shaped by the one child policy and the hidden reality of being born as a second child. She was moved between caretakers from the age of one and grew up carrying questions about home, belonging and identity. What stayed with me is how she names the shift from living inside victimhood to stepping into agency. Not by erasing the past, but by inviting it to the table without letting it run her life. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 crystal 3.0 and the courage to upgrade: why change matters more than familiarity; 👉🏾 context and identity: how early life shaped her sense of home, belonging and “being different”; 👉🏾 grief and continuity: losing her mother in november 2024 and the way love keeps living through us; 👉🏾 anger as culture and privilege: how cultures shape what we are allowed to express and what we suppress; 👉🏾 healing tools that grounded her: self trust, therapy, expressive writing and a circle of support! Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 familiarity can feel safe, but safety is not always what we already know; 🙌🏾 your past may shape you, but it does not get to define you; 🙌🏾 you do not need a savior, but you do need the courage to take the hand that helps you step back into your own power! Books mentioned: 📚 between us: how cultures create emotions 📚 coco: a story about remembering, grief and how love stays present through memory How about you: Where in your life are you still holding a story that defines you, and what becomes possible if you let it shape you instead? Connect with Krystal: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-wu/  Linkedin company page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/waybeyond-coaching/   Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens

    1h 28m
  3. #61 | Yann Ghisalberti | "ADHD: Diagnosis is the start!"

    FEB 3

    #61 | Yann Ghisalberti | "ADHD: Diagnosis is the start!"

    #61: Diagnosis is the start! In this episode, i connected with Yann Ghisalberti, a former it project and program manager who rebuilt his life after a fifth burnout led to an adult diagnosis of adhd and later autism and who now supports others as a coach and founder of Coach4ADHD in amsterdam, with a special focus on neurodivergence, trauma and belonging. Yann grew up learning how to cope with being different before he had language for it. He carried years of stress, control and self-blame, until his body finally forced a stop. What moved me in our conversation was how honestly he spoke about guilt, the hidden cost of “functioning” and the slow return to self-trust. Not as a sudden breakthrough, but as a long walk of understanding, acceptance and choosing support. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 burnout and breakdown: what his fifth burnout revealed when he could not push anymore; 👉🏾 diagnosis as a beginning: relief first and then the wave of looking back and connecting the dots; 👉🏾 guilt and emotional dysregulation: knowing what to do and still being unable to do it in the moment; 👉🏾 relationships under pressure: how adhd and autism showed up in partnership and parenting and what helped them shift; 👉🏾 purpose after survival: leaving it behind and building a coaching practice and a french-speaking support group in Amsterdam! Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 awareness does not change your life by itself, but it can finally give you a doorway that is real; 🙌🏾 coping strategies can look like personality, until you meet the part of you that is just trying to survive; 🙌🏾 asking for help is not weakness, it is how the cycle breaks and how the next generation breathes easier; What about you: If you have been holding it together for years, what is one small place where you could let support in before your body forces the stop? Connect with Yann: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yann-ghisalberti-adhd-coach-netherlands/  Company website: https://coach4adhd.nl/  The French Speaking ADHD Support Group: Café TDAH: https://www.impulsenwoortblind.nl/adhd-cafe-francais  & https://coach4adhd.nl/cafe-adhd.html  Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens

    1h 26m
  4. #60 | Senneh Kamara | "Courage in motion!"

    JAN 27

    #60 | Senneh Kamara | "Courage in motion!"

    #60 Courage in motion! Fascinating deep dive with Senneh Kamara, a young man whose life changed overnight and who chose courage instead of collapse. Born in Sierra Leone and now living in the Netherlands, Senneh lost his hand in a severe car accident at a young age. What followed was shock, grief, isolation and a long road of physical and emotional recovery.  Rather than hiding, he learned to speak up, to be seen and to rebuild confidence on his own terms. Today he is stepping into education, community and voice, not defined by what he lost but by what he is becoming. His story is raw, honest and quietly powerful.  Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 sudden trauma: losing a hand and waking up to a new reality; 👉🏾 courage and self belief: choosing to move forward; 👉🏾 visibility and identity: when to speak and when not to; 👉🏾 solitude and healing: learning to stand on your own; 👉🏾 purpose ahead: education, medicine and impact; Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 courage starts with believing yourself; 🙌🏾 solitude can be a teacher, not an enemy; 🙌🏾 you earn your own crown; Senneh’s empowering quote: 🙌🏾 “Nobody gives you the crown. You give it to yourself” Books mentioned: 📚 Courage: seven choices for living a life without regret Closing reflection: Where in your life are you waiting for permission that you could give yourself today? Connect with Senneh: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senneh-kamara-259899356/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_caspper_/     Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens.

    1h 19m
  5. #59 | Gabriela Alvarez Burgardt | "Owning life now!"

    JAN 20

    #59 | Gabriela Alvarez Burgardt | "Owning life now!"

    #59 Owning life now! In this episode, I connected with Gabriela Alvarez Burgardt, a global inclusion leader now Global Senior Director People & Culture at House of Inclusion, whose life was reshaped by moments she never chose, yet chose to meet with intention. Raised in Brazil and long successful in international corporate roles, Gabriela’s life changed radically during pregnancy when she temporarily lost her sight, followed years later by a near-fatal Covid experience. Those moments forced a reckoning with time, values and agency.  Instead of retreating, she chose to move forward consciously. Today she lives in the Netherlands, working at the intersection of inclusion, leadership and lived experience, helping people and organisations move from survival to dignity, from comfort to courage.  Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 living with urgency: choosing intention over waiting; 👉🏾 disability and dignity: navigating a world not built for everyone; 👉🏾 identity and work: reclaiming agency after life disruption; 👉🏾 inclusion beyond labels: belonging as a human need; 👉🏾 courage in action: showing up fully, even when it hurts; Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 life is now, not later; 🙌🏾 discomfort can be a doorway, not a threat; 🙌🏾 owning your story changes how you live; Gabriela’s empowering quote: 🙌🏾 “I didn’t choose what happened to me, but I chose what I did with it” Books mentioned: 📚 Courage: seven choices for living a life without regret (referenced as a resonant lens on regret and intentional living) Closing reflection: If time were no longer guaranteed, what choice would you stop postponing? Connect with Gabriela: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriela-alvarez-burgardt/  Website: https://www.house-of-inclusion.com   Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens.

    1h 17m
  6. #58 | Christoper O.H. Williams | "Living without regret!"

    JAN 13

    #58 | Christoper O.H. Williams | "Living without regret!"

    #58 Living without regret! A deep dive with Christopher O.H. Williams, NACD.DC, a writer of C.O.U.R.A.G.E: 7 Choices for Living a Life Without Regret, thinker and former global corporate leader who has spent much of his life wrestling with one quiet but persistent question:  What does it really take to live without regret? Born in Sierra Leone and educated in the United States, Christopher built an impressive international career. Yet somewhere along the way, success stopped feeling like alignment. In 2018, that inner tension became impossible to ignore. What followed was a deep personal reckoning that led him to step away from corporate life and write his book Courage, not as theory, but as lived inquiry. His journey moves through identity, power, silence and responsibility, and always returns to agency.  Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Courage versus fear: why knowing is not the same as acting; 👉🏾 Regret: the quiet cost of postponing what matters; 👉🏾 Agency and identity: reclaiming ownership of your life; 👉🏾 Leadership and integrity: doing well without losing yourself; 👉🏾 Joy and resilience: why courage needs lightness to last; Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 Courage needs something meaningful to work for; 🙌🏾 Silence often becomes regret; 🙌🏾 Joy reduces risk more than we realise; Christopher’s empowering quote: 🙌🏾 “I wish I’d had the courage to live the life I wanted, not the life expected of me” Books mentioned: 📚 Courage: seven choices for living a life without regret Closing reflection: Where in your life do you already know what needs to change, yet still hesitate to act? Connect with Christopher: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherowilliams/  Website: https://www.christopherowilliams.com/book   Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens.

    1h 35m
  7. #57 | Rumailah Burden-Tuuk | "Unapologetically becoming self!"

    JAN 6

    #57 | Rumailah Burden-Tuuk | "Unapologetically becoming self!"

    #57 Unapologetically becoming self! In this episode, I connected with Rumailah Burden-Tuuk, a woman whose life has been shaped by courage, responsibility and an unwavering commitment to stay true to herself. We met in a crowded room at Microsoft NL and something in her presence stood out immediately. This conversation reveals why :) Rumailah grew up as the daughter of Filipino immigrants, became a mother at nineteen and was underestimated more times than she can count. Instead of shrinking, she chose to play big. Today she works as an AI advisory solution consultant at ServiceNow, translating complexity into clarity while holding a deep ethical compass around technology, leadership and human dignity. Her journey is one of survival turning into purpose, ambition grounded in gratitude and success shaped by values rather than titles.  Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 becoming a mother young: responsibility as a catalyst for growth; 👉🏾 unapologetic selfhood: refusing to play small to fit in; 👉🏾 intuition and courage: knowing when to walk away; 👉🏾 women in tech: navigating power, credibility and voice; 👉🏾 ethical AI: engineering with integrity and care; Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 your starting point does not define your ceiling; 🙌🏾 intuition is a skill you can learn to trust; 🙌🏾 success means nothing without peace; Rumailah’s empowering quote: 🙌🏾 “I am becoming my truest self” Book mentioned: 📚 The rhythm of life: living intentionally and in gratitude Closing reflection: Where in your life are you still dimming yourself to belong, and what might change if you chose yourself instead? Connect with Rumailah: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rumailahburden/  Website: https://www.servicenow.com   Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens.

    1h 33m
  8. #56 | Mirjam Heldmann | "What if it all works out?"

    12/30/2025

    #56 | Mirjam Heldmann | "What if it all works out?"

    #56 What if it all works out? In this episode, I connected with Mirjam Heldmann, a trail ultrarunner and deep democracy facilitator whose life bridges intensity, intuition and the steady work of becoming fully herself. Raised in the German Alps and adopted as a baby, Mirjam grew up with loving Buddhist parents and a deep sensitivity she could feel long before she understood.  Running entered her life at fourteen as a way to regulate her nervous system and return to herself, and it grew into both a physical practice and a spiritual anchor. Today she combines her work at Oxfam Novib with Vox Agora, where she facilitates conflict resolution and cultural transformation through deep democracy. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Becoming fully herself: following yearly themes like self love and what if it all works out; 👉🏾 Adoption and identity: the unseen layers of trust, belonging and the complexity of both; 👉🏾 Deep democracy: learning to work with what is said and unsaid in groups; 👉🏾 The body as compass: running, breath and ice baths as pathways back to presence; 👉🏾 Love and safety: how a deeply safe relationship changed her inner landscape; Nuggets of empowerment: 🙌🏾 The body often knows long before the mind understands; 🙌🏾 Belonging begins within when no place feels fully yours; 🙌🏾 Trust grows when you stay with the discomfort instead of checking out; Mirjam’s empowering quote: 🙌🏾 “What if it actually all works out....” Mirjam’s story invites a quiet shift: What would change in your life if you allowed yourself to trust the possibility that it might all work out? Connect with Mirjam: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirjam-heldmann/  Website: https://www.voxagora.org  Learn more about our sponsor: https://reinforcer.ai/home/ helps leaders turn everyday feedback into measurable behavior change, right where work actually happens.

    1h 27m
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About

Real-life stories: conversations with founders and leaders who turned inner shifts into meaningful change;Lessons from role models: grounded wisdom from people who chose clarity over pressure and aligned their work with who they are;Reclaim your clarity: a journey of self-discovery, agency and purposeful direction;Join the movement: a community that believes in growth through honest reflection, one story at a time!Empowerment begins with a single step your choice to listen, reflect and reconnect with what’s true for you 🙏🏾

Information

  • Creator
    Michiel Sujeet Reith
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Journeys of Empowerment | Michiel Sujeet Reith
  • Show Website
    Journeys of Empowerment

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