Calm + Curious Podcast

Nika Brunet
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Calm + Curious Podcast (Formerly known as Pink Nest Podcast.) Calm + Curious Podcast is a gentle, honest space for unpolished personal stories about work, creativity, mental health, identity, and the messy, beautiful reality of being human. We don't do any post-recording edits. We keep the pauses, the laughter, the uncertainty, and the humanness. No filters, no performance, just real talk. Each episode invites someone to share the story behind their life and everything else in it: the paths that shaped them, the challenges they have navigated, the moments that changed them, and the lessons they are still learning. From music, live events, festivals, backstage secrets and the creative industries to burnout and recovery, career shifts and motherhood, neurodivergence, entrepreneurship, leadership, belonging, and purpose, these are the conversations you won’t hear on the main stage.  Through honest conversations with founders, artists, musicians, creatives, event professionals, crew, carers, leaders, thinkers, and people navigating change, Calm + Curious makes space for lived experience, curiosity, and care. I’m looking to speak with people ready to share their personal story with honesty and depth, people whose wisdom, wounds, humour, lessons, or perspectives might help someone else feel less alone. If you have something real to say, let’s talk life together.

  1. Jul 21

    Reinventing Yourself: A Personal Journey by Nika

    What if the very traits that made you feel different as a child are the same ones that end up shaping your entire career? And what does it actually take to reinvent yourself when the world you built starts to feel misaligned? In this solo episode, and also the last episode of the Pink Nest Podcast this season, Nika turns the mic on herself. She reflects on her childhood in Yugoslavia, the early traits that marked her as sensitive, sharp, and endlessly reliable, and how those same traits followed her into a career spanning corporate work, international festivals, and sustainability leadership across more than a decade in events. Nika opens up about the moment burnout and lack of awareness caught up with her, and how that experience, combined with her own late neurodivergent diagnosis, led her to found Calm Nest Collective. She shares the mission behind the company: creating sensory-friendly, neuroinclusive spaces for events and workplaces across the UK and Europe, and why calm spaces are no longer a "nice to have" but a necessity in an industry where 40 to 48 percent of the workforce is neurodivergent. Drawing on her ongoing PhD research into mental health and neurodiversity in the events industry, Nika unpacks why so many creative, high-pressure environments quietly push people toward burnout, and what actually needs to change. She also reflects on Season One of Pink Nest Podcast, what the process of building this show has taught her, and what reinvention really looks like when you stop performing and start listening to yourself. "I was a very reliable person from a young age." This episode is a reminder that self-discovery does not stop once you have built something. Sometimes it is the very thing that pushes you to build again. In this episodeNika's childhood in Yugoslavia and the early traits that shaped her.Her transition from corporate work into the events industry, and eventually entrepreneurshipThe founding of Calm Nest Collective and its mission to create calmer, more inclusive spacesWhy calm and sensory spaces matter at events, and how they support neurodivergent professionals and attendeesInsights from her research on mental health and neurodiversity in the events industryThe impact of burnout and the lack of awareness that often surrounds itPersonal reflections on change, self-reinvention, and Season One of Pink Nest Podcast.ResourcesCalm Nest Collective: https://calmnestcollective.comWebsite : https://nikabrunet.comConnect with NikaLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nikabrunet 📌 Don't forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: http://pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any organisation mentioned.

  2. Jul 14

    Reclaiming Your Divine Feminine for Business and Life with Hannah

    What if the body you've been trying to override is actually the wisest part of you? And what if the success you've been chasing has been costing you the very things you were trying to build it for? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Hannah, founder of Soma Soma, a somatic channel and nervous system specialist for high-achieving women. Hannah shares her journey from childhood sensitivity and energy reading to building a multi-six figure business, and the burnout that eventually forced her to stop, listen, and rebuild from a completely different place. Her story is a reminder that success and alignment are not always the same thing. Hannah talks openly about the signs of misalignment that showed up in her body long before she recognised them, and how nervous system work and energy healing became the doorway back to herself. She shares how understanding and balancing masculine and feminine energies changed not just how she runs her business, but how she moves through her entire life. This episode goes beyond theory into lived, embodied practice. Hannah offers grounded insight on rest, self-care, and what it looks like to actually follow your desires as a blueprint rather than a distraction. If you've ever felt disconnected from your body, unsure how to trust your intuition, or exhausted by chasing goals that don't feel like yours, this conversation offers a different way forward. "Trust your feelings, they know the truth." This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and start building a life and business rooted in alignment rather than force. In this episodeHannah's childhood sensitivity and how it shaped her ability to read energyThe impact of early sensitivity on her adult life and careerBuilding a multi-six figure business, and the signs of misalignment that led to burnoutRebuilding from alignment rather than forceUnderstanding and balancing masculine and feminine energiesWhy following your desires can act as a blueprint for life.The importance of rest, self-care, and listening to your body's signalsEmbracing uncertainty and learning to trust yourself. More about Hannah: Soma Soma: https://www.somasoma.ca 📌 Don't forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: http://pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

  3. Jul 7

    From ADHD to Leadership: Harriet Bratt’s Transformational Journey

    What if the thing you were told was a limitation could become the very thing that shaped your leadership? And what if confidence was not something you were born with, but something you could build? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Harriet Bratt for an honest and energising conversation about ADHD, self-doubt, public speaking, and the process of becoming more confident in your own voice. Harriet shares her journey from childhood diagnosis to a career that moved from care home management into coaching, mentoring, and speaking support. Her story is a reminder that growth does not always happen in straight lines. Harriet talks openly about how diagnosis, family support, and years of hard work shaped her path, as well as the role mindset played in helping her move from survival mode into leadership. She also shares how firewalking became a powerful metaphor for fear, courage, and doing the thing you thought you could never do. This episode goes beyond inspiration and into practical tools. Harriet offers grounded advice for public speaking, confidence-building, and reframing the inner dialogue that so often holds people back. If you’ve ever struggled with focus, self-belief, or the fear of being seen, this conversation is a reminder that you are capable of more than you think. "It wasn’t the ADHD, it was the approach." This episode is an invitation to reframe what you think is possible, and to step forward with more clarity, courage, and self-trust. In this episodeHarriet’s childhood and ADHD diagnosis, and how it shaped her early experiences.The impact of family support and diagnosis on her confidence and development.Her transition from care home management into coaching and speaking.Firewalking as a metaphor for overcoming fear and stepping into courage.Practical public speaking tips and mindset shifts for building confidence. Connect with Harriet https://www.harrietbratt.com/ 📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: http://pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

  4. Jun 30

    Unconditioning: How to Live Your Authentic Life with Arnold Beekes

    What if the life you’re living is not really yours? And what if the beliefs shaping your choices were never actually yours to begin with? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Arnold Beekes for a thoughtful conversation about childhood conditioning, unlearning societal expectations, and the long journey toward authentic self-awareness. From a difficult childhood in the Netherlands to a life devoted to exploring the inner self, Arnold shares the experiences that shaped him and the insights that followed. Arnold’s story is a reminder that personal growth is not always about adding more. Sometimes it’s about subtracting what was never truly yours. He speaks openly about feeling like a misfit, the difference between being alone and being lonely, and why pain can become a powerful catalyst for transformation when we choose to face it honestly. This episode also explores the inner critic, self-kindness, and the everyday work of becoming more authentic in a world that often rewards conformity. If you’ve ever questioned the life you’ve built, or felt the pressure to fit into expectations that don’t feel aligned, this conversation offers space to reflect, reset, and begin again. "Most people live someone else's life." This episode is an invitation to notice what has been conditioned into you, and to ask what becomes possible when you start living from within. In this episodeArnold’s childhood in the Netherlands and the experiences that shaped his sense of self.His transition into technology, leadership, and eventually psychology and personal leadership.What unconditioning means and why it matters for authentic living.The difference between being alone and being lonely.How pain can become part of personal transformation.The role of the inner critic and how self-kindness changes the process of growth. Connect with Arnold https://about.me/arnoldbeekes 📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: http://pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

  5. Jun 23

    Living Deliberately: How One Man Reclaimed His Life and Freedom with Tom Jeffs

    What if the life you were taught to want was never really yours? And what if walking away from it was the bravest, most clarifying thing you ever did? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Tom. coach, recovering alcoholic, world schooling dad, and accidental adventurer, for a conversation that is honest, grounding, and quietly life-changing. Tom's story begins in the UK, shaped by all the rules that tell you what a successful life should look like: the career, the status, the social rituals that come with it, including alcohol. For years he followed the script. And for years, something didn't quite fit. It was the decision to get sober, and later to uproot his family and move to Malaysia, that cracked everything open. Not into chaos, but into clarity. What makes Tom's approach stand out is the absence of drama around it. He doesn't frame sobriety as a battle or life abroad as an escape. In his world, intentional living is a quiet, deliberate practice, asking better questions, tolerating uncertainty, and building a life around memories rather than milestones. He calls it living deliberately, and once you hear him explain it, it's hard to think about your own choices the same way. This episode goes deep on identity, not in a theoretical way, but as a lived experience of what happens when you strip away the external markers of success and ask what's actually left. Tom also speaks openly about world schooling, what it really means to raise children outside the system, and the fears that almost stopped him from making the leap at all. "Live your life deliberately." This episode is an invitation to question the script, sit with the worst case scenario, and start building a life that is genuinely, unmistakably yours. IN THIS EPISODE Tom's childhood in the UK and the early conditioning that shaped his idea of successThe role alcohol played in his professional and social world and the turning point that changed everythingWhat sobriety actually opened up, beyond the obviousThe decision to move to Malaysia with his family and what it took to get thereWorld schooling in practice, the reality, the challenges, and why they chose itHow Tom rebuilt his identity and career outside the structures he had always knownWhy asking "what is the worst case scenario?" is one of the most liberating questions you can askLiving deliberately as a daily practice, not a one-time decisionWhat it means to measure a life in memories rather than achievements. Connect with Tom 💼   a2scoaching 📌 Don't forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: http://pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

  6. Jun 16

    Discipline, AI & Event Resilience: The Fit for Events Framework with Anca Platon Trifan

    What happens when the discipline of a bodybuilding champion meets the complexity of artificial intelligence and both are applied to the events industry? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Anca Platon Trifan, AI strategist, international event producer, and bodybuilding champion for a conversation that is as unexpected as it is essential. Anca's story begins in Romania, shaped by early dreams and a drive that never needed much external fuel. Over the years, that drive took her across industries, across borders, and eventually to a place very few people occupy: the intersection of physical performance, creative production, and technological strategy. She didn't arrive there by following a map. She arrived there by being willing to keep moving when the road ran out, including during a global pandemic that dismantled the events industry almost overnight. Where others saw collapse, Anca saw a laboratory. COVID-19 forced a reckoning that she believes the industry needed and she used that time to build, to think, and to develop frameworks that have since shaped how she trains others to lead. This episode goes deep on something the events world is still figuring out: what AI actually means for creative professionals. Anca is not here to hype the technology or to fear it. She is here to help people understand it, because understanding how things work, not just how they look, is where real power lives. She also brings her Fit for Events framework into the conversation, connecting physical discipline with professional resilience in a way that makes complete sense once she explains it. "Consistency beats intensity every single time." This episode is a masterclass in what it looks like to build something that lasts. IN THIS EPISODE Anca's childhood in Romania and the early influences that shaped her discipline and driveHow bodybuilding became a school for mental strength, resilience, and leadershipWhat COVID-19 revealed about the events industry and how Anca used it as a turning pointThe Fit for Events framework and how fitness principles translate into professional performanceNavigating AI in creative industries without losing the human edgeWhy consistency and behind-the-scenes work matter more than visible intensityThe unique pressures facing newcomers in events and what they need to hearWhy the future of the industry belongs to those who understand the tools, not just use them Connect with Anca 🎙️ Miss My Podcast: missmypodcast.com🎪 3Find Event Production: 3findevent.com💼 Anca on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ancaplatontrifan ☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet 📌 Don't forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

  7. Jun 9

    Energy, Mindset & the EGNI App: Unlocking Your Potential with Elin Mai

    What if personal growth didn't have to feel like hard work and what if everything you needed to transform your life was already inside you? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Elin Mai, empowerment architect, international entrepreneur, and creator of the EGNI coaching app for a conversation that is energising, deeply practical, and genuinely unlike anything we've covered before. Elin's story begins in North Wales, shaped by an entrepreneurial spirit that showed up early and never really left. Over the years she built a successful international business, but it was the inner journey running alongside that business, the questions about identity, energy, and purpose that eventually led her somewhere more meaningful. Today she works as a coach helping people build what she calls an inner blueprint: not a copy of someone else's success, but a deeply personal architecture for their own. What makes Elin's approach stand out is what she refuses to do. She won't make growth feel heavy. She won't dress transformation up as suffering. In her world, personal development is supposed to feel exciting, even glamorous because if it feels like punishment, you won't keep going. And keeping going, she'll tell you, is everything. This episode goes deep on energy, not in a vague, wellness-speak way, but as a practical lens for understanding why some seasons of life feel aligned and others feel like you're pushing against a current. Elin also introduces EGNI, her coaching app built to make the tools of transformation genuinely accessible, and speaks honestly about what commitment to self-development actually requires, including the fears that stop most people before they even begin. "You have got the potential within you." This episode is an invitation to stop waiting for permission and start building from the inside out. IN THIS EPISODE Elin's childhood in North Wales and the entrepreneurial energy that started earlyThe transition from running an international business to becoming a coach and what that shift really involvedWhat an empowerment architect actually does and why the inner blueprint matters more than any external strategyEnergy management as a practical tool for personal and professional growthWhy mindset, strategy, and personal branding are not separate conversationsSelf-limiting beliefs, the universal barrier Elin sees in almost every client, regardless of backgroundWhy growth should feel exciting and glamorous and what happens when it doesn'tThe EGNI coaching app, what it is, why she built it, and who it's forWhat readiness for change actually looks like and how to know when you're truly in it. Connect with Elin Mai 🌐 elinmai.com💼 LinkedIn ☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet📌 Don't forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

  8. Jun 2

    Menopause, Identity & Authentic Leadership for Female Founders with Lindsay White

    What if the moment your body starts changing is also the moment you finally stop shrinking yourself to fit spaces that were never designed for you? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Lindsay White. leadership coach, entrepreneur, and host of the Female Founder Unplugged podcast. for a conversation that is long overdue, quietly radical, and deeply necessary. Lindsay brings together two worlds that are rarely spoken about in the same breath: menopause and leadership. Not as a crisis narrative, not as a cautionary tale, but as an invitation to understand what is actually happening in the body, why it matters for how we lead, and what becomes possible when female founders stop apologising for being human. Her work sits at the intersection of hormonal health, authentic leadership, and the particular pressures faced by women building businesses in a world that still wasn't entirely built with them in mind. And in this episode, she brings all of it to the table, with honesty, warmth, and practical wisdom that you won't find in a standard leadership development course. This episode doesn't just talk about menopause as a health issue. It explores it as a leadership issue, an identity issue, and, perhaps most powerfully, as a moment of profound personal reckoning. Lindsay speaks candidly about the Inner Saboteur, the self-worth patterns that quietly undermine even the most capable founders, and why authentic leadership is not a personality trait you either have or don't. It is, as she puts it, a deep work process. "Hormones rule our bodies and mind." This episode is a reminder that understanding yourself, all of yourself, is not a distraction from good leadership. It is the foundation of it. IN THIS EPISODE Lindsay's personal journey and what led her to work at the intersection of menopause and leadershipHow the modern workplace is evolving and where it is still falling dangerously short for womenThe specific challenges female founders face that rarely get named out loudThe identity shifts that often accompany hormonal changes and how to navigate them with intentionThe Inner Saboteur Model and how to recognise when it is running the showWhy authentic leadership requires deep inner work, not just better communication skillsThe generational dynamics at play in today's workplaces and how they affect women differentlyWhy rest is not a reward it is a leadership strategy. Connect with Lindsay:💼 LinkedIn🐦 Twitter / X🌐 lindsaywhite.com ☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet 📌 Don't forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! 🌐 WEBSITE: pinknestpodcast.com 📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

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About

Calm + Curious Podcast (Formerly known as Pink Nest Podcast.) Calm + Curious Podcast is a gentle, honest space for unpolished personal stories about work, creativity, mental health, identity, and the messy, beautiful reality of being human. We don't do any post-recording edits. We keep the pauses, the laughter, the uncertainty, and the humanness. No filters, no performance, just real talk. Each episode invites someone to share the story behind their life and everything else in it: the paths that shaped them, the challenges they have navigated, the moments that changed them, and the lessons they are still learning. From music, live events, festivals, backstage secrets and the creative industries to burnout and recovery, career shifts and motherhood, neurodivergence, entrepreneurship, leadership, belonging, and purpose, these are the conversations you won’t hear on the main stage.  Through honest conversations with founders, artists, musicians, creatives, event professionals, crew, carers, leaders, thinkers, and people navigating change, Calm + Curious makes space for lived experience, curiosity, and care. I’m looking to speak with people ready to share their personal story with honesty and depth, people whose wisdom, wounds, humour, lessons, or perspectives might help someone else feel less alone. If you have something real to say, let’s talk life together.

Information

  • Creator
    Nika Brunet
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Nika Brunet
  • Show Website
    Calm + Curious Podcast