Butterfly Effect

lukaszniparko

Hello and welcome to The Butterfly Effect! —a show about becoming. Through stories and the power of inspiration and human-to-human connection, we will discover our 'why-s' and 'for-s' that drive our existence, empowering us to take the steering wheel of our own lives and fueling our passions and dreams. Tell me your story!

Episodes

  1. Sep 26

    “Diplomacy is a kind of contact sport.” | The B-Effect with Artūrs Zaķis

    From the outside, diplomacy can look like suits, receptions, and carefully chosen words. Latvian diplomat Artūrs Zaķis takes us behind the scenes: the patience it demands, the relationships built one conversation at a time, and the sacrifices diplomats and their families make. In this episode of The Butterfly Effect, we follow Artūrs’s journey from a child who loved encyclopedias to postings in Washington, D.C., London, and Latvia’s mission to the United Nations. We talk about Ukraine, why international cooperation matters so deeply to Latvia, and whether multilateralism can endure.In our conversation, Artūrs takes us beyond the formal receptions to talk about the patience, relationships, and sacrifices the work demands. We also explore why international cooperation matters, why he believes countries must keep talking even in times of conflict, and how kindness can create a ripple effect of its own, as Artūrs explains: “Before and after conflict, there’s always diplomacy.” More about Artūrs:Artūrs Zaķis is a Latvian career diplomat whose curiosity about the world began with childhood encyclopedias and newspapers. A scholarship took him to St. Lawrence University in New York, where he graduated in 2010; he later completed the Fletcher School’s Global Master of Arts Program at Tufts University. His diplomatic postings have taken him to Washington, D.C., London, and Latvia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, which he joined as spokesperson in 2025. The B-Effect is a space for stories about purpose, resilience, faith, and the courage to keep going when life takes unexpected turns. If you believe Stories can Create Change, Please SUBSCRIBE! B-Effect WEBSITE: https://beffect.online/ Our SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewhyfor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bewhyfor/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bewhyfor.bsky.social X: https://x.com/bewhyfor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bewhyfor You can SUPPORT B-Effect directly via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SBTNYB4B2TJKU or Patreon: https://patreon.com/beffect | Thank You! CONTACT B-Effect: https://beffect.online/contact/ Thanks for tuning in! Now: “Set Your Heart Ablaze. Go beyond your limits. Make it happen. Be more than you are.”

  2. Sep 9

    Armen Andonian on Starting Over, Resilience, and Reinvention When Life Changes

    From the European Parliament to entrepreneurship, from Europe to Asia and back again, Armen Andonian’s journey reflects a conviction he returns to throughout his life: when one path ends, it is possible to learn, adapt, build something new… and start over. For Armen, Brexit marked the end of a chapter he had spent years building at the European Parliament. What followed was uncertainty, reinvention, a move to Barcelona, entrepreneurship, life as a digital nomad, and an ongoing journey to understand who he is and what comes next. Armen speaks about the moments that shaped him: working in European politics, starting over with little certainty about the future, building a life across countries and cultures, reconnecting with his Armenian roots, and learning what persistence really means when there is no obvious roadmap. We also talk about the reality behind the digital-nomad dream, the discipline it actually requires, what Thailand and Vietnam taught him about life and work, why he ultimately chose entrepreneurship over politics, and how AI is once again transforming the industry in which he works. But the most important part of our conversation is about starting over. Armen reminds us that losing one path does not mean losing our future. We are not permanently confined to the professional, personal, or social “boxes” we once imagined for ourselves or where put inside by others. We can learn again. Build again. Change direction. Start something completely new. More about Armen: Armen Andonian is a UK-born entrepreneur, digital marketing strategist, and founder of ACERO Digital, a search engine optimization (SEO) and digital PR agency helping businesses grow their visibility across traditional search engines and the emerging world of AI-powered search.Armen spent several years working at the European Parliament in Brussels. Following the Brexit, Armen left the institutional world of European politics and began rebuilding his professional life from the ground up. Living and working in Spain, Thailand and Vietnam, Armen embraced the digital-nomad lifestyle while continuing to build businesses, develop his expertise, and learn from the different cultures and communities around him. The B-Effect is a space for stories about purpose, resilience, faith, and the courage to keep going when life takes unexpected turns. If you believe Stories can Create Change, Please SUBSCRIBE! B-Effect WEBSITE: https://beffect.online/ Our SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewhyfor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bewhyfor/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bewhyfor.bsky.social X: https://x.com/bewhyfor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bewhyfor You can SUPPORT B-Effect directly via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SBTNYB4B2TJKU or Patreon: https://patreon.com/beffect | Thank You! CONTACT B-Effect: https://beffect.online/contact/ Thanks for tuning in! Now: “Set Your Heart Ablaze. Go beyond your limits. Make it happen. Be more than you are.”

  3. Aug 20

    "I'm here for connection. I'm here for love…" | The B-Effect with Martine Alonso Marquis

    With Martine, we ask what it actually means to change and whether lasting transformation is possible. We also explore what Martine calls "The Great Disconnect": a world in which we may be more technologically connected than ever, yet increasingly disconnected from ourselves, our bodies, nature, silence, and one another. To give you a sense of just how nourishing this conversation is, here are two of my favorite quotes from Martine: "The only person we can truly work on is ourselves" and "One healed relationship changes a family. One conscious leader changes a team." Martine began her professional journey in the field of international relations, studying conflict and security, international relations, and political science, and later working as a foreign policy adviser in the European Parliament and with various international organizations. Over time, however, her attention shifted from relationships between countries and institutions toward something even more fundamental: our relationships with one another and with ourselves. Today, she is a certified executive, relationship, and separation coach who has spent the past 15 years working with leaders and individuals navigating change, uncertainty, conflict, and transformation. Her work brings together three interconnected areas: lead with impact, love with intention, and separate with grace. Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/tKN_kYoe0GQ More about Martine: Dr. Martine Alonso Marquis is an executive, relationship, and separation coach whose work spans leadership and personal transformation and explores a question that has followed her across countries, careers, and chapters of life: what allows human beings to remain meaningfully connected to themselves and to one another? Martine began her career in international relations, studying conflict, security, and political science before working as a foreign policy adviser in the European Parliament and with international organizations. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Sciences Po Paris, alongside graduate degrees in international affairs and international relations, and has lived in seven countries. Over the past 15 years, she has brought that international and institutional experience into the deeply human terrain of leadership and personal transformation. Today, Martine is Head of Training, Quality & Excellence at key2advance, a certified executive coach and trainer, and co-creator of the Next Generation Leadership Academy. Martine’s Heartblooms helps people build healthier, more intentional relationships: https://heartblooms.com Martine’s personal website: https://martinealonsomarquis.com More about 'HeartMath': https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12722655/ The B-Effect is a space for stories about purpose, resilience, faith, and the courage to keep going when life takes unexpected turns. If you believe Stories can Create Change, Please SUBSCRIBE! B-Effect WEBSITE: https://beffect.online/ Our SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewhyfor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bewhyfor/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bewhyfor.bsky.social X: https://x.com/bewhyfor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bewhyfor You can SUPPORT B-Effect directly via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SBTNYB4B2TJKU or Patreon: https://patreon.com/beffect | Thank You! CONTACT B-Effect: https://beffect.online/contact/ Thanks for tuning in! Now: “Set Your Heart Ablaze. Go beyond your limits. Make it happen. Be more than you are.”

  4. May 9

    Margaret “Peggy” Wright: “You are never too late to process your trauma…”

    What does it mean to move from surviving to helping others heal? In this episode of The Butterfly Effect, I speak with Margaret “Peggy” Wright, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist based in Rochester, New York, whose work is rooted in trauma, survivorship, and the caring relationship between therapist and client. Peggy speaks with honesty about being a Survivor of childhood trauma, the long process of healing, and the path that led her into clinical social work. As she says, survivorship gives her “an extra level in the clinical space” not only as a clinician but as “the human in the clinician.” The B-Effect is a show about becoming, and Peggy’s story reminds us that becoming can mean surviving, healing, and then helping others prosper. The B-Effect is a space for stories about purpose, resilience, faith, and the courage to keep going when life takes unexpected turns. If you believe Stories can create Change, Please SUBSCRIBE! B-Effect WEBSITE: https://beffect.online/ Our SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewhyfor/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bewhyfor/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bewhyfor.bsky.socialX: https://x.com/bewhyforTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bewhyfor You can SUPPORT B-Effect directly via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SBTNYB4B2TJKU or Patreon: https://patreon.com/beffect | Thank You! CONTACT B-Effect: https://beffect.online/contact/ Thanks for tuning in! Now: “Set Your Heart Ablaze. Go beyond your limits. Make it happen. Be more than you are.” More about Peggy:Margaret “Peggy” Wright, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist based in Rochester, New York. Peggy’s practice is informed by her own experience as a Survivor and Thriver, which is why she believes that the therapeutic space should truly belong to the client. As the founder of Mind Over Chatter: https://www.mindoverchatterlcswpllc.com/ she brings a thoughtful, individualized approach to her work with youth, teens, and adults, shaped by years of community-based social work experience. She supports people through life transitions, trauma, complex family dynamics, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and the long process of learning how to communicate their needs, build boundaries, and heal with intention. For viewers who may be looking for support, Enough Abuse has gathered a wide range of resources for adult Survivors of childhood sexual abuse, including Survivor support organizations, online support options, and resources for loved ones who want to support Survivors with care. You can find those resources here: https://enoughabuse.org/get-help/survivor-support/ Please take your time, choose what feels safe, and reach out for support when you are ready. Acronyms Explained: ADHD — Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder CPS — Child Protective Services LCSW Test — Licensed Clinical Social Worker Test PTSD — Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder SYE — Senior Year Experience; a research project completed at St. Lawrence University in New York #TheB-Effect #mentalhealth #overcomingtrauma #healing

  5. Jan 14

    Against All Odds: Katrice Williams with B-Effect #resilience #caregiving #faith #BEffect

    You can support Katrice by helping make her nursing degree possible and supporting her care for Gabriel: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-katrices-nursingeducation-to-care-for-gabriel In this episode, we meet Katrice Williams, a dreamer who turns her aspirations into achievements, from overcoming childhood challenges of abuse to becoming a Stanford alumna and an attorney deeply rooted in her passion for civil liberties and service within the Cleveland community. Currently, Katrice is reimagining her entire life in order to care for her infant son, Gabriel, who was born prematurely at 28 weeks and contracted a life-threatening E. coli infection from the hospital. Now, he lives with medically complex physical and developmental needs. Her story reflects a path grounded in faith and hope, as well as a commitment to creating positive change in both her own life and her community. As a single mother of two children and living proof that everything is possible, even against the harshest odds, Katrice embodies possibility and walks this path every day through her unwavering commitment and hard work, and most importantly her love to her children and God. The B-Effect is a space for stories about purpose, resilience, faith, and the courage to keep going when life takes unexpected turns.If you believe Stories can create Change, Please SUBSCRIBE! BE WEBSITE: https://beffect.online OUR SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewhyfor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bewhyfor/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bewhyfor.bsky.social X: https://x.com/bewhyfor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bewhyfor CONTACT B-EFFECT: https://beffect.online/contact/

About

Hello and welcome to The Butterfly Effect! —a show about becoming. Through stories and the power of inspiration and human-to-human connection, we will discover our 'why-s' and 'for-s' that drive our existence, empowering us to take the steering wheel of our own lives and fueling our passions and dreams. Tell me your story!