Why The Wrong People Become Leaders | Marijn Wiersma

Why You're Still Waiting to Feel Ready | Servane Mouazan

Why do so many people wait to feel ready — before starting, before speaking up, before stepping into something new? And what if the question you're asking is the wrong one entirely? In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Servane Mouazan — coach, mentor, board member, and one of the most thoughtful voices in leadership and social impact. For more than two decades, Servane has helped entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers build careers, organizations, and lives they can actually sustain. Her approach is radical in its simplicity: slow down, ask better questions, and stop looking for other people to give you the answers. Together, they explore confidence, mentoring, leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, and what it actually means to build a meaningful life and career in uncertain times. This is a conversation about getting out of your own way, learning to think for yourself, and understanding that confidence doesn't come first. It comes from doing. 🎙️ In this episode, we explore: * Why the best mentors give less advice — not more * The difference between coaching, mentoring, sponsorship, and peer learning * Why most people ask "how" before they know "what" or "why" * What actually makes someone board-ready * How to navigate being the only different voice in the room * The difference between endurance and true resilience * Why pushing through isn't always the answer * How to build confidence step by step — without waiting to feel ready * What sustainable leadership actually looks like from the inside * Small daily practices that help you stay grounded while doing demanding work 🔗 Connect with Servane Mouazan: Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk/ [https://servanemouazan.co.uk/] Podcast: Be & Think in the House of Trust LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/] Instagram: @servanemouazan ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer 00:46 Welcome Back: Meet Servane Mouazan 03:15 "I'm a Thinking Partner for People Who Want to Get Out of the Numbness" 05:30 What Makes a Mentoring Program Actually Work 10:42 Coaching vs Mentoring vs Sponsorship vs Peer Learning 14:22 What the Best Mentors Actually Do 18:24 "Shut Up and Not Give Advice" 21:08 How to Help Someone Find What They Actually Want 28:45 The Entrepreneur Who Thought They Wanted Freedom 38:54 What Actually Makes Someone Board-Ready 42:12 How to Get a Board Seat — Without Asking Directly 49:33 "You're Not There to Sit. You're There to Serve." 56:14 How to Navigate Being the Only Different Voice in the Room 01:04:22 The Difference Between Endurance and Resilience 01:11:18 "You Don't Know You're Pushing Too Hard Until You Collapse" 01:17:45 How to Build Wellbeing Into an Organization From Day Zero 01:24:30 What Servane Wishes People Had Known Earlier 01:28:52 Daily Practices That Keep Her Grounded 📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a podcast about leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, psychology, and building meaningful things in difficult times. Honest conversations with founders, investors, creatives, and changemakers about what it actually takes to keep going, lead well, and stay hopeful about the future. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you don't miss one. 🔗 Follow & connect: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing [https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing] Instagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing [https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing] TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing [https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing] #Leadership #Confidence #Mentoring #Coaching #Resilience #Entrepreneurship #CareerGrowth #BoardLeadership #ImpactInvesting #CatchTheUpswing

Why Trying To Change The World Can Break You | Bonnie Chiu & Tara Sabre Collier

Why do so many people trying to create positive change end up exhausted? And why do so many workplaces and “inclusive” spaces still make people feel unseen, unsupported, or forced to hide parts of themselves? In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Bonnie Chiu and Tara Sabre Collier about burnout, invisible labor, identity, caregiving, ambition, and the emotional cost of trying to change broken systems while still protecting your own humanity. Together, they explore leadership, parenthood, capitalism, belonging, impact investing, language, power, and what it really means to build a more inclusive world. Bonnie Chiu is the founder and CEO of TSIC, a global social impact advisory firm focused on diversity, inclusion, and systems change in finance and entrepreneurship. Tara Sabre Collier is an impact investor, entrepreneur, and advisor working across inclusive finance, economic development, and emerging markets. This is a conversation about exhaustion, purpose, identity, modern work, and the tension between caring deeply about the world… without losing yourself in the process. 🎙️ In this episode, we explore: * Why so many purpose-driven people feel emotionally exhausted * The invisible labor of caregiving, parenthood, and emotional responsibility * Whether people can truly bring their “full selves” to work * Why some “inclusive” spaces still exclude people in practice * How capitalism shapes burnout, mental health, and belonging * Why impact investing can still reproduce inequality * How language shapes power, identity, and inclusion * The emotional cost of trying to “do it all” * Whether meaningful systems change is actually possible * Practices that help people stay grounded while doing difficult work 🔗 Check out Bonnie Chiu’s work: TSIC: https://tsic.global/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonniesychiu/ 🔗 Check out Tara Sabre Collier’s work: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasabre/ 🔗 Additional resources: 2X Global: https://www.2xglobal.org/ Pathway Fund: https://pathwayfund.co.uk/ ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer 00:55 Meet Bonnie Chiu & Tara Sabre Collier 01:18 “Which Parts Of Your Reality Are We Not Making Space To See?” 02:21 The Invisible Labor Of Caregiving 04:59 Can We Really Bring Our Full Selves To Work? 06:08 Faith, Identity & The Parts Of Ourselves We Hide 09:09 When “Inclusive” Spaces Don’t Feel Inclusive 11:04 Why Capitalism Wasn’t Built For Mental Health 13:03 How Loss Shaped Tara’s Path Into Impact Investing 16:36 How Bonnie Found Purpose Through Entrepreneurship 24:05 The Inclusion Conference That Rejected A Mother & Baby 27:27 Why Risk Stops Real Inclusion 31:27 Are We Thinking About Development All Wrong? 35:31 How Language Shapes Power & Belonging 40:39 Why “Global Majority” Matters 44:03 The Hidden Power Of Words 46:36 Why So Many Purpose-Driven People Feel Exhausted 49:18 “You’re Confronting Capitalism & Patriarchy” 50:29 Change The System — Or Build Something New? 55:07 The Hidden Cost Of Trying To Do It All 57:21 How To Avoid Burnout While Still Caring Deeply 59:13 Protecting Your Mind In An Overwhelming World 01:01:08 What Keeps Us Grounded Through Difficult Times 01:02:14 Final Reflections + Hope, Community & Recharge 📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a long-form video podcast about how people build meaningful lives, lead through uncertainty, and shape the future in a changing world. Subscribe for conversations with global leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, investors, and extraordinary people navigating ambition, resilience, technology, purpose, and what it means to be human. 🔗 Follow & connect: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing Instagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing #Leadership #Burnout #MentalHealth #Entrepreneurship #ImpactInvesting #SystemsChange #PurposeDriven #WomenInBusiness #Capitalism #CatchTheUpswing

What Nobody Tells You About Creating Change | Laura Coryton & Rachael Crook

Why do some people spend years fighting for change — long before anyone notices the result? And what does it actually take to keep going when people dismiss your ideas, systems resist change, and success feels impossibly far away? In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Laura Coryton and Rachael Crook — two women who turned frustration, setbacks, and difficult personal experiences into movements and businesses that created real-world impact. Laura Coryton led the campaign to end tampon tax in the UK and helped change legislation across Europe. Rachael Crook built a technology platform helping solve critical shortages in the care sector after witnessing firsthand how difficult it can befor families to navigate care systems. Together, they explore resilience, campaigning, entrepreneurship, empathy, criticism, leadership, and the “hard years” nobody sees behind meaningful change. This is aconversation about staying in the arena, building through uncertainty, and continuing even when progress feels invisible. 🎙️ In this episode, we explore: * The absurd policies that exposed sexism in the tax system * How Laura Coryton helped end tampon tax in the UK * Why meaningful change almost never happens quickly * The emotional reality of entrepreneurship and leadership * What caregiving taught Rachael Crook about resilience and empathy * Why criticism from the sidelines matters less than staying “in the arena” * The hidden emotional cost of trying to create change * Why empathy is one of the most underrated leadership skills * How to keep going when your first ideas fail * The mindset shifts that help people persist through difficult years 🔗 Check out Laura Coryton’s work:Website: https://lauracoryton.com/ [https://lauracoryton.com/] Sex Ed Matters: https://sexedmatters.co.uk/ [https://sexedmatters.co.uk/] 🔗 Check out Rachael Crook’s work:Lifted: https://www.lifted-talent.com/ [https://www.lifted-talent.com/] 🔗 Additional resources: Obama Foundation Leaders Program: https://www.obama.org/programs/leaders/ [https://www.obama.org/programs/leaders/] Care Economy Knowledge Hub (Kore Global): https://www.the-care-economy-knowledge-hub.org/ [https://www.the-care-economy-knowledge-hub.org/] ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer 04:19 Episode Starts: Meet Laura Coryton & Rachael Crook 06:54 “Who Is Making These Decisions?” 11:41 Watching Someone You Love Disappear 15:03 “There Was Nothing To Help Us” 20:05 The People Holding Society Together 22:01 How Laura Changed UK & European Law 27:36 “Nobody Sees The Hard Years” 31:18 The Moment Rachael Nearly Quit 35:09 Why Most People Never Start 40:45 The Leadership Skill Nobody Talks About 46:05 The Exercise That Changed How She Lives 50:12 “We Are Making Money And Changing Lives” 56:34 “Be More Ambitious” 01:01:05 Life Belongs To People In The Arena 01:08:42 Rapid Fire Round 01:13:26 “Getting Punched Is Part Of It”   📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a business podcast exploring howpeople build, lead, and navigate complexity in a rapidly changing world. Subscribe for conversations with global leaders, entrepreneurs, and emerging voices shaping today’s economy. 🔗 Follow & connect: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing [https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing] Instagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing [https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing] TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing [https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing] #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #CareEconomy #Activism #Resilience #SystemsChange #CareerGrowth #CatchTheUpswing

Why The Wrong People Become Leaders | Marijn Wiersma

Why do we keep promoting the wrong people into leadership In this follow-on episode of Catch The Upswing, we continue the conversation with Marijn Wiersma — this time shaped by questions from our global community. After our first episode, which focused on her book SOS: A Navigation Guide for Women at Work, we invited listeners from around the world to share the questions they’re grappling with in their own workplaces. From London to Nairobi to Dubai and beyond, this episode brings those voices into the conversation — exploring the realities of leadership, culture, and systems from the ground up. Together, we go beyond the book to unpack what leaders and teams are navigating in practice today. In this episode, we explore: * the most overlooked toxic leadership behavior — and why it persists * how we confuse confidence with competence * how insecurity in leadership turns toxic — and why it gets rewarded * what it really takes to create more inclusive workplaces * how emotions are judged differently in leadership * how to navigate resilience, burnout, and long-term change This is a conversation shaped by real questions — and grounded in the lived experiences behind them. 🔗 Check out Marijn’s work: SOS: A Navigation Guide for Women at Work https://soswomenatwork.org/ [https://soswomenatwork.org/] (also available on Amazon and bookstores worldwide) Marijn Wiersma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marijnwiersma/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marijnwiersma/]   🔖 Chapters 00:00 Trailer 01:43 Welcome back — audience questions from around the world 02:16 The most overlooked toxic leadership trait 04:19 Why we confuse confidence with competence 06:45 The hard truth about keeping top female talent 09:32 Emotion, credibility, and the double standard at work 12:48 Why empathy is non-negotiable in leadership 15:42 Authenticity at work — and the courage to keep the coat on 20:02 Resilience, burnout, and why pushing through isn’t the answer 27:14 Systems change, hope, and the case for outrage + optimism 29:54 How to build real allies at work 32:14 The one thing leaders should do tomorrow morning 33:42 How to make unconscious bias conscious 34:35 What Marijn hopes her book will change 📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a business podcast exploring how people build, lead, and navigate complexity in a rapidly changing world. Subscribe for conversations with global leaders, entrepreneurs, and emerging voices shaping today’s economy. Mentioned in this episode Christiana Figueres — former UN climate chief and architect of the Paris Agreement. Watch the full episode with Christiana Figueres on Catch The Upswing: https://youtu.be/GrFJvCvEUp4?si=RV5DwoCmLITTeoIl [https://youtu.be/GrFJvCvEUp4?si=RV5DwoCmLITTeoIl]   🔗 Follow & connect: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing [https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing] Instagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing [https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing] TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing [https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing]   🎥 B-roll credits: Some of the visual material used in the trailer of this episode is courtesy of 2X Global. Original footage supplied by C+A Media, commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). #Leadership #WomenInBusiness #CareerGrowth #Mindset #GenderEquality #FutureOfWork #CatchTheUpswing

Why Great Founders Get Rejected | The Hidden Bias in Venture Capital

Why do great founders still get rejected — even when they have strong ideas, traction, and experience? In this solo episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza unpacks one of the most persistent — and least visible — dynamics in venture capital: The hidden patterns that shape who gets funded, who gets overlooked, and why. Because what looks like a funding gap on the surface often starts much earlier: in the questions being asked, the assumptions investors make, and the signals they respond to without even realizing it. 🎯 In this episode: * Why strong founders still struggle to raise capital * How small differences in pitch conversations shape major outcomes * The hidden patterns behind many investment decisions * Why this is not just a pipeline problem * What changes when capital flows differently * And why better investment decisions are also a massive economic opportunity Some of these dynamics are subtle. Some are systemic. All of them shape the future of innovation. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction — The question behind the funding gap 00:33 The reality: 2% of venture capital 01:30 This is not a performance problem 02:05 Why the gap persists 02:45 Two founders, two different questions 03:45 How bias shapes investment decisions 05:20 It’s not a talent problem — it’s capital allocation 06:00 What changes when women invest 07:25 The economic case for investing in women 08:15 What’s at stake: markets, growth, and innovation 09:20 The real opportunity   🎙️ Catch The Upswing explores ideas that spark resilience,opportunity, and inclusive growth — through conversations with investors, founders, and leaders shaping what comes next. If this episode resonates: → Share it with someone building or investing → Subscribe for more conversations on capital, entrepreneurship, and systems change #venturecapital #investing #entrepreneurship #innovation #leadership