The Biz Diaries

E11.2: What Happens When Everything You Built Is Taken Away | A Founder’s Courage to Begin Again

In Part 2 of Michaela’s story, she opens up about losing the company she built, navigating bankruptcy, and facing the identity shift that comes when the business you poured everything into suddenly isn’t yours anymore.   What follows is a raw, honest look at what reinvention truly requires. Michaela shares how slowing down, traveling, and reconnecting with herself brought the clarity she needed to rebuild with intention. That clarity ultimately led her back to a dream she’d carried since childhood - interior architecture - and the courage to start again with no portfolio, no guarantees, and everything to prove.   Today, she’s living a creative chapter that looks nothing like the one she lost - proof that reinvention isn’t the end of a story, but often the beginning of your most aligned one.   If you’re navigating a pivot, rebuilding your confidence, or redefining what success looks like in midlife, this conversation will resonate deeply.

E.11.1: A Founder’s Story of Reinvention & Courage | Inside Michaela’s Unplanned Journey into Entrepreneurship

In Part 1 of our two-part conversation, we sit down with Michaela Weisskirchner-Barfod, founder of Fabelab - one of Scandinavia’s most beloved children’s lifestyle brands. Michaela shares how she went from a steady career in architecture to building a global creative brand and business she never planned for. She opens up about outgrowing a path that once made perfect sense, the challenges of starting something new, navigating the realities of scaling growth, and the impact COVID had on both her direction and the evolution of Fabelab.   Part 1 is an honest, grounded look at reinvention, courage, and what it really takes to begin again from a founder’s point of view - even when the next step isn’t fully clear.

E.10: Behind the Lens | What Makes a Collaboration Work

In this episode of The Biz Diaries, we sit down with photographer and GRECH & CO. collaborator Nora Moerch to talk about what really makes a brand partnership work. From choosing the right creative fit to knowing when to say no, we go behind the lens into how alignment, trust, and authenticity shape lasting collaborations.   Nora shares her journey - from first outreach messages to building partnerships rooted in shared values and creative chemistry. We also talk about contracts (and why they matter), the art of saying no, and how AI tools like ChatGPT are helping creatives brainstorm, plan, and run their businesses more efficiently.   If you’ve ever wondered how to land your first collaboration, find your creative match, or protect your time and energy while doing it - this one’s for you.

E.9: The Art of Resetting | Routines for Success

In this episode of The Biz Diaries, Janet and Julia discuss the challenges of balancing productivity and self-care. They explore the extremes of feeling overwhelmed and inspired, and share practical strategies for resetting and finding balance. The conversation touches on the importance of routines, self-care, and celebrating small wins.

E.8: Embrace Your Strengths | Understanding Imposter Syndrome Archetypes

In this episode, we explore the various faces of Imposter Syndrome and how identifying these archetypes can unlock your true potential. Discover how these patterns might be impacting your confidence and success, and gain practical insights to transform self-doubt into self-belief, empowering you to embrace your unique strengths. Learn about the different Imposter Syndrome archetypes and their characteristics. Understand how these archetypes can impact your personal and professional life and gain insights, from personal experience, on how to leverage your unique strengths to overcome feelings of inadequacy.