Business as Poetry

In this episode of Sound of Breaking Glass, host Hristina Vaceva sits down with Tatjana Greil-Castro , a trailblazing portfolio manager with a passion for sustainable farming. Tatjana’s story takes us from the fast-paced financial markets of London to the tranquil rhythms of her ethical farm, where she’s found a new kind of fulfillment. But this conversation isn’t just about markets or sustainabil...

In this episode of Sound of Breaking Glass , host Hristina Vaceva speaks with Christine Sandman Stone , an author, advisor, and advocate for women in technology. Christine’s unconventional career journey took her from philosophy graduate to accidental technologist, eventually leading global operations at Groupon and beyond. Now in her self-proclaimed “Renaissance” phase, Christine focuses on coach...

In this episode of Sound of Breaking Glass , host Hristina Vaceva speaks with Rachel Lankester , founder of Magnificent Midlife , about redefining midlife for women and embracing aging with empowerment. Diagnosed with early menopause at 41, Rachel set out to change how society views midlife and menopause, advocating for women to embrace this stage with self-acceptance and resilience. She dives int...

In this episode of Sound of Breaking Glass , host Hristina Vaceva speaks with behaviour coach Jan Rees of Speak the Speech. Jan’s career journey is far from linear, starting as a work study engineer before eventually discovering her passion for training and personal development. Jan shares her insights on the power of self-awareness, understanding human motivation, and how communication can be tra...

In this episode of Sound of Breaking Glass , host Hristina Vaceva speaks with Wendy Macartney, founder of Burn Bright , about recognizing and recovering from burnout, especially among high performers and neurodivergent individuals. Wendy shares her insights on the early warning signs of burnout, how to restore balance, and the role of self-care in preventing burnout from taking hold. Key Takeaways...

In this episode of Sound of Breaking Glass , Host Hristina Vaceva speaks with Vikki Louise , founder of Time Hackers, about how to stop wasting time by focusing on your mindset rather than traditional time management. Vikki shares her expert insights on how we can remove mental blocks, avoid perfectionism, and embrace joy as the key to productivity. Key Takeaways: Time isn’t the problem—it’s how w...

In this special episode of Sound of Breaking Glass , we’re shaking things up! This season, we’re moving beyond personal stories and focusing on the tools you need to improve your wellbeing at work, navigate transitions, and take your next career steps with grace and confidence. We’ve got a stellar lineup of expert guests who are ready to share their practical strategies: Vikki Louise of Time Hacke...

Dear listeners, I’m back! While it may have seemed like a long break, I’ve been busy recording Season 2 of Sound of Breaking Glass . In this teaser episode, I’m giving you a sneak peek into what’s to come. This season, we’re exploring how to navigate mid-career transitions mindfully, with a firm commitment to our health and wellbeing. As women, we wear so many hats, and finding harmony between wor...

Danguole Litvinskaite once used to work in the financial services industry. Fast forward to today, and she has now established a successful practice as a coach, specializing in performance and motivation. In her work she comes across executives, often women, who are looking for that missing piece of the puzzle, be that a promotion, a new leadership role or a more balanced personal life. Her desire...

Designer Lisa Redman has always been driven by a simple motto – create beautiful, well-crafted, high quality clothes that women can wear over and over again. She describes herself as a “soft power dresser” – a theme that describes her life philosophy very well. She started her career in textiles design and worked with Betty Jackson, Calvin Klein and Elspeth Gibson, before e...

Galena Stavreva is the true definition of a Mum- preneur – inspired by her own nursing experience, she created PowerMama , a smart pumping bra. The success of the product encouraged her to expand the brand and she is now committed to making breastfeeding as easy as possible, recognising that everyone’s nursing journey is unique. In this episode we talk about setting up a manufacturing...

I recorded the episode with Victoria Clapham back in October last year, but I really wanted to save it for March, when we celebrate International Women’s Day. This conversation is truly a celebration of all that we have achieved in the financial services industry over the years trying to fill that gender gap. And don’t get me wrong, there is a lot more that can be done. But it is alway...

Patricia Wing is the founder of SuLe hub, a legal tech startup for business founders navigating the hurdles of setting up their first business. Having started her career in the city at only 18, she qualified as a solicitor in the UK only to discover that her true passion lied elsewhere. In this episode, we talk about the pivotal moments that shaped her career. From founding a youth football club i...

Simone Muller is the founder of Re-Centre, an online platform dedicated to the Low Pressure Fitness-Hypopressives technique. Having grown up in South Africa, she trained with the Royal Ballet School in London, before ending her career as a dancer and setting up her own business.  In this episode, we talk about finding your calling by focusing on what you truly desire and giving yourself the f...

Nicky Sevel is the definition of a fintech entrepreneur who started her career almost by chance, but quickly found her niche by combining wealth management with technology. Currently she is set on a mission to bring down the cost of financial planning services by building Woven Advice, a software solution for advisors. She is also dedicated to making financial planning more accessible to those in...

Lara Solomon is a serial entrepreneur and business lover who is always on the lookout for the next opportunity. Currently she is focusing on growing Hoopsy, an eco-friendly pregnancy test brand with a fertility community, overseen by healthcare professionals.  With Hoopsy, Lara found a way to combine her passion for sustainability with her desire to help others going through the often complic...

Joanna Parry-George is the CEO of Talk Education, a global, leading guide to the world of independent education, providing parents with carefully curated, ethical and comprehensive advice on school choices. Before becoming a successful business founder, Joanna had a rather unusual career start as a theatrical agent, followed by a free-lance writing practice, which opened many doors for her. Despit...

Career coach Anita Rolls is the founder of the Career Intelligence Academy, a business helping employees, managers and HR teams engage and improve career development outcomes.  Anita and I talk about her search for meaning at the beginning of her career, the golden cage of a comfortable city job and what to do when you find yourself absolutely stuck, particularly as a woman in your mid-thirti...

Welcome to the Sound of Breaking Glass. In this very first season we will be focusing on the topic of non-linear careers. Please join me in exploring the zig zags of professional and personal growth as we navigate that tricky work-life balance and search for meaning behind the job title. My guests come from a wide range of backgrounds, but each share a unique perspective on what it takes to find y...