Emotional Business

In this special bonus episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper sits down with Alina Verbenchuk—co-founder of Korda, author, former Google and YouTube leader, and a passionate advocate for the creative economy. Alina Verbenchuk joins at a defining intersection: after a non-traditional journey into tech, years of scaling teams at major platforms, and the recent leap from corporate operator t...

In this special finale of Emotional Business, Speaker A sits down with Lana Khimka — fractional product leader for early-stage startups, organizer of ProductTank Berlin, and host of the Healthy Hedonism podcast. Rather than a standard interview, this episode invites Lana to take the host’s chair and guide Olga Skipper through a deep debrief on the defining questions, insights, and patterns from Se...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper is joined by Julia Derndinger — entrepreneur, advisor, and celebrated anchor for founders navigating the real terrain of business building. Julia’s approach isn’t about surface-level community or branding tactics. To her, network-building is infrastructure: it’s the trust, direction, and leverage that drive lasting outcomes for both her proj...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper welcomes Ivo Betke — seasoned operator, advisor, and leader known for scaling multiple tech teams and shaping organizational culture from the ground up. Together, Olga and Ivo go past the surface of startup leadership, exploring the real impact of growth on clarity, culture, and the internal playbook that founders follow — or need to rewrite...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper sits down with Konstantin Mihov — a seasoned executive known for navigating the dynamic intersections of technology, people, and organizational culture. Together, they unpack the urgent realities of leadership in a changing world and dive deep into questions most companies are quietly struggling with: how do we foster real emotional connecti...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper sits down with Marius Hepp Kemper—serial entrepreneur, CEO of Junto, and a leader deeply invested in the real complexities of organizational change. Having launched multiple ventures, navigated high-profile VC funding, and now bootstrapping a human-centric leadership development company, Marius brings a rare, candid perspective on what leade...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper welcomes Dorothea von Wichert-Nick — CEO coach, former MD/COO, and a seasoned expert in helping leaders break through personal and professional growth barriers. Dorothea draws from decades of experience coaching founders and leading management teams, offering a profound look at what really holds ambitious entrepreneurs back and how to create...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper sits down with Zamina Ahmad — CEO of Shades and Contrast, co-founder at ZAC, and a global thought leader on technology ethics, AI adoption, and the deeply human dimensions of innovation. As the world moves through the rapid shifts of the “AI era,” leaders are challenged to navigate responsibility, fear, and uncertainty at a pace that often o...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper welcomes Chris Bittinger—executive coach, assistant professor of practice at Purdue University, president at Open Pivot, and a deep thinker on emotional dynamics at work. Together, they unpack some of the most urgent and nuanced challenges facing leaders and coaches in today’s tech-driven, always-on environment: burnout, emotional triangles,...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper welcomes Inara Joanethis—a seasoned people and HR leader dedicated to helping founders navigate the complex human landscape of startups, from “Lego brick” beginnings to organizational scale. With a career spanning FMCG, business services, and years deep in the VC/startup ecosystem, Inara Joanethis brings a practical and deeply nuanced unders...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper sits down with Oliver Wyrsch, CEO of Inficon—a global technology company navigating fast-changing markets, shifting geopolitical realities, and rapid industry transformation. This thought-provoking conversation opens a window into the authentic, everyday work of global leadership: from steering an organization through pandemic-induced volati...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper sits down with Alisa Reznik—executive coach, fractional COO, Tomorrow University lecturer, and advocate for authentic leadership. As we step into 2026, Olga and Alisa dive deep into the evolving landscape of leadership, from the emotional complexities of leading in uncertain times to the boundary-setting required for self-growth and healthy...

In this season opener of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper welcomes Gülşah Wilke—partner and head of Germany at DN Capital, co-founder of 2hearts and executive, investor, and mother. Gülşah brings a rare perspective shaped by migration, entrepreneurship, and motherhood, and this episode dives deep into what it truly means to lead—and live—with authenticity in the rapidly evolving landscape of...

Season 2 of Emotional Business Podcast, hosted by executive coach and advisor Olga Skipper, dives into the realities of modern leadership. After a uniquely challenging year in 2025, this season zooms out to examine the big shifts and patterns that leaders need to unlearn as the business world becomes faster, more complex, and emotionally demanding. Olga Skipper brings on guests including tech foun...

In the 2025 season finale of the Emotional Business Podcast, host Olga Skipper welcomes Daria Saharova, founding partner at World Fund—a €300M venture capital powerhouse tackling climate, tech, and decarbonization. Known for her vision and grounded humanity, Daria Saharova brings over 15 years in tech, investment banking, and entrepreneurship to a profound conversation about belonging, risk, and t...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper is joined by Jennifer Cabala — seasoned journalist, longtime tech storyteller, and now a communications coach helping founders and CEOs articulate the narratives behind who they are and what they build. Jennifer enters this conversation with years spent on both sides of the story: crafting them as a journalist, and now guiding leaders as the...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper speaks with coach and leadership expert Anna Shakhovets about the profound identity shift women experience when becoming mothers. Anna shares her personal journey and introduces the concept of matrescence—the emotional, psychological, and professional transformation that accompanies motherhood. They explore how this shift impacts leadership,...

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper is joined by Laura Dittscheid — seasoned marketing leader, former CMO, and now the founder of NOOLA, a better-for-you food brand built publicly and intentionally for women navigating low-energy seasons and demanding everyday rhythms. Laura steps into the conversation at a pivotal moment: the first months of building her own venture after an...

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Trish Perry, executive coach and founder of Harmonized Coaching, about the critical issue of workplace trauma. Trish draws on her experience as both a corporate leader and a coach, sharing insights on how emotional wounds appear in professional settings and how they impact leadership, relationships, and team dynamics. The conversation...

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Alina Nilsson, Managing Partner at Gamegroove Capital and visionary entrepreneur, about navigating ambition, motherhood, and meaning in leadership. Alina shares her journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family to building a global career in tech — all while redefining what it means for women to “have it all.” She reflects on t...

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Yi-Wei Ang, Chief Product Officer at talabat, one of the world’s leading food delivery companies, about courageous leadership, product excellence, and the human side of innovation. Yi-Wei’s story spans continents—from Malaysia to Dubai—and each chapter has shaped his view of leadership, culture, and design. Starting his career in UX r...

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Gonzalo Arenas, VP of Operations at Dunia, about the evolving role of operations in startups and the human side of building sustainable businesses. Drawing on his bicultural upbringing and diverse career, Gonzalo shares how pragmatic idealism shapes his approach to leadership, trust, and team-building. He offers a grounded look at wha...

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Šárka Betke—entrepreneur, former FinTech leader, and mother of two—about what it truly means to craft your own path. Šárka shares her journey of moving from a successful career in finance and technology into the world of purpose-driven business. She opens up about learning to trust herself amid external doubt, the courage it takes to...

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper sits down with Nektarios Liolios—former banker, FinTech pioneer, and mental health advocate—to explore the unseen human side of startups. From his early career in banking and FinTech to co-founding The Future Farm, Nektarios has experienced the high-stakes, high-stress reality of entrepreneurship. His story shines a light on the toll burnout can...

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Hilary Aylesworth—a former educator turned product strategist and AI leader. Hilary brings a unique perspective on leadership, weaving together her background in teaching, her work in AI at CoachHub, and her lived experience as both a professional and a parent. This conversation explores how intuition, transparency, and emotional inte...