Mindful Creativity & Leadership: Handmade Ikigai | Skin in the Game With Debbie Go

Can working with your hands physically lower your stress and make you a more grounded leader?In this episode of the Skin in the Game Podcast, host Debbie Go sits down with Federica Perri, founder and CEO of Handmade Ikigai, a mindful art creativity platform designed for busy, overwhelmed minds. After managing over $20 million portfolios at Google and Meta, Federica made the leap from Big Tech to build a business that helps leaders pause, reconnect, and lead with greater presence through tactile experiences like pottery, kintsugi, and texture art.What you’ll learn in this conversation:The personal wake-up call: a promotion that satisfied her for 10 minutes, then “What’s next now?”The brain science: how tactile creativity quiets the amygdala, pulls you out of problem-solving mode, and lowers cortisol in 75% of people after just 45 minutes.The Harvard research showing we spend 47% of waking hours mentally drifting to the past or future — and how mindful creativity anchors us back.Federica puts it with disarming clarity:“When you use your hands, you are not in that problem-solving space anymore.”Her approach isn’t about art classes or perfect outputs. It’s about mindful art experiences, backed by an art therapist, where #leaders can laugh when their clay collapses, share openly, and finally reconnect with the present.🔗  Links & Resources: instagram.com/handmade.ikigai/handmadeikigai.comlinkedin.com/in/federica-perri-717a61a6/linkedin.com/company/handmade-ikigai/If you’ve ever felt stuck in “what’s next?” mode, or recognized that the most overlooked leadership advantage is simply the courage to slow down, this conversation is essential listening. #MindfulLeadership #CreativityAndLeadership #StressRelief #HandmadeIkigai #SkinInTheGamePodcast #CortisolReduction #Amygdala #TactileCreativity #SkinInTheGamewithDebbieGo Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a quick review!Support the showFollow Us:🎧 Podcast website 💼 LinkedIn ▶️ YouTube