Catch The Upswing

"That's just how it's done."I think it might be one of the most dangerous sentences in business.Not necessarily because of the words themselves — but because of what happens right after we hear them.In this episode of Walk With Me, I reflect on why questioning the way things have always been done matters — and what can happen when we stop.From building a global team to some of the ideas we now take completely for granted, this is a short reflection on curiosity, convention, and the questions worth asking when an old answer starts to sound like a fact.Chapters:00:00 The most dangerous sentence in business00:38 Not the sentence, the shrinking01:12 What curiosity really means01:28 Questioning how things are done02:12 The questions worth asking03:00 The real dangerI'd love to hear your perspective:What's one "that's just how it's done" you've learned to question?🎙️ Walk With Me is an invitation to step away from the noise for a few minutes. Join me for short reflections on leadership, technology, decision-making, and the ideas shaping our future.Subscribe for more episodes from Catch The Upswing.🔗 Follow & connect:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing#Leadership #Curiosity#Innovation #CriticalThinking #FutureOfWork 

What does it actually cost to walk away from a career everyone tells you not to leave?What does it take to build trust across an entire continent — when the thing you're building doesn't exist yet?And how do you hold onto hope when the geopolitical context keeps shifting beneath you?Carolina Suárez Visbal is the CEO of Latimpacto — the leading impact investing network in Latin America, connecting foundations, impact investors, academia, and families working toward the same goal across the region. Twenty years ago, she was a corporate lawyer with a successful career ahead of her. She chose a differentpath.In this conversation from Lima, she shares what it took to make that decision, what she learned building a regional network from scratch, why the best leaders get closer toreality, and why she believes the most important thing we've learned in impact investing is that we cannot work alone.🎙️ In this episode: Why she left corporate law — and what she saw that changed everything What it actually takes to build trust across an ecosystem Why the best leaders get closer to reality What gives her hope in uncertain timesWhat she would say to anyone wanting to leave a conventional career to build something that matters⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Trailer01:09 Introduction — Carolina Suárez and Latimpacto02:00 Why she left corporate law — and chose a different path06:16 "When you follow your dreams, you don't lose"11:53 Building Latimpacto — creating a movement from the start17:56 Why building a network is harder than building a project23:15 Trust — the foundation of every ecosystem24:51 What gives her hope for Latin America?26:48 "We cannot work alone"28:07 How she stays grounded — and lives in the present29:08 Why she brought her network to the Amazon36:41 How success has changed over time45:05 Advice for the next generation of leaders46:53 Staying patient when change takes time49:32 The legacy she hopes to leave behind50:07 Thinking about leaving your career? Start here.🔗 Follow Carolina on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mar%C3%ADa-carolina-suarez-visbal/ 🌎 Learn more about Latimpacto:https://latimpacto.org/ 📅 Join Impact Minds 2026:https://impactmindsconference.com/📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world.Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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 Instagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswing TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing 

What happens when you finally achieve the life you've been working towards... and something still feels missing?Build the career. Reach the goals. Tick every box.And still find yourself wondering why success doesn't feel the way you thought it would.How does that happen? And how do you know whether you're building a life that's truly yours — or simply becoming successful at someoneelse's definition of success?Simon Alexander Ong is the bestselling author of Energize, an award-winning coach, and an internationally sought-after keynote speaker whose work on energy, leadership, and purpose has built a global following.This isn't a conversation about becoming more productive. It's about asking whether the version of success you've been chasing is actually your own.Together, we explore what happens after success — when everything looks right on paper, but something doesn't quite feel right inside. We talk about the difference between achievement and fulfillment, the stories we inherit about what success should look like, and the quieter questions that often emerge only after we've reached the goals we once believedwould make us happy.We also get into a story involving Richard Branson that Simon rarely tells — and a strange decision-making exercise he still uses before making hard choices, involving a room that doesn't exist and six people, some living, some dead.🎙️ In this episode:Why success doesn't always feel the way we expect it toThe subtle difference between achievement and fulfillmentHow to tell whether you're pursuing your own ambitions — or someone else'sWhy two people can work equally hard and experience work completely differentlyThe four dimensions of energy that shape how we live and leadThe role courage plays in changing the direction of your lifeA simple exercise Simon returns to whenever he's facing one of life's biggest decisions⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Trailer01:15 From Investment Banking to Finding Purpose03:20 "On Paper, I Had It All"06:00 The Signs You're Living the Wrong Life10:00 The Four Types of Burnout15:45 Why Purpose Gives You Energy20:14 Create an Environment That Makes Success Inevitable28:30 Journaling & Closing the Loop33:50 The Loneliness of Reinventing Yourself36:20 The Imaginary Room with Six Mentors38:02 Stop Saying "Should"42:45 The Wormhole Effect43:35 Richard Branson, a Paper Airplane & Courage46:15 Ambition Without Losing Your Peace53:00 Is Hustle Culture Doing More Harm Than Good?58:00 Recharge Yourself Like Your Devices1:01:15 Plan Tomorrow the Night Before1:04:40 Can You Have Energy Without Purpose? 1:08:40 Where to Follow Simon 🔗 Follow Simon's work:Website: https://www.simonalexanderong.com/Instagram: @simonalexanderongLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonalexanderong/Simon’s best-selling book Energize: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/321571/energize-by-ong-simon-alexander/9780241502761 📺 Watch more episodes:Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, and changemakers about what itactually 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

What becomes more valuable in the age of AI?Everyone is asking what AI will replace. But I think there's another question that's just as important:What becomes more valuable because of AI?In this first episode of Walk With Me, I reflect on why judgment — not information — may become one of our greatest competitive advantages in an AI-powered world.Drawing on an experience from a senior leadership meeting, I explore why the hardest decisions are rarely about having enough data. They're about weighing competing priorities, making trade-offs, and deciding what matters most.AI can summarize. It can compare. It can analyze.But leadership begins where the data ends. Chapters00:00 Everybody's asking what AI will replace00:00:19 What becomes more valuable because of AI?00:00:42 A leadership meeting that changed how I think about judgment00:02:17 Why data alone doesn't make decisions00:03:00 What AI can't replace00:03:21 Why judgment is becoming the ultimate leadership skill00:03:47 The question we should also be asking I'd love to hear your perspective:What human skill do you think becomes more valuable as AI becomes more capable? 🎙️ Walk With Me is an invitation to step away from the noise for a few minutes. Join me for short reflections on leadership, technology, decision-making, and the ideas shaping our future. Subscribe for more episodes from Catch The Upswing.#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Leadership #FutureOfWork #DecisionMaking #CriticalThinking🔗 Follow & connect:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

What if the moments of self-doubt you've been trying to overcome are actually a sign that you're leveling up?What if the gap between where you are and where you want to be is smaller than you think?And what if embracing your imperfections — rather than hiding them — is the thing that finally sets you free?Daniela Alfieri is known to hundreds of thousands of people around the world as Noharanda — an artist, healer, and community builder whose work sits at the intersection of creativity, consciousness, and what it truly means to be fully and imperfectly human. What began as a series of digital illustrations has grown into a global community, inviting people to reconnect with themselves, embrace life's imperfections, and discover that our greatest transformations often begin by remembering who we truly are.In this conversation, we explore Daniela's journey of reinvention — from a nine-to-five job she didn't love to becoming one of the most distinctive creative voices on the internet — and the lessons she's learned about growth, healing, and what it means to show up as yourself.🎙️ In this episode:Why self-doubt is a signal you're leveling up — not a reason to stopHow to tell the difference between fear and excitementWhat rapid resolution therapy is — and why healing can happen faster than you thinkWhy high achievers often feel something is missing even when life looks greatThe practices that keep Daniela grounded — without sacrificing ambitionWhy imperfections are underrated — and what wabi-sabi teaches us about freedomWhat's shifting collectively in the age of AI — and why humanness matters more than ever⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Trailer01:18 Art, healing and becoming more of who you really are06:46 Reinventing your life — Daniela's journey to Noharanda13:07 Being called to share — art as a mirror for others19:26 Why self-doubt may mean you're leveling up21:17 Fear or excitement? The feeling we often misread25:24 Can healing happen faster than we think?28:35 Closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be33:11 How to achieve big things — and still feel alive36:48 Why being human matters more in the age of AI🔗 Follow Daniela's work:Website: https://noharanda.com/Instagram: @noharandaYouTube: @noharandaPinterest: @noharanda 🎨 Visuals & artwork:B-roll images featured in this episode were provided by Daniela Alfieri and showcase her work and art as Noharanda. 📺 Watch more episodes:Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

What does it actually mean to build something meaningful when the dominant story of entrepreneurship is: scale fast, raise capital, and exit?What if success isn't measured by valuation, but by the problems you solve?What if the businesses the world most needs aren't unicorns — but something more grounded, more regenerative, and ultimately more human?In this conversation, Jessica Espinoza is joined by two entrepreneurs who have spent their careers building exactly that.Mansi Gupta is the founder of Unconform and a pioneer in women-centred design, exploring how products, services and systems can better reflect the lived experiences of the people they serve.Clôd Baumgartner is a regenerative innovation and upcycling fashion entrepreneur who has spent years rethinking what business can look like when it works in harmony with people and planet rather than against them.Together, we explore a different kind of entrepreneurship — one built around joy, purpose, circularity, and the courage to define your own metrics of success.🎙️ In this episode:Why the unicorn narrative puts pressure on all of us — and what zebras have to do with itWhy every design has consequencesWhy we live in a one-size-fits-men world — and what it costs usThe difference between scaling high and scaling deepWhy joy — not hustle — is the fuel for regenerative businessesHow to define success metrics that actually reflect what you care aboutWhy you should never build aloneWhat it means to become a time millionaireHow to just start — without boiling the ocean⏱️ Chapters00:00 Trailer00:41 Introduction — rethinking entrepreneurship01:24 Mansi's journey: building meaningful ventures03:03 Clôd: demystifying the unicorn — why zebras matter05:57 Mansi's ventures: leather upcycling, women-centered design, and what came next10:51 Every design has consequences13:07 Clôd: regenerative innovation and the garden metaphor20:32 What if businesses were designed circularly?27:00 The blind spot in human-centered design — and what fixes it34:02 We live in a one-size-fits-men world 44:58 What and how — the permaculture ethics of people, earth, and fair share49:40 Practical advice for founders: just start, don't do it alone53:07 Just start does not mean boil the ocean56:27 Choosing who you build with57:00 Circular models of collaboration01:01:40 Redefining success metrics and vanity metrics01:05:12 Who is an entrepreneur, really?01:13:26 Final thoughts: start, rest, and find the balance that works for youCheck out Mansi Gupta's work: Unconform & women-centric design: https://www.unconformstudio.com/women-centric-learningLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mansigupta/Check out Clôd Baumgartner's work: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpbaumgartner/ 📺 Watch more episodesCatch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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 & connectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

How do you know if someone is genuinely trustworthy — before it costs you to find out?How do you spot manipulation before it's too late?How do you say no without guilt? How do you protect your energy without becoming closed off?Jessica Soto Vera has spent more than a decade finding answers to those questions. As the founder of Mujeres Líderes, one of Peru's most influential leadership networks, she has developed a sharp and specific eye for reading people, protecting her energy, and building spaces where the right culture takes care of itself.In this conversation, recorded live in Lima, she shares the lessons she's learned — from the tiny behaviors that reveal someone's true character, to the inner work that makes boundaries feel less like a battle.🎙️ In this episode: The specific behaviors Jessica watches for before trusting anyoneWhy how someone reacts to your "no" tells you everythingHow to spot manipulation before it costs you How envy quietly destroys relationships — and how to see it coming The difference between inner peace and happiness Why "no" is a complete word and doesn't need explanationHow to build a community that protects its own culture⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer 01:06 Introduction 01:46 Hearing your own voice when life gets loud 03:26 Inner peace — what it is and where it comes from 07:00 How to help someone through a crisis 09:54 What was quietly missing — consciousness and the workaholic pattern 13:06 The scholarship that changed everything 17:14 The special moment that became a turning point 24:42 How to know if someone is taking advantage of you 25:10 How they react to your no 27:01 The restaurant test that reveals character 31:09 Language patterns that signal manipulation 32:18 How to protect your energy 36:20 Every day we have one day less 39:59 When someone pressures you — go to the bathroom 41:11 Guilt, childhood patterns and the inner judge 48:26 The mirror — seeing yourself through others 56:00 Envy and the scarcity mindset 01:22:06 How to build a culture that protects itself 01:26:34 What true happiness actually feels like 01:29:02 If you're a bird, your strength is in your wings Follow Jessica Soto’s work:Instagram: @mujereslideres.peLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mujereslideres/Web: https://www.mujeres-lideres.com/  📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

Have you ever walked out of an investor meeting thinking, "I answered every question... so why do I still feel like I lost ground?"It might not have been your answers. It might have been the questions.In this episode, I share a practical framework for assessing investor questions in real time — so you can decide when to answer, when to reframe, and when to push back.Drawing on practical questions from our global community — from Singapore to Copenhagen to Colombia — we explore how to handle difficult investor conversations, respond whenquestions become personal, and why rejection is often data rather than failure.This isn't only relevant if you're a woman founder. If you're building something outside conventional patterns — whether because of your market, sector, background, or business model — these same dynamics can show up for you too.🎙️ In this episode:The three silent questions to ask yourself before answering any investor questionHow to tell whether an investor is testing your business—or your legitimacyWhat to do when an investor says your market is "too niche"How to respond when fundraising questions become personalWhy the best founders treat investor rejection as data, not failure⏱️ Chapters:00:00 The pattern: prevention vs. promotion-oriented questions00:56 Why this isn't only a women founders' issue01:24 The first mistake founders make: doubting themselves, not the question02:10 The three-question framework for assessing investor questions03:45 Real example: "Isn't this customer segment too niche to scale?"05:12 Reframing without being evasive05:42 When 'niche' is actually focus 06:46 What to do when investor questions get personal07:58 The parenthood question—and how to answer it09:04 The simple rule: business question vs. legitimacy question09:16 How to deal with investor rejection11:27 The real goal isn't getting a yes📺 Watch more episodesCatch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

Most financial education focuses on information and tools. But what if building a healthy relationship with money also requires understanding our emotions, habits and fears?And what if one of the biggest reasons so many women stay in situations that aren't good for them has less to do with love, and more to do with money?In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Ana Paola Villegas — financial educator, author of Despechada Pero Con Lana (Heartbroken But Not Broke), and founder of Mompreneur Mexico — about what nobody teaches women about money, and why that gap has consequences that go far beyond finances.Ana's story begins with her own experience: a divorce she wasn't financially prepared for, and a period of rebuilding from nothing that forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew about money, security and independence. Out of that experience — and out of watching the same patterns repeat across hundreds of women she later worked with — she built a mission: to give women the financial tools, language and confidence that most of us were never given growing up.Because as Ana says, money is never really about money.It's about peace. It's about freedom. It's about being able to choose.This is a conversation about financial independence, emotional resilience, the hidden psychology of how we spend, and what it actually takes to build a financial life that belongs to you.🎙️ In this episode, we explore: The emotional dimension of money that financial education rarely addressesWhat divorce taught Ana about financial vulnerability and starting overWhy so many women stay in difficult situations because of financial dependenceThe one simple rule that puts you ahead of 80% of people financiallyWhy financial independence is not a luxury — it's a form of freedom How to talk about money in relationships before it becomes a crisis What the bicycle tells us about women and financial freedomWhy exercise became Ana's lifeline through her lowest point — and what it taught her about resilience How to start investing even if you think you have nothing to invest What to teach children about money so they don't have to learn it the hard way⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Always do your own research and consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial or investment decisions. 🔗 Connect with Ana Paola Villegas: Book Despechada Pero Con Lana: available on Amazon worldwide Instagram: @ana.paola.villegas and @mompreneur_mexico ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer: "You Can't Bet On One Person" 00:42 Welcome: Meet Ana Paola Villegas 01:24 Why Money Is About Emotions, Not Numbers 02:56 Getting Pregnant at 21 and Learning to Control the Narrative 04:35 The Divorce She Wasn't Prepared For 06:56 Why Women Stay Longer Than They Should 09:08 Rebuilding After Rock Bottom 15:05 How Exercise Became Her Lifeline 20:00 The Simplest Financial Rule (The 80/20 Rule) 22:00 The Hidden Psychology of Spending 23:57 Why Investing Matters More Than Saving 28:07 The Bicycle Story: Why Money Means Freedom 30:14 How to Talk About Money in Relationships 36:52 Why Financial Independence Matters 39:06 How to Start Investing (Even If You're Late) 43:45 How Do You Support Your Partner's Financial Independence? 46:45 What If Your Partner Doesn't Support You Financially? 49:58 Teaching Children About Money 📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: CatchTheUpswingTikTok: @catchtheupswing

What does it take to walk away from everything you built — and start again from nothing?And what happens when the financial system tells you that fifteen years of building a major business simply doesn't count?In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Magreth Gutiérrez — founder and CEO of AAvance, a fintech providing financial services to migrants and vulnerable populations across Latin America and beyond.Magreth spent fifteen years building one of the largest food import businesses in Venezuela. When she returned to Colombia, the banks treated her as if she didn't exist. That injustice — and the millions of migrants she saw crossing the border with even less — became the founding story of AAvance.Today AAvance has provided financial services to more than 30,000 people, financially certified over 4,500, partnered with Visa, the World Food Programme, and the UN, and is expanding into Europe.But behind the numbers is a deeply human story about what it means to lose everything, rebuild from scratch at 40, and build a company not just for profit — but out of love.This is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, financial inclusion, migrant rights, and what it really takes to keep going when the system says no.🎙️ In this episode, we explore: What it means to have a "professional heartbreak" — and how to survive oneWhy starting over at 40 is different from starting at 25How becoming a mom changed the way Magreth thinks about entrepreneurshipWhy the financial system is invisible to millions of migrants — and what AAvance is doing about itHow one person inside a bank changed the entire trajectory of AAvance The link between financial independence and freedom from violence for womenWhat it takes to get Visa and the UN to believe in your missionWhy financial education must come before financial inclusionHow to handle rejection as an entrepreneur — and turn every no into a better yesWhat the heroic task of entrepreneurship really demandsWhy the world needs more companies built on love — without forgetting monetization🎧 This is the English-dubbed version of the conversation. Original in Spanish here on the channel.🇪🇸 ¿Prefieres escuchar la conversación original en español? Puedes verla aquí.⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer: "This Is My Life Project. It Must Work."00:00:56 Meet Magreth Gutiérrez: From Business Leader to Fintech Founder00:01:55 Building One of Venezuela's Largest Food Import Businesses00:05:39 Professional Heartbreak: Leaving Everything Behind to Start Again00:07:40 Starting From Scratch at 4000:09:20 How Motherhood Changed My Approach to Entrepreneurship00:12:28 "This Is My Life Project, and It Must Work"00:15:02 Why I Decided to Help Migrants00:17:58 "To the Bank, I Was 18 Years Old"00:22:43 Building a Fintech for People the Financial System Ignored00:28:58 Visa, Banking Partnerships, and Launching AAvance00:32:24 Serving 30,000+ People Through Financial Inclusion00:35:04 A Story That Made It All Worth It00:42:31 Financial Freedom and Violence Against Women00:49:26 Being a Woman Founder in a Male-Dominated Industry00:52:49 How to Handle Rejection as an Entrepreneur00:54:11 The Heroic Task of Entrepreneurship00:55:01 The No Is Already on the Table — Go Find the Yes01:00:11 The Pitch That Made Her Cry 01:07:00 Expanding AAvance to Europe and Beyond01:11:32 The World Needs More Companies Built on Love📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

¿Qué haces cuando la vida que construiste durante quince años deja de existir?¿Y qué pasa cuando vuelves a tu país, después de haber construido una gran empresa, y el sistema financiero te trata como si no fueras nadie?En este episodio de Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza conversa con Magreth Gutiérrez, fundadora y CEO de AAvance, una fintech nacida en Colombia que está transformando el acceso financiero para migrantes, mujeres y poblacionesvulnerables en América Latina y más allá.Antes de AAvance, Magreth había construido una de las mayores importadoras de alimentos en Venezuela. Tenía experiencia, trayectoria, resultados y una vida profesional consolidada.Pero al regresar a Colombia, todo eso dejó de contar.Para el banco, era como si tuviera 18 años.Esa experiencia — sumada a lo que vio en la frontera colombo-venezolana, donde miles de personas cruzaban buscando una oportunidad — se convirtió en el origen de AAvance.Una empresa que no nació solo de una oportunidad de mercado, sino de una historia profundamente personal.Hoy AAvance ha llevado servicios financieros a más de 30.000 personas, ha formado y certificado financieramente a más de 4.500, ha trabajado con aliados como Visa y Naciones Unidas, y se está expandiendo hacia nuevos países.Pero esta no es solo una conversación sobre fintech.Es una conversación sobre perderlo todo, volver a empezar, convertirse en madre, construir con miedo, liderar con fe, insistir cuando nadie entiende tu visión y crear una empresa cuando no hay Plan B.🎙️ En esta conversación hablamos sobre:La “tusa laboral” que la obligó a cerrar un ciclo yvolver a nacerLo que significa empezar de cero después de haberconstruido una carrera exitosaPor qué emprender a los 40 no se siente igual queemprender a los 25Cómo la maternidad cambió su manera de construir empresaEl día en que entendió que el sistema financiero dejabapor fuera a millones de personasLa frase que lo cambió todo: “Para el banco yo tenía 18años”Cómo nació AAvance desde el agradecimiento, la migración y la necesidad de ayudarLo que tuvo que hacer para que bancos, Visa y grandesaliados creyeran en una idea que muchos no entendíanPor qué la independencia financiera puede cambiar la vidade una mujerQué significa realmente trabajar con poblacionesvulnerables desde el territorioCómo convertir cada “no” en una forma de llegar mejor al“sí”Por qué emprender es una tarea heroicaCómo construir empresas con impacto, amor y monetización 🌍 Esta es la conversación original en español.🎧 English-dubbed version available here on the channel.⏱️ Capítulos:00:00 “Este es mi proyecto de vida y debe funcionar”01:26 La historia detrás de AAvance05:54 La “tusa laboral”: cerrar un ciclo para volver a nacer07:33 El miedo de empezar desde cero09:15 Emprender antes y después de ser mamá12:28 “No estoy jugando a ser empresaria”15:02 El momento que cambió su vida17:49 “Para el banco yo tenía 18 años”21:29 El amor por Venezuela que dio origen a AAvance24:47 Cuando nadie entendía la visión27:36 Cómo logró que Visa apostara por la idea28:53 La persona que abrió una puerta imposible31:08 Lo que aprendió después de ayudar a miles de personas32:18 Cuando el dinero decide tu libertad41:24 La conexión entre independencia financiera y violencia48:23 Ser mujer fundadora en fintech52:57 Qué hacer cuando todos te dicen que no53:11 Por qué emprender es una tarea heroica59:45 “Sí soy capaz”01:07:28 El próximo capítulo de AAvance01:09:58 Si tienes que empezar de cero, hazlo📺 Mira más episodios:Catch The Upswing es un podcast de conversaciones honestas con fundadores, inversionistas, líderes y personas que están construyendo con propósito.Nuevos episodios cada semana. Suscríbete para no perderte los próximos.🔗 Síguenos:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

What happens when the life you carefully built — the city, the career, the plan — gets taken away?And what if every redirection, every closed door, every forced departure turned out to be exactly what you needed?In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Julia Villaseñor. Julia has spent years working at the intersection of art, culture and communication, including at Kurimanzutto, one of Latin America's most influential contemporary art galleries.Julia's story moves across Mexico, Paris, India and back — not by design, but through a series of unexpected turns. A visa rejected after nine years in France. A move to India she never planned. A decision to return home that allowed her to spend her father's final years by his side. A family restaurant closing after seven years.And through all of it, a growing willingness to trust paths she never planned to take.This is a conversation about loss, reinvention, identity, and what it means to build a life around trust rather than certainty. And about why art — at its best — is one of the most human things we do.🎙️ In this episode, we explore:What it actually feels like when a carefully built life plan collapses — and what you do nextHow living between cultures — Mexico, Paris and India — shaped who she becameWhat India taught her about letting go of control and trusting the unexpectedWhy the most painful redirections often open the most important doorsWhat it means to make art accessible without making it shallowThe difference between curating and communicating — and why she's done bothHow to trust a process you can't see or predictHow to embrace a future you never planned for 🔗 Check out Julia's work:Instagram: @julibertadKurimanzutto: https://www.kurimanzutto.com/⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer00:30 Episode Starts01:17 Meet Julia Villaseñor06:02 Living Between Two Completely Different Worlds10:16 When a Chapter of Your Life Comes to an End12:14 Searching for Home Across Three Continents17:06 The Country That Changed Me Forever18:14 Why You Sometimes Need to Let Go of Control20:13 The Opportunity of a Lifetime22:55 The Turning Points That Changed Everything24:23 The Visa Rejection That Changed My Life26:36 Why I Chose to Leave India27:37 The Decision I'll Never Regret29:13 Losing My Father and Returning to My Roots30:17 When Life Keeps Closing Doors31:14 Learning to Trust the Process32:40 Do Things Really Happen for a Reason?38:14 Why Art Shouldn't Be Exclusive46:42 What Makes Us Human?48:53 How to Embrace a Future You Never Planned For 📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in difficult times. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

Why do some communities thrive for years while others slowly disappear?In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Fabian Pfortmüller — entrepreneur, community weaver, and co-creator of the Community Canvas and Community Weaving Framework — about what actually makes communitieswork.From entrepreneurship and leadership to social impact and human connection, community has become one of the most talked-about concepts of our time. Yet many communities struggle to sustain momentum, engagement, trust, and a genuine sense of belonging over the long term.Fabian argues that most people confuse networks with communities — and that mistake changes everything. This is a conversation about belonging, relationships, trust, leadership, and why people stay.🎙️ In this episode, we explore:What a community actually is — and why it is different from a networkWhy purpose attracts people, but relationships keep them thereThe difference between community building and community weavingWhy many communities fail despite good intentionsThe five elements of the Community Weaving FrameworkHow trust, care, and belonging create lasting engagementWhy consistency matters more than one-off eventsThe mistake of treating community like a funnelHow leaders can create spaces where people genuinely feel they belong🔗 Check out Fabian's work:Community Weaving FrameworkCommunity CanvasEntangled (Fabian's Substack)Fabian Pfortmüller on LinkedIn⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer: "Networks Connect, Communities Care" 00:20 What Is a Community? 01:28 Why Community Matters for Entrepreneurs and Leaders 03:57 How Do You Build Meaningful Community? 04:27 Community Building vs Community Weaving 05:36 The Five Elements of Healthy Communities 06:12 Fire: Purpose, Values, and Shared Direction 06:53 Web: The Relationships That Hold People Together 08:46 Rhythm: Why Consistency Matters 10:46 Circles: The Hidden Structure of Every Community 13:52 Reciprocity and Preventing Burnout 15:01 Spiral: The Journey Into and Out of Community 16:36 Building Trust and Meaningful Relationships 17:09 Networks Connect. Communities Care. 18:42 Why Belonging and Psychological Safety Matter 19:56 The Power of Hospitality 20:39 Leadership Through Role Modelling 21:09 Resources and Where to Find Fabian's Work📺 Watch more episodes: Catch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in difficult times. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing

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 moreThe difference between coaching, mentoring, sponsorship, and peer learningWhy most people ask "how" before they know "what" or "why"What actually makes someone board-readyHow to navigate being the only different voice in the roomThe difference between endurance and true resilienceWhy pushing through isn't always the answerHow to build confidence step by step — without waiting to feel readyWhat sustainable leadership actually looks like from the insideSmall daily practices that help you stay grounded while doing demanding work🔗 Connect with Servane Mouazan: Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk/Podcast: Be & Think in the House of TrustLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/Instagram: @servanemouazan ⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Trailer00:46 Welcome Back: Meet Servane Mouazan03:15 "I'm a Thinking Partner for People Who Want to Get Out of the Numbness"05:30 What Makes a Mentoring Program Actually Work10:42 Coaching vs Mentoring vs Sponsorship vs Peer Learning14:22 What the Best Mentors Actually Do18:24 "Shut Up and Not Give Advice"21:08 How to Help Someone Find What They Actually Want28:45 The Entrepreneur Who Thought They Wanted Freedom38:54 What Actually Makes Someone Board-Ready42:12 How to Get a Board Seat — Without Asking Directly49:33 "You're Not There to Sit. You're There to Serve."56:14 How to Navigate Being the Only Different Voice in the Room01:04:22 The Difference Between Endurance and Resilience01:11:18 "You Don't Know You're Pushing Too Hard Until You Collapse"01:17:45 How to Build Wellbeing Into an Organization From Day Zero01:24:30 What Servane Wishes People Had Known Earlier01:28:52 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing#Leadership #Confidence #Mentoring #Coaching #Resilience #Entrepreneurship #CareerGrowth #BoardLeadership #ImpactInvesting #CatchTheUpswing

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 exhaustedThe invisible labor of caregiving, parenthood, and emotional responsibilityWhether people can truly bring their “full selves” to workWhy some “inclusive” spaces still exclude people in practiceHow capitalism shapes burnout, mental health, and belongingWhy impact investing can still reproduce inequalityHow language shapes power, identity, and inclusionThe emotional cost of trying to “do it all”Whether meaningful systems change is actually possiblePractices 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 Trailer00:55 Meet Bonnie Chiu & Tara Sabre Collier01:18 “Which Parts Of Your Reality Are We Not Making Space To See?”02:21 The Invisible Labor Of Caregiving04:59 Can We Really Bring Our Full Selves To Work?06:08 Faith, Identity & The Parts Of Ourselves We Hide09:09 When “Inclusive” Spaces Don’t Feel Inclusive11:04 Why Capitalism Wasn’t Built For Mental Health13:03 How Loss Shaped Tara’s Path Into Impact Investing16:36 How Bonnie Found Purpose Through Entrepreneurship24:05 The Inclusion Conference That Rejected A Mother & Baby27:27 Why Risk Stops Real Inclusion31:27 Are We Thinking About Development All Wrong?35:31 How Language Shapes Power & Belonging40:39 Why “Global Majority” Matters44:03 The Hidden Power Of Words46:36 Why So Many Purpose-Driven People Feel Exhausted49:18 “You’re Confronting Capitalism & Patriarchy”50:29 Change The System — Or Build Something New?55:07 The Hidden Cost Of Trying To Do It All57:21 How To Avoid Burnout While Still Caring Deeply59:13 Protecting Your Mind In An Overwhelming World01:01:08 What Keeps Us Grounded Through Difficult Times01:02:14 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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing#Leadership #Burnout #MentalHealth #Entrepreneurship #ImpactInvesting #SystemsChange #PurposeDriven #WomenInBusiness #Capitalism #CatchTheUpswing

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 systemHow Laura Coryton helped end tampon tax in the UKWhy meaningful change almost never happens quicklyThe emotional reality of entrepreneurship and leadershipWhat caregiving taught Rachael Crook about resilience and empathyWhy criticism from the sidelines matters less than staying “in the arena”The hidden emotional cost of trying to create changeWhy empathy is one of the most underrated leadership skillsHow to keep going when your first ideas failThe mindset shifts that help people persist through difficult years🔗 Check out Laura Coryton’s work:Website: https://lauracoryton.com/ Sex Ed Matters: https://sexedmatters.co.uk/🔗 Check out Rachael Crook’s work:Lifted: https://www.lifted-talent.com/🔗 Additional resources:Obama Foundation Leaders Program: https://www.obama.org/programs/leaders/Care Economy Knowledge Hub (Kore Global): https://www.the-care-economy-knowledge-hub.org/⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Trailer04:19 Episode Starts: Meet Laura Coryton & Rachael Crook06:54 “Who Is Making These Decisions?”11:41 Watching Someone You Love Disappear15:03 “There Was Nothing To Help Us”20:05 The People Holding Society Together22:01 How Laura Changed UK & European Law27:36 “Nobody Sees The Hard Years”31:18 The Moment Rachael Nearly Quit35:09 Why Most People Never Start40:45 The Leadership Skill Nobody Talks About46:05 The Exercise That Changed How She Lives50:12 “We Are Making Money And Changing Lives”56:34 “Be More Ambitious”01:01:05 Life Belongs To People In The Arena01:08:42 Rapid Fire Round01:13:26 “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/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #CareEconomy #Activism #Resilience #SystemsChange #CareerGrowth #CatchTheUpswing

Why do we keep promoting the wrong people into leadershipIn 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 leadershiphow to navigate resilience, burnout, and long-term changeThis 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/ (also available on Amazon and bookstores worldwide) Marijn Wiersma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marijnwiersma/  🔖 Chapters00:00 Trailer01:43 Welcome back — audience questions from around the world02:16 The most overlooked toxic leadership trait04:19 Why we confuse confidence with competence06:45 The hard truth about keeping top female talent09:32 Emotion, credibility, and the double standard at work12:48 Why empathy is non-negotiable in leadership15:42 Authenticity at work — and the courage to keep the coat on20:02 Resilience, burnout, and why pushing through isn’t the answer27:14 Systems change, hope, and the case for outrage + optimism29:54 How to build real allies at work32:14 The one thing leaders should do tomorrow morning33:42 How to make unconscious bias conscious34:35 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 episodeChristiana 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 🔗 Follow & connect:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: 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 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 capitalHow small differences in pitch conversations shape major outcomesThe hidden patterns behind many investment decisionsWhy this is not just a pipeline problemWhat changes when capital flows differentlyAnd why better investment decisions are also a massive economic opportunitySome 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