In this episode of Be & Think in the House of Trust, Servane meets with Milena Bacalja Perianes, a feminist activist, impact investor, and lifelong advocate for systems change. Growing up as the child of migrants and living across multiple countries, Milena learned early on how to navigate diverse worldviews and bridge cultural divides.

She shares her journey from grassroots activism to the world of finance, where she now works to "eat away at the foundations" of systems that were never designed to serve women, minorities, or marginalised groups.

Instead of confrontation, Milena champions empathy, nuance, and care when engaging with those in positions of power. She believes that true transformation comes through connection and dialogue.

Today, Milena advises major global institutions and investors, helping them weave gender analysis into their investment decisions.

Her mission: to reimagine financial systems so they serve people, planet, justice and care.

In our time together, we explore the delicate tension between working within an extractive, unequal capitalist structure and striving to create lasting positive impact.

Connect with Milena

On LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/milena-bacalja-perianes-4833a8b2/

Visit Sagana: https://sagana.com/

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

In this episode of Be & Think in the House of Trust, join Servane as she engages with Dr. Penny Hay, an inspiring educator, artist, and researcher dedicated to igniting creativity and imagination in multiple, transdisciplinary learning environments.

Explore the transformative power of imagination and its role in igniting social and environmental change:

The Forest of Imagination:

Penny shares her vision of a world where everyone is recognised as an artist, where imaginative freedom and creativity are at the core of education and not just that!.

Learning Beyond Walls:

Discover the concept of "School without Walls," where learning transcends traditional classrooms and becomes an exploratory journey through nature and community.

Interconnectedness:

Penny discusses the metaphor of the forest, highlighting how everything is connected and how this understanding gives birth to ecological empathy and collective action.

Curiosity and Creativity:

We learn how nurturing curiosity and creativity empowers individuals of all ages to embrace their identities as artists, authors and innovators: people who create.

Embracing Uncertainty:

What does it mean to be comfortable with uncertainty, and how does this impacts on genuine inquiry and collaboration.

Manifesto for Change:

Penny encourages listeners to create their own manifestos, rooted in personal values, to drive social and environmental change in their communities.

Paying Attention:

The episode concludes with a reminder to be present and sensitive to the world around us, to create a deeper connection to nature and each other.

Connect with Dr. Penny Hay:

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-penny-hay/

At Bath Spa University: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/our-people/penny-hay/

Visit:

http://houseofimagination.org/

http://www.forestofimagination.org.uk/

http://www.school-without-walls.org/

Podcast Music Production: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

In this episode of Be and Think in the House of Trust, Servane listens to Donna Morton, Finance Futurist, Movements Weaver, Serial Social Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Bio Regional Fund "Salmon Returns". 

Journey with us and discover:

The Salmon’s Journey as Metaphor:

Donna shares her 40-year journey, drawing inspiration from the salmon’s return to ancestral streams. She explores how this natural cycle mirrors the need to return finance to its roots—serving life, community, and regeneration.

Money as Medicine:

Donna explains how we can use finance as a tool for healing rather than extraction.

Reweaving Wealth:

The conversation highlights ancient Indigenous practices, such as the potlatch, where wealth is redistributed and blankets are torn and rewoven, a metaphor for reimagining and reconstructing financial systems.

Poetry and Ceremony in Finance:

Donna introduces the idea of treating financial work as poetry or prayer. We can inject emotion, ceremony, and deep democracy. She reads a poetic reflection on money as a current that must flow in harmony with the land.

Nine Sacred Principles:

The episode explores nine guiding principles—dignity, justice, stewardship, democracy, intergenerational responsibility, community, wealth and well-being, cultural flourishing, ecological economics, and radical truth—plus nine ways of “togetherness,” from collaboration to coexistence.

Conflict and Harmony:

Drawing from salmon culture, Donna reflects on service, sacrifice, and the wisdom of nature in navigating conflict and fostering collective healing.

Personal Regeneration:

Donna recounts her recovery from a CO2-induced coma. She draws a parallel her personal healing with the Earth’s capacity for regeneration. She advocates for aligning finance with life and listening to the wisdom of Indigenous communities.

Embodied Leadership:

The episode closes with insights on listening to the body, embracing diversity, and creating containers for true collaboration, where finance, medicine, and culture intersect for collective well-being.

Find Donna on 

Linkedin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-morton-a2417214b/

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/donna.morton.566

Salmon Returns website: https://www.salmonreturns.com/

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

Dive into our latest House of Trust episode where I am listening to Marcela Sabino, a visionary business strategist & futurist, about the art of anticipation, life-long learning and curiosity.

We discuss how exponential technologies reshape your world, the importance of foresight practices in business and what exhaustion and frustration mean in this context.

Learn to track signals of change and act today for a better tomorrow!

Highlights in this episode

• Understand the role of curiosity in driving innovation and development
• How Tech empowers and overwhelms entrepreneurs and can lead to mental exhaustion
• The ethical considerations surrounding AI and its potential impact on society
• Practical tips for identifying and tracking weak signals of change in your industry
• The importance of acting in alignment with the future you wish to create.

Connect with Sabina

Website: https://marcelasabino.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcela-sabino/

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

In this episode of "Be & Think in the House of Trust," Servane listens to Esther Foreman, founder and CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) of the Social Change Agency and Social Change Nest. Esther is a leader with a purposefully anarchic style focused on getting out of the way and releasing resources to those better positioned to create change

Esther explains how the team support grassroots movements and community organisations through a trauma-informed, non-extractive approach, while transforming the funding landscape.

"Rest is radical... proper rest is resistance"

Highlights in this episode:

• How the Social Change Nest was created during lockdown to support mutual aid groups across the UK
• How "fiscal hosting" or "nesting" - provides trust-bases infrastructure support for grassroots organizations
• The philosophy behind the "nest" - supporting groups until they can operate independently
• The disconnect between modern grassroots movements and traditional charitable structures

Connect with Esther

The social change Nest https://thesocialchangenest.org/

The Social Change Agency https://thesocialchangeagency.org

Find Esther on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/estherforeman/

In this new episode of Be & Think in the House of Trust, I listen to Claudia Cahalane, a journalist and meditation coach, about her transformative journey with Qigong—a meditative movement practice - and her insights from embracing slowness.

Claudia shares how Qigong combines deep breathing and gentle movements to foster calmness and enhance physical health. After experiencing burnout, she found relief through Qigong during a silent retreat, which inspired her to teach and advocate for mindfulness

We dive into the parallels between the slow, intentional nature of Qigong and the often sluggish pace of social change. Claudia emphasizes the need for patience and deeper connections within the social investment ecosystem, and how to embrace slowness as a means to build stronger relationships and create meaningful impact.

Highlights in this episode:

- The mental and physical health benefits of Qigong

- How mindfulness practices can drive social change and boost creativity.

- How social investors can build deeper relationships through diverse perspectives

- Bonus: How Claudia's mindful morning routine sets a positive tone for her day!

Connect with Claudia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiacahalane/

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

In this new episode of Be & Think in the House of Trust, Servane listens to Dr Sara Calvo, from Minca Ventures, who tells us about the transformative core principles of Buen Vivir (Good Living), a South American concept.

Tapping into her background as a knowledge entrepreneur, university lecturer and global social innovation explorer, Sara explains how a deep connection with nature, community relationships, and a holistic approach to living goes beyond traditional well-being concepts.

We hear how we can apply the Buen Vivir philosophy in various contexts, from individual well-being to organizational leadership, and the beautiful support and guidance it provides to meet the world’s needs.

Highlights in this episode:

• Discover how the Buen Vivir Philosophy offers a wholesome approach to living in harmony with nature and community, and how it challenges traditional ideas of well-being
• Hear stories of communities and organisations around the world that have successfully embraced Buen Vivir principles, and how they cultivate sustainable and inclusive development
• Learn about the importance of aligning personal values with organisational goals and how leaders can incorporate Buen Vivir to flourish and grow their impact
• Explore how cultures around the world are adopting similar ideas, proving that we're all craving a more conscious and connected way of life.

Connect with Sara

• On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-calvo-martinez-19094714/
• At Minca Ventures www.mincaventures.com
• Learn: MBA4Impact: https://mba4impact.com/

Book: "Social Innovation in Latin America", read the chapter: "Buen Vivir, a decolonial approach to development" https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780367823382-1/buen-vivir-decolonial-approach-development-morales-andrés-calvo-sara

In this new episode of Be & Think in the House of Trust, I welcome Felipe Cunha, Mestre Violinha, a Brazilian researcher & professor, and Capoeira Master, with a passion for collaborative processes and organisational change.

Felipe shares his profound insights into how Capoeira, the Brazilian martial art, can inspire us to foster a more human-centred, adaptable community and work culture:

- Capoeira is a decolonial way of moving through life

- Capoeira shows you how to create meaningful interactions and grow trust within teams and groups

- Capoeira generates new ideas and helps you connect with others on a poetic level

- Felipe explains his love for transformative learning processes that

challenge conventional systems and inspire deeper connections

- We dive into how embodied learning helps you grow in the world and transform yourself.

Connect with Felipe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-cunha-b8325a9/

"Tabacaria", Fernando Pessoa, 1944. https://lyricstranslate.com/en/tabacaria-tobacco-shop.html-0

If you read Portuguese, explore his text "How Capoeira Can Teach us To Listen?" ("Como a Capoeira pode nos ensinar a escutar?") https://travessias.substack.com/p/como-a-capoeira-pode-nos-ensinar

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

Join Servane Mouazan in this bouncy episode of Be & Think in the House of Trust as she welcomes Guido Heijmans, also known as Mestre Salsicha, a Dutch Capoeira master who has been practising the Brazilian martial art for three decades. Together they explore the profound lessons that Capoeira offers in fostering trust, collaboration, and personal growth within teams and organisations.

Highlights:

- Understanding Capoeira: Discover the essence of Capoeira as a vibrant blend of music, movement, historic legacy and martial arts, creating a dynamic and inclusive environment where individuals can express themselves freely.

- Team Dynamics: Learn how Capoeira’s circle fosters deep connections, mutual support, and the freedom to express individuality, making it a metaphor for unique teamwork.

- Intuition and Presence: Explore the concepts of malandragem and malícia, which teach practitioners to be cunning, aware, and adaptable, essential skills for navigating complex social landscapes.

- Going with the Flow: Embrace the art of staying calm and present amidst chaos, allowing for creativity and unexpected outcomes to emerge naturally.

- Breaking Stereotypes: Witness how Capoeira challenges societal norms and encourages empowerment, inclusivity, and the dismantling of preconceived notions.

Connect with Guido:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/guido-heijmans-308877aa/

Website: https://www.capoeira-events.nl

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan

Are you ready to explore the transformative potential of SharingPower?

The latest episode of Be & Think in the #HouseOfTrust dives deep into the soil of collective processes.

We've harvested insights from funders, entrepreneurs, and activists, and you can cross-pollinate too by thinking through the questions in this episode, in real time!

Bonus: Discover how the "Sharing Power Wheel" can help you assess and enhance power dynamics in your own context.

#SocialChange  #ConsciousInnovation, #PowerDynamics, #Collaboration, #InclusiveStructures, #Stewardship, #Empathy, #SelfAdvocacy #Trust #Leadership

Connect with Servane:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/servanemouazan/

Website: https://servanemouazan.co.uk

Subscribe to Conscious Innovation updates:

http://eepurl.com/hp0h55

Podcast Music Production from Series 04 Ep 45: Milig Mouazan-Strachan