Change of Plans

In this episode of Change of Plans, Anaita Azizi engages with Cornelia Steinbock, a political scientist and co-founder of xounds, an AI-supported platform for consensual and inclusive audio erotica. Cornelia takes listeners on her eclectic journey from diplomacy to sex tech, emphasizing the need for safe, ethical spaces in an often stigmatized industry. She shares her vision for xounds, which not only aims to provide diverse audio experiences but also to foster community and empower users' stories. The conversation delves into the mental health implications of audio erotica, proposing it as a healthier alternative for exploring intimacy. Cornelia highlights initiatives for representation and ethical engagement in sex tech, dispelling common myths and advocating for broader inclusivity. This episode serves as a thoughtful reminder of the transformative potential of transparency in discussions about sexuality and technology. 

🔹Cornelia Steinbock & xounds
Cornelia Steinbock is a Berlin-born and based political scientist, systemic coach, and co-founder of xounds, an AI-powered platform redefining digital intimacy through audio. With a background in feminist policy, inclusive communication, and leadership coaching, she brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to the tech space.
📌 Follow xounds on social media platforms: https://bit.ly/m/xounds
🔗 Connect with Cornelia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cornelia-steinbock/

🔹 About Anaita Azizi & Change of Plans
I’m Anaita Azizi and Change of Plans is where I talk to founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs about career twists, reinvention, and what happens when Plan A turns into Plan…something else.
📌 Follow & Connect with Me:
🎙 Podcast Pages: Linkedin & Instagram
📸 Instagram: @anaita.azizi
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi/

💼 Need Help with Your Business? I also work as a freelance consultant—helping startups and entrepreneurs with financial management, public funding, operations, public speaking, and podcasting. If you found me through the podcast, you get a discount—because good things should come from good conversations. 😉
📌 More Info on My Freelance Work

In this episode of Change of Plans, Anaita Azizi sits down with Clara Hahn—founder, coach, and advocate for reimagining career transitions—to explore the unfiltered realities of unemployment, personal reinvention, and building mission-driven organizations. Clara shares how her own experiences as a single mother and job seeker during a time of upheaval led her to start Fired Up Space, a coaching collective that views unemployment not as a failure, but as an opportunity for growth. From navigating the challenges of German bureaucracy to fostering a radically empathetic company culture, Clara’s story is a powerful reminder that career detours are often where true clarity and transformation begin.

🔹 About Clara Hahn & Fired Up Space
Clara Hahn is the founder and managing director of Fired Up Space, a Berlin-based organization offering career and founder coaching with a mission to destigmatize unemployment and empower non-linear careers.
 🎙 Podcast: How Did You Get Into...
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clara-hahn-fired-up-space/
📌 Learn more about Fired Up Space:

• Career Coaching & Founders Coaching (free with AVGS voucher) https://firedupspace.com/learn-more/
• New Work Training https://firedupspace.com/good-change-facilitator/
• How to get Gründungszuschuss https://firedupspace.com/how-to-get-the-gruendungszuschuss-2024/
• How to get unemployment benefits (ALG1/ALG2) https://firedupspace.com/unemployment-benefits-in-germany/

🔹 About Anaita Azizi & Change of Plans
I’m Anaita Azizi and Change of Plans is where I talk to founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs about career twists, reinvention, and what happens when Plan A turns into Plan…something else.
📌 Follow & Connect with Me:
🎙 Podcast Pages: Linkedin & Instagram
📸 Instagram: @anaita.azizi
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi/

💼 Need Help with Your Business? I also work as a freelance consultant—helping startups and entrepreneurs with financial management, public funding, operations, public speaking, and podcasting. If you found me through the podcast, you get a discount—because good things should come from good conversations. 😉
📌 More Info on My Freelance Work

(00:00:00) Episode 9: Agnieszka Walorska on Bureaucracy, AI, and Knowing When to Push or Pause

(00:00:30) Welcome to Change of Plans Podcast

(00:01:45) Introducing Agnieszka Walorska

(00:02:00) Journey to Mika

(00:09:58) Finding the right co-founder

(00:24:29) Building client trust

(00:27:01) Navigating personal branding

(00:29:41) Discussing neurodiversity

(00:39:51) Defining resilience

(00:41:28) Coaching & therapy insights

(00:44:48) Quickfire round

(00:46:55) Closing thoughts and reflections

In this episode of Change of Plans, I sit down with Agnieszka Walorska—founder, product visionary, and champion of empathetic tech—to explore the unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, and change. Agnieszka opens up about her decision to transition out of a successful service business after nearly a decade, and how her personal battles with German bureaucracy inspired the creation of Mika, a generative AI startup revolutionizing financial clarity for small businesses. From navigating team dynamics through the lens of her neurodivergence to finding the right co-founder, her story is a masterclass in self-awareness and intentional leadership.

🔹 About Agnieszka Walorska
Agnieszka Walorska is entrepreneur, digital strategy expert, and technology innovator with a focus on user experience, artificial intelligence, and finance.
🎙 Podcast Page: Zurück zur Zukunft (in German)
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnieszkawalorska/
📌 Learn more about Mika AI

🔹 About Anaita Azizi & Change of Plans
I’m Anaita Azizi, and Change of Plans is where I talk to founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs about career twists, reinvention, and what happens when Plan A turns into Plan…something else. 📌 Follow & Connect with Me:
🎙 Podcast Page: Linkedin & Instagram
📸 Instagram: @anaita.azizi
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi/

💼 Need Help with Your Business?
I also work as a freelance consultant—helping startups and entrepreneurs with financial management, public funding, operations, public speaking, and podcasting. If you found me through the podcast, you get a discount—because good things should come from good conversations. 😉 📌 More Info on My Freelance Work

(00:00:00) Episode 8: Post It like You Mean It: Maria Ledentsova On the Unpolished Power of Personal Branding

(00:00:26) Welcome to Change of Plans

(00:02:01) Podcasting Setup

(00:05:47) The Journey to Podcasting

(00:07:41) Building Professional Visibility

(00:13:04) The Power of Personal Branding

(00:20:17) Defining Personal Branding

(00:27:06) Marketing Myths and Misconceptions

(00:35:57) Navigating LinkedIn Strategies

(00:46:53) Content Creation Challenges

(00:51:15) Notion Ambassador Experience

(00:56:20) Quickfire Questions

(01:02:17) Episode Wrap-Up

In this episode, I chat with Maria Ledensova—a marketer, community builder, and podcast host who made the leap from studying musicology to building a career in digital marketing. We get into how her unusual path shaped the way she approaches personal branding, and why being real (not polished) is what actually resonates online. Maria also shares how she launched her podcast Marketing Mondays, why she loves organizing community meetups, and how tools like Notion help her keep it all together. If you’re navigating a career pivot or trying to figure out how to show up online in a way that feels like you, this one’s packed with honest insights and practical tips.

🔹 About Maria Ledenstsova 
Maria Ledentsova is a Digital Marketer & Notion Ambassador from Berlin with an MSc in Digital Marketing Strategy from Trinity College Dublin. Her focus is on digital strategies across channels, including SEO/SEM, Content Marketing & Social Media
🎙 Podcast Page: Marketing Mondays with Maria
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marialeden/ 
📌 Register for the upcoming Notion for Marketers Meet Up on 9.05


🔹 About Anaita Azizi & Change of Plans
I’m Anaita Azizi, and Change of Plans is where I talk to founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs about career twists, reinvention, and what happens when Plan A turns into Plan…something else. 📌 Follow & Connect with Me:
🎙 Podcast Page: Linkedin & Instagram
📸 Instagram: @anaita.azizi
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi/

💼 Need Help with Your Business?
I also work as a freelance consultant—helping startups and entrepreneurs with financial management, public funding, operations, public speaking, and podcasting. If you found me through the podcast, you get a discount—because good things should come from good conversations. 😉 📌 More Info on My Freelance Work

In this two-part episode, I sit down with my friend Anshita Koul, a Berlin-based stand-up comedian who went from being an engineer to working multiple jobs to becoming a full-time touring comic. In Part 1, we talk about:

• Moving to Germany and figuring out life as an expat
• The career twists that led her from engineering to comedy
• Juggling multiple jobs before making the leap into full-time stand-up

In Part 2 (out on April 2), we dive into the world of stand-up comedy:

• The different types of comedy shows and what makes a great set
• The dos and don’ts of performing
• The reality of the comedy scene—the good, the great, and the downright ugly

Anshita is a Berlin-based, internationally touring comedian originally from India. She produces Comedy Bazaar, Word On The Street, and Jokes' On Us in Berlin, runs a quarterly joke-writing workshop, and has performed at Funny Women Stage Awards, Copenhagen Pride, and India’s first-ever Queer Comedy tour. 📌 Follow Anshita & Check Out Her Shows:
🌍 Website: http://anshitakoul.com
📸 Instagram: @anshitakoul
🎭 Upcoming Shows: https://linktr.ee/anshitakoul (Comedy Bazaar in Berlin on 4.04 up next!)

🔹 About Anaita Azizi & Change of Plans
I’m Anaita Azizi, and Change of Plans is where I talk to founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs about career twists, reinvention, and what happens when Plan A turns into Plan…something else. 📌 Follow & Connect with Me:
🎙 Podcast Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/change-of-plans-podcast/
📸 Instagram: @anaita.azizi
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi/

💼 Need Help with Your Business?
I also work as a freelance consultant—helping startups and entrepreneurs with financial management, public funding, operations, public speaking, and podcasting. If you found me through the podcast, you get a discount—because good things should come from good conversations. 😉 📌 More Info on My Freelance Work

In this two-part episode, I sit down with my friend Anshita Koul, a Berlin-based stand-up comedian who went from being an engineer to working multiple jobs to becoming a full-time touring comic. In Part 1, we talk about:

• Moving to Germany and figuring out life as an expat
• The career twists that led her from engineering to comedy
• Juggling multiple jobs before making the leap into full-time stand-up

In Part 2 (out on April 2), we dive into the world of stand-up comedy:

• The different types of comedy shows and what makes a great set
• The dos and don’ts of performing
• The reality of the comedy scene—the good, the great, and the downright ugly

Anshita is a Berlin-based, internationally touring comedian originally from India. She produces Comedy Bazaar, Word On The Street, and Jokes' On Us in Berlin, runs a quarterly joke-writing workshop, and has performed at Funny Women Stage Awards, Copenhagen Pride, and India’s first-ever Queer Comedy tour. 📌 Follow Anshita & Check Out Her Shows:
🌍 Website: http://anshitakoul.com
📸 Instagram: @anshitakoul
🎭 Upcoming Shows: https://linktr.ee/anshitakoul

🔹 About Me & Change of Plans
I’m Anaita Azizi, and Change of Plans is where I talk to founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs about career twists, reinvention, and what happens when Plan A turns into Plan…something else. 📌 Follow & Connect with Me:
🎙 Podcast Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/change-of-plans-podcast/
📸 Instagram: @anaita.azizi
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi/ 💼 Need Help with Your Business?
I also work as a freelance consultant—helping startups and entrepreneurs with financial management, public funding, operations, public speaking, and podcasting. If you found me through the podcast, you get a discount—because good things should come from good conversations. 😉 📌 More Info on My Freelance Work

Anaita Azizi spoke with Marianna Egressy, Head of Accelerator & Ecosystem at MotionLab.Berlin, to talk about:
🔹 What founders get wrong when applying to accelerators
🔹 Why climate tech is a long-term game (and why patience is key)
🔹 The realities of hardtech funding and what investors are looking for
🔹 When startups should pivot vs. when they should push through

Startups in the MotionLab.Berlin ecosystem, mentioned in the episode:
🐞 SPAIA – Developing tech to monitor and restore biodiversity
🧗‍♀️ weare___mad – Working on sustainable climbing holds
🌿NeoCarbon – Scaling direct air capture for CO2 removal
⚡ VoltVogel – Innovating in e-mobility and battery tech
🔬 NanoMatter – Pushing the boundaries of semiconductor technology

Mariann also shared insights from Planet A Ventures’s Climate Hardware Playbook, a must-read for anyone building in this space: 📖 Read it here 

Head to your favourite podcast platform to listen:
🎙 Spreaker https://lnkd.in/dcWbeaAK
🎙 Spotify https://lnkd.in/dF24pFqM
🎙 Amazon Music https://lnkd.in/dyDPFxGS
🎙 iHeart https://lnkd.in/dFZb5P2D
🎙 Apple Podcasts https://lnkd.in/de62At5H

💼 "Embracing the absurdity of life—its struggles and the things we can’t change, even when we know they’re wrong—I’ve found joy in music and art, and endless inspiration in the people at MotionLab.Berlin." -Marianna Egressy

📸 Follow me, Anaita Azizi, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azizianaita
💼 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi

Change of Plans Channels 
📸 On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeofplans
💼 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/change-of-plans-podcast/

In this episode Anaita Azizi, sits down with Dash Markova, a startup strategist, founder, and mentor who has spent years working with entrepreneurs, accelerators, and investors to turn ideas into real businesses.

We get into the unfiltered truths of the startup world—the things no one tells you about building a company, why most early-stage founders focus on the wrong things, and what actually makes a business work. Dash shares insights on navigating uncertainty, managing burnout, and why resilience isn’t about pushing through, but knowing when to step back.

We also dive into her own career pivots, why she took a break from the startup ecosystem, and what it taught her about ambition, identity, and finding the right opportunities.If you’re a founder, thinking about starting something, or just someone navigating career changes and figuring out what’s next, this episode is full of insights you won’t want to miss.

💼 Connect with Dash Markova on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dashtoomuch/ 

📸 Follow me, Anaita Azizi, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azizianaita
💼 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi

Change of Plans Channels 
📸 On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeofplans
💼 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/change-of-plans-podcast/

In this special bonus episode I, Anaita Azizi, sit down with someone who’s known me my entire life—my brother, Samir Azizi. Samir has built a career in digital marketing and PR, working with brands across Canada and the US, with a focus on crypto, AI, and emerging tech. He also runs Azizi Podcast, making us not just siblings, but now also fellow podcasters. In this episode, we talk about how we both got into podcasting, why we do it, and what we've actually learned along the way.Expect career insights, some sibling banter, and a look at what it’s like to build your own thing—whether it’s a brand, a business, or, in our case, a podcast.

🎧 Listen now and check out more from Samir here:
📺 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/
🎙 Azizi Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FDd0dQi8vvTnQz5h5QwAz?si=ead8cb59c1a44579
🏢 Samir's Agency: https://parkdalle.com/
🌐 Samir's Organization: https://www.tdao.to/
🐦 Samir's X: https://x.com/AdoubleZI
📸 Samir's IG: https://www.instagram.com/
🎵 Samir's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@azizipodcast
🔗 Samir's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi/

🎙 Want more Change of Plans? Find me here:🎧 Listen to the Podcast:

• Spreaker: https://lnkd.in/dcWbeaAK
• Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dF24pFqM
• Amazon Music: https://lnkd.in/dyDPFxGS
• iHeart: https://lnkd.in/dFZb5P2D
• Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/de62At5H

📸 Follow me, Anaita Azizi, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azizianaita
💼 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi

Change of Plans Channels 
📸 On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeofplans
💼 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/change-of-plans-podcast/

In this episode of Change of Plans, host Anaita Azizi sits down with Tayla Sheldrake, Managing Director of Berlin’s MotionLab, to share the behind-the-scenes work happening at Germany’s premier hardtech space. MotionLab is more than just a workspace—it’s a community where innovators tackle pressing global issues. Tayla explains how MotionLab’s accelerator program offers comprehensive support to early-stage hardtech startups focused on climate-focused solutions, from CO₂ capture and sustainable agriculture to lowering industrial carbon footprints.Listen in to hear how MotionLab helps creators turn their ideas into impactful real-world solutions, providing everything from guidance and resources to high-tech prototyping facilities. Whether you’re passionate about sustainability or curious about Berlin’s hardtech scene, this episode is packed with inspiring insights. And stay tuned for the next episode in two weeks, featuring Dash Markova, a dynamic leader in the startup and innovation community.
Guest: Tayla Sheldrake https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayla-sheldrake/

Host & Producer: Anaita Azizi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaita-azizi/


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