Live events look effortless from the crowd, but behind every stage, schedule, and security plan sits an intense working environment built on long hours, high stakes, and a freelance culture that can make wellbeing feel like an afterthought. In this conversation, Nika shares how the pandemic exposed the mental health crisis many event professionals were already carrying, and how that experience helped shape Calm Nest Collective—an initiative bringing quiet sensory spaces, inclusion-focused design, and practical wellbeing supports into festivals, conferences, and workplaces. The discussion unpacks why the events industry is uniquely stressful, how neurodivergence shows up in creative high-pressure environments, and what organisers can do now—through communication, staffing, layout, and low-cost design choices—to create safer, calmer, more accessible experiences for both crews and audiences.

About Our Guest: Nika is a trained social worker and events industry professional whose career spans corporate work, large-scale music events, and sustainability leadership across major European festivals. During COVID, she witnessed first-hand how quickly the collapse of the events sector intensified stress, insecurity, and mental health challenges for crews—an experience that helped shape her work with Calm Nest Collective. Today, she focuses on improving wellbeing and inclusion in high-pressure environments through quiet sensory spaces, practical accessibility and DEI advice, and sustainability support for event organisers, informed by ongoing doctoral research into mental health and neurodivergence in the events workforce.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

Skip the HCN Weekly Brief - 3:45.

This episode responds to a listener question from a practitioner stepping into academic research and feeling overwhelmed by theory of change, explanatory change theory, and the broader field of social change research. It unpacks the difference between a practical theory of change and a deeper explanatory change theory, explains why research philosophy matters so much when you want to explain why change happens, and introduces critical realism as a powerful framework for researchers trying to move beyond description and engage with causality, ontology, and complex social transformation.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

A non-linear career can feel confusing while you’re living it, yet it often becomes the foundation for the most grounded leadership. Global entrepreneur Neli Kools shares how her journey—from architecture and urban planning, to studying music business in the US, to running a digital marketing agency—ultimately led her to co-found Intimate Queen, a plant-based wellness lingerie brand built to challenge a long-normalised question: why is discomfort “just part of being a woman”? This conversation explores the unfiltered reality of launching a women-led product in a taboo category, what it takes to move from idea to innovation through research and testing, and why authenticity, intuition, and staying close to the problem are often the real drivers of sustainable growth.

About Our Guest: Neli Kools is a global entrepreneur and co-founder of Intimate Queen, a plant-based wellness lingerie brand focused on women’s comfort, confidence, and intimate skin wellbeing. With more than 14 years’ experience in digital marketing and brand building, Neli brings a rare blend of creative strategy and product innovation to mission-driven entrepreneurship. Her non-linear pathway spans architecture and urban planning, studies in music business in the United States, and the founding of a digital advertising agency—experience she now draws on to grow Intimate Queen across markets while navigating the challenges of building a women-led brand in a sensitive and often stigmatised category.

📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

Skip the HCN Weekly Brief - 7:17

From choosing the right degree to figuring out whether systemic change is too overwhelming to pursue, this rapid fire Q&A tackles a range of listener questions about what it really means to build a life in changemaking. The conversation moves through practical advice for people just starting out, why growing a garden might be one of the best lessons in social change, how to think about systemic versus systems change, and the kinds of books that can genuinely shape the way we see the world.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

Communication sits at the heart of leadership, relationships, and social change—yet most people were never taught how to listen well, navigate conflict, or speak in ways others can actually receive. Drawing on her work with global leaders and couples, Eri Kardos unpacks why many communication breakdowns are patterned rather than personal, how trauma responses quietly shape everything from workplace dynamics to intimacy at home, and why learning the “art of repair” is essential for sustainable relationships and effective teamwork. The conversation explores practical tools for listening with full presence, influencing ethically through clarity and consent, and using boundaries as a form of safety and trust rather than restriction—offering changemakers a grounded pathway for turning tension into deeper connection and more coherent action.

About Our Guest: Eri Kardos is the founder and lead coach of Relearn Love, LLC, where she supports leaders to strengthen their influence at work by cultivating deeper, more connected relationships at home. Drawing on science-based and somatic approaches to communication, conflict, and emotional regulation, her work bridges leadership development and intimate partnership. A former leadership development professional at Amazon.com, Eri holds an MBA in Global Leadership and observed firsthand how relational wellbeing directly shapes focus, clarity, and organisational impact. She is a 2025 TEDx speaker and the author of the best-selling book Relationship Agreements, and now works with clients across six continents while speaking regularly with Fortune 500 organisations. Based in Bali with her husband, Jaymin Patel, and their two children, Eri also hosts private retreats integrating relational wellbeing with leadership and personal growth. Learn more: https://www.relearnlove.com/

📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.

💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.

Social Change 101 ⁠FREE course & The Changemaker In You ebook⁠.

Follow HCN on Instagram ⁠@humanitarianchangemakers⁠

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Changemaker Q&A is a Humanitarian Changemakers Network podcast. Ask a question via Spotify, or head to ⁠humanitarianchangemakers.net/podcast⁠. If your question is answered, you’ll receive some Changemaker Co goodies on us!

The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

Turning 30 can be “just a number”, but it can also be a moment to pause and take stock — and that’s what this episode does. Tiyana shares the winding, unplanned story of her twenties as a changemaker: a semester abroad that sparked activism and opened doors to the UN, the volunteering and self-education that shaped her more than formal study, the early beginnings of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network, and the leap into a PhD she didn’t think she’d get into. Along the way, she unpacks the key lessons she’s taking into her thirties — from living with intention and committing to lifelong learning, to being selective with relationships, building a culture of care, balancing self-development with impact, taking audacious risks, seeking understanding over persuasion, expanding your idea of “impact” beyond a job title, and following curiosity as a compass.

📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

Freedom is often spoken about as an abstract ideal, yet for many entrepreneurs and changemakers it is the invisible foundation that makes creation, expression, and impact possible. Drawing on a lived experience of displacement, migration, and rebuilding life from scratch, this conversation explores the deep connection between freedom, entrepreneurship, and service. The episode examines why fear and self-doubt are among the greatest constraints on impact, how reframing sales as service can unlock both sustainability and integrity, and why investing in personal development is not a luxury but a responsibility for those who seek to lead. At its core, the discussion invites changemakers to see business not as a departure from values, but as a vehicle for expressing them—when grounded in courage, love for humanity, and a commitment to freedom.

About Our Guest: Nicky Billou is a two-time New York Times bestselling author and the #1 international bestselling author of Finish Line Thinking™: How to Think and Win Like a Champion, The Thought Leader’s Journey, and The Power of Connecting. An in-demand speaker to global business audiences, he advises and mentors entrepreneurs across a wide range of sectors, supporting them to build influence, clarity, and sustainable impact. Nicky is the founder of eCircle Academy, where he leads a year-long mastermind and education program for heart-driven service professionals, and the creator of the Thought Leader/Heart Leader™ designation. He also hosts The Thought Leader Revolution, one of the world’s leading podcasts on thought leadership, through which he has interviewed more than 700 globally recognised leaders across business, leadership, and social impact.

📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.

💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.

Social Change 101 ⁠FREE course & The Changemaker In You ebook⁠.

Follow HCN on Instagram ⁠@humanitarianchangemakers⁠

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Changemaker Q&A is a Humanitarian Changemakers Network podcast. Ask a question via Spotify, or head to ⁠humanitarianchangemakers.net/podcast⁠. If your question is answered, you’ll receive some Changemaker Co goodies on us!

The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

If you don’t want the HCN update, skip to 12:35!

What if doing less was actually the smartest strategy for creating more impact? Inspired by a very real moment of autumn “shedding” (and some painfully slow internet), this episode dives into what leverage really means in the context of social change. Instead of glorifying busyness, we explore productivity as a ratio of inputs to outcomes — and why more activity does not automatically equal more impact. From identifying bottlenecks and hidden friction inside your work, to designing for leverage rather than coverage, to knowing when to stop doing work that no longer aligns with your theory of change, this is a practical, honest conversation about how to focus on what actually moves the system. If you’re tired of spinning your wheels or feeling stretched thin, this episode will help you rethink where your real leverage point might be hiding.

Resources mentioned: School of Social Impact’s Theory of Change Challenge and the Ultimate Introduction to Systems Thinking bundle.

📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

Grassroots changemakers are often driven by purpose first—then quickly discover that impact also requires skills in branding, communication, storytelling, and digital strategy. In this conversation, Daniel (founder of The Good Growth Company) shares a practical roadmap for building trust and visibility without trying to do everything at once: starting with audience clarity, choosing formats that people will actually engage with, and using simple metrics that reflect quality rather than vanity numbers. We also explore why design and brand strategy shape credibility more than many organisations realise, how to tell ethical stories that move people from awareness to action, and where AI can support fundraising and campaigns—without losing the distinctive voice that makes your work worth backing.

About Our Guest: Daniel Francavilla is a brand strategist, educator, and nonprofit founder working at the intersection of social impact and market impact, with over fifteen years’ experience helping purpose-led initiatives translate mission into traction. He founded a youth-run charity at seventeen, later bootstrapped and exited a creative agency, and now advises nonprofits, startups, and consumer brands through The Good Growth Company and DanielDoes.co, while also supporting youth-led social innovation through ACCESS and operating Maker Matcha as a direct-to-consumer testing ground for the strategies he teaches. Alongside his advisory work, Daniel teaches at OCAD University and delivers keynote presentations at events including Startup Canada Tour, the International Fundraising Summit, and SocialNext, focusing on clarity, trust, and sustainable growth for changemakers.

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💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

Social work is often reduced to “service delivery”, but it’s also one of the most important bridges between lived experience and systems change. This conversation breaks down social work as a distinct approach to impact — one that operates across the micro (individual support), meso (community and organisational change), and macro (policy and structural transformation) levels. Along the way, it maps the many roles social workers can hold — from clinical and school-based practice to disability, healthcare, and justice settings — and explores what the wider impact sector can learn from social work’s strengths: participatory practice, trauma-informed and relational approaches, and a values-driven view of policy as moral architecture. The episode also looks honestly at the profession’s pressures, including burnout, chronic underfunding, bureaucratic overload, and the rising complexity of interconnected social issues.

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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.