In this third episode of Confluence, host Eunchim Choi is joined by longtime friend and former TMC director Jessica Smith, whose path to The Mangrove Collective began when their careers kept crossing in New Zealand's small development and humanitarian sector. The two trace Jessica's journey from Tearfund, New Zealand's mission in Geneva and World Vision to her 2021 move into consulting in the middle of Auckland's lockdowns, and how she grew from a self-described generalist into TMC's business development and evaluation lead. They reflect on the limited leadership pathways for women balancing careers and family, why a career doesn't have to be a climb up the ladder, and the value of staying focused on the quality of the work. They also open up about the realities of working with all kinds of consultants and clients, including the behind-the-scenes challenges behind a polished final product. The conversation closes with what has carried Jessica through challenging seasons: the people around her, faith that things will turn out, and small daily habits that build resilience. 

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The CONFLUENCE Podcast is hosted by The Mangrove Collective, an international humanitarian and development/social impact consultancy. Find us at:
https://themangrovecollective.com

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In this second episode of Confluence, host Eunchim Choi is joined by current core team members Sarah Badju Tollestrup and Kim Teillet-Meunier to trace how each came into The Mangrove Collective, from prior ties as INGO colleagues to Eunchim's simple invitation to join the core team. The three unpack why they left full-time institutional roles for consulting, weighing the autonomy and flexibility motherhood demanded against the isolation of going solo, and how TMC's collective, values-driven model closed that gap. They revisit 2025's unexpected "dry season," when USAID's collapse froze sector-wide work just as Sarah and Kim arrived, and how cold-bidding, relationships, and team grit turned the business around within the year, alongside how they've grown a trusted network of local and national associate consultants. The conversation closes with reflections on the meaning of The Mangrove Collective's name, how values like mutual support show up in the business itself, and what each has learned about herself in the process. 

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In this first episode of Confluence, host Eunchim Choi sits down with Co-Founder Tilly Redstone and early director Elizabeth Fitton Higgins to trace how The Mangrove Collective began, from a conversation on Tilly's lounge suite to a company registration made on the spot. The three unpack why they chose to build a flat, women-led consulting model instead of the hierarchical, often male-dominated structures they'd worked under, and how motherhood, flexibility, and a shared network of trusted colleagues shaped that decision. They swap stories from the earliest days of consulting, the accidental math behind their first daily rate, the surprise of how quickly the business grew, and what each of them eventually missed and didn't miss after returning to full-time roles. The conversation closes with reflections on self-leadership, the difference between friends and business partners, and the belief that in consulting, "most things are figure-outable." 

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