Genia Mineeva has crafted an unconventional career path guided purely by passion and purpose. From growing up in post-Soviet Russia to building a decades-long career at the BBC, then running communications for a major NGO, and finally creating Been — a social enterprise turning waste materials into luxury products — Genia's story is one of following your gut even when the path isn't obvious.

In this episode, we explore how Genia navigated three major career transitions while raising two daughters in London without family support. She opens up about the realities of building a business while juggling demanding jobs, how she and her husband created space for each other's entrepreneurial journeys, and the creative solutions they found to make it all work financially.

We also dive into the evolution from parenting toddlers to teenagers, including the modern challenges of managing tech-savvy 13-year-olds who can outsmart parental controls. What's refreshing about Genia's perspective is how she balances hopeful idealism with honest reflections on the trade-offs she's made and how they've shifted over time.

Key Topics:

• Making career pivots as a working mother
• Building a social enterprise from curiosity about textile waste
• Managing demanding careers without family support in London
• Creative solutions for childcare and school holidays
• The financial realities of both partners being entrepreneurs
• Parenting teenagers in the digital age
• Creating work-life balance as a small business owner