In the original Pearls of Performance podcast, I hosted leaders in sports, health & performance. Now, to give a voice to a newer generation, I asked my previous guests to nominate future leaders. I am keen to learn about their choices, rocky paths and lessons learned. 

In this first episode, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Manuela Besomi. Manuela is a physiotherapist from Chili, experienced in the management and prevention of running-related injuries. She recently completed her PhD in Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland in Australia, where she still works as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. With Manuela, I talked about the power of passion, perseverance, and turning bad experiences around. 

To break the ice and get to know Manuela better, I asked her what would be the first song on the mixtape of her life. Follow The Sun by Xavier Rudd. 

That was a wonderful start to this new series. I asked Manuela about her choices to pursue a PhD far away from her home country, and what followed was a compelling story on curiosity and following your dreams. She really breathes a positive vibe that she definitely transferred to me when we were talking. The lesson I walk with is that with the right mindset and motivation you can conquer most challenges that cross our paths.