The Catalyst with Samantha Kris

Empathy expert, Anita Nowak, has traveled to nearly 70 countries and has spent the last 10 years studying the innate trait that unites us in our shared humanity. In this episode Anita explains that we are facing a massive collective empathy deficit, which stands to get worse as the black lives matter movement, COVID-19, climate change and other global concerns rise. Find out how together we can leverage empathy at scale to heal the world and find greater purpose in our lives.

Connect with Anita on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram and get more familiar with her work by checking out her website and YouTube channel. 

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As a victim of domestic abuse, Svetlana has endured years of hardship which resulted in several mental health issues. Unwilling to let past control her future, Svetlana has dedicated her life’s work and her voice to those who go unheard. She is an advocate for body positivity, those living with mental illness, the LGTBQIA+ community and so many other important causes. In this episode, this outspoken activist shares how she finds her strength, what she’s learned as an ally, and explains what to do when people in your life aren’t ready for change.

Connect with Svetlana through her website, follow her on Instagram and check out the amazing work she’s doing with her charity, Welcome to My Everyday.

Marisa Murray offers a new look on leadership with her Iteractive leadership model. With stakes high and pressure on employees even higher, Marisa sees a lot of rigor on performance but much less on appreciation. With the scale being tipped, it’s no wonder the rate of burnout continues to rise. Iteractive is a combination of "iterative" and "active", and is a model based on 6 leadership actions, referred to has the 6 A's. This approach is transforming some of the most well known organizations through the integration of soft skills and celebration.

Before she was a leadership coach and breathwork facilitator, Victoria Bauman went through life with her head down. Her beliefs and self-worth were so tangled up in other people’s expectations until she realized she was on the path to a very empty existence. She turned to breathwork to identify and work through necessary inner shifts and her life rapidly began to improve. In this episode Victoria shares her leadership journey and guides you through a 5 minute breathwork session designed to clear your subconscious mind, emotional body and physical body of anything that no longer serves you.

If you’d like to get right into the practice, jump to the 25 minute mark. 

To learn more and experience the one hour course, visit TheO2Awakening.com. For leadership advice and resources be sure to follow Victoria on Instagram.

If you like the episode please be sure to rate and review. Hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode!

Daniele-Jocelyne Otou is on a mission to impart change and social innovation, two topics that are at the forefront of people's minds in the wake of recent events. In this episode, Daniele explains racial trauma and how challenging it is to heal the wounds when they continuously occur. She candidly shares her reality as a black woman, the social and professional barriers people of colour face, and the hard work that lies ahead for allies seeking to make long lasting change, from the inner work to the workplace.

Connect with Daniele on Instagram and LinkedIn, and be sure to follow her work with Apathy is Boring and Female Department. You can find her articles on Medium.

Gangs and violence were normal for Neldy Germain when he was growing up. Police sirens and lights still trigger childhood trauma even though life looks much different today. For this emerging culture icon, adaptability is a mindset, one that is practiced daily. Neldy offers an unfiltered look at what goes into loving himself, how his upbringing has influenced his relationship to change, and how being a black creative is an advantage. This emerging culture icon didn’t come this far to only get this far. Tune in to see where he’s going next.

Connect with Neldy on Instagram and check out The All Dressed Special podcast.

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Musical sensation, Stephen Voyce, talks about his journey of self-discovery and how he used it to reinvent himself as an artist. What began as a coping mechanism and a way to release his demons, his music has evolved to playful self-expression and a way to connect with others who are seeking to find themselves. In this episode he shares how he leverages all aspects of his multi-passionate nature, what he did to remove the barrier between him and his craft, and sound advice for those interested in rebranding themselves.

To connect with Stephen, follow him on Instagram and be sure to binge listen to his latest hits on Spotify.

Is happiness really a choice? Monique Simone thinks so. She went rogue on her relentless pursuit of happiness and found the confidence to step (and stay) outside the box. In this episode, Monique shares what inspires her to stay curious, how she learned to trust her gut and ways in which she lives life to the fullest. Tune in for tools to spark more joy in your life and tune out what doesn’t serve you.

To connect with Monique follow her on Instagram. Monique’s pump up song is Africa by Yemi Alade and some of her happiness go-to’s are celebrity chefs, Matty Matheson and Jamie Oliver.

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In a no holds barred conversation, business strategist extraordinaire, Sarah Swain, shares the challenges and opportunities that have accompanied a global pandemic as a business owner of two online media companies. She offers invaluable guidance that will help you to look at your business objectively, adapt to meet the needs of your clients, and evolve as a leader. Pivoting your business will require courage and conviction. Sarah helps you find both.

Check out Sarah’s website to see everything she’s up to and follow her on Instagram for daily business insights. 

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How are we supposed to commit to our goals when the goal post keeps moving? Prince Kerr encourages us to shift our focus from achieving to adapting, as the most valuable indicator of success during these times is our ability to remain agile. In this episode, Prince explains how operating from a place of fear stagnates growth, ways to find the opportunity in every crisis, how to fully commit in times of change and more.

If you like the episode please be sure to rate, review & subscribe!