What happens when the life you imagined for your child and for yourself, changes in a single moment?

In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Leah Scott, medical mom, community builder, and founder of Bravely Together, for a conversation that is tender, honest, and full of quiet strength.
Leah's story begins in childhood, with an upper limb difference that shaped her resilience long before she knew she would need it. She grew up with dreams, hopes, and a vision of motherhood that felt full of possibility. And then, when her daughter was diagnosed with a life-limiting condition, everything shifted. Not just practically, but in every corner of who she was and how she moved through the world.
What Leah built from that moment is remarkable. Rather than turning inward, she turned outward, creating Bravely Together, a community for medical moms who are navigating the exhausting, isolating, and rarely spoken-about reality of raising a child with complex medical needs. Because medical moms, as Leah puts it so plainly, often go unheard and unlistened to. And that silence costs them more than anyone sees.
This conversation also explores the tools that have helped Leah most, including EFT tapping, a simple but powerful holistic technique for reducing anxiety and overwhelm that she now shares with others. She talks about intuition as a mother's most vital guide, the importance of self-care without guilt, and why sharing your story is one of the most generous things you can do for someone who feels completely alone.
"You are not alone." This episode is proof of that.

IN THIS EPISODE
* Leah's childhood with an upper limb difference and the early dreams that shaped her
* The hopes and expectations she carried into motherhood
* The moment her daughter's diagnosis changed everything
* The emotional and practical realities of life as a medical mom
* Why medical moms so often go unheard and what needs to change
* The founding of Bravely Together and the community it has created
* What EFT tapping is, how it works, and why it helps with anxiety and overwhelm
* Leah's podcast and the power of sharing your story openly
* Why trusting your intuition as a mother can be a lifesaving guide
* Self-care for medical moms, not as a luxury, but as a necessity
* A message of hope for every medical mom who feels alone.

Links:
💛 Bravely Together Community: https://bravelytogether.com
🎥 EFT Tapping Explained by Leah: https://youtube.com/eft-tapping-leah
🎙 Leah's Podcast: https://podcastlink.com/leahs-story

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

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🌐 WEBSITE: https://pinknestpodcast.com
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ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

What if the key to sustainable success wasn't another productivity hack, but learning to work with your natural rhythms instead of against them?

In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Kirsty Anna Sinclair, astrologer and business guide, for a conversation that gently challenges everything we've been told about hustle, growth, and what it really means to thrive.
Kirsty's story begins in a classroom. As a teacher, she gave everything she had ,until burnout quietly took everything back.
That breaking point became a turning point, leading her toward astrology not as a mystical escape, but as a practical, grounding framework for understanding herself and rebuilding her work on her own terms. What she found changed not just her career, but her entire relationship with time, energy, and success.
At the heart of this conversation is a beautifully simple idea: that we are cyclical beings living in a cyclical world and that when we align our business activities, creative energy, and rest with natural rhythms like lunar phases, something shifts. Not just in productivity, but in wellbeing. Kirsty shares how understanding your own lunar sign can reveal unique sources of comfort and strength, and why the traditional business advice so many of us follow quietly ignores the most important variable: the human being at the centre of it all.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and build something that lasts, not by pushing harder, but by sailing a little more wisely under the stars.

IN THIS EPISODE
* Kirsty's journey from teacher burnout to discovering astrology as a life and business tool
* Why traditional business advice so often leads to burnout and imbalance
* How natural cycles and lunar phases influence energy, creativity, and productivity
* Practical ways to align your business activities with the lunar calendar
* What your personal lunar sign reveals about your unique strengths and needs
* Monitoring your relationship with natural rhythms to prevent burnout
* Building boundaries and self-care into entrepreneurship from the ground up
* Why sustainable success requires working with yourself, not against yourself
* Kirsty's message for anyone considering a leap into the unknown.

Links
- Sign Up to Kirsty's newsletter: https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/1812772/sites/179204532598736209/y1sYa7
- For anyone wanting to find out more about Kirsty's burnout recovery experience, my articles about it are free to access: https://kirstyannasinclair.com/articles/
- Kirsty's podcast: https://kirstyannasinclair.com/sky-insider/.

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more impactful conversations like this one!
🌐 WEBSITE: https://pinknestpodcast.com
📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

What does it mean to grow up surrounded by activism and then choose, as an adult, to carry that torch forward even when the personal cost is high?

In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Zolal Habibi, Iranian American human rights advocate, for a conversation that is courageous, deeply moving, and impossible to forget.
Zolal's story begins in childhood, shaped by parents whose activism planted the seeds of her own. The loss of her father and the injustice woven through that loss, didn't break her understanding of the world. It clarified it. She saw, with quiet certainty, what she was being called toward. And when the moment came to choose between a medical career and a life of human rights advocacy, she chose the fight for freedom in Iran without hesitation.

At the heart of her work is a fierce belief in the power of women. She speaks with profound respect for the Iranian women who have suffered under a misogynistic regime and even greater awe at their resilience. From empowering survivors to drawing inspiration from female leaders of the Iranian resistance, Zolal's advocacy is rooted in the conviction that women are not just part of the movement for change in Iran. They are its driving force.
This is also an honest conversation about the emotional weight of advocacy, the grief, the exhaustion, and the non-negotiable importance of self-care when your work involves bearing witness to suffering.
Zolal speaks about hope not as a passive feeling but as an active, disciplined choice. One she makes every single day.
"I have never given up on that dream." Neither should we.

IN THIS EPISODE
* How Zolal's childhood was shaped by her parents' activism and her father's legacy
* The profound impact of her father's death on her understanding of injustice
* Why she chose human rights advocacy over a medical career
* The challenges and deep rewards of working in human rights
* Empowering women who have suffered under Iran's misogynistic regime
* Where Zolal finds hope and why resilience is a daily practice
* The role of female leaders in the Iranian resistance movement
* Why self-care is not a luxury but a necessity in advocacy work
* A powerful message about the choices that define our paths in life
* Why women are the force for change in Iran and everywhere.

Links : Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ashrafi4ever/.

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more impactful conversations like this one!
🌐 WEBSITE: https://pinknestpodcast.com
📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

What does it take to walk into an industry that wasn't built for you and then turn around and rebuild it so others don't have to fight the same battles?

In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Saskhia Menendez, internationally recognised music industry leader, Brit Awards voting member, and one of the most powerful advocates for trans inclusion in the creative industries today.

Saskhia's journey began with a teacher who recognised her singing talent, a small moment that opened a door into a world she would go on to transform. As a multiracial trans woman navigating the music industry, she faced the kind of intersecting challenges that don't come with a roadmap. Rather than stepping back, she stepped forward, building initiatives, creating frameworks, and refusing to let the absence of representation become the end of the story.

At the heart of this conversation is the Global Trans Charter, a landmark initiative Saskhia created to protect trans and non-binary individuals working in and around the music industry. She talks about how it was born, how success in inclusion work is measured through data and accountability, and what it really means to hold a seat at the table as a Brit Awards voting member with the responsibility to advocate for better representation every time that vote is cast.
This is also an honest conversation about the harder parts of advocacy, the backlash, the resilience it demands, the exhaustion that can come with fighting for change in systems designed to resist it. Saskhia speaks with clarity and grace about intersectionality, the persistent problem of misogyny in music, and why mentorship for emerging artists in marginalised communities is not optional, it is essential.
And through it all, her message remains: stay authentic, ask for help, and don't stop. Because a truly inclusive music industry, one where all voices are heard and all people can flourish, is not a dream. It is a direction.

IN THIS EPISODE
* How a teacher's recognition sparked Saskhia's journey into music
* Her experience navigating the industry as a multiracial trans woman
* The creation and impact of the Global Trans Charter
* How to measure success and accountability in inclusion initiatives
* What it means to be a Brit Awards voting member and advocate for representation
* Backlash in advocacy, how to face it and keep going
* The importance of mentorship for emerging artists in marginalised communities
* Intersectionality and why it is central to meaningful advocacy
* Misogyny in the music industry, naming it, addressing it, dismantling it
* What a truly inclusive music industry looks like and how we get there
* Messages of hope for everyone striving for change.

Links
Listen to Saskhia's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kMWsoBQPh7Y5qgM5hgZJh
Global Trans Charter (sign up & info): https://linktr.ee/theglobaltranscharter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mizsaskia/

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more impactful conversations like this one!
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest.

What does it look like to stay hopeful without being naive and to lead with kindness in a world that often rewards speed and certainty over honesty and care?

In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Cedric Sounard, entrepreneur, community builder, and self-described realistic optimist, for a conversation that is thoughtful, a little fiery, and deeply human.
Cedric traces the through-line from a curious, trustful childhood into a career that spans sales, philosophy, technology, and large-scale events. He shares how realistic optimism has shaped the way he builds relationships, supports others through mentorship, and navigates an increasingly complex world without losing his sense of possibility along the way.

At the heart of this conversation is AI. Cedric calls it our new swiss knife, but is it really? Together, Nika and Cedric explore its transformative potential, the uncomfortable unknowns, and why scenario-based thinking matters far more than pretending anyone has this fully figured out. They also reflect on how short-form media is reshaping attention, how events can bridge cultures and industries in uniquely powerful ways, and what it means to connect meaningfully across languages and backgrounds.

But the thread that runs through everything? Kindness and transparency. Not as soft skills or nice-to-haves, but as the core infrastructure of better leadership, stronger communities, and more human organisations. "It costs nothing to be kind." Carry that with you.

IN THIS EPISODE
* How childhood curiosity and trust shaped Cedric's worldview and professional path
* What realistic optimism really means and how it shows up in practice
* His journey across sales, philosophy, education, and tech events
* AI as our new Swiss knife, the potential, the risks, and the unknowns
* Insights from working around AI summits and defence contexts
* Why scenario-based planning matters more than certainty
* The role of mentorship in entrepreneurship and why no one builds alone
* How community building and events create connection that nothing else quite can
* Short-form media, changing attention spans, and the future of how we connect
* Connecting meaningfully across cultures and languages
* Why kindness and transparency are not optional extras but essential leadership qualities.

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more impactful conversations like this one!
🌐 WEBSITE: https://pinknestpodcast.com
📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

What does it take to look at an industry you love and decide, this could be kinder, more inclusive, more human and then actually build something to change it? In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Sandy Maclarty, Glasgow DJ, producer, and the heart behind Spinning on a Spectrum, for a conversation that is honest, warm, and quietly extraordinary.

Sandy's story begins long before the decks. A challenging childhood and a life-altering accident could have closed doors. instead, they opened one. Music became his language during recovery, a way of making sense of the world when words weren't enough. And that deep, personal relationship with music is exactly what makes everything he's built since so meaningful.

Spinning on a Spectrum was born from Sandy's encounter with the charity Attitude is Everything, and its mission is beautifully simple: to make the music scene genuinely accessible for neurodivergent and disabled artists and audiences alike. Not a niche night. Not a tokenistic gesture. A real, vibrant event where everyone belongs and where the only thing that matters is the music.

Sandy opens up about the challenges of the first year, the emotional weight of feeling responsible for attendees' wellbeing, and what it really means to scale something built on such a personal foundation. He also reflects on the feedback that keeps him going. "this is such a unique night", and why inclusivity in music isn't charity. It's recognition of potential that has always been there.

This episode sits right at the intersection of everything Pink Nest stands for, neurodiversity, community, mental health, and the quiet power of creating spaces where people feel truly seen.

IN THIS EPISODE
* How Sandy's childhood and a life-altering accident shaped his relationship with music
* Music as a language and a lifeline during recovery
* The encounter with Attitude is Everything that sparked Spinning on a Spectrum
* The mission, making the music scene accessible for disabled and neurodivergent artists
* What Sandy wants his events to feel like and why that matters
* Highlights and challenges from the first year of running inclusive events
* The emotional responsibility of caring for attendees' mental health
* What scaling up really means when something is this personal
* The impact that goes far beyond fundraising
* Self-care in the DJ world, how Sandy looks after himself
* Why inclusivity in music is about recognising potential, not offering charity

Sandy's Links
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thesandman_dj/
& https://www.instagram.com/spinnin_on_the_spectrum/

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more impactful conversations like this one!
🌐 WEBSITE: https://pinknestpodcast.com
📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

What if one of the most powerful leadership development tools you've ever encountered came in a small plastic brick? And what if the most important quality any leader could cultivate had nothing to do with strategy, performance, or productivity but with the ability to forgive themselves?

In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Dr. Alan Richards, founder of Tangencia, for a conversation that is thoughtful, surprising, and deeply human. Alan brings a rare combination to his work, rigorous academic grounding and real-world industry experience, and the result is a coaching philosophy that bridges the gap between theory and practice in ways that actually land.

He opens up about the childhood freedom that quietly shaped his approach to leadership, the cultural nuances he's encountered working with organisations across the world, and why the distance between what we teach in academia and what leaders actually need in the room is still a gap worth closing.

At the heart of this conversation is something unexpected: LEGO. Alan shares how LEGO Serious Play has become one of the most transformative tools in his leadership work, unlocking creativity, fostering genuine collaboration, and giving people a language for ideas they struggle to put into words. Playful on the surface. Profoundly serious underneath.

And then there's the moment that stayed with us most. Alan's quiet, compelling reminder that great leaders aren't the ones who always get it right, they're the ones who make decisions with the information they have, learn from what follows, and don't let guilt slowly erode their confidence over time. "Forgive yourself. Learn from it, but forgive yourself. You didn't do anything wrong. You did what you could in the time you could with the information you had." Carry that with you.

IN THIS EPISODE
* How childhood freedom shaped Alan's philosophy on leadership and learning
* The story behind Tangencia and Alan's journey from academia to industry
* What LEGO Serious Play is and why it works so powerfully in leadership development
* Breakthrough moments Alan has witnessed using LEGO in training rooms
* The hybrid model of learning and why it's changing executive coaching
* Balancing depth with urgency how to design training that actually sticks
* Cultural differences in leadership and why they're often less pronounced than we assume
* How to design programmes that work across diverse cultures and organisations
* The evolution of training from passive delivery to interactive, engaging experiences
* Why self-forgiveness is one of the most important tools any leader can develop
* The role of nature and personal life in sustaining professional well-being

Get in touch with Alan!
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tangencia/

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more impactful conversations like this one!
🌐 WEBSITE: https://pinknestpodcast.com
📷 INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.

What happens when motherhood looks nothing like you expected and you're living thousands of miles from home when it hits?

In this episode of the Pink Nest Podcast, Nika sits down with Nikki Steele Osborne, Scottish expat and parenting coach, for a conversation that is honest, tender, and long overdue.

Nikki's story begins in Scotland, where her childhood shaped a warm, deeply social personality, one that would eventually carry her across multiple countries and into a life she never quite planned. "I accidentally became an expat," she laughs. But behind the adventure of building a life abroad was a much harder, quieter story: navigating postpartum depression in a country far from her support network, in a season of life that no one had fully prepared her for.

She opens up about what postpartum depression really looked like for her, not the version we see in campaigns, but the slow, confusing, 18-month reality of it. She talks about guilt, about expectations, about the moment she realised that self-care didn't need to be complicated, it just needed to be real. And she shares the resources she's created to help other parents feel less alone in their own journeys.

This conversation is a reminder that the most powerful thing we can do for each other is simply tell the truth. Because somewhere between the heartbreak and the healing, we discover who we truly are.

IN THIS EPISODE
* How growing up in Scotland shaped Nikki's identity and social nature
* What it really means to "accidentally" become an expat
* The realities of building a sense of home across multiple countries
* Postpartum depression, what it looked like, and what made it so hard to name
* Why the experience lasted 18 months and what finally shifted
* The guilt that quietly shadows so many new parents
* How expectations shape and sometimes shatter our parenting experience
* Why self-care needs to be simple, sustainable, and guilt-free
* The resources Nikki has created to normalise parenting struggles
* Why open conversations about mental health change everything.

☕ This podcast runs on coffee and quiet confidence that different minds build better worlds. Buy me a coffee : https://buymeacoffee.com/nikabrunet.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more impactful conversations like this one!
🌐*WEBSITE:* https://pinknestpodcast.com
📷*INSTAGRAM:* @pinknestpodcast
ℹ️*DISCLAIMER:* This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pink Nest Podcast.