Emotional Business

Embracing Immigration and Integration on Her Path to Venture Success with Daria Saharova

In the 2025 season finale of the Emotional Business Podcast, host Olga Skipper welcomes Daria Saharova, founding partner at World Fund—a €300M venture capital powerhouse tackling climate, tech, and decarbonization. Known for her vision and grounded humanity, Daria Saharova brings over 15 years in tech, investment banking, and entrepreneurship to a profound conversation about belonging, risk, and the relentless pursuit of meaningful innovation.

Together, Olga Skipper and Daria Saharova chart the journey from Riga to Munich, exploring the emotional landscape of immigration, integration, and finding home. The episode pulls back the curtain on Daria’s path: navigating cultural difference, language barriers, building bridges outside her comfort zone, and manifesting resilience that fueled a career spanning multiple disciplines, culminating in the birth of World Fund in the heart of Europe.

Their conversation illuminates the internal calculus behind risk-taking, the mindset required to start—and stay—the course as a founder, and the discipline of seeking impact without succumbing to market skepticism or the turbulence of global politics. Daria Saharova discusses breaking ground as a woman VC, her “capitalistic” drive, building a team and portfolio with integrity, and investing in companies whose products thrive—even in the hands of climate skeptics.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Immigration Journey—how open-mindedness, resilience, and language fluency fuel personal and professional integration
• The Art of Building Social Bridges—proactively stepping out of cultural enclaves to create genuine local connections
• Choosing Entrepreneurship (and Venture Capital)—decoding the pivotal career dots that led from startup founder to investment partner
• Facing Down External Forces—navigating COVID, geopolitical strife, and unsupportive market climates while closing a landmark fund
• VC as a Platform for Change—investing in deep tech and climate solutions, and the necessity of optimism in the face of systemic inertia
• Resilience & Competitive Speed—the “immigrant advantage” of spotting and seizing opportunity, building without a backup plan, and outpacing the market
• Multiplying Impact—how mobilizing communities and teams expands a founder’s reach beyond the constraints of time and resources
• Looking Forward—how Germany and Europe must shift from preservation to radical innovation, and why technological sovereignty is essential for future growth

This episode is essential listening for immigrants, VCs, operators, and executives wrestling with commitment, self-doubt, and the desire to create radical impact in shifting, sometimes hostile environments. Founders and fund managers—especially women and those building in deep tech—will find Daria’s deeply honest journey particularly resonant.

Settle in for this candid, energizing, and unfiltered year-end conversation that moves far beyond investment returns to the emotional reality of pioneering a new future.

Don’t forget to subscribe and share with a founder, investor, or anyone craving courage for bold moves!

Connect with Olga:
LinkedIn: Olga Skipper
Website: www.olgaskipper.com

Connect with Daria:

LinkedIn: Daria Saharova

Website: https://www.worldfund.vc/

Share your reflections on this episode or reach out with your own emotional business story—Olga loves hearing from you!

Mastering Personal and Company Storytelling with Jennifer Cabala

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper is joined by Jennifer Cabala — seasoned journalist, longtime tech storyteller, and now a communications coach helping founders and CEOs articulate the narratives behind who they are and what they build.

Jennifer enters this conversation with years spent on both sides of the story: crafting them as a journalist, and now guiding leaders as they shape the stories that define their companies, their leadership, and their public presence.

Together, Olga and Jennifer explore what it really means to build a narrative from the inside out — not as a branding exercise, but as a deeply emotional and strategic process rooted in identity, origin, and intention. This conversation goes far beyond messaging frameworks and dives into the internal dialogues, motivations, and self-perceptions that shape how founders show up in the world.

It’s a grounded, transparent look at the craft of storytelling as an emotional skill — iterative, vulnerable, and profoundly connected to how we see ourselves.

In this episode, we explore:

• Understanding Your Origin Story — how childhood, environment, and early experiences form the emotional foundation of your narrative

• Personal Storytelling vs. Personal Branding — the crucial difference founders often miss

• Letting Your Story Evolve — why storytelling is iterative and changes as you change

• Communication as a Trainable Skill — not a talent you’re born with

• The Founder–Company Identity Loop — how to separate yourself from your company without disconnecting emotionally

• The Power of Self-Talk — how your internal voice shapes public confidence

• What a Storytelling Coach Actually Does — from shaping clarity to reducing narrative overwhelm

• Navigating Visibility and Public Persona — how to build a persona that feels authentic to you

• Balancing Personal and Professional Narratives — what belongs in the business story and what stays yours

 

Together, Olga and Jennifer go beneath the surface of “telling your story” and into the deeper emotional architecture founders rarely discuss publicly — identity, fear, motivation, upbringing, and the lifelong relationship we have with our own voice.

This episode is for founders, executives, and leaders who want to communicate with more clarity, presence, and authenticity — especially those navigating visibility, identity, and the vulnerable work of telling the world who they are.

So get comfortable and enjoy this reflective, warm, and insight-filled conversation. 

 

Connect to Jennifer here

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercabala/

https://jennifercabala.com/ 

Motherhood, Identity & Leadership: The Transformation No One Talks About with Anna Shakhovets

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper speaks with coach and leadership expert Anna Shakhovets about the profound identity shift women experience when becoming mothers. Anna shares her personal journey and introduces the concept of matrescence—the emotional, psychological, and professional transformation that accompanies motherhood.

They explore how this shift impacts leadership, ambition, creativity, and a woman's sense of self, and discuss why grief, anger, and uncertainty are natural parts of this transition. The conversation provides clarity and tools for female executives navigating motherhood and for coaches supporting women through this period of change.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How motherhood acts as a deep identity shift, not just a career pause
• Why matrescence mirrors other major life transitions
• The role of grief and loss in redefining oneself as a mother
• Why women often focus on logistics instead of the emotional transition
• How creativity emerges from the chaos of early motherhood
• Why ambition often increases—not decreases—after becoming a mother
• How to normalize difficult feelings like anger, guilt, and confusion
• Why the motherhood transition is cyclical, not linear
• How coaches can incorporate motherhood perspectives into leadership work

Keywords: motherhood, female executives, identity shift, coaching, leadership, transformation, emotional business, motherhood transition, women empowerment, personal growth

 

Book we mentioned: Jessie Harrold - Mothershift : Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage

 

Links to find Anna:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-shakhovets/

https://www.reco-consulting.com/

 

If you want to work with Anna, join the interest list for The Fireside Circle for Female Leaders — a space to learn how to lead with depth, clarity, and connection.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYVb5ZlpXLDxwta5aXn6RkD8_DP3ARGeJrmV-6D9pOBTh4bw/viewform

Fearless Ventures: Balancing Success, Family, and Entrepreneurship with Laura Dittscheid

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper is joined by Laura Dittscheid — seasoned marketing leader, former CMO, and now the founder of NOOLA, a better-for-you food brand built publicly and intentionally for women navigating low-energy seasons and demanding everyday rhythms.

Laura steps into the conversation at a pivotal moment: the first months of building her own venture after an already successful career, a full family life, and years spent leading and scaling major female-focused D2C brands. Together, Olga and Laura explore what it truly feels like to start something new from a place of maturity, clarity, and lived experience—far beyond theory or youthful trial-and-error.

This episode takes you inside the emotional, strategic, and deeply personal layers of stepping into entrepreneurship: leaving a senior role, confronting unexpected realities, and managing the internal dialogues that shape every major transition.

In this episode, we explore:

• Stepping Away from the CMO Identity — what it takes to detach from a high-status role and start fresh
• Redefining the Terms of the Journey — setting boundaries, expectations, and non-negotiables in a new chapter
• The Shift from Strategist to Executor — the shock of doing everything yourself after years of leading teams
• When Your Network Helps—and When It Overwhelms — managing advice, opinions, and the noise of well-meaning supporters
• The Complex Reality of Finding a Co-Founder — from mapping competencies to dealing with misaligned readiness
• Navigating the Comparison Trap — why comparison surfaced so strongly and how Laura is learning to regulate it

Together, Olga and Laura move beyond the glossy narratives of entrepreneurship and dive into the real tension, honesty, and inner negotiations that shape a founder’s earliest months.

This episode is for seasoned professionals or executives considering a shift into entrepreneurship - especially later in their careers. It will resonate deeply with anyone battling comparison, external pressure, or the emotional weight of building something meaningful from the ground up. Founders wrestling with the search for the right co-founder will find this conversation particularly grounding.

So get comfortable and enjoy this rich, resonant, and insightful conversation.

Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur!

 

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Introduction to Emotional Business
00:19 — Meet Laura Dige: From CMO to Entrepreneur
00:59 — The Journey of Transition
06:18 — Challenges and Realizations
14:43 — Finding Balance and Overcoming Obstacles
27:27 — The Search for a Co-Founder

 

Connect with Olga:
Instagram: Olga Skipper

LinkedIn: Olga Skipper

Website: www.olgaskipper.com

 

Connect with Laura:

LinkedIn: Laura Dittschield

Understanding and Addressing Workplace Trauma with Executive Coach Trish Perry

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Trish Perry, executive coach and founder of Harmonized Coaching, about the critical issue of workplace trauma.

Trish draws on her experience as both a corporate leader and a coach, sharing insights on how emotional wounds appear in professional settings and how they impact leadership, relationships, and team dynamics. The conversation introduces practical frameworks and tools to acknowledge, interrupt, and resolve trauma while cultivating psychological safety and accountability.

This conversation explores:

• Defining trauma and identifying workplace-specific manifestations
• Trish’s personal experiences with trauma in leadership and how they shaped her approach
• The AIR Method (Acknowledge, Interrupt, Resolve) for addressing work trauma
• Practical tools such as the Wheel of Control and distinguishing facts from narratives
• How unresolved trauma influences decision-making, relationships, and company culture
• The responsibilities leaders have to themselves and their teams in healing
• How coaches and executives can apply these frameworks to foster healthier workplaces
• Real-life examples and case studies illustrating the impact of trauma and its resolution

This episode is essential listening for executives, founders, HR professionals, and coaches who want to understand and address the emotional undercurrents shaping modern workplaces.

 

Website: www.harmonizeu.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishperry/

Free Wheel of Control Gift: Email me WHEEL OF CONTROL at   trish.perry@harmonizeu.com

Redefining Success: Ambition, Motherhood, and the Power of Mentorship with Alina Nilsson

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Alina Nilsson, Managing Partner at Gamegroove Capital and visionary entrepreneur, about navigating ambition, motherhood, and meaning in leadership.

Alina shares her journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family to building a global career in tech — all while redefining what it means for women to “have it all.” She reflects on the early lessons from her father’s mentorship, the strength of the women in her family, and the ongoing challenge of integrating personal and professional life.

This conversation is a deeply honest look at how leaders can blend drive with presence, and success with emotional growth.

This conversation explores:

• Growing up in an entrepreneurial environment and lessons from family business
• The role of mentorship and strong women across generations
• The creation of Emerge Conference and its impact on the tech ecosystem
• Balancing professional ambition with motherhood and self-care
• Redefining what “having it all” really means
• The emotional complexity of leadership and seeking professional support
• How vulnerability and reflection strengthen modern leadership

For any woman balancing ambition, care, and self-definition — this episode offers insight, honesty, and hope.

https://gamegroove.vc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gamegroovecapital/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinanilsson/

Leading with Courage: Building Great Products and Human-Centered Teams with Yi-Wei Ang

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Yi-Wei Ang, Chief Product Officer at talabat, one of the world’s leading food delivery companies, about courageous leadership, product excellence, and the human side of innovation.

Yi-Wei’s story spans continents—from Malaysia to Dubai—and each chapter has shaped his view of leadership, culture, and design. Starting his career in UX research, he built his way into product leadership while keeping people, empathy, and impact at the center.

This conversation explores what it takes to lead at scale with authenticity and courage: creating psychological safety, balancing empathy with decisive action, and remembering that great products begin with great humans.

Olga and Yi-Wei discuss:

• Courageous leadership and why psychological safety fuels innovation
  
• What makes a great product: balancing customer value with business growth
  
• How global experience and cultural diversity shape leadership
  
• The impact of parenthood on empathy and prioritization
  
• The loneliness of senior leadership — and the importance of finding your tribe
  
• How authenticity and continuous learning sustain long-term success
  
• Why discipline, structure, and self-care routines keep leaders centered
  

If you’re a product leader, founder, or executive navigating growth and complexity, this episode is a masterclass in clarity, courage, and connection.

Rethinking Operations: COO Mindset, Empathy, and Trust with Gonzalo Arenas

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper speaks with Gonzalo Arenas, VP of Operations at Dunia, about the evolving role of operations in startups and the human side of building sustainable businesses.

Drawing on his bicultural upbringing and diverse career, Gonzalo shares how pragmatic idealism shapes his approach to leadership, trust, and team-building. He offers a grounded look at what it truly means to operate at scale — balancing empathy with efficiency, and adaptability with structure.

This conversation is a masterclass in what modern operations and leadership demand today: low ego, high transparency, and continuous learning.

This conversation explores:

• How Gonzalo’s upbringing shaped his pragmatic idealism
• Why operations play a crucial role in long-term business success
• The importance of adapting to the needs of the company as a COO
• Building trust through low ego and high transparency
• Using empathy to understand and connect with stakeholders
• Why choosing the right CEO to partner with is critical
• The value of hands-on experience in small teams
• Continuous learning as the foundation of effective leadership
• Knowing when and how to implement process
• How asking insightful questions adds real value

For founders, leaders, and operators alike, this episode is a reminder that operations isn’t just about execution — it’s about alignment, empathy, and trust.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gonzaloarenas/ 

Book mentioned in the episode https://store.darrenhardy.com/products/the-compound-effect