Emotional Business

Digging Holes, Building Hope: Resilience, Vision & Trust with Aape Pohjavirta

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper sits down with Aape Pohjavirta—serial entrepreneur, systems thinker, startup mentor, and founder of impactful ventures like Funzi—to explore what it really means to lead, live, and build with heart in a world addicted to hustle.

Aape doesn’t play by the usual rules. From starting his first company at 19 to losing it all—and doing it again—his journey is anything but linear. He shares how he’s spent a lifetime “digging holes and climbing out,” and why that struggle shaped his 4S life philosophy: Simple, Slow, Stubborn, and Stupid.

This conversation dives into:

• The difference between vision and delusion—and why it takes humility to know the line
  
  
• How failure, not fear, helps define your real limits
  
  
• What most startup founders miss when they chase scale instead of meaning
  
  
• Why trust (not tech) is the backbone of transformation
  
  
• How unlearning, therapy, and asking for help became his late-stage superpowers
  
  
• What it means to lead from clarity, not ego, in a rapidly shifting world
  
  

Whether you’re building a company, navigating personal reinvention, or rethinking how you define success—this episode is a powerful invitation to live truthfully, lead vulnerably, and trust deeply.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaape

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aapeaape/

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

Effortless Resilience and Redefining Success with Dana Pavlychko

In this powerful episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper is joined by Dana Pavlychko—entrepreneur, transformation mentor, strategic advisor, and co-founder of Empower Impact Academy.

Dana’s story is anything but ordinary: she rebuilt her life and career after fleeing Ukraine with her family, sold her publishing business in the middle of a crisis, completed her Executive MBA at Oxford, and now helps leaders thrive in chaos—not by escaping it, but by moving through it with purpose and clarity.

This episode dives deep into:

• What effortless resilience really means (and how to develop it)
  
  
• How Dana pivoted careers, countries, and industries without losing her core self
  
  
• The mindset shift that helped her lead a transformation—from burnout to joy
  
  
• The reality of building a meaningful career while raising three young kids
  
  
• Why motherhood makes her a better leader—and vice versa
  
  

Whether you're a founder, a mother, in transition, or simply questioning your next move—this conversation will shift your thinking on what it means to live and lead with purpose, even in uncertain times.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-pavlychko-b44a0673/

Leading with Emotional Depth: The Art of Product Leadership with Thor Mitchell

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper is joined by Thor Mitchell—a seasoned product leader, mentor, and former Google and Miro executive—who brings over 25 years of experience leading product teams across Europe, the US, and Australia.

But this conversation isn’t about frameworks or velocity charts.

It’s about the human side of product leadership.

We dive deep into:

• How emotional intelligence builds stronger product teams
  
  
• The difference between being “nice” and being strategically empathetic
  
  
• The art of active listening and self-regulation as a leadership superpower
  
  
• How to manage conflict without losing influence—or relationships
  
  
• What new leaders must unlearn if they want to scale their impact
  
  
• Why personal development isn’t optional at the top—and how Thor keeps growing
  
  

Whether you’re a new product manager or a senior leader navigating complex orgs, this episode is a masterclass in grounded, emotionally intelligent leadership.

📍 Thor’s background includes roles at Google, Miro, and CrowdCube, and mentoring leaders in high-growth tech environments.

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thormitchell/
Medium: https://medium.com/@thor.mitchell
Website: https://www.balderton.com/team/thor-mitchell/
Product Minded: https://www.product-minded.co.uk/

Resilience, Art & Executive Search: The Whole Self with Olga Lorenz

In this episode of Emotional Business, host Olga Skipper sits down with Olga Lorenz—partner at global executive search firm True Search, practicing visual artist, and mother of three—for an honest conversation about identity, creativity, and leadership in a changing world.

Olga shares how her international upbringing shaped her worldview, why executive search is more art than algorithm, and how painting keeps her sane amid high-stakes boardroom decisions. This is a candid, deeply human exploration of what it means to live and lead without splitting yourself into pieces.

We talk about:

• The power of humor and self-awareness in high-pressure careers
  
  
• Why executive search is less about resumes and more about resonance
  
  
• How Olga balances motherhood, a demanding career, and a vibrant creative life
  
  
• Her take on AI, authenticity, and the real meaning of “cultural fit”
  
  

Whether you're navigating career transitions, leading a team, or building a life that feels fully yours—this episode offers perspective and permission to show up whole.

 

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/olga-lorenz-5785a15

Venture Capital with a Soul: Truth, Love & Growth with Max Niederhofer

In this episode of Emotional Business, Olga Skipper is joined by Max Niederhofer, partner at Heartcore Capital—one of the rare venture firms where strategy meets spirituality, and values are not just written but lived.

Max brings a rare blend of intellectual depth, operational experience, and personal conviction. From founding companies to investing across Europe and the U.S., his perspective on what it means to build something truly worthwhile challenges the status quo in tech, venture, and leadership.

We explore:

• How Max and his team built a venture fund around the values of truth, love, and growth
  
  
• What it means to lead with integrity in an industry driven by speed and returns
  
  
• The intersection of spirituality, ethics, and capital allocation
  
  
• The evolving role of the VC as not just investor—but mentor, mirror, and ethics coach
  
  
• How AI is shifting the power dynamics of startups and venture capital
  
  
• Why solo founders and prompt-based companies are changing the game
  
  
• What it really takes to have “truthful conversations” in the investor-founder relationship
  
  

This is a conversation for founders, funders, and anyone building with heart and ambition in an AI-shaped world.

📍 Learn more about Hardcore Capital: https://www.heartcore.com/
📍 Connect with Max on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxniederhofer/

Building Community That Feels Like Home with Blanka Šupe

In this episode, we sit down with Blanka Šupe—founder of Haos Community Space in Belgrade and a visionary entrepreneur who’s redefining what it means to build community-driven businesses. Blanka shares her personal origin story, growing up across multiple cultures and navigating the ups and downs that shaped her unique leadership style.

Throughout this conversation Blanka reveals the unexpected path from chaos to connection and the sense of belonging. We explore what it takes to lead authentically, let go of control, and build a business rooted in empathy without sacrificing ambition.

You’ll hear:

• Why Haos is not just another co-working space—and never was
  
  
• How Blanka filters out "shoulds" and builds what feels right instead of what’s expected
  
  
• What it looks like to grow a community without losing your sanity (or soul)
  
  
• Her honest take on leadership, female entrepreneurship, and what "success" really means
  
  

Whether you're building a company, a community, or a more intentional life, this conversation will challenge you to lead from your core and redefine what greatness looks like—on your terms.

https://www.instagram.com/blankas

https://www.instagram.com/haos.space

https://www.haos.space/en

Welcome to the Emotional Business Podcast

Welcome to Emotional Business: Where Intuition Meets Strategy

Hosted by executive coach and former startup exec Olga Skipper, Emotional Business is the podcast for founders, creatives, and changemakers who want to build aligned, impactful businesses from the inside out.

In this trailer episode, Olga shares why this show exists, who it’s for, and what you can expect from each episode. If you're tired of trying to follow someone else's blueprint for success and ready to tune into your intuition, this podcast is your permission slip.

You’ll hear:

• Why the most powerful businesses are heart-led

• What happens when we stop searching outside ourselves for all the answers

• How emotions and uncertainty are not obstacles—but guides

• The kinds of raw, real conversations you can expect in future episodes

Whether you’re launching a startup or reinventing your business, this show is a space to learn from leaders who are building for alignment—not just achievement.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss a single episode

And if this resonates with you, share it with a fellow founder who’s carving their own path.