Today’s guest is Marina Paulenka , program director of Fotografiska Berlin and a fearless voice in contemporary photography. Born in Yugoslavia before the war, Marina’s story is one of resilience. From growing up during conflict to building a global platform for artists, often without institutional support. We talked about using photography as a tool for empowerment, activism, and storytelling. Marina shared what it really takes to launch a festival from scratch, the importance of making space f...
Jun 17, 2025•41 min•Ep. 105
Today’s episode marks an exciting milestone: it’s the official launch of our year-long partnership with flaconi , Germany’s leading online retailer for beauty and perfume. Flaconi stands for more than just beauty products, it’s a brand that celebrates diversity, mental well-being, empowerment, and culture. Values that align deeply with what we do here at WAA. And to celebrate this moment, we’ve planned this special edition of the show. Alexandra Szarmach is flaconi’s CHRO and Managing Director. ...
May 14, 2025•52 min•Ep. 104
Viviane Sassen doesn’t just take photographs, she creates entire worlds. Known for her dreamlike use of light and shadow, she moves seamlessly between fashion, fine art, and documentary photography, always pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling, often exploring themes of identity, memory, and mortality. In this conversation, we’ll uncover the influences that shaped her artistic vision, from her childhood in Kenya to her fascination with abstraction. Whether you’re an artist, a storyteller...
Apr 15, 2025•47 min•Ep. 103
I’m joined by Maria von Scheel-Plessen , who traveled all the way from Munich to meet me at Fotografiska’s cozy Bar Clara—bringing luxury straight to the show. As a senior marketing leader for a top luxury brand, Maria is a powerhouse in her field, blending strategy, tech, and business. But her path wasn’t conventional. Instead of stepping into her family’s 300-year-old legacy, she carved her own path—moving across the world, taking bold risks, and redefining what leadership looks like. In this ...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 102
This episode's guest is Annett Kuhlmann , co-founder of Marsano —a brand that redefined floristry in Berlin. Annett’s journey is fascinating. With training in photography from the Ostkreuzschule and interior design at St. Martin’s, her unique eye for beauty is what sets Marsano apart. Over the past 20 years, she and her co-founders, Katrin and Andreas, have built Marsano into something extraordinary—a perfect blend of creativity, sustainability, and collaboration. In this episode, we talk about ...
Feb 20, 2025•48 min•Ep. 101
Today, I’m thrilled to sit down with someone truly inspiring— Leyla Piedayesh , the founder and creative heart behind Lala Berlin . For over two decades, Leyla has been at the forefront of redefining contemporary fashion, blending Berlin’s cosmopolitan energy with her Persian heritage to create a brand that’s as bold as it is personal. From navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship and steering through turbulent times to making powerful political statements through her iconic kufiya-inspired...
Jan 23, 2025•43 min•Ep. 100
In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that’s not just about living longer but living better: longevity. My guest is the amazing Dr. Kati Ernst , co-founder of ooia , a brand that has transformed the period market in Germany and she is now exploring how to have healthier, more vibrant lives at any age . Kati’s journey is nothing short of inspiring—from consulting for luxury brands to building a purpose-driven company and launching a podcast about healthy aging. We’ll talk about the turning p...
Jan 07, 2025•58 min•Ep. 99
This time around, I’m taking you with me to the Merz b. Schwanen flagship store in Berlin. Picture this: a rainy November evening, yet inside the store, we are welcomed by the whole crew into their world of timeless design. I sit down with Gitta Plotnicki , the co-owner and creative director of the brand, to dive into this fascinating story. Merz b. Schwanen, a brand that dates back to 1911, has been revived in the most inspiring way. Gitta and her husband, Peter, have brought new life to centur...
Dec 10, 2024•57 min•Ep. 98
In this episode, recorded live at the intimate Nomi Winebar in Kreuzberg, we dive into how Anahita Sadighi is reimagining the traditional art gallery, merging art, culture, and music to create spaces that challenge stereotypes and foster deep connection. Anahita’s energy is contagious as she opens up about reimagining what an art gallery can be, turning it into a space for connection, creativity, and dialogue. We even dive into her new secret after-party series called, The Loft, where art and mu...
Oct 29, 2024•37 min•Ep. 97
From growing up in Berlin with a multicultural background to creating timeless spaces that balance opulence and minimalism, the story of Ester Bruzkus is filled with inspiration. We’ll dive into how her early love for architecture grew into a celebrated career, what it’s like breaking barriers as a woman in the male dominated area, and her passion for bold colors, and the balance she strikes between trends and timelessness in her designs. If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to rate it on Spo...
Oct 01, 2024•36 min•Ep. 96
Milka Loff Fernandes started her career as a presenter at the music channel VIVA TV in 1999. What remained a secret for a long time was that during this colorful period, the peak of Milka’s popularity, she also struggled with depression, eating disorders, and later epilepsy. In 2004, she decided to withdraw from public life and embarked on a "healing journey". Back then she looked for means and ways that enabled her to confront the madness called everyday life, and now, nearly twenty years later...
Aug 20, 2024•46 min•Ep. 95
Today we would like to introduce you to Hila Limar , chairwoman of the non-profit organization Visions for Children and co-founder of the jewelry brand SEVAR Studios , which aims to enable girls and women in Kabul to train as goldsmiths. After years of voluntary work for the Hamburg-based association, in 2018 Hila gave up her job as an architect to devoted herself full-time to her vision. She is working on improving learning conditions and the quality of education in schools in crisis areas, inc...
Jul 23, 2024•39 min•Ep. 94
With this episode all roads are leading to Torstraße here in Berlin. Julia Winkels shares some great insights into cultural marketing with her renowned agency BOLD , and talks about the most hyped match brand of Germany - Matchasome which she founded back in 2022 with Nina Bröer! This conversation is all about harvesting green gold, building timely brands, and how Julia turned her passion for matcha into a successful brand and a business success story that Berlin has been craving for a long time...
Jul 04, 2024•52 min•Ep. 93
Who are the "forgotten" beauty customers and what is hair and scalp neutrality? Let's decode in today's episode. Founded by Nana Addison , Ancient Beauty is more than just another beauty brand. As the mainstream hair care brands overlook diverse hair textures and scalp conditions, Nana advocates for inclusivity and recognition of all beauty customers. Nana shared her impressive founder journey, the economic and agricultural impact of African Beauty, the importance of indigenous botanical ingredi...
Jun 06, 2024•51 min•Ep. 92
We had a privilege to sit down with Miriam Wohlfarth , one of the first female fintech founders in Germany and a pioneering figure in the fintech industry. From her humble beginnings in the travel industry to co-founding RatePAY and later Banxware, Miriam has played a pivotal role in shaping the digital payment landscape in Europe. With nearly two decades of experience in online payments and fintech, Miriam shares great insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the industry today. In...
May 14, 2024•43 min•Ep. 91
Today we welcome you to a live edition of the show recorded from the eclectic Kreuzberg based showroom Objekte Unserer Tage with an audience of over 80 people! In this episode, we dive into the journey of a courageous woman who in the early stages of her career had to face self-doubt. From her beginnings in management consulting to her current role as Managing Director at Airbnb for DACH, CEE and CIS, Kathrin Anselm has been recognizing crises as opportunities for growth, discovering her resilie...
Apr 23, 2024•43 min•Ep. 90
Today, we dive into the theme of "Awakening for Change" with Birgit Amelung and Susann Sitte , founders of The HER KLUB , joined by a live audience at a gorgeous venue of Princip members club here at Hotel Telegraphenamt in Berlin. As we embrace the arrival of Spring, Birgit and Susann lead us through reflections on pivotal moments in their lives. They share experiences of leaving toxic environments, navigating personal healing, and integrating spiritual practices into their daily lives. From Su...
Apr 02, 2024•47 min•Ep. 89
We recorded a live episode at the iconic Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden , as we delved into the world of opera and culture with Anja Gossens , the Head of Development of the institution. The Berlin State Opera holds a rich cultural heritage, dating back to its founding in the 18th century. Seated in the heart of Berlin, this institution has been a beacon of artistic excellence, captivating audiences with its breathtaking performances for centuries. Anja is a trailblazer in the world of arts...
Mar 19, 2024•37 min•Ep. 88
Another episode which we recorded straight from Mexico City with Andrea Cesarman – a visionary in the world of design, an interior architect with over 30 years of experience, and a key advocate for Mexican design and creativity. In 1990, along with her partners Emilio Cabrero and Marco Coello, Andrea founded C Cúbica Arquitectos , a multidisciplinary Interior architect firm where numerous times their work has earned them prestigious awards. Since 2009 Andrea serves as the Director of Design Week...
Mar 05, 2024•58 min•Ep. 87
What a special moment and a dream come true to take the Women Authors of Achievement Podcast to a different country. This is our first time doing it and we are grateful for Mexico City to be the starting point for this adventure. Melissa Avila is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in the vibrant city of Tijuana, Mexico. Today, as a founder of M.A Studio, she calls Mexico City her home. M.A Studio is not just a studio; it's a movement, it's a passionate endeavor dedicated to promoting the...
Feb 20, 2024•41 min•Ep. 86
As you’ve probably already guessed, today we’re shaking things up a bit. Today, Cara von Beust will take over and put WAA Podcast Founder and Host Daria Suvorova in the interviewee seat. Why? Well, because the extraordinary woman behind this podcast, Daria, has so many insights and learnings from her journey at WAA Podcast that we can all be inspired by. In this episode, Daria will reflect on the story behind the podcast and her personal highlights of Women Authors of Achievement. We’ll also tal...
Jan 09, 2024•56 min•Ep. 85
For our final episode of 2023, we invited Bettine Schmitz , founder and partner of Auxxo , the Berlin-based Female Catalyst Fund. Tine's work with Auxxo sheds light on the challenges faced by female founders in the startup ecosystem. During her former times at Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator, together with her team, Tine has backed over 100 companies at the pre-seed stage, including N26 and studysmarter. On the show, she shares her advice for those seeking investment and navigating the w...
Dec 12, 2023•39 min•Ep. 84
Selma Stern currently serves as the Chief Customer Officer at Fortune , a legendary name in the world of business journalism. In her role, Selma is at the forefront of driving digital transformation and overseeing the subscription and newsletter business. Today, Selma talks about her Bosnian-German upbringing, her unique life path, fueled by ambition and adaptation and Fortune's secrets to success behind subscriber retention and business growth. We will speak about the renowned annual list of th...
Nov 28, 2023•36 min•Ep. 83
Lucile Bonnin currently serves as the Head of Research & Development at Cambrium , a company focused on sustainable innovation through molecular design and precision fermentation. As a R&D professional, Lucile's expertise lies in chemistry, predictive analytics, innovation strategy and materials development. In our conversation, we'll explore Lucile's journey to becoming a scientist and how the "informed naivety" approach, as she calls it, has been her weapon against impostor syndrome. W...
Nov 14, 2023•43 min•Ep. 82
Today we speak to a growth strategist, founder and managing director of the consulting company JK Access , Anna Jona Koch . With 15 years of experience in communication and business development in the leading media and lifestyle brand companies such as Philipp Plein, ELLE and the German Football Association, Jona has a lot to tell. In this episode, she shares her take on what is the best investment a brand can make when it comes to their communication strategy. Jona reveals how brands can combin...
Oct 31, 2023•44 min•Ep. 81
Today on the show we welcome Tanja Bogumil , Co-Founder and CEO of Lovely Day Foods . Tanja has been an entrepreneur for over 15 years and over these years have experienced the highest highs and lowest lows. She went through the entire lifecycle of a company - from creating a market, to scaling the business, to successfully exiting the company. And a few years ago she made a commitment to utilize her entrepreneurial skills to change the food system by replacing animal-based products with plant-b...
Oct 17, 2023•36 min•Ep. 80
At the beginning of her career, someone told Marie that she should not be defined by her job, but by a verb. She knew instantly that her verb was 'to create’. Originally from Montréal Canada, Marie-Pierre Blanchette is a self-taught perfumer with a background in anthropology, art direction and design. Turning 40 made her reconsider what would truly make her happy in the next 20 years of her career. So she started shaping her process of becoming an independent perfumer based on the method of tria...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 79
Starting at a young age, Layla Qassim sought financial freedom and worked at cultural institutions that celebrated Arab heritage. During her university times and while making her first steps at the trading desk at an investment bank in London she faced a life-changing health scare that made her put the brakes on all her endeavors. She took a leap of faith, moved to Paris to live every day as though it was her last. Not long after, she eventually settled in New York for 7 years where she quickly ...
Sep 19, 2023•59 min•Ep. 78
After inheriting her family's jewelry business at a young age and experiencing its bankruptcy, Guya Merkle embarked on a personal quest to produce high-end jewelry. Inspired by a trip to a gold mine in Peru and witnessing the industry's problems, she founded VIERI in 2015 with a focus on using urban mined gold and ethically sourced gemstones. Despite challenges in the industry and retail hesitancy toward ethical jewelry, Guya is on the mission to make a difference and inspire others to prioritiz...
Sep 05, 2023•38 min•Ep. 77
Celebrated as a versatile actress, presenter, voice-over artist, and author, Annabelle Mandeng opens up about her multicultural upbringing in Germany, Togo, and Pakistan. She describes herself as a “professional autodidact”, where in 1994 she became the first German person of color to be a television presenter. In this conversation you get to hear how she navigated obstacles, including surviving multiple serious accidents and how she emerged from those experiences stronger than ever. Get ready t...
Aug 22, 2023•40 min•Ep. 76
