160. Emotion as a GPS: Living Authentically in Business and Life With Claire Rozain

In this episode, host @Sophie Vo sits down with Claire Rozain, a leader in the gaming and tech space, community builder, and entrepreneur. Together they reflect on Claire’s unconventional career journey, her bold move into solopreneurship, and the lessons she has learned about resilience, freedom, and building meaningful communities.

Claire shares her perspective on navigating layoffs, redefining success beyond corporate life, and creating ventures that address real gaps in the market—from gaming communities to women-led festivals and Femtech initiatives. The discussion is deeply personal, exploring how life experiences, including moments of trauma, can shape one’s courage to live authentically and take risks.

Listeners will come away with powerful reminders about trust, self-belief, and the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people who empower you to build the life you truly want.

“Unemployment is not an end—it’s an opportunity to evolve.”

Leadership Learnings

💡 Leading With Courage

* Facing mortality builds clarity: A near-death experience pushed Claire to live boldly, take risks, and reject fear of failure.

* Employment ≠ identity: Layoffs, while painful, can be reframed as opportunities for reinvention and growth.

* Corporate limits: Promotions and career ladders often cap personal growth. Entrepreneurship opens new paths, but also requires resilience.

💡 Entrepreneurship & Solopreneurship

* Gap spotting as strategy: Every venture Claire started—from communities to femtech—began with identifying unmet needs.

* Solo founder ≠ working alone: Building partnerships and communities is essential, even without co-founders.

* Bootstrapping > dependency: Funding freedom can matter more than chasing investors and exits.

💡 Building Communities

* Authenticity is power: Claire’s success stems from being unapologetically herself, even in male-dominated spaces.

* Community > scale: True connection and diversity create lasting impact, not vanity metrics.

* Support networks matter: Behind every strong leader is a circle of peers, mentors, and allies.

💡 Life & Business Alignment

* Design life around values: Entrepreneurship is not just about money, but about crafting a lifestyle aligned with authenticity, ethics, and joy.

* Emotions are a GPS: Feelings are a guide, not a weakness, when making business and life decisions.

* Equality requires awareness: Recognizing historical and structural inequities is key to building more inclusive futures.

Resources & Links

* 📕 Rise and Play – Coaching, workshops, and resources for conscious leadership

* 🔗 Follow Claire Rozain on LinkedIn

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