Out Of The Clouds

Arthur Gourounlian (@gourounlian) is an Armenian-born professional dancer, choreographer and television personality, and most recently one of the three judges on Dancing with the Stars Ireland. Arthur has performed and toured with some of the most beloved performers of recent time, from Bananarama to Beyoncé, Pink to Kylie Minogue, and many more. After a successful career as a dancer, he went on to take a leading role in casting, coaching, movement directing and choreographing music videos, world tours, media campaigns, and trade/fashion shows for Christian Louboutin, Diesel, Puma, Jean-Paul Gaultier among others. He has also appeared on television and movies, fashion shows, and advertising campaigns himself, and performed in Britain's Got Talent, Celebrity X Factor, the Brit Awards and The Royal Variety Show.Arthur and Anne met in 2010 when she was working for Christian Louboutin. They collaborated on a project for online platform Fashionair, when Arthur trained Christian for his first and only dance performance, which culminated in a viral video that saw the famous shoe designer tap dance his way in a dream sequence on a London stage. In this conversation, Arthur shares with Anne his harrowing journey from Armenia to Belgium as a refugee with his family, escaping the war when he was just twelve years old. Then how, while their refugee status was still being decided, his family was rocked by the death of his father. Shortly after, young Arthur left for Brussels to try his hand at hairdressing, only to find himself being picked out of the crowd and selected as a dancer. From there, Arthur discusses his many surprises and successes, how he went from Milan to London, and made his mark on the dance scene as a performer before turning to choreography and creative direction. Arthur dreamt of making it big, an homage to his father, and moving away from the refugee status he carried as an adolescent. The successful and charismatic personality is also the other half of one of Ireland’s most beloved celebrity couples, as he is married to Big Brother alumni/star Brian Dowling. The two of them recently welcomed their first child into the world, Blake Maria Rose, and Arthur shares the ups and downs that have led to this most joyous moment. Arthur’s story is quite unlike any other. As Anne reflects to him, it’s epic enough to be hinting at Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey. A sparkling, touching and deeply positive interview with someone who will certainly light up your day. Happy listening.Favourite quote of the episode: ‘I only keep things that Arthur wants to keep because I only keep what I think is best for me. Why would I listen to you? It's your journey. I want to create my own journey.’ ***You can out more about  Arthur on his website: http://arthurgourounlian.com/IG -  https://www.instagram.com/gourounlian/Facebook - Arthur Gourounlian - https://www.facebook.com/arthurgourounlianand his Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/arthurgourounlianand Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/arthurgourounlianThe Fashionair film Dancer in a Day Dream featuring Christian Louboutin and Arthur - https://youtu.be/esXVbslAvVYThe making of the film - https://youtu.be/ZxwocNpdl4QYou can also discover Arthur's new venture, AG Socks - https://theagofficial.com/products/the-gourounlianNotre Dame de Paris, the musical - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris_(musical)Sous le Soleil TV show -https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172057/The podcast Mamia & Me featuring Arthur and his husband Brian Dowling - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dont-wake-the-baby-with-brian-dowling/id1570246269?i=1000559798535The blooper real with Arthur and Brian touching up their hair - https://youtu.be/MPMxXk0usVIThe song 'Maniac' by Michael Sambello - https://open.spotify.com/track/7CML07e8m56LrmgkC4Bl3Z?si=9462b40d81fb4e98Dancing with the Stars Ireland - https://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/dancing-with-the-stars/***If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds   This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

Pippa Small (@PippaSmallJewellery) is a responsible jeweller based in London’s Westbourne Grove and she is considered to be one of the most inspirational leaders in the jewellery industry. Awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II in 2013, named ambassador of the human rights organisation Survival International and Winner of both the Ethical Jeweller of the Year and the Corporate Social Responsibility awards in 2016, and was also winner of the Green Sustainability Award by Town and Country magazine.In this interview, Pippa tells Anne how she fell in love with travel as a young child, following her widowed mother who took her children to exotic places. She became attracted to stones very early on, and she explains how through stones, she keeps a connection to the places and people that each are linked to, and also finds a sense of protection from them.Pippa shares how she went from studying medical anthropology to working with indigenous communities in South-East Asia before starting to develop her own jewellery. She started organically making her own pieces but she also developed her credentials working at Gucci under Tom Ford as a consultant designer in 2003. Even though, in her own words, her organic free flow jewellery felt at odds with the graphic and sexy feel of the Gucci house at the time she was recruited and briefed to go to India and design whatever she thought could work: colour, uneven shapes and a very different new aesthetic for their jewellery. This financially enabled her to start her first project working with the San bushmen in Botswana, combining her love of travel, working with indigenous communities and jewellery. Anne and Pippa discuss the historic importance of adornment and jewellery, going back to the caves of Lascaux, the luxury that is ‘made by hand’ but also the great importance of learning to ‘make’ or transmitting tradition in the communities that Pippa has been working with, from Bolivia to India, to Jordan, Myanmar and Colombia. With a brand new collection out, made in Colombia from ethically sourced gold called ‘Together Forever’, Pippa and Anne talk about the difficulty of not just sourcing clean gold but motivating and educating consumers to talk about it. The designer finishes the interview by sharing her love of books, and how moved she is by the world. Happy listening!  ***You can find Pippa at https://pippasmall.com/On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pippasmalljewellery/?hl=enOn Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/Pippasmallpin/On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pippasmalljewellery/On Twitter - https://twitter.com/pippasmallThe cave of Lascaux - https://www.worldhistory.org/Lascaux_Cave/The San bushmen in Botswana - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_peopleThe Kuna Indians - https://www.britannica.com/topic/KunaThe article in the Independent where Pippa discovered the environmental cost of producing a single gold band - https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/the-real-price-of-gold-5348614.htmlTurquoise Mountain Foundation - https://www.turquoisemountain.org/The Financial Times article on Pippa - https://www.ft.com/content/9ad9f7d9-043b-4a46-993a-cfa65d54b9adThe song ' What a wonderful world' by Louis ArmstrongThe full playlist from Out of the Clouds - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Viqm1uiiHtM5Y0FwTCtFR?si=7857c2daec32413aThe book 'The Other Side of Eden' by anthropologist Hugh Brody***If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds  This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

In this episode of Out of the Clouds, Anne Muhlethaler interviews Scott Wimsett @ScottWimsett, a presenter, a fashion director and sustainability expert based in the UK. Scott started his agency, Bespoke Banter, in 2006 with a vision of supporting global talent and brands to create social assets in film to support their storytelling. Scott built a reputation for being a supportive and trusted partner for many world-renowned talents who work with his company closely to craft the broadcasted film and images they distribute globally. More recently, Scott launched The Feel Good Fellowship with friend, model, and climate activist Arizona Muse. Among all his endeavours, Scott is committed to encouraging brands to prioritise transparency, accuracy, and research in all their digital content to empower audiences to make more sustainable, environmentally positive choices in the brands they support.Much like Anne, Scott loves to entertain good conversations in addition to his content creation work. Scott has hosted a podcast with Royal Ascot on sustainability, and returned with a new show called ‘Personal Threads’, with diverse guests from David Gandy to Paul O’Grady and June Sarpong. In this interview, Scott shares with Anne his story, from how he started on stage acting and dancing before going into modelling and PR — but always with a desire pulling him to TV and presenting. An astute expert in his field, Scott talks about his early wins and what helped establish his reputation, and later about the importance of listening carefully to what is coming next, including how that’s guided his moves from his start with Bespoke Banter to the projects he is doing now.Scott shares the thought process that drove him to build his own company and why he felt, and still feels, that film (or video) is essential for brands and talent to tell a detailed story. Scott believes that brands can turn to film to create a documentary of sorts — one that transmits their values and history, and that will communicate their DNA to their audience — but that transparency and vulnerability are key.Scott then tells Anne about his experience with Vipassana, which he discovered when a friend signed him up to attend a silent meditation retreat that transformed his life. He goes on to talk about how the combination of being active in addition to meditation and journaling continues to support him daily and explains that his meditation and other personal health rituals are not a hack or a quick add on, but, as he says, a necessity: ‘It's not like it's painted on. It's not like you are making yourself do it. It becomes just part of who we are. It's just how you live your life.’    Happy listening!     ***You can find Scott on Instagram @https://www.instagram.com/scottwimsett/Discover his company Bespoke Banter -  https://www.bespokebanter.com/And the Feel Good Fellowship - https://www.feelgoodfellowship.com/Scott is also an advisor with the Sustainable Beauty Coalition - https://www.instagram.com/sustainablebeautycoalition/The British Beauty Council - https://britishbeautycouncil.com/The first Royal Ascot podcast hosted by Scott called 'A New Era in Style' -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/royal-ascot-a-new-era-in-style/id1569576018Bay Garnett, stylist and senior fashion ambassador for Oxfam - https://www.baygarnett.com/pressThe Royal Ascot - https://www.ascot.com/royal-ascot-2023The Royal Ascot 'Personal Threads' podcast hosted by Scott Wimsett & Susan Bender - https://shows.acast.com/personal-threadsThe song Faith by George Michael - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cs3Pvmmv0EAnne Glenconner's book 'Lady in Waiting' - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49945845-lady-in-waiting*** f you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds  This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

Nada Ghazal (@NadaGhazalJewelry) is a jewellery designer and entrepreneur based in Beirut, Lebanon. In this episode of Out of the Clouds,  she shares the story of her relationship with design and creativity with host Anne Muhlethaler. Growing up, Nada shares that she was always fascinated by adorning herself, and while she spent a lot of time painting, she was also making her own jewellery and shoes with the help of local artisans. Even back then, she remembers that her desire was to create objects that would connect her to other people. Nada tells how she landed in graphic design since there weren't any jewellery or fashion courses in Beirut at the time, and which tilted her career towards advertising, giving her resources to start her own brand. Nada recalls how she quit her fancy agency job in Dubai on her 30th birthday, in order not to start her company ‘too late.’The talented creative explains how her vision was to develop an individualistic line, that would be timeless but with jewellery that can be worn day to night — not be left in a safe. And from the start, Nada wanted to have the atelier under the same roof as the rest of the team. Having lived through war and, more recently, survived the terrifying blast that destroyed part of the Lebanese capital, Nada movingly recounts how she strives to translate her experiences into her pieces, even turning a painful feeling into something beautiful. She also talks eloquently about her deep connection to her city, her muse, which she feels has a soul or a spirit all of its own and what inspires her and gives her the courage to get back on her feet, rebuild and start again. The two finish by discussing Nada's wellness and grounding rituals, which include a regular breathing practice in the morning, and her favorite guided meditations. A moving and inspiring interview. Happy listening! ***You can find Nada Ghazal on her website : https://www.nadaghazal.com/en/homeOn Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nadaghazaljewelry/On TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@nadaghazaljewelryOn Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NadaGhazalJewelryOn Pinterest -  https://www.pinterest.ch/NadaGhazalJewelry/On Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/NadaGJewelryAnd finally on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/nadaghazaljewelry/The meditation teacher Sally Kempton - https://www.sallykempton.com/Imagine by John Lennon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOgFZfRVawwThe book 'Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L Weiss - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34452.Many_Lives_Many_Masters*** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds   This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

Kim Walls (@KimWallsLA) is a beauty industry innovator, fourth-generation entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of Furtuna Skin (@FurtunaSkin). Her work in luxury skincare has been featured across the media from Vogue, Allure to CBS and many more. She says that her favorite honour was being named one of the  "9 Wonder Women of the Natural Industry" by New Hope Media for leadership leveraging technology in early-stage brands to help them grow from concept past their first $1MM.The charismatic executive shares her story with host Anne Muhlethaler, starting with how as a teenager she worked with her dad — himself the man behind niche luxury skincare brand Epicuren — helping with packaging and logistics. Early on, the second-generation health & wellness expert realised that anything we put on our skin is going to be absorbed by our body, begging the question: what do we want in our body?Kim goes on to explain how this empowered her to continue working in the natural beauty space, where she honed her skills as a brand strategist, product development innovator and retail and e-commerce expert. Though she also tells Anne how her career felt more like a jungle gym than a straightforward corporate ladder.Kim also describes how she met her business partner, Agatha Luczo, and the touching, or even romantic, story behind their latest project, the natural beauty brand Furtuna Skin. Anne and Kim discuss its Sicilian roots, before talking about plant foraging, plant circadian rhythms, ultrasound technology and why we should trust the power of nature. Considered a clean beauty pioneer, Kim shares how much she cares about community, safe beauty, and the environment. With the work they are doing at Furtuna, Kim hopes to inspire many other entrepreneurs to embrace a holistic strategy that could take us towards a regenerative lifestyle. A joyful, in-depth and very inspiring interview.  ***Selected links from episode: You can find Kim Walls on Instagram @KimWallsLA - https://www.instagram.com/kimwallsla/On LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimwalls/Discover Furtuna Skin at https://www.instagram.com/furtunaskin/ or on their website - https://www.furtunaskin.com/The No Doubt Song 'Just a girl' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzOOQfhPFgKim's father's brand, Epicuren - https://epicuren.com/Steve Luczo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_J._LuczoBona  Fortuna olive oil - https://bonafurtuna.com/The James Baldwin quote - https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/512849-literature-is-indispensable-to-the-world-the-world-changes-accordingThe bi-phase moisturising oil Due Alberi by Furtuna Skin - https://www.furtunaskin.com/collections/best-sellers/products/due-alberi-biphase-moisturizing-oil?variant=32361045852195Jane McGonigal's book, Imaginable - https://janemcgonigal.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleocanthalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OleuropeinThe song Talk Love by Sonya Spence - https://open.spotify.com/track/0fmzrJ1ibKngaxB5w0v75LThe book How I built This by Guy Raz - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48930275-how-i-built-this***If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds   This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

Host of Out of the Clouds Anne V Muhlethaler reflects on her first two years of podcasting and how enriched she feels her life is for having had these meaningful conversations with her guests before introducing the show's third season.  This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

The guest for this interview of Out of the Clouds is Siddha Jain, Chief Business Officer at Bombae, by Bombay Shaving Company,  a premium women’s personal care and grooming brand launched during the pandemic. Siddha is a savvy and creative executive who in her own words followed the expected track, first studying hard to first become an engineer, then obtaining an MBA, and later becoming a consultant at Bain & Company. Host Anne invites Siddha to talk about her story (hint: her goal is to prove herself). She explains how her mother imbued her with vision and taught her the value of being persistent. She then reveals her own vision, with the not-so-hidden aim to become an expert in other fields, essentially a ‘jack of all trades.’ Siddha also brings her ikigai, the Japanese concept of having a sense of purpose, and shares how her passion for dance and creating events are extracurricular pursuits that connect her to the greater purpose of her life. The pair touch on Bombae’s values and the content strategies that the brand uses to connect with its customers, including a collaboration with India’s top women stand-up comedians. And, as a woman at the executive level, Siddha offers her thoughts about what helps her feel confident as well as how and why she brings her full self to work. Then Anne asks Siddha to talk about what it’s like to build a brand and design products for a bold and cheeky consumer. Bombae’s mission around hair removal is raised, which leads them to explore the complex relationship women in India and around the world have with their body and facial hair. A deeply engaging interview with a thoughtful and passionate woman. Happy listening!***Selected links from episode You can find Siddha Jain on Instagram @eat.dance.styleawayand on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddha-jain-65a88353/Maslow's hierarchy of needs https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.htmlUnmaad Festival - https://www.unmaad.com/Bain & Company India - https://www.bain.com/offices/india/Jack of all trades full quote - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_of_all_trades,_master_of_noneRoland Mouret - https://rolandmouret.com/Margaret Mead quote - Never doubtCoke Studio TV program - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_Studio_(Indian_TV_program)#BreakTheHairarchy - https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/advertising/bombay-shaving-company-women-asks-women-to-breakthehairarchy-in-new-campaign/90019262?redirect=1Actress Alaya F - https://www.instagram.com/alayaf/?hl=enStarboy by the Weeknd - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Na4j8AVgAA Man Called Ove, the novel https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18774964-a-man-called-ove *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback, thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds    This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

On this episode of Out of the Clouds, Anne interviews generalist (or jack of all trades) Salman Ansari, also known as the Quick Brown Fox (@DareToRant). The talented writer enjoys wearing many different hats — he is a startup founder, a CTO, a web & iOS engineer, a teacher, an illustrator and DJ, among other things. The two of them start off by talking about Salman’s early career, how he ended up leaving Canada to relocate to California to become a startup co-founder, and the importance of meaningful relationships when making bold career moves. Salman explains how a couple of courses, and the popular success among his friends of his blog in college, called Dare to Rant, set him up to start writing online. Salman shares that he discovered that writing essays helped him synthesise the knowledge he was acquiring. Anne then leads him to talk about one particular piece, ‘The Polymath Playbook’, which went viral after being tweeted by Tobias Lütke, CEO of Shopify. Salman reflects on how his  personal story (which he almost deleted) had resonated with his readers more than the mental models he’d written about.The two of them geek out about why stories are so fundamental to us as humans, what it means for our inner and outer communication and how to best package ideas so they are easier for readers to consume. Salman is currently working on a book of fables, which he is illustrating as well, so he spends a bit of time telling Anne how that project came about and the importance of having a community who gets to ask ‘what happens next’ supporting us when things are getting hard. On that note, he also discusses how to figure out when procrastination is at play or whether we just need to continue to work on a piece. A few years ago, Salman suffered a burnout and he shares how he created a space for himself with meditation.Then they discuss at length how mindfulness combined with journaling and walking were complementary resources that, in his words, made it impossible for him to gaslight himself, thereby enabling him to make the hard choice to walk away from a job he no longer loved doing. A wide-ranging, inspiring and profound interview, happy listening!  ***You can find Salman at https://salman.io/On twitter @ https://twitter.com/daretorantOn Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/salmanscribbles/On Youtube @https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRy_uuWSw_z0g_xav4ZUA0Q/videos?view=0&sort=pSalman's blog is https://salman.io/blog/and you can read the Polymath Playbook here https://salman.io/blog/polymath-playbook/David Perell - https://perell.com/Write of Passage course - https://writeofpassage.school/Seth Godin's blog - https://seths.blog/Writing in Community, the Akimbo course - https://akimbo.com/writingincommunityWill Storr's book, The Science of Storytelling - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43183121-the-science-of-storytellingRobert McKee's book, Story - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48654.Story?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=PjTpcJtnyL&rank=1Amishi Jha's book, Peak Mind - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55200359-peak-mind?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=P738uo7wz4&rank=1The Little Prince, book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157993.The_Little_Prince?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wgzPcETJAK&rank=1Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic - https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/The talk by Elizabeth Gilbert Anne and Salman talk about - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSsMjI1OcgMThe course 'Psychology for Writers'Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim  Pang - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29502354-restAndy's notes - https://notes.andymatuschak.org/About_these_notesThe Spotify playlist of Out of the Clouds's guests answering: what song best represents you - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Viqm1uiiHtM5Y0FwTCtFR?si=1d27a0529d65454a*** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback, thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds  This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

In this episode of Out of the Clouds, host Anne Muhlethaler interviews fashion journalist and writer Ana Santi. Ana has held various roles, including deputy editor at Drapers Magazine, a renowned UK fashion trade magazine, before going in-house at a brand called Jigsaw, where she became their first editor in chief. There she launched an in-house magazine and even published a book, called “Comfort Zones”, a collection of original stories by 28 women writers, including Pandora Sykes, Elizabeth Day, and Emma Gannon among others for the charity Women for Women International.Her new book, “Three Things to Help Heal the Planet”, was published in May 2022, and Anne was very keen to get into it with her and to have a conversation about the important topics that are covered across the 21 essays that make up the book.So in this interview, the two talk about Ana's journey, from her native Brazil to the UK as an eight-year-old, her love of languages and what brought her to journalism. Ana shares how and why working as a fashion reporter was a launching pad towards this new book to talk about sustainability and the possibility of individual action to help the planet — something she outlines is meant for ‘people who have choices’, as she goes on to explain.The two end on discussing why we should learn to be better ancestors, and how that possibly will help us leave the planet in what is hopefully a better state than it currently is. A thought-provoking, enjoyable interview that will hopefully leave listeners with the desire to both read the book and, if they have the choice, do their bit to help heal the planet. Happy listening!***Selected links from episode:You can find Ana at https://www.ana-santi.com/on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/anasanti1/on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Ana_C_Santion LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-santi-8a28a51/And find all her info and up to date links via her Link Tree - https://linktr.ee/anasanti1Drapers online - https://www.drapersonline.com/The book Comfort Zones - https://www.ana-santi.com/comfort-zonesBritish brand Jigsaw - https://www.jigsaw-online.com/Mums for Lungs, the charity - https://www.mumsforlungs.org/This Could Be our Future, the book by Yancey Strickler - https://www.ystrickler.com/book/The Bento Society - http://www.bentoism.org/To Sell is Human, book by Daniel Pink - https://www.danpink.com/books/to-sell-is-human/We Are the Weather, book by Jonathan Safran Foer - https://wearetheweatherbook.com/A Beautiful Constraint, book by Adam Morgan and Mark Bardem - http://www.abeautifulconstraint.com/the-book-2Tristram Stuart, the food waste campaigner - https://www.tristramstuart.co.uk/Robert McKee, author and teacher - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McKeeGoooders website, ethical and sustainable fashion and accessories - https://goooders.com/Sapiens, the book by Yuval Noah Harari - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapiens:_A_Brief_History_of_HumankindThe quote by Ernest Hemingway, about 'finding the emotion - https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1135556-find-what-gave-you-emotion-what-the-action-was-thatCatch 22, the book by Joseph Heller - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168668.Catch_22 ***If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback, thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds  This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

Nishanth Chopra is a young, innovative Indian entrepreneur who in 2016 founded a unique sustainable brand and collective called Oshadi (pronounced aw-sha-dhi, which means ‘essence of nature’ or ‘healing plant’ in Sanskrit - @oshadi_collective)In this interview with Anne Muhlethaler, Nishanth tells Anne about growing up in the textile town of Erode and how, after returning from university in the UK, he decided to carve a new path for himself by breaking with the expectations of his family and launch a small sustainable ready-to-wear brand. In his pursuit, Nishanth came to realise the depth of problems that were underlying the traditional fashion production model, even when trying to do it sustainably. He explains to Anne how, out of a desire to look after the earth after creating clothing, from printing and dyeing to weaving and spinning cotton, the collective started cultivating a new fashion system with a 50-acre regenerative cotton farm.Nishanth says that if he has any talent it’s really just connecting the dots — right time, right place, right people — and that’s how he was able, step by step, to launch this 'seed to sew concept'. And Oshadi doesn’t just look after not just the soil or think of the finished product. Instead, Nishanth shares his vision with the farmers and artisans who collectively work on this project. He says his aim is that the complexity (of figuring out this new respectful way of working with the earth) should end with ‘us’ — making it possible for anyone else in the future to replicate this radically transparent model. Nishanth also tells Anne how meaningful change can happen when there is collaboration through real respect for someone’s work — something that’s not always shown to Indian craftsmen and women from a Western point of view. A unique voice and gifted entrepreneur, who hopefully will leave you inspired. Happy listening! *** Selected links from episode: You can find out more about Nishanth work and Oshadi at https://oshadi.in/on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oshadi_collective/And selected press at https://oshadi.in/pages/pressErode, in Tamil Nadu, where Nishanth grew up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ErodeFibershed's Rebecca Burgess - https://www.eco-age.com/resources/fibershed-rebecca-burgess-interviewThe film Merku Thodarchi Malai that Nishanth talks about on every podcast - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merku_Thodarchi_MalaiThe myth of Sisyphus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SisyphusSapiens - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapiens:_A_Brief_History_of_HumankindThe article about soil from the Guardian posted on the Oshadi Instagram - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/07/secret-world-beneath-our-feet-mind-blowing-key-to-planets-future***If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback, thank you  so much for listening! For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/  Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://annevmuhlethaler.com. Follow Anne: Twitter: @annvi  IG: @_outoftheclouds   This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.