LIVE! Podcast Recording: Becoming Me

Last week WOMAN ON A MISSION proudly celebrated its first Live Podcast Recording & Community Event, in partnership with HeadsQuarter.

It was an evening filled with exciting and inspiring cross-generational conversations on the topic of „Becoming Me“ - what shapes us as women today, and how identity is something we continue becoming through necessity, ambition, courage, and sometimes mistakes leading to new beginnings.

Thank you to each and every one of you for being there, bringing your energy and sharing your vulnerability and personal stories. We made it happen together. I truly believe that there is no such thing as oversharing when it comes to female-related topics. It’s all about informing, being heard, and knowing that we’re in this together.

Thank you to my incredible guests Grazia Covre, Gina Sow and Ha Vy Nguyen for their meaningful insights, and Bartlomiej Adamczyk and Alessia Buttolo for your support in making this event a reality.

I’ll be announcing the date for the next live event very soon! Be sure to check www.womanonamission.ch for updates to be the first to know. 

This is only the beginning for WOMAN ON A MISSION.

Limited edition merch drop coming soon….

Transcript

SPEAKER_06 0:09

Good evening, everyone. Ladies, ladies, allies. I saw a dog. Babies. Everybody, thank you ever so much for being here. This is very different for me. Usually I get hired to do these things. Today it's my own thing. So like I'm just like chatting and saying whatever. I've also just noticed I can go on and on and on and on and on, and nobody will tell me, stop, maybe Tommy. Because you're already like, what are you saying? Thank you so much for taking the time to come today. Today's um very special live recording of Woman on a Mission. Woman on a mission for everyone that doesn't know me, because I see a lot of familiar faces and some new faces. Thank you so much for coming. Um, Woman on a mission is a project very near and dear to my heart. Um started a couple of years ago when I thought, let's talk about everything that society does not want to talk about in the public eye. All about female topics. We can talk about always commercial, the blood not being red, it's being blue. I mean, come on, stuff like that. I am known for talking about things head-on directly, and earn my money with that and my living with that. I'm a TV presenter and radio host as well. And then Woman on a Mission was a project that kind of started last year after a pretty difficult couple of weeks after the birth of my second baby that is here right up the back. Lily, hi, Baba, Mammy Star, hi. I was in the hospital for quite some time and didn't post much as you do these days on social media. I was just trying to focus on getting healthy and enjoying the time that my older daughter and my mother and my husband came to visit me. And then I was receiving so many beautiful messages from people I knew, but a lot of messages from people I did not know. Just sharing their stories that really motivated me, helped me, supported me through that time. And um, and people just go in on, we miss you, and we just hope you're okay. We haven't heard anything from you. So I just noticed that actually so many people would like to talk about things that seem too heavy to share with the opposite or society, because society said certain topics are stigmatized, one should not talk about them. We should just like hush and continue with the day. So I'm not hushing, you aren't hushing anymore. A lot of women aren't hushing anymore, and that's why we are all here to talk about the topic becoming me. Tonight, everything is about becoming me. It's a cross-generational conversation about growth, identity, and everything that shapes us women. Because I think often we think identity, for example, is something one finds once. But maybe identity is also something we uh keep on becoming. It develops through struggles, through wins, through joy, through heartache, through letting go, or maybe just beginning again and again. So tonight um we will have a really, really beautiful conversation with three remarkable women, three different women, three women from different generations. That means three different perspectives, lenses, stories, and three times wisdom. So please join me with a round of applause when I welcome my first guest on stage, representing Generation Z and chatting to my daughter here, Javi Nigen, influencer and social media structurist. Hello, good evening. Please have a seat. Hi, my love. You were telling her to record the whole show. See, my love, your microphone. Thank you so much. Then our millennial voice for tonight's music producer, DJ, and creative director, Gina Jeans. Give it up for Gina, lady. Hi, thank you for being here. Have a seat and representing wisdom and the generation X. Please give it up for international show producer and choreographer.

SPEAKER_02 5:15

Hello.

SPEAKER_06 5:27

So as some of you already uh came and asked, yes, tonight's conversation will be in English. Yes, but nevertheless, please do not hesitate to ask your questions whenever you feel like in German you're in good hands. Sh between two translators. That's perfect. Perfect. Romani, switch German, you're in there. You're perfect. No, honestly, whenever you have a question, this is a conversation. Yes, I've got three amazing ladies here on stage, but you are part of the conversation as well. So please do let me know. I'll jump down here and get you with my microphone because we are recording tonight. This is a live recording of Women on the Mission. Let's start. Right. We're just gonna kind of like um let everybody feel you ladies with the question: who are you? Tell us a bit about who you are today, um, beyond titles, beyond what people actually already know from you, of you. Tell us a bit about you. Shall we just start? We'll start on the outside, Javi.

SPEAKER_03 6:38

So my name is Javi Nguyen. I'm 27. I was born in 1998, so this makes me uh very much of a true Gen Z. Um just a little bit as a background, I work in social media marketing um since basically, no, not my whole life, actually since COVID, 2020. Um, and before that, I was like in economy um trying to please my Asian parents that were very strict and had like like certain like ideas on how a perfect daughter should be, uh, which I did not do. I went to totally into a different direction. Um I also moved uh from Vienne to Zurich in 2023 on my own um to pursue my career and to find out what I really wanted to do. And it kind of just drifted into social media and all this uh yeah, all this uh very social universe. Um I'm the woman that I'm today is I'm just a woman enjoying every phase of my life, um trying to figure out my journey, um, and just yeah, just go with it basically. Um I also feel like I'm not a person that is too focused on one specific goal. I just really just yeah, enjoy everything that comes, and it's been great so far.

SPEAKER_06 8:08

Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you very much for that introduction. Gina, please.

SPEAKER_08 8:13

Hello, ladies. Oh my gosh, this is so exciting. I just had to let that out. Okay. I mean, Alex already introduced me. My name is Gina. I'm a music producer, DJ, and creative director. To keep it short on my end, the woman I am today is someone who doesn't second guess her decision making. And this was a long journey. To be able to say no and have no regrets, that is the woman I am today. But I wouldn't be here if I didn't go through all this this whole journey, if I didn't go through my adversity, setbacks, and being a woman in electronic music is already such I laugh because we always have to reaffirm that we can do this and we're just as good as the guy. So I've really had to work through a lot, and I'm also a black woman in electronic music, so I'm glad that I've kind of found my own path, which wasn't easy. And when I say I am good at decision making now, it's because back when I was younger, I always feel I had to kind of go with trends and follow you know, when you're young, you're sort of figuring things out. Of course, we all go through you know these kind of um themes in our life. But being able to say no and being confident in my decision making has really been a big factor as to why I am the way I am today. And yeah, that's been my journey.

SPEAKER_06 9:52

Thank you so much for sharing that intro. Grazia.

SPEAKER_02 9:58

I'm the oldest one today. Um my way. Um it's a long but very nice in my life. Um I'm Italian and I don't have this open door when I was young. I go my way. It was hard to go this way, then I do like mama and papa say, Oh, you don't must be too loud, uh, you don't must think the right way that the people like that you go this way, and you must do something good in your life attitude in the bank or whatever. So I finish my school and I go and I do the bank three years, and I finish, and I say, okay, 19 years I do all what the people say that I must do. And now I'm 19 and I go my way. So I decide to dance, and when I start to dance, a lot of people tell me how you can survive with dance, and I was like, Oh my god. I mean, I try and I want to do the best for me, and and I want to find the right way for me, and not was uh you want or you want or you want, I want go my way. So I start to go my way. I live a long time in New York. Then I go, you know, you shouldn't have been a twins all yeah, it's my daughter.

SPEAKER_06 11:28

Can you tell? She wants to be part of the conversation.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

And then I start I live in Paris, I start to work in Paris, I was under Opera Basti, Tilouit Telling Dion. I do a lot of projects, I finish my dance student, then I go, and all people was always uh you dance. It was always like, uh, just dance. What is this? And I was like, that's my my dream that I want to do.

SPEAKER_06 11:57

What kind of year?

SPEAKER_02 11:58

Just so we have a number around it, that was like 1900, like what 1900 uh 1995.

SPEAKER_06 12:08

Yeah, but theoretically, it's somehow not too far away, and people haven't evolved, to be very honest. They still sometimes, especially depending geographically where you are, they're still like what?

SPEAKER_02 12:21

What so you know, so I yeah, it's really like that, and I I really never, never, never say, Oh, he was not the right way. For me, was the best way. I'm mama now from twins. I have a husband. My life, I I like, I love my life. I love to give the people a lot, and uh I respect a lot the people. What I don't respect is when people are uh superficial and think about it, oh you do just this, oh you do that. Ah they say, oh, never forget from where you come and how you begin to be somewhere. So for me it's very important to be Grazia. I'm saying it's a hundred years authentic, like today, but a lot of more chaka chaka chak. But still me. Beautiful Grazia!

SPEAKER_06 13:18

Oh I mean this is lovely. It like all of your everything you ladies just shared really touches me because I'm just really happy that um we are chatting together here and uh giving it out into the world, into the universe, and have you all here as well. Because I mean, for you and me, Grazia, this is actually a full circle moment. Grazia is very, very humble. Um, I mean, thanks to Grazia. Actually, I mean, I have the job I have. She gave me my first proper TV job um and on yeah, here in Switzerland. Many, many moons ago. Many moons ago, and we will get into it a bit more. How your heart also very much is there to support the young ones that are following and coming and the challenges that come with it. Tell me, um, Gina, for example, like I will start with you here. Which season are you in currently? At the moment, what would you say?

unknown 14:21

Wow.

SPEAKER_08 14:22

I mean, this theme is so fitting. I am becoming. I just gave birth, well, not just, but I gave birth last year. My boy is seven months, and right now I'm trying to figure out what the next version of myself looks like. I can't pin it, and I'm not looking to arrive at a destination. So I'm really in a season where I've also had to slow down. I think when you're building yourself or building a brand, the years go by and you're so used to being in this go, go, go, go, go mode. So I'm learning to find peace in stepping away and also being softer towards myself. It's yeah, I feel like look, I'm an independent artist. I have built my brand by myself, honestly, brick by brick. And I say by myself more in the sense that I didn't get investment from anybody, but I did have a community. I can proudly say I had people that did look out for me and and showed up for me. So when you're building by yourself for a long time, you do feel a little bit uncomfortable when things go quiet. But my son needed me and I think it was good for me to kind of slow down. So this season is really I'm I'm curious because I don't even know like who will I be next year? Who will I be in the next years to come? I think it's something exciting to look forward to, but I'm really allowing myself to bloom right now. Because I I feel new, I feel very different, and yeah, it's undeniable. Motherhood is yeah, it requires you to be present, and so I'm enjoying that for now.

SPEAKER_06 16:06

Independent, you just said that word independent artist, it's you. Um, there's nobody there backing you up in case you don't show up or anything if you don't go to work, basically. I know the feeling.

SPEAKER_08 16:19

Oh, honey, the ship sinks, one hole. You know, it's one, sorry to interrupt, but it's one thing to have one hole and like, but when they're eight, oh, you're just looking at that thing like the Titanic, like, oh let me just build another ship.

SPEAKER_05 16:35

Like I do have that visual, there you know, like, oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_08 16:44

I mean, there's no Jack, of course.

SPEAKER_06 16:47

Thank you, baby. And everybody, Musa, you do know all the heads just turned. Do you? So, yes, independent through and through. So, but I, as an independent person, like also, I mean, I work and then my bills get paid, and other than that, I don't have any money. Javi, graduate. I know you can relate. Um, the pressure, I mean, I've been doing this for 20 years. I still sometimes long for security, and I'm like, my existence in the future, like the pressure is on, and like I've not been working for a while after uh challenging birth, so it's just like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

Yeah, uh yeah, yeah, but I never think about that the pressure money. I always think about what it's good for me. Yeah, and um, and when I start to dance before then, now I'm a show producer, blah blah blah. But when I was a dancer, it was so nice to feel these different people who worked with me from different country, from different houses. Um, and and we are one, and we are on stage and we give everything. And and a clear clock, it's sometimes how much you have money for one week and for two weeks. I mean, uh, we rehearsal in Paris for two weeks, and then comes the TV production, and you say, Hey, uh, we must cancel everything, no money, nothing. Three months later, you have the money, but in this moment you feel like okay, yeah, yeah. But it was always the passion behind. And when you have the passion behind, it's not always the money behind. And this is a big difference that I feel something sometimes. The money is very important and very respectful to have them and not to have uh gratis with Emirate. Yeah, you just don't work for free. It's not always the money who give you this passion back, and the passion I feel it's the one of important things in the life that you bring admit and you give to the people the same.

SPEAKER_06 19:06

I yes, please, Javi, I just so you can.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

I completely agree with both of you, and I think that um being independent really puts you in a position where you really have to work on your mindset. I feel like this sounds a bit superficial, but the one thing I did to actually, you know, become independent and and and live that is to make sure that I believe in myself, I believe in my passion and in the good that I do with it. And everything just kept on rolling by itself. Because once you believe in yourself, everything goes your way. And if you put the work in because it's your passion and you feel like this is your um purpose, everything just aligns. You just gotta trust. And I'm gonna say something very ginsy and very pinched, like you gotta trust the universe, but that's true.

SPEAKER_06 20:02

We trust the universe. Come on, there we go, here we go. I think my mom just taking another tip of her wine.

SPEAKER_03 20:11

She's just like, my daughter. But this is something that um that I think it needs a lot of work to have the right mindset. You gotta be very self-aware, you gotta set your boundaries, you gotta uh work on yourself, you gotta really tackle on what really goes into your mind and your body and soul. Everything is connected. It really sounds like a Pinterest board right now, but that's essentially the truth. And I think that this is something that we all have in our blood, and that's why we are here today doing what we love to do, and we hope that we can give this back to you. Um, but yeah, this is how it just kept on rolling until now. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

I mean, people don't see when when you're in the dance life that I was, don't see that we start nine o'clock in the morning till six o'clock or eight o'clock or ten o'clock, and uh Saturdays and Sundays and do it again and please again and pull out, and you come home, and sometimes I teaching also. I teaching in New York and also LA and Paris, Italy. And after 10 hours you go to teach, nobody asks you how you feel. You just be there. You just must be you don't see oh, she has working 10 hours now, eight hours. No, no, no, no, no. Hello, and fresh. And I mean today I don't look so fresh like 40 years before or 30 years before. But I say this is the this is the really thing that um I think we must give also to the to the young people this uh this possibility to feel it, to respect, to have this passion. I think sorry, when I say uh that sometimes we don't give to the young people the time to groove up. It's like we twenty two, I'm a choreographer. No, sorry. You are not a choreographer. You must be on the stage for 10 or 20 years to feel it, what it's producing. This is with all the different um way that you take in your life. It's not like you are to be 22, like 32, 42, or 52. This is the way. The way is your life. And not the life. It's not the way. The way it's your life that you go to grow up and go down and up and chat but feel it.

SPEAKER_08 22:35

But I would love to add on what they were both saying. The one side, what I've noticed is, and it's not across the board, this is also dependent on your environment, where you grow up, resources. When you take the time to understand what it is you actually like as an individual, be it whatever, I feel that is the beginning of the seed sprouting. Of course, life is not linear for many of us. But the moment I started to pour into my interests and the things that make me tick, guys, I'm sure there's something that makes you tick, whether it's knitting, whatever it is, there is that, you know, and I'm being serious. There's that thing that no one can take away from you, that is yours. And I see a lot of women pour into their passions, and this is why I love having side projects. It's not always about money, you know. Of course, you have your day-to-day, your work, but that thing that is yours and yours alone. Okay, I feel like that's that's how you pour into yourself. And look, I I'm not saying this is the remedy for everybody, but that's something that I've noticed that once I started to do that, I felt more confident in being myself. And on the other side, experience and time and effort. I've been producing music for almost 20 years. Oh my god. Saying it out loud and sometimes like 20 years. But I only started having a professional career from 2017, and even then I had to go through the pros and and cons of the industry. And when you're alone, it's also figuring it out with like bricks in your bag. Like imagine walking down the street with bricks. After a while, you're like, wow, this is this is tough. The only difference between then and now is that I didn't quit. I've had my days. I've wanted to just close the laptop, call it a day. But I also did put in the hours where now it feels like just flowing in a river. And I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but I am not thinking too hard about the audience anymore, and I'm enjoying my experience creating. And it's very easy to get wrapped up in coming up quickly, and then when it's time to really show people what it is, you're like, I don't know, I don't know. It's amazing to take the time into nurturing your craft, whatever it is, really. I it it was a hard lesson. I mean, you see a younger, more younger generation having all these tools like AI, and people are pumping out apps and websites, and you're like, I had to pay someone for this. And now I'm not sure. That's true, and good for you guys, you know. It's really interesting to see how things have progressed. But I would like to say that I appreciate that I've taken my time because when it's time for me to perform, I'm not I'm not necessarily feeling anxious about proving who I am. I just I just am. I just keep it.

SPEAKER_03 25:42

I'm gonna um add something to this dynamic, which was really interesting that you pointed that out. The thing with I would say in our generation, uh the newer generation with AI and what and social media and all of that, um, there's two sides. There's that one side where we have all these opportunities in our hands to try out billions of things, dancing, knitting, DJing, all of that. And the other side is that we're too overwhelmed because there's just so much to do. Interesting to that you say that in that that's a pro and a con. And so the in-depth um crafting of you know our passions or our new hobbies is we're just not going so deep anymore because we just want to try everything out. But the list is endless. And that's why I feel like in art in my generation, we also like in our 20s, we we tried to figure everything out already. Like we're supposed to have a business, we're supposed to be um fit, and we're supposed to have children already, or to um build uh three businesses, uh four startups and whatnot. It's like it's like we get so much opportunities, but like too much to a point where we just start to be overwhelmed and be like, oh, well, actually, I just want to like I should have been born in the 1970s, for example, where life was easier. So that's like a dilemma.

SPEAKER_06 27:14

Is it though? But like I I I would say um it's interesting that you're saying that about you have everything in the palm of your hat. What how do you think do you balance in this kind of world you work in as well, and the time you were born and the expectations that you and your generation have also maybe even towards each other, looking up, looking back to the younger ones? Um, it's basically like opportunities versus burnout, and because because everybody's trying to be iconic by 25, right? Yeah, so it's just like so. How do you being in the middle of all of that? And I've seen you work, and I know what I see, like I mean, you're on fire, you're you're doing a great job, and you're I love everything about you, but you're balancing it. How? How are you doing that for anybody listening now and that they're trying to be my best girl?

SPEAKER_03 28:11

I'm trying.

SPEAKER_06 28:12

No, you're doing good, but like how no, seriously, how do you balance it? Because also the world you work in, um, and I'm gonna go back to your maybe the way you were brought up because you mentioned that before. It's constant comparison.

SPEAKER_03 28:26

Yeah, absolutely. So this comes all the way back to what I said in the beginning. It's the mindset thing. Like, I it it's really difficult, but you've got to be so strong to really just focus on yourself. Because also in this day and time with social media and everything in between, like you're constantly being exposed to what other people do and other people's successes because on social media, unfortunately, we just only almost see the good sides of it. So um there's so much pressure 24-7 on us. And what I've what I did up until now to really limit that is to like set boundaries, like uh um using social media in moderation, which is kind of contraproductive because I'm an influencer myself. So I basically like kill my own, like like yeah, it's just a bit difficult to to trying to explain, but um to keep reminding myself hey, this is me, this is my life, I'm doing my best. Whatever other people are doing, good for them. I love it. Go girl, go boy, go icon. Um, but I decide what I do for my own journey. And this thing of being influenced so much by other people, this is something that you really gotta train. Because I feel like and the way you train it is by being in tune with yourself and to be self-aware with yourself and to just entertain yourself with yourself. Um, it might sound also egoistic, but this is how you just set your own bubble in a healthy way. And this is what I am constantly also talking about with my other friends, like who also work in social media, who are also influencers or artists or working in this entertainment field. Um it's it's really surprising to me also how a lot of people are so insecure about seeing what other people do or what other people are living. And I'm just always saying, yes, but this is your life. Instead of spending the time worrying about what other people do or how successful other people are, take that time and focus on yourself. Do something for yourself, do something that's good for you. Maybe, I don't know, like like you said, um, trying to go in more in in depth with a new hobby or go for a walk, go for your matcha, whatever.

SPEAKER_05 30:57

And I love how you just said matcha, I mean so gently.

SPEAKER_03 31:02

Go and have a matcha and like really no, but it that's it's that's just like it's actually so simple. Just be more self-aware, be more connected with you.

SPEAKER_02 31:14

Yeah, but then you don't learn to be yourself, and you have all these social things who put it each day on you. You don't have this emotion feeling, it's this me. What I see this, oh no, I don't want to take one day social media, I just won't go uh to the Alps uh to walk. But I I think um and I don't say young people, I say people, but then it can be also older people who is in the social media can be a young for me. It's people, but we uh we have so much uh social media pulling at each day, and you can have this is what you uh learn today, it's old, it's past. So for the people, sometimes it's not time to be herself, it's not time how we can learn to be herself, young, older, whatever, that you have this time to learn to say one day, no Andy, one day just myself, family, like but a lot cannot do this. That's what I mean.

SPEAKER_06 32:32

I think that's maybe because they yeah, they grow up in a day and age where they don't learn to do it anymore. How much of the way you are, all three of you, has been shaped by what has been taught by your environment, by family, by culture. Because I think that has, and that will be a common nominator, you know. I found many throughout the conversation that I could go on because there's so many parallels, but like it does it doesn't matter which generation we are, but how much was shaped by your background, by your the way you were brought up, Gina?

SPEAKER_08 33:10

Well, I was raised by a single mom, and I am so appreciative, she's no longer with us. Uh it's been nine years now, but I'm so appreciative appreciative of the fact that my mom made sure we did almost everything drums, flute, dance, gymnastics. Oh, almost broke my back. Gymnastics, tennis. You know, she really wanted us to have the opportunities to explore. And I think this was the beginning of finding about what makes me tick. You know, she I I I love that she didn't hold back because of her upbringing, where she didn't have these opportunities. But I would say seeing a woman go for what she wants is so uh inspirational, especially when it's your mom. Of course, you have your mother, your nurturer, your caregiver, and then they support herself. And I think a lot of the times our relationships with our parents is we see them as our parents, but who were they before us? And the only recollection I have of my mom seeing my mom before us was on her wedding day. I found um at the old VCR, I got it burned on a USB. And I was like, wow, this person was someone before before me. Yes, and then seeing that also come out of her even while she was raising us, she was studying, she was a lecturer of law, she was doing a PhD, had me as a little secretary, by the way. I was convinced I was gonna be a secretary as we grow up. But seeing my mom go for it, and yes, there were moments where she was tired. I can confidently say that. It's it's very easy to speak on the go girl, boss girl, everything girl, but also understanding that rest is important, and I just want to add on to what she was saying this idea that social media is in our you know, existence, it's really existence, exactly. If you think about it, many people just your thumb, it has a second brain now, where it's like scroll, scroll. It's it's so weird. But what I'm trying to say is my upbringing has taught me to explore, and that has allowed me to grow up without limiting myself. Now, of course, your background will influence a lot of things, how you uh have access to certain things. I grew up in Namibia, I didn't mention that. I'm Namibian, so I'm in the south of Africa, in the corner. Okay, nobody knows where Namibia is. A lot of the people think I'm saying Libya, so I'm just like Southwest Africa. Is that on top of South Africa? I'm like, yes, that part. It's a very quiet country, you know, we just get on. But I didn't have access to a lot of the world. The world for me was through television. So I'm very grateful that my mom already had this idea that I'm going to let you explore and not hold you back. Of course, she wanted me to be a lawyer. She was saying, you know, but I'm like, mom, I'm too emotional. I'll get that person. You go to jail, don't let me represent you, you know. And I know your honor, I don't know what's happening, you know. But um, I'd like to add, she had expectations of me because I think also society was playing a role in that if you have successful children, you know, African households, it's just, and I'm sure with Asian households, you have this thing of like, you have to be great. And I had a conversation with my mom, I was 19, and I told her, Mom, if you don't let me do what I want to do, I will live with you. I will live off you, I will bring problem. Oh, that's just like being funny with her. But she's like, you know what? I trust you enough to, you know, just just get a degree, just give me the degree.

SPEAKER_06 37:09

She trusted you enough, but she also trusted herself enough that she knew what she gave you for along the way. Exactly. You know, shout out to you all. Where is my mom actually? And my daughter, they've been like gone for a long time. She's take it there outside.

SPEAKER_08 37:21

Yeah. So, yes, and I studied graphic design, I did visual communication. I was able to translate that creative life into something that I would then carry on. But yeah, I think we have to be softer with women, they really get on with it. And when I say get on, there's just it's you wake up and you just have to do. And we live in a patriarchal society. I mean, let's be honest, guys. A lot of us, yeah, our our experiences or opportunities, they don't come by so easily. So I'm very grateful that my mom gave me this thing of finding that thing that makes you tick. I know I've said that a lot. Please, not please like ticks, like dogs, but you know, just yeah, I I love it. It it's kept me going all these years. I've I've had days where I've wanted to be like, no man, this music thing, I don't see how this can sustain me. But I've also learned to branch out where I'm not necessarily a streaming artist, but I've done other projects that have really just made this experience and this journey so worth it.

SPEAKER_06 38:29

It's also perseverance, perseverance, I can hear out of that. Perseverance. Javi, have you, because you mentioned and I'm so intrigued, your your background um and family. Were you ever maybe discouraged by your environment um in anything you did or wanted to pursue before you actually prove could prove like mom, like see?

SPEAKER_03 38:57

Yeah, it's actually I'm gonna try to explain it as as uh um understandable, yeah, as understandable as possible. So uh I was born and raised in Switzerland, but my parents are Vietnamese. And so in our Asian culture, um they're very they're very strict, they have a certain idea on how uh you know a child should be. And um we grew up in a very strict household uh where we had to learn 24-7. It's like those memes where the Asian parents um are kind of behaving with the kids. We were exactly like that. Um I also uh went to like Nachhilfe Kurs. So like additional school support, school support. School support. My mom also bought like uh the booklets from school to make me have more school at home, stuff like that. Um, we went to all sorts of different instrument musical classes. Like I played the violin, I also did, yeah. Uh I was also in the orchestra. So we grew like my parents shaped us the way that society back in Vietnam wanted us to look like. Um and we surrendered, like me and my brother, we were never uh kids that would uh be rebels or whatever. Um, also like at the age of like 13, 14, 15, 16, we never went out or whatsoever. We were too scared of our parents, to be honest. Um and at one point, the way that they shaped us, and that when they saw we were kind of like ready the way that they that they wanted us to be, like picture perfect, they just stopped saying what we should do. They kind of just trusted us. Because I also feel like uh I'm 27, right? So it came like they started to understand that okay, we are in Switzerland, uh, we have our certain freedoms. Uh, we work differently here than in Vietnam because Vietnam is very traditional. So it's like um you get then married at um 16 or 17, like, no, that's too early, um, 18 or whatever, and then you have this family role where you're the mom and that's it. So they kind of realized that okay, this is not what we can do to our kids, they're never gonna surrender. And so um I just started to go my own way because then I realized, okay, actually, I just want to be creative, I want to do something else, I don't want to be in economy. I actually started studying economy um just to decide for something and to make my parents proud. And then I actually stopped studying. So I was in my second year and then I stopped completely because I started with social media and I felt like okay, this is actually what I want to do, this is where my passion lays, and I just started doing it independently. I didn't tell anything to my parents, like they found out two years later. Oh my god, two years, like also how when are you graduating? I said never because then I stopped. Because I was gonna ask, how did that conversation go? And you're like, I never found out two years later. I became so independent the moment then the moment they stopped controlling what I do, and I just went my own way. And um, I did that without really consulting them. I just really like have this hyperindependence that I learned from my mom because my dad was away a lot when we grew up, so we would only see him on the weekend because of work. And my mom was the one that carried actually, that carried the show basically. And so this is what I learned from her, and it just went my own way, and then they had no chance, no other option but to accept what I did.

SPEAKER_06 42:41

But it's proved it already.

SPEAKER_03 42:43

And I proved the thing is like I never tried to prove them what I did or what that what was right and was what was wrong. I just showed them the results like years later. Also, when I moved to Zurich, because for for us, like from people like from a small town, that's a big deal to move to Zurich. It's more expensive, it's big, it's you know, it's like moving to New York. And so when I moved, I then told my parents, like a week after or something. What? You moved to Zurich? Like what? And then I said, Yeah, this is my apartment. That's that's how I roll. Like, I don't tell them, and I just do my thing, and then they have to accept it.

SPEAKER_06 43:22

Proud parents you have, proud parents you have. Grazia. Like, I um when you said that um people used to react and be like, what do you mean dancing? And like her, and like what do you do on the side and stuff like that? When when you started doing that, I heard also you did the bank thing, you did basically everything to tick your parents' boxes. I mean, I can sing a song about that, not my mum so much, my dad back in the days, you know, like sheets, learn something that makes sense here in Switzerland, and then you can do whatever you want. Did it and then continued to do whatever I wanted. When did you feel for the first time feel like this is me? Like how when did you feel like yourself for the first time?

SPEAKER_02 44:14

Oh, I tell you exactly when. When I do my big over package, and I go to New York, Alvinelli's cool, dancing there, I feel like this is what I want to be there and have these great people, and we do the Plie each day and modern and dress and blah blah. Then after Alvinelli, we go to Lynn Simonson, and it was like I feel free, I feel really free, and I pay all myself. I work for one year seven o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock in the bank to have my money. And I mean 95, 90, 90, it was like a flight, two thousand francs, two and a half thousand francs. You have you must have this, and I have the opportunity with my bank friends who lives then in New York, that I could stay there, so I don't must pay nothing just the flight, and I was happy, but this was my feeling I'm free. And uh and I was there, and for me, it was like a big brief in my whole body. And um, yeah, I cannot explain with the words, it's in my heart since then, and this is also what I won't give to all people. I mean, she knows me very well. Um, how I works with the dancer. I'm very strong, and I catch but always with my heart and not like uh negative. And this was really my I feel good then.

SPEAKER_06 46:00

So it was exciting.

SPEAKER_02 46:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 46:02

Was New York ever lonely that you made that that you took that after New York?

SPEAKER_02 46:08

I mean, I have this uh Stemple, is that a Stemple? Stempel in the passport.

SPEAKER_06 46:13

Um, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 46:15

Yeah, and uh uh I'm Italian, so I have this. I can go back every time to New York. Oh, you get it one. And I was like, oh my god, I can go, I can fly back, I can go and go and go. So yeah, for me was New York, and then I go to Paris and I live there. I have an apartment, everything. But this was my life and my brief for that. What I really I mean, I I I started 12 years to go to the classical ballet, and then I couldn't go anymore. Then my school I took out of school and my mom, always mom. Father not, the father say also and my mom always nine. Very strong. I mean, my mother she she goes uh with 14 years. She goes from after the war. She goes from the mountain to Milano to work with her child, and then with 16 and a half years she comes to Zurich to really with nothing, and my father also with 18, and here to look a better life than in Italy. So that that's it's a completely other world when he comes here about 30 Italian people, not more. And um so that's uh the the mom she says always you must do, you must do, and the father always oh I like what you do today, terrific. But this was for me really um uh mid-19 to say 20 to say it's my life, and I go.

SPEAKER_06 47:56

Yeah, yeah. Took a lot of courage, I would say as well. Um did it ever maybe also Gina, I would like to bring it in here again when you took that step, that leap, but looking back, do you think it costed you anything?

SPEAKER_08 48:14

I think the one thing it cost me was security. For sure. Of course, when you have something stable, it gives you a peace of mind, knowing that you might not have to worry about you know where your provision is going to come. And I think it was risky because I didn't have the support. I was actually doing my masters, and I decided to put a to put a pause in it, and oh, that conversation with my mom. Oh my god. Feels like yesterday. It feels like it. She stared at me and she said, Absolutely not. I just don't think this is gonna work out because I mean she's my mom has walked past the bedroom and saw me making beats late nine, and at the time she was just like, Okay, this music thing that I've put in you is it's serious now, you know, it's it's deep in you. I don't know how I'm gonna stop this. But I think she was more worried about my future, as in future in Namibia, you know. And I I'd never left the country until 18. So never been on a flight, never left. And so obviously, your your world is just how are you going to make this music thing work in a country of 2.8 million people, of which more than 80% don't even stream at the time. Now it's changed, of course, but music was you performed, everybody said woo, and that was it. No money, no, you know, you you get paid, but it was just enough to kind of like buy a fresh pair of sneakers that you wanted. So that was where the fear came in. But I think when I went to South Africa to study, and the world opened up to me a little more, and then and just like you, I kind of had to show the results for her to feel like okay, but it was a difficult conversation. I think when you grow up in an academic household, it's very much like this is the direction, or our family is known for this. So it cost me security. I was now in Cape Town without the support of my parents financially, and I understood now I can understand that because if I'm making the decision to step away, I had to make it work. I couldn't look at my parents to be like fund my life. That was, I think, a bit selfish from on my end, because my parents had already done so much for me to even go across the border and study. So the moment I decided to do that, I think was when also the opportunities started to present themselves. I have a friend of mine, he's a designer, and he always told me, be ready to meet the moment. Because when the moment comes, you're not in this state of fear and anxiety. Of course, of course, everyone is different, but that lives with me because every time an opportunity has presented itself to me, I feel like it was meant to be, and I was ready to meet you know the show. I remember my first big show. I played in Albania, there were like 5,000 people. I need to show you guys shivering, shaking, like backstage. Like, how am I going to do? And then that thing just be ready to meet the moment is now. That came to you then. Yes, yeah. And that was really the first time I felt like, okay, I'm I'm doing that thing, I'm doing the thing that is making me feel so that moment, yes, it's resonating. Yeah, and I'm glad my mom got to to hear me on radio for the first time, like in Namibia when I played my song. And I think that was the moment where she was like, Okay, no, I think you'll be okay, even though even though I still want you to be a lawyer.

SPEAKER_05 51:57

Deep within, like deep within, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:01

It's so nice to hear the mom hear her on the radio, and my mom, she sees me first time on the TV, and before was always, oh, she's dancing.

unknown 52:13

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 52:14

Then I was in the TV, and she was like, This is my daughter. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Every pong was like, oh, now she's a dancer. Yeah, and music. I love that. Yeah, but it's really like that, and uh it's it's amazing. He cannot see the mother, cannot see the future that we have in the mind. But when he feels and he sees, then it's forgotten.

SPEAKER_08 52:39

Oh, I love it in the paper, honey. They brag about you, they brag about their friends and so funny.

SPEAKER_06 52:46

I was like, this is so funny that the first picture that comes to my mind about this uh situation. My daughter loves the the cartoon uh sing where like all of these animals sing and dance and everything. And this there's this one part, this monkey gorilla family, and they're a fella, it's the fellas, they're like Cockney English fellas, monkeys, remember that, and they're like they're these gangsters. But the youngest son, he's due to take over uh the father's job of like driving the vehicle away when they stole whatever they were stealing, and he missed, he missed the time to drive off before the police came because he was singing in the alley and was in his own world. And the dad was so angry, fast forward, yada yada yada, they ended up in jail, only the son didn't, and the father stopped talking to the son, but then the son was on TV, and the father had the TV in his jail cell, and he was not gonna talk to the somebody who heard the song sing, and then he was like, Oi, mate, that's my son, that's my son. So that's like kind of the situation I just have, and that I learned from my seven-year-old daughter. So, like, I that was the thing going in my head, going on in my head the whole time when you were talking. It's insane. Like, these are moments that we are proud, and uh and it's crazy that I am in that situation already now as well, and I'm referencing my eight-year-old daughters.

SPEAKER_03 54:12

I also don't know if it's a generational thing or also a cultural thing, like Asians, Vietnamese parents don't tell you that they're proud of you or that they love you or that they are happy for you. They will always try to find something to criticize you or to push you, even for like my parents never told me, actually, I'm so proud of you, or I'm I'm so proud of how far you've come or whatsoever. They're like, Do you pay your bills? Um, yeah, stuff like that. They will always be testing you. And I think the moment where I really found like where I've really felt like they have um shown some sort of appreciation and and and proudness was when they started to show other relatives what I did, what you do. Some of it's like, Honey, some of my daughter collaborated with this brand that's in your bathroom. Um, the cream that you are paying for 300 bucks, she gets it for free. Something like that.

SPEAKER_05 55:20

I love it.

SPEAKER_06 55:21

Yeah, but like how, like, until you got that or figured that out, or did you always know along that that was the way they were gonna praise you? Like, was that how did you um I think about that they were proud of you when they just let you be?

SPEAKER_03 55:39

Or I mean, I always like the way I grew up was always um having or not having this moment where the the parents pat you on the shoulder and the and say, like, oh my god, you're doing amazing, my daughter, wow. So I never really expected that. But deep within, like, I still wanted to make my parents proud because obviously um they brought up uh they brought us up into the world, and it's thanks to them that I get to do what I do, but I never really worked in a way where this was one of my goals, and this kind of just like aligned by itself. And I mean, we cannot hide it, it just feels good when your parents finally give you the approval as well.

SPEAKER_06 56:20

I agree, I think that's a cross-generational thing. Would you agree with me as well? It might I mean it does feel really nice to make mom, even grandma. It always felt different for me to work in Switzerland and my grandma be able to watch me rather than you know, like international things, just because it was home, it was your home base, and that's where you mostly had the critics or criticism as well. I mean, growing up in the 80s, mixed race, it was just like you. I grew up with always hearing my mom say, you always need to work twice as hard. You're always gonna have to prove yourself. You have to be better than left, right, and center. You have to prove. So that's still in my that's my that's part of my DNA, you know. It was pressure, it was like on. It was like, okay, all right, all right. And that's when I was proud of myself. So I also knew somehow that my mom was gonna be proud of me because that's what she gave gave me on the way.

SPEAKER_02 57:17

My mom are always a little bit um, how you say, um, not uh not stronger, like you must, and I feel like that in my uh time, and the father was always like proud, you know what I mean? So it's it was like always like father, uh great, do the way, and mom, no, it was it's our da-da.

SPEAKER_06 57:39

Do you think it's because also something that she got? Yeah, like put like they gave her on her way, that was how she was taught to be. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 57:49

She has more um um in the mountains, she's from the mountains, Italy. Uh, she she she has really this wall time, and my father, Venezia, he was not like that, yeah, and he has an other uh other uh survive than my mom. Yes, and and she she she has this strong to come and be strong herself. Yes, and I think she gave me this also.

SPEAKER_06 58:13

Yes, you know she passed it kind of down because that was all she knew. By the way, I want to remind you, ladies, if you have something to add on, would like to share with us, please do let me know. I'll slap these shoes off and jump down to you. Honestly. Yeah? Wait, I really mean it because they're hurting me. They look they look they look gorgeous as hell, but like, oh my god, they're uncomfortable. Sorry. So I'm coming to you, Asha. Hold on. Let me just come in between here. Can I pass you?

unknown 58:40

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 58:40

Thank you, Alex. Um, thank you for all your stories, personal stories, also about your parents. I'm wondering, because you had to overcome these obstacles, did it also show more what you really love and you fought more for it because you were in banking, and then you definitely I never want to go back to banking again, right? But did the banking education or work help you go like like discuss better?

SPEAKER_02 59:14

Yes, I tell you, this was the best that I do this, then I can do everything now. Oliver Trek, how you say for Trey? Exactly. I know exactly what's going on, I know exactly the I know exactly what I must say. This is for me the foundation that I can groove up in my way that I live now. Exactly. And this was the best that my mom she said to do, and my father, and and I don't say this was wrong, I say this was the right way for this moment. Exactly. But then I feel like it's not me, but it helps me to have this what I have today. Absolutely. So it's really the best way that I have, and I say to all people do something that you have that you can groove up.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:10

Exactly. This is this is what I'm feeling like. You walk differently into these rooms and sit on the table differently because you ladies seem to have a very good background and education, it's not new. And I also believe your success here today is also due to that foundation and overcoming these obstacles and challenges.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:33

And and I think um, again, uh a Pinterest uh quote from me everything happens for a reason, but that's truly the way it is. And so we should always be able to take the maximum out of our current situation, whether it's good or bad, or whether it be education or a certain profession or a certain job, it will always serve us something. It was meant to put like it was put in our world or on our journey for a reason, and it's your job to then um make use of it wherever it might be.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:04

I'd like to add on that to say before you start to figure out what it is you want to do, there is that period where things just feel difficult and hard, and when does it end? When do I start surviving? And every single life experience, I think when you can look back, when you've overcome something that could have wrecked you, there is always a lesson in there. To be firm in yourself, and and even at the beginning, when I say I'm more confident in my decision making, is because I was listening to so many people. You should go this way or follow this uh producer or do things like this. And it it was only when I started to exercise the will and power to say no to things that didn't align with me, or I felt even more confident moving forward. And of course, the journey itself is already part of who you are, and that's why the destination kind of okay, you hit a milestone, what is next? When you get to the top of a mountain, right? The only way is back down, and then there's another mountain to climb. And I think that's kind of just been my mindset now, and not necessarily feeling like I have to get to the top of this. Because, and you hear it in a lot of podcasts, and success, and what success looks like, you have to define that for you from the very beginning. I can confidently say I feel successful because I'm doing the thing that I said I wanted to do. Now, whatever that looks like for the rest of my life, I feel it's going to change. And so, even being a graphic designer, I know visually how I want my things to look. No one can bamboozle me, especially when I hire someone to do something for me. I'm like, what font are you using? Is that sans serif? Oh no, you're not sans serifing me, you know, or doing my visual mood boards because I didn't have the financial backing, I was able to create those things and present myself well enough to get my foot in the door, just to have someone be like, Hold on, what is this? You know, so yes, a journey will begin, and then you're gonna get to a cross crossway and take another journey. But you have to take um sorry, the experiences to shape and sharpen you. Because the next version or the next level of you is gonna require a very different mindset or muscle or something. You know, I don't think my 21-year-old self, 22-year-old self would handle motherhood like I am right now. And I'm only saying that to say, because I've gone through certain life experiences, I'm able to even meet my son with calm. Whereas it's very easy to get frazzled, okay. I'm speaking now as a mother, very easy to feel like, oh, this day is, but I can be like, ah no, it's fine. I can I can handle this, you know. So yeah, the the experiences of life have sharpened and shaped how I'm able to kind of get through even career, career-related things without feeling so overwhelmed by by the decisions, you know.

SPEAKER_06 1:04:09

Do you know how I said in the beginning about like identity being something that we don't just like receive, learn once or grow into once that it keeps on adapting and shape shifting and stuff like that? Is there anything, um, Javi, maybe also you had to like unlearn in order to grow into the version of yourself you are now?

SPEAKER_03 1:04:34

Unlearn, maybe in some sort of sense, uh I had to unlearn that feeling of always having to please others. But in my case, it would be my parents because I was always been measured by notes and how many books I read or how many pages I do. So, this um pressure of proving to someone that I'm enough, that I'm worthy, or that I perform um in a certain way. This is something that I just kind of I just blended it out. And my motto is not how much I do or how well I do it, it's just that I do it and that I start and that I do my best. And that for me is the best great you can do. And um this is this applies to every generation and everywhere in life, whether it's uh career or friendships, relationships, motherhood, or whatsoever. You just try and do your best, and that's it that's enough. And it shouldn't be enough for a person A, B, C, D, or EFG. It should be enough for you. Yeah.

unknown 1:05:43

Please we have a question here.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:45

That's actually perfect that you just said that, because that's actually the direction that I wanted to go. Because I have found it so touching and also like a beautiful human experience to see that throughout all these different Generations, but we all have that internal need to please our parents. And I think what you just said is exactly the door that I wanted to break open where it's like you can for your entire childhood strive to please this person that has put you onto this earth, who has showed you certain possibilities. But I think there comes a time where we are allowed to be proud of ourselves. And I think that is so hard to get to, but it's so beautiful when we start reaching that. And it's almost like you're this adult that gets to look at your inner child and you know what? You don't have to ask. Yeah, you don't have to ask them anymore. You know what? I got you, and I understand what you're doing. And there's so many other people that will understand. That doesn't mean that your parents will, but you might not even need that at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:53

Yeah. That was beautiful the way you just put it. A question back to you are you becoming this person?

SPEAKER_06 1:07:02

Do we feel a vibe there, my love? Very good. Well, that makes me very happy. I'm just gonna quickly, because I've got some, I know you all or some of you answered some questions when you came in, but before we get to it, I'm just gonna, as we do these days, we've got everything on uh our phones. Thank you, Alesia, for passing them on to me before I go to your answers or your questions that you sent me. I would just also like to know is there something that you admire from each other's generation, um younger or older generation? Um, Grazia, what do you admire from the generation, maybe even also before you, the younger generation? Tell me, is there anything or are you like, no, I'm grand, I'm good.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:56

It's good. Um I don't look so much generation.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:02

You said yeah, people.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:05

For me, are like I I work so much with young people, and then I feel young. Then I go home and I cook, and then I feel older. It's like that, and then I clean the house, and then I but for me it's not. I think we learn each together, young, older, fresher, not fresher. It's a learning in your life, and I learn a lot also for young people. And I'm like, I mean, my twins are 25 years old. And he speaks sometimes with me, with words that I say, what do you mean? What is this for a word that you tell me now? And it's like for me, wow! And then I have friends in your own. For me, it's like for me, it's like I love family feeling, I love uh friends feeling, I love to give them something, I love to give uh the models, the the dancer. I it's like me. I'm like that. But when you I wake up in the morning, I look very old sometimes. But I think I work like then I stand up in the morning and say, oh my god, then I start to do like oh yes, I must do this, and then I go down and I stretch and I mean she's still flexible up here, bending over. That's what I mean.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:26

But I also feel like that's a that's um an energy thing as well. Like, do you do you know what I mean? It's kind of like if you it's it's it's it's accepting to live in your energy. Yes, yeah, that's something like somebody once also told me we need to allow ourselves, especially because we're here, women on a mission. It's kind of like we need we I was taught like sometimes to suck up different energy for different positions and stuff like that. It's like, no, we need to remember and be okay with living in our feminine as energy, whichever that is, however that looks like. You're smiling at me, hobby. You agree.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:09

No, um, I I I just wanted to add, like, as you said, and I completely agree with you, there is something beautiful in every generation and in every person. It's all really about the people and the energy that you feel around, whether it's older, younger, mid, um, you name it. Um, but what you said about energy is what I appreciate, like I can only talk from my generation because I am in it, right? So um I have the most experience with Gen Z, obviously. It's I really appreciate the fact that we set boundaries. Um whether it be in friendships or in relationships, I feel like we are more in tune with, hey, actually, this is negative energy. I don't want to be here, and I'm happy to leave the room, or I'm happy to leave the relationship, or I'm happy to say no to this day wrave. This is also what I do. I really just am in tune with myself and say, Does this serve me something? We are less people pleasing. We are more, okay, I'm gonna please myself. Does this feel good? Does this feel bad? And I'm very proud of my gener generation to do that. We also hear a lot uh of these stories uh at workplaces or in Switzerland, the apprenticeships where the youngsters really put um their boundaries and of course everything in moderation, but I'm glad that they do that. I'm glad that they do that. I've also had experiences where, you know, um some of my work colleagues back when I worked in an agency where they said, actually, I'm not okay with doing your coffee. This is not my job, do it yourself, stuff like that, the small things. It starts with the small things, and I just love that we just set boundaries.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:57

Yeah, but this is not just in your it's also in my place. I'm older, and when I do TVs, stuff like that, it's always come. Can the dancer bring the flowers? And I know. You are artist. I mean, you can ask a singer, you can ask somebody, stage hands. Always, always this feeling to then I'm I start to be negative, then I start to be no, hey, respect these people.

SPEAKER_06 1:12:33

No, not negative, but protective of your people.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:36

Yes, but to when I say some that and and then I say okay, say you you won't do this, you you tell me yes or no, but I don't go to say yes, you you must do. Never. And this is uh this is my way that I you break the cycles, right? Yes, I break, and and sometimes she say, Okay, grazia, we do for you, but I give them them something for thank you, and he do for me and not for them. And so it's sometimes it's the same older, and I'd be there and say no, protective, exactly.

SPEAKER_06 1:13:13

Protective, yeah, that's yeah, very good protective, positive energy I need to put out there, and I mean it takes also courage to break circum circle certain cycles. Gina, do you have anything where you're like, well, wouldn't mind having a sparkle in a sprinkle of that time into this time and then just like swirl it around? Or are you like, yeah, no, actually, because I'm I find what Javi said about setting the boundaries. I mean, you and I, we've got a couple like our babies are a couple of months old, and an eight-year-old that has been walking in and out as she pleases, you know, like no, honestly, which is fantastic. Yeah, do your thing, she's not interrupting anyone. She needs to go out, she wants to come back in. My 10-month-old baby, I want to give her a kiss, and she's just like setting boundaries, girl. Setting boundaries with 10 month old. No, but like, you know, and that's for me as parents, we want to go and cuddle them, but I also want to let her know that yeah, that's fine. I think that's installed in you very early on. What do you think, Gina?

SPEAKER_08 1:14:22

I think it's it's really important to go through the history of life and and like you said, take things that you know maybe align with your values. For example, and and I say this with all respect, with the older generation, they had less to work with to make things happen. Like, um okay, I'm bringing up Michael Jackson, for example. You know, his career wasn't based on like how we are now, digital streaming. That is pure record sales just because people want to see you, you know, and they didn't have the reach that we have now on social media where you can just post and go viral. The next moment you wake up in the moment, my god, I got a thousand hundred thousand likes, you're trying to respond to everyone. It wasn't like that. You were isolated, you did your thing, you put it out. The art was interacted with so beautifully and so purely for me personally, and and finding that and taking that into this time where I'm at now, the pressure between releasing something for the masses and putting out something that I actually want. You know, we really have to see how we I mean go back in the history and learn from from these people as well. And then on the on the other side, setting boundaries. I can confidently say I wish I had started sending setting boundaries earlier on in my life. I would have maybe saved some time of you know, all these things, but okay, we are here now, it's okay. I know better now. And so I think we can borrow life lessons through all walks of life. One thing that I love of my late grandmother, she used to just sit and observe the seasons in the village because the seasons would tell you exactly how people were moving, how the animals were moving, how you know, and understanding the moon. That's something I take with me now, just being able to observe nature and be, I guess, in tune with a side of me that doesn't need external validation or input or anything like that. So I think there's so many things we can learn from each other as we go, and it's not necessarily about young and old, but more what are the things that make you move and groove the way you do, you know. So I hope, well, I say you know, but I hope you know and figure it out for yourself. But ultimately, it is really finding what really makes you you. And you do that really by observing and and taking stories from other people.

SPEAKER_06 1:17:03

I love that because I'm a big sorry gratitude. I just quickly need to borrow your um your your microphone. Mine ran out of battery. Um, observing. I love to sit and observe. Sometimes it's strange, but I just could sit there in a cafe and watch you all with matcha. When I'm with you, Javi, it's matcha, definitely. Now, thank you so much. I've got some answers to two questions that I had placed outside in the bar area, and I've got some answers here to the question that from you all uh question what version of yourself are you still becoming? Um, somebody here very honestly was like, this is too hard to answer, probably a more courageous one, being more myself. I think I can definitely relate to that. Thank you very much. By the way, if I'm reading your answer and you would like to give us more like details around it, feel free to let me know. But I did want to give everybody a chance to share without maybe oversharing for their like liking. So thank you very much. Then somebody said, believing I belong at the table. Don't know why, it nearly makes me a bit emotional. Then on my uh on my sport life, on my sport lifestyle, on my sport lifestyle. What version of yourself are you still becoming? Uh sport lifestyle, then not sure, but I am transitioning. Very honest. The version who is learning to love myself. Very, very glad that you are on that journey. Then the art business woman version, lol. That's what's here. Then another answer is a mindful entrepreneur and mother, an idol for women who want more, just the more than just the 085 life. What's that in English? Is there an 0815 version of life? That sounds just straight. Nah, right? Malin's 085 version. And then I have another, thank you very much. And then the uh the answers to the question, what would you say to a woman in this room who is still becoming herself? So now this is I find beautiful because we are sharing our advice with each other, and I think us women we should share more, be louder, share more, because that that's automatically supporting each other. Somebody says, wonderful, keep going. Very easy and simple, just keep going. Somebody says, own your power and never give up. Ride on. Then the seal. Yeah, the journey is the go. You never have to reach the end. Love that. I mean, come on, in movies, alternative endings always are like keep you going, keep you wanting more. And I think that's fantastic to transform or like take over into our own life. Like alternative endings, just keep on going. I tend to identity never reached, I keep on evolving. Then just be patient, curious, and brave. Curious, be kind to yourself. Oh, big, big, big. Should tattoo that on my forehead. Maybe some of you as well. Be kind to yourself, always my biggest critic. And then growth is painful, but it's worth it. Oh, ladies, we're a bundle of wisdom in here. I mean, honestly, this is all you. This is everything all of you had to share. I know sometimes it's easier said than done, you know, like practice what you preach is easier said than done. But like, don't forget, these are all answers coming from all of us in here. Like, that's I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:21

But I have a question for you.

SPEAKER_06 1:21:22

Oh no, I'm on the other side.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:25

Okay, you're a woman on a mission. I am indeed. What is the end of your mission?

SPEAKER_06 1:21:32

What is the goal? Oh, the goal, like part of my goal is here. This, I think my mission is like so many of you shared here as well, to continue and to go. I mean, I am so proud of myself and proud of you ladies. Thank you so much for being here tonight. Like a mission of mine is to share. There's no over-sharing. You share whatever you want to share. I was told early on from my parents and my environment that we uh work to live and don't live to work. That's very important. And my mission is my mission.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:13

And that's exactly what I wanted to get from you. Because I really, if there's something that we could all take away, like I mean, everything that was exchanged, not with not here on stage, but like in general, um, it's really about not fixating on that one certain goal. There is no goal. Like the most important thing is this journey. We live the whole life, it is a journey, and we just should enjoy it as much as possible. And there is no fixation point. Like you said, also the mountains, you come on top, there's the next mountain, there's the next hill, there's there's always a next thing. So you might as well just enjoy the whole ride. And trust me, you will have so much less pressure and find so much more enjoyable things in your daily life, whether it's small or big, whether it's important or not, shape you the journey the way you want. And you have your whole life to do that. You have so much time to do that, and that's just so beautiful and so much fun. So that's just what I wanted to say.

SPEAKER_06 1:23:21

Wait, wait, Anne, hold on. I need to have you on record here. Hold on, coming through, coming through, coming through, coming through, coming through. That's why I took off my heels, mommy. Sorry. Anne, please.

SPEAKER_04 1:23:35

Don't take yourselves too seriously. Yes. And take others less serious. Yes. Because if you do, you'll be spending too much time worrying about what the other person thinks. Exactly. And me time, me time, me time is most important. Me time.

SPEAKER_06 1:24:11

Thank you very much, and oh ladies, I I mean, I keep on glancing over to Fortec and Alessia over there, just like time-wise. I mean, we could do a continue and go on and go on. Um, oh, there's so much more. I don't like seriously. I've told you ladies, plan B never works out. I want to talk about so much more, but do you know what is more? All and everything that was happening in here, all the spontaneity, us sharing, chatting, and I think I know I want I took your microphone, I'm coming back. I want to give the last words before I thank everyone, especially Hats Quater and Alesian Bortek. Oh my gosh, I mean, the last one day since yesterday, Bartek and me have been on the phone and like just coming up because I come up, I work well under pressure, so I come up with last-minute ideas, last second ideas, but Bartek made it all happen. Anything, any last advice, wisdom from your anything you want to pass on? I mean, this is all recorded, and after it's gonna be out there in the universe for everyone to listen. Anything, anything you want to say, no pressure there.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:32

No pressure. Oh my god. Ah, no, no, no, never in English? Okay. I try, I try. What I want to give you is first of all, thank you that you all here and listen to us. Then I won't say the life, it's nice to be here in the life, to have this possibility to live in a wonderful area than we have, to respect you, all of them. And I won't give you once the heart. It's always and uh soul. It's always your best friend to hear them, but you won't say this. I won't give you.

SPEAKER_08 1:26:39

It starts with you. The respect you give yourself, the grace you give yourself, it starts with you. It is never external. And I hope that when I say it starts with you and I hope it sits with you, it doesn't have to be changed my life overnight right now. It's the little things it's making your bed for the day. If it's been difficult to do that for the week, it's taking or going on that trip that you've been wanting to, it really starts with you, and that's that's all I have to say, really. Thank you.

SPEAKER_06 1:27:22

Thank you so much, Gina. Javi.

unknown 1:27:25

That's difficult.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:27

The pressure. Um, love yourself, you're doing enough, you are enough. You you are the writer of your own story, you're the writer of your own journey, you have your free will, let's put it that way. And you can take your life into your own hands, you're solely responsible for your life. So shape it the way you want it.

unknown 1:27:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:27:58

Oh my god. Insane. I don't need to say I mean surround yourself with like-minded people. That's all I can drop in there. Because I mean this and this. I mean, thank you so, so much. Thank you. Mom, don't cry. Oh my god. No, thank you very much for being here. Thank you, mommy, for everything you said. It is living proof here for my mother. Let me do. I didn't say too much whenever she had to. It was loud and clear. Trust me. But when but she she she was just always there, had my back wherever I went. So look for somebody that has your back wherever you go. Maybe be that person for somebody else. And thank you very much for being here. No, I'm gonna be emotional. Headsquarter, Tankin Mal, those it does smoke. Thank you so much. A big applause to you, Alex. Thank you. Big applause to you. That's you.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:04

Thank you to my guest. Take care.

unknown 1:29:11

Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:12

Thank you, Dachi. Thank you, everyone.

SPEAKER_06 1:29:17

Thank you, ladies. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you very much. The support. Don't feel more. I need a drink.

SPEAKER_05 1:29:24

I need a drink. Bye bye. Thank you so much. Thank you.