On Becoming

In this special solo episode of On Becoming, I dive into a topic that’s been on my mind lately: the environments we choose to live, work, and grow in. Are they nurturing us, helping us thrive and evolve? Or are they neglecting our growth, keeping us stuck in places we’ve outgrown?After a transformative retreat in the South of France, I began reflecting on how the spaces we surround ourselves with—from our homes to our workplaces to our broader communities—play a crucial role in shaping our development. I share stories from my own journey, from Vassar College in upstate New York to my life in Paris, and how each environment either nurtured my voice or constrained it.In this episode, I explore:• How the environments you choose impact your personal and professional growth• The difference between nurturing and neglecting spaces• How to identify when your space no longer supports your evolution• Practical tips to start shifting your environment, one small step at a timeWhy listen:• If you feel like your environment no longer supports your growth• If you want to learn how small shifts in your space can lead to big changes in your life• If you’re curious about how environments impact leadership, creativity, and personal evolution• If you want to hear personal stories of transformation with actionable insights to create changeListen now and explore how the spaces you choose can unlock your potential.Links and mentions:Madame de la Maison's The Good Life RetreatVassar CollegeEpisode #15 with Rha GoddessMy Vision Board WorkshopsConnect with me:Book a discovery callSubscribe to my substackLeave a message: speakpipe.com/onbecomingFollow me on InstagramCredits: Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner; Editing Matthew Jordan; Music © Fabrice Fortin; Photo: Virginie FaucherPS: Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode far and wide!

What does it take to finally start listening to yourself? For some of my clients, their wake-up calls have come via the creeping signs of burnout, increasingly frequent panic attacks on their daily commutes to the office, or even and cracked rib from a slip down the stairwell during a rare vacation break! But for my next guest on On Becoming, it took something far more sudden and terrifying: a near-death experience that erased any room for doubt. In this episode, Rha Goddess opens up about what that terrifying moment taught her about trusting her inner voice, leaning into joy as power, and embracing women’s hidden strengths.About Rha Goddess:Rha Goddess is a soul coach, speaker, author, and CEO/Founder of Move The Crowd, a leadership collective that guides entrepreneurs, cultural creatives, and change-makers to find their purpose, make money, and do good. She’s coached some of today’s most influential figures—Gabby Bernstein, Reshma Saujani, and even Halla Tómasdóttir, the new President of Iceland. She’s the author of the bestselling book The Calling: 3 Fundamental Shifts to Stay True, Get Paid, and Do Good and has delivered a TED Talk titled “4 Ways to Redefine Power at Work to Include Women of Color." She’s currently working on her next book, The Great Renegotiation, which explores how we’re all redefining our relationship with work in a post-pandemic world.In this episode, we’ll explore:Rha’s near-death experience: How it completely transformed her ability to trust herself and the universe.Women’s hidden strengths: Rha reveals why compassion, intuition, and community—traits often labeled “soft”—are the very skills the world needs right now.Joy as a source of power: Rha explains how choosing joy can revolutionize the way we lead and live.Move The Crowd: Learn how her community helps individuals align their work with their purpose to create real impact.Vassar days: We take a nostalgic trip back to our shared time at Vassar College, reflecting on how it shaped our journeys of self-discovery.This episode is about listening, trusting, and leaning into the joy that makes us whole and ties beautifully into this season's theme of peering into the blueprints of successful women leaders to understand how they do power differently.Links: Rha’s Instagram Rha’s Book, The CallingConnect with me:Book a discovery callSubscribe to my substackLeave a message: speakpipe.com/onbecomingFollow me on InstagramPS: Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode far and wide!

Ever wonder what it looks like to lead with intuition and softness while revolutionizing an entire industry—all by age 36?In this episode, I chat with the remarkable Anna Polonsky, the French founder of the NYC-based branding and design agency, Polonsky & Friends. Anna and I first met in Paris in 2010, when I tried to recruit her to build Yelp’s Paris community. She politely declined, as she was about to embark on her next big adventure: launching Le Fooding in the USA. This project would go on to redefine how we experience food, blending it with art, culture, and community in ways that had never been done before.Since then, Anna’s career has skyrocketed. She co-founded MP Shift, where she pioneered the concept of 360-degree hospitality branding, helping to create some of the most iconic restaurant brands. Her work earned her a coveted James Beard Award for restaurant design and a spot on Forbes’ prestigious 30 Under 30 list. Now, with her latest venture Polonsky & Friends, Anna and her growing team focus on mission-driven projects, collaborating with some of the world’s most innovative chefs and food brands.In this episode, Anna opens up about breaking away from conventional paths, her gift for turning restaurants into brands, and how she leads with intuition and softness. It’s a masterclass in trusting your gut, knowing when to pivot, and leading with heart.In this episode, we’ll explore:Why Anna followed her heart to New York instead of the traditional post-grandes écoles path.How living abroad turbocharged her entrepreneurial ambitions.The cultural differences of doing business in America vs. France.The rise of restaurant branding and how Anna pioneered this trend.Her journey from MP Shift to Polonsky & Friends, and why she felt the need to pivot.How intuition, relationships, and collaboration are at the core of her leadership style.Why softness and creativity have been key to her success in transforming the industry.This conversation ties beautifully into our show’s theme of peering into the blueprints of successful women leaders to understand how they do power differently—how they lead with softness, intuition, curiosity, and a focus on collective success.Links and mentions:• Polonsky & Friends• Le Fooding• Deligram NewsletterCredits: Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner; Editing Matthew Jordan; Music © Fabrice FortinWant to get in touch? Book a free discovery call or leave me a message speak pipe.com/onbecoming.You can also sign-up to my Substack and follow me on Instagram @zevabellelDon’t forget to subscribe and share the podcast, and leave a 5-star review.

Every day I hear from women who feel stuck. As a coach, my job is to help them release what’s holding them back, and get them moving forward. This conversation altered my perspective on "stuck." A word that our culture patholgizes. “Quick, let’s fix the problem!" This conversation reframes growth, suggesting there’s a lot to celebrate in the fallow, neutral space of a woman’s life, when a metamorphosis is happening out of view. And yet this liminal, in-between phase can be terrifying, especially if we’re prone to overachieving the heck out of life, tackling one ambitious goal after another, like the guest of my program did for most of her 56-years.About Melissa Unger:Melissa Unger is a Brooklyn-based, Franco-American author, artist and creative director. In 2011, she founded Seymour Projects, a collaborative initiative devoted to nurturing human consciousness in a world increasingly dominated by technology. Over the course of her 30+ year career, she’s worked with many renowned organizations including Tribeca Productions, The Ad Council, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, artnet, and the Creative Growth Art Center. Early in her career she was also the personal assistant to Robert De Niro and Daniel Day Lewis! Melissa and her projects have been featured in The Huffington Post, Die Zeit, ELLE Magazine, Le Monde, El Pais, and New York Magazine. Her visual art has been exhibited in various art spaces, as well as featured on a variety of products. She’s a member of the Intentional Spaces/NeuroArts, Kinnernet and DLD communities and a participant in evolutionary behavioral scientist Tamás Dávid-Barrett’s discussion group Human Beast. Highlights of of conversation include:Why our society pathologizes inertiaWhy the in-bewteen feels so icky when you’re in itMoving from mind over to body driven intentions How capiltalism perpetuates the feeling of “not enough” Identity shifts after moving home after a decade in FranceWhy fallow is a fertile phase of invisible growthEmbracing all emotions, like a full color paletteHow art and creativity impact personal growthThe power of intentional spaces and neuroaestheticsThe importance of feeling heard and understood when you’re wired differently Links:Melissa's IGWebsiteGagCredits: Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner; Editing Matthew Jordan; Music © Fabrice FortinWant to get in touch with Zeva, the host of On Becoming? Book a free discovery call or leave me a message speak pipe.com/onbecoming.

Today's guest is Lili Barbery-Coulon, one of the most influential and prolific voices in wellbeing and personal development in France today. She's a published author, yoga & meditation teacher, podcaster, blogger and soon-to-be novelist. She's kind of the Oprah of France (but don't tell her I said so).Lili and I met back in the early 2000s when she was a PR at the Paris concept store, Colette, and I was a beauty journalist. Our friendship was born over beauty samples and press releases, but has matured into a collaborative camaraderie and mutual cheerleading squad. Beyond our friendship, I know her through my coaching clients who admire her voice and talent, but who have a glorified vision of her journey. The price? Their comparison syndrome limits their own ambitions. My aim here is to complete Lili's portrait—not just showcasing the inspiring and luminous aspects, but the challenging and uncomfortable facets that she rarely explores publicly. About Lili:Lili began her career in PR before becoming a journalist for Vogue France and later M magazine at Le Monde. In 2010, she launched, Ma Récréation (which later became Lilibarbery.com), where she writes delicious essays to an audience of tens of thousands. In 2018, she published, Pimp My Breakfast; in 2019, La Réconciliation; and in 2021, she collaborated with her artist husband, Bastien Coulon, on "L’Oracle des Mantras," published in French and English. During the COVID quarantine, she gave live meditations on Instagram and her popularity shot through the roof, leading to her own yoga and meditation channel, Lilibarbery.TV and the Lili Barbery podcast. Tune in to to hear about:Lili's early years as an avid writer and "blogger" before her time.The self-doubt she faced when launching her blog in 2010.How she handles criticism and the fear of being judged.How she deals with persistent "Am I good enough?" insecurities as a yoga teacher.Identifying when she's creating from a fear of lack, rather than joy.Finding balance between vulnerability and self-protection on social media.The impact of intergenerational trauma.Learning to accept, rather than trying to fix, old wounds.Credits: Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner; Editing Matthew Jordan; Music © Fabrice FortinWant to get in touch with Zeva, the host of On Becoming? Book a free discovery call or leave me a message speak pipe.com/onbecoming.

My guest today is someone who's weathered the storm of change right alongside me. Back in 2016, Cyrielle Thomas and I got laid off (with 200 other colleagues) from our beloved jobs at Yelp. As her hiring manager, I was honestly concerned for her future. I knew she'd get snatched up in a second (which she did, by UberEats and later Airbnb), but I feared she'd never find a position that lit her up as much, as her community manager role did with Yelp.Well, boy was I wrong! Not only did she find her footing, she used all of her local-loving, community-building, connection-making wisdom to brew up a whole new tourism genre, one that, quite literally, fits her to a "T." (sorry for the puns, I can't help myself)About Cyrielle Thomas:Born in France and raised in Africa, Cyrielle Thomas moved back to France at 18 but felt like a stranger in her home country. After experimenting briefly with medical studies she moved to Bordeaux to get her marketing masters at INSEEC. In 2013, she joined Yelp to oversee all local community and marketing efforts in Bordeaux. After Yelp closed its international marketing division, she launched UberEats, and then Airbnb "Experiences" in Bordeaux. In 2017, she discovered the world of Japanese tea but was frustrated by how difficult it was to find and connect with the best tea and producers and businesses. Inspired by wine tourism in France, she came up with the idea for Dokocha, the first tea tourism platform in Japan, making her the first female foreign entrepreneur in the tea tourism industry in Japan. In 2020 she moved to Fukuoka, Japan (Bordeaux's twin city), where she oversees a team of ten to grow Dokocha and its sister company, Digitomenu.In our delicious conversation we cover:Cyrielle's upbringing in Cameroon and how that shaped her outlook.Why coming back to France was a shock to her system.How she manifested landing her dream job at Yelp.What was holding her back from succeeding at Yelp.How our "special 1:1 time" together freed her to embrace risk.What her experiences at Yelp, Airbnb and Uber taught her about entrepreneurialism.How she fell in love with Japanese tea.How she came up with the idea for her tea tourism company.What she did after every single French bank rejected her.Why she decided to relocate to Japan to build her business.Facing gender bias and overcoming stereotypes as a female founder.Links and mentions:https://www.dokocha.com/https://digitomenu.com/en/Bossypants (the book I gave her that she keeps on her desk)To leave Zeva a voice message with feedback/questions:Speak PipeCredits:Artwork Jessie Kanelos WeinerEditing Matthew JordanMusic © Fabrice FortinInterested in career coaching with Zeva, the host of On Becoming? Book a free discovery call here.

The illusion of permanence can be blinding as we shift and grow. In our search for long-lasting security, we overlook our very human need to evolve, experiment and explore the unknown. What I've discovered is that fostering inner security—the sense of an "inner home"—is the key to navigating life's unpredictable twists with resilience, curiosity and grace. `To navigate the tension between stability and adventure, control and exploration, I invited globetrotting wellness pioneer, Caroline Wachsmuth, to share how she broke free from the claustrophobic conformity of her Swiss upbringing to create a multi-passionate, multi-cultural, multi-continental life. Her journey explores the fundamental truth that "home" is less a geographic place, but a feeling cultivated deep within oneself.About Caroline:Born and raised in Switzerland, Caroline's fascination with botanicals and aromatherapy started at an early age. After beginning her career as a journalist, she studied beauty design at the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis before launching Doux Me, the very first certified-organic skincare line in France, in 2002. Despite Doux Me's success, in 2012 she sold her brand. Today, Caroline has carved a niche for herself as a multifaceted entrepreneur – a personal trainer, yoga instructor, reiki practitioner, advisor to beauty brands, and author. A holistic beauty expert with thousands of self-tested recipes, she just launched the third edition of her book, "Seasons," a captivating blend of art and DIY recipes. Next year, her first memoire will hit the bookshelves. Having lived and worked on three continents and in fifteen cities, Caroline currently lives in San Francisco, California, but she's always keeping her heart open for new destinations to lay her yoga mat, and strengthen her practice.Mentions:https://www.caroline-w.com/SeasonsDoux MeTo leave Zeva a voice message with feedback/questions:Speak PipeCredits:Artwork Jessie Kanelos WeinerEditing Matthew JordanMusic © Fabrice FortinInterested in career coaching with Zeva, the host of On Becoming? Book a free discovery call here.

Are we wired for the paths we choose? Or does each micro decision we make inform our future experiences?These questions drive every episode in this podcast. And this unexpected solo show is no exception!With her mic set up. The house empty and quiet. On Becoming host, Zeva Bellel, found herself guest-less after a last minute cancellation.Instead of packing up her equipment and calling it a day. She look a deep breath, and decided to share her personal becoming story, starting with her early life in Brooklyn, her exposure to French language and culture, her first visits to Paris, and her subsequent decision to move and live there indefinitely.From New York to France, she explores the essence of destiny and autonomy that shapes our experiences, including:• How music plays a role in language affinity• The dilemma of choosing the right path when you don't want to hurt the ones you love• The familiar tug-and-pull between fate and free-will• How venturing into unfamiliar territories, be it places or experiences, can make you feel more yourselfThe overall episode digs into the themes of intuition, longing, loss, and the daunting feeling of limitless freedom.Links:wwww.zevabellel.comhttps://www.learner.org/series/french-in-action/https://www.schools.nyc.gov/schools/K239To leave Zeva a voice message with feedback/questions:Speak PipeCredits:Artwork Jessie Kanelos WeinerEditing Matthew JordanMusic © Fabrice FortinInterested in career coaching with Zeva, the host of On Becoming? Book a free discovery call here.