#impact Podcast: Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Careers for Social Good

In this episode, you get to follow #impact host Regina to Café François in Vienna, where she met up with some of her favorite podcasters and storytellers in town to celebrate 9 years of #impact. What better way to celebrate than by asking the oracle a few important questions about the future of this podcast? The answers were surprising, funny, encouraging and at times downright outrageous. Stay until the very end to hear Regina's reflections on what the last nine years have meant, where the journey is heading next, and how you can become part of it too. Featured guests A special shout-out to the brilliant humans who shared their voices in this episode. Go follow their work: Anna Mahlodji https://www.annamahlodji.com/ Jake Moss https://the-wurst-guide-to-living-in-austria.simplecast.com/episodes Nicole Zametter https://www.edandmary.com/ Valentin Farkasch https://www.orbitforcreators.com/ Connect with the #impact team Mail: hello@hashtagimpact.com #impact Newsletter: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ Share your voice: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Sandra Ulrich and Sabrina Kusternik are two of the wonderful people behind Creative Mornings Vienna, a community that has become a creative home for so many. We talk about how it all started, what keeps it alive, and why showing up month after month actually matters more than doing things perfectly. Creative Mornings began in New York in 2008 and has since grown into a global movement across more than 240 cities. But what really makes it special isn't the scale, it's the simplicity. Free monthly gatherings. One talk. Morning Coffee. And a room full of people who want to connect, learn, and feel a little less alone in their work. Sandra and Sabrina share what it takes to hold space like this: working with volunteers, staying consistent on social media, making decisions guided by values, and keeping authenticity at the centre, even when it's hard. We also talk about personal growth, stepping into visibility, public speaking, and what happens when you create platforms that aren't about you, but about others. This conversation is a love letter to community. To kindness. To creativity that's rooted in care. Whether you've been going to Creative Mornings for years or are just curious what it's all about, there's so much here about building something meaningful, and letting it grow, intentionally, together. Connect with our guests: LinkedIn LinkedInInstagramWebsite Instagram Mentioned in this episode: WebsiteInstagramInstagram Connect with the #impact team: LinkedInWebsite: hashtagimpact.com Instagram: @hashtagimpact Subscribe to #impact on your favorite Podcast Player HERE. https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/Find free resources here

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴? All the unspoken courage.The boundaries you drew.The softness you protected.The stories you carried without applause. What we'll do together: We start with a grounding pauseI'll share a short teachingYou'll have time to reflect + journal If you want quiet over hustle, depth over doing, and a moment to hear your own voice again, this space is yours. Come as you are. Just bring curiosity, a pen, a notebook. Press play to begin. Connect with me: ⁠https://reginalarko.com/start/⁠ ⁠regina@hashtagimpact.com ⁠

Many years ago, we sat down in Hong Kong to talk about purpose, education, and creating change. Today, we're reuniting in Vienna, a full-circle moment, to look back on how far Own Academy has come and where it's heading next. Meet Natalie Chan In this conversation we talk about the lessons learned from a decade of building an impact-driven movement. We talk about the realization that the references we grow up with shape how far we believe we can go and how that insight became the foundation for everything that followed. You'll hear about the post-COVID pivot back to real-world, offline experiences and why working hands-on with students, parents, and communities has reignited the spirit of Own Academy's early days. We also dive into the challenges of working within traditional school systems, and the bold decision to return to what felt most aligned: creating intimate, purpose-filled learning spaces. As Own Academy approaches its 10-year milestone, the focus isn't on scaling bigger, but on going deeper. This is not just a catch up, it's a reflection on healing, clarity, and how this decade-long journey has not only shaped an organization, but also the woman behind it. Connect with our guest: LinkedInWebsite Reimaging education. Listen here. SHARE YOUR VOICE! We want to hear from you. Send uns your voice message and get featured on our podcast. Start recording here, Want to start your own Podcast? Find free & support resources here: www.reginalarko.com

What if the greatest impact you'll ever make isn't measured in headlines or global reach but in the way you show up for the people right around you? In this episode, Jimmy Westerheim, founder and CEO of The Human Aspect, returns to the podcast for a conversation that will shift how you think about leadership, impact, and community. Jimmy is someone who has seen the world up close, from growing up in a small Norwegian village to spending years in conflict zones like Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, and yet, what stands out most to him isn't the "big" stories. It's the small, deeply human ones. We talk about why local heroes often go unseen, how solidarity is built in unexpected ways, and why the tiniest gestures can sometimes be the ones that echo the loudest. Jimmy reminds us that change doesn't always look like movements or revolutions, it often begins with everyday people, choosing to care and choosing to act. This conversation will leave you thinking about your own community differently and hopefully inspired to notice the power you already hold to create ripples of change, right where you are. So grab your headphones, settle in, and let Jimmy's reflections guide you back to the heart of what really matters. Connect with our guest: Jimmy Westerheim: LinkedIn | Instagram The Human Aspect: Website (The Life Experience Library) | Instagram Mentioned in this episode: Jimmy also features in this episode: Human Connections Beyond Labels. Listen here. Special Thanks: Special Thanks to Marie Ringler & her team at Ashoka / Austria for connecting Regina with Jimmy.

Every year on October 10, people around the world pause to shine a light on mental health: its struggles, its strengths, and its urgent importance. That’s World Mental Health Day, created in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health to raise awareness and reduce stigma. But it’s not just one day. For us at #impact, this topic has been part of our heartbeat from the very beginning, because stories of mental health aren’t a niche. They're human. They mirror our ups and downs, our communities, our work, our families. Mentioned in this episode: Mental Health Atlas 2024. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Access it here. Questions & Reflection Prompts that might offer a moment of pause, right here and now: ❤️When was the last time you checked in, truly checked in, on how you are doing? ❤️What conversations around mental health are missing in your community or workplace? ❤️Where can you use your voice (on your podcast, at work, at home) to make it easier for others to speak up? ❤️What one small action can you take to make my circle of influence a little safer for honest conversations? Find all our episodes addressing Mental Health listed at: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-mental-health-matters/

Constant change, acceleration, ambitions and aspirations, so many of us are trying to balance the many layers of living in a complex world and creating our own meaning through impactful work. Mabel Sieh’s story is allowing us to take a big collective breath. Maybe even a sigh of relief. From her beginnings as a teacher and journalist to leading impactful initiatives in Hong Kong and most recently a transformative trip to Nepal, Mabel’s path is anything but linear, and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful. She speaks about letting go of the need to control every detail and instead staying open to life’s surprises. “The older I get, the more I feel, there’s just so much you can plan, but so much more you can’t,” she says. There’s a moment in the conversation where Mabel recalls being invited to a corporate event, seemingly insignificant, but that encounter eventually led her back to Nepal, where she felt all the pieces of her past start to click into place. “I have the privilege to experience a lot of things coming back to my life in a very good and positive way.” It’s this idea of serendipity that runs like a thread throughout the episode, not as something accidental, but as something that reveals itself when we slow down enough to notice. As you listen, you will not just walk away inspired by Mabel’s story, but invited to reflect on your own. Her advice? “Connect your own dots.” This is more than just a conversation, it’s a gentle, powerful reminder that our lives as well as our work don’t have to be perfectly planned to be deeply impactful. 🎧 Tune in to hear how Mabel Sieh lives a life shaped by curiosity, courage, and compassion and why that might be the most powerful blueprint of all. Connect with our guests: Mabel Sieh: LinkedIn Get in touch with #impact host Regina Larko at hello@hashtagimpact.com or connect on LinkedIn Want to share your voice on the podcast? You can: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/ Want to start your own Podcast or use your voice with more courage and confidence? Find free resources here.

My Podcasting for Beginners class is back at Johns Hopkins University / Odyssey! Sign up here: https://events.jhu.edu/form/PodcastingforBeginners-OdysseyFall25 Find all my offerings here: http://reginalarko.com/start/ Whether you're passionate about storytelling or looking to strengthen your personal brand, this class will equip you with the essential skills and knowledge to start your own podcast confidently. From finding your niche and planning content to recording, editing, and launching your show, each week covers crucial steps with hands-on assignments and practical resources. Replays will be available if you miss a class. Find all my offerings here: https://reginalarko.com/start Any questions? Contact me at hello@hashtagimpact.com

This season of #impact is all about community. How we build it, how we nurture it, and how we truly engage with it in a way that feels real and lasting. In today’s episode, I’m inviting you into a very personal story. It’s about coming home after almost 15 years abroad and not quite recognizing the place you’re supposed to belong to. It’s about what happens when your heart is still somewhere else… Until the right community finds you. You’ll meet a circle of women whose shared experiences of living between cultures and looking to make an impact creates meaningful bonds. Women who have helped me find belonging in a city that once felt unfamiliar — even though it was my hometown. We’ll talk about: Why belonging isn’t automatic The power of shared stories and rituals to build lasting community What happens when we take time to listen to voices we don’t hear every day You'll hear from several of the incredible women in this community, their proud moments, their stories, their voices. And I’ll invite you to reflect on your own moments of pride this past month. Even the quiet ones. This episode is more than a thank you, it’s a reminder: You matter. Your story matters. And your voice? It’s part of something bigger. 🎧 Tune in and let these voices remind you what connection really sounds like. Featured Voices (in chronological order): Connect with them. And maybe send a proud moment of your own. Regina Larko Ruth Gabler-Schachermayr Pari Namazie Marie Bugingo-Lutz Rashmi Zimburg Nadine Richani Tina Vukovich Katja Tschoepe Jennifer Davison Joy Morozov Want to share your voice on the podcast? Send in your voice message here. Want to start your own Podcast? Find resources and support here: https://reginalarko.com/start/ If you enjoyed this episode, we are pretty sure, you will love this episode too: “Arts,Voice, Health and Human Potential”

We’ve all been hearing about Artificial Intelligence, but what about Authentic Intelligence? We’re all doing our best to navigate this new reality—not just shaped by AI, but also by packed calendars, overflowing inboxes, and the mental load that never quits. As parents, as educators, as humans… how do we stay grounded in what really matters? In this episode of the #impact podcast, Angie Lau, founder of Life Beyond School, shares fresh and powerful perspectives on parenting, emotional intelligence, and what success can look like when we slow down and tune in. Whether you’re raising kids, mentoring young people, or just trying to show up more fully in your own life—this conversation is full of the kind of insight we don’t hear enough. Some of the questions we dig into: What actually leaves a lasting impact on our kids? How can we be present, even when we’re pulled in a million directions? Why are so-called “soft skills” actually the hardest (and most powerful)? And what is authentic intelligence and why does it matter now more than ever? This episode will stay with you long after the final minute. It’s grounding, eye-opening, and full of real talk for anyone navigating the mess and magic of modern life. 🎧 You won’t just leave with ideas. You’ll leave feeling seen, supported, and recharged. Connect with our guest: Angie Lau: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | X Life Beyond School: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Connect with Regina Larko & the #impact community Regina Larko: LinkedIn | Instagram We want to hear from you! Share your voice with us HERE. Want more #impact? Subscribe here. Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: www.ReginaLarko.com

Meet Jennifer Davison, opera singer, arts for health professional, social entrepreneur, teacher and mother. I sat across from her at a dinner in Vienna. And as you do, we started talking about passions, work, life. There I was, sharing my love for leveraging the power of voice to inspire positive change. And her eyes lit up. Not just with curiosity, but with that spark that told me: she gets it. What followed was a beautiful conversation about her passion for the arts and voice, how it all connects with health and how she and her co-founder Bea are building a startup rooted in the arts, voice and breath, as the foundation for a healthy body and soul. I knew right then and there that I’d invite her on the podcast. I didn’t say it out loud, but I think she felt it. What I didn’t know then was that a film team, currently working on a documentary about my journey as a podcaster, would soon ask me for footage of an actual Podcast interview in action. Time was very…tight. A public holiday was coming up. I thought, who would be spontaneous enough to jump into a recording with just a few hours’ notice? Plus, I usually take my time to prepare, to really get to know my guests before we hit record. I didn’t have to think long. I messaged Jennifer. Would she be up for recording, picking up the thread of that deep, soulful conversation we’d had just the day before? She said yes. And the rest… well, it’s too fresh to call it history. But in my soul, I know this episode will go down in #impact history. We recorded with a film crew around us, but the energy was anything but chaotic. It was focused. Relaxed. Deep. Meaningful. Jennifer made me pause. Reflect. Breathe. She reminded me of the beautiful, gentle, yet unshakably strong power of our voice. This is one you’ll want right at the top of your playlist. It’s that moment of anticipation at the opera, when the curtain lifts and everything goes silent. And then it begins. The force of it. The power. The audacity. We made something special that day. Something that you can take into your own changemaker journey too. Connect with our guest: LinkedInWebsiteWebsite Mentioned in this episode: On Being with Krista Tippett (Jennifer and Regina are both passionate listeners of this podcast) Want to hear about new episodes first? Get on our Love Letter. Work & Connect with #impact host Regina Larko: www.ReginaLarko.com

EPISODE DESCRIPTION SHOW NOTES TEMPLATE Find show notes and all links mentioned here: www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-human-connections-beyond-labels-Jimmy-Westerheim Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-fueling-longevity-and-transforming-food-systems Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-splash-into-change-the-transformational-power-of-swimming Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-permission-to-fail-dejan-stojanovic Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-celebrating-8-years-of-impact-podcast-recording-live-in-the-place-where-it-all-began/ Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-helping-young-people-make-pro-planet-choices Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-how-this-podcast-makes-an-impact Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-how-to-start-volunteering Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/

Find show notes and all links mentioned here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/podcasts-lead-with-your-voice Want to start your own Podcast? Find free resources here: https://reginalarko.com/free/ Subscribe to our news here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/subscribe-impact-podcast/ SHARE YOUR VOICE on the Podcast & send us your voice note here: https://www.hashtagimpact.com/story/