Margaret Graziano sits down with entrepreneur and speaker Ellen Mannaert for an honest conversation about identity, vulnerability, and transformation.

From a childhood shaped by trauma, grief, and survival to building one of the largest textile empires in Europe, Ellen shares her extraordinary journey of resilience, self-discovery, and awakening to authenticity. Growing up in the Netherlands as the child of Ghanaian immigrants, Ellen opens up about her mother’s struggles with alcoholism, how she coped by becoming a perfectionist, and what happened when that perfection could no longer sustain her.

🎙️ In this episode, you’ll discover:

- Ellen’s "moment of surrender" at 38 that changed everything

- The internal cost of wearing a mask of success

- How vulnerability transformed her parenting, marriage, and leadership

- The importance of healing generational trauma

- Why embracing your full story is the key to living authentically

💬 Margaret and Ellen explore how unresolved childhood wounds can shape our adult lives—and how powerful it is when we finally face them. This is a must-watch for anyone struggling with perfectionism, shame, or feeling like they must hide parts of who they are to succeed.

🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS

📍 Connect with Ellen: https://ellenmannaert.com

📖 Ellen’s upcoming book: In Between Two Sons – Releasing January 2026

🧠 Mental Health Resources:

- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (USA)

https://988lifeline.org

- NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness

https://www.nami.org- BetterHelp – Online Therapy

https://www.betterhelp.com- Talkspace – Therapy & Psychiatry

https://www.talkspace.com- The Trevor Project – LGBTQ+ Youth Support

https://www.thetrevorproject.org- Befrienders Worldwide – Global Emotional Support

https://www.befrienders.org- Befrienders Worldwide

https://www.befrienders.org

Offers emotional support for people in crisis around the globe.- The Mind Foundation (Europe)

https://mind-foundation.org

Supports mental health through science-based approaches in Europe.

🎧 Listen to more episodes of Response Agility on your favorite podcast platform.

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if this episode resonated with you. Share this video with someone who needs to be reminded: you don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not.

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