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.

#ResponseAgility #EllenMannaert #MargaretGraziano #Authenticity #Healing #TraumaRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #WomenInBusiness #Vulnerability #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #ChildhoodTrauma #EntrepreneurLife #EmotionalIntelligence #TherapyJourney

Welcome to another transformative episode of the Response Agility Podcast, hosted by Margaret Graziano! In this powerful and vulnerable conversation, Margaret sits down with speaker, author, and TEDx presenter Janice Burt to talk about one of the biggest blockers to human potential: FEAR.

👉 What happens when fear is in the driver’s seat of your life?
👉 How can you move from being paralyzed by fear to walking through it—one step at a time?
👉 What does it look like to reclaim your power, even after years of people-pleasing, insecurity, and trauma?

Janice opens up about her raw and real story—how fear shaped her childhood, relationships, marriage, and career. From surviving bullying in school to leaving a marriage that no longer aligned with her values, Janice shares the moment that changed everything and launched her on a mission to conquer “One Fear Per Year.”

Topics Covered in This Episode:
• How fear creates "dis-ease" and internal friction
• Why we stay stuck in people-pleasing patterns
• The truth about performance-based validation
• Janice's process of choosing one bold fear to face each year
• The emotional and spiritual cost of ignoring your inner voice
• How hypnotherapy, storytelling, and public speaking helped her heal
• Her latest fear-facing leap: hosting a bilingual TV show on Roku & Apple TV
• The power of alignment, purpose, and living out your WHY

This episode is for anyone who:
• Feels trapped by fear, anxiety, or self-doubt
• Struggles with approval-seeking or perfectionism
• Wants to move from friction to flow
• Is ready to take bold, aligned action toward their purpose

💡 “It was more painful to stay the same than it was to change.” — Janice Burt

🔗 Connect with Janice Burt:
🌐 Website: https://janiceburt.com

📘 Book: https://onefearperyear.com
🎤 TEDx Talks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zx0YaAXzjQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSfGaNNJQ38
🎥 TV Show (Coming Soon): Spanish Janice on Now Media TV, Roku & Apple TV

🔗 Connect with Margaret Graziano:
🌐 https://margaretgraziano.com
📚 Author of Ignite Culture
🎙️ Host of the Response Agility Podcast

💬 What fear are YOU ready to walk through this year? Drop your thoughts in the comments and share this with someone who needs inspiration to take their life back.

📌 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more empowering conversations on mindset, leadership, and personal growth.

#OneFearPerYear #JaniceBurt #ResponseAgility #MargaretGraziano #OvercomingFear #PersonalGrowth #WomenEmpowerment #FearHealing #SelfDiscovery #TraumaRecovery #PodcastInterview #BilingualHost #SpanishJanice #TedxSpeaker #SpiritualAwakening #MoveFromFrictionToFlow #EmotionalHealing

Welcome to another transformative episode of Response Agility with Margaret Graziano, where we explore the power of living above the line, personal evolution, and purposeful leadership. In this episode, Margaret is joined by the incredible Bridget Hilton — keynote speaker, author of Experiential Billionaire, social entrepreneur, and co-founder of LSTN Sound Co.🔥 What You'll Discover in This Episode:✅ The meaning of becoming an Experiential Billionaire✅ How a music industry career led Bridget to launch a social impact company giving the gift of hearing✅ Real talk on resilience, recalibration, and reinvention — including surviving three Malibu wildfires✅ The science of novelty, memory, and life satisfaction✅ Why most people delay their dreams — and how to stop waiting✅ The surprising results from surveying 20,000+ people about their most valuable life experience✅ How Bridget inspires urgent action toward living a meaningful life — now, not someday💡 From working at Universal Music Group to helping over 60,000 people hear for the first time, Bridget shares her journey from material success to fulfillment through impactful experiences. Discover how service, curiosity, and courage can reshape your purpose and transform your professional path.🔎 Whether you’re in HR, leadership, education, or simply looking for more meaning, this episode will inspire you to ask:❓ What would I do if I had one year to live?❓ What relationships or dreams am I neglecting?❓ Am I living my life — or the life others want for me?📚 Grab Bridget’s Book: Experiential Billionaire: https://www.experientialbillionaire.com🎤 Book Bridget for Keynotes: https://www.bridgethilton.com📺 Watch Her TED Talk: “What I Learned from Giving the Gift of Hearing”🔗 Connect with Bridget Hilton:Instagram: @BridgetHiltonLinkedIn: Bridget HiltonEmail: bridget@bridgethilton.com💬 Leave a comment: What experience in your life has been more valuable than money?👍 Like, Share & Subscribe to Response Agility for more insights on authentic leadership, mindfulness, and human-centered growth.#ExperientialBillionaire #BridgetHilton #ResponseAgility #KeynoteSpeaker #SocialEntrepreneurship #SelfLeadership #RecalibrateYourLife #TEDTalk #MeaningfulWork #LSTN #HumanExperience #TransformationalLeadership #MindfulLiving #AboveTheLine #LifeDesign