If you’re building a personal brand, you need to understand this: Visibility is not neutral.

In this episode, I sit down with Sonja Woolff to unpack the real cost of putting yourself out there online. We talk about the attention economy, the myth of manufactured authenticity, and why building from the inside out is the only sustainable way to show up.

We also dive into the cognitive load women carry when they’re visible. The expectations. The critique. The comment sections. The pressure to look good and sound good at the same time. The way their male counter-parts don’t have the same cognitive loads.

And then we get practical:

What does reclaiming agency actually look like?

Where is the line between authenticity and oversharing?

How do we balance putting ourselves out there authentically, with protecting our self-image?

If you’re trying to build something online without losing yourself in the process, this one will resonate.

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

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More about this episode's guest:

In her first year of business, Sonja knocked it out of the park. Business was easy. Until it wasn't.

Her biggest client was gone. Lying on the couch staring at the ceiling, she felt depleted.

That painful moment turned out to be pivotal. She realised she'd been exceptionally good at building everyone else's brands throughout her career, but never her own. Hiding behind their success, numbly pacified by the excuse that she played a part in it.

But that wasn't good enough for her anymore. She wanted agency. A name for herself. And in the process of finding her own voice, she discovered her passion: helping women find theirs.

Now, as Founder and Creative Director of HER, Sonja works with women who've spent careers elevating everyone else while staying invisible themselves. Together, they build brands rooted in strategy and storytelling that create magnetic visibility.

At a time when visibility equals opportunity, Sonja treats personal branding for what it actually is: a deliberate act of ownership. A space where women stop waiting for permission and start building the brands that are unmistakably theirs.

What actually makes an online community work — and why do some feel nourishing while others quietly drain you?

In this episode, I’m joined by Candice Grobler, a community strategist who has spent years building, running, and supporting online communities from both the inside and the outside.

We talk about how communities became lifelines during the pandemic, why information alone is no longer enough, and what really makes people stick around. Candice shares deeply practical advice on how to show up without pitching, how to engage authentically (even if networking makes you anxious), and why transformation beats content every single time.

Whether you’re looking to join a community, participate without burning out, or build one that genuinely helps people grow, this conversation is full of grounded, human insights you can actually use.

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

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More about this episode's guest:

Candice Grobler is the founder of Candid Collab, a community consultancy helping community builders fix their systems and make money.

After a CPTSD diagnosis and being labeled "unemployable," Candice created a new model where neuro-diverse entrepreneurs thrive through mentorship, systems, and community.

She transforms chaos into streamlined workflows and turns inconsistent income into steady revenue. Her presentations combine honesty with practical strategies, because life's too short to build someone else's empire.

Candice helps founders increase revenue, reduce burnout, and build self-marketing communities without expensive agencies or compromising their values.

Blog https://candidcollab.com/subscribe

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/candid-cands/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CandidCollab

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/candidcollab/

Pinterest https://za.pinterest.com/candidcollab/

We trust algorithms with our taste more than we trust ourselves.

In this solo episode, I reflect on how feeds quietly shape what we consume, what we think we like, and how we see ourselves. From preference vs taste to feedback loops and creative flattening, this is a short, philosophical look at what happens when convenience replaces curiosity.

This isn’t about deleting apps or rejecting technology.

It’s about paying attention again, creating a little friction, and remembering that engagement isn’t the same as self-knowledge.

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

We’re living through a world-changing moment, and nobody really knows where it ends up. So I brought on Sam Webster Harris (host of “How to Change the World”) to zoom out and make sense of AI the only way he knows how: by comparing it to the biggest shifts in human history.

We talk about what AI can’t touch (yet), why human “chaos” still matters, how the speed of change is messing with our ability to learn, and what happens when entire career paths become outdated mid-degree. We also dig into the historical parallels that actually help, the ones that don’t, and Sam’s warning label for this era: more nuance, less tribal nonsense, and a lot more collaboration.

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

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More about this episode's guest:

Sam Webster Harris is a writer, researcher, and the host of the podcast How to Change the World. Through deep dives into history, anthropology, and major turning points in human civilisation, Sam explores how ideas, technologies, and collective behaviours have reshaped the way we live. His work connects ancient breakthroughs with modern challenges, helping listeners see today’s disruptions not as isolated moments, but as part of a much longer human story.

Alongside this, Sam also hosts the Growth Mindset Podcast, where he speaks with high-profile thinkers, creators, and leaders about learning, adaptation, and long-term growth. These conversations, shaped by globally recognised guests, underline his breadth of experience and his ability to translate complex ideas into practical, human insight.

How to Change the World

This one’s... a little different.

In this episode, I turn the mic on ChatGPT to talk about how artificial intelligence is quietly reshaping our digital lives.

Albeit unconventional, we still have a really interesting discussion, unpacking how algorithms now curate reality for us, what it means to stay creative when machines can “create,” and why we trust AI more than the humans behind it.

It’s part philosophy, part therapy session for the internet age — asking: When everything online is generated, filtered, or predicted by AI… what’s still authentically human?

Listen for a thoughtful, funny, and slightly eerie reflection on trust, creativity, and the strange comfort of sharing your feed with a machine.

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

What if connection isn’t about constant communication — but the courage to show up fully when you do?

Writer and speaker Kat Kibben joins me for a conversation about attention, boundaries, and what it means to be available in the digital age. We talk about presence as the foundation of real connection, the myth of “always on” authenticity, and why honesty sometimes needs to sound a little awkward through a screen.

Three ideas we unpack together:

• Attention as empathy — why focus is the most generous thing we can give.

• Boundaries as care — how structure creates space for real connection.

• Honesty as warmth — the art of saying what you notice, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Because staying human online isn’t about using fewer screens — it’s about bringing more of yourself to the ones that are already there.

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

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More about this episode's guest:

Katrina Kibben is a leadership speaker, author, and the founder of Three Ears Media. They are known for transforming how companies attract great talent and build a healthy team culture. With 15+ years of experience at globally recognized brands like ⁠Monster.com⁠ and Randstad Worldwide, Katrina shares weekly reflections on leadership, work, and well-being in their newsletter each week at ⁠katrinakibben.com⁠. A LinkedIn Top Voice on Hiring featured in The New York Times and Forbes, Katrina is also the author of This Was All An Accident and The Bounce Back Factor, The Leader's Guide To Liking Yourself While Leading Your People.

⁠TheBounceBackFactorBook.com

We all know we should set better boundaries online. But knowing and doing are two very different things.

In this episode, I talk with my friend Alley Marsh about what it really takes to build (and maintain) healthy digital habits in a world that never logs off. We unpack the slippery slope of “digital creep,” how to notice when your boundaries are starting to blur, and why treating your time like a finite resource — not an endless feed — can completely change your relationship with work and rest.

Alley shares their “spoon theory” approach to managing energy, how colour-coded calendars saved their sanity, and the small but powerful routines that helped them reconnect with life outside the laptop.

If you’ve ever looked up at your screen at 8 p.m. and thought, “Wait… where did my day go?” — this one’s for you.

We unpack:

• Recognising “digital creep” before burnout hits

• Using spoon theory to manage energy and communication

• How to build morning and evening routines that actually stick

• Why self-kindness is the secret to consistency

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

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More about this episode's guest:

Alley Marsh is passionate about positive psychology and dedicated to helping people love their work. With experience at the intersection of talent, technology, and creativity, Alley champions wellbeing and psychological safety in the workplace. They focus on creating environments where people feel supported, inspired, and able to perform at their best. Believing that trust and accountability drive true growth, Alley helps organisations uncover their unique “magic” and build genuinely people-first cultures.

⁠www.instagram.com/_awaken_uk

In a world dominated by viral reels, filters, algorithms, and doom-scrolling, the question is: How the f*** are we supposed to protect our mental health online?

I spoke to Cora Veltman about how she practices regaining control of her relationship with social media. It goes without saying that there are many positives to social media, and that so much of our work needs to happen on social media; but there are still obvious risks — and Cora emphasises interacting intentionally with the social media she uses, so that her mental health doesn't get burned over, and over again.

Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)

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More about this episode's guest:

Cora Veltman calls herself many things. Art Director, professional sports photographer, Beyonce lover, cookie eater and overall silly goose. While she abhors the title "Linkedinfluencer", she has spent the last 8 years studying and manipulating algorithms for international sports news brands. Now, she strives to use her social media powers for good while making her way in advertising. From Rocky to Rocky Horror, Cora studies American pop culture, sociology, and psychological effects of media.

⁠www.coraveltman.com