PODCAST: The Catastrophe Café

I'm excited to share that Fabio Duma and I have launched a new podcast – The Catastrophe Café – where we pour meaning into the beautiful mess of work, life & everything in between.

What started as Friday morning coffee conversations during our executive coaching education at IMD has evolved into a podcast for leaders, coaches, and anyone navigating the complexities of modern life. These aren't polished, corporate soundbites – they're real dialogues about the challenges we all face as we navigate our professional and personal lives, and how we make sense of them and get inspired.

Episode 6: “Habits - Stability or Stagnation”: Habits run 70% of our decisions on autopilot — that's both a superpower and a trap. Fabio and I explore how habits and identity shape each other, why childhood patterns quietly follow us into our professional lives, and how self-awareness and courage are often the real keys to change. Because breaking a habit isn't just a behavioral challenge — sometimes it's a choice about who we want to become.

Episode 5: “Choosing your Reality”: What if the reality you're living in is one you've chosen—and can choose differently? Fabio and I explore how becoming aware of our lenses helps us shift from "what is happening to me" to "how can this shape my future," moving from glass half empty to half full. We also refer to Kierkegaard’s famous quote: life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.

Episode 4: “Trust Issues & Tissues”: "Do you trust me?" Fabio asks at the start of this episode. The answer reveals everything about what makes trust possible: authenticity, openness, and vulnerability. We explore trust as both a warm feeling and a hard skill – the kind that makes organizations faster and stronger. When leaders trust their people at the front lines and ask powerful questions instead of having all the answers, they unlock expertise and avoid costly mistakes. We also reflect on why true presence and listening have become a luxury.

Episode 3: “Navigating Change”: Picture a beautifully wrapped gift somewhere in the middle of your change process. You can't see it yet, maybe don't even believe it exists when you're in the thick of resistance or grief. But it's there. Fabio and I explore the natural phases of change and what matters most: our attitude in facing it. When we find meaning in what's happening, we can navigate change with dignity and discover unexpected opportunities.

Episode 2: “The Art of Slow Living” We explore living at a pace closer to our natural rhythm. Not as a retreat from ambition, but as a deliberate act of resistance against the constant rush that defines modern life. We talk about the courage it takes to step off the highway when everyone around you is speeding past. About the German concept of Innehalten – consciously pausing to turn your attention inward. And why strength really does lie in composure, especially for leaders who are expected to make decisions on autopilot 70% of the time.

Episode 1: “Balance” .We explore what balance really means – not as an achievement, but as the art of surfing the wave between opposites. We discuss the courage it takes to step away from what's expected, how to sense when you're running on empty before burnout hits, and share practical tools to find your center in a world obsessed with productivity.

This season we're covering:

Balance • The Art of Slow Living • Navigating Change • Trust Issues & Tissues • Choosing your Reality • Habits: Stability or Stagnation? • Navigating Relationships • In Praise of Curiosity & Courage

Listen now on
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/45p2PKabmNFzDqc72xRQAc?si=11586dd9b8f2452a

Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-catastrophe-caf%C3%A9/id1856157213

This is a heart project for us – honest conversations, practical insights, and the permission to be human in our work and lives.