The most difficult part of reinventing your career as an experienced professional is not a lack of skills or knowledge. 

It is answering the bigger question: what do I do with all the experience, knowledge, and credibility I have built so far?

Our guest in this episode, Kasia Gajos is a former Deloitte and telecoms Senior Director turned high-performance coach. 

She works with high-achieving women right at the decision they keep postponing. She left a high-performance track built over a decade in management consulting and telecoms, the same career she was winning, to help other women make that call and build a life that fits them, on their own terms. She made this decision after a year that took apart every assumption she had about what her life was supposed to look like.

This conversation is for experienced professionals who have built credibility over years and are exploring what their next career should look like. 

They want a more intentional life and career, and getting there takes courage, self-awareness, and thinking differently.

What we cover in this episode:

🔹 The year Kasia's life suddenly changed

🔹 Why "finding your calling" is the wrong question

🔹 The mask most professionals wear at work, and the path to authenticity

🔹 What new managers get wrong about looking like "the perfect leader"

🔹 Kasia's invitation for those who are ready for rethinking their career

About Kasia Gajos

🔗 Connect with Kasia Gajos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasia-gajos/

🎓 Kasia's live masterclass, 

"How to decide what's next after 15+ years, without regretting it," Tuesday 29th September, 1pm CEST: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7503401442947485697?viewAsMember=true

📘 Kasia's 6-week group course Kasia's for women in transition

, "From Proving Yourself to Choosing Yourself": https://gajoscoaching.com/group-course

🎁 Code SPECIAL20 for 20% off, exclusive to listeners of this podcast

—---------------------

🎙️ The Heart of the Equation is a podcast for managers navigating leadership, career growth, and the human dynamics of complex organisations. Hosted by Sara Mobarhanfard, Anisa Zafar, and Pragati Siddhanti.

Connect with the cohosts: 

Sara Mobarhanfard : narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

Access the Podcast 

🎙️ The Heart of the Equation Podcast →

https://www.narosibcoaching.com/podcast

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4su6RdGwygkkWJ0ceZe2g8 

🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-of-the-equation/id1794644198 

Helpful Resources

📥 Free bundle: 

Assessment: Leadership Readiness Check 

Guide: Creating time and space for growth

→ https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-readiness-check

Learn more about my coaching programs: 

https://www.narosibcoaching.com/coaching-packages 

Book a free consultation to explore working with me. We look at your situation and whether I can help. 

→ https://www.narosibcoaching.com/contact

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-mobarhanfard/

🔗 Instagram →https://www.instagram.com/sara_mobarhanfard/

Sara and Pragati reopen the podcast after a break with an update on what this year has actually produced. They cover career transitions, the pressure on the middle layer of organisations, and why meaningful work holds up better than quick wins and passive income promises.

Pragati marks one year as a lecturer after her consulting career. 

Sara describes how her coaching practice has moved toward mid-level leaders and supply chain professionals, and why younger professionals are approaching work, mental health, and personal branding differently.

Key topics

🔹 Why work does not get easier with seniority, and how the difficulty changes shape instead

🔹 People and relationships as the hardest part of any job, in entrepreneurship, academia, and corporate life

🔹 The middle-management layer carrying pressure from above, demands from below, and operational delivery at once

🔹 Generational differences: younger professionals building leadership skills earlier and speaking openly about therapy, ADHD, and mental health

🔹 Ten years of My Swiss Story, belonging in global careers, and what a decade of consistency requires

Timestamps

00:00 Restarting the podcast and why this episode is a live update

01:25 Career changes, vacation time, and why the season paused

02:32 Pragati's first year in academia and what changed after consulting

04:12 Why work never gets easy, only differently difficult

05:25 Sara on becoming less reactive at work

07:27 Sara's shift into leadership coaching and two lines of business

09:25 Pressure on middle management and why jobs feel unstable

11:26 Why the podcast should cover more middle-management realities

13:12 Younger professionals, portfolio careers, and personal branding

15:13 What Gen Z brings to work: openness, fresh thinking, early leadership awareness

16:22 How leadership development used to happen in a much more random way

18:41 Ten years of My Swiss Story and what it represents

20:35 Belonging across workplaces, countries, and communities

21:21 Why long-term consistency matters more than quick wins

23:00 Why coaching, content, and meaningful work are not passive income

24:15 Doing work that gives joy, purpose, and non-monetary value

25:08 Work-life alignment when you enjoy the work

27:34 Listener feedback, guest suggestions, and what comes next

💚Suggest a topic or nominate a guest in the comments.

—-------

🎙️ The Heart of the Equation is a podcast for managers navigating leadership, career growth, and the human dynamics of complex organisations. Hosted by Sara Mobarhanfard, Anisa Zafar, and Pragati Siddhanti.

Connect with the cohosts: 

Sara Mobarhanfard : narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

Access the Podcast 

🎙️ The Heart of the Equation Podcast →

https://www.narosibcoaching.com/podcast

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4su6RdGwygkkWJ0ceZe2g8 

🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-of-the-equation/id1794644198 

Helpful Resources

📥 Free bundle: 

Assessment: Leadership Readiness Check 

Guide: Creating time and space for growth

→ https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-readiness-check

Learn more about my coaching programs: 

https://www.narosibcoaching.com/coaching-packages 

Book a free consultation to explore working with me. We look at your situation and whether I can help. 

→ https://www.narosibcoaching.com/contact

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-mobarhanfard/

🔗 Instagram →https://www.instagram.com/sara_mobarhanfard/

🌐 narosibcoaching.com

This is a short guided journey I use myself and with my clients to come over limiting beliefs and fears that get in the way of growth, taking action and moving on in the business. It is inspired by IFS ( Internal Family Systems) by Richard Schwartz.

It is a compassionate method that helps you make peace with yourself and your emotions, and not just suppress them.

Connect with me on Instagram : For coaches : https://www.instagram.com/thebusinessofcoaching/

www.narosib.com

Connect with me on Instagram for leaders, managers and corporate professionals:

https://www.instagram.com/sara_mobarhanfard/

www.narosibcoaching.com

In this bonus episode, I share the 7 habits that look like professional strengths but are quietly working against your leadership growth. These are not obvious weaknesses. They are the behaviours that made you excellent at your level and are now holding you at it.

This episode is for professionals in pharma, supply chain, STEM, and engineering who have the credentials, the track record, and the experience, and are wondering why the next level is not arriving.

I also share a personal story from my own career and a client story from supply chain that illustrates exactly how this pattern plays out, and why the most painful career moments are rarely about performance.

This episode connects directly to my live workshop series, Leading Off the Charts. Four workshops, each 90 minutes, online, in small groups. Each workshop is followed by a private 1:1 coaching session with me.

The workshops go deep on the exact capabilities this episode introduces. They are designed for professionals who are not yet ready for a full private coaching engagement but want to work on these skills in a structured, live, small-group format.

Workshops are not on a fixed schedule. When a new date is confirmed, waitlist members hear first and get access to flash sale pricing that is only offered live.

*********************

→ Join the waitlist and get early bird pricing:

https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-workshops

( When you join the waitlist you get the PDF version of the 7 habits)

************

FREE RESOURCES MENTIONED:

→ Make Time for Career Growth — free guide: https://www.narosibcoaching.com/time-management-free-guide 

→ Leadership Readiness Self-Assessment: https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-promotion-freebie

WORK WITH ME:

→ Book a Call: https://www.narosibcoaching.com/contact 

Losing a job is classified as a grief event. Research places it in the same range as divorce, loss of a close relationship, or a major health disruption. 

And yet, most job search resources focus entirely on CV optimisation, interview technique, and LinkedIn visibility.

This episode is about what sits underneath all of that. 

The nervous system response to uncertainty. 

The shame that keeps professionals isolated at the exact moment connection would help most. The vicious cycle of rejection, self-doubt, and diminishing confidence that makes even the strongest candidates perform below their own standard.

Sara, Anisa, and Pragati speak from personal experience as professionals who have navigated career transitions in Switzerland. 

This is not an instructional guide about how to write a cover letter. It is a conversation about the internal work that makes any external strategy actually land.

What we cover:

🔹 Why job loss triggers a grief response in the body, not just the mind, and what that means for how you approach the search 

🔹 The survival mode trap: how fear-based job searching produces the worst decisions at the worst moment 

🔹 Switzerland's performance culture and the particular weight the word "unemployed" carries here 

🔹 Why shame and guilt are the two emotions most likely to stall your search, and how isolation makes both worse 

🔹 Practical strategies: scheduling, journaling, and building a community of people who actually get it 

🔹 The difference between networking and connecting, and why the latter produces better results in the Swiss market 

🔹 When job loss is a signal worth listening to, and how to read it without bypassing the practical reality 

🔹 Why the skills that create friction in employment tend to follow people into self-employment. The pattern repeats. 

🔹 How Anisa and Pragati are building structured support for professionals navigating this in Switzerland right now

Upcoming events hosted by Anisa Zafar and Pragati Siddhanti: 

📌 Free webinar: Find Your Next Job Move- With Clarity

A free 45-minute webinar for women in Switzerland ready to restart, pivot, or grow their careers with a clear, structured plan.

Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what your next career move should be?

You’re not alone—and you don’t need to figure it out on your own.

🗓️ LIVE | FREE | LIMITED SPOTS | 07 MAY 2026

https://programs.treeoflifeguru.com/search-job-switzerland-webinar/

📌 BASEL 🇨🇭In-person event : Women's Career and Networking Brunch, 

Sat, 30. May 202610:00 - 16:00Basel (Location Sent upon Registration)

https://eventfrog.ch/en/p/courses-seminars/coaching/womens-career-networking-brunch-elevate-your-job-search-7447616745462885672.html

----

📌 Free resource — 7 Barriers to Leadership Promotion: https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-promotion-freebie 

📌 Free resource: Finding time for growth (for overworked and overwhelmed managers): https://www.narosibcoaching.com/time-management-free-guide 

📌 Book a Success Roadmap Call with Sara (for leaders and managers): https://www.narosibcoaching.com/contact 

Watch this on Youtube: https://youtu.be/uySWVI9_cGM

Your calendar is not a measure of your impact. In complex organisations — pharma, life sciences, supply chain — it has quietly become a measure of your fear. 

Fear of missing a decision. 

Fear of losing visibility. 

Fear of what happens if you're not in the room.

This conversation is perfect for supply chain and procurement professionals who are technically strong, organisationally aware, and chronically over-scheduled  and who know, somewhere, that working harder is not the same as leading well.

Sara Mobarhanfard is joined by Viraj Mehta, Global Procurement Head at DSM-Firmenich and a techno-commercial leader with 20+ years across pharma, life sciences, and global supply chain. Viraj manages a €900M+ spend portfolio and leads 85+ professionals across global geographies. She speaks from the inside — not as an observer of these dynamics, but as someone who has navigated them at the highest level.

What we cover:

🔹 Why supply chain professionals burn out at a higher rate — and what resilience actually requires in this function 🔹 The difference between being seen and being effective — and why confusing the two keeps strong performers at mid-level 🔹 The meeting diet: how to audit your calendar and reclaim focus time without losing organisational visibility 🔹 The strategic no — how to decline meetings assertively and what it signals to senior leadership when you do 🔹 Why 10 people in a meeting is a trust problem, not a scheduling problem 🔹 Leading a team of 80+ across global geographies — what changes, what breaks, and what you have to do deliberately 🔹 The qualities Viraj looks for when identifying future leaders within her own team 🔹 The difference between performance (what you do) and leadership potential (how you do it) 🔹 Why the ability to unlearn is as critical as the ability to learn — especially in a function moving as fast as supply chain

About Viraj Mehta 

Viraj Mehta is a techno-commercial people leader in the life sciences industry with 20+ years across pharma, procurement, and global supply chain. 

Viraj is a business centric techno-commercial leader in the Life Sciences industry with a passion to positively impact people driven transformation. 

At her core, she is a playmaker, known for her decisive leadership style that inspires diverse and inclusive culture. Viraj acts as a coach, mentor and career sponsor in various networking forums. Viraj lives in Basel with her husband and a teenage daughter. Reading, music and long walks in nature are very close to her heart.

 🔗 Connect with Viraj on LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/virajmehta-exec/

-----

🔗 Podcast hub: https://the-heart-of-the-equation.carrd.co 

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4su6RdGwygkkWJ0ceZe2g8 

🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-of-the-equation/id1794644198 

Helpful Resources

📌 Sara's LinkedIn article on types of bosses that block your career: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-types-bosses-who-block-your-career-advancement-1-mobarhanfard-tcyre

📌 Free resource — 7 Barriers to Leadership Promotion: https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-promotion-freebie

📌 Free resource : Finding time for growth ( for overworked and overwhelmed managers) 

https://www.narosibcoaching.com/time-management-free-guide

📌 Book a Success Roadmap Call with Sara ( for leaders and managers) : https://www.narosibcoaching.com/contact

📌 Grow your coaching business with Sara 

www.narosib.com

🎙️ The Heart of the Equation is a podcast for STEM professionals navigating leadership, career growth, and the human dynamics of complex organisations. Hosted by Sara Mobarhanfard, Anisa Zafar, and Pragati Siddhanti.

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard:  

*Leadership Coaching for corporate professionals: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

🔗 Learn more about this podcast : https://the-heart-of-the-equation.carrd.co

🎙️ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4su6RdGwygkkWJ0ceZe2g8

🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-of-the-equation/id1794644198

Navigating Difficult Managers & Hidden Career Blockers

Your line manager has more influence over your career than most career advice ever addresses.

They decide what meetings you're invited to, whose name gets mentioned in promotion conversations, and whether your work is visible to the people who matter. In complex organisations — especially in pharma, supply chain, and STEM — the relationship with your direct manager can accelerate your career or quietly stall it for years.

In this episode of The Heart of the Equation, Sara and Pragati get honest about the types of managers who block career growth — not always through malice, but sometimes through insecurity, overprotection, or their own limitations within the hierarchy.

What we cover:

🔹 The insecure manager — how to recognise the pattern and navigate it without becoming collateral damage

🔹 Gaslighting in corporate environments — why you often can't see it until you're already deep in it

🔹 The "good boss" trap — when a supportive, well-meaning manager is quietly holding you back

🔹 Managing up — how to build safety for a difficult manager while protecting your own positioning

🔹 Why being "the composed one" matters more than being right — especially in European corporate culture

🔹 Taking ownership of your career rather than waiting for someone to champion it

🔹 The danger of absorbing feedback as permanent truth — leadership skills are learnable

This is not a conversation about blaming your manager.

 It's about understanding the system you're operating in and making smarter decisions within it.

CHAPTERS 

00:00 Introduction 

02:00 Why your line manager matters more than career advice admits 

04:50 The insecure manager — real examples and what's actually happening 

09:00 Gaslighting in corporate settings 

11:30 When to stay, when to leave 

16:00 Composure as a strategic asset (not silence) 

20:00 The well-meaning manager who is blocking your growth 

25:00 Spoon-feeding vs. developing your team — a leadership reflection 

29:00 Taking ownership of your own career trajectory 

31:30 Why leadership material is not a personality trait

MENTIONED & RELATED 

📌 Sara's LinkedIn article on types of bosses that block your career: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-types-bosses-who-block-your-career-advancement-1-mobarhanfard-tcyre

📌 Free resource — 7 Barriers to Leadership Promotion: https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-promotion-freebie

📌 Free resource : Finding time for growth ( for overworked and overwhelmed managers) 

https://www.narosibcoaching.com/time-management-free-guide

📌 Book a Success Roadmap Call with Sara ( for leaders and managers) : https://www.narosibcoaching.com/contact

📌 Grow your coaching business with Sara 

www.narosib.com

🎙️ The Heart of the Equation is a podcast for STEM professionals navigating leadership, career growth, and the human dynamics of complex organisations. Hosted by Sara Mobarhanfard, Anisa Zafar, and Pragati Siddhanti.

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard:  

*Leadership Coaching for corporate professionals: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

2026 is not about vague resolutions — it’s about intentional career decisions and truly owning your professional path.  

In this first episode of The Heart of the Equation for 2026, Sara Mobarhanfard and Pragati Siddhanti unpack what career goal planning really looks like for experienced professionals, especially those navigating:

• Career reinvention
• Portfolio careers
• Leadership transitions
• Mid-career and senior-level resets
• Uncertain job markets and organizational change

After a year marked by layoffs, restructurings, and major professional shifts, many highly skilled professionals are re-evaluating what they want next ,because they’ve outgrown their old path.

In this episode, we talk honestly about:

• Why so many mid-career and senior professionals are pressing “reset” in 2026
• The difference between escaping a career and redesigning one
• Why mindset alone is not enough — and what actually moves careers forward
• How portfolio careers are becoming a strategic response to instability
• Why sponsorship, visibility, and relationships still matter (in corporate and entrepreneurship)
• How to plan a career that supports purpose, impact, and sustainability

We also share why we’re hosting a live online career planning workshop on January 26th, 2026, designed specifically for:

• Career professionals in science, tech, engineering, and regulated industries
• Leaders navigating promotion, reinvention, or career transitions
• Professionals considering portfolio careers or multiple income streams

🎯 About the January 26 Workshop

This is not a vision board or surface-level goal-setting session.

In the workshop, we’ll work on:

• Strategic career direction for 2026
• Identity shifts required for leadership and reinvention
• Nervous system regulation during career transitions
• Career systems: sponsorship, visibility, decision-making, and influence
• Turning goals into concrete, realistic action plans

Participants will leave with:

• A clear career direction for 2026
• A personalised action plan
• Strategic clarity (not overwhelm)
• Tools to navigate career uncertainty with confidence

📌 Link to join the workshop : https://narosib.thrivecart.com/career-strategy-2026/

📅 Date: January 26, 2026

🌍 Format: Live online (recorded)

If 2026 feels like a year where you want to own your career instead of reacting to it, this episode — and the workshop — are for you.

In our last episode of 2025, we unpack the year’s biggest shifts, the guest insights that changed how we work, and announce our live online Career Workshop on 26 January 2026.

What we covered in this episode

• How can mid-career professionals navigate major career transitions
• Practical lessons from episodes on psychological safety, delegation and moving from operations to leadership
• Why values, boundaries and rest drive long term performance
• How to transform your career in 2026

Join Our Live Online Career Workshop on 26.01.26

• Date: 26 January 2026
• Format: Live online, recording included
• Designed for: Mid-career managers and senior professionals in STEM and adjacent fields who want a clear, practical plan for 2026
• Registration: https://narosib.thrivecart.com/career-strategy-2026/

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

Are you a Highly Sensitive Person working in a high-pressure environment like pharma, tech, or consulting? In this episode, Sara speaks with Anna Moretti (ex-pharma leader and coach for HSPs) about highly sensitive leadership, nervous system regulation, empathy at work, boundaries, and resilience without burnout.

Who this is for

Managers, senior professionals, and emerging leaders who identify as highly sensitive (HSP) or think they might be, and want practical ways to lead teams, protect energy, and perform sustainably.

What you will learn

• How to identify if you are a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
• Why sensitivity is a leadership strength in complex, people-centric roles
• Common HSP challenges at work: overstimulation, emotional overload, people-pleasing
• Practical tools for nervous system regulation, energy management, and rest
• Using empathy without absorbing others’ emotions
• Setting boundaries and communicating needs as a manager
• Building resilience for long-term performance and avoiding burnout
• A simple framework for self-leadership and team leadership as an HSP

About Our Guest:

Anna Moretti  is a seasoned regulatory leader with 20+ years in the Pharma industry, leading diverse teams across global organizations. Based in Switzerland, she’s recognised for her passion about personal development, people leadership, and cultural transformation. Anna is an ICF Certified Coach. Passionate about empowering women, she supports heart-centered leaders in embracing their sensitivity as a strength to lead authentically and sustainably, both in and beyond corporate life.

Connect with Anna: 

Website: https://thehighlysensitivecoach.com/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anna-moretti-7a934b9

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

🔗 Learn more about this podcast

🎙️ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4su6RdGwygkkWJ0ceZe2g8

🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-of-the-equation/id1794644198

Switzerland’s job market is attractive, but it plays by its own rules. In this conversation, Sara and Pragati talk frankly about what actually works here if you are an expat, a trailing spouse, a recent graduate, or a career changer.

They cover:

✅ The reality of today’s market and why persistence matters

✅ Why relationships and referrals open doors in Switzerland

✅ How to make a strong application: tailoring your CV, keywords, and a clear cover letter

✅ When and how to use AI to speed up applications without losing your voice

✅ The value of studying in Switzerland and learning the language

✅ Looking after your mental health while job searching

📘 Resource mentioned: Pragati’s book

The Ultimate Guide to Finding a Job in Switzerland (for expats, career changers, dreamers alike)

https://myswissstory.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-finding-a-job-in-switzerland-for-expats-career-changers-dreamers-alike/

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

🔗 Learn more about this podcast

The final quarter is busy. Expectations are high. 

Life outside work is not exactly quiet either.

In this conversation, Sara and Anisa unpack what resilience really means and how managers can build capacity in intentional ways, so performance stays steady over time.

You’ll hear:

✅ Why resilience is not “toughing it out,” but training your nervous system

✅ Windows of tolerance and why two people react differently to the same pressure

✅ Stress–recovery cycles from sport science and how to apply them to work

✅ Daily micro-practices that regulate your nervous system

✅ How to pause, contain emotions, and respond instead of react

✅ The role of support systems, boundaries, and rest in long-term performance

Explore your next step: doing meaningful work you were born to do is one of the most effective ways to expand resilience and hold more.

👉 Decode Your Growth DNA (self-paced mini course): https://narosib.thrivecart.com/find-genius-zone/

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

Why do so many managers feel like they’re always “on,” yet still worry it’s never enough?

High-performance cultures reward results, but rarely teach you how to sustain them.

In this conversation, Sara and Pragati unpack what it really takes to show up at your best over the long term — without falling into the trap of hustle culture or tying your self-worth to daily output.

Drawing from lived experience across global consulting, supply chain, and coaching, they explore:

✅ Why premium-performance environments can make self-worth feel conditional

✅ The hidden cost of living in constant fight-or-flight mode

✅ The role of safety — both inner and cultural — in enabling creativity and capacity

✅ Why support systems and delegation matter as much as personal effort

✅ How guilt, shame, and outdated conditioning quietly drive burnout

✅ Practical ways to build resilience so performance becomes sustainable

💡 Whether you’re navigating intense project cycles, consulting environments, or the everyday pressure of being “always on,” this episode offers frameworks and reflections to help you perform without sacrificing your health and energy.

👉 Ready to discover the work you were always meant to do?

Check out Decode Your Growth DNA — a self-paced mini-course that helps you uncover the strengths, energy patterns, and hidden capacities that make sustainable growth possible.

👉 https://narosib.thrivecart.com/find-genius-zone/

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

🔗 Learn more about this podcast

💡Why Being Great at Your Job Might Still Leave You Drained? Let’s Talk About The Hidden Trap of High Performers That Keeps Them Stuck in the Wrong Role. 

In this conversation, Sara and Anisa explore the concept of the Zone of Genius, what it is, why it matters, and how you can start identifying it in your own life and career.

Drawing from personal stories and years of both coaching and working as business professionals, they unpack:

 ✅ The difference between your zone of competence, excellence, and genius

✅ Why you don’t always need to monetize your passion for it to matter

✅ How feedback from others reveals hidden strengths you can’t always see

✅ Why safety and resilience are prerequisites for creativity and flow

✅ The risks of staying too long in a role that doesn’t energize you

✅ How managers can use the genius-zone lens to build motivated, high-performing teams

💡 Whether you’re questioning your current path, exploring new options, or simply curious about where you shine most, this episode will give you practical questions and frameworks to guide your next steps.

Want to Go Deeper? Decode Your Growth DNA

If this resonates, I created a resource to help you explore your own genius zone in more depth.

👉 Decode Your Growth DNA is a self-paced mini-course that helps you:

• Pinpoint the work that gives the highest return on your time and energy
• 
  
• Uncover strengths you’ve been overlooking
• 
  
• Spot the blind spots that quietly limit your growth
• 
  

You’ll walk away with a personal compass to make career and business decisions that feel aligned, strategic, and energising.

It’s especially for:

• Mid-career professionals and managers at a crossroads
• 
  
• Coaches who want to support clients on a deeper level
• 
  
• Business professionals who know they’re capable of more, but can’t yet name what’s next

👉 https://narosib.thrivecart.com/find-genius-zone/

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

What does it really mean to have a successful career?

In this reflective and deeply human conversation, we sit down with Lídia Bonet,a global HR consultant with over 18 years of experience — to explore how success evolves, what leadership really requires, and why your mind, body, and heart all belong in the conversation.

From university graduates to senior executives, Lídia has worked with professionals at every stage — and she’s here to share what makes the difference between high-performers who burn out, and those who grow with purpose.

Lídia shares hard-earned wisdom on how our definition of success evolves, what separates great leaders from good performers, and why true impact starts with aligning your values, actions, and vision. Her approach blends strategic thinking with deep human understanding—making her a rare voice in today’s career and leadership space.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why success is personal (and not a one-size-fits-all formula)
• The key differences between early-career skills and executive presence
• What it means to lead with authenticity, vulnerability, and vision
• How to apply “design thinking” to your own career path
• The less talked about secret to professional growth

Whether you’re climbing the ladder or redefining the ladder entirely, this is an invitation to pause, reflect, and reimagine success — on your terms.

👤 About Our Guest Lídia Bonet

Lídia Bonet is an experienced global HR consultant with over 18 years of insight into leadership development, career growth, and organizational transformation. She has worked across industries and career stages—from guiding university graduates into their first roles to advising C-level executives on what it truly takes to lead with impact.

📲 Connect with Lidia Bonet

https://lidiabo.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lidiabonet/

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📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

🔗 Learn more about this podcast

In this episode of The Heart of the Equation, we sit down with Inbal Orbach, Vice President and Global Head of FP&A at Lonza, to explore what it really means to lead high-performing finance teams in today’s complex business landscape—without losing your human touch.

With over two decades of global experience in finance, M&A, and strategic transformation, Inbal shares:

✨ How she consciously shaped her leadership style—balancing performance with empathy

✨ The mindset shift that helped her transition from “fixer” to strategic leader

✨ The importance of thinking long-term—even when juggling demanding roles and home life

✨ Why authenticity isn't just a buzzword, it's a leadership imperative

✨ Practical tips for women navigating senior roles without waiting for permission

✨ Her personal blueprint for growing into each new role—and mentoring others to do the same

Whether you're leading global teams, planning your next strategic move, or redefining what success means to you—this conversation will inspire you to lead with both purpose and clarity.

👤 About Our Guest

Inbal Orbach is the Vice President and Global Head of FP&A at Lonza, leading financial strategy for a global pharma and biotech leader. With over 20 years in finance—including key roles at Takeda and PwC—she has driven growth through M&A, digital transformation, and strategic planning.

📲 Connect with Inbal Orbach

https://www.linkedin.com/in/inbalorbach/

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

🔗 Learn more about this podcast

In this heartfelt episode of The Heart of the Equation, Sara and Anisa sit down with Nadjia Drici, a senior global healthtech leader with nearly 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. From her path as a daughter of immigrants and scientist in tech to leading large-scale, multicultural IT teams, Nadjia offers a deeply human perspective on innovation, leadership, and equity in the healthcare sector.

She also shares her passion for advancing education in under-resourced communities—particularly through her work in Africa.

🎧 We explore:

• How Nadjia’s multicultural background and scientific training shaped her leadership approach.
• What it really takes to lead global IT teams in pharma with empathy and purpose.
• The often-overlooked value of asking for help—especially for high-achieving women in STEM fields.
• Why inclusive leadership isn’t just a “soft skill,” but a business-critical superpower.
• The crucial role of support systems in long-term success and wellbeing.
• How Nadjia is driving real change through educational initiatives that bring equity and access to the forefront.

This is a must-listen for anyone navigating leadership in STEM, pharma, or any purpose-driven industries

👤 About Our Guest

With nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare and biotechnology sector, Nadjia Drici is a senior global healthtech leader who drives business growth and enhanced patient outcomes through innovative and transformative technology, leveraging a uniquely positioned scientific, technical and business background. 

Her expertise spans technology and business strategies, with a focus on advancing diversity, access to medicine and enhancing patient experience. 

Nadjia is expert at leading large-scale, cross-functional, and multicultural teams. Her passion is about fostering a culture of collaboration, empowerment, and positivity, where technology and innovation are at the service of bringing fair, accessible health outcomes to patients and communities worldwide. 

📲 Connect with Nadjia Drici

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadjia-d 

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📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

In this episode of The Heart of the Equation, Sara sits down with Vikrant Dongre—HR Director, leadership consultant, and founder of Leadsource Consulting—to unpack what it really takes to build a successful career in Switzerland, especially for experienced professionals, expats, and career reinventors in STEM and life sciences.

Vikrant brings two decades of global HR experience to the conversation and shares actionable strategies on:

✅What’s unique about career paths and leadership in STEM, life sciences, and pharma industries

✅Breaking through career barriers in highly regulated sectors like pharma and HR

Expert-to-leader transitions: advice for mid- to senior-level professionals in Switzerland

✅Why even highly qualified candidates get overlooked—and how to shift that

✅The hidden hiring rules in the Swiss job market—and how to overcome the “invisible wall” as an expat

✅Getting hired in your 40s or 50s without being labeled “overqualified”

✅Career reinvention and return-to-work pathways for women professionals

✅The truth about talent acquisition—and how to collaborate with recruiters effectively

✅A people-first approach to networking that actually opens doors

✅A new model for career transition through strategic recruitment and talent acquisition skills

Whether you're navigating a mid-career shift, transitioning industries, or aiming to grow your leadership footprint—this episode offers practical tools, grounded insights, and an inspiring perspective on what career success looks like in today’s Swiss job market.

👤 About Our Guest

Vikrant Dongre is a Switzerland-based HR leader with over 20 years of experience in global compensation, talent management, and organizational development—primarily within the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors.

As founder of Leadsource Consulting, he supports both corporate clients and career returners with tailored leadership development, HR consulting, and strategic recruitment programs.

His latest initiative focuses on empowering women returning to the workforce by training them in talent acquisition and HR business partnering.

**Disclaimer : all the comments shared by our Guests are his personal opinion and does not have anything to do with Leadersource or Menarini Stemline.

📲 Connect with Vikrant Dongre

LinkedIn:  / vikrantdongre  

Learn more about Vikrant's programs and projects:

www.leadersources.com

https://leadersources.com/courses/

https://www.karriere.ch/karriere-corn...

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📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

Mutual Learning and Growth – How to Build a Thriving Team Where Everyone Learns from Each Other

🎙️ Featuring Manish Sharma, Global Pharmaceutical Executive 

💡 What if your next big innovation didn’t come from the top—but from a junior team member, a peer, or even a different department?

In a world of cross-functional teams, remote collaboration, and rapid innovation in pharma and biotech, mutual learning isn't just a nice-to-have,it’s essential.

In this insightful episode of The Heart of the Equation, we sit down with Manish Sharma, a seasoned pharma executive with 20+ years of experience leading global teams across life sciences. 

With expertise in external manufacturing, CMC strategy, and technical operations, Manish shares the real-world practices behind building teams where everyone is both a teacher and a learner.

We explore:

🔹 “Why the best leaders never stop learning—from anyone, at any level.”

🔹 “How to lead with humility, humanity, and results.”

🔹 “What most line managers forget about performance management”

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How to foster peer-to-peer learning in high-performing global teams

✅ Why emotional intelligence and vulnerability drive innovation

✅ The biggest obstacles to team learning—and how to overcome them

✅ How cultural differences shape learning styles and collaboration

✅ Practical steps for building a learning culture from scratch

✅ The future of team learning in the age of AI and remote work

💡 Whether you're a team lead, new manager, or senior executive—this episode will give you a grounded, practical perspective on leadership in action.

📲 Connect with Manish Sharma:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manish-sharma-rph/

🎙️ Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com

💡 What does it really mean to lead without waiting for a title or formal authority?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are waiting for someone to approve you for leading an initiative?

Have you found it challenging to take ownership of your ideas and step in power?

In today’s fast-moving workplace,especially in STEM fields ,healthcare, pharma, and corporate settings ,many emerging leaders are waiting to be “ready.” But the truth? Leadership doesn’t require permission. It requires initiative, clarity, and courage.

In this powerful episode of The Heart of the Equation, we sit down with Diana Lagalante, a senior change leader  @roche  and founder and former Board Director of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, HBA.

Diana shares how to build influence with purpose, no matter your role or title. She shares from her own journey of growth and lived experience as a leader.

We cover:

🔹 “What if no one gives you permission—but you lead anyway?”

🔹 “Real leadership isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about service and momentum.”

🔹 “Take the lead on what you care about. That’s where impact begins.”

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How to build credibility and influence in cross-functional teams

✅ What stops high-potential professionals from stepping up—and how to move past it

✅ Why leading without authority is a must-have skill in today’s corporate world

✅ Practical tips to lead with confidence, even when self-doubt shows up

✅ The role of mentorship, community, and storytelling in career growth

💡 Whether you're early in your career, pivoting to something new, or looking to make an impact in your organization,this conversation will leave you empowered to act now, not later.

📲 Connect with Diana:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianalagalante/

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:

📲 Connect with us:

Sara Mobarhanfard: narosibcoaching.com

Anisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.com

Pragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com