About Victoria MyersVictoria Myers is the founder of the Small Retailer Network, the UAE’s leading membership community for product-based business owners. With a two-decade career in the UK retail industry, she worked her way up from the shop floor to managing 13 stores across Scotland and Northern England for major fashion and accessories brands, including Radley and Karen Millen.Her experience spans customer experience, trading cycles, sales leadership, store operations, and head-office strategy. After relocating to the UAE, Victoria shifted from corporate retail to consultancy, eventually creating a community-driven network that now supports more than 350 small business owners through training, mentorship, and collaboration.Her mission is to bring big-brand structure, strategy, and trading knowledge to small independent brands while creating a space where founders, especially women—can learn, connect, and grow without isolation or competition.About this EpisodeVictoria shares her journey from teenage retail assistant to leading one of the UAE’s most influential communities for product entrepreneurs. She talks about the early lessons she learned selling bed linen at 16, why the customer’s needs go far beyond the product in their hands, and how working across multiple UK brands taught her that behind every successful retailer lies the same set of systems, planning rhythms, and trading strategies.We explore the pivotal moments that shaped her career—not the promotions she earned, but the ones she didn’t. Victoria explains how rejection pushed her to seek new opportunities, how tough feedback became a catalyst for growth, and why success often follows our most painful setbacks.  Quotes2:59 - It&apos;s very easy to exceed customer expectations and go above and beyond and really delight them when you listen to them and understand what it is that they need. 7:44 - I think it really taught me like success is not necessarily linear, and sometimes the things that you think are the right thing for you is not necessarily the right path. And actually, just because something doesn&apos;t work out doesn&apos;t mean there&apos;s not some other opportunity, there&apos;s something else around the corner that will end up being a better opportunity in the long run. 9:25 - I always want people to tell me what they think, so that I can improve myself and continue to progress. 9:38 - Feedback, and sometimes it can feel scary to ask because sometimes people don&apos;t say what you want to hear. Honest feedback is always positive in the long term. You just need to make sure that you don&apos;t take it too personally and see it as the learning opportunity that it is. 13:25 - I just really wanted everybody to be able to come together and support each other to succeed in a way that at that time they didn&apos;t really have that support network around them.15:30 - If you collaborate and work together with others, then not only do you get that support and that confidence to keep going when things are tough, but you also just progress so much more quickly and with so much more confidence. 16:03 - Working together and collaborating just brings success for everybody across the board, and it just makes the journey so much easier. 23:13 - Find some support, find some help, start talking to other people about what advice they can give you. 30:01 - You need to be able to keep going even when things are challenging. You need to be able to dust yourself off and start a game if things don&apos;t go according to plan. 30:29 - Community means everything to me. It means support, it means growth, and it means success together.The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: <a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'>https://thematrixgreenpill.com/</a> Please review us: <a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'>https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Victoria Myers&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Victoria Myers is the founder of the Small Retailer Network, the UAE’s leading membership community for product-based business owners. With a two-decade career in the UK retail industry, she worked her way up from the shop floor to managing 13 stores across Scotland and Northern England for major fashion and accessories brands, including Radley and Karen Millen.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Her experience spans customer experience, trading cycles, sales leadership, store operations, and head-office strategy. After relocating to the UAE, Victoria shifted from corporate retail to consultancy, eventually creating a community-driven network that now supports more than 350 small business owners through training, mentorship, and collaboration.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Her mission is to bring big-brand structure, strategy, and trading knowledge to small independent brands while creating a space where founders, especially women—can learn, connect, and grow without isolation or competition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About this Episode&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Victoria shares her journey from teenage retail assistant to leading one of the UAE’s most influential communities for product entrepreneurs. She talks about the early lessons she learned selling bed linen at 16, why the customer’s needs go far beyond the product in their hands, and how working across multiple UK brands taught her that behind every successful retailer lies the same set of systems, planning rhythms, and trading strategies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We explore the pivotal moments that shaped her career—not the promotions she earned, but the ones she didn’t. Victoria explains how rejection pushed her to seek new opportunities, how tough feedback became a catalyst for growth, and why success often follows our most painful setbacks. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Quotes&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2:59 - It&amp;apos;s very easy to exceed customer expectations and go above and beyond and really delight them when you listen to them and understand what it is that they need.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 7:44 - I think it really taught me like success is not necessarily linear, and sometimes the things that you think are the right thing for you is not necessarily the right path. And actually, just because something doesn&amp;apos;t work out doesn&amp;apos;t mean there&amp;apos;s not some other opportunity, there&amp;apos;s something else around the corner that will end up being a better opportunity in the long run.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 9:25 &lt;b&gt;-&lt;/b&gt; I always want people to tell me what they think, so that I can improve myself and continue to progress.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 9:38 - Feedback, and sometimes it can feel scary to ask because sometimes people don&amp;apos;t say what you want to hear. Honest feedback is always positive in the long term. You just need to make sure that you don&amp;apos;t take it too personally and see it as the learning opportunity that it is. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;13:25 - I just really wanted everybody to be able to come together and support each other to succeed in a way that at that time they didn&amp;apos;t really have that support network around them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;15:30 - If you collaborate and work together with others, then not only do you get that support and that confidence to keep going when things are tough, but you also just progress so much more quickly and with so much more confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 16:03 - Working together and collaborating just brings success for everybody across the board, and it just makes the journey so much easier.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 23:13 - Find some support, find some help, start talking to other people about what advice they can give you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 30:01 - You need to be able to keep going even when things are challenging. You need to be able to dust yourself off and start a game if things don&amp;apos;t go according to plan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 30:29 - Community means everything to me. It means support, it means growth, and it means success together.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: &lt;a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'&gt;https://thematrixgreenpill.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Please review us: &lt;a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'&gt;https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

About Victoria Myers Victoria Myers is the founder of the Small Retailer Network, the UAE’s leading membership community for product-based business owners. With a two-decade career in the UK retail industry, she worked her way up from the shop floor to managing 13 stores across Scotland and Northern England for major fashion and accessories brands, including Radley and Karen Millen. Her experience spans customer experience, trading cycles, sales leadership, store operations, and head-office s...

#275 From Setbacks To Community-Led Success story of Victoria Myers

About Ayah Yahia AlRashdan Ayah Yahia AlRashdan is a marketing strategist and leader who blends engineering-level analytical thinking with a deep understanding of culture, people, and place. Born in Jordan and raised in Qatar, she earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering before pivoting into marketing through an MBA in Malaysia, where she also landed her first role in the industry.Over the past 15 years, Ayah has worked across government, private sector, startups, and SMEs, building campaigns that don’t just reach audiences but move them. Today, as Marketing Director at LinkViva, she has helped transform marketing from a one-woman function into a 40-person operation, delivering large-scale experiences such as Liwa Village and other flagship events across the UAE.Her leadership is shaped by time spent in male-dominated boardrooms, dealing with toxic environments, and rebuilding her confidence by carving out her own space and voice. She is passionate about empowering women in leadership, building teams grounded in respect rather than fear, and using storytelling-driven marketing to create genuine emotional connection, not just impressions and clicks. About this Episode In this conversation, Ayah walks us through her journey from electrical engineering to executive marketing leadership, showing how a willingness to pivot can completely reshape a career. She shares how growing up between Jordan and Qatar, then moving to Malaysia for her MBA, exposed her to different cultures and perspectives that later defined her storytelling-first approach to marketing. Ayah explains how her engineering background, far from being wasted, gave her the analytical mindset and problem-solving instincts that now serve as the backbone of her strategic work.We explore the moments that tested her confidence, from early imposter syndrome to navigating male-dominated boardrooms and dealing with toxic leadership environments. Ayah opens up about the setback that pushed her to step away, rebuild her confidence, and reinvent herself during the pandemic by creating content, launching her own platform, and learning how to stand on her own professionally. Her story highlights how resilience isn’t always about enduring; sometimes it’s about walking away to protect your growth.Ayah also shares the remarkable transformation she led at LinkViva—scaling marketing from a one-person role to a 40-member team delivering major cultural, entertainment, and wellness events across the UAE. She breaks down how storytelling, emotional connection, and cultural insight shape her campaigns, and offers practical advice for women in leadership: keep your voice loud, support your team, stay current, and step outside your comfort zone. Her path is a reminder that breaking stereotypes, staying curious, and trusting your instincts can lead to a purpose-driven and impactful career. Quotes2:50 - One of my main goals at that age was basically to love what I do and to wake up happy to go to work. 3:09 - We are very problem-solving oriented and very analytical. And that helps a lot when it comes to developing a career in marketing. 6:02 - I believe basically that when it comes to workplaces, I think females and males have different mentalities of how they handle specific situation challenges. And it&apos;s usually that I think men have been more empowered to take leaps into uncomfortable zones. But women always do more calculated uh risks. 9:15 - We hired the right people, delivering the right quality of work. 10:52 - It&apos;s keeping yourself busy and never giving up, no matter what you&apos;re doing. Sometimes a smallThe Matrix Green Pill Podcast: <a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'>https://thematrixgreenpill.com/</a> Please review us: <a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'>https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Ayah Yahia AlRashdan&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ayah Yahia AlRashdan is a marketing strategist and leader who blends engineering-level analytical thinking with a deep understanding of culture, people, and place. Born in Jordan and raised in Qatar, she earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering before pivoting into marketing through an MBA in Malaysia, where she also landed her first role in the industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over the past 15 years, Ayah has worked across government, private sector, startups, and SMEs, building campaigns that don’t just reach audiences but move them. Today, as Marketing Director at LinkViva, she has helped transform marketing from a one-woman function into a 40-person operation, delivering large-scale experiences such as Liwa Village and other flagship events across the UAE.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Her leadership is shaped by time spent in male-dominated boardrooms, dealing with toxic environments, and rebuilding her confidence by carving out her own space and voice. She is passionate about empowering women in leadership, building teams grounded in respect rather than fear, and using storytelling-driven marketing to create genuine emotional connection, not just impressions and clicks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;About this Episode&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this conversation, Ayah walks us through her journey from electrical engineering to executive marketing leadership, showing how a willingness to pivot can completely reshape a career. She shares how growing up between Jordan and Qatar, then moving to Malaysia for her MBA, exposed her to different cultures and perspectives that later defined her storytelling-first approach to marketing. Ayah explains how her engineering background, far from being wasted, gave her the analytical mindset and problem-solving instincts that now serve as the backbone of her strategic work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We explore the moments that tested her confidence, from early imposter syndrome to navigating male-dominated boardrooms and dealing with toxic leadership environments. Ayah opens up about the setback that pushed her to step away, rebuild her confidence, and reinvent herself during the pandemic by creating content, launching her own platform, and learning how to stand on her own professionally. Her story highlights how resilience isn’t always about enduring; sometimes it’s about walking away to protect your growth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ayah also shares the remarkable transformation she led at LinkViva—scaling marketing from a one-person role to a 40-member team delivering major cultural, entertainment, and wellness events across the UAE. She breaks down how storytelling, emotional connection, and cultural insight shape her campaigns, and offers practical advice for women in leadership: keep your voice loud, support your team, stay current, and step outside your comfort zone. Her path is a reminder that breaking stereotypes, staying curious, and trusting your instincts can lead to a purpose-driven and impactful career.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Quotes&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2:50 - One of my main goals at that age was basically to love what I do and to wake up happy to go to work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 3:09 - We are very problem-solving oriented and very analytical. And that helps a lot when it comes to developing a career in marketing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 6:02 - I believe basically that when it comes to workplaces, I think females and males have different mentalities of how they handle specific situation challenges. And it&amp;apos;s usually that I think men have been more empowered to take leaps into uncomfortable zones. But women always do more calculated uh risks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 9:15 - We hired the right people, delivering the right quality of work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 10:52 - It&amp;apos;s keeping yourself busy and never giving up, no matter what you&amp;apos;re doing. Sometimes a small&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: &lt;a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'&gt;https://thematrixgreenpill.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Please review us: &lt;a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'&gt;https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

About Ayah Yahia AlRashdan   Ayah Yahia AlRashdan is a marketing strategist and leader who blends engineering-level analytical thinking with a deep understanding of culture, people, and place. Born in Jordan and raised in Qatar, she earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering before pivoting into marketing through an MBA in Malaysia, where she also landed her first role in the industry. Over the past 15 years, Ayah has worked across government, private sector, startups, and SMEs, bui...

#274 How Ayah Yahia AlRashdan Built Teams, Campaigns, And Confidence Across Cultures

About Arno Gazo Arno Gazo is a French-born explorer, mindfulness practitioner, and the founder of Away Expedition, a platform dedicated to helping people reconnect with their inner truth through nature-based experiences. After building a financially successful real estate business in the UAE, Arno chose to step away from achievement-driven living and immerse himself in silence, nature, and self-discovery.His work revolves around immersive 24-hour desert journeys, silent walking practices, and The Silent Box — a portable nature-inspired activation designed to bring the transformative power of stillness into cities, offices, malls, and events. Arno’s approach blends adventure, awareness, and mindful surrender, guiding people to access clarity, peace, and intuition by disconnecting from mental noise and returning to the essence of being. About this Episode Arno shares the inner shift that moved him from material success to a life rooted in awareness and purpose. After reaching financial freedom through real estate, he stepped into the unknown with “an empty cup,” letting go of metrics, milestones, and external validation. That journey sparked the creation of Away Expedition, where he now leads one-on-one 24-hour silent desert immersions designed to help people reconnect with themselves.We explore how the desert becomes a profound teacher — a place where you cannot escape, where acceptance replaces resistance, and where silence reveals the truths our busy minds drown out. Arno explains why grounding through breath, observation, and stillness leads to deeper insight, and why so many people struggle to slow down in a world of noise, speed, and comparison.He also introduces The Silent Box, a six-minute nature simulation that brings sensory calm into urban environments. Arno shares how this compact experience helps people face fears, reset mentally, and access a glimpse of the awareness they would gain in the desert — making it an accessible tool for workplaces, events, and public spaces.We discuss how living in harmony with nature fosters authenticity over appearances, why intuition becomes louder when external influence fades, and how micro-actions can help even the busiest high achievers cultivate presence. Arno also talks about his two “green pill” moments: the first as an intern longing for freedom, and the second when he finally reached financial independence and realized it still wasn’t the ultimate goal. Quotes1:29 - I connect people with nature to help them feel calmer, clearer, and more alive. 2:53 - I learned to discover what&apos;s beyond these things by going into a journey of letting go. And I was open to whatever would come. 3:23 - I&apos;d rather invest in someone who vibrates good energy and inspires communities instead of someone making millions selling weapons. 4:24 - When we learn to cope with nature, this is like learning to cope with our own mind. And mastering living in these environments, which are tough, equals mastering our own mind.5:45 - Instead of being angry, sad, or depressed because of the situation, we learn to center ourselves, observe, and accept reality as it is. And then the immersion is, and the more we surrender. 8:34 - If you are in harmony with nature, you wouldn&apos;t resort to promoting chaos. 10:00 - The greatest teacher I found is silence and nature. It taught me to find truth within, to listen to what I&apos;ve not been able to hear because of the opinions of others. We might call this intuition. 10:56 - One of the reasons that illnesses happen is because of this inability to connect with the essence and find alignment. 15The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: <a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'>https://thematrixgreenpill.com/</a> Please review us: <a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'>https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Arno Gazo&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Arno Gazo is a French-born explorer, mindfulness practitioner, and the founder of Away Expedition, a platform dedicated to helping people reconnect with their inner truth through nature-based experiences. After building a financially successful real estate business in the UAE, Arno chose to step away from achievement-driven living and immerse himself in silence, nature, and self-discovery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His work revolves around immersive 24-hour desert journeys, silent walking practices, and The Silent Box — a portable nature-inspired activation designed to bring the transformative power of stillness into cities, offices, malls, and events. Arno’s approach blends adventure, awareness, and mindful surrender, guiding people to access clarity, peace, and intuition by disconnecting from mental noise and returning to the essence of being.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;About this Episode&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Arno shares the inner shift that moved him from material success to a life rooted in awareness and purpose. After reaching financial freedom through real estate, he stepped into the unknown with “an empty cup,” letting go of metrics, milestones, and external validation. That journey sparked the creation of Away Expedition, where he now leads one-on-one 24-hour silent desert immersions designed to help people reconnect with themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We explore how the desert becomes a profound teacher — a place where you cannot escape, where acceptance replaces resistance, and where silence reveals the truths our busy minds drown out. Arno explains why grounding through breath, observation, and stillness leads to deeper insight, and why so many people struggle to slow down in a world of noise, speed, and comparison.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He also introduces The Silent Box, a six-minute nature simulation that brings sensory calm into urban environments. Arno shares how this compact experience helps people face fears, reset mentally, and access a glimpse of the awareness they would gain in the desert — making it an accessible tool for workplaces, events, and public spaces.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We discuss how living in harmony with nature fosters authenticity over appearances, why intuition becomes louder when external influence fades, and how micro-actions can help even the busiest high achievers cultivate presence. Arno also talks about his two “green pill” moments: the first as an intern longing for freedom, and the second when he finally reached financial independence and realized it still wasn’t the ultimate goal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Quotes&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1:29 - I connect people with nature to help them feel calmer, clearer, and more alive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 2:53 - I learned to discover what&amp;apos;s beyond these things by going into a journey of letting go. And I was open to whatever would come.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 3:23 - I&amp;apos;d rather invest in someone who vibrates good energy and inspires communities instead of someone making millions selling weapons.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 4:24 - When we learn to cope with nature, this is like learning to cope with our own mind. And mastering living in these environments, which are tough, equals mastering our own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;5:45 - Instead of being angry, sad, or depressed because of the situation, we learn to center ourselves, observe, and accept reality as it is. And then the immersion is, and the more we surrender.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 8:34 - If you are in harmony with nature, you wouldn&amp;apos;t resort to promoting chaos.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 10:00 - The greatest teacher I found is silence and nature. It taught me to find truth within, to listen to what I&amp;apos;ve not been able to hear because of the opinions of others. We might call this intuition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 10:56 - One of the reasons that illnesses happen is because of this inability to connect with the essence and find alignment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 15&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: &lt;a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'&gt;https://thematrixgreenpill.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Please review us: &lt;a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'&gt;https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

About Arno Gazo  Arno Gazo is a French-born explorer, mindfulness practitioner, and the founder of Away Expedition, a platform dedicated to helping people reconnect with their inner truth through nature-based experiences. After building a financially successful real estate business in the UAE, Arno chose to step away from achievement-driven living and immerse himself in silence, nature, and self-discovery. His work revolves around immersive 24-hour desert journeys, silent walking practices, a...

#273 Arno Gazo: Walking Into The Desert Can Teach You More Than Years Of Hustle

About Georgina Pereira Georgina Pereira is the Manager of Species Survival at Expo City Dubai, where she plays a leading role in establishing the world’s first IUCN Center for Species Survival dedicated to fungi. Georgina blends a deep love for biodiversity with a mission to elevate one of the planet’s most overlooked kingdoms.Her path to conservation was anything but ordinary. Georgina trained as a lawyer before realizing the career she had pursued for years no longer aligned with her purpose. Living with ADHD added another layer to her journey, shaping how she works, learns, and hyper-focuses on what truly excites her. A slow, intentional reconnection with nature during the COVID years brought her back to her childhood fascination with mushrooms—and ultimately set her on a new scientific path.Today, Georgina is a voice for the “missing kingdom,” championing fungi’s role in ecosystems, bioinnovation, climate resilience, and community engagement. Her passion has taken her from the courtroom to the desert, the laboratory, and even the TED stage, where she shared her story of reinvention, curiosity, and purpose. About This Episode In this episode, Georgina takes us inside her remarkable career shift—from the fast-paced world of litigation to the hidden world of fungi. She shares how growing up in Dubai taught her resilience and adaptability, and how navigating ADHD helped her understand what truly lights her up.Georgina talks about the deeply personal moment that pushed her to walk away from law, slow down, and rediscover her connection to nature. That shift led her to biodiversity, mycology, and eventually a leadership role in global conservation—proving that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to the most authentic purpose.She explains why fungi are so much more than mushrooms, revealing how these organisms can break down plastics, clean contaminated soil, and even revolutionize the fashion industry through mycelium-based textiles. Georgina also shares the mission behind the UAE’s first national macrofungal checklist and why community involvement is key to mapping the country’s fungal diversity.From imposter syndrome in STEM to finding joy in being “a little bit weird,” Georgina offers grounded advice for young women in science and honest reflections on what resilience truly means. Her story is a powerful reminder that slowing down can help you find your way back to the life you were meant to live.Quotes2:27 - I realized very quickly that for the things that I did find passionate and like sort of curiosity around, I just wanted to do more. And so, I think ADHD sort of really helped me figure out what it was that I prioritized as being important for me. 4:33- I started to look at what mattered the most to me and I started to really find biodiversity as my calling as a child. 9:29 - I think the most mind-blowing thing that I figured out is that everything I look at, everything around me, is somehow connected back to fungi. 11:41- I very quickly realized that if you&apos;re truly, truly passionate about something, the way you find those answers are not necessarily in what people might seem as mainstream ways to be able to find answers. 11:58 - It&apos;s just understanding that you can channel that passion in whatever way you&apos;d like, figure out creative solutions for problems that might currently exist. 12:18 - Never think that it might not be something that&apos;s not your cup of tea just because one of the subjects aren&apos;t necessarily the best for you. 12:39 - Keep trotting along, keep trotting along. And if it doesn&apos;t quite work for you, figure out The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: <a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'>https://thematrixgreenpill.com/</a> Please review us: <a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'>https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;About Georgina Pereira&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Georgina Pereira is the Manager of Species Survival at Expo City Dubai, where she plays a leading role in establishing the world’s first IUCN Center for Species Survival dedicated to fungi. Georgina blends a deep love for biodiversity with a mission to elevate one of the planet’s most overlooked kingdoms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Her path to conservation was anything but ordinary. Georgina trained as a lawyer before realizing the career she had pursued for years no longer aligned with her purpose. Living with ADHD added another layer to her journey, shaping how she works, learns, and hyper-focuses on what truly excites her. A slow, intentional reconnection with nature during the COVID years brought her back to her childhood fascination with mushrooms—and ultimately set her on a new scientific path.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Today, Georgina is a voice for the “missing kingdom,” championing fungi’s role in ecosystems, bioinnovation, climate resilience, and community engagement. Her passion has taken her from the courtroom to the desert, the laboratory, and even the TED stage, where she shared her story of reinvention, curiosity, and purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;About This Episode&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Georgina takes us inside her remarkable career shift—from the fast-paced world of litigation to the hidden world of fungi. She shares how growing up in Dubai taught her resilience and adaptability, and how navigating ADHD helped her understand what truly lights her up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Georgina talks about the deeply personal moment that pushed her to walk away from law, slow down, and rediscover her connection to nature. That shift led her to biodiversity, mycology, and eventually a leadership role in global conservation—proving that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to the most authentic purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She explains why fungi are so much more than mushrooms, revealing how these organisms can break down plastics, clean contaminated soil, and even revolutionize the fashion industry through mycelium-based textiles. Georgina also shares the mission behind the UAE’s first national macrofungal checklist and why community involvement is key to mapping the country’s fungal diversity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From imposter syndrome in STEM to finding joy in being “a little bit weird,” Georgina offers grounded advice for young women in science and honest reflections on what resilience truly means. Her story is a powerful reminder that slowing down can help you find your way back to the life you were meant to live.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Quotes&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2:27 - I realized very quickly that for the things that I did find passionate and like sort of curiosity around, I just wanted to do more. And so, I think ADHD sort of really helped me figure out what it was that I prioritized as being important for me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 4:33- I started to look at what mattered the most to me and I started to really find biodiversity as my calling as a child.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 9:29 - I think the most mind-blowing thing that I figured out is that everything I look at, everything around me, is somehow connected back to fungi.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 11:41-&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;I very quickly realized that if you&amp;apos;re truly, truly passionate about something, the way you find those answers are not necessarily in what people might seem as mainstream ways to be able to find answers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 11:58 - It&amp;apos;s just understanding that you can channel that passion in whatever way you&amp;apos;d like, figure out creative solutions for problems that might currently exist.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 12:18 - Never think that it might not be something that&amp;apos;s not your cup of tea just because one of the subjects aren&amp;apos;t necessarily the best for you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 12:39 - Keep trotting along, keep trotting along. And if it doesn&amp;apos;t quite work for you, figure out &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: &lt;a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'&gt;https://thematrixgreenpill.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Please review us: &lt;a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'&gt;https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

 About Georgina Pereira   Georgina Pereira is the Manager of Species Survival at Expo City Dubai, where she plays a leading role in establishing the world’s first IUCN Center for Species Survival dedicated to fungi. Georgina blends a deep love for biodiversity with a mission to elevate one of the planet’s most overlooked kingdoms. Her path to conservation was anything but ordinary. Georgina trained as a lawyer before realizing the career she had pursued for years no longer aligned with h...

#272 From Law to Fungi: How Georgina Pereira Found Purpose in the Missing Kingdom

About Brittany Garth Freeman Brittany Garth Freeman is a digital marketing entrepreneur, business coach, and global speaker focused on women-centric brands. After starting in social work, she pivoted in 2014 and built Pinq Inc. into a multi-location agency with offices in Atlanta, Miami, and London. Her work and story have been featured on stages including TEDx, Amazon Prime’s The Blocks, the Women’s Economic Forum, and Cornell University. She is a Forbes Coaches Council member and the first person in the U.S. to receive a live coaching industry proclamation from the Governor of Virginia.Brittany’s mission is rooted in empowerment with execution. She launched Pinq University, a free self-paced learning platform for women who need mentorship and skills training, and developed a coaching certification that is now licensed at the university level. About this Episode Brittany traces her journey from unpaid nonprofit work and near-homelessness to leading a seven-figure agency. The turning point came when early clients asked not just for motivation, but for the “how.” Teaching herself organic marketing on a shoestring, she proved the playbook, then began building it for others.We cover how she scaled Pinq Inc. across three cities, why she serves women-led brands, and the mindset that sustains growth: choose clarity over comparison, build systems and funnels, and set expectations before you chase reach. Brittany explains why viral moments can expand awareness but rarely deliver scale on their own, and why today’s influencer marketing favors authentic UGC creators and lifestyle content over celebrity endorsements.She unpacks Pinq University’s free curriculum and mentorship time, her now-licensed coaching certification, and the new CEO Social Club that blends education, networking, travel &amp; tech perks, and partner access. Brittany also shares her pandemic pivot, when a shuttered coworking space could have ended the story, but instead sharpened her focus and tripled profits.Quotes2:30 - I wanted to work exclusively with women at the time. I wanted to empower women. 5:06 - I learned. I read a lot of books, able to test different theories to see what worked. 6:23 - My goal is always going to be about supporting women, no matter, you know, what level that they&apos;re at financially.8:08 - Making sure that I am centering their expectations is the number one thing.9:09 - You gotta have the tools. You have to have the actual system in place to make it to wherever it is that you&apos;re looking to go. Nothing is overnight right now. So, setting expectations is truly where you have to start.10:09 - I&apos;m a real big advocate on making sure that you&apos;re saying the right things to yourself and you&apos;re pouring back into yourself as much as possible because it can be tough, but you can&apos;t let your emotions to dictate what you&apos;re going to do about your future.13:09 - It&apos;s all about leading with authentic creators, not creators that have millions of followers. That&apos;s not really working like it used to.13:44 – Get clear before you become an entrepreneur because it’s a 24-7 job. 14:35 - If you&apos;re not passionate about it, you can&apos;t dream, you can&apos;t see past what&apos;s in front of you at the current moment. It is going to be difficult for you to want to continue on with that business.20:06 - We shouldn&apos;t rely too much on others empowering us. That&apos;s great if we have that, but it should be really self-centered as far as our empowerment.22:48 - What I learned was that I was powerful enough to pivot, that we weren&apos;t just crumbling. We weren&apos;t just gonna letThe Matrix Green Pill Podcast: <a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'>https://thematrixgreenpill.com/</a> Please review us: <a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'>https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;About Brittany Garth Freeman&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Brittany Garth Freeman is a digital marketing entrepreneur, business coach, and global speaker focused on women-centric brands. After starting in social work, she pivoted in 2014 and built Pinq Inc. into a multi-location agency with offices in Atlanta, Miami, and London. Her work and story have been featured on stages including TEDx, Amazon Prime’s &lt;em&gt;The Blocks&lt;/em&gt;, the Women’s Economic Forum, and Cornell University. She is a Forbes Coaches Council member and the first person in the U.S. to receive a live coaching industry proclamation from the Governor of Virginia.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Brittany’s mission is rooted in empowerment with execution. She launched Pinq University, a free self-paced learning platform for women who need mentorship and skills training, and developed a coaching certification that is now licensed at the university level.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;About this Episode&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Brittany traces her journey from unpaid nonprofit work and near-homelessness to leading a seven-figure agency. The turning point came when early clients asked not just for motivation, but for the “how.” Teaching herself organic marketing on a shoestring, she proved the playbook, then began building it for others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We cover how she scaled Pinq Inc. across three cities, why she serves women-led brands, and the mindset that sustains growth: choose clarity over comparison, build systems and funnels, and set expectations before you chase reach. Brittany explains why viral moments can expand awareness but rarely deliver scale on their own, and why today’s influencer marketing favors authentic UGC creators and lifestyle content over celebrity endorsements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She unpacks Pinq University’s free curriculum and mentorship time, her now-licensed coaching certification, and the new CEO Social Club that blends education, networking, travel &amp;amp; tech perks, and partner access. Brittany also shares her pandemic pivot, when a shuttered coworking space could have ended the story, but instead sharpened her focus and tripled profits.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Quotes&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2:30 - I wanted to work exclusively with women at the time. I wanted to empower women.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 5:06 - I learned. I read a lot of books, able to test different theories to see what worked. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;6:23 -&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;My goal is always going to be about supporting women, no matter, you know, what level that they&amp;apos;re at financially.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;8:08 - Making sure that I am centering their expectations is the number one thing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;9:09 - You gotta have the tools. You have to have the actual system in place to make it to wherever it is that you&amp;apos;re looking to go. Nothing is overnight right now. So, setting expectations is truly where you have to start.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;10:09 - I&amp;apos;m a real big advocate on making sure that you&amp;apos;re saying the right things to yourself and you&amp;apos;re pouring back into yourself as much as possible because it can be tough, but you can&amp;apos;t let your emotions to dictate what you&amp;apos;re going to do about your future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;13:09 -&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;It&amp;apos;s all about leading with authentic creators, not creators that have millions of followers. That&amp;apos;s not really working like it used to.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;13:44 – Get clear before you become an entrepreneur because it’s a 24-7 job.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; 14:35 - If you&amp;apos;re not passionate about it, you can&amp;apos;t dream, you can&amp;apos;t see past what&amp;apos;s in front of you at the current moment. It is going to be difficult for you to want to continue on with that business.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;20:06 - We shouldn&amp;apos;t rely too much on others empowering us. That&amp;apos;s great if we have that, but it should be really self-centered as far as our empowerment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;22:48 - What I learned was that I was powerful enough to pivot, that we weren&amp;apos;t just crumbling. We weren&amp;apos;t just gonna let&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: &lt;a href='https://thematrixgreenpill.com/'&gt;https://thematrixgreenpill.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Please review us: &lt;a href='https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review'&gt;https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

 About Brittany Garth Freeman   Brittany Garth Freeman is a digital marketing entrepreneur, business coach, and global speaker focused on women-centric brands. After starting in social work, she pivoted in 2014 and built Pinq Inc. into a multi-location agency with offices in Atlanta, Miami, and London. Her work and story have been featured on stages including TEDx, Amazon Prime’s The Blocks, the Women’s Economic Forum, and Cornell University. She is a Forbes Coaches Council member and th...

#271 How Brittany Freeman Turned A Crisis Into A Marketing Empire

Marhaba and welcome to the Matrix Green Pill, where real people connect to bring you stories of change, inspiration, and achievements. This Dubai podcast weaves an incredible journey of diverse innovators, entrepreneurs, and influencers who are shaping the future of the middle east region in their own unique way! Tune in every Wednesday for intriguing conversations and actionable tips from the UAE. https://thematrixgreenpill.com/

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