Connector of Talent and Success 💼 | Empowering Businesses to Thrive through People | Culture Growth Strategist | Coach | Writer | HR leader | #1 LinkedIn Belgium | Top #150 LinkedIn 🌍

Who I help: Ambitious introverts and people-first companies

Problems: Visibility without burnout, quiet leadership, culture that enables deep work

Outcomes: Promotions, role transitions, retention, high-trust cultures

STRATEGIC HR LEADER AND COACH WITH HANDS-ON APPROACH AIMING FOR THE BEST EMPLOYEE/BUSINESS EXPERIENCE - INTROVERT ADVOCATE

International HR Executive passionate about the link between employee experience and business dynamics. Combining a strong focus on strategic thinking and planning with a structured and factual hands-on approach. A positive well connected team coach with a natural sense of empowering team members in a spirit of challenge, learning and mutual recognition. Sound decision making capabilities based on critical reflections within companies focusing on innovation, change, digital transformation and learning.

A. Group HR Director Alter Pharma (200 FTE - BE/IRL/US) – private equity backed firm defining & implementing HR strategy (from strategy to operations) including definition of mission/vision/strategy & values.
B. Global HR Business Partner BU Kerley international/Tessenderlo Group (+/-300 employees - 11 countries) developing/transforming key HR processes (talent resource planning, talent acquisition, performance management, competency management, learning, reward,..) - HR project lead new factory Rouen, France. 
C. Global HR Executive SWIFT (+/- 3.000 employees in +25 countries) transforming/coaching business and HR into new ways of (digital) working/thinking to improve the employee and business experience 
D. Global Head of Reward Tessenderlo Group (+/- 5.000 employees in +25 countries) - strategic development/transformation reward strategy
E. Development new holistic performance management framework for Tessenderlo Group, including full implementation recognition stream.
F. HR Project Manager : move of the Chiquita EME Headquarters from Belgium to Switzerland (social plan negotiations, c&b setup, recruitment, mobility, new policy/process design,...)

Professional coaching certification Better Minds at Work               2018 - 2019
Centre for Creative Leadership - senior leadership program           Q1-2 2018
Management Development Programme Vlerick (17 days)		  2010 - 2011
Strategic Compensation & Benefits Management, Vlerick 		  2007      
Master degree in Law&Taxation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven    1997 - 1998

Steven Claes

She had the highest retention in the company.
They passed her over twice.

The feedback? "Needs more presence in leadership meetings."

But when I dug deeper:
→ Her teams stayed longer than anyone else's
→ Her projects delivered early, consistently
→ Her cross-functional relationships were the strongest in the division

She wasn't lacking presence. The organization hadn't learned to recognize her kind of leadership yet.

I've watched this play out for 20 years as a CHRO.

The quiet leader gets labeled "not a team player." The thoughtful contributor gets told to "speak up more." The one who needs processing time gets dinged for lacking executive presence.

Meanwhile, they're the ones noticing what everyone else missed. Thinking three steps ahead while others are still talking through step one. Building relationships that actually matter instead of collecting business cards.

We're not shy. We're not stuck up.
We're listening. Observing. Taking it in before we speak.

And if an introvert opens up to you? Know that trust was carefully given.

Your way of showing up isn't wrong. It's just different, and often exactly what your team needs.

📩 Daily success as an introvert? These are the techniques I swear by: 
https://lnkd.in/eSdKpkMs

🔁 Know an underrated introvert? Repost this to remind them they’re not alone.

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CHRO | Introvert Advocate | Career Growth for Ambitious Introverts | HR Leadership Coach | Writer | Newsletter: The A+ Introvert (60% Open Rate)

Your workplace was not designed for you.

Not if you're an introvert.
And no one wants to talk about it.

You have no idea what storms people are walking through. But for introverts, the workplace often adds to the storm instead of offering shelter.

Every day you're fighting a quiet battle.
Meetings that drain you.
Open plans that scatter your focus.
The constant pressure to "be more visible."

You just want to do good work without exhausting yourself.

The truth is most introverts are walking through storms alone. And no one sees it.
➟ They deliver excellent work, then watch someone louder get the credit
➟ Back-to-back meetings leave zero time to recover
➟ They hear "speak up more" when their strength is thoughtful contribution

Ping pong tables and pizza Fridays?
Nice. But they do not fix what's actually draining you.

"Be more visible" and "network more"?
That advice ignores how introverts actually build influence.

What introverts need to do their best work:
✅ Leaders who value depth over volume
✅ Recognition for written work, not just who speaks loudest in meetings
✅ Meeting-free blocks for actual focus time
✅ Permission to recharge without feeling guilty about it
✅ Career paths that do not require constant performance
✅ Time for thoughtful processing before decisions
✅ Cultures where reflection counts as much as quick reaction

This is what makes introverts want to stay.
A workplace that honours different strengths.
That recognises quiet confidence.
Where people succeed without burning out by Tuesday.

What is ONE thing your workplace does (or does not do) that makes the biggest difference for you?

🔁 Repost this if you want to support introverts in your network.
📩 My weekly A+Introvert Newsletter → see profile 👆 or featured section

They said I was too much.
Turns out they were too limited.

A brilliant CHRO told me recently: "Steven, I've spent 15 years toning down my opinions, holding back, pretending shallow conversations were enough when depth is all I've ever craved."

I understood immediately.

I've lived it too.

Softened my directness to seem "diplomatic."
Smoothed my edges to appear "approachable."
Pretended small talk satisfied me when I was hungry for real connection.

And I ended up feeling like an outsider.

Because I WAS an outsider in places where I'd shrunk myself just to belong.

The pond people have labeled me:

→ Too quiet (meaning: you're hard to read, and that unsettles me)
→ Too direct (meaning: you skip the performance, and I can't handle that)
→ Too intense (meaning: you make me think, and I'd rather not)
→ Too ambitious the "wrong way" (meaning: you chase impact, not just visibility)

But two decades as a CHRO taught me this: Every time you shrink yourself, you train people to expect less from you.

When you're constantly making yourself smaller:
→ You attract relationships that require you to stay small
→ You master the art of being less than you are
→ You construct a career that fits everyone but you

I once believed the introvert advantage meant networking like an extrovert. Speaking louder. Being more visible.

I was wrong.

The true advantage? Recognizing that your need for substance IS your value.

When I stopped apologizing for choosing depth over surface, everything shifted.

1️⃣ You stop dimming your light so others feel comfortable in their mediocrity.

2️⃣ You surround yourself with people who see your intensity as integrity.

3️⃣ You discover your tribe. The ones who view thoughtfulness as strength, not a flaw to fix.

The teams needing someone to navigate complexity? They relied on me.
The cultures hungry for authentic leadership? They found me.

But only because I showed up fully. Not the diluted version.

Not everyone can handle you at full strength.
That's not yours to fix.

The people meant for you? They'll swim out to meet you in deep water, even if it scares them.

The rest will stay on shore, insisting the ocean is "too much."

Let them.

If you're an ocean, stop shrinking yourself into a pond.

If you're built for depth, you don't have a career problem.
You have a boundary problem.

The moment you address that, everything transforms.

As 2026 starts: Which boundary will you finally protect in the year ahead?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share if you're an ocean refusing to become a pond

📩 Join Weekly depth in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

Years ago, I watched HR let someone go for being "too quiet."
I was once that quiet person too.

The official reasoning?
"Lacks energy."
"Not aligned with our culture."

But after twenty years leading teams, I've learned what genuine enthusiasm actually looks like:

Arrives prepared.
Delivers excellent work.
Communicates with clarity.
Elevates others.

That's what deserves recognition.

Yet too many organizations still reward:
• Volume over substance
• Reaction over reflection
• Perception over results

I've been in those performance conversations.
I've read the carefully worded feedback.
I've watched exceptional people walk away because they weren't loud enough.

Excellence doesn't require a spotlight.
Impact doesn't demand a stage.
Results outweigh small talk every time.

We get it wrong when we:
• Label quiet as a weakness
• Treat extroversion as the culture standard
• Mistake personality for capability

Genuine enthusiasm shows up as:
✓ Reliability
✓ Craftsmanship
✓ Steady presence
✓ Measurable impact

The strongest teams don't pick between energy and depth.
They embrace both.

They need you. Whether quiet or loud.

Stop penalizing quiet excellence.
Start tracking what actually matters.

As we step into 2026: What will you measure differently this year?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share if you believe quiet work deserves loud recognition

📩 Weekly insights for ambitious introverts in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

"Don't fall in love with success. Fall in love with the habits that bring success."

That would've saved me years.

Twenty years ago, I was the ambitious introvert.
Crushing tasks. Exceeding targets. Getting nowhere.

Then my mentor pulled me aside.
"You're winning battles. But you're losing the war."

I was working harder than anyone else in the room.
But I was still invisible.

Success is borrowed. Habits are owned.

The project you deliver? That's success.
The deep work that made it brilliant? That's a habit.

The recognition you earn? Success.
The daily rituals that keep you going? Habit.

Chase success without habits, and you're building a career on sand.
Build the right habits, and success has no choice but to follow.

Quiet leaders who last do not fall in love with the spotlight.
They fall in love with:

⏰ Morning routines that protect their energy
🚫 Calendar blocks that make space for focused work
🤔 Time for reflection that sharpens judgment
📚 Reading habits that widen perspective
🛡️Boundaries that preserve their sanity

Promotions can be delayed.
Bonuses can be cut.
Recognition can be missed.

But habits?
They compound.
They decide who you become.

The introvert's edge isn't volume.
It's systems that keep working when the noise fades.
__________
Repost if you're done proving yourself and ready to build yourself

I built some tools for Introverts around exactly this. https://lnkd.in/eSdKpkMs

Mohit Valecha 🧢

They told me to fix my introversion.
I redesigned my environment instead.

As one year ends and another begins, this feels worth repeating:

We're introverts. Not broken. Just wired differently.

I spent two decades as a CHRO watching the same cycle repeat.
The loudest voices got attention while the deepest thinkers got overlooked.

Quick reactions earned praise. Thoughtful strategies got buried in the noise.

That's when it clicked.

We don't compete on volume. We compete on depth.

We form fewer bonds but stronger ones.
Not because we struggle to connect widely, but because we choose connection intentionally.

We restore in stillness.
We discover power in pause.

This isn't weakness. It's strategy.

We're not hiding or hesitant.
We're preserving our energy for what truly matters.

The data confirms what we've always sensed:

• Introverted leaders achieve significantly higher team retention because we listen more than we speak
• We excel in complex problem-solving because we reflect before we act
• Our deep work generates far more innovation because we prioritize substance over speed

Depth outperforms width. Always.

What I want you to understand:

➡️ Your need for constant stimulation isn't our burden.
➡️ Your discomfort with silence isn't our crisis.
➡️ And your definition of success isn't our roadmap.

If we let you in, you've earned it.

Not through persistence or pressure,
but through respect.
Through substance.
Through recognizing that our boundaries aren't walls. They're filters.

➡️ We're not antisocial. We're selectively social.
➡️ We're not slow. We're thorough.
➡️ We're not cold. We're intentional.

In a world drowning in noise, that's not a limitation.

That's an edge.

Stop trying to fix us. We were never broken.

As you step into 2026: What boundary will you protect to honor your energy this year?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it if you're proudly wired differently

📩 Start the new year with one insight per week in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

Networking like an extrovert nearly cost me everything.

More events.
More coffee chats.
More small talk with people I'd never see again.

I thought more connections meant more opportunities.

I was wrong.

What I actually built was exhaustion.
And a contact list full of people I barely remembered.

When I finally dropped that belief, everything changed.

I stopped chasing quantity.
Started protecting my energy.
Invested in fewer people, went way deeper with each one.

The networking events I skipped?
Cost me nothing.

The shallow connections I let go?
Made room for the ones I actually need.

After 20 years as a CHRO, I've watched too many introverts burn out trying to play the extrovert game.

The ones who thrive?

They stop forcing what drains them.
They build their network around how they actually work best.

This weekend, try this:

→ Text one person who genuinely energises you. No agenda. Just checking in.
→ Say no to one thing you were going to push yourself through.
→ Spend 10 minutes in stillness. Introverts don't recharge in crowds. They recharge in quiet.

Letting go of the wrong approach is not giving up.
It's making space for the right one.

What's one thing you're letting go of this weekend?

💚 Happy Friday, friends.

♻️ Repost if you believe success should never require self-erasure.

💌 I write the A+ Introvert Newsletter. Weekly insights for introverts who lead quietly and build deeply. No fluff, ever.→https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

The fastest way to lose your best people?
Oversee every decision they make.

You didn't bring in talented minds to monitor them.
You brought them in to lead, solve, and deliver.

But the moment trust disappears:
→ Motivation drops
→ Creativity freezes
→ They quietly start exploring options

🚨 Micromanagement damages more than output.

It corrodes culture from the inside.

What it actually does to your team:

• Drives your strongest performers toward the exit
• Creates resentment simmering under the surface
• Shuts down creativity before it starts
• Produces stress, then exhaustion
• Delays every single decision
• Swaps clarity for anxiety
• Fractures trust
• Kills loyalty
• Breeds fear

Now flip the approach.

When you choose trust over control:

✅ Energy rises
✅ Ideas start flowing
✅ Teams gain momentum
✅ Ownership begins to multiply
✅ Your culture becomes a magnet for talent
✅ Collaboration happens naturally and consistently

Great leadership isn't about oversight.
It's about belief.

Hire well.
Point the direction.
Then get out of the way.

As we head into 2026, a reflection worth carrying into the new year.

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it with a leader who could use the reminder

📩 Weekly leadership insights in The A+Introvert Newsletter: see link in my profile

Stop trying to fix introverts.

In 20 years as an HR leader, I’ve seen companies burn millions trying to turn quiet leaders into loud ones.

It doesn’t work. It pushes your best people out the door.

What introverts need is not what most managers think.

⬇️ Swipe through to see the difference.

💾 Save/Share this before your next 1:1.

📩 Join the Free A+Introvert Newsletter for weekly bite-sized career tips → https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

What Workplaces Think Introverts Need (vs What We Need)

Kind leaders aren't weak.
They're strategic.

After 20+ years in HR, here's what the data actually shows about leading with kindness. And where most leaders miss the mark.

1. Balanced Care
✅ Caring for yourself to better care for others
❌ Self-sacrificing until you're drained
→ Well-rested leaders build teams with far less burnout.

2. Presence
✅ Creating safety through focused attention
❌ Avoiding hard conversations to stay "nice"
→ When people feel seen, oxytocin rises. Trust rewires.

3. Smart Support
✅ Challenging people to grow
❌ Solving their problems for them
→ Support without stretch weakens resilience on both sides.

4. Real Understanding
✅ Leading through shared experience
❌ Preaching from a pedestal
→ Empathy builds trust at a neurological level.

5. True Giving
✅ Acting from genuine generosity
❌ Helping out of guilt or pressure
→ Authentic kindness creates far deeper engagement than obligation.

6. Energy Boundaries
✅ Saying no to protect your yes
❌ Burning out through constant availability
→ Clear limits amplify leadership effectiveness.

7. Simple Truths
✅ Building trust through small, daily actions
❌ Relying on big gestures to fix gaps
→ Consistency compounds into culture.

8. Brain Chemistry
✅ Driving positive reactions through follow-through
❌ Using "kind" words without action
→ Kindness reshapes stress, performance, and trust.

The bottom line:
Kindness isn't softness.
It's a performance multiplier.

Which one made you rethink how you lead?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it with a leader who needs to see this

Introverts don't need fixing.
Your workplace culture does.

For 20 years, I watched companies try to "improve" their introverted employees.

They sent them to presentation skills workshops.
They placed them in open office layouts.
They nudged them toward noisy networking events.

But they missed what really needed changing.

Meeting norms that reward the loudest voice.
Brainstorms that drown out deep thinkers.
"Collaboration" that looks more like constant interruption.

When I was 32, a VP pulled me aside.
"You're too quiet. That'll hurt your career."

So I tried to become louder.
More visible.
More like everyone else.

Eventually I realized something important.

I wasn't the problem.
The environment was.

Today I'm a CHRO.
Still quiet.
Still thriving.

Not because I changed who I am,
but because I focused on changing the system.

If you're doing this:
❌ Telling introverts to speak up more
❌ Requiring constant collaboration
❌ Assuming quiet means disengaged
❌ Defining culture through happy hours
❌ Rewarding visibility over value

Try this instead:
✅ Send agendas in advance so they can prepare
✅ Start meetings with quiet time for written input
✅ Offer multiple ways to contribute, not just talking
✅ Create quiet zones for focused work
✅ Recognize the impact, not just who talks the most

The most innovative companies don't try to fix introverts.
They build environments where introverts can shine.

Quiet-friendly cultures boost productivity.
Written brainstorming surfaces better ideas.
And your next big idea might be sitting silently in the corner.

The companies losing top talent right now?
They're still trying to make introverts louder.

The ones winning?
They're creating spaces where every style can thrive.

If someone seems too quiet,
maybe the system is too noisy.

Stop trying to change them.
Start changing what's actually not working.

Because a culture that works for introverts
works better for everyone.

💬 What's one small change that could make your workplace more inclusive for quieter thinkers?

♻️ Share if you believe quiet leadership deserves more respect

📩 Join 100K+ ambitious introverts who get free weekly career tips: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

Introverts aren't broken.
They're built differently.

This isn't opinion.
It's neuroscience.

Swipe through the data:
10 slides. 1 perspective shift. 👇

What resonates most?

Mine is Slide 5.
(The leadership stat changed everything for me.)

What's yours?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it with an introvert who needs to see the science

📩 Want more like this? Subscribe to The A+Introvert newsletter (link in profile)

Your Brain On Introvert Mode (the shocking truth)

Burnout isn't about working too hard.
It's about pretending too much.

For introverts, the real crisis is not the workload.
It's performing extroversion 40 hours a week.

7 signs you're burning out from the performance:

1️⃣ Hiding in your car between meetings. 
→ This is not odd. It's survival mode.

2️⃣ "I'm fine!" when you're clearly not. 
→ The mask stays on. Always.

3️⃣ Your best work happens after everyone leaves. 
→ Because finally, you can stop performing.

4️⃣ Sunday night dread about people, not tasks. 
→ Your nervous system already knows what Monday brings.

5️⃣ Social battery dies by Tuesday. 
→ You're not weak. You're drained from acting all day.

6️⃣ Calls drain you more than the actual work. 
→ It's not the content. It's the constant "on" that kills you.

7️⃣ Recovery takes the whole weekend. 
→ Two days to recover from five is not a sustainable equation.

After 20 years in HR, I've watched this pattern destroy talented people.
Not because they weren't strong.
Because they were never given permission to stop pretending.

What helps (for you):
→ Block 10 minutes between meetings. Non-negotiable.
→ Replace one call with async. Protect your voice.
→ Batch high-contact tasks on specific days. Guard one deep-work block.
→ Stop apologizing for needing quiet to think.

What workplaces need to change:
→ Create meeting-free blocks for real work.
→ Default one weekly update to async instead of live.
→ Train managers to lead introverts: advance agendas, written input options.
→ Design offices with actual quiet spaces, not just open-plan buzz.

Your energy is real.
Your limits are legitimate.
Your need for space is not weakness.
It's wiring.

Which sign hit closest to home?

♻️ Repost to help introverts burning out in silence.

💌 Want to thrive without burning out: https://lnkd.in/eSdKpkMs

Being "always available" destroyed my best work.

My sharpest thinking happened at 6am before anyone could reach me.
My worst decisions came from back-to-back calls with no space to process.

For years I wore it like a badge of honor.
Responding within minutes.
Never missing a meeting.
Always on.

As a CHRO, I thought that's what leadership looked like.

I was wrong.

7 truths about introvert productivity:

🔋 90 uninterrupted minutes beat all-day availability
Research shows it takes 23 minutes to regain focus after an interruption.
This is where real work happens.
Not in constant collaboration.

🔋 Transition time is not optional
15 minutes between meetings to reset is not luxury.
It's how your brain works.

🔋 Alone time is strategic
Your brain recharges in quiet, not chaos.
Biology, not antisocial behavior.

🔋 Saying no is a productivity strategy
Three meetings with real substance beat twelve status updates.

🔋 Email beats video calls for most things
Async communication protects time for work that actually matters.

🔋 Morning energy is sacred
Give your peak hours to hard thinking.
Not admin.

🔋 Your calendar should reflect your nervous system
Not everyone else's expectations.

Productivity is not about doing more.
It's about protecting your energy for what actually matters.

♻️ Repost for the introvert doing real work after everyone leaves
📩 Weekly introvert career insights → https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

Stop forcing yourself to be "on" all day.

Your boss sees quiet.
Your close team sees hilarious.

Your network sees reserved.
Your best friend? Sees you acting like an extrovert.

And here's the thing.
Everyone holds a different version of you.
That is not broken. That is strategic.

➡️ When you are around people who give you energy, you show up fully. 
➡️ When you are around strangers or high-stakes rooms, your battery drains faster than you'd like.

This is not two people.
This is one person with limited energy making intentional choices about where to spend it.

Most introverts sabotage themselves trying to be the same everywhere.

So they either:
➡️ Exhaust themselves performing for everyone
➡️ Hide completely and wonder why nobody knows what they can do

Here is the breakthrough:

➡️ Stop trying to be consistent.
➡️ Start being intentional.

You are not broken because you go quiet at a conference.
➠ You are smart because you know the return on your energy investment.

You are not unfriendly because you skip happy hour.
➠ You are protecting your ability to show up fully in the meetings that actually matter.

You do not need to be the same version in every room.
You need to decide which rooms deserve your full energy.

What is one event or meeting you are going to skip this week, guilt-free?

♻️ Repost this for the introvert who needs permission to stop performing

Quiet leaders rarely get the spotlight.
But research from Harvard shows they lift team performance by 28% when their people take initiative.

As an introverted CHRO, I've witnessed what calm, focused leadership can achieve.

🔴 When introverts feel forced to act loud:
❌ Chasing visibility over substance
❌ Rushing decisions to appear confident
❌ Talking more, absorbing less
❌ Building wide networks without real connection
❌ Reacting quickly and missing the deeper point
❌ Filling silence because it feels uncomfortable
❌ Offering fast answers to seem sharp
❌ Prioritizing attention over understanding
❌ Overlooking signals from the team
❌ Burning out from playing a character

The cost adds up.
Leaders lose their sharpness.
Innovation stalls.
Morale fades.

That's not leadership. That's performance.

🟢 When introverts lead on their own terms:
✅ Staying grounded and leading with presence
✅ Deciding with clarity, not speed
✅ Listening before responding
✅ Cultivating deep trust
✅ Thinking first, acting second
✅ Leveraging silence strategically
✅ Making room for others to contribute
✅ Catching what others miss
✅ Remaining steady when pressure rises

This approach works.
Teams flourish.
Voices emerge.
Outcomes improve.

Extroverts bring momentum.
Introverts bring depth.
Both are essential.
But quiet leadership still gets undervalued.

I've led this way for two decades.
It works because it's real.

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it to remind others that quiet leaders belong at the table

📩 One introvert career insight per week in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

We promote the loudest voice.
Then wonder why teams burn out.

I've spent 20 years in leadership.
And I've watched brilliant introverts get overlooked again and again.

They didn't fall short.
They quietly pulled ahead.

Harvard and Wharton research tells us something most companies ignore. Introverted leaders drive:
➜ 28% higher productivity
➜ 84% more engagement
➜ 50% lower turnover

So why do we still mistake quiet for weak?

Because we've built systems that reward volume over value.
Visibility over results.
Performance over substance.

This carousel breaks down:
➜ What the data really says
➜ Why introverts make elite leaders
➜ How to lead with quiet confidence

The quiet ones in your meeting today?

They're not disengaged.
They're processing at a level most leaders never reach.

💾 Save this for your next leadership conversation.
♻️ Share if your culture still mistakes noise for leadership.

Your Team Thinks Quiet Means Weak (The Data Disagrees)

I stayed quiet in meetings for years.

Then one CEO told me:
"When you speak, I know it matters."

I'd spent years thinking my silence was a liability.
Turns out it was my edge.

Most communication advice for introverts?
"Just speak up more."

But more communication does not equal better communication.

⬇️ Swipe to learn how introverts turn quiet into influence.

💾 Save & repost this before your next meeting.
📩 Get my newsletter The A+ Introvert → link in carousel last page

Stop Apologizing For Not Speaking Up Immediately (Really)

Last year I collapsed on December 26th.
This year? I said no to three Christmas gatherings.

For years, I treated December like a survival marathon:
Every party. Every dinner. Every "quick drink" that drained three hours of energy.

I was everywhere. Present nowhere.

This year, I'm doing something radical for an introvert who spent 20 years performing "fine."

I'm protecting my energy like it actually matters.

—

What I'm DOUBLING DOWN on:

→ Strategic presence over constant visibility
2 gatherings. Inner circle only.
3-hour windows with recovery time. Not 6 events in 4 days.

→ Micro-recharge moments
Even during events, I step out.
10 minutes. Fresh air. Reset.

→ Saying no without guilt
"I'd love to, but I'm protecting my energy so I can show up fully where it matters."

—

What I'm STOPPING:

→ Showing up just to be seen
Exhaustion isn't a love language. Presence is.

→ Socializing out of obligation
If it's a "should," it's a no.

→ The myth of the holiday hero
They don't need me everywhere.
They need me present. Not performing.

—

Your energy isn't infinite.
Protecting it isn't selfish.
It's strategic.

What's one event you're skipping to protect your peace this season?

♻️ Share this with an introvert who needs this reminder.
🎄 Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating.

Happy New Year to the ones who did not make a highlight reel.

The ones who didn't launch the side hustle.
The ones who skipped the grind to protect their peace.
The ones who chose silence over sprints.

After 20 years in HR, I saw the same pattern every January 1.

Loud success gets rewarded.
Quiet progress gets overlooked.

If you didn't broadcast your wins, they didn't count.
If you took your time, you were "slow."

But here is what performance reviews still don't measure:

↳ The anxiety you carried into every meeting.
↳ The boundaries that protected your energy.
↳ The one hard conversation you finally had.
↳ The quiet leadership that changed someone's year.

If you ended 2025 exhausted instead of celebrated, this is for you.

You don't need a "New Year, New You."
You need more you.

↳ More aligned decisions.
↳ More intentional no's.
↳ More places that fit your nervous system.

In 2026, the goal is not to be louder.
It is to be truer.

You are not behind.
You are playing a game that was never built for you.

This year, build your own.

Happy New Year.

You as you are is enough to build on.

♻️ Know an introvert who needs this? Pass it on.

FastCo

As Chief Revenue Officer at FastCo, I am at the forefront of driving revenue growth and strategic expansion for our innovative platforms, FastJobs and FastGig, across Singapore and Malaysia. With a robust focus on global sales leadership, I cultivate high-performing teams and implement data-driven strategies that optimize market penetration and customer engagement. My responsibilities extend to overseeing integrated marketing initiatives and spearheading our new client acquisition, account management and business development efforts, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and maximizing ROI.

FastCo is Southeast Asia's fastest-growing mobile-first recruitment solution for non-executive and blue-collar roles. We operate FastJobs, Singapore's largest non-executive job portal, and FastGig, a workforce-on-demand platform. We help employers connect with a flexible workforce alongside the non-executive workforce of a total of 5.9 Mio job seekers in Singapore and Malaysia. Sit back, relax and let us find the right talent for your organization.

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)

Fractional CRO

VK Growth Company

Executive & High-Performance Coaching
I am Vanessa, your Transformation and Growth Partner.

In my life, everything seemed PICTURE-PERFECT:

A thriving career, a generous paycheck, an incredible team, a leadership team that believed in me, a supportive family, and the best set of friends. 

To the outside world, it appeared as though I had it all together.

Yet inside, behind this facade of success, I was really STRUGGLING.

I found myself constantly saying yes to everything, stuck in a cycle of overwork, stress and pressure, people-pleasing, and perfectionism. Despite outward appearances, I was failing to keep up.

While others saw me as thriving, internally, I was merely surviving.

The relentless pressure and expectations on myself had taken its toll: 

Professionally, I was experiencing BURNOUT, and personally, I was LOST.

But after a while this sparked something inside me. I knew I had to make a CHANGE.

Within 1 year, I’d retrained and got certified. 
I left my Managing Director role of a 500-person Scaleup.
And now run my own Growth Company.

A Coaching & Mentoring business working with high achieving leaders and teams to bring out the best in them and achieve HIGH, but AUTHENTIC PERFORMANCE.

Coaching them to leave behind…

✔️ Self-doubt, limiting beliefs, perfectionism and procrastination.
✔️ Improving their happiness and energy levels.
✔️ Restoring their confidence.
✔️ Tapping into their full potential.
✔️ Helping to find their purpose and passion.
✔️ Achieving a more sustainable and fulfilled career.
✔️ Driving long-term, meaningful and authentic SUCCESS.

DM me to learn more about our:
— Worth-Living Online Course
 — 1:1 P.I.V.O.T. Coaching Program

Founder & Executive Coach

Antler

Entrepreneur in Residence

OSOME

- Leading the sales & operational team of 200+ people in Singapore that provides high-quality corporate services (NPS score 60+) for 13,000+ clients
- Full Revenue & PnL responsibility of Osome’s biggest market (70% of all global Osome revenues)
- Grew the efficiency of the corporate secretary team to 2x by improving processes and defining product development priorities & roadmaps
- Set up quality assurance processes from scratch across the Singapore team leading to 30% complaints reduction

Osome provides a complete end-to-end business financial management solution combining all-in-one software with expert accountants. We give our entrepreneurs control of their business finances through an easy to use app and an expert accountant available whenever needed. Osome supports with Incorporation, Corporate Secretary, Accounting & Tax support and tools to take control of day to day finances, while dedicated accountants & tax advisors help our clients to increase profit, save money and become a more confident and financially well-versed entrepreneur. We service 10,000+ clients across Singapore, Hong Kong and United Kingdom.

Managing Director

- Built an A-class sales, customer service & partnerships team of 50 people within 2 years achieving 6.5% market share (3,500+ clients/year) in a very fragmented industry 
- Increased overall Singapore revenues by 5x within 2 years by setting up sales strategies, processes, KPIs & forecasts from scratch across the new sales, renewal sales & business development teams 
- Grew New Sales revenues by +15% by signing a strategic partnership with Aspire (US$300B internet economy) 
- Scaled Osome White label solution to 200 partners bringing over 1,500 clients and more than US$3m in revenue at a CAC that was 6x lower than the company average

VP Commercial Operations & Partnerships

Covus Group

Venture: WeQ Global
- Overachieved a multi million revenues quota by 150% by driving innovative Direct Mobile Advertiser Sales & Business Development activities across various verticals (m-commerce, gaming, travel, utilities, finance)
- Increased deal conversion by +44% through the implementation of scalable sales processes, tools and sales strategies in Korea, Japan, SEA, UK & Germany
- Grew the team to 16 international Business Development Managers from all around the world
- Was responsible for all global Direct Mobile Advertiser Sales and Business Development activities across various verticals (m-commerce, gaming, travel, utilities, finance) with direct reporting to the Managing Director

WeQ as the biggest venture of the digital venture builder Covus Group was driving user acquisition and engagement to deliver mobile performance and branding campaigns. WeQ’s experts enable clients to achieve their goals by combining a client-centric approach with purpose-built, state-of-the-art technology across 180 markets.

Director of Global Sales

Venture: Wonderize & Freemium
- Scaled the DE couponing portal to 3rd biggest with +79% revenues by strengthening key accounts and accelerating new business opportunities 
- Developed the go-to-market strategy for a new disruptive software product 
- Proactively identified and cultivated strategic growth opportunities, as well as helped to craft high-quality solutions to solve complex business challenges for two different ventures focusing on software monetization and couponing 
- Supervised & motivated a team of 4 people

The Covus Group is a digital venture builder specialised in performance & online marketing. Beside operating own properties, the group is investing seed capital in young internet brands. Covus has federated its marketing and investing operations with ProSiebenSat.1, one of Europe's leading TV-media companies.

Head of Strategic Partnerships

Venture: Wonderize & Freemium
- Determined the expansion strategy for couponing portals by analyzing markets & competitors and supported the entire market launch in US, UK, CA, FR, ES
- Acquired strategic software partners (Advertisers & Publishers) at conferences and events in mainly the US, UK & Europe in order to drive more profits
- Signed a deal with Computerbild, one of the biggest download portals in Germany leading to 20% increased revenues
- Built strong relationships with key accounts and grew performance by 120% by creating and analyzing performance reports and thinking creatively & out of the box

Strategic Partnerships Manager

J.D. Power

European Automotive Product Consulting

Daimler AG

Product Management S-Class/ S-Class Coupé

Philip Morris International

Bachelor Thesis: Sales Planning and Trade Compliance

Lufthansa

Sales Steering and Marketing in the Area Management of Asia-Pacific

Mücke Roth & Company

Strategy Consulting in telecommunications, media & internet

Empowering Professionals to Build the Right Success Habits to Become 1% Better Every Day | ACC Certified High-Performance Coach | CRO | Ex-Fintech Managing Director | INSEAD & CEMS

🚨 Are you wrestling with self-doubt, imposter syndrome, 
and the weight of overwhelming procrastination and perfectionism?

🚨 Are you burnt out at work, feeling lost in your personal life, and constantly chasing for more?

🚨 Are you caught in the relentless pursuit of success, 
only to find yourself feeling unfulfilled and lost in your career and life?


👉 If you're nodding along, keep reading!

Let me tell you, that you have 2 OPTIONS:

Option 1 - Stay stuck in the cycle of dissatisfaction and unfulfillment.
Option 2 - Choose change, transformation, and growth.


Are you READY to Change?

✅ Gain CLARITY and PURPOSE.

✅ Unlock your FULL POTENTIAL.

✅ Become your BEST version.

✅ Feel CONFIDENT and WORTHY.

✅ Embrace RISKS and FAILURES.

✅ Wake up ENERGISED, INSPIRED, and FULFILLED.

✅ Build the LIFE and CAREER of YOUR DREAMS.


It is time to reach for more! Know that you are worthy, 
because I have been where you are right now. 

I have helped myself and many others like you and me to get out of this cycle 
and transform their lives to embrace joy, fulfillment, and authentic long-term success.

Drop me a DM.
Book your free CLARITY call. Take the TEST!
And I will show you the path to Self-Actualization.

With my customized 1:1 E.L.E.V.A.T.E. Coaching and Corporate Leadership programs, 
we will bring out the best and most fulfilled version of yourself and pivot your organization to success.


I am Vanessa, Ex-Managing Director of a 500-person Fintech Scaleup Company, 
current CRO of a Recruitment Tech Series B-Startup, 
Certified Executive & High-Performance Coach,
living my most purposeful and successful life 
and helping others to do the same!

Vanessa Braun

🎄 𝓜𝓮𝓻𝓻𝔂 𝓒𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓶𝓪𝓼, 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 ✨

As the year winds down,
I just want to wish you a holiday
filled with joy, laughter, 
and time to relax.

Whether you’re spending it 
with loved ones,
taking a little break, 
or reflecting on the year…

I hope this season brings warmth
and happiness to your days. ❤️

I’ll be taking a short pause too,
back on January 2nd 
with fresh energy and new updates.

Enjoy the festivities, 
the food, the cozy moments,
and all the good vibes. 🎁✨

See you in the new year!

Love,
Nes ❤︎

Empowering Professionals & My Team to Become 1% Better Every Day | Global CRO | Certified Executive Coach | CEMS & Antler | Entrepreneurship & Tech

Cʟᴏꜱɪɴɢ 2026 ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ꜰᴜʟʟ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ, ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ʟᴇꜱꜱᴏɴꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ qᴜɪᴇᴛ ɢʀᴀᴛɪᴛᴜᴅᴇ. 🥳🥰✨

I can’t believe it’s 2 days left until Christmas! 🎄

Another year slowly folding itself 
into memories,
growth, and moments 
that shape who we are.

Especially for me…

2025 was a year of bold choices,
honest lessons, and meaningful growth.

Not everything worked out 
(the way we wanted it to)

But that’s exactly what made it powerful.

→ it shaped me into a
stronger, more grounded version of myself.

→ it showed me the things
that really matter.

→ moments where I had to choose
courage over certainty.

→ all the missteps, pauses, redirections —
each one carrying its own lesson.

Here’s what defined my year:

🙌 I focused more time on traveling 
to Mexico, USA, Italy, France, Bali, 
Malaysia, Dubai, Germany, and Spain

🙌 I supported more clients 
in their career journeys 
and learned just as much from them

🙌 I learned to protect my energy 
by setting clearer boundaries

🙌 I started learning Russian 
and discovered a whole new fascination

🙌 I stepped into a new leadership role 
with a much larger team

🙌 And my greatest win of all: 
getting married 💍

Before I wrap up the year,
I want to pause and share a little gratitude:

❤︎ 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀
Vlad Sharuda, Dieter Braun, Antonia Peyret, Luisa Hespeler
⤷ Thank you for your
unwavering love and support,
for being my safe harbor
through the ups and downs.

❤︎ 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀
Anne-Kristin Vaudour, Dr. Konstantin Lange, Ali Fancy, Abhinav Kumar 
⤷ Your wisdom, encouragement,
and belief in me have shaped
so much of my growth this year.

❤︎ 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺
FastCo 
⤷ Thank you for inspiring me,
challenging me,
and making each
accomplishment meaningful.

❤︎ 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
⤷ Thank you for your trust, 
your presence, and your openness.
For the progress you achieved,
for letting me walk alongside you on your journey,
and for being the reason I love showing up every day.

❤︎ 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆
⤷ Your insights, encouragement,
and engagement have been
such a bright part of my year.
I’m grateful for the conversations,
connections, and shared
growth we’ve had.

❤︎ 𝗧𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿
⤷ Even the hard ones, 
thank you for the lessons,
clarity, and perspective 
you brought into my life.

❤︎ 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳
⤷ For showing up, taking risks,
and choosing courage
over comfort, even when it wasn’t easy.

I step into 2026 with a full heart, clarity,
and excitement for what’s ahead.

What about you? :)

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 2025 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧?

#Gratitude #YearInReview #Reflection #GrowthMindset

✧ ✧ ✧

Let me start by wishing you a 𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 🎉 ✨

As we step into a brand-new year…

I want to wish you all an abundance of joy,
success, and fulfillment in 2026!

May this year bring you:

✧ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 
in the decisions you make

✧ 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 
to choose what matters to you

✧ 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 
that feels sustainable and meaningful

✧ 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀
that feels right

✧ 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗺
even in the middle of busy days

✧ 𝗝𝗼𝘆𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
to cherish with your loved ones

As many of us say…
“𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

But to me,
it’s less about becoming someone new
and more about;

✓ Accepting who you are right now
✓ Being grateful for how far you’ve come
✓ Thinking about which parts of yourself
you want to explore and grow into.

And if there’s one word I’d bring into 2026,
it would be...

𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗪 ✨

⤷ Getting familiar with the big decisions I made in 2025.
⤷ Trying new things without having it all figured out.
⤷ Finding my own way forward in this new season.
⤷ Open to adjusting when circumstances change.
⤷ Letting things fail without taking it personally.
⤷ Accepting uncertainty as part of the process.
⤷ Learning how to move with it, not against it.
⤷ Stopping when something no longer fits.
⤷ Trusting myself to figure it out as I go 
⤷ Staying flexible as things unfold.

That’s the energy I’m carrying into this year.

Now, your turn :)

𝙄𝙛 2026 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙗𝙚?

#HappyNewYear #2026Intentions #OneWord #Flow

————————— 
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Thanks! Follow me Vanessa Braun and tap the (🔔) on my profile! 
I write daily about personal development.

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