Image: Riding the clouds in a balloon, somewhere in the 70’s

Growing up, our family encouraged curiosity and did things a little differently. We unearthed and analyzed fossils in the garden, built igloos for candlelit hot chocolate sessions, and navigated nighttime dinghy adventures on the Danish Limfjord. I learned to navigate both land and air, guiding our trips with a map in hand and logging our locations during balloon flights from age 12. Every weekend was an exploration—whether tracking tadpoles in the garden or visiting old towns, caves, and castles across Germany and the Netherlands, our adventures were all about understanding the world around us.

Image: Show jumping competition, somewhere in teh early 80’s

At 12, I learned to ride; by 14, I had my first foster horse, which meant freedom—and a lot of responsibility. I was at the stables every day, caring for “my” horse, assisting the farrier, and even helping the vet. I took on tasks at the riding club, from teaching kids to fixing fences, all while embracing the joy of doing what I loved.

Image: Punched tape

Amidst the usual school drudgery, a surprising highlight emerged: a big, blue computer donated by a company. This beast of a machine, with a whopping 64 KB of power, needed its own room and air conditioning. Despite my usual math woes, I joined the computer science club out of sheer curiosity. I loved every minute of it—writing programs in BASIC and communicating via punched tape. It wasn’t just fun; it changed the way I approached problem-solving, laying the groundwork for my love of digitization.

My world felt like a bubble, keeping me from real life—trapped in a boring job with no room for growth or change. So, I decided to flip the script and take the leap! I ditched my secure gig as an industrial clerk, gave up my cozy apartment, and said goodbye to Germany. Armed with nothing but two suitcases and a dream, I headed to the USA with no plan other than to hit the reset button on my life. Adventure, here I come!

Image: Enjoying after work on my balcony in San Francisco

Landing in Virginia kicked off a long, grueling quest for a work permit, but the real adventure was the solo road trip across the continent in my trusty old clunker, ending in the hilly streets of San Francisco.

A new life, unexpected opportunities, and a childhood dream come true—I was finally living in the USA!

My first step into the world of client work began as a sales assistant at the exclusive 5-star Stanford Court Hotel on Nob Hill, which took me six interviews until I got in, bursting with excitement. Pure happiness!

Image: Boeing 747 getting front loaded

Gulf War, a recession, and a visa extension denied—talk about hitting a brick wall. I was forced back to Germany feeling powerless and defeated. But instead of giving up, I set my sights on two “must-haves”: living somewhere fun and working in a global environment that kept me on my toes. So, I landed a gig with an air freight forwarding company at Düsseldorf airport. Just like that, my life was airborne again, and the adventure was back on!

Image: Access granted – Boeing 747 flight deck, late 90’s

Stepping into the freight world as a career changer and a blonde in a male-dominated industry was no small feat. But I took my top-notch service skills akquired in San Francisco and flipped the sales script: building trust, listening intently, and finding smart solutions with the team. Focussing the customer’s needs and teamwork became my secret weapons, turning rocky roads into a successful journey. And the best part? My business trips as a route manager took me back to my old stomping grounds on the US West Coast and Canada—talk about full circle.

In May 2001, I handed in my notice—self-employment was calling my name! After attending countless seminars (some great, others… not so much), I had a head full of ideas on how to do things better. With a generous leave of absence, I dove into a full-time training program that combined coaching and training. Traditional training? Not my piece of cake. But coaching? Now that sparked a new passion!

Needless to say this turned out to be quite a challenge: I started my business in the economic turmoils after 9/11. And yet – here I am!

Image: Hosting my first public Word Cafè in a teahouse on Düsseldorf’s Kö

The moment I experienced a World Café, I was hooked on facilitation. It wasn’t just 1:1 coaching anymore— this was pure magic unleashed in large groups. It was bold, dynamic, and all about true collaboration. There’s nothing quite like the buzz of a room filled with people working together to generate ideas, define goals, and craft solutions in no time.

Open space formats like World Café, Barcamp, Future Conference, and RTSC Conference quickly became another passion—where facilitation meets fearless creativity.

Creating and facilitating leadership programs for leaders who want to make a difference and are able to cross cultural, institutional, and social boundaries.

With Zoom and the ingenious breakout rooms, as well as Mural, Miro & Co. as virtual whiteboards, I can finally host my  beloved open space formats also virtually – and more effective than ever. Leaving participants stunned by what they achieved in a minimal amount of time doing the work and setting time slots free to socialize.

Groups become more international, travel times and costs are eliminated. The world is growing together. So are organizations with teams spread around the globe.

I am enthusiastic and updating my skills with training courses to become a certified blended learning designer and live online trainer.

In 2020, I was well prepared for the lockdown and able to spontaneously support many organizations in the transition from meeting and collaborate on site to virtual meetings and virtual collaboration.

Image: With Jim Tamm and Malou Laureys

All success starts from within.

Meeting Jim Tamm, founder of Radical Collaboration and getting certified in his brilliant method of establishing a culture of trust and collaboration.

Getting things done – together, by creating environments to foster trust and collaboration.