# 214 Fungai Van Der Valk: Real success is when I produce a leader

🎙 On this episode we hear from Carmen. She introduces herself with these three words: Curious, catalyser and connector. The three C's for Carmen. She was always good at math and started her career as an investment banking business analyst and it was during a tax structuring project that she was introduced to the world of hospitality. And till this day she says her tax colleagues are her favourite people to work with. She credits mentors and sponsors who created space for the pivots in her career by giving her stretch opportunities. Her pivots have taken her from Morgan Stanley, Host Hotels, Booking.com to now to my favourite, her Power Pause. When it comes to mentorship she says, "ask", work your network and find the common value or cause, And when starting a new opportunity, approach it with curiosity, ask lots of questions and listen.🤗 What can you reach out to Carmen for?: Business going from start up to scale up. Challenges closing the innovation gap with AI. Engaging people through change and storytelling. Great food, travel and dance!🤩 Who inspires Carmen: Her mother.

Why me, why Sydney, why now?In this special solo episode of the Inspiring Women in Hospitality Podcast, Naureen shares the story behind Inspire Influence Live ANZ, taking place on 30 April at the InterContinental Sydney.From her journey across Asia and Europe, to building a career in hospitality, revenue and data, to ultimately founding Inspiring Women in Hospitality, Naureen reflects on the experiences that shaped her mission to champion gender balance and support the next generation of leaders in the industry.She also shares:why Sydney felt like the right place to bring this workshop to life how the advisory board helped shape the content the gaps and opportunities identified for women in the ANZ marketwhy financial fluency, confident communication and authentic networking became the pillars of the day and why learning to harness her own voice was the turning point in her careerThis episode is for anyone curious about the heart behind the workshop, the purpose behind the platform, and what attendees can expect to gain from joining us on 30 April.To learn more about Inspire Influence Live – ANZ or secure your place: https://www.inspiringwomeninhospitality.com/events

🎙 On this episode we hear from Julie, director at WMK Architecture. And did you know that she started her working life as a nurse? Listen to the whole story to find out how she ended up in hospitality and director of a design firm. And what I loved about her story is how she shared that she was destined for a career lifestyle and the many people who inspired her along the way. She shares very honestly that some of the career choices she made was to fit her life around her work as a single parent, so she designed to make it work for her. It was a risk she took, with her own choice and enjoying each experience. 🤗 What can you reach out to Julie for: A non-judgemental chat. A safe space to talk about your "club sandwich of fears"🤩 Who inspires Julie: a group of women who have become each other's advisory board

🎙 On this episode we hear from Fungai. She came into hospitality when she started working in it during her studies and then she ended up staying. Because she saw the diversity of career paths she could have within hotels and the opportunity to travel. She eventually found her calling in the numbers side of the business and has made a career in finance. She also credits the relationships she built at work and good mentors, who created safe spaces that helped progress her career.🤗 What can reach out to Fungai for? • Early career advise • You can also get her book "Ladies hear me, I am done"🤩 Who inspires Fungai - different leaders who supported her at different stages at her career. And her own experiences inspire her.

🎙 On this episode we hear from Teresa. She started her career as cabin crew and later moved into hospitality tech sales. It was when she realised that she did not want to be serving the champagne, but drinking it was when she had first turning point in her career. She made an interesting observation from her time in start up, hospitality teaches us perfection and now she was learning to try, fail if needed, learn from it and try something else. Another distinction she made between corporate and start up, is that 60% of her time was spent with internally networking with the stakeholders. Now as she starts a new decade she comes to another turning point, which she calls "Purposeful Reinvention". She is now building her career as a stand-up comedian.What can people reach out to Teresa for? - Career transitions - Adjusting to different cultures in a global environment - Mentoring women in their 40s - Learn how to be boldWho inspires Teresa: Elizabethe Hernandez whom she calls an authentic achiever.

🎙 On this episode we hear from Fay. She is from Hong Kong and she is in the business of creative place making. Born out of her own search of identity and now offering the opportunity to others to search and develop a sense of belonging in the city. She has had several career pivots and now she has embarked on her entrepreneurial journey. Her career turning points were influenced by moments when she doubted her connection to work and was out of alignment to meaning and purpose. Each career pivot was an experiment to figure out who I am and what I am meant to do in this world.What can you reach out to Fay for?: 🏔️ For collaboration on all the exciting creative place making projects. 🏔️ Topics around well-being and health are a passion of hers too. 🤩 Who inspires Fay?: Anyone who are authentically themselves really inspire me. They have this quiet confidence, level of peacefulness and at ease with themselves.

🎙 On this special podcast episode, which was recorded live at the launch event hosted at the Amadeus offices in Bangkok on the 27th of January 2026 ,Founder of Inspiring Women in Hospitality Naureen Ahmed shared with the attended what they can expect from the upcoming workshop - Inspire Influence Live in Bangkok at the 137 Pillars Suites & Residences on the 17th of March 2026.Naureen shared the three areas that will be focused on the day:⛰️ Confidence⛰️ Empowerment⛰️ Art of courageous conversationsEach section will start with a panel discussion for inspiration and what a powerhouse of women have been lined up for this. 💚 We also recorded a very special fireside chat with Khun Panawan from Amadeus who shared with influence means to her and who were her inspirations.📣 Be sure to register your interest here and Save the Date: subscribepage.io/J7DjwD🤗 This launch event was just a taster of what we will experience together on the 17 March at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences. It is important to note that this is a closed event, no media or press will be attending, so it allows for full openness and creates a safe space for exchange and professional development. There are no sponsors, to allow for neutrality and openness, anyone can attend by purchasing a ticket. 👉 Tickets are now available and you can secure your place here: subscribepage.io/2wQERn

On this episode we hear from Leora. She is a hospitality marketing professional and has released a book from her years of experience, both in corporate, as a consultant and professor. We spoke about the importance of networking, reframing it to build connections and sometimes even turn them into genuine friendships in the industry. She shares her moments of imposter syndrome and what she said to herself at the time. If she does not take the role someone else with, so lets go for it and create it on my own. She is also an advocate for taking breaks in your career and it could actually be healthy for you. And choosing when to say yes or when to say no, with a focus on your wellbeing. She has recently written a book and you can find it here: https://leoralanz.com/Who is her inspiration? Her students

In the latest episode of the Inspiring Women in Hospitality podcast, host Naureen Ahmed engages with industry experts to explore the multifaceted concept of success in the workplace. With unique perspectives from seasoned professionals, this discussion sheds light on how success is not merely defined by titles or positions but rather by personal fulfillment and impact.The insights shared by Naureen, Janet, Salomé, and Alessandra offer a rich tapestry of thoughts on success in the workplace. Success is not a one-size-fits-all concept; it is a personal journey defined by individual values, strengths, and the impact one has on others. By cultivating self-awareness, embracing failure, and celebrating strengths, women can navigate their careers with confidence and purpose.

🎙 On this special reflective episode. I invited Ambika Gandhi back to the podcast, after she was a guest for the first time 3.5years ago. We reflected on how we have both grown as entrepreneurs, how we found our value and impact we want to make. We talked about how we have worked well together as being Ambika's coach, I am so proud of the growth I have seen in here during our time together. Shei s also a Founding Member of the Inspire Community and she describes her experience of it as 'spirit of commonality.'