Career Strategist I Change advisor for Leaders | I help successful professionals build freedom, income & impact through portfolio careers | Speaker I Ex-Citi COO | Follow for modern leadership, career and change

Over the past 25 years, I have built a successful international banking career.
Most recently, I was the Regional COO for Citibank’s $2Bn business across 16 countries in Asia - leading large-scale transformations in digitisation and culture.

But in 2021, I walked away from my high-paying executive role.

Why?

Because I wanted more space.
More time with family.
More alignment between who I am and how I work.

But I didn’t want to start from scratch.
So I asked myself a question:
What if I could build a career around everything I already know - and love?

That’s how my portfolio career began.
And it changed everything.

Now, I help other professionals do the same.

What I’ve built since 2021:
→ A 6-figure portfolio business with 3 income streams
→ Founder of Change is Possible - a business community for professionals redesigning their next chapter
→ 100K+ LinkedIn followers (grew from 17K in under a year)
→ Coached 100+ professionals through successful career transitions
→ Host of a Top 20 global podcast on career change, Change is Possible
→ TEDx speaker, Forbes columnist, and Bloomberg TV guest

Want to build your own portfolio career?
🚀 THE PORTFOLIO CAREER ACCELERATOR (Launching October 2025) 
Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1thkmph_EwRxLGfuL9muCsRir1uKDdF2nXYeI7X_1oSA/edit

This is an 8-week program designed to help you:
→ Turn your expertise into income
→ Build a personal brand that opens doors
→ Create your first income stream - even before you leave your job

Only 20 spots. 12 already claimed.

Other ways we can work together:
✔️ Join my business community — Change is Possible https://changeispossible.co.uk/ - doors open for new members on Sept.10, 2025
✔️ Book me to speak — I deliver keynotes on leadership, change, career reinvention, and the future of work - send a DM.
✔️ Hire me as an advisor — I support companies navigating complex transformation - send a DM to meet and explore.
✔️ Book 1:1 coaching — For senior execs ready to design their next chapter - send a DM.
✔️ Book my LinkedIn Growth Bundle — A 2-session intensive where I teach you the exact system I used to grow to 100K+ followers. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bLp7wmK8xhIpfFu8beImvD5JZQHYsbraTBx5Orjx0zs/edit

P.S. Still wondering if change is really possible?
🎧 Tune in to my podcast Change is Possible — where 100+ professionals share how they redesigned their careers and lives. Watch here - https://www.youtube.com/@ChangeIsPossiblePodcast

Ani Filipova

When I quit my COO role, everyone suddenly became a life coach.

It’s wild how your decision wakes up their unlived dreams.

“You are crazy to walk away from that salary.”
Translation: I’m terrified of losing mine.

“At your age? Too risky.”
Translation: I’ve convinced myself I’m too old to change.

“But you worked so hard to get there!”
Translation: I can’t imagine stopping.

Every piece of “advice” came wrapped in someone else’s fear.

The colleague who insisted that leaving corporate was “career suicide”?
15 years in the same role.
Never took a risk.
Still warning others about dangers he’s never faced.

The friend who said, “Must be nice to have that privilege”?
Not about my privilege.
About why they can’t do it.

My decision became everyone else’s therapy session.
Their fears.
Their excuses.
Their unlived lives.

Meanwhile, the entrepreneurs?
“What took you so long?”

The people who’d actually done this?
“Hard… but worth it.”

See the difference?

People don’t give advice based on your reality.
They give it based on the limits of their own.

Your promotion challenges their ambition.
Your resignation challenges their settling.
Your success challenges their stagnation.

How to decode the advice you are given:

1. Listen to the subtext, not the text.
“That’s risky” = I avoid risk.
“You’ll regret it” = I regret not trying.
“Think of your family” = I use mine as an excuse.

2. Check their track record.
Would you trade places with them?
If not, smile → ignore.

3. Notice who asks vs. who tells.
“What support do you need?” = They’ve been there.
“Here’s what you should do” = They haven’t.

5 years later

I run my business globally.
I wake up excited.
I control my income and my calendar.

That colleague?
Same role.
Same warnings.
Same fear dressed as wisdom.

Your big moves will always trigger other people’s small thinking.

Let them keep their advice.
You keep your momentum.

♻️ Repost if someone needs this
👥 Follow me, Ani Filipova, for uncomfortable career truths
📩 Join other leaders and entrepreneurs getting weekly courage in my newsletter -  link in Featured

Some leaders read numbers.

Great leaders read people.

Perfect reminder from Mike Leber here.🔥

I've watched this truth play out for 25 years.

Like the manager who noticed her star performer started arriving at 9:00 instead of 8:30.
Small change. Big signal.
She asked. Her child was seriously ill.

Most leaders would've missed it entirely.
They are too busy reading KPIs to read people.

Throughout my 25 years in banking, I've watched brilliant strategists fail at basic humanity.
They master management but miss what matters.

Real leaders don't talk about empathy.
They practice it.

Here is how👇

1️⃣ They notice when something's off
The forced smile.
The heavy silence.
They check in before it breaks.

2️⃣ They ask before they act
No assumptions. No judgment.
"What's making this hard for you?"
Understanding beats assumption every time.

3️⃣ They protect dignity, not egos
Direct? Always.
Demeaning? Never.
Growth can't bloom in shame.

4️⃣ They slow down when others struggle
Compassion > urgency.
One person lifted beats ten tasks completed.

5️⃣ They normalize honesty
No masks. No pretending.
They make it safe to say: "I'm not okay today."

6️⃣ They stay kind under pressure
When kindness is hardest -
that's when it matters most.

7️⃣ They understand you carry more than tasks
Sometimes it's grief.
Sometimes it's fear.
Sometimes it's just life being heavy.
They lead with space for all of it.

The uncomfortable truth?

Experience teaches you process.
Empathy teaches you to understand people.

One builds companies.
The other builds humans who happen to work at companies.

We all get to choose which leader we become.

Which number resonated most with you?
Mine was 5 - took me years to learn that one.

Drop yours below 👇

♻️ Repost to spark more humanity in leadership
🔔 Follow Ani Filipova for uncomfortable truths about modern leadership and career

Today and any other day, you have a choice about the 80/20 principle.

You can use it to do less.
Or you can use it to become more.

We read about success. 
Dream about change. 
Talk about our goals.

We feel like we are doing something.
And we are.. but what?

The business plan you’ve perfected but never launched.
The gym membership you researched but never use.
The conversation you've rehearsed but never had.
The course you bought but never completed.

We spend 80% of our time on the 20% that makes us feel productive, while avoiding the 80% that would actually make us successful.

Why? Because the real work is uncomfortable:

→ Understanding deeply requires much more effort 
→ Doing the work is scarier than dreaming about it
→ Listening is more vulnerable than waiting to speak
→ Eating well consistently is harder than scrolling  
→ Building savings is less fun than investment strategies

Here is what I know:

You already know what your 80% is.
You know the conversation you need to have. 
You already know he habit you need to build. 
The thing you need to stop researching and start doing.

So the only thing left to do is to stop deceiving yourself.

Because once you prioritise the 80%, everything else genuinely does fall into place.
Not because it's easy. But because it's real.

💭 What's the 80% you've been avoiding?
💾 Save this for when you need to stop researching and start doing
♻️ Share with someone stuck in the 20%

Image credit: librarymindset on IG

JSESSIONID

li_at

Talks about #leadership, #careerpivot, #futureofwork, and #transformation

Tetty Delviana

"I found a better opportunity."

Translation: I found a leader who values me.

Dora is spot on here! That's exactly what it means!

The real reason people leave: 
it's rarely what they say at first.

Behind "better opportunity" or "career growth" is something deeper:

They don't feel valued.
Nobody says thank you.
Their ideas get ignored. 
Their skills go unused. 
They've stopped learning.

If you want to keep your best people:

- Don't cancel their 1-on-1s
- Say thank you (and mean it)
- Admit when you don't have the answer
- Remember what they told you last week
- Protect their time from pointless meetings
- Give credit publicly, give feedback privately
- Be honest about what you can and can't do
- Help them grow in directions they actually want
- Shield them from unnecessary corporate chaos
- Ask what support they need (don't assume you know)
- Trust them to make decisions without micromanaging
- Respond to their messages (don't leave them hanging)
- Let them say no without it being a career-limiting move

You don't need a budget for any of these.

Just intention, and genuinely caring for your people.

Be the leader you wish you had.

♻️ Repost to inspire others
+ Follow me, Ani Filipova for daily content on Modern Leadership, Career and Change

Your career shouldn’t look like modern art.

Everyone talks about “doing what you love” as if it’s a magic formula.
As if clarity just appears one day and everything lines up.

In reality, most careers sit in three separate buckets:

• Things you enjoy - but no one pays for
• Things you are good at - but don’t actually fulfil you
• Things that pay well - but quietly drain you

So you end up with something that works on paper…
but never quite feels right.

After 25 years in corporate, here’s what I’ve learned:

Alignment doesn’t arrive.
It’s constructed.

Most professionals wait for their career to click.
The right role.
The right manager.
The right moment.

They stay stuck inside a lopsided Venn diagram,
hoping the picture will fix itself.

The people who eventually break out don’t find clarity first.
They move first - and clarity follows.

Not in dramatic leaps.
Not in overnight reinventions.

But through deliberate shifts.
Small decisions that compound.
Skills that start overlapping.
Income streams that begin to make sense.

The overlap is rarely perfect.
And it’s never instant.
But 50% overlap is better than zero
And you can build it further.

This is what I know:

No one is going to hand you the career where
what you enjoy,
what you are good at,
and what pays
finally sit in the same place.

You either keep waiting for it 
or you start assembling it.

Piece by piece.
Over time.

If this feels uncomfortably familiar, save it.

And if you are ready to stop improvising your career and start designing it,
this is exactly what we do inside the Portfolio Career Accelerator.

8 weeks to turn that modern-art mess into something intentional.

Starting January 26, 2026 for 8 weeks.
4 out of 20 seats already bought.
Apply here: https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN

♻️ Repost this for someone quietly stuck.
🔔 Follow Ani Filipova for honest career clarity.

Image credit: Adam Grant (IG)

You tell yourself: "I just need better time management."

So you try: 

Waking at 5am. 
Time-blocking. 
Batching tasks. 
Saying no to "small things."

And you are still exhausted. 
Still overwhelmed. 
Still behind.

Because you don't have a time management problem.

THE REAL PROBLEMS you have are:

1. The Boundary Problem
You say yes when you mean no.
Your calendar is full of other people's priorities.

2. The Priority Problem
Everything feels urgent because nothing is defined.
You are reacting, not choosing.

3. The Identity Problem
You are the "reliable one."
The one who always covers when someone's out sick.
The one who stays late to fix others' mistakes.
And rest? Rest feels like failure.

4. The Energy Problem
You treat draining, sustaining, and energising tasks the same.
So you stay depleted.

5. The Clarity Problem
You've met expectations for so long that you lost your own.

6. The Courage Problem
You know what needs to change - but you are waiting to stop being afraid.

So what actually helps?
A simple reset:

The Three Lists Exercise:

List 1: What drains me
(The work, people, commitments that leave you depleted)
List 2: What sustains me
(Neutral energy - necessary but not inspiring)
List 3: What energizes me
(You'd do this even if no one paid you)

Most professionals discover their calendar is:
60% drain / 35% sustain / 5% energise.

No wonder they are exhausted.

Ready to flip that 60/35/5 ratio?

Here's where to start:
→ Take 30 minutes this week
→ Create your three lists
→ Move ONE thing from "drain" to "delegate"

That's it. One small shift.

Because your life won't change until your calendar does.

I spent 15 years in corporate before learning how to build and rebuild a career without burning out. If you are tired of being tired, this will help:

→ Free masterclass: How to start a portfolio career
(Link in featured section)

💾 Save this for later
♻️ Share with someone running on empty

Throughout my career I have seen two types of leaders: 

Type 1:
Those who develop thinkers and problem solvers.

Type 2: 
Those who hoard every decision.

The second type? They are everywhere.
Every decision needs their blessing.
Every email needs their approval.
Every idea dies without their permission.

They think they are indispensable.
They are actually organizational bottlenecks.

The good thing? 
We all get to choose which one we become.

Here is how to become the first type of leader:

1️⃣ Turn questions into coaching moments 

When someone asks "What should I do?"
I ask: "What would you recommend?"
Then I listen.
Nine times out of ten, they know exactly what to do.
They just need someone to believe they can do it.

2️⃣ Show them how you think, not just what you think 

Don't just give answers - share your process.
• What information do you look for?
• Which factors matter most?
• How do you make trade-offs?
When your team understands your thinking pattern, they stop needing you for every decision.

3️⃣ Disappear on purpose 

Every Friday - be completely unreachable.
Not to test them - to trust them.
First week: They'll hesitate.
Second week: They'll figure it out.
Third week: They'll surprise you with what they can handle.
Eventually, you can take that whole day off without drama.

The uncomfortable truth?

Organizations don't need more managers who create dependencies.
They need leaders who build capability.

Your real job isn't to have all the answers.
It's to develop people who can find them without you.


💾 Save this for when your ego wants to micromanage
♻️ Share with that leader who thinks they are "helping" by controlling everything

Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more uncomfortable truths about leadership and change.

Most people don't dare to challenge their boss.

Not because they lack ideas.
But because they've seen what happens to the people who do.

"I disagree because...."
Eye roll. Heavy sigh.
"I have more experience. I know this won't work."
Conversation over.

Or sitting in a high-stakes meeting where the senior exec chair gives suggestions.
Never asks for opinions.
And when someone tries to speak?
Immediate shutdown.

If you are a leader and everyone nods at all your ideas…
That's not leadership.
That's obedience.

It's easy to lead people who agree with you.
It takes guts to lead people who challenge you.

Real leadership isn't tested by how well people follow your vision.
It's revealed by how safe they feel questioning it.

So how do you become that kind of leader?
These 3 behaviours make the biggest difference:

🛠 1. Ask for the objection
Stop asking: "Any thoughts?"
Start asking: "What might be wrong with this idea?"
People are more honest when you invite critique, not validation.

🛠 2. Speak last
If you speak first, most people will try to agree with you.
You'll kill fresh thinking before it starts.
Say less → hear more → lead better.

🛠 3. Praise the pushback
Reward the people who disagree with you,
especially when it's uncomfortable.
Your reaction to dissent teaches the whole team whether it's truly safe to speak up.

Remember: the goal isn't harmony.
The goal is better thinking.

Think of a leader you once felt safe challenging - 
What exactly did they do that created that safety?

👇 Share the behaviour so others can learn from it.

📑 Save this to revisit before your next meeting.
👥 Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily content on Leadership, Career and Change.
📩 Want deeper weekly insights? Subscribe to my newsletter, The Change Blueprint - link in my Featured section.

I love working with optimistic people.

Here is why.

Pessimists and optimists look at the same challenge…
and see completely different worlds.

The pessimist sees every problem as "end of the road".
The optimist sees every problem as a puzzle to solve.

The pessimist says, “That won’t work because…”
The optimist asks, “What if we tried…?”

So - can optimism be learned?
Yes. But not in the way most people think.

What CAN’T be taught:
• Your instinct to see possibilities vs problems
• Your natural response when things go wrong
• Your baseline emotional wiring

What CAN be learned:
• Interrupting negative thought patterns
• Choosing a different perspective intentionally
• Practising optimistic responses until they become habit

Some people are naturally optimistic.
Others train themselves into optimism through repeated practice.
For most of us, it’s both.

Here’s the part people forget:
You can’t just decide to be optimistic and expect it to stick.

You have to:
• Catch yourself in negative loops
• Actively reframe
• Surround yourself with optimistic people
• Build evidence that things work out

And this is exactly what I see inside my community every day - optimistic people building portfolio careers, choosing courage over comfort, and turning setbacks into stepping stones.

It’s pure magic to watch!!!

✨ The community opens for new members on Monday, November 24th. This is the last time we are opening this year.

If you are ready to surround yourself with people who see possibilities instead of problems, this is your moment - join the waitlist here: https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9

🔔 Follow Ani Filipova for more on building careers with freedom.
♻️ Share this with someone who needs a boost today.

9:00 AM: "This is urgent."
9:05 AM: "Actually, THIS is super urgent."
9:10 AM: "Wait, THIS is the MOST urgent."

Sound familiar?

Meanwhile, your team?
Same 8 people as yesterday.

They can stretch.
They always do.

But physics doesn’t care about urgency.
There's a breaking point.

Then comes the magic phrase:
 “Manage it.”

Manage WHAT exactly?
The 47 "urgent" requests that came in today?
The team that's already working weekends?
The fact that everything can't be priority No.1?

I spent 25 years watching this circus.
Leaders who pile on work like they are playing Tetris.
Teams drowning while executives debate "resource optimization."

Reality check: 

Your team isn't a resource to optimize.
They are humans with a fixed capacity for miracles.

As a leader, YOU own this mess.
Not your team. Not "the business." You.

Stop saying "manage it" and start doing your actual job:

I created a carousel breaking down exactly how urgency tricks your brain and what to actually do about it.

The psychology behind why we fall for it every time.
The deadline games people play.
The dopamine trap that keeps you hooked on urgent tasks.

But most importantly - how to break free from the urgency addiction.

Because when everything is urgent, nothing is.

And your team? 

They are not machines you can overclock indefinitely.
They are humans who need leaders brave enough to say: "No, that can wait."

Swipe through the carousel for the full breakdown on beating the urgency trap.

Your sanity (and your team's) depends on it.

💾 Save this + the carousel for your next priority pile-up
♻️ Share with someone drowning in "urgent" requests
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for truths about modern leadership and career

The people most committed to your failure often wear the warmest smiles.

The saboteur appears helpful.
They are  "concerned" about you.
They want to "mentor" you.
They are "protecting" you from failure.

"Oh, I thought someone told you."
"No offense, but..."
"I'm just trying to help."
"Don't take it personally."

Because of all this:

→ You question your own competence
→ You work harder to prove yourself
→ You become grateful for crumbs
→ You apologize for existing

These are the tactics they use:

1. The visibility trap
2. The communication sabotage
3. The idea laundering
4. The information blackout
5. The resource starvation
6. The impossible timeline
7. The gaslighting special
8. The social engineering
9. The attribution shift
10. The isolation protocol

If you recognised yourself in any of these, you are not crazy.
You are being played.

Wait. There's a plot twist.

SOMETIMES THE SABOTEUR IS ...YOU
When you internalise their tactics and start doing their work for them.
When you silence yourself before they even have to.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF:

🛡️ Create Your Paper Trail
• BCC yourself on important emails
• Summarize verbal conversations in writing
• Keep a private log of incidents with dates

🚪 Build Your Escape Routes
• Find sponsors outside your direct chain
• Create visibility beyond your saboteur's reach
• Strengthen peer relationships across departments

🧠 Stop Gaslighting Yourself
• That feeling something's off? It is usually correct
• Stop explaining away red flags
• Your instincts evolved for a reason - use them

The hardest truth about workplace sabotage?

It's done by people who smile at you daily.
Who ask about your weekend.
Who bring you coffee.

Because sabotage isn't about hate.
It's about fear.

Fear that your light might dim theirs.

Which tactic is happening to you RIGHT NOW?
Drop the number - and let's correct it!

♻️ Repost to help someone trust their instincts
👥 Follow me, Ani Filipova, for truths about career, leadership and change

P.S. Done playing defence in a game you can't win? The Portfolio Career Accelerator starts January 26th. Build your escape route while you still have options:https://lnkd.in/gw-h7p5h

I used to believe skills could compensate for a lack of care.

It never does.

The fact is - everyone still hires for skill.
I hire for care.

Because whether it's an employee, contractor, or consultant, care is what holds ANY team together when things get hard.

Skills can be taught.
Experience can be gained.
But care?
You either have it, or you don't.

When I was Regional COO at Citibank, I hired hundreds of employees.
Now I work with a distributed team of specialists.
Different scale. Same truth.

And here’s where that truth became expensive for me:

I hired a "10x developer" on contract.
Perfect portfolio. Stellar reviews.
Zero care about the actual problem we were solving.
The project died in week three.

Then I hired someone with half the experience -
but they asked: "Why does this matter to your business?"
They delivered beyond the brief because they cared about the outcome.

Here’s how to spot care in ANY collaboration:

🎯 They ask about impact, not just specs
“What happens if this succeeds?” beats 
“What are the requirements?”

🎯 They protect your blind spots
"Have you considered…?" is their favourite phrase.
They think like owners, not vendors.

🎯 They communicate proactively
No chasing for updates.
Problems surface before they explode.

🎯 They push back (respectfully)
“This won’t work because…”
Care looks like honesty, not compliance.

🎯 They reference the bigger picture
Every decision connects to your goals - 
not just task completion.

🎯 They stick around when it’s messy
Scope creep. Budget issues. Timeline problems.
People who care help solve, not just report.

Here’s the truth nobody talks about:

In today’s world, your “team” isn’t just employees.
It’s everyone you collaborate with:

• Your VA
• Your copywriter
• Your developer
• Your coach

You are not their boss.
But you are still hiring for care.

Because skills without care?
That’s just expensive disappointment waiting to happen.

Whether you lead 500 people or work with 5 contractors -
Your success depends on finding people who give a damn about the work itself.

♻️ Repost if you believe care beats credentials
🔔 Follow Ani Filipova for uncomfortable truths about building teams and careers
📩 Join other leaders and entrepreneurs getting weekly change and career advice in my newsletter - link in Featured

Job security isn't earned. 

It's engineered.

Most professionals spend decades being loyal, working late, hoping their company will protect them.

Then layoffs hit.
The 20-year veterans get cut first.
The "indispensable" people discover they weren't.
The loyal ones learn loyalty doesn't pay bills.

Meanwhile, there's another breed of professional.

You know those people:
↳The ones who always seem to land on their feet.
↳They switch jobs during a recession 
↳They get headhunted for roles you didn’t even know existed.
↳ They are asked to speak at conferences, join advisory boards, get introduced to “the right people.”

And you wonder: How?

Is it luck? 
Better connections? 
Being in the right place at the right time?

Maybe.

But maybe they've figured out something most people miss:

Security isn't about working harder.
It’s about engineering visibility, value, and options ...
... long before you need them.

They are not luckier.
They are simply playing a different game.

If you are building real career security, revisit this list every quarter. 👇
9 invisible traits of professionals who never worry about job security:

1️⃣ They know their unfair advantage
2️⃣ They treat their career like a business
3️⃣ They have multiple income streams
4️⃣ They stay visible outside their company
5️⃣ They invest in relationships, not transactions
6️⃣ They know their market value
7️⃣ They solve problems, not just do jobs
8️⃣ They keep learning publicly
9️⃣ They diversify their identity

None of these requires permission from your boss
But building them requires intention.

Job security isn't about finding the right company.
It’s about becoming the person companies fight to keep,
or better yet, the person who doesn’t need them to.

If one trait jumped out at you, tell me why - your perspective will help others reading this.

💾 Save this to revisit during your next career audit
♻️ Share this with someone who’s playing it too safe
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more uncomfortable truths about modern careers

---
P.S. I’m hosting a free live masterclass tomorrow on the job and career trends in 2026.
If you want to go deeper into these you are welcome to join us: https://lnkd.in/gT5S8Sbs

How do they do that??

We all have days when we lose perspective. 

When that happens, a few simple reminders can save the whole week.
Here are 10 that save me every time👇

1️⃣ You don’t have to have it all figured out
It took me 2 years to leave my corporate job.
And another 2 to figure out my portfolio career.
I’m still figuring it out, and I enjoy my life far more

2️⃣ Healing takes time, be patient
Some days you feel strong.
On other days, you feel broken.
That doesn’t mean you are not healing; 
it just means you are human.

3️⃣ Kindness is free
Not everyone deserves your energy.
But kindness?
Give it freely. It makes you feel better too.

4️⃣ Not every action needs a reaction
You don’t need to reply to every email in 2 minutes.
You don’t owe everyone a reaction.
Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is ....nothing.

5️⃣ Everyone’s journey is different
A CEO at 25 - great and kudos!!
At 45, finally doing what you want - even better!
One is fast. One is deep. Both are valid.

6️⃣ Smiles are contagious
You smile at someone, and they smile back 
(most of the time).
It’s that simple.
And science agrees.

7️⃣ Your thoughts shape your reality
If you keep telling yourself “I’m stuck,”
you’ll stay stuck.
But try saying, “I’m learning.” Watch what happens.

8️⃣ It’s okay to start over again and again
Changed your mind? Good
Changed direction? Better
Changed careers? Best
Every restart is an upgrade.

9️⃣ There is no timeline for your life
Society's schedule is made up.
Marriage by 30? Says who??
Success by 40? Define success.

🔟 Letting go is brave
That job. That one-sided relationship. That old story.
If it’s weighing you down, it’s time.
Let go, not to give up, but to make space.

The most successful people I know needed these reminders the most!
Because success without peace is just expensive misery.

Which one did you need today?
Mine was 4 - it has been a tough week.

Drop yours below - let's remind each other we are not alone.

♻️ And if you know someone who needs this, send it to them today.
🔔 Follow me, Ani Filipova for more reminders like this.
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The Executive Committee seat
The six-figure salary.
The CEO on speed dial.
The business-class flights.

I had all of it as a Regional COO at Citibank.

But I couldn’t control my own time.

And after 25 years in corporate, I learned something uncomfortable:

There are two types of wealth.
Most people only chase one.

-> Bank Account Wealth:
What everyone sees.
What everyone measures.
What everyone envies.👇
Your salary, savings, and assets
Your job title

-> Calendar Wealth:
Who decides your Tuesday afternoon?
Can you leave early without asking permission?
Do you choose your meetings or do they choose you?

The uncomfortable truth:
My bank account peaked when my calendar wealth hit zero.

Every promotion meant more money.
Every promotion meant less autonomy.

Regional COO at Citibank.
$2B business. 16 countries.
Couldn't control my own calendar.

Golden handcuffs are still handcuffs.
Just more expensive.

When I left in 2021, people thought I'd lost my mind.
"You are walking away from all that?"

I wasn't walking away.
I was walking toward something.

Built relationships beyond company walls.
Developed skills the company didn't own.
Created value beyond my job description.

Now I control both types of wealth.

Not because I chose one over the other.
But because I stopped believing it was either/or.

You can have financial security AND freedom.
But only if you build them intentionally.

Most professionals optimise for the paycheck.
Then wonder why success feels like prison.

Your company rents your time.
Don't let them buy your freedom.

If you are ready to build both types of wealth apply for the The Portfolio Career Accelerator: https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN

♻️ Share with someone trading their freedom for a paycheck
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You can know your stuff inside out…
and still sound unsure when it matters.

I learned this the hard way.

There were moments in high-stakes rooms:
I walked out, replaying every sentence…
cringing at how I softened my point…
knowing I’d unintentionally undermined myself.

Here’s the truth:

If you sound unsure, people assume you are unsure 
even when you are absolutely not.

And smart people lose influence because of how they speak, not what they know.

Over the years, I started spotting the phrases that were weakening otherwise excellent professionals.

Here are 12 phrases that make smart people sound less smart  and what to say instead 👇

❌ “I just think…”
✅ “Here’s what I see.”

❌ “Maybe we could…”
✅ “Let’s try this approach.”

❌ “Sorry, but…”
✅ “Let me add something here.”

❌ “Does that make sense?”
✅ “Let me know if you want me to go deeper.”

❌ “I’m not sure, but…”
✅ “Based on what I know…”

❌ “I’m no expert, but…”
✅ “From my experience…”

❌ “This might be a dumb question…”
✅ “Here’s something I’m curious about.”

❌ “Hopefully, we can…”
✅ “Our goal is to…”

❌ “I think we should…”
✅ “I recommend we…”

❌ “I feel like…”
✅ “What I’m seeing is…”

❌ “It’s kind of like…”
✅ “It’s similar to…”

❌ “We could maybe look at…”
✅ “Let’s explore…”

Small shifts in language → big shifts in presence and authority.

If you want to communicate with confidence in high-stakes rooms, this is exactly what we train inside my Portfolio Career Accelerator - where our speaking and communication module is led by Julian Treasure, the voice expert behind 40 million TED Talk views.
Apply here:
https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN

🔁 Share this to help more people sound as smart as they truly are.
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That email just hit your inbox.

"Performance Review Season - please complete by December 15th."

Your stomach drops.

Not because you didn't deliver.
But because you already know how this goes:

• You scramble to remember your wins.
• Your manager is too busy to spare enough time 
• Nothing actually changes.

Here's the truth:

Performance reviews fail because nobody prepares.
Not managers. 
Not employees.

This is the ONE moment all year where someone MUST pay attention to your career.
Don't waste it!

🟢 MANAGERS: 
Your best people are deciding whether to stay based on this conversation.
Great leaders don’t walk into reviews hoping for clarity.
They walk in prepared to give it.

🔵 EMPLOYEES: 
Create a presentation with a summary of your wins.
Send it 48 hours before the meeting.
Not for them - for you:
• Your track record
• Your negotiation leverage
• Your ammunition for the next opportunity

I created a step-by-step guide for both sides:

For Leaders →
• The 48-hour prep framework
• How to steer the conversation
• Follow through after the review

For Employees →
• How to prepare
• What to do during the review
• What to do AFTER (where 95% drop the ball)

Swipe through the carousel for the full playbook.

Your review is in 3 weeks.
Your preparation starts now.

💾 Save this before your review
♻️ Share with someone who deserves better this year
Follow me, Ani Filipova, for insights on Modern Career and Leadership

Save this for your upcoming review!

You are scrolling LinkedIn at midnight again.

Comparing your career to people who graduated the same year.
Googling “successful people who started late.”

And somewhere between the second glass of wine 
and that sinking feeling in your stomach, 
you are asking yourself:

“What am I doing with my life?”

I know that spiral.
I hit the same point when I was a Regional COO at Citi.

This is what I know about this moment:

- That question isn’t a breakdown.
- It’s a breakthrough trying to happen.

Because you’ve reached what I call The Crossroads.

The moment when you realise: 
- the things you wanted to do might never happen
- you are not stuck - you are choosing not to choose.

And at The Crossroads, you have three real options:

1. Accept it.
Stay in your career.
Make genuine peace with it.
Stop the mental warfare; build your joy outside of work.
This is valid - but you must choose it consciously.

2. Add something.
Keep the stability. 
Build meaning on the side.
A project that feeds your soul while the job pays the bills.

3. Explore it.
Test the ideas you've been burying.
The pivot. The business. The portfolio career.
Start discovering what’s real.

Most people never get past the spiral.
They collect online courses like participation trophies.
They watch younger colleagues get promoted.
They wait. And wait. And wait.

If you are not one of these people, then some part of you is already leaning toward Option 2 or Option 3.

That’s exactly why I created the Portfolio Career Accelerator - for people standing at The Crossroads who want to test some ideas!

8 weeks.
20 people.
A guided transition into what's possible without blowing up your life.
We start on January 26th.

If you’ve been at The Crossroads long enough, maybe it’s time to stop thinking and start testing.

👉 Apply here to see if it’s a fit: https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN

♻️ Repost with someone stuck in the midnight scroll
🔔 Follow me: Ani Filipova for uncomfortable truths about modern careers

Swipe through to see the phases and what to do next.

Your title was never your power.
The company just let you borrow it.

The day you leave corporate, you learn a terrifying truth:
Your badge gets deactivated - but your capability doesn’t.

When I left, I genuinely thought nobody would speak to me anymore.

No title.
No budget.
No org chart position.
Just me and whatever I could carry in my head.

Then I discovered something:

Everything I’d learned.
Everything I’d built.
Every pattern I’d spotted over 25 years…
It was all still mine.

The “power” I thought I’d lost?
I’d never actually owned it.
It belonged to the logo on my business card.

Real power - the kind that travels with you - works differently.

Here are the 7 power principles every professional needs when they step out of their job and title:

1. Control your narrative
My title disappeared.
My story became my new currency.
“I help professionals build portfolio careers” replaced “Regional COO at Citibank.”
Clarity beats prestige every time.

2. Stay hyper-visible
Inside corporate, visibility is automatic.
Outside, it’s a choice.
I posted daily, spoke at events, taught what I knew.
113K followers later, visibility became my new infrastructure.

3. Maintain your alliances
I didn’t vanish.
I stayed connected.
Those relationships became my first clients and my strongest advocates.
Your network doesn’t care about your employment status.

4. Own a niche
Generalists survive in corporate.
Generalists disappear outside it.
I picked one problem: helping professionals build portfolio careers.
Focus created magnetism.

5. Build value assets
Not skills. Assets.
Frameworks. Systems. Repeatable solutions.
Things that aren’t generic — and aren’t replaceable.

6. Make reputation your résumé
Citibank used to vouch for me.
Now my results do.
100+ professionals transitioned.
6-figure portfolio careers built.
Proof is the new endorsement.

7. Own who you are now
I stopped leading with “I used to be a COO.”
I started leading with the value I create today.
Confidence signals power more than any title ever could.

Jeffrey Pfeffer puts it bluntly:
“Titles create position power. Real power comes from personal assets and social capital.”

Your expertise doesn’t expire when your badge stops working.
Your value doesn’t shrink when you walk out that door.
It becomes fully yours.

These 7 principles aren’t theory.
I used them to rebuild my own career  and now they are the foundation of my Portfolio Career Accelerator.

8 weeks.
20 professionals.
Starting January 26.

If you want a career that travels with you, we build it step by step. Apply for the accelerator here: https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN

♻️ Share this with someone questioning their value outside corporate
🔔 Follow Ani Filipova for more uncomfortable truths about modern careers and leadership

eatreats bangalore

I'm building something new,

Let me tell you about it.

For the past three years, I've been helping professionals leave corporate and build portfolio careers. 

One-on-one coaching. 
My community. 
Hundreds of conversations about what actually works.

And I keep seeing the same thing:
People spend years piecing this together
jumping between YouTube videos, 
buying courses they never finish, 
trying to connect the dots alone.

I had to figure it all out at once when I left Citi. 

So I'm changing that.

The Portfolio Career Accelerator launches January 26th.

It's everything I've learned, packaged into 8 intensive weeks.

Here's my story in 30 seconds:
• 25 years in corporate banking
• Regional COO at Citi (€2B, 16 countries)
• Left at 51 with no plan
• Now: 140K followers across LinkedIn/YouTube
• Multiple income streams
• I own my time

I've watched hundreds make similar transitions. 
And they all needed the same five things:

1️⃣ Build an audience that knows and trusts you
2️⃣ Create an offer people actually want to buy
3️⃣ Become a speaker (yes, even TED talks)
4️⃣ Position yourself as an advisor/board member 
5️⃣ Start investing your new income wisely

And the secret weapon? AI to make it all happen 10x faster.

I spent three years figuring this out through trial and error.
You don't have to.

Picture this:
March 2025. 
Your LinkedIn is growing. 
You built your first digital product.
You are positioning yourself for an advisory position.
You still have your job (if you want it), but now you know your options.

That's what 8 weeks can do.

The accelerator is intimate - just 20 people.
Live sessions, which are recorded. 
Feedback on whatever you are building.
Amazing guest experts on all topics.

And after that - 3 months free in my community to keep the momentum going.

This isn't about following my exact path.
It's about me showing you the map so you can choose your own adventure.

Want the full details?

🚀 Get all the information here and apply: https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN
Applications open now. We start January 26th.

I genuinely believe everyone deserves a portfolio career - work that fits your life, not the other way around.

Come build yours with me.

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Hope4

Chairman of Hope4 Charity | Charity Fundraiser | Human Rights Campaigner

Hope4 was founded by my wife Zoe and I to help transform the lives of children in one of the worst effected countries in the world; Moldova, where conditions within institutional care are truly shocking. 

This charity has evolved from its humble beginnings of handing out food on the streets to now supporting more orphans than we ever thought possible. We are providing assistance to more than 50 children’s homes, an orphan crisis centre, a centre for victims of abuse, as well as countless families suffering starvation. And we’ve only just scratched the surface. 

We want to see lives transformed, societies changed, and honest hope offered to families across Moldova and beyond. 

The generosity of our current corporate partners has enabled the launch of many projects with some examples being:

•	Pen-pal initiatives established between schools in USA and orphans in Moldova
•	Football outreach schemes bringing communities together
•	Provide families with essentials needs to live
•	Supporting the set-up of a business which will employ workers with a fair wage 
•	Securing international retailers who will sell on organic products made in Moldova

But we want and need to do so much more. And we’d love you to be a part of this journey. 

So, how can you get involved?

We are looking for corporate partners to support us in 3 key areas:
•	Name Hope4 as your nominated charity for the year – this ongoing support is vital to our work and allows your company to really be a part of the vision
•	Ongoing monthly support – regular funds allow us to plan and deliver new projects 
•	Ad Hoc Support – your generosity can accelerate the projects in the pipeline

If you would like to discuss the opportunities for your organisation to partner with Hope4 please book in a discovery call with me here: https://calendly.com/wearehope4/discovery-call

President of Hope4 Moldova | Corporate Charity Partner | Fundraiser for #WeAreHope4 

We believe that corporate social responsibility shouldn’t just be a tick box exercise but instead, a partnership with flourishing results. We want to encourage our partners to be part of the vision and the results; where you can once again dream it, believe it, provide for it and see it come to fruition.

If you would like to discuss the opportunities for your organisation to partner with Hope4 please book in a discovery call with me here: https://calendly.com/wearehope4/discovery-call

www.hope4.org

CEO of Hope4 CIC UK | Fundraiser | Corporate Charity Partner 

Hope4 Business

At Hope4 Business, we believe in the power of synergy between corporate success and social responsibility. As a dedicated branch of Hope4 NGO, our mission is to drive sustainable funding for our humanitarian projects by offering top-tier business and sales services.

Our unique approach allows companies and charities to benefit from our expertise while simultaneously contributing to meaningful global causes. By partnering with Hope4 Business, you are not only accessing exceptional business solutions but also making a tangible difference in communities worldwide.

Our Services:

Business Consulting: Tailored strategies to elevate your business performance and achieve your goals.

Sales Solutions: Innovative sales techniques and training to boost your revenue and market presence.

Marketing Support: Comprehensive marketing plans designed to enhance your brand visibility and engagement.

Fundraising Assistance: Expertise in organizing and managing successful fundraising campaigns.

Why Choose Us?

Expertise with a Purpose: Our team consists of seasoned professionals who are passionate about driving both business growth and social impact.

Sustainable Impact: Every project we undertake directly supports Hope4 NGO's initiatives, ensuring your investment contributes to a better world.

Collaborative Approach: We work closely with our partners to understand their unique needs and deliver customized solutions.

Proven Results: Our track record speaks for itself, with numerous satisfied clients and successful campaigns.

Join us in transforming the way businesses operate by integrating social good into the core of their strategies. With Hope4 Business, you can achieve remarkable business outcomes while fostering a brighter future for those in need.

Connect with us to learn how we can help your organization thrive and make a positive impact together.

Chief Executive Officer

Asset & General Finance LTD

As the Social Impact Advisor for Asset and General, an independent finance broker based in Scotland, my role is to integrate business growth with social impact. Asset and General specialize in arranging fast and effective finance solutions for businesses, with expertise in sectors such as transportation, forestry, and agriculture. With over 150 years of combined experience, the team has built strong connections with both specialist funders and mainstream banks to provide tailored funding solutions.

In my role, I leverage my leadership experience with Hope4 and Clear Cook to bring new clients to Asset and General while ensuring that our work aligns with impactful social outcomes. By creating partnerships that demonstrate corporate social responsibility, we empower businesses to grow while contributing to Hope4’s mission of transforming lives in Moldova, Ukraine, and beyond.

Through this position, I help businesses realize their potential while driving social change, bringing together the power of finance and philanthropy.

For more information about Asset and General, visit: www.assetandgeneral.co.uk.

Social Impact Advisor

Clear Cook

Clear Cook is an innovative solution to one of the most common challenges within commercial kitchen, and that is how to keep heavily soiled bakeware clean. Currently Foodservice outlets employ Pot Washers, whose job it is to scrub these items clean. A thankless task that seems them often paid minimum wage, for a job that demands maximum effort. 

Clear Cook addressed that issue, by creating a device that cleans those most heavily soiled pots, pans, utensils, grills and extractors without the need for a pot washer, or scrubbing. 

And best of all, they are directing a significant proportion of their profits to Hope4, which is why I accepted the position of UK & European Sales Director, using my knowledge and experience in Foodservice, to help and promote this exciting product. 

When buying Clear Cook's Pot Washing system, you are directly impacting the lives of some of the most desperate people in Europe.

Chief Operating Officer

Moldovan Gymnastics Association

Gymnastics is in my blood, it's part of my DNA and although I'm retired, I still want to inspire the younger generation to believe. Moldova suffers a funding crisis, potential champions disadvantaged simply because of where they live.

Children should have equal access to opportunities regardless of the flag they compete under, and it's my mission to bring hope to Moldovan gymnasts and Moldovan gymnastics.

International Development Director

Rotary Club Cosmopolitan

Rotary International is a worldwide network of 1.4 million neighbours, friends, and leaders who believe in taking action to create lasting change. Founded over a century ago, Rotary’s mission is simple yet powerful: to unite people from all walks of life to provide humanitarian service, promote goodwill, and foster peace in communities worldwide.

At the heart of Rotary’s values are our guiding principles—Service Above Self, Integrity, Diversity, Leadership, and Fellowship. These values drive us to address the world’s most pressing challenges, from eradicating polio and promoting peace to supporting education, fighting disease, and protecting our environment.

Tonight, as we come together for the first time as Rotary Club Cosmopolitan, we join a legacy of compassion, innovation, and community. We are part of a movement that believes in the power of people working together to make a difference, both here in Moldova and across the globe.

President

BNI Global

BNI (Business Network International) is the largest networking organisation of its type in the world, and helps business owners to maximise the benefits of networking with like-minded entrepreneurs.

Director Consultant

Blue Leaf - Sustainable Managed Print Solutions

To provide sustainable #ManagedPrint solutions to businesses, schools, charities and churches, whilst helping to significantly reduce costs.

Founder and Non-Executive Chairman 

Tintra Investment

Established in 2006, Tintra Investment is a vertically integrated company that has several subsidiaries that provide different investment services under the group, including: Advisory and Investment Services, MFO (Multi Family Office) Services, Trophy Asset Acquisition, Crowd Funding,  Private Equity Funds, Listed FX Bonds, UK Citizenship and Cypriot Citizenship

Key duties & responsibilities include:

1.	Assume full responsibility for all group products and activity within the UK market, representing and promoting Tintra's core brand values across all verticals and establishing a UK presence.
2.	Assist in the creation of a new Business Plan for Tintra Construction Services that provides an appropriate Road Map to achieve success, identifying resource gaps and investment routes.
3.	Work with off-market partners to provide an asset pipeline that meets Tintra's exacting criteria and provide it's client's with high yielding investment opportunities.
4.	Identify, recruit and educate third party partners within the immigration and wealth management sectors.
5.	Represent Tintra within appropriate industry bodies, providing leading opinion and advice, positioning Tintra as market leader within its various industries.

Director Of Strategic Partnerships

Arrow County Supplies

Arrow County Supplies is a family owned business based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The Arrow management team have aggressive expansion plans and wish to increase their turn-over to £20m by 2018 which requires a fundamental restructuring of the current management team. Arrow operates within the Hygiene, Janitorial and Chemical sector, a highly populated market place, with very little ‘point of difference’ between competitors. An opportunity exists to re-invent Arrow and its value proposition, whilst bolstering the existing management team in order to identify new market potential and create the necessary foundation for significant growth.   

Key duties & responsibilities include:
1.	As acting Sales Director, assume full responsibility for all Sales and Marketing activities, evaluate existing resources, create new MOP’s and KPI’s and prepare a new comprehensive Sales and Marketing Plan in line with Company objectives.
2.	Create new Management Systems and Procedures that improve reporting and accountability across all areas of the business in order to exploit company assets more effectively.
3.	Identify and implement training across internal and external sales, providing coaching and mentoring through internal work-shops and field accompaniment. 
4.	Assist in the creation of a new Business Plan that provides an appropriate Road Map to achieve success, identify resource gaps and investment.
5.	Manage an active Sales Pipeline that identifies early Sales Cycles and the initiatives required to overcome traditional barriers to entry.
6.	Work with Marketing to ‘reinvent’ Arrow and provide clarity around its Value Proposition. Provide Change Management, communicating the need for change across the business, working with Informal Leaders to bring about a new culture.
7.	Lead by example managing a £1m portfolio, identifying opportunities for growth across existing customer base and prospects.

Customer Insight Director

Radical Acts of Kindness - Social Entrepreneur, connecting incredible people with their own impact - in real-time, in real-life. Together #WeAreHope4

Bound by Culture | Supported by Business | Driven by Love 

As the driving force behind Hope4, I am dedicated to transforming lives and creating sustainable solutions for the most pressing social challenges of our time. My journey in philanthropy and social entrepreneurship is rooted in a deep-seated commitment to fostering hope, resilience, and empowerment within underserved communities worldwide.

Professional Journey & Vision:

With over 30 years experience in leadership, strategic development, and more recently humanitarian efforts, I have honed my ability to navigate complex challenges with innovative solutions. At Hope4, we believe in a holistic approach to development, addressing not just immediate needs but also paving the way for long-term prosperity and self-sufficiency. Our projects span across education, healthcare, housing, and economic empowerment, impacting many tens of thousands of lives each year.

Key Achievements:

Leadership & Strategy: Spearheaded numerous initiatives that have led to measurable improvements in community well-being, including mobilising LinkedIn as a Force for Good, which has resulted in year on year growth and impact, directly touching the lives of hundreds of thousands across many countries.

World-wide Outreach: I have expanded Hope4's reach to 4 countries so far, fostering partnerships with local organisations, governments, and international bodies to maximise our impact.

Innovative Solutions: I have championed the development of direct-impact, a principal that connects people from across the world with their own impact, in real-time, in real-life, demystifying charity and lifting the veil of secracy that has plagued the industry for decades.

Core Values & Approach:

At the heart of my work is a belief in the power of collaboration and community. By engaging with diverse stakeholders and leveraging their unique strengths, we create synergies that drive meaningful change. Transparency, accountability, and respect are the pillars upon which Hope4 stands, ensuring that every action we take is aligned with our mission and values.

Looking Forward:

My vision for the future is one where Hope4 continues to be a beacon of hope and a catalyst for positive change. We are constantly exploring new opportunities to expand our impact, innovate our practices, and empower even more individuals and communities. I am always open to connecting with like-minded professionals, potential partners, and anyone passionate about making a difference.

Chris Lomas

She's bursting to speak to you...

Meet Donna-Jade Govender, the Business Growth Strategist for Hope4 Business 🔥   

If you’ve ever needed help with social media management, virtual assistance, admin support, or business ops, this is for you.

Because today, I’m pleased to introduce Donna, the newest member of the Hope4 Business team, and the person dedicated to helping founders, CEOs and organisations grow faster, smarter and more sustainably.

💡 But here’s what makes this different from any typical hiring announcement:

When you work with Donna and the Hope4 Business team… you don’t just grow your business, you actually change lives ❤️ 

Through Hope4 Business, companies can access exceptional talent in South Africa, at up to 60% less than agencies or direct employees, all while helping us fight poverty, human trafficking and exploitation.

It’s the business model of the future:

✔ High-quality, trained professionals
✔ Significant cost savings
✔ Zero HR stress
✔ No long-term contracts unless you want them
✔ Direct social impact built into every hour worked

 ✅ Your operations run smoother.
 ✅ Your workload shrinks.
 ✅ Your costs drop.
 ✅ And vulnerable families get jobs, dignity and protection from exploitation.

That’s the Hope4 Business ecosystem 💥 

Why Donna is such a crucial addition

Donna brings:

🔥 Exceptional people skills
🔥 A deep understanding of brand, social and client needs
🔥 A passion for helping businesses grow
🔥 And most importantly, a heart fully aligned with Hope4❤️’s mission

She will be your first point of contact for all business enquiries, client onboarding and service planning.

If you’re considering:

➡️ A Social Media Manager
➡️ A Virtual Assistant
➡️ A Content Creator
➡️ An Admin / Operations Support
➡️ Or building out a small remote team…

Donna is the person to speak to.

A final thought…

Most people think choosing the cheaper option means compromising on quality 🤔  

Hope4 Business proves that idea wrong.

You can save money, grow faster, and fight poverty at the same time.

If that sounds like the kind of business decision you want to make, reach out to Donna, or drop a comment and I’ll connect you 🙏 

Finally, welcome to the team, Donna.... the impact you’re about to make will be extraordinary. ❤️🔥

#Hope4Business #BusinessAndPurpose

Chris ❤️ Lomas

From the settlements of Africa, to the front line in Ukraine, I’m that crazy person who loves people like their lives depend on it….because they do ❤️❤️

Incredible friends, amazing people…

Last Thursday, my beautiful wife Zoe Lomas and I returned from Moldova after what can only be described as one extraordinary week.

A week filled with impact, with compassion, with hope. And a week where we welcomed back our life-changing partners at Goods For Good and UNIQLO

But at the heart of it all were two remarkable people 🔥 

Julia Dinisiuk, our Hope4 Moldova Country Director,

and

Eugene Mattern, our gifted videographer (pictured with his daughter Polina).

Together, they worked tirelessly to help deliver what both Rosalind Bluestone MBE and Maria Samoto le Dous described as the best trip so far. 

Their dedication and their excellence were on full display, and everyone we met felt it.

Hope4❤️ has never been about one individual.

It has always been about an army of world-changers! People who show up, give their all, and lift others above themselves......this is what defines Hope4. 

Julia and Eugene, on behalf of Rosalind, Maria, Meiqin Yan, and every family and refugee whose life was touched… Thank you.

Together #WeAreHope4 ❤️

We’re all off to the beach today… ⛱️ So why is everyone so serious?

Because today, across South Africa, women will gather in the one place the police can’t shut down.... the beach.

☀️ Not for sun.
🎉 Not for celebration.
🛑 But for a silent vigil that screams the truth the government keeps trying to bury.

Gender-Based Violence and Femicide are destroying this country.

Women For Change have already delivered one million signatures demanding GBV and femicide be declared a National Disaster.

➡️ One million voices.
➡️ One million pleas for protection.

And yet, nothing has been done.

So as world leaders arrive for the G20 South Africa summit, the women of South Africa are giving them a welcome message the leaders never had the courage to say:

‼️ In South Africa today, because of government inaction, the safest place for a woman… is a casket ‼️ 

That sentence should not exist.... But it does.

Because 5,578 women were un-alived due to GBV in the last 12 months, a 34% increase on the year before.

This is not a statistic. This is an outrage.

#UnburyTheTruth Please share it. Talk about it. And, refuse to look away.

Today, at the beach, we won’t be silent. We’ll be heard. And we’ll keep raising our voices until South Africa finally protects its women.

Women For Change Hope4 Africa stands with you. 

#gbv #stopgbv #femecide

The existing charity model is dying, and no ones talking about it.

When Trump's administration shut down USAID, billions in life-saving programmes disappeared almost overnight. 

Entire regions lost support. Countless families lost help. And even the UN system felt the shockwaves: UNHCR publicly reported funding drops of up to 40% in critical areas.

But here’s the truth no one wants to say out loud: This isn’t just a USAID problem. This is a world-wide problem.

Across the world, charitable giving has fallen sharply under the cost-of-living crisis. People want to care, but they simply can’t afford to. 

In the UK alone, the total value of donations more than halved in a single year. Many countries are reporting their lowest giving levels in over a decade.

At the same time, the number of NGOs keeps rising. Depending on which report you read, there are between 5 and 10 million charities across the world, all fishing in the same shrinking pond, chasing the same grants, the same CSR budgets, the same exhausted donors.

And here’s the uncomfortable part:

Even the giants are struggling. INGOs across the world have reported billion-dollar shortfalls.

Small charities are closing at the fastest rate in modern times.

In some countries, nearly half of non-profits say they have less than six months of funding left.

Yet… most charities are still doing exactly what they’ve always done:
 
➡️ More rods.
➡️ Same pond.
➡️ Fewer fish.

This is not a sustainable model.

And it’s not fair to the people whose lives depend on us getting this right.

Why Hope4❤️ chose a different path ⁉️ 

From the beginning, I held one conviction: Donor money should change lives, not fund salaries.

At Hope4, we rarely apply for grants. We built our work on partnerships, relationships, and transparency, but even that isn’t enough anymore. 

The world is changing too fast.

And so, that’s why I created Hope4 Business.

Hope4 Business isn’t a side-hustle, it’s a new model:

 ✔ We create meaningful jobs
 ✔ We offer world-class solutions
 ✔ Every contract helps fund Hope4’s operations
 ✔ No donor money touches overheads
 ✔ At the same time, we break cycles of poverty and exploitation through employment

In short:

✅ Your business grows.
✅ Our operations are sustained.
✅ Vulnerable communities get jobs and hope, not dependency.

This is the future of charity‼️ 
 
Not “more fundraising”… but economic engines built alongside humanitarian operations.

The sector has two choices now

1️⃣ Keep fishing in the same shrinking pond
2️⃣ Or innovate, diversify, and build sustainable models that won’t collapse when the next funding crisis hits

Hope4 has chosen the latter. And I believe many more will follow.

Because if charities don’t evolve, many won’t survive. But the ones who do… will change the world.

If you're a business that needs great people, but simply can't afford them, then lets talk. 

If you're a charity that's struggling to survive, then get in touch. 

Together #WeAreHope4

Our friendship and respect deepens… 

Just before leaving Moldova, our final meeting was with Her Excellency, Ambassador Fern Horine, at the British Embassy in Chișinău, a leader who has become not only a trusted ally, but a deeply valued friend.

Since her appointment two years ago, Fern has shown unwavering kindness, wisdom, and support for the work of Hope4❤️. 

At every stage, she has championed the values of compassion, integrity, and impact, the very foundations on which our charity stands.

As a British organisation working across Moldova, Ukraine and South Africa, it means a great deal to sit with someone who understands both the challenges on the ground and the scale of the opportunity ahead.

In what is always a friendly and informal meeting, we discussed how British businesses, charities and individuals continue to amplify Hope4’s work across Moldova and beyond. 

And we shared one clear belief: 2026 will be our biggest and most transformative year yet, as we continue to expand and initiate projects that will transform entire communities. 

As Hope4 expands into new territories and deepens its impact, our mission remains the same: to fight poverty, exploitation, human trafficking, conflict and crisis, wherever we are needed most.

The challenges are great, but so is this incredible community. 

Together #WeAreHope4

The victims are as young as x3 months old...

𝐀 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰@𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞.

I’m pictured here with Operational Commander Vinod Singh (left) and Helicopter Pilot Prem Balram of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), one of KwaZulu-Natal’s most respected Tactical Search and Rescue Units.

Last weekend, their team rescued a 17-year-old girl who had been kidnapped just 12 hours earlier.

The ransom? ZAR 10,000 (£400) ⁉️ 

A heart-breaking indicator of the desperation, and darkness, that fuels crime across South Africa.

This precious young girl endured unspeakable violence.

The perpetrator is now behind bars, but the wider battle against GBV and femicide continues to escalate across a country overwhelmed by crime.

𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 Hope4 Africa ❓ 

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 🔥 

As part of our fight against human trafficking and exploitation, Hope4 Africa will be working more closely with the RUSA team, accompanying them on operations and helping target the predators who hunt young women and vulnerable children.

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠:

💡 153,000 children are assaulted every year in South Africa.
💔 That’s 420 children every single day.

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧. 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧.

And in a country where the police are overwhelmed and crime is out of control, far too many offenders walk free.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞.

Children, some as young as three months old, deserve protection, justice, and hope.

And as long as I have breath in my body, I will stand between the vulnerable and the violent

I will fight for them, raise my voice for them, and do whatever it takes to defend them 💯 

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞.

‼️ Here’s how you can help ‼️ 

For just £4.00 a month, you can help us:

✅ Support survivors,
✅ Strengthen frontline operations,
✅ Assist rescue teams like RUSA, and
✅ Reach more children before the worst happens.

The fight has never been more urgent, or more necessary.

Join us. Stand with us. Fight for them.

Together #WeAreHope4 ❤️🔥

Hope4 Moldova may look like a large organisation from the outside, but…

Don’t let the big warehouse, the constant flow of humanitarian aid, and the countless lives transformed, fool you.
 
The truth is much simpler… and more beautiful.

Behind all of this impact is a tiny team with a huge heart:

Julia Dinisiuk, Eugene Mattern and a small group of volunteers and supporters, each committed to a cause way bigger than ourselves. 

Everything you see, every coat given, every refugee supported, every child reached, every family helped, is only possible because people like you choose to stand with Hope4❤️

❤️ We don’t have huge overheads.
❤️ We don’t have loads of staff.
❤️ We don’t receive government grants.
❤️ We simply have people who care.

And because we keep our team lean and our operations efficient, your support goes directly where it matters most, to the vulnerable, the forgotten, the families hanging on by a thread.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your help makes a difference…Just know this:

✅ You are the reason Hope4 continues.
✅ You are the reason we can show up.
✅ And you are the reason tens of thousands of people find hope.

But, like every charity, we have overheads, and although ours are tiny comparing to most, we need a little support too 💡  

And so, we’d like to invite a special group of people and businesses to reach out and become part of our operational donors 🙏 

Far from being hidden, you are the engine room that keeps everything going, meaning that we stay laser focused on changing lives.
 
If you’d like to be a part of our elite, operational team, please get in touch at help@hope4.org 

Thank you for being part of this mission. We truly couldn’t do it without you...

Together #WeAreHope4

Barney's Story 😍 

Abandoned and left to die… To loved, happy and free. 🐾❤️

When we first found Barney, he was chained to a rusting fence in an empty yard in Tohatin (30 minutes outside Chisinau), abandoned, starving, and utterly alone.

His owners had built a new house… and simply left him behind.

💔 A For Sale sign on the gate.
💔 No water.
💔 No care.
💔 No compassion.

Days would pass between visits.
 
When they bothered to come, they tossed scraps of bread over the fence 😡 

By the time we reached him, Barney was clinging to life.

He was so desperate to survive, he had begun eating his own waste 😒 

😔 Skin and bones.
😔 No muscle.
😔 No strength.
😔 No hope.
 
Just a trembling shadow of a dog who wanted to live.

But that day, we carried him out of that place, out of neglect… and into love.

And slowly, Barney began to change.

Today, one year later, he is unrecognisable 😍 

The trembling ghost is gone, in his place is a round, happy, wiggly boy who adores affection, plays with other dogs, and trusts humans again despite every reason not to.

Barney is proof of what love can do.

But here’s the hard truth:

➡️ For every Barney we save, dozens more are still waiting.
➡️ Still chained.
➡️ Still starving.
➡️ Still forgotten.

And that’s why we need your help.

Hope4 Rescue exists for dogs like Barney, the abandoned, the abused, the overlooked.

💡 But rescue takes resources:
 
🥫 Food.
🏚️ Shelter.
🩺 Medical care.
😍 Safety.
🩷 Love.

How you can help save the next Barney:

£5 a month - helps us rescue and feed abandoned dogs
£25 - helps fund an emergency rescue
£50 - feeds, shelters and fully cares for a rescued dog for a month

🔥 Every pound makes a difference.
🔥 Every share helps a dog find safety.
🔥 Every donation becomes a second chance.

Together, we can turn cruelty into compassion…

If you'd like to get involved, please head over to our web site and learn more about Hope4 | Rescue ❤️ 
 
https://lnkd.in/dCZnETjC

Open video: HOPE4 RESCUE / BARNEY's STORY on youtube.com

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