Ep1: Leading Without Losing Your Soul

Written By fiona

Episode 1: Leading Without Losing Your Soul


Ethical leadership, growth, and staying grounded when scaling a values-led business.

Leadership today isn’t about hierarchy; it’s about integrity. Jen and Fipe share what it takes to build and grow teams that reflect your values, how to balance commercial realities with conscience, and why great leaders protect culture at all costs.

Guests:

"Business will expose every single personal vulnerability you've got. Without a doubt.” Jen Sharpe

"Nothing was as dramatic as my brain had told me about sharing my story. No one cares, and people liked it!" Phoebe Preuss

Ripple Backstage Episode 1: Leading Without Losing Your Soul

In the very first episode of Ripple Backstage, recorded live in the Studio Pod at Ripple Festival, host Christina Canters sits down with two powerhouse women in business: Jen Sharpe, who built communications agency Think HQ from her kitchen table to a $20M+ turnover firm, and Fipe Preuss, founder of social enterprise Living Koko and a continuation of 200 years of cacao cultivation in Samoa. Together they get candid about the realities of scaling a business, the unexpected role of vulnerability in leadership, and why therapy might be the best business investment you ever make.

Host:

Christina Canters, CEO of Podcast Services Australia

Guests:

Jen Sharpe (Founder & CEO, Think HQ) and Fipe Pruess (Founder, Living Koko)

Recorded live at: Ripple Festival

Key Topics Covered

Scaling leadership & letting go

Jen shares how her leadership style transformed as Think HQ grew from a solo operation to 100+ people, from hands-on delivery to deliberately hiring people more skilled than herself, and learning to trust them with their domains.

Why systems don't kill creativity, they enable it

Jen reflects on being a self-described "rogue entrepreneur" who avoided systems at all costs, only to discover that well-designed processes actually create more space and energy for creativity.

The vulnerability piece nobody talks about

Both guests open up about personal trigger points that show up in business: Jen's cashflow anxiety rooted in childhood financial insecurity, and Fipe's fear of being seen despite years as a performing artist. The message: a business will expose every personal vulnerability you have.

Therapy before business coaching

The guests make a compelling case for doing the inner work first: understanding your trigger points so they don't drive your business decisions. Jen's take: "Get a good therapist. Really get in and rummage around and understand yourself."

Finding your soul tribe

The importance of a trusted circle, business owners or close friends, who you can unpack the hard stuff with safely, especially when your therapist isn't available.

Purpose, Profit, Possibility

The trio unpacks Ripple's tagline. Highlights include Jen's bold stance that "the greatest form of self-care is to pay yourself well," and Fipe's reminder that profit is what gives you the headspace to dream.

Dreams that came true

Fipe shares her 20+ year dream of performing at WOMAD Adelaide finally coming to fruition, alongside her vision for Living Koko's global social impact. Jen reflects on growing Think HQ to a $20M+ business and now eyeing global expansion as a values-led communications agency.

Guest Highlights

Jen Sharpe, Think HQ

Jen founded Think HQ 15 years ago with no external funding and has grown it to a 100+ person integrated communications agency working exclusively with clients driving positive social impact. She's now expanding to Sydney with a vision for global growth. LinkedIn: Jen Sharpe

Fipe Preuss, Living Koko

Living Koko is a social enterprise continuing 200 years of cacao cultivation from Fipe's village in Samoa. They work with 400+ domestic plot farmers (predominantly women in the Pacific) and are the largest importers of Samoan cacao to Australia. Products are available in 50–60 Whole Foods stores across Victoria. Linkedin: Phoebe Preuss

Ripple Backstage is produced by Podcast Services Australia. If this episode sparked something for you, head to Ripple Festival to be part of the next one.

Resources & Links

fiona