#HerPerspective: Women who inspire – Details, episodes & analysis

007: Friendship is something truly special and there aren’t many people I would genuinely call a close friend. But Line Fandrup is one of them. She’s someone I deeply admire, for her strength, her intellect, her integrity, and for the way she shows up both as a powerful leader and as a deeply present mother.

Line is the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President at NKT, a global leader in power cable solutions supporting the green energy transition. Her journey spans leadership roles at companies like Maersk, Novozymes, COWI, and ROCKWOOL and throughout her career, she’s stood out for her strategic clarity, operational excellence, and quiet resilience.

In this episode, we reconnect not only as professionals, but as friends — and we dive into a very real conversation about what it means to be a woman in leadership today. We talk about:

What it’s like to sit as the only woman in a C-level meeting — and the eye-opening moment when she realized her male colleagues couldn’t see the everyday discrimination women face.

How she found the courage to speak up — and share, vulnerably and honestly, what life looks like for a woman navigating a male-dominated world.

Motherhood and ambition — how she manages to keep her career in focus while being a devoted mom to two amazing daughters.

The unspoken pressure on female leaders to be both empathetic and assertive — and how she balances that tightrope between “understanding” and “bossy.”

Building resilience — what it takes, why it matters, and how she strengthens hers day by day.

Her go-to formula for staying grounded: Sleep. Eat. Exercise. (Simple, powerful, and totally underrated.)

Our shared experience at INSEAD — where we first met, and where we learned that while cultures may differ, we humans aren’t all that differnt.

Plus, Line offers up her best career advice and leaves us with a coaching snack that’s as practical as it is inspiring.

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to lead with heart, strength, and authenticity — this conversation is it. Line’s story is not just a CFO’s perspective — it’s a woman’s perspective, a mother’s perspective, and a leader’s perspective, all wrapped into one.

Tune in now — this one’s personal.

Podcast Links:

Book Tips

• Wenn die letzte Frau den Raum verlässt (Vincent-Immanuel Herr, Martin Speer) – GERMAN only!
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)
• The code of the Extraordinary Mind (Vishen Lakhiani)

More about Astrid:

• https://www.astridsteingrueber.com
• Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrid_steingrueber_coaching/
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/astrid-steingrueber/

006: From Italy to Australia to the US. From Architecture to Academia to Tech and now to Art.

Daria Loi has reinvented herself over and over, not out of necessity, but from a deep commitment to growth and curiosity. In this episode, I speak with a woman who not only embraces change but leads it with intention. Her journey is one of courage, bold decisions, coping with biases, staying true to yourself and continual transformation.

Named one of Italy’s 50 Most Influential Women in Tech, Daria holds a PhD in Design, and in 2023, she made a bold shift leaving behind a high-powered tech career to open an art gallery in Portland.

We talk about:

• How she’s dealt with bias, both as a woman and as an Italian, especially in the tech world
• Why language and cultural nuance can lead to misunderstanding and how to address it
• Cultural differences between Europe, Australia and the US
• How to respond to sexist comments
• What it really takes to reinvent yourself
• How to make yourself visible in a large corporation, even if it doesn’t come naturally
• Why it's essential to ask yourself: "Why am I here?"
• How to protect your work from being stolen

...and so much more.

This is a conversation full of honesty, energy, and hard-won wisdom. If you’re standing at a crossroads, or simply curious about how to lead with courage and stay true to yourself, or if you just want to listen to an inspiring woman with an inspiring life, this one’s for you.

Podcast Links:

• Studio Daria Loi | Art & Participatory Design: https://www.darialoi.com/
• imperfecta | art & design gallery: https://www.imperfecta.xyz/
• How to be brave | Margie Warrell | TEDxButler: https://www.ted.com/talks/brené_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability
• 3 steps to unlocking courage in the workplace: https://www.kornferry.com/institute/3-steps-to-unlocking-courage-in-the-workplace

More about Astrid:

• https://www.astridsteingrueber.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrid_steingrueber_coaching
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/astrid-steingrueber

005: Von der Banklehre zum internationalen Director in eine Fortune 500 Unternehmen – mit Realschulabschluss und ohne klassischer Akademikerlaufbahn!

Wie das möglich ist, fragt ihr euch? Das verrät sie uns im Interview. Nur so viel, es hat u.a. etwas mit ihrem Leitsatz “All-in, always all-in” zu tun 😉

In dieser Folge spreche ich mit Sabine Hammer Director GTM Strategy, Partner Eco-System & Strategic Alliances – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia bei Lenovo, einer beeindruckenden Führungspersönlichkeit aus der internationalen Tech-Welt. Wir sprechen natürlich über ihren Karriereweg, abseits klassischer Pfade, über das Imposter Phänomen oder wie Sabine sagt: das „Confidence Gap“, über Resilienz, natürlich über Mentoring, Sabine ist wie ich Mentorin bei MentorMe und warum ihr mit 22 Jahren von ihrer ersten Arbeitgeberin nach der Bank „unconditional trust“ gegeben wurde und wie es ihre Karriere geprägt hat.

Ach und dann verrät sich uns noch, was hinter der Octopus-Strategie steckt.

Zum Schluss gibt’s natürlich auch wieder eine kleine Schnellfragerunde – damit wir Sabine noch etwas besser kennenlernen.

🎧 Jetzt anhören
📩 Fragen, Ideen oder Interview-Vorschläge? Schreib mir gerne!

Links zur Episode:

• Mentor me https://mentorme-ngo.org/

• European Women on Boards https://community.europeanwomenonboards.eu/feed

Hier noch die Tipps von Sabine:

· Sabine’s Buchblog!

lesen eintauchen in andere welten5 https://www.instagram.com/leseneintaucheninanderewelten5

· Podcast: In Good Company

Apple: podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/in-good-company-with-nicolai-tangen/id161421156

Und mein Coaching-Snack für euch:

· Buch und TED Talk: Grit – Angela Lee Duckworth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8

Eines meiner absoluten Lieblingsbücher! Angela Duckworth sprecht über Leidenschaft und Ausdauer, und dass das wichtiger ist als Herkunft oder IQ 😊

Wenn euch das Format meines Podcasts gefällt, dann bitte schreibt mir, damit ich weiß, dass ich auf dem richtigen Weg bin und bitte abonniert den Podcast, ganz einfach auf das 🔔Symbol drücken und bewertet ihn gerne.

Das hilft mir dabei auch in Zukunft, inspirierende Frauen für das Interview bei #HerPerspective zu begeistern.

Mehr zu Astrid:

- ⁠https://www.astridsteingrueber.com/⁠

- https://tr.ee/KE9Hvz

004: What happens when one woman decides not just to break the glass ceiling—but to hold the door open for others?

In this inspiring episode of #HerPerspective, we sit down with Iffat Chaudhry—a trailblazer in the AV industry, fierce advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and the powerful voice behind the WhatIff videocast.

Born in London to a Pakistani immigrant father who arrived in the 1960s with just £5 and a dream, Iffat shares how her upbringing, identity, and lived experiences shaped her path to leadership. From navigating male-dominated spaces to launching a platform that amplifies underrepresented voices, Iffat’s story is one of resilience, purpose, and paying it forward.

In this episode, we explore:

- Her personal journey and what drives her DEI work

- The power of challenging the status quo in traditional industries

- How to create safe spaces and build inclusive environments

- Why paying it forward is not just a value—but a strategy for real change

- Advice for young women building their confidence in leadership roles

Iffat reminds us that when one woman rises, she creates space for many more.

Check out Iffat’s videocast: https://www.youtube.com/@WhatIff22

Connect with Iffat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iffat-chaudhry

Book Recommendations:

- Atomic Habits, James Clear

- Fierce Conversations, Susann Scott

More of Astrid:

- ⁠https://www.astridsteingrueber.com/

- https://tr.ee/KE9Hvz

003: Unstoppable: Wenn du dir selbst vertraust

 Gast:Caroline Vega – Vertriebsleiterin, Mutter, Gründerin von 5Loops

 In dieser inspirierenden Folge von #HerPerspective: Women Who Inspire spreche ich mit Caroline Vega – eine Frau, die gleich mehrere Rollen mit Bravour meistert:

✅ Vertriebsprofi in der Techbranche

✅ Mutter eines 16-jährigen Sohnes

✅ Co-Gründerin des nachhaltigenBrillenlabels 5Loops – gemeinsam mit ihrer Zwillingsschwester

💬 Wir sprechen über:

- Was es bedeutet, Karriere zu machen und gleichzeitig Mutter zu sein

- Wie Caroline mit Vorurteilen umgeht – als Frau, mit Migrationshintergrund, imLeadership

- Warum Selbstvertrauen der Schlüssel ist – und woher sie ihres nimmt

- Wie die Idee zu 5Loops entstand und welche Learnings sie aus der Gründung mitgenommen hat

- Tipps für angehende Gründerinnen – offen, ehrlich und umsetzbar

✨ Am Ende der Folge gibt’s wie immer unseren beliebten „Coaching Snack“ – mit Buchempfehlungen, TED Talk-Tipps und persönlichen Empfehlungen von Caroline.

📍Verfügbar ab 03. Juni

📅 Neue Folge alle zwei Wochen

🔔 Abonniert den Podcast und aktiviert die Glocke, damit ihr nichts verpasst!

Links & Empfehlungen aus der Folge:

• Buchtipp #1: Indra Nooyi: My life in full
• Buchtipp #2: James Clear: Atomic Habits
• TED Talk: America Ferrera: My identity is a superpower -- not an obstacle America Ferrera: My identity is a superpower -- not an obstacle | TED Talk
• Carolines nachhaltiges Brillenlabel: 5Loops Brillen 5Loops Brillen
• LinkedIn: Caroline Vega (1) Caroline Vega | LinkedIn

Mehr zu mir:

• Meine Webseite: https://www.astridsteingrueber.com 
• Instagram: @astrid_steingrueber_coaching
• LinkedIn: Astrid Steingrueber (1) Astrid Steingrueber | LinkedIn

002: Navigating Workplace Politics (en) Workplace politics are real — but with the right mindset, you can use them to grow. In this episode of #HerPerspective: Women Who Inspire, I speak with Uma Thana Balasingam, a tech executive who rose to leadership roles in Asia's competitive corporate world.

We tackle a topic that many of us face — but few of us talk about openly: Workplace Politics.

We talk about:

✔️ What "workplace politics" really means

✔️ Why avoiding it can hurt your career

✔️ How to navigate power structures with integrity

✔️ Her personal lessons from leading in high-stakes environments

Whether you're early in your career or already in leadership, this episode will give you real-world insights into the invisible rules of the workplace.

🎧 Listen now and follow HerPerspective to stay inspired.

Links Episode #02:

1. From Outsider to Insider: Master Workplace Politics - First Moves Edition. https://bit.ly/wpl2025 
2. Uma's LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana 
3. Uma's Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@RAWwithUMA 

About me:

• My website: ⁠http://www.astridsteingrueber.com⁠ 
• LinkedIn: Astrid Steingrueber | LinkedIn

• Instagram: astrid_steingrueber_coaching

001: Karriere mit Plan

Wie baut man eine Karriere, die nicht dem Zufall überlassen ist? In dieser Auftaktfolge spricht Geschäftsführerin Sonja Pierer darüber, wie sie ihre Laufbahn bewusst gestaltet hat – mit klaren Zielen, starken Netzwerken und der richtigen Portion Selbstbewusstsein.

Erfahre, warum Mentoren entscheidend sein können, wie man sich in männerdominierten Branchen behauptet und weshalb ein Plan manchmal mehr wert ist als ein perfekter Lebenslauf.

HerPerspective – Women who inspire: Der Podcast für alle Frauen, die ihre Karriere selbst in die Hand nehmen wollen.

Links zur Episode #01:

BayFiD: https://www.bayfid.bayern.de/ -

Frauen in die Aufsichtsräte e.V. : https://www.fidar.de/ 

MentorMe: https://mentorme-ngo.org/ 

3 Key Elements to Thriving Mentorship | Janet Phan |TEDxZurich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY7r6A_J_jQ

🎧 Jetzt reinhören & inspirieren lassen!

Mehr von mir:

Webseite: www.astridsteingrueber.com

LinkedIn: Astrid Steingrueber

Instagram: @astrid_steingrueber_coaching

Her Perspective: Women Who Inspire 🎙️✨

Her Perspective ist der Podcast für alle, die sich inspirieren lassen und wachsen möchten. Hier erzählen außergewöhnliche Frauen von ihren Karrierewegen, Herausforderungen und Erfolgen – ehrlich, authentisch und motivierend.

Freu dich auf spannende Interviews mit inspirierenden Frauen aus der ganzen Welt. Themen wie Führung, Karriereplanung, Networking, Impostor-Syndrom und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung stehen im Fokus. Jede Folge bietet wertvolle Einblicke, praktische Tipps und echte Erfolgsgeschichten.

Abonniere jetzt den Podcast und hinterlasse dein Feedback!

Das würde mich sehr freuen

✨💡🚀

#Her Perspective: Women Who Inspire 🎙️✨

#Her Perspective is the podcast for those who seek inspiration and personal growth. Hear from extraordinary women as they share their career journeys, challenges, and successes—honest, authentic, and empowering.

Expect insightful interviews with inspiring women from around the world. Topics include leadership, career development, networking, imposter syndrome, and personal growth. Each episode delivers valuable insights, practical tips, and real success stories.

Subscribe now and leave your feedback! ✨💡🚀

011: Job search—how to find your next role and, most importantly, how to navigate the application process. I’m speaking with Shaela Wepfer, who got laid-off in March and shared her job hunt journey on LinkedIn: 58 applications and three months later, she signed a new contract. We talk about what she learned along the way—what helped her and what didn’t.

We dive into motivation, the tools she used like video messaging and the elevator pitch, and how she proactively built and reached out to her network. Most of all, we talk about her biggest learnings.

This episode is for anyone currently looking for a new role. You are not alone. Job searching can be discouraging and wears down even the most confident people. That’s why I wanted to record this episode—to support those of you who are in this situation right now.

Beyond all the tools, one thing always helps: reaching out to your network, connecting, and grabbing a coffee with real people. With all the AI tools often making the first cuts these days, it’s still your energy in an interview that makes the difference.

You are not alone.

Links:

Podcast:

- Pod Cast: Amy Poehler A good Hang: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7hyrqAkwja2DZrVRHkNWsY

- Another fun Podcast about Networking: Julie Brown, This Shit Works (I am reading her new book): https://juliebrownbd.com/podcast/

Tools:

- Chat GPT

- Video Editing Software: https://www.veed.io/

Networking Organizations:

- Women in Revenue: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninrevenue/posts/

- Women in Sales: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-sales-club/posts/

- #GirlsClub: https://www.linkedin.com/company/girlsclub/posts/

- The LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shaela-wepfer_its-time-to-take-the-green-banner-down-activity-7341838732439797760-SfDZ/

- STAR METHOD: https://www.astridsteingrueber.com/en/star-method/

More about Astrid:

- https://www.astridsteingrueber.com

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrid_steingrueber_coaching/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/astrid-steingrueber/