In this episode of Sweet on Leadership, Tim Sweet interviews Greta Ehlers, a passionate advocate for diabetes awareness and innovation. Greta shares her journey of living with type one diabetes since the age of nine and how it led her to become a prominent voice on social media. The episode explores the intersection of personal experiences, advocacy, and leadership in the context of diabetes. Tim highlights Greta's role in creating a supportive community, breaking taboos around topics like mental health and sex, and her current work in diabetes technology innovation.

Greta opens up about her 20-year journey living with type one diabetes and her role as a leader in the diabetes tech space. Tim Sweet skillfully navigates the conversation, exploring Greta's early experiences, her advocacy on social media, and her current position at the Diabetes Center Berne. Greta's unique perspective on leadership challenges traditional notions, emphasizing that leaders come in various forms. 

Together, Tim and Greta cover essential topics like the impact of technology on diabetes management, the importance of mental health discussions, and Greta's commitment to making life easier for people with diabetes. The conversation is both informative and empowering, shedding light on the complexities of living with a chronic condition while showcasing Greta's resilience and leadership in the field.

About Greta Ehlers

Greta is a dynamic MedTech professional, devoted patient advocate, and an inspiring speaker, driven by a mission to ignite innovation in the field of diabetes technology. With a rich background in marketing and a personal journey as someone living with type 1 diabetes, Greta brings a unique blend of professional acumen and personal empathy to her work.

Her career is marked by a relentless pursuit of scouting and nurturing start-ups specializing in diabetes technology. Greta's vision is to revolutionize the landscape of diabetes management, making it more manageable and less intrusive for those affected. Her hands-on experience with type 1 diabetes fuels her passion for finding and supporting innovations that promise to simplify life for diabetes patients.

Beyond her role in MedTech, Greta is a powerful voice in the diabetes community. As a speaker, she shares her insights and experiences to educate, inspire, and drive change. Her advocacy work is not just about raising awareness but also about creating tangible improvements in the lives of those living with diabetes.

Greta's approach is characterized by her creative marketing strategies that are as empathetic as they are effective. She understands the nuances of the healthcare industry and leverages this knowledge to bring groundbreaking diabetes management solutions to the forefront.

Her commitment to making a difference in the world of diabetes care is not just a professional choice, but a personal one. She stands as a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration, not only for those battling diabetes but also for the broader MedTech community.

In her journey, Greta continues to push the boundaries, fostering an environment of innovation and excellence in diabetes care. She is a true champion in the fight against diabetes, committed to lighting the path for the next generation of innovators in this critical field

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Gallup: www.gallup.com

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Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence: 

• Website
• LinkedIn: Tim Sweet
• Instagram
• Linkedin: Team Work Excellence

Contact Greta Ehlers | Diabetes Center Berne: 

• Website: www.dcberne.com
• Instagram: @gretastypeone
• Twitter: @gretastypeone
• Linkedin:
  • Greta Ehlers
  • Diabetes Center Berne

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Transcript:

Greta 00:01

There was this really distinct image of a leader in my head. And I know other people who I would definitely describe as a leader. But in my head, I was just too young, not too much of an expert, too little experienced, and all of that. And then I think talking to you also helped me see that leadership comes in different shapes and forms, right? There's not one definition of what a leader is at all.

Tim 00:28

I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you my friend, are a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. Welcome to the Sweet on Leadership podcast, episode 22. 

Tim 01:02

Welcome back, everybody. My name is Tim Sweet. Thank you for joining us again, for Sweet on Leadership. Today, I am joined by an absolute rain sunshine, which I keep saying, this is Greta Ehlers. Greta, thank you so much for joining us on the show today. 

Greta 01:18

Thank you so much for having me, Tim, I’m really excited to be here. 

Tim 01:21

Greta, I want you to tell everybody where you are in life. So, maybe just for the first few moments here, tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Greta 01:31

Absolutely. So, I'm 20 years old. I graduated from university two years ago and I think right now I'm enjoying my first two years of full-time work. And I've been living with type one diabetes for 20 years, which is quite important, plays a big role in my life. We'll talk more about that later. And I'm very passionate about innovation, about innovative technology, especially diabetes technology. And outside of work, I love traveling, I love exploring, I love classical music, and talking to interesting and inspiring people all over the world like you, actually. So, I'm really excited to be here. 

Tim 02:15

And I'm really excited to have you here. And I'm really honored that you’d spend the time with me. I think it's important to note that a 20 years of age, we might be tempted to equate the time that you've had so far and you're relatively new, or starting your career with someone who may not yet have a great deal of experience to offer our audience. And I want to hit that right on the head. Because the thing is, is that age is just one of those things that really is not a good measure of what a person's life experience is. And I think talking to you and learning more about you, I'd like you to take everybody who's listening today back into where your journey started. Because that was not, you know, just yesterday, you've been involved in something passionately for a number of years. And so take us back to that story about type one diabetes and getting involved in that. And really establishing yourself as an advocate in that space. 

Greta 03:09

Absolutely. So, I think in order to go back to where it all started, you have to go back around 20 years, and that's when I got my diagnosis. And my diagnosis, obviously, or living with type one diabetes isn't me or all of me, but it plays a really big part in my life. And it's also definitely part of where I am now and why I'm here. So, I was nine years old. I was on summer holiday with my best friend, we went to the Baltic Sea. And for a number of weeks, I've been feeling really thirsty, you know, I've been physically unwell. And the only thing I remember from that holiday is not the beaches or the fun we had. It's mostly how thirsty I was, all the time. The amounts of times I woke up during the night being so thirsty, I had to go to the kitchen and have some water. I came back from holiday, my parents picked me up and they took me to a doctor because I wasn't well. And they took some blood tests and told me and my parents that I was only nine. So, I didn't really understand what was happening. But they told me, you have type one diabetes will rush you to the hospital, and then you will learn how to adapt and kind of make all the adjustments you need in order to kind of live with that chronic condition. 

Tim 04:38

That's a very shocking and sudden introduction to having to adult really quickly at the age of nine. And suddenly and almost overnight. 

Greta 04:43

Yes, absolutely. And it was just you know, a big word. I mean, all I heard back then being nine years old is you'll have to inject yourself several times a day for the rest of your life. And I think that's what I remember. And I think that's where my whole journey started. 

Tim 05:04

When you think back on that time, you were dealing with it personally. But very soon the journey became more public. Can you tell us a little bit about that? 

Greta 05:12

Yes. So, growing up, you know, they had these camps for kids with type one diabetes. And now looking back, it's obviously a great thing. But back then I was like, No, I don't want to hang out with other sick kids, I'm not going to do that. And that was fine. My parents were like, Okay, we're not going to force you to. But obviously, 10 years later, or 15 years later, I realized that I literally don't know anyone else who's living with the same thing, and has to manage all these challenges, which I have to manage every day. And, of course, you regularly check in with your doctor. But that's also not the same as you know, talking to someone who is kind of your age and lives with the same thing. And that's when I turned to social media, actually, I think I was 20. And I created an Instagram page. And my first intention, and my only intention back then was to get to know other people with type one diabetes and exchange and talk about it.

Tim 06:14

And did it serve that purpose? Initially? 

Greta 06:21

Yes, absolutely. I think the diabetes community is very unique, very supportive, very, like relatively small, but people are just very supportive of one another. And I very quickly felt like, oh, there's loads of people I can turn to, there's loads of people who go through the same thing. And kind of this whole new level of mutual understanding, I guess, which I never felt like I had before. 

Tim 06:46

So, you're facing the situation. And in doing that, you felt the need to or wanted to process it, you wanted to be part of something that camp wasn't for you. But you found social media, and you found your people. And you suddenly were surrounded by these people that could see the world, or at least see it through your eyes, or at least approach a greater degree of empathy. But you didn't stop there. Right? You didn't stop there. So, then what began to happen as you found your people, and you began to use Instagram?

Greta 07:22

So, I think the beginning like the first year or something, I was just like, you know, I was kind of sharing pictures of my food and my blood sugar levels being like, Oh, I discovered this and that. And then, after some time, it must be like, four years ago, maybe I think, I realized two things. First of all, there are certain topics, which really impact my life, which are not spoken about enough. And the second topic was, there's lots of false information on social media. And basically, what I did, I created this platform to tackle both of these problems. So, what I did was researching papers, scientific journals, I was studying at university back then. So, I had access to all of these, you know, research papers. And I started speaking up about topics, which I felt when talked about enough, and that might be diabetes and mental health. I mean, now it is a bigger discussion about mental health in general, but five years back, it wasn't necessarily. Or diabetes and sex, how does a chronic condition like that may impact your sex life? And all of these topics, which I feel are quite a big part of people's lives, but they're hardly spoken about. And I found out things, which I never knew, none of my doctors had ever talked to me about it. And I started sharing these facts and research statistics over social media to help other people find this information and maybe answer some questions they had.

Tim 09:05

The view that I'm having here, of you getting really deep into it. What was the response that people started to show? 

Greta 09:13

For me, it was absolutely overwhelming. Because I remember I started posting these research stats on these letter boards, maybe you have seen them, where you can stick on these letters. Because I was like, Okay, we need science-based information. But also it needs to be kind of easy to understand because not everybody can be bothered to read journals. So, I wanted to kind of share it in a simple, aesthetic way. And I remember when I shared the first of these boards, so many people shared it. I think, today, it's been a while since I've checked, but it got over 3,000 reshares and my account back then wasn't big or maybe had like 2,000 followers or something. The response was great, immediate–

Tim 09:58

And overwhelming. Wow, that's great. When we look at your journey, you had identified a need that people obviously felt, and you provided a solution, right, you provided a source. So, if I look at this, as we were talking and we were setting up for this interview, what's really interesting to me is that you saw this as being a social media influencer, you saw this as being a public figure in that space. But you didn't see this in other ways. You didn't see this necessarily in terms of leading this group. Can you tell me a little bit about that? And how that has changed for you? 

Greta 10:35

Yeah, so I think for me, it was just back then something that I needed. And so I shared it with the world. And then I very quickly got the positive response. So, it made it very clear for me that other people also have that need. And then the logical consequence for me was okay, I'll make more of these. But I would never have seen myself as in somewhat leading people, you know,

Tim 11:04

After you had gone through this and moved through university and whatnot, can you tell us a little bit about then where life took you? You now have established yourself as a voice in the diabetic community, and people are responding and you're getting followers, you're seen as a source. How did that look for other parts of your life? What did that look like, as you went to finish school and find your first job, those kinds of things? 

Greta 11:29

Even though in the beginning of these years, when I was very social on Instagram, and I got invited to speak at conferences, even before I dived into my whole professional career, it's never been my goal to end up somewhere in the med-tech space, where I am now. But after I graduated, I got a job offer for where I'm now actually from Switzerland, by someone who I knew over social media. That's why I'm saying kind of all of these things brought me here. Because Maura and my colleague who kind of reached out to me back then, we've been known each other for years over social media, she also has type one diabetes. And she asked me shortly before I graduated, whether, yeah, I could imagine moving to Switzerland, I was studying in Sweden. And she was like, there is this really cool technology center, driving diabetes innovation, and I think you would be the perfect fit. Do you want to move to Switzerland? And my first response was, hell no. I wanted to see the world you know, I've just studied and learned in a very small Swedish town, two years of COVID. My plan was to, I don't know, go travel, see the world apply for a job somewhere in Tokyo or whatever, see where life takes me. But then this opportunity suddenly just, I don't know, flew to me somewhat. And then I was like, actually, yes, this is exactly what I want to do, like make life easier for people with diabetes, just like myself. 

Tim 13:02

Let's go a little bit into that organization that you're part of now and what your role is currently. 

Greta 13:06

So, we are a privately funded nonprofit organization. And our high-level mission is, or vision is to make life easier for people with diabetes. That sounds very abstract, but it is ultimately really just that. And we do that by conducting research on the one hand and translating this research into real solutions on the market, which people with diabetes can use. And that is mostly startup support. So, I’m working in business development. I scout startups with innovative ideas on how to make life better for people with diabetes, and I help them get their solutions off the ground. 

Tim 13:54

Probably a great time to say, if people wanted to find that particular organization, where would they look?

Greta 14:00

We're caught Diabetes Center Berne, you can find us on LinkedIn, you can reach out to me on LinkedIn, and I'm happy to conveniently enough, I'm also in the business development team. So, feel free to reach out to me or Google us, Diabetes Center Berne, and you'll find us. And we have a big innovation challenge a bit like Britain's Got Talent, but for diabetes startups. 

Tim 14:22

Awesome. So, we'll put all of that in the show notes. And where can people find you on Instagram? We're only midway through the conversation here. But I want to make sure that we stop and let people know that they can take a look while they're listening here. So, where can people find you on Instagram? 

Greta 14:38

It's gretastypeone on Instagram, all letters, no numbers. And it's been a while since I've been active, life is busy, but all the content is still there. Feel free to check that out. 

Tim 14:52

Right, as a resource, it could be great for yourself or somebody that you know, dear listener, so make sure that you check that out, and again, we'll put the link in the notes. Okay, so here we are, we've got you out, and you are working and you're working in an area that obviously realizes the importance of your perspective and your experience and your passion as they've scouted you. Give us a quick snapshot of what is life like right now. 

Greta 15:22

Right now I am five days away from a three-month trip. You know, I am based in Berlin, and people, even if they're not from Berlin, keep telling me, how do you even manage Berlin winter, it's so sad. Everybody's so grumpy. You honestly, you should just go somewhere else. This year often thinking yes, actually, why not? So, I'll be on the road traveling to Southeast Asia and to India. And very lucky to still work, we have a very flexible working environment. So, I'll take some time off. But I'll work some from a nice Airbnb somewhere in Indonesia, I hope. I'm very happy where I am, I love my job. I'm very lucky to kind of be motivated to go to work every Monday and really feeling like I can make a difference. You know, I don't feel like this tiny number in a big organization. I do feel like, in this area where work and my job, I can make an impact. And I can drive innovation. And this impact is somewhat visible for people out there. 

Tim 16:29

Let's talk about that impact for a minute. If we think about the fact that you can pick up and travel, is that experience any different now, as it would have been, you know, when you were nine years old? Is traveling with type one diabetes, has that changed in the last several years? 

Greta 16:48

Yes, I think that's why these technologies advancing are so amazing to me because I know how much easier everyday life is because back then 20 years ago, I had this blood sugar meter where I had to prick my finger several times a day, and I had, you know, glass vials and syringes. And now I have a small sensor on my arm and an insulin pump, which looks like a fancy MP3 player. And it does make it easier. And then of course makes traveling easier. And not just traveling but everyday life. Every single day. So, that's what I mean by saying this impact is very real to me. 

Tim 17:29

And that's the technological impact. What with the mindset of a person with type one diabetes, would that have changed over the last several years? Or is there a mindset or a maturity that people have to go through when they're first diagnosed in order to feel free and able and, and all of that? Is there a mindset shift that people have either gone through on mass or that you see individuals as having to tackle? 

Greta 17:59

Type one diabetes is so individual, I think everybody is going through their own struggles and feelings. Everybody's having their own, needs to take their own amount of time to kind of, you know, get used to that and accept the diagnosis, of course. One thing I would like to say is, sometimes what I hear working in this very tech-advanced field is that a lot of people think with all the tech we have now it's basically not something I have to think about ever because now I have the tech and it's basically doing the job for me. And funnily enough, that's not something which has changed at all. So, I don't think that maybe slightly, the amount of time I spent thinking about it has changed a bit. But it's still very much there, even though the actual handling of it has gotten easier. But you might talk to another person with diabetes, and they might give you a completely different answer. I think, for me, it has become easier, but it's still very much there. 

Tim 19:02

I mean, I'm a high-maintenance person. Years ago, I was diagnosed with a nonceliac wheat allergy. That diagnosis happened to, this was way before gluten-free and everything was a fad. I was having health issues, and I couldn't drink a cup of coffee without, you know, jittering. And then I was quite sick all the time and the rest of it. And I happened to find a doctor who was also an endocrinologist. And he took me through a range of tests. And it resulted in me having to drastically change the way that I eat. Now, I'm an old schooler when it comes to eating wheat-free. And although I was working at a bread company at the time, which didn't make me a very popular person, but it became one of those health-based obsessions in a sense. It was not something that I was doing, you know, out of fad or popularity or anything like that. It was something that I had to be aware of. I knew what the consequences are if I slipped up, and it continues to be something that I am conscious of, and it is active, it's not something that I can push to the background completely. Would that be similar to the experience that you have? Although I'm sure you're for those of you that don't know, I mean, maybe tell us a little bit about, if you've were to let it off your mind. What's the result for a person with diabetes, some people probably still do not understand what happens if it goes out of control? 

Greta 20:33

A lot of people think that type one diabetes is you have to watch what you eat, and then maybe you lose a bit of weight, and then everything's gonna be okay. But it's an autoimmune disease, we're still not really sure what causes it. And basically, for a healthy person, your pancreas produces insulin, and mine doesn't. And that's why I have all the injections or the insulin pump, which will give me the insulin I need. And if I wouldn't, then there's something called DKA, Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Very complicated word. But basically, you fall into some sort of coma at some point, and then you'll die. So, it's something you want to, you know, kind of, keep in range. 

Tim 21:19

So, damage to organs, damage to all sorts of things can happen. Damage to the brain.

Greta 21:24

Yes. It is very serious, like, it's one of these, people like to call–

Tim 21:26

It’s not a lightweight diagnosis. 

Greta 21:28

Yeah, I think it's one of these. I've heard that sometimes, it's what people refer to as a bit of an invisible illness. Because I mean, you can't really see unless they maybe have like, my insulin pump in my hand or something. But it's still very much invisible. And I think that's sometimes why people think it's not too serious. I bet that's what a lot of different conditions as well. But. 

Tim 21:54

So, we see you moving through life, you've got this great job, you're about to embark on this travel adventure, you're enabled to travel in those ways. I did ask you two questions at once there. So, that's my bad, but that in terms of it being the ever-present, you know, friend, or whatever you want to call it, that obsession. Is that similar to your experience, but it's not something that's ever far from mind? It's just not necessarily. 

Greta 22:20

Yes. Yeah, exactly. I think that pretty much nails it. 

Tim 22:23

Yeah. I was thinking of it almost like a person when you have that little friend joining you the whole time. How do you feel about it now? What role as a character in your life does diabetes play now? 

Greta 22:38

It's an interesting kind of thought sometimes. Because, for me, obviously, the reason why I work in diabetes tech is probably because I got diagnosed back then. And I've talked to some different people. And I know people who say, Oh, I'm actually somewhat kind of grateful that I got this diagnosis because otherwise, I would not be where I am today. And whilst I think that it is, that is completely true, also, for me, I wouldn't be where I am today if I wouldn't live with diabetes. I'm 100% convinced I would have found another passion. So, I am, of course, I'm grateful where I am now. I love my job. I love making impacts, working with all these great people. But I'm also convinced I could have found all of that somewhere else. 

Tim 23:26

Would have found all of that. 

Greta 23:28

Yeah. 

Tim 23:29

If I may, let's shift gears on the conversation here a little bit because you're starting to traipse into my world, something I would coin is natural leadership. Right? We've got a lot of decent research out there right now that say that people are either wired to be leaders or not. Gallup estimates it at around 10% of the population. I personally think it's much lower. Because even if you have the personality, neuro structure, whatever you want to call it, to be interested and gravitate towards leading, and you will find a thing to lead. If it's not diabetes, it's something else. Not everyone has the chance. Some people have socioeconomic conditions, or they're a certain part of the world or they live within certain traditions, or they have certain life situations and trauma that have kept them from the leadership sphere. And so even if 10% of people have the possibility, I tend to think it's closer to about six 6% of people will actually express themselves as leaders. And the definition which listeners here will have heard me say before is of that 6%, 80% of them will be damaged in the process. They will suffer somehow in their life, or make trade-offs for the good of others and for the good of a cause. But they will not stop. And that really is a mark of a leader in my mind, is well some will emerge unscathed. Others will have to make sacrifices in order to uphold their values and the cause that they're head of. And so when you and I were talking about this off camera, this is a show for leaders. This is a show, I feature people that I am inspired by and see their role in the world as being at the forefront of something, having insight that they can share with others. But you had a very interesting reaction to that, didn't you? So, can you talk a little bit about that? I think that that's one of the most interesting parts of your and mine getting to know each other. 

Greta 25:36

Yes, no, I do remember when we had a chat, and I was asked to be a guest on this podcast. I had two thoughts. And the first one was, I felt so honored. I also thought, like, why am I invited on the leadership podcast, a podcast on leadership? Because I would have not described myself as a leader.

Tim 25:58

May I describe you as the leader for a moment? 

Greta 26:00

Please, yes, go ahead. 

Tim 26:01

Now, let's talk about the story that you've told us so far. What I want people to be thinking in the back of their minds, as they're listening to this, is that many of the attributes that Greta you've demonstrated, so well, through your journey, are things that certain people have to back up and go in actually pursue intentionally, they don't land on them as naturally. So, let me take you through some of what I was thinking. You were faced with the situation, the situation of being diagnosed at a young age with type one diabetes. And very quickly, you found your people, you found a group of people that had similar interests or were facing similar challenges. But you didn't stop there, you opened yourself up, and you shared, and you let people in. And you made your individual journey, what you've said is really unique. But you made it accessible to people so they could see you going through it. And that's a mark of a leader. And then you took topics that people had fear about, or were not talking about, or that weren't at the forefront of professional like the doctor's minds. And you made them safe to talk about, and that's the mark of a leader. And then you took it upon yourself to guide and find the truth and do the research, and declutter and denoise life for others. And that's the mark of a leader. And then you built a platform, and a collision space where people could come together and ask awkward questions, and get information that they may not find elsewhere and find others, find those people that you'd found earlier. And those creating of collision spaces, I mean, that is the mark of a really impressive leader. And then I'm getting a little repetitive here, but bear with me. And then you spoke up and you stood for something. And you know what there's that statement that says, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. And I think that's okay, that's a fine statement. But there's another notion, and that is if you stand up, and you stand up, and people know what you stand for, they will stand with you. And if they can see themselves in that, then they find standing up for themselves easier, because you're there as that sort of ladder to being self-representative and advocating for yourself. And you broke that silence and was able to speak up on topics of mental health and sex and how it influences youth and probably maturing through all of this, and what it meant to find yourself. And if that's not leading, I really don't know what it is. So, just from my part, when we talk about all of those attributes, the fact that you created something you were taking assertive control over a really nebulous situation, and making it real and giving people stability. And that is leading a movement, and I am so impressed. And again, just have to give you such credit for doing that. And do it so consistently and continue to do it. So, anyway, that's a little bit of a, I don't want that to be too aggressive or too much like a lecture.

Greta 29:22

Thank you so much. It means a lot because I think when I yeah, when we had that chat about like me coming onto this podcast, it really kind of forced me to reflect. So, it was actually really good because I was like, I don't think I'm a leader. I just, you know, identify this change that I needed. And I did it and then I think it was talking to my girlfriend over Sunday brunch and she was like, yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah, it took me some time to realize that actually, that might be leadership too. You know. 

Tim 29:55

I hope you embrace that. I mean, you already are but you're having an amazing life and you're helping others, I'm sure, find theirs. And that's just something that's very inspiring, and what might life be like for you? If you really lean into this notion of being a leader? Would it change your approach at all? Would it embolden you in any way? 

Greta 30:17

I think it makes leadership more accessible, somehow. Growing up and stuff, there was this really distinct image of a leader in my head. And I know other people who I would definitely describe as a leader, but in my head, I was just too young, not too much of an expert, too little experience, and all of that. And then I think talking to you also helped seeing that leadership comes in different shapes and forms, right? There's not one definition of what a leader is at all. 

Tim 30:52

In fact, it can be awfully debilitating, and toxic, and exclusionary, if we try to define leaders as being something that people have to be and have a very narrow definition on top of all of that. Leadership is such a, it's such a personal expression. And, you know, the first responsibility I think of every leader is to be really fluent in themselves, and how they think, and, and where their own, you know, tensions and biases and whatnot are, so that they can flow with that, is most certainly not one size fits all. You may be pondering the label. But as I say, the action has been proven, you've got a resume that I think many people would envy, understanding that it was not the easiest way to get there. And that you were probably thrust into that more than others have been. But boy, did you ever take up the charge? So, good on you for picking up the flag and running with it. So, Greta, let me ask you, as we sort of wrap up here, let me ask you a couple of questions. If people want to find you, we talked about that, can just give them another place to find you personally. 

Greta 32:13

I think that the best one to reach out to is LinkedIn. So, if you look for my name on LinkedIn or the link, if you put it somewhere. 

Tim 32:20

We’ll absolutely do that. What is the thing you're most excited about right now, besides the travel that you've got on the go? 

Greta 32:26

I think personal growth. I feel like next year kind of has a lot in store for me been talking to loads of interesting people. I feel like this year, I've really, I'm on a good way of finding out what I want to dive into, like my professional life. And I'm very lucky to be surrounded by so many great people also professionally, who are so willing to help me get there. I'm very excited to learn and grow. And I think that's what next year has in store for me. And it makes me very excited. 

Tim 33:00

I don't want to put any pressure on you. But if you begin to post both your travels and some of this on your Instagram, I am eager to follow along. Don't make it become all-encompassing or ruin your trip. But boy, I think any of us who are listening today would sure be interested to see what happens next. Greta, if you had one wish for our listeners today, what would it be? 

Greta 33:24

It's not as much as a wish as something I really learned in the past like two weeks. And it is that leadership can be finding something you really believe in and driving it forward. And if it is something you believe in, and you drive it forward, then others will follow. And I think that's the whole kind of thing that I learned that I made a change that I needed and others followed. And I've never kind of lost that. And that's what makes the whole thing so unique.

Tim 34:01

Absolutely. And that you're so stalwart in it. And so consistent. It's been a real pleasure to talk to you today. I hope people take from your story, everything that I'm taking from it because it is absolutely inspiring. And absolutely just a real honor to have you here. 

Greta 34:17

Thank you so much. It's been so great chatting to you. 

Tim 34:20

Let's make a plan that when you're back from your trip, and as life moves on, we do this again. 

Greta 34:27

Absolutely. I would love that. I hope by that time next year. I'm kinda you know, have new things to talk about.

Tim 34:36

Greta it's been absolutely my pleasure. We'll talk to you soon. 

Greta 34:38

Talk soon Tim, thank you.

Tim 34:45

Thank you so much for listening to Sweet on Leadership. If you found today's podcast valuable, consider visiting our website and signing up for the companion newsletter. You can find the link in the show notes. If like us you think it's important to bring new ideas and skills into the practice of leadership. Please give us a positive rating and review on Apple podcasts. This helps us spread the word to other committed leaders. And you can spread the word to by sharing this with your friends, teams, and colleagues. Thanks again for listening. And be sure to tune in in two weeks' time for another episode of Sweet on Leadership. In the meantime, I'm your host, Tim Sweet, encouraging you to keep on leading.