
Episode #38
Reinventing Yourself: A Personal Journey by Nika
What if the very traits that made you feel different as a child are the same ones that end up shaping your entire career? And what does it actually take to reinvent yourself when the world you built starts to feel misaligned? In this solo episode, and also the last episode of the Pink Nest Podcast this season, Nika turns the mic on herself. She reflects on her childhood in Yugoslavia, the early traits that marked her as sensitive, sharp, and endlessly reliable, and how those same traits followed her into a career spanning corporate work, international festivals, and sustainability leadership across more than a decade in events. Nika opens up about the moment burnout and lack of awareness caught up with her, and how that experience, combined with her own late neurodivergent diagnosis, led her to found Calm Nest Collective. She shares the mission behind the company: creating sensory-friendly, neuroinclusive spaces for events and workplaces across the UK and Europe, and why calm spaces are no longer a "nice to have" but a necessity in an industry where 40 to 48 percent of the workforce is neurodivergent. Drawing on her ongoing PhD research into mental health and neurodiversity in the events industry, Nika unpacks why so many creative, high-pressure environments quietly push people toward burnout, and what actually needs to change. She also reflects on Season One of Pink Nest Podcast, what the process of building this show has taught her, and what reinvention really looks like when you stop performing and start listening to yourself. "I was a very reliable person from a young age." This episode is a reminder that self-discovery does not stop once you have built something. Sometimes it is the very thing that pushes you to build again. In this episode Nika's childhood in Yugoslavia and the early traits that shaped her. Her transition from corporate work into the events industry, and eventually entrepreneurship The founding of Calm Nest Collective and its mission to create calmer, more inclusive spaces Why calm and sensory spaces matter at events, and how they support neurodivergent professionals and attendees Insights from her research on mental health and neurodiversity in the events industry The impact of burnout and the lack of awareness that often surrounds it Personal reflections on change, self-reinvention, and Season One of Pink Nest Podcast. Resources Calm Nest Collective: https://calmnestcollective.com Website : https://nikabrunet.com Connect with Nika LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nikabrunet Don't forget to subscribe for more impactful conversations like this one! WEBSITE: http://pinknestpodcast.com INSTAGRAM: @pinknestpodcast ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any organisation mentioned.

