Episode# 14 ; From Recruitment to Ritual: Nele’s Journey From Head-Hunting to Holding Circles

Written By Chrystal Dawn

Nele Vandersmissen

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From Corporate Ladders to Leading Transformational Circles: A Brave Leap into Purpose

🎙️ with Nele Vandersmissen

What if the life you’ve built no longer fits — and the real success is learning to belong to yourself again?

After years working in high-performance corporate recruitment and executive head-hunting, Nele Vandersmissen began to feel the quiet ache of disconnection. The metrics were there, but the meaning was missing. That whisper became a knock — and eventually a calling she could no longer ignore.

In this episode of Her Brave Story, Nele shares her journey of walking away from the climb to reconnect with what truly matters. We talk about her bold transition from head-hunting to holding space — launching Circle-based leadership programs at Snapchat, and now guiding transformational retreats and facilitator trainings through her company, Wondr Global.

We explore what Circle really is, how it creates healing and trust in both corporate and personal spaces, and why deep connection — to self, others, and nature — is the root of true belonging.

This is an episode for women who are leading, holding space, or longing to remember who they are beneath the timelines and titles. Nele reminds us that transformation isn’t about fixing or forcing — it’s about returning.

If you’ve ever felt the quiet knock that something more is possible, this is your invitation to listen, soften, and come home to your own brave rhythm.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • What burnout taught Nele about the hidden cost of success in the recruitment industry

  • How Circle work became a lifeline—and why she now teaches it around the world

  • The behind-the-scenes story of building Snapchat’s Council practice using nature-based leadership

  • Why seasonal wisdom is essential during life transitions and periods of change

  • How storytelling and ritual help us reconnect to truth, belonging, and personal power

  • What Circle practice really is, and how it works in both sacred and professional spaces

  • The cost of ignoring your intuition—and the moment Nele knew she had to walk away

  • How Wondr Global was born, and what it means to create brave, safe, and alive spaces

  • The difference between leading from stress versus leading from soul

  • Why transformation isn’t about fixing yourself, but remembering who you truly are

⏱ Timestamps:

  • 0:00 – Welcome, introduction, and acknowledgment of Country

  • 0:06 – Nele shares her journey from corporate recruitment and the first signs of burnout

  • 0:13 – Discovering Circle work and how it became a turning point in her life

  • 0:20 – Integrating ritual, story, and nature into leadership and daily life

  • 0:27 – Building the Council practice at Snapchat and bringing sacred practices into fast-paced environments

  • 0:34 – Why seasonal wisdom and wild nature matter in personal transformation

  • 0:40 – What it really means to hold space and facilitate transformational experiences

  • 0:47 – The founding of Wondr Global and Nele’s vision for global impact

  • 0:54 – Leading from soul, not stress — the shift from hustle to presence

  • 1:01 – Reflections on remembering who we truly are and the power of brave choices


BIO:
I’m Nele Vandersmissen, the Founder of Wondr and a catalyst for transformation. My work is about creating spaces—brave, safe, and wildly alive—where people connect, reflect, and grow.

With a Master’s in Cultural Science, I’ve danced between the worlds of corporate and not-for-profit, weaving together leadership, ritual, and deep human connection. My journey has taken me across the globe, working with diverse cultures and pioneering initiatives that spark real change.

In 2017, I co-founded We Can Be Sheroes, a social enterprise uniting and emboldening women change-makers. As part of the Women’s March Sydney leadership team and a UN Women leadership scholar, I witnessed the power of collective action.

In 2018, I joined Snapchat, where I built their Council practice for APAC from the ground up—bringing nature-based Circle practices and rite-of-passage frameworks into the corporate sphere. The result? A world-first program that infused kindness, creativity, and innovation into company culture.

Now, through Wondr, I activate people and organisations into purpose, guiding them through transformational programs, retreats and facilitator training. My work is rooted in the wisdom of the natural world, depth and group psychology, Circle practice, humour, and ritual—all in service of creating a new way of leading and living.

If you’re looking for me, I’m probably chasing sunsets, busting a move on a sweaty dance floors, chasing new ways to spark wonder, or getting lost in a new city or Natural Park.

 
Chrystal Dawn
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Episode# 13 ; Becoming a Stillness Ninja: Healing Through Surfing, Stillness & Self-Trust with Dr. Alice Mackinnon