Ingrid Tappin’s story moves across countries, careers, identities, and communities, but one thread keeps returning: the search for belonging.

In this episode of Bennu, Ben Brink and Alex Baker-Friesen speak with Ingrid about growing up across cultures, moving from media and entrepreneurship into leadership and inclusion, and eventually founding Diverse Leaders in Tech.

Ingrid reflects on what it means to have a “patchwork identity,” why lived experience can become a source of strength, and how the tension between who we are and how the world sees us can shape the way we grow and lead.

The conversation also turns to internationals building a life in the Netherlands, the difficulty of starting again in a new context, and why belonging is not something we create alone.

Ingrid Tappin is the founder of Diverse Leaders in Tech and author of Exceptionals: How to Turn Identity Into Your Greatest Leadership Edge.

Hosted by Ben Brink and Alex Baker-Friesen.

Bennu Podcast, Chapter Two, Episode 05.

Bennu Community

A living archive of nonlinear journeys: migration, identity, work, and belonging.

Part of the Flux Forward ecosystem.

Listen: https://bennu.community

Flux Forward: https://fluxforward.world

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Bennu, Ben Brink and Charline Baker-Friesen speak with Shivangi Dhakad about moving from India to the Netherlands, finding freedom, and learning what it means to build a life between cultures.

Shivangi shares how an unexpected opportunity brought her from India to Netherlands, and how her first experience of the Amsterdam city changed the way she thought about freedom, safety, and possibility. She also reflects on the harder parts of living abroad: missing family, food, language, rituals, and the sense of community she grew up with.

The conversation also explores how moving countries changed her relationship with work, ambition, and identity. Over time, she learned to slow down, make more space for life outside work, and accept that both India and the Netherlands can feel like home.

Shivangi also talks about the pressure to fit in, the value of staying open to a new culture without losing your own identity, and why belonging is less about labels and more about being able to be yourself.

Topics in this episode include:

• moving from India to the Netherlands
• freedom, safety, and cultural adjustment
• family, community, and belonging
• work, ambition, and slowing down
• identity and living between two homes
• fitting in without losing yourself
• trust, friendship, and building community

Bennu Community

A living archive of nonlinear journeys: migration, identity, work, and belonging.

Part of the Flux Forward ecosystem.

Listen: https://bennu.community

Flux Forward: https://fluxforward.world

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Bennu by Flux Forward, Ben Brink speaks with Hee Baek, founder of OW Care, about community, care, and what it really means to find your place in a new country.

The conversation starts with healthcare navigation, but quickly opens into something broader: emotional anchors, belonging, language, volunteering, and the role of community support in international life. Hee reflects on her own journey across countries and shares practical advice for newcomers trying to build a life in the Netherlands.

This episode explores how care goes beyond formal services. It's also about finding the right ecosystem, learning the language, staying curious, and building support systems that help you feel more grounded over time.

Topics in this episode include:

• healthcare and community navigation
• emotional anchors and belonging
• language learning and integration
• volunteering as a low-threshold way to connect
• uncertainty, curiosity, and building a life abroad

Bennu Community

A living archive of nonlinear journeys: migration, identity, work, and belonging.

Part of the Flux Forward ecosystem.

Listen: https://bennu.community

Flux Forward: https://fluxforward.world

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.