Exceptionals: The Podcast

Episode 06: Annick Mantoua – The Outsider Who Turned Difference Into a Drive for Justice

Annick Mantoua has built her career around making Amsterdam healthier, more connected and more just.Born in Seoul and adopted by a Dutch family when she was three months old, Annick says she did not initially feel different. She learned that she was different through the way others saw and treated her. Knowing that her life had started somewhere else also led her to question things many people could simply take for granted.In this episode of Exceptionals: The Podcast, Ingrid Tappin and Pim Blom use the Identity Intelligence™ lens to explore how Annick's outsider experience helped shape her Exclusion Intelligence: a strong drive for justice and an ability to notice where systems do not work for everyone.This is also a candid conversation about the shadow side of purpose-driven leadership. Annick shares why a traditional consultancy career did not fit, how volunteering at the Amsterdam Food Bank opened a new professional world, and why returning to South Korea helped her reconnect with a part of herself she had missed. She reflects on learning to let go of the belief that she has to fix everything herself, sharing responsibility with others, and becoming more comfortable with the uncomfortable conversations real change requires.In this conversation- How being treated as different shaped Annick's outsider identity- Why adoption led her to question what others took for granted- How volunteering changed the direction of her career- What returning to South Korea taught her about home and belonging- Why visibility can create possibility for people who rarely see themselves represented- The risk of turning a drive for justice into frustration and exhaustion- Why leadership means making others stronger, not making yourself indispensable- How personal stories can make difficult conversations more meaningful- How Pakhuis de Zwijger wants to take dialogue beyond its own wallsChapters00:00 Why Annick's identity matters in her leadership role01:13 Meet Annick Mantoua02:35 What drives her work and life03:39 The outsider identity and a drive for justice05:49 Being treated as different08:18 How adoption taught her to question things11:05 Leaving consultancy and discovering social-impact work13:51 Reconnecting with her South Korean roots18:59 Learning to become visible22:10 The shadow side of purpose-driven leadership25:22 Grounding herself and listening to her body27:26 Letting go and sharing responsibility32:42 Becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable35:19 Why lived experience belongs in leadership37:26 Taking Pakhuis de Zwijger's dialogue into society39:26 Who should join the next series?Take the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment:https://weareexceptionals.com/assessmentProduced in partnership with Sijthoff Media and STMPD Studios.

Episode 05: Constantijn van Oranje – The Translator Who Leads Across Different Worlds

Prince Constantijn van Oranje is one of the most recognizable voices in the Dutch and European tech ecosystem – but being recognized is not the same as being known. In this episode of Exceptionals: The Podcast, Ingrid Tappin and Pim Blom use the Identity Intelligence™ lens to explore how growing up between different worlds shaped Constantijn’s patchwork identity: an ability to translate between founders and institutions, public and private, individuals and systems – while navigating the assumptions that come with being a prince. This is a conversation about identity, assumptions and leadership. Constantijn shares why he learned to postpone judgment, why stepping outside his comfort zone has been central to his development, and why knowing what you are not good at can be just as important as knowing your strengths. They also explore what mission-driven leadership requires, why trust gives people the space to perform, and why curiosity may be one of the most important human capabilities we need to protect. In this conversation: What a patchwork identity can reveal about leadership advantage How being seen through assumptions shaped Constantijn’s relationship with identity Why he deliberately learned to postpone judgment How moving between public and private worlds became a leadership strength Why stepping outside your comfort zone builds leadership range Why strong leaders need to know what they are not good at How mission and trust help very different people work together Why Constantijn believes we should protect children’s curiosity rather than educate it out of them Chapters 00:00 Meet Prince Constantijn van Oranje 01:24 Why one question can never capture a person 04:00 The assumptions that come with being a prince 09:13 Learning to step outside your comfort zone 10:09 The patchwork identity 13:25 Growing up between different worlds 14:58 Learning to postpone judgment 18:16 Authenticity and the search for who you are 20:01 Why being misinterpreted matters 24:16 Challenging your own assumptions 26:39 Building leadership range 28:25 Growth happens outside the comfort zone 32:29 Knowing what you’re not good at 33:26 Mission-driven leadership at Techleap 35:04 Why trust gives people space to perform 39:05 Do we really need to bring our whole selves to work? 41:59 Identity Intelligence and finding strength in difference 44:38 What schools should teach future innovators 48:02 A question for Annick Maathuis Take the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment: https://weareexceptionals.com/assessment Produced in partnership with Sijthoff Media and STMPD Studios.

Episode 04: Corinne Aaron – The Leader Who Never Stopped Reinventing Herself

Corinne Aaron has built her career by continuously reinventing herself. From Trinidad & Tobago to the United States, across Europe and into leadership roles at Tesla, Lynk & Co. and General Motors, she has learned that true leadership isn't about fitting into new worlds—it's about staying true to who you are while learning how to navigate them. In this episode of Exceptionals: The Podcast, Ingrid Tappin and Pim Blom use the Identity Intelligence™ lens to explore how being underestimated shaped Corinne's underdog drive: a determination to create opportunity where others see limitations, build trust across cultures, and lead with resilience. This is a conversation about identity, reinvention and human leadership. Corinne shares why leaders should stop trying to carry everything alone, how vulnerability became one of her greatest strengths, and why creativity and lived experience will become even more valuable in the age of AI. In this conversation: How moving across cultures shaped Corinne's leadership identity Why being underestimated became the foundation of possibility thinking The leadership lesson that came from taking chances before feeling ready How vulnerability transformed the way she leads teams Why trust is the foundation of innovation How marketing leaders can embrace AI without losing the human element What leaders can learn from continuously rebuilding themselves Chapters 00:00 Meet Corinne Aaron 01:27 Rebuilding yourself while staying true to your essence 05:22 Identity beyond race and finding your tribe 09:50 The underdog identity 17:24 Seeing possibility where others don't 20:40 Taking a chance on Tesla 26:08 Learning vulnerability as a leader 31:18 Building trust in new teams 37:25 The essence that never changes 39:27 Human leadership in the age of AI 41:22 Creativity, AI and the future of marketing 42:30 A question for Prince Constantijn Take the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment: https://weareexceptionals.com/assessment Produced in partnership with Sijthoff Media and STMPD Studios.

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Episode 3: Mews CEO Matthijs Welle - The Underdog Who Built a Different Kind of Company

Matthijs Welle, CEO and co-founder of Mews, found old school reports showing how profoundly he had been underestimated. Through the Identity Intelligence™ lens, he explores how that underdog experience shaped his drive, his ability to recognise value in difference and his determination to scale Mews without losing his moral compass. A candid conversation about power, productive conflict, emotional intelligence in the AI era—and the one-question habit that makes people feel seen. Take the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment: https://weareexceptionals.com/assessment Produced in partnership with Sijthoff Media and STMPD Studios.

Episode 02: Mattias Scheek - The Outsider Who Built What the Industry Said Was Impossible

In this episode of Exceptionals: The Podcast, Ingrid Tappin and Pim Blom sit down with Mattias Scheek, industrial designer, investor, and former CEO of Mayht, the Dutch deep-tech audio company acquired by Sonos for $100 million. Before recording, Mattias completed the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment. His result opens up a conversation about outsider identity, self-confidence, challenging the system, and what it takes to build something the industry says is impossible. Together, Ingrid and Pim explore what shaped Mattias’ leadership: early experiences of being different, bullying and exclusion in high school, the role his parents played in building his belief that nothing was impossible, and how those experiences shaped his drive to challenge systems rather than fit into them. They also dive into the journey of building breakthrough technology with his brother, pitching skeptical industry giants, turning difference into an advantage, learning to lead beyond invention, and adapting from startup founder to corporate leader after the Sonos acquisition. In this episode, we explore: the outsider identity and the drive to prove the system wrong bullying, self-confidence, and early moments of exclusion why standing out became a strength how Mattias and his brother built technology the industry thought was impossible the Sonos pitch that changed everything the transition from inventor to leader what changed after moving from startup to corporate why he is now drawn to purpose-driven ventures and solving niche problems his advice to young people with an outside perspective: find environments where it is valued Take the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment: WeAreExceptionals.com/assessment Produced in collaboration with Sijthoff Media and STMPD Studios.

Episode 1: Jacqueline van den Ende on psychological safety, climate and system change

In this episode of Exceptionals: The Podcast, Ingrid Tappin and Pim Blom sit down with Jacqueline van den Ende, founder and CEO of Carbon Equity. But this is not a conversation only about Carbon Equity. Before recording, Jacqueline completed the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment. Her result opens up a conversation about the Outsider Identity, justice, intuition, psychological safety, and the leadership range required to build ambitious companies around urgent missions. Together, Ingrid and Pim explore what shaped Jacqueline’s leadership: the life choices that guided her, the environments that sharpened her instincts, the role of intuition in her success, and what it means to turn a sense of justice into climate action. In this episode, we explore: Why Jacqueline’s story matters now What has guided her life choices The origin story behind her leadership The Outsider Identity and the drive for justice Intuition as a leadership signa What her Identity Intelligence™ result reveals Exclusion Intelligence as a leadership advantage Psychological safety as a breakthrough Building high-performing teams around ambitious missions What Jacqueline hopes to change in the system The question she passes on to the next guest About Jacqueline: Jacqueline van den Ende is the founder and CEO of Carbon Equity, a fintech platform that channels capital into climate technology solutions. She was previously General Partner at Peak Capital and has built companies across fintech, venture capital and climate investment. Take the Identity Intelligence™ Assessment: https://weareexceptionals.com/assessment?code=SPOTIFY https://youtu.be/BWfmztVPJF4