Podcast
The Freedom Pivot: Honest Conversations at the Threshold
Hosted by Hannele Korhonen · EN
There's a moment — most of us can remember it — when we knew something had to change. Not because we had a plan. Because we couldn't stay where we were.
The Freedom Pivot is a podcast for women living that moment right now. Whether you're a lawyer questioning the path you've built, an entrepreneur at a crossroads, or a professional whose achievements have quietly stopped fitting — this is your space.
Each episode is an honest, unscripted conversation with a woman who has navigated her own threshold: the practical moves alongside the inner shifts, the intuitive knowing that arrived before the clarity, the parts of the story that rarely make it into the public version.
I created this show because I believe those hidden parts are the most important parts. And because I've spent 25 years inside legal and professional culture — as a practising lawyer, a legal design pioneer, and now a doctoral researcher studying intuition — watching capable women override the very intelligence that could guide them forward.
Intuition is your human edge, not a soft skill.
This is the space where we learn to trust it — together.
Hosted by Hannele Korhonen: business and transformation coach, lawyer, legal design pioneer, intuition researcher, and someone who knows what it is to stand at her own threshold and choose differently.
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From NPR Journalist to Book Coach: Career Pivot and How to Write a Book for Beginners with Melanie Herschorn [Ep. 24]
Oct 100:42:02Tap to summarizeWhat happens when your career path no longer fits, and you feel called to something new? In this episode of The Freedom Pivot, I’m joined by Melanie Herschorn, a journalist-turned-entrepreneur who made a bold career pivot from reporting the news to empowering professionals to write and publish their own books. Melanie is now a book coach, publisher, and strategist who helps attorneys and experts turn their knowledge into bestselling books that build authority and impact. With her background as a celebrity publicist, award-winning journalist, clothing designer, and entrepreneur, she knows first-hand what it takes to reinvent yourself and claim your unique story. If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book but doubts keep you stuck, this conversation will inspire you to ask the question Melanie always poses: Why not you? Here’s what we cover in this episode: Melanie’s career pivot from journalism and PR to entrepreneurship and book coaching. The real fears that stop people from writing, and how to overcome them. Why your story matters, even if “it’s been said before.” Practical tips on how to write a book for beginners, from finding your audience to outlining your message. Why your book can be the key to visibility, trust, and freedom in your business. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, professional, or someone with a story to tell, this episode will give you the confidence and clarity to start writing. 🌸 About Melanie Herschorn Melanie Herschorn helps attorneys and professionals become bestselling authors and step into their spotlight as thought leaders. As a publisher and book marketing strategist, she’s on a mission to empower new authors to make an impact and grow their income with their signature book. With over 20 years of experience as a celebrity publicist, award-winning journalist, clothing designer, and entrepreneur, Melanie brings a unique perspective to helping authors claim their voice and share it with the world. Connect with Melanie: Website: yourbigimpactbook.com Books: Make a Big Impact with Your Book: Author Marketing Strategies for Long-Term Success Lasting Legal Impact: Write a Book That Builds Your Brand, Grows Your Practice, and Positions You as the Trusted Expert Work With Me If you’re ready to find your own freedom pivot and design a business that feels like home: Learn more about my signature coaching program: The Freedom Incubator Book a 1:1 Business Clarity Session Connect with me on Instagram: @curious_hannele 💛 Enjoyed this episode? If this conversation inspired you, I’d be so grateful if you left a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your reviews help more freedom-seekers discover the show, and they mean the world to me.
Transcribe →
From Corporate Marketing to Astrology: How to Find Your Calling, Entrepreneur Freedom, and Aligned Business with Aino-Sofia Kojonen [Ep. 23]
Sep 2400:49:51Tap to summarizeWhat happens when the career you’ve worked for just doesn’t feel right and your heart keeps nudging you in a different direction? In this episode of The Freedom Pivot, I sit down with my astrology teacher, Aino-Sofia Kojonen, who made the bold leap from a corporate marketing career to building her life and business around astrology. Today, she’s a professional astrologer, yoga teacher, and entrepreneur who helps people uncover their unique essence and remember why they are here. Her message is simple but powerful: there is only one of you, and your soul is not meant to be hidden. Aino-Sofia’s journey shows what it really means to find your calling, embrace entrepreneur freedom, and build an aligned business, even if it means leaving behind the security of the corporate path. She reminds us that building an aligned business often means leaving old skins behind and daring to trust your gut feeling even when the path isn’t clear. Here’s what we explore in this conversation: How to trust your gut feeling when your career path no longer fits. Why it’s okay to be multipassionate and resist the pressure to “just do one thing.” The role of astrology insights in reconnecting to your life purpose. What entrepreneur freedom really means — and why it must be balanced with responsibility and care for others. The healing role of challenges, and why your “weak spots” can be your most powerful gifts. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a job that doesn’t align with who you are, this conversation will inspire you to trust your uniqueness and take steps toward your true calling. 🌸 About Aino-Sofia Kojonen Aino-Sofia Kojonen is a professional astrologer whose passion is supporting people to find their beautiful and unique essence so they can love fully and live bravely. Through astrology, she helps clients remember why they are here, what really matters to them, and what they deeply dream about. Her work carries the reminder that there is only one of you — and your soul is not meant to be hidden. It deserves to be seen and heard in the way that feels most true to you. Find Aino-Sofia on Instagram: @ainosofiakojonen Work With Me If you’re ready to find your own freedom pivot and build a business that feels like home: Learn more about my signature coaching program: The Freedom Incubator Book a single 1:1 Business Clarity Session for focused support Connect with me on Instagram: @curious_hannele 💛 Enjoyed this episode? If this conversation resonated with you, I’d be so grateful if you left a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your reviews help more freedom-seekers discover the show — and it means the world to me.
Transcribe →
Don’t Take the Bait: From Peace Activist to Life Coach, Bonny King-Taylor on Personal Agency and Breaking Free from Planned Overwhelm [Ep. 22]
Sep 1700:53:19Tap to summarize"Every moment that you don't spend in your head is a gift to humanity." This quote from Bonny King-Taylor stopped me in my tracks during our conversation, and it might do the same for you. Bonny’s story is extraordinary. She survived childhood trauma that “most people don’t survive,” became a professional peace activist, walked 3,742 miles from LA to DC, earned a degree in Soviet dissident literature (more relevant today than ever), and has spent over 25 years as a life coach helping people break free from what she calls “planned overwhelm.” Her message is clear: we are being intentionally flooded with chaos to keep us spinning. But there’s a way out. In this episode, we explore: Finding your still point, the place where you can observe the storm without being battered by it. Why the space between stimulus and response is where your freedom lies. The 90-second rule of emotions and what really happens after. Why focusing on what you don’t want keeps you trapped, and how to flip it. How to tell when your body is signaling manipulation. Bonny’s approach isn’t about bypassing real problems. It’s about remembering that your sense of self is your responsibility, and that maintaining it is a gift to everyone around you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the world while trying to build something meaningful, this conversation will help you find solid ground and reclaim your personal agency. 🌸 About Bonny King-Taylor Bonny King-Taylor is an award-winning life coach, counselor, and consultant specializing in emotional integration and personal evolution. For over 25 years, she’s guided high-performing professionals through critical turning points in life and work. Known as “compassionately intolerant,” Bonny won’t let you stay stuck; she creates a steady space where overthinkers become confident decision-makers and well-grounded humans. 🌐 Resources & Links: Download Bonny’s free resource: See the Bait, Just Don’t TAKE the Bait Website: https://www.bonnyking-taylorcoaching.com/ Instagram: @bonnykingtaylor ✨ Work With Me Ready for your own Freedom Pivot? Learn more about my signature coaching program: The Freedom Incubator Book a single 1:1 Business Clarity Session for focused support Connect with me on Instagram: @curious_hannele 💛 Enjoyed this episode? If this conversation resonated with you, I’d be so grateful if you left a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your reviews help more freedom-seekers discover the show, and it means the world to me.
Transcribe →
From UN Official to Multipassionate Entrepreneur: Making the Leap with Sake, Face Yoga & Skincare [Ep. 21]
Sep 1000:47:48Tap to summarizeEver wondered what it really takes to leave behind a prestigious, stable career and make the leap into something completely different? In this week’s episode of The Freedom Pivot, I’m joined by Sarika, a former United Nations official who transitioned from working on gender equality and urban policy across Asia and Africa to building a multipassionate business rooted in her Japanese heritage and passions. Sarika’s journey is anything but conventional: How she left a “dream job” at the UN to follow her intuition. Why she chose not to niche down, and built her own unique path instead. How she became known as the Japanese Sake Fairy Godmother 🌸. The story behind her award-winning Sake Beauty Balm, which won the 2024 European Natural Beauty Awards. How she blends sake education, skincare, and face yoga into a one-of-a-kind business. Her lessons on making the leap and navigating identity shifts as a multipassionate entrepreneur. This conversation will inspire you to see that you don’t have to fit into one box to build a meaningful, impactful business. Sometimes the most powerful moves come from following your curiosity. 🌸 About Sarika Sarika is a UN official turned entrepreneur, on a mission to preserve Japan’s 2,000-year-old craft of sake by sharing its beauty with the world. As a “Sake Fairy Godmother,” she is the founder of a 100% natural cosmetics brand, the Sake Beauty Balm, awarded the 2024 European Natural Beauty Awards. She loves to showcase sake as a unique fusion of tradition, beauty, and wellness rituals, combining it with face yoga. Sarika previously spent a decade working for the United Nations across Asia and Africa, focusing on gender equality and urban policy, after graduating from the London School of Economics. Japanese by origin, she has lived in 14 countries across 4 continents and traveled to over 60. She is a certified Sake Scholar, Master Sommelier of Sake, Sake Competition Judge, Doburoku Ambassador, and has collaborated with the MIT Japan Program, Harvard Business School, and the Polish Vodka Museum. As an online course creator, she has taught over 11,500 students worldwide, including sake certification programs in partnership with the Sake Education Authority in Tokyo. 🌐 Connect with Sarika: Website: thesarika.com Instagram: @sarika.sake ✨ Work With Me If you’re ready to move from big dreams to hands-on aligned action, and make your own freedom pivot: Learn more about my signature coaching program: The Freedom Incubator Book a single 1:1 Business Intuition Session for focused support Connect with me on Instagram: @curious_hannele
Transcribe →
What should I call you? How to talk about what you do as a multipassionate entrepreneur [Ep. 20]
Sep 300:20:56Tap to summarizeEver stared at your Instagram bio, typing and deleting titles until you hit an existential crisis? ✦ Financial advisor and wellness practitioner? Delete. ✦ Strategic consultant and mindfulness teacher? Delete. ✦ Multipassionate entrepreneur helping… delete, delete, delete. If you’ve ever stumbled answering the question “what should I call you?” this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, I’m breaking down one of the biggest struggles for multipassionate entrepreneurs: how to articulate what you do without fragmenting yourself. You’ll hear my personal story of hiding parts of my expertise during my own career transition, why “pick a niche” advice can feel suffocating, and how to build a personal brand that allows all of your passions to belong. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: Why traditional niching advice doesn’t always fit multipassionate entrepreneurs. How fragmentation (hiding parts of yourself) fuels self-criticism and imposter syndrome. A practical way to see yourself as the front door to your brand, with multiple doors behind it. How to translate your soul work into words your dream clients understand. Why iteration is key when testing bios, titles, and messaging on social media. Whether you’re pivoting out of a corporate career or juggling multiple passions inside your business, this episode will give you the clarity and courage to talk about what you do in a way that feels authentic and compelling. Remember: you are not too much, not scattered. You are the common denominator, and your integrated expertise is what makes you irreplaceable. ✨ Ready to work with me? Learn more about my signature coaching program, The Freedom Incubator Book a single 1:1 Business Intuition Session if you just need focused support to articulate what you do Connect with me on Instagram: @curious_hannele Loved this episode? 💌 Share it with a fellow multipassionate friend. ⭐ Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more freedom-seekers find the show.
Transcribe →
From Nobody from Nowhere to Unapologetic Authenticity: Making the Leap, Career Transition, and Identity Shift [Ep. 19]
Aug 1300:18:56Tap to summarizeHave you ever felt like your title or profession was quietly dimming your light? Like it gave you safety, structure, and credibility… but also kept you from stepping fully into your truth? What if letting go of that label was the very thing that would set you free? It’s possible to release an identity that no longer fits without losing yourself in the process. In fact, you might just discover more of yourself than ever before. In this very personal and unfiltered episode, I’m sharing my own pivot, why I’ve retired my podcast Legal Innovation Simplified and stepped into The Freedom Pivot. I’ll take you behind the scenes of what it’s really like to navigate the messy middle of an identity shift, when you’re no longer who you were… but not yet who you’re becoming. We’ll talk about: The “lampshade effect” and how titles can protect but also limit you Why transitions almost always require an identity shift The emptiness that’s actually full of possibility How design thinking can guide not just business building, but personal reinvention Why your freedom pivot might matter to more people than just you Whether you’re a lawyer, creative, consultant, or any heart-led professional, this episode is your invitation to: Make space for the identity shift you’ve been avoiding See the in-between not as a detour, but as the path Trust that your work and your worth are bigger than any single job title ✨ Work with me: The Freedom Incubator – My signature program to help you take your brave leap and start the business that sets you free. 1:1 Coaching – Private, personalized support for your own transition. 📱 Let’s connect: Instagram: @curious_hannele LinkedIn: Hannele Korhonen 💌 Loved this episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a 5-star review so others can find The Freedom Pivot.
Transcribe →Welcome to The Freedom Pivot: Design Thinking Tools, Business Intuition & Breaking Cycles to Starting Your Business
Aug 8, 202500:01:37Tap to summarizeWelcome to The Freedom Pivot. This is your starting point for leaving a "good job" that drains you and finally launching the business you dream of. In this introduction, you'll discover the core mission of the show: blending practical design thinking tools with your own business intuition. Learn how we'll tackle breaking cycles of overthinking and fear, providing you with a clear path for starting your business without the hustle. If you're ready for a brave leap, start here.
Transcribe →
Leaving Big Law to Scale Legal Tech: How Purpose and Soul Work Drive Future Law with Ben Chiriboga [Ep. 18]
May 21, 202500:49:15Tap to summarizeWhat if the real innovation happens not in the spotlight but in the shadows? In this episode of Legal Innovation Simplified, I sit down with Ben Chiriboga, legal tech executive and host of This Legal Life, to explore his bold journey from Big Law to legal tech, and eventually to soul-led storytelling and conscious leadership in law. We talk about ego, golden shadow, values shifts across life stages, and what it really means to innovate with heart. Whether you’re navigating a pivot, wondering what you’ve left behind in pursuit of success, or craving a more meaningful way to lead, this episode offers deep reflections, and a reminder that your story is your strategy. In this episode, you’ll learn: ✔︎ What it means to leave the law and reimagine your identity ✔︎ The hidden side of innovation no one talks about ✔︎ How your “golden shadow” reveals your deepest value ✔︎ Why soul work is showing up in the future of law ✔︎ What to do when ego wants control but your soul wants freedom 🎧 Listen in and ask yourself: What part of your story have you left behind and what might happen if you picked it back up? Connect with Ben Chiriboga: 🔗 LinkedIn 🎙 This Legal Life podcast Loved this episode? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating + review and share it with someone exploring their next chapter in law. Connect with me Linkedin | Instagram
Transcribe →
How to implement slow business design strategy using digital legal service offerings and legal design in 5 simple steps [Ep. 17]
May 7, 202500:20:44Tap to summarizeTired of hustling for every client and ready to scale for freedom and with intention? In this final episode of the Slow Business Design series, I’ll walk you through 5 simple steps to turn your expertise into a joyful, scalable digital legal service offering—without burnout or perfectionism. Whether you dream of more time freedom, consistent revenue, or just want your legal business to feel lighter and more aligned, this step-by-step framework is your guide to starting small and growing sustainably. In this episode, you’ll learn: ✔︎ Why joy is the best starting point for business design ✔︎ How to validate your service idea with real people ✔︎ What a lightweight prototype is (and how to build one fast) ✔︎ How to test your idea for traction without overthinking ✔︎ What to include when packaging your offer for clarity and sales BONUS TOOL: The Idea Oracle Feeling stuck with your offer ideas—or not sure where to start? Meet the Idea Oracle, my free custom GPT designed to help legal entrepreneurs like you generate and refine soulful digital legal offerings. Comes with the Starter Kit for Legal Products. 👉 Link to the Idea Oracle Related Episodes: 🎧 [Ep. 15] How to create time freedom and financial independence with purpose using legal products: the slow business design framework for lawyers. 🎧 [Ep. 16] Is It Time to Productize Services? How to Know If Your Legal Business Is Ready to Scale with Slow Business Design Loved this episode? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating + review and share it with a fellow legal innovator who’s ready to grow with clarity, heart, and strategy. Curious about Legal Innovation Incubator? Learn more here Interested in working with me 1:1? Book a free strategy call here
Transcribe →
Is it time to scale your law firm with legal products? How legal design and scaling law strategies support sustainable growth for lawyers [Ep. 16]
Apr 30, 202500:22:56Tap to summarizeHow many times have you heard a potential client say 'Let me think about it' when you quoted your hourly rate? That pattern might be telling you something important. In this episode of Legal Innovation Simplified, I’m sharing the 5 clear signs that your legal business is ready to productize services and scale through slow business design. Whether you’re tired of explaining your offers or stuck in inconsistent revenue, this episode will help you recognize when it’s time to shift from custom work to structured, client-centered legal products. In this episode, you’ll learn: ✔︎ How to know when your legal business is ready for legal products ✔︎ Why unclear offers and inconsistent sales are signals, not failures ✔︎ How to shift from “selling your time” to selling scalable transformation ✔︎ Why client questions are your best business development tool ✔︎ How slow business design supports long-term growth and freedom 🎁 BONUS TOOL: The Idea Oracle Stuck with too many ideas—or no idea where to start? My private GPT tool helps legal entrepreneurs like you find and shape soulful, scalable legal product ideas. It comes with the Starter Kit for Legal Products Workbook. Meet your Idea Oracle here Related Episodes: 🎧 [Ep 6] From Overdelivery to Scaling Law: How Legal Products Create Time Freedom 🎧 [Ep 15] How to Create Time Freedom & Financial Independence with Legal Products Loved this episode? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating + review and share it with a fellow legal innovator who’s ready to grow with heart.
Transcribe →