logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
42m 25s

How do you keep going when everything is...

Carole Issa
About this episode

Being a business owner is often portrayed as a masculine and assertive figure. A lonely rider, a warrior with a strong character, who crushes through obstacles and overcomes challenges with stoicism and determination. 

What if you are a woman who believes that business is a way to help and serve others?
What if your friends and family members keep joking about you being a people pleaser?
What if you were born in an environment where women need to 100x their efforts to be seen and acknowledged, and still...?
What if, after starting your business and scaling it successfully with your blood, sweat, and tears, it takes a big hit with a sudden untamable economical crisis followed by a massive explosion that devastates your city?

In this episode, Carole Issa talks with Yusr Sabra, Co-founder and CEO of Wakilni, about how she faced the countless challenges of starting her business and driving it to success, creating an amazing culture and team amid the untamable economical crisis and devastating Beirut blast.

Some of the key themes that Carole explore with Yusr:
-> 2'34": How Yusr came up with the business idea
-> 6'35": The defining moment that drove her to start her own business
-> 9'20": What the early days looked like
-> 12'05": The mentors who supported her along the way
-> 18'12": The meaning of the word 'leadership'
-> 20'08": How her personal values are reflected in her business
-> 22'53": Her approach when it comes to underperformance
-> 26'43": The biggest challenges she faced and how she has overcome them
-> 30'50" Managing her time and energy effectively
-> 35'43": A book she would recommend and why
-> 38'35": A 30-day challenge she would throw to our listeners, a challenge that will create a high impact in their lives

Are looking to start your business or scale it by doing something you love? Click here and join Carole Issa in the Start Your Business (Leadership Activators) Facebook Group and be part of an amazing community of like-minded people from around the world who are also on a mission to go from idea to launching, to scaling their business doing something they love!



Up next
Oct 2023
The Psychometric Assessments Controversy: Are They the Key or Just a Lock? | David Leahy | Leadership Activators Global Edition #24
Join me in this episode with David Leahy, MD of Great People Inside Australia, as I uncover the controversy surrounding psychometric tools. Explore the objective insights they offer for hiring and development, and discover how organizations can optimize recruitment, develop team ... Show More
51m 47s
Jun 2023
Speaking with Impact: Unleashing the Leadership Potential of Your Voice and Message | Sheryl Plouffe | Leadership Activators Global Edition #23
Are you a service provider looking to grow your business and attract more clients? Have you ever considered starting a podcast but aren't sure where to begin? Then, this episode is for you! I am thrilled to welcome my special guest this month, Sheryl Plouffe, who is a former broa ... Show More
41m 33s
Nov 2022
How To Empower and care for your Team - Even When You Aren't There | Luke Canham | Leadership Activators Global Edition #22
What if you could empower your people to make the right decision, even when you aren't there? A radical new approach to recruit, onboard, Upskill and maintain team morale and standards with UGC videos combined with positive daily reminders is now within reach of everyone. Join me ... Show More
57m 4s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Turning Pain into Purpose, with Loren Ridinger
In this episode, I sit down with Loren Ridinger—a powerhouse entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and co-founder of Market America. Loren and her husband, JR Ridinger, built a global empire, empowering thousands of entrepreneurs to achieve financial independence. But when she lost ... Show More
36m 35s
May 2025
She LOST 80% of Her Income Overnight… Then Built a Global Community from Scratch | Danielle Wiebe
What if losing everything was the key to building something extraordinary? Danielle Wiebe, founder of Business Babes Collective, shares how the pandemic nearly destroyed her business—and how it became the catalyst for a thriving, purpose-driven global brand.In this episode, we ta ... Show More
1h 3m
Feb 2024
286. Erika Cramer - How To Create An Unstoppable Amount Of Confidence
"Confidence is not created in your comfort zone." -Erika In this episode, Erika doesn't hold back. She gets real about the struggles behind the sparkle, sharing her own journey from trauma to triumph. From her vibrant presence in hot pink to her candid discussions about impos ... Show More
50m 22s
Apr 2021
SDH 446: How She Created Her Dream Business By Changing Her Thoughts with Stephanie Booth
Hello friends! Welcome back to another episode of the podcast! Today I am sitting down with Stephanie Booth, success coach for entrepreneurs who helps her clients get the results they want by rewiring their unconscious minds. Her signature program that teaches them everything the ... Show More
37m 16s
Jul 2019
20. The Money Mindset Episode: From Being in Debt to Owning a 7 Figure Company, Rewriting Financial Limiting Beliefs & Stepping Into Your Highest Self With Emily Williams
In this week’s episode, BossBabe Co-founder Danielle Canty interviews Emily Williams: Hay House author, leading Success Coach for female entrepreneurs and Founder of I Heart My Life Now.Together they dive deep on rewriting your self-limiting, pre-conditioned beliefs around money, ... Show More
46m 52s
Sep 2
243. Cheer Leadership: Energizing Workplaces with Positivity and Purpose feat: Stefanie Adams
This week on Bringing the Human Back to Human Resources, we're shaking things up... literally.Traci is joined by Stefanie Adams, keynote speaker, author of Cheer Leadership, and Chief Empowerment Officer, to talk about how leaders can bring energy, trust, and humanity back into t ... Show More
36m 51s
Apr 2023
Mariam Elhouli on the skills to overcome struggle, resilience and self love
Have you always wanted to pursue an e-commerce business but have no idea where to start or are scared to fail and lose all your money? Mariam Elhouli is an entrepreneur, author, business coach and a mother of 5 who has persisted through failure to grow her successful e-commerce b ... Show More
29m 2s
Sep 26
How Marisa Kamall Survived Burnout and Reinvented Leadership for Women
What happens when a woman at the top of corporate life walks away from a prestigious title, a comfortable paycheck, and a high-stakes role managing over 5,000 people—only to find her voice, her purpose, and her true power on the other side?In this deeply personal and emotionally ... Show More
1h 20m
Apr 2025
Stop Overthinking, Start Doing: How This Founder Left Her 9–5 & Launched a Viral Wellness Brand with Katie Wilson, co-founder of BelliWelli
Katie Wilson is the co-founder of BelliWelli, a wellness brand transforming the digestive health space with delicious bars and easy-to-take fiber supplements.​ Katie didn’t set out to start a wellness brand—especially not from her kitchen. But after years of struggling with gut i ... Show More
51m 48s
Apr 2025
[Stories of Success From Empower Alumni] From Overwhelmed to Expert: Julie's Journey as a Dietician in Digital Business
The Empower Stories of Success is a multi-part series featuring real conversations with Empower graduates who have built and scaled their businesses.  In Part 4, Jess sits down with Julie Balsamo. Julie is a driven and passionate nutrition expert, who shares her experience of lau ... Show More
27m 48s