Birgit Hermann – Turning Extreme Endurance into Bolder Leadership for People and Planet

Birgit Hermann is a global leadership coach, speaker, executive leader, ocean advocate, professional freediver, and extreme endurance athlete who translates lessons from the edge into meaningful impact for people and planet.

She supports purpose-driven leaders to turn bold challenges into grounded, values-led action.

She has raced the Marathon des Sables, run a marathon in Antarctica, freedived beneath Arctic ice without a wetsuit, and cycled across the African continent — often as the only woman on the start line.

Alongside these edge-tested experiences, Birgit brings over 20 years of leading and coaching teams across marine conservation, climate resilience, international development, and peace building in more than 20 countries.

Based between Timor-Leste, Germany, New Zealand, and Egypt, she is the founder of Inspired by Nature and the author of B.O.L.D.E.R.™ — a leadership framework forged at the edge and built for real-world change.

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Show notes

• Who is Birgit
• Growing up in Germany
• Spending a lot of her life in Asia- Pacific, specifically New Zealand
• Considering herself a change maker
• Working in management positions in relation to climate change adaptions, marine conservation, supporting livelihoods and communities to make changes for the better
• Growing up sporty and active
• Becoming an outdoor lover after moving to New Zealand
• Being a competitive swimmer for many years
• Trying all sports from judo, to volleyball and cycling
• Being interested in different cultures and travelling
• Deciding to do her Masters Degree in New Zealand
• Deciding to take on Tour d'Afrique
• Cycling 12,000km from north to south Africa
• Feeing unsettled and wanting more from life
• Getting her courage together to sign up for the challenge
• Planning and training for a 4 month challenge
• Changing her perspective on what's possible
• The physical achievement and trusting herself
• Realising how all the small steps accumulate over time especially at the end of the journey and looking back on what's been achieved
• Knowing that there was more to what she believed she could achieve
• Deciding to spend more time in Africa
• Freeing herself up to be open to something new
• Testing herself in a new environment
• Making something close to impossible happen
• Starting to think and dream big
• Why the physical experience can change your mindset
• Knowing that the next step was the right step
• Why it wasn't easy
• Deciding to head back to New Zealand
• Being a pioneer and looking to find a role model
• Continuing to take on big challenges
• Living in Timor-Leste in 2016
• Wanting to share her experiences of traveling the world while doing endurance challenges
• Her experience in Antarctica and wanting to raise awareness and funds for climate change
• Learning how to free-dive and the benefits experienced
• The importance of relaxing - truly relaxing
• The journey over the last 3 years and putting all the lessons together
• Boosting her confidence and starting to work for herself
• Deciding to write her book
• Being a trail blazer, and shifting culture
• The lessons to be learned
• Inspire change, shift culture and build sustainable impact - without burnout!
• Who would benefit from reading from the book
• Wanting to make a positive change in the world
• Shout out for the Tough Girl Podcast!
• How to connect with Birgit
• Final words of advice for other women who want to live bolder
• Talk about it!!
• Why it's the first step - talking about it out loud.
• There will be people who will support you.

Social Media

Website: www.birgithermann.com

Instagram: @b_inspiredbynature

Facebook: @b.inspiredbynature

Youtube: @b.inspiredbynature

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/birgithermann

Direct link to the book: www.birgithermann.com/bolder.html