This is my ever-evolving professional identity in a nutshell. You can read more about my experiences and background here.
When I first saw how much my work had resonated with others, a naive part of me hoped that life would finally get easier after a very hard decade. After I told someone what happened when I shared it, they asked whether I had actually benefited from my work in any way. My immediate answer was that it brought good into the world. Reflecting afterward, I realized that the past few weeks follow the same pattern as the last decade: a lot of good for others and little of value for myself.
Over the years, much of my work has been used without fair credit, and at least half of it has brought me no financial compensation. Too often, the surrounding dynamics have also negatively affected my health and personal safety. None of this is new to me, but the last few weeks have made it clear once again that, for me personally, the overall pattern has not changed.
I truly value every act of kindness and the genuine care so many of you have shown. At the same time, I am no longer willing to sacrifice myself solely for the benefit of others. In my experience, people in my professional spheres have valued me primarily for the free or underpaid expertise and inspiration they could use to advance their own careers/projects, rather than as a real partner. For my own well-being, I cannot continue contributing under these conditions.
Going forward, I would rather invest my time in spaces that offer at least some mutual benefit and financial sustainability. Still, I remain deeply grateful to the people who approach things differently. Your kindness and integrity continue to make all the difference. 💛
When I left academia, it was a decision about who I wanted to be in life as I painfully realized that staying would come at the cost of my personal and scientific integrity. Without knowing what the future would hold, I transitioned into social change work, hoping to use the negative experiences I had gone through to help others.
In the years that followed, the question of what truly creates positive change (best-selling cookie-cutter frameworks surely don’t, and neither does the latest tech) guided my work. My professional offerings reflected that and evolved alongside me as I continued learning and deepening my understanding of our world, and how we might collectively make it a better place.
Although this work grew out of hardship, knowing that my contributions since leaving academia actually had the impact I hoped for is one of the greatest gifts of my life, and I appreciate everyone who took the time to let me know. Somewhat ironically, this also includes those who used my work for their own benefit without crediting or compensating me, because it shows that they, too, found it valuable.
Still, success to me has always meant being happy with who I am and what I am doing. Given how the world, and the systems we’re entangled in, have developed since I started this work, the latter is no longer the case. Without going into lengthy detail, I’ve come to realize that the world is heading in a direction I’m not willing to follow. Continuing this chapter of my life would feel like holding on to a part of my professional identity that is already gone, and that I, as a person, have outgrown.
Thank you to everyone I’ve met, collaborated with, and learned from over the years. You broadened my perspective and enriched my understanding of the many cultures, disciplines, and worlds that exist in ways I could never have imagined before. Most importantly, though, you showed me that there are far more wonderful people out there than I could possibly mention by name. Thank you for making me believe in our shared humanity, and that real change is possible.
With gratitude,
Lisa ツ
PS: I will likely retire this website in the foreseeable future. Until then, I’ll leave it online, as I know people still access the open resources I shared.
I'm a Berlin-based independent consultant, systemic coach, and death companion who partners globally with people and organizations to co-create systemic change.
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I've been co-creating change at the intersection of people, business, and technology for the last 10+ years to make our world a little better. Scroll down to see the areas I focus on.
How I do it? Find out here and solve an innovation challenge with me.
Addressing complex challenges holistically to identify root causes and co-create systemic solutions.
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Designing futures-informed strategies to explore emerging opportunities and collaboratively shape the future.
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Facilitating workshops and sharing knowledge in public talks to empower people to create their own future(s).
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© 2026 Lisa Hehnke
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