Franziska: [Music] All of the really great things in my life didn’t come by actively searching for it. Then it’s not either or as you mentioned before, it’s the end.

Joel: One of the easiest gateways to joy for me is to be in the sun and have a smell of a cigarette near to me.

Franziska: People didn’t book me because of my services or buy me because of products; but it was really the personality and the energy behind it as well. I really go with that feeling. So when I’m pulled towards something, I just start walking there and…

Joel: We sold out fully, like Sunday morning 10:00, fully sold out cinema. So out of the hundreds of people in the cinema, no one cared about the next step and was like, “Okay, this is not the way; this is not the audience.” So it took quite some pivots, also some different names before Awake Origins could start as a first version of itself.

Welcome to this special episode of the Awake Origins Experience. I’m Joel, and today I’m joined by the remarkable co-CEO and co-lead facilitator of Awake Origins, Franziska. She is not only an entrepreneur but also a highly intuitive guide. Over the years, our collaboration in leading Awake Origins and facilitating numerous programs has been both inspiring and transformative. Join us as we stroll along the coastline of northern Spain, delving into topics ranging from the inception and evolution of Awake Origins to the integration of spirituality and entrepreneurship to personal journeys of awakening and self-discovery.

Franziska: Enjoy!

Joel: How young were you when you started?

Franziska: 23, 24, as a full-time entrepreneur.

Joel: What is the most important thing you’ve learned in those years?

Franziska: That it’s truly all about energy in every single sense. So I’ve been mostly coaching and consulting larger tech companies, and probably my expertise certainly wasn’t the best on the market just because there are other people who have probably more experience or who have done it longer. But I know the energy that I brought with me, the presence and my being—that is what was the game changer. What is unique, and I think that was a bit of learning, is that people didn’t book me because of my services or buy me because of products, but it was really the personality and the energy behind it as well. And I think I realized it even more when I started also being a speaker, which was, for me, very hard in the beginning because it didn’t come super natural to me; or at least I had to do some unconditioning before that one took off. And then I realized I don’t even need to have a topic; I can also do it without a specific topic. So it’s not the expertise or the propositioning necessarily, but it’s really the energy that you bring with you because in the end, people don’t remember what you tell them, but how you make them feel. I think that’s especially true for companies when you also work with bigger teams or if you have bigger audiences. Yes, of course, one part is knowledge transfer, but there’s so much more to that. And I guess I truly learned how to harvest and leverage that in my previous business. Well, and now, of course, with Awake Origins, that’s a big part of what we do—energy work and working with frequencies as well.

[Music]

Joel: How crucial do you believe it is that you understand energy and frequency as well as entrepreneurship in what we’re doing within the Awake Origins?

Franziska: For me, it’s almost at the essence of what we do. Like, well, maybe to give a bit of a backstory, like how I came to Awake was of course first through being a member. And what has resonated with me is that I felt there’s a place on the outside where the two that used to be before separate worlds are now coming together. So I always had in me the more, let’s say, spiritual side through yoga teacher trainings or having meditated in ashrams around the world or having seen certain things that maybe can’t be explained in words. In those rooms, I can feel comfortable, but I could never fully connect to the people that were in there because it felt a little bit too flower power or, well, hippie in a negative sense, or this belief set of money is bad. And then there was this other world where I was in, which were more boardrooms, consulting, working with really large corporates. And there, the furthest they went was personal transformation or soft skills. And I knew, wow, there’s so much more. And it felt that in me, both of that came together. But I never found a place on the outside as a physical manifestation of where that’s truly integrated.

Joel: Coming back to your question, I feel like that is the answer to it. That’s the more conscious part. This is about the frequency enhancement; it’s the energy work and then the entrepreneurial business leadership part that is the other component of it. And I do think like this is what makes us maybe unique or stand out or feel that resonance also with the members because I truly believe both of us live that; we have both in us and it’s not either/or. But as you mentioned before, it’s the end.

Franziska: Yeah, it’s interesting for me to realize that both of these worlds you truly enjoy deeply. It’s not that, for example, the entrepreneurial part has to happen—no, you enjoy that deeply; you embody that really.

Joel: Yes, it’s like a city there and nature here. Like if I would live 365 days a year only in nature, I wouldn’t be happy either. I sometimes love the buzzing city—I mean, that’s the reason why I spent a whole week in Marrakesh before Morocco and I love it. At some point, my nervous system also gets over-triggered again, but I do like having both with the diversity in it.

[Music]

Franziska: What are your earliest memories to the very first start of it and also that intention of getting started?

Joel: The moment that something shifted within…

Franziska: My awareness. And after a process, it probably took one and a half years in which I opened up more and more to the possibility that there is something beyond what we can see in this physical realm. So the process of opening up to connection and oneness… And the moment I was able to sink into that and experience it, one of the first thoughts that came afterwards was, “But I want to contribute to making it hearable.” And I knew that an important key was the blueprint scan. So that was for me the sort of Awake Origins, like, okay, we need to do something with the blueprint scan, but I didn’t know how or what.

Joel: What were the early stages?

Franziska: In the early stages, I thought, okay, well, we were going to bring feedback sessions, coaching sessions, and insightful reports to people, and that was the very first form. Back then, it didn’t have the name Awake Origins yet; it was just a landing page and people could book these things—yeah, very simple. And well, then that did not work out. And very soon, I realized that, okay, the world is not waiting for another tool, at least that’s the perception of it—another tool to get the self-knowledge.

Joel: What then?

Franziska: I’ve just been trying out many different things connected to knowing yourself, connected to spiritual growth. And back then, for me, there was quite some resistance on connecting it to entrepreneurship and leadership. Like, I was in a stage that I didn’t really care about that. I had been building my former company—I had been working with many leaders, entrepreneurs, and top CEOs—and for me, it was now about the spiritual side of things.

Joel: You felt even a resistance to the entrepreneurial angle?

Franziska: Yes, it felt like I didn’t want to mix those. It was way more important to me that this realization I personally had had—that our understanding as humanity that we are all connected, and have this divinity within us—was primary.

Joel: That is so interesting to hear and almost unthinkable for me to relate to because, of course, I know you so differently.

Franziska: Right! I know now in terms of target audiences and of course in the last year or so we’ve talked a lot about target audiences and tuning them a little bit more. Then I know what you get most of your energy from are the real manifestors, the entrepreneurs, or the leaders in a boardroom. But, yeah, that was a very different space for me at that time.

Joel: You tried many things, right?

Franziska: Yes! For example, we did movie screenings on Sunday mornings in Amsterdam. I may have shared this with you before, but we had a screening of The Red Turtle, one of the movies I love the most. We sold out fully! Like Sunday morning 10:00, fully sold out cinema. Then we would show the movie and have a discussion about it, etc., etc.

Joel: What was the initial intention of that?

Franziska: The intention was to have a great discussion, with the thought that, afterwards, people could dive deeper somehow into the path we had been constructing.

Joel: Yet…

Franziska: Out of the hundreds of people in the cinema, no one cared about a next step. After this success of selling out, and with no interest in the next step, I remember right away after that we went for a coffee and I was like, “Okay, this is not the way; this is not the audience.”

Joel: Was that immediately clear for you?

Franziska: Yes, it was an instant realization. The success of selling out was so big because we didn’t have any proper brand or we were not known; we just sold out. Then no one taking the next step was very black and white—it was, “No, wrong audience.”

Joel: Did that happen in other events too?

Franziska: Yes! Around that time, I had also been organizing club nights with some friends of mine in Amsterdam with our favorite techno DJs, and we shifted it in a direction of having a spiritual undertone. There would be this proper techno music, but the way we described the experience and the visuals would be more about consciousness and awareness. I remember we had a night with a thousand people selling out, but no one interested in the next step.

Joel: What did you learn from that experience?

Franziska: It took me a while—probably one and a half years—to realize that there’s a reason I’ve worked with so many leaders and entrepreneurs. I had to go through that phase to really understand those types of people to understand entrepreneurship and leadership, so that now it could be brought together with the consciousness component of it. But I had to go through some resistance first.

Joel: It sounds like a deep realization.

Franziska: Yes! I think I do have this visionary quality, but at the same time, I’m someone who really has to learn by doing. So we started with creating a program focused on entrepreneurs and leaders to deepen their awareness and come from a place of authentic purpose-driven-ness.

Joel: Did that program come about easily?

Franziska: Well, while my former company was a whole network and community, it took me a while to realize that it’s not about us bringing programs to the world. There’s another component to it—it’s about the community or movement that wants to arise connected to it. This was also not apparent from the start; it had to show itself before I could connect the dots.

Joel: Amazing how those shifts happened!

Franziska: Yes, it took quite a few pivots and different names before Awake Origins could start as a first version of itself.

Joel: What do you genuinely enjoy in life?

Franziska: One of the easiest gateways to joy for me is to be in the sun and have a smell of a cigarette near to me.

Joel: That’s interesting!

Franziska: That’s right; it brings me back to a festival vibe with music or whatever is going on. I feel instant happiness. It’s enough to just smell it in the air instead of actually smoking.

Joel: What do you associate with those festival times?

Franziska: I think it’s just the joy of being in nice company and music, especially with the sun out. You don’t have to do anything; it’s like a celebration of life.

Joel: Did you need substances to enhance that experience?

Franziska: Yes, but it’s still rooted in my brain somewhere that the moment you smell cigarette smoke, it’s comforting.

Joe: What about you?

Franziska: I definitely think like the sun for me, already just sitting here with the sea and the sun, makes me incredibly happy.

Joel: That’s great!

Franziska: It’s just the warmth of the sun on my skin. So I don’t need cigarettes; as soon as I smell them, I feel like I want to change tables.

Joel: When did you find out the sun is so important to you?

Franziska: That’s true; I’m from the southwest of Germany, close to the French border. Weather-wise, it’s probably similar to the Netherlands but with less rain and a bit more mountains and hills.

Joel: You moved to the Netherlands after Germany?

Franziska: Yes, I definitely didn’t know yet how much I needed the sun.

Joel: When did you recognize its importance?

Franziska: Perhaps when I lived in Cape Town in my early 20s—but even then, I usually spent winter somewhere sunny. Yet I didn’t feel that I needed the sun like a battery to recharge until more recently, maybe in the last four or five years.

Joel: That’s interesting.

Franziska: There wasn’t a specific moment I can recall; I just realize now that I recharge by just sitting for an hour in a café in the sun, and then I leave feeling really happy.

Joel: How about swimming?

Franziska: Yes, it’s the same when I float on top of the ocean. Nature recharges me, and I don’t have to do anything for it.

Joel: Over the years, have you learned more about yourself?

Franziska: Yes! In terms of energy management and what lifestyles support you. Is there anything specific that you’ve noticed about yourself?

Joel: Yes, winter depression is a real thing.

Franziska: I speak to many people, even some of our members, who sometimes struggle with it. If there are weeks without sun, without getting vitamin D, it really does something to your body on a biochemistry level and therefore mentally.

Joel: Do you think people are more affected than others?

Franziska: Yes. Sometimes I tell myself that I don’t want to be so dependent on circumstances. Can I be happy no matter whether the sun is out or not?

Joel: Can you?

Franziska: Certainly, on some days, that’s possible. But I truly feel it when there’s a long stretch without sunlight.

Joel: You haven’t become an enlightened Buddha yet?

Franziska: No, I’m not at that level yet to say external circumstances don’t affect my mood or well-being.

Joel: Perhaps you should go months in a gray area for a challenge.

Franziska: That was my experience for almost seven years in the Netherlands.

Joel: So how is it for you with the sun?

Franziska: Well, it probably doesn’t affect me as much as it does you.

Joel: Did moving out of the Netherlands help?

Franziska: Yes, definitely! One reason for leaving was because we were in lockdown. I thought, “If the whole world is closed down and the only thing I can do is go out into rainy, dark nature, I’d rather leave the country.”

Joel: That was your trigger?

Franziska: Exactly! And now it’s February, so being in this weather feels like a big gift.

Joel: I can understand that.

Franziska: It definitely enhances happiness; it’s not inner happiness, but it acts as an easy enabler.

[Music]

Joel: How has your ability to use intuition changed over time? Did it happen by itself, or did you work on it?

Franziska: I think I never consciously did anything with it until I was 18 or 19. Before that, it was just normal. For example, when a family member had headaches, I would put my hands over their head and just move the energy.

Joel: So, it was second nature?

Franziska: Yes! But when I was 18, I moved to Amsterdam and met a remarkable man in his 70s who became my teacher. He was an Indian yoga teacher who was deeply into ancient practices.

Joel: What did you learn?

Franziska: We studied the Bhagavad Gita, Sanskrit, Ayurveda, food nutrition, meditation—all that. I practiced with him for four years every morning at 7:00 AM on the mat.

Joel: Did partying get in the way?

Franziska: I definitely had big party weekends, but I was on the mat every Monday morning at 7:00 AM. He taught me a lot, not just through words but by seeing him practice and deal with challenges.

Joel: What was that like?

Franziska: He could sense who was coming to his yoga classes without knowing any context about them. For example, I came in once, and my grandfather was passing away, yet he knew without having ever spoken.

Joel: Fascinating!

Franziska: There was something intangible he could sense, and that experience unlocked more for me as well. I encountered several teachers or mentors who entered my life without me actively searching for them.

Joel: Did you seek them out?

Franziska: Not at all! They appeared when I needed them, and some disappeared again after a few years. Same with an incredible shaman I studied with, and now, of course, in recent years with Nanda and Laans, who have been guiding me.

Joel: Did you have intentions behind your path?

Franziska: There was no intention—just curiosity. I follow my feelings, so when I’m pulled toward something, I just start walking there. It’s playful.

Joel: Did you ever feel it was more than that?

Franziska: No agenda or purpose—just being playful. I often stop when I feel I’m not drawn to something anymore.

[Music]

Franziska: Everything felt natural or organic. I think of it as the adventure inside me that pops out in different contexts, whether through traveling or finding mentors. I’m very curious and desire to know more.

Joel: You don’t identify as a seeker?

Franziska: No, I’m really not a seeker. When people say the word ‘seeking,’ I feel a resistance. It doesn’t appeal to me psychologically.

Joel: Why do you think that is?

Franziska: Because, in my experience, all the beautiful things in life came to me without searching for them.

Joel: That is an interesting perspective.

Franziska: Some people believe in seeking, but in my case, it’s about playful curiosity leading the way.

Joel: You believe in attraction?

Franziska: Yes, it ties into my feminine essence—magnetism attracts things into your life. Even in my previous company, I’ve never hunted for clients. It was always about attraction.

Joel: Is there action involved?

Franziska: Absolutely! There’s aligned action and being clear about what you want, but things come to me more naturally than me having to chase them.

Joel: Thank you for sharing such insightful perspectives today!

Franziska: Thanks for watching or listening! If this conversation with me spoke to you, hit follow on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you’re tuned in. If you’re ready to go deeper, the Awake Origins waitlist is open; link below.