Embracing Progress While Confronting Fears

Embracing Progress While Confronting Fears at Pride Business Forum Voices event

This week, I returned to Prague to speak at Pride Business Forum Voices—an inspiring gathering spotlighting personal stories and LGBTIQ+ inclusion in the workplace and beyond. For those unfamiliar with it, Pride Business Forum has grown into the largest NGO in Central Europe dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion for LGBTIQ+ people in business, especially in Czechia, yet with a steadily expanding international reach.

Fifteen years ago, IBM, Hilton, and the Pride Business Forum organization joined forces to host the very first Pride Business Forum event. Fifteen years, yet it seems as yesterday. At that time, I worked at IBM. I became a professional volunteer, helping organize that inaugural event (and the two that followed). It was challenging to find more than a handful of companies willing to join back then, and today, the Forum proudly counts over 110 companies in its network—a testament to the power of persistent action.

Equally significant for me was the evening’s celebration of Czeslaw Walek , Chairman of Pride Business Forum—my friend and someone I deeply respect for his tireless work in advancing LGBTIQ+ rights not only in the Czech Republic but around the globe. His story reminds us that meaningful change is possible when we commit ourselves wholeheartedly to the cause of equality. Thank You, Czeslaw, and happy birthday!

This year’s Pride Voices was held at the Nová scéna Národního divadla, a venue that felt personally significant. I performed multiple times in the main National Theatre next door during my dance studies. Stepping onto the adjacent stage for Pride Voices brought back memories of stage lights, rehearsals, and the thrill of performing in front of an audience.

Although, as you know, I did not become a pro dancer. I’ve worked for major corporations like IBM, Microsoft, Intel, and Lenovo, as well as in the NGO sector. Over the years, my work has taken me across the world—to the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, South Africa, Austria, and 30+ other countries—exposing me to different cultures’ approaches to inclusion. Some places outpace Czechia on LGBTIQ+ rights, while others offer stark reminders of just how fragile progress can be.

Currently, I’m part of a family business preparing to open ELSA Spa Apartments Tux , the first openly LGBTIQ+ lodging in Austria’s Tuxertal valley (https://www.elsa.tirol). At the same time, I’m developing At Intersections LAB, a consulting concept that merges innovation workshops and strategic work with the rejuvenating power of nature—leveraging high-altitude settings to gain fresh perspectives on complex issues.

Now that I’m 42 and have experienced my share of highs and lows, I publicly reflected for the first time on how my life journey so far has shaped my drive to express myself fully and encourage others to do the same.

Here is a summary of my speech, including four key lessons I offered at Pride Voices, which feel more pressing now than ever.

A Changing Perspective: From Hope to Concern

When my friend Czeslaw Walek, Chairman of Pride Business Forum, invited me to speak last November, I felt optimistic about the global trajectory of LGBTIQ+ rights. Yet, in recent weeks, I’ve found myself truly worried about the future for the first time. My concern is personal: I want my partner, myself, and everyone in this community to avoid sliding backwards into a world of second or third-class citizenship. Progress is never guaranteed—it can stall or even reverse if we let our guard down.

Still, I remain convinced that we owe it to each other to keep building an inclusive society.

Here are some of my personal lessons I’ve learned:

1. The Equation: Progress = Strategy × Execution

I love a good strategy—aligning tactics, shaping timelines, and polishing the big picture. But no matter how ingenious a strategy is, if execution is zero, the result will be zero. Conversely, an imperfect plan (let’s say 4 out of 10) that’s executed consistently and with conviction can still produce significant progress.

In the LGBTIQ+ sphere, we already know many steps—pushing for legal protections, championing inclusive workplaces, and creating safe communities. The challenge lies in consistent execution. Waiting for a flawless strategy or for someone else to lead can leave us at a standstill. Even in times of uncertainty, a small step forward beats endless inaction.

2. Coming Outs—Yes, Plural

People often think “coming out” is a one-time event, but it’s a recurring process. Each new environment or relationship might call for a fresh revelation of who we are—sexual orientation, personal history, or hidden passions.

? My initial “gay coming out” wasn’t a huge hurdle. Instead, I found it nerve-racking to reveal my dance background—including classical ballet—when I first ventured into the corporate world.

? I worried it might seem “soft” or “unprofessional.” Over time, though, I realized the discipline and creativity from dancing were assets, especially when launching an innovation consulting practice in Central and Eastern Europe.

? By finally being open about my dance past, I discovered many colleagues also had performance or artistic backgrounds, which fostered deeper connections.

The upshot? Coming out—in all forms—helps us show up more authentically. Overcoming each round of hesitation can spark new relationships and, ultimately, more meaningful progress.

3. No One Is Truly “Self-Made”

When I moved to Singapore, I was occasionally described as a “self-made man”—the small-town kid who worked at major tech firms, earned an MBA, and studied corporate diplomacy at Oxford, eventually landing in Asia. Since Singapore and Oxford both idolize meritocracy, it felt good to hear.

But pure meritocracy is a myth. My journey was paved by many others: a supportive partner, parents who sacrificed, teachers who believed in me, mentors and friends who showed me the way—and bosses who sometimes pushed me out of my comfort zone. None of us accomplishes anything in isolation.

The best way to recognize those invisible contributions is to pay it forward. When we help others reach their potential—whether through mentoring, networking, or simply sharing honest advice—we ensure the impact of our own success resonates more broadly.

4. Living Long Fully

We get one life to make a difference, and I’ve felt compelled to make mine count ever since losing my father in a sudden accident at age eleven. That early trauma left me with a profound fear of death but also ignited a passion for longevity and holistic well-being.

? Thanks to modern advancements, living longer and healthier is more attainable than ever. But, just like in business or activism, it requires strategy and execution—an ongoing commitment to exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mental health.

? Maintaining good health equips us to stay active participants in our communities, to cost the healthcare system less, to be happier. We not only drive change further but also get to experience and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Four Lessons for Uncertain Times

A Vision for “HHPP”: A Happy, Healthy, Prosperous Planet

I closed my talk by sharing a vision I call “HHPP”: a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous Planet. Yes, it’s a catchphrase, but behind it is a commitment to ensure our collective future is genuinely inclusive. If we don’t shape that future ourselves, someone else will—and the results may not include us all.

End of speech excerpt.

Reflecting on Pride Business Forum—from its humble yet powerful beginnings with IBM, Hilton, and a tiny team (yet, an international one, with Marijn Pijnenburg , Christian Schwenke Matthijs Welle Monika Ladmanova and others) to over 110 companies as members of the platform today—illustrates how steadfast dedication can achieve what once seemed impossible. And it underlines the influence of individuals like Czeslaw Walek, whose life’s work demonstrates how far passion and perseverance can carry a movement.

Ultimately, every gesture counts in steering us toward a more inclusive tomorrow. Whether we’re celebrating wins, tackling setbacks, or carving new paths—like opening an LGBTIQ+ haven in the Alps or pioneering new ways to brainstorm strategic solutions in nature—our collective actions form the bedrock of progress.

Let’s keep showing up, speaking out, and uplifting each other. In doing so, we continue bending the arc toward genuine inclusion in Czechia and around the globe.

(LGBTIQ+ - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer people - this version of the acronym is used e.g. by the UN and by the EC, having same meaning LGBTQI+)