Life Updates & A Shift in Direction

Wishing you all a very happy and inspiring new year!

After a short break, I’m thrilled to reconnect with you through my newsletter. It’s been a few months since I last wrote, but I’m back with updates, reflections, and an exciting new direction for “Working Out Loud with Ester.” This newsletter is about sharing, learning, and prompting a dialogue on progress & learning.

Here’s what’s new and exciting:

A Big Transition: Exiting People Matters

Reflecting on my journey with People Matters over the last decade has been deeply rewarding. Setting the foundation for scaling across products, geographies, and creating a clear value proposition was fulfilling, but what stands out most for me is the succession planning. Transferring the essence of our success—the “source”—to the team and embedding it in their “being” rather than just their “doing” fills me with pride.

That source? It’s our unique way of putting the community we serve at the center, our commitment to make a difference, and our dedication to creating positive impact.

Investing in your team remains the highest ROI you can achieve. Here’s a picture from our 2024 offsite in our family home in Spain—a special time spent celebrating our journey and laying down the path ahead.

A New Chapter: Supporting Founders to Scale

I’m excited to share that I’m stepping into a new role as Entrepreneur in Residence at the IESE School of Founders. This program brings together a global learning community to help founders scale impactful organizations. As part of this, I’m contributing to content design and community-building to empower founders to create businesses that scale impact.

Working alongside Sebastian Ross —co-founder of the school and a visionary leader committed to conscious capitalism—is an honor. His mission, “help people flourish in life through work,” resonates deeply with me. I’m thrilled to learn, contribute, and share these experiences with you.

Personal Growth: Back to School (Literally!)

In true “learning-mode” spirit, I’ve dived into two new adventures:

1. Mentoring Young Entrepreneurs - I’m volunteering at our children’s school to mentor their entrepreneurial program. And also working with college students through the EO Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) program. Working with young minds brings such fresh energy, curiosity, and inspiration—it’s a reminder of the endless possibilities around us.
2. Learning Greek - This is my first time as an adult that I learning something from zero. I didn’t even know how to say “good morning” in Greek when I began! It’s been a humbling yet thrilling experience to start completely fresh.

My Greek teacher shared this wisdom early on:

• Επαν?ληψη (repetition/iteration) leads to
• Συν?θεια (habit/practice), which leads to
• Δι?ρκεια (continuity/endurance).

It’s a powerful life lesson: If you want to progress and make a sustainable impact, repetition and consistency are key. And yes, our dog Lily joins me for Greek lessons too—she’s always ready for “practice makes progress!”

Looking Ahead

Going forward, this newsletter will focus more on the entrepreneurial journey, scaling organizations, and building sustainability and legacy beyond the founder. It will continue to be bi-monthly. I’ll also share insights and learnings from our work at the School of Founders and beyond, and I hope it sparks meaningful conversations with you.

What About You?

I’d love to hear from you—what’s exciting for you in 2025? What are your reflections, learnings, or goals as you step into the new year? Let’s inspire each other by sharing our stories, challenges, and victories.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I look forward to reconnecting and working out loud together as we create, learn, and grow.

Warmly, Ester