Rethinking Leadership for Universal Flourishing: Karimah Hudda on Systems Change, Courage, and Impact

Leadership is hard. Leading with impact? Even harder.

In this episode of It Shouldn’t Be This Hard, co-hosts Heidi Schoeneck and Phil White sit down with Karimah Hudda, Systems Change Catalyst and Founder of illumine.earth, to uncover how courageous, purpose-driven leadership can overcome the barriers built into today’s business systems.

From Fairtrade farms to the boardrooms of Nike and Mondelēz, Karimah has spent 20+ years leading global transformation. She shares how to unlock human potential, navigate systemic resistance, and create lasting impact — all while redefining what leadership really means.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why courage and consciousness matter more than conformity in leadership.
• How to navigate corporate and systemic barriers that slow change.
• The difference between compliance-driven and purpose-driven leadership.
• Practical ways to drive impact across industries and continents.
• Why universal flourishing should be the ultimate goal of every leader.

Key Takeaways & Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

03:00 – Karimah’s journey from India to global systems change

06:45 – Leading across agriculture, corporate, and nonprofit sectors

10:00 – Courage vs. conformity: the leadership mindset

13:30 – Unlocking universal flourishing in business

18:00 – Overcoming systemic resistance and barriers

22:15 – Actionable tips for impact-driven leaders

27:00 – Karimah’s one piece of advice for every changemaker

Additional Resources:

✨ Get Grounded: https://bit.ly/3IYofhD

🔥 Meet Gaia, our sustainability AI: https://shorturl.at/VVdPS

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It Shouldn’t Be This Hard is the podcast for leaders, founders, and change-makers navigating the complexities of responsible business. Expert insights, practical strategies, and our resident AI Gaia make leading with impact feel a little less daunting — and a lot more inspiring.