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043 - Say “Yes, And!” to Navigating Chaos with Maartje van Krieken

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

Release Date: 11/10/2025

053 - Say 053 - Say "Yes, And!" to My New Book!

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

Today is the day is launch day for my new book, "Say 'Yes, And!' to Change"!!! You can get it here: The E-Book is $0.99 during launch week!  Thanks, and keep saying "Yes, And!"

info_outline 052 - Say “Yes, And!” to Long Term Adaptability with Alexander Bolkhovsky [From the Vault!] show art 052 - Say “Yes, And!” to Long Term Adaptability with Alexander Bolkhovsky [From the Vault!]

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

This week I am pulling one of my favorite interviews out from the archives. Why? Three reasons: My last episode with Anish Mahajan really did quite well, so I wanted to follow up with another episode with an “industry veteran.” Since that episode did well, I wanted new subscribers to get an episode of a similar format. I have been super busy myself preparing for the launch of my new book, Say “Yes, And!” to Change. You can learn all about that here:   Here’s the episode info: In this episode, I sit down with one of my oldest friends and longtime ExxonMobil leader,...

info_outline 051 - Say “Yes, And!” to Leadership, Listening, and Change with Anish Mahajan show art 051 - Say “Yes, And!” to Leadership, Listening, and Change with Anish Mahajan

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend (all the way back to childhood!) Dr. Anish Mahajan for a fascinating conversation about leadership, listening, and leading through uncertainty. Anish has led at the highest levels of healthcare and public health, from helping implement the Affordable Care Act to leading a major public hospital through the COVID crisis in Los Angeles. What I loved about this conversation is how much of it applies far beyond healthcare. We talk about why great leaders listen first, how to navigate skepticism and resistance, what it means to lead with humility,...

info_outline 050 - Say “Yes, And!” to Saying “Yes, And!” to Change (Inside the Framework from My New Book) - Solo Episode show art 050 - Say “Yes, And!” to Saying “Yes, And!” to Change (Inside the Framework from My New Book) - Solo Episode

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my brand-new book, Say “Yes, And!” to Change. For years, I believed the biggest challenge in change was resistance. But after working with leaders and teams across many industries, I realized something surprising: Resistance isn’t the biggest problem. Apathy is. Most people aren’t openly fighting change—they’re quietly checked out. In this episode, I explain why apathy is the silent killer of change efforts and how the improv principle of “Yes, And” can help transform apathy into engagement and excitement. I also walk...

info_outline 049 - Say ‘Yes, And!’ to Publicity, Visibility & Kindness with Jill Lublin show art 049 - Say ‘Yes, And!’ to Publicity, Visibility & Kindness with Jill Lublin

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this episode I sit down with publicity expert Jill Lublin to unpack what it really means to get visibility in today’s world. Many people think publicity is press releases or blasting on social media, but Jill shares how it’s truly about message clarity, storytelling, and getting others to care about why you do what you do. We talk about practical frameworks for pitching podcasts, leveraging community platforms, creating consistent outreach systems, and even how kindness and authenticity play into influence and visibility. If you’ve ever wondered how to get your message seen and heard...

info_outline 048 - Say “Yes, And!” to Taking Agency in Your Life and Business with Jacob Aldridge show art 048 - Say “Yes, And!” to Taking Agency in Your Life and Business with Jacob Aldridge

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this episode, I’m joined by Jacob Aldridge, an international business advisor and keynote speaker who’s calling in from Malaysia - where he can literally see Singapore from his window! Jacob and his family recently made a massive “Yes, And” decision: they packed up their life, became full-time travelers, and now “worldschool” their daughter while Jacob coaches businesses remotely. We talk about what it means to design your life (and business) on purpose, why uncertainty is often the very thing that makes you valuable, and how to stop waiting for perfect clarity before taking...

info_outline 047 - Say “Yes, And!” to Human Connection with Thom Singer show art 047 - Say “Yes, And!” to Human Connection with Thom Singer

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

Human connection is becoming a competitive advantage - especially as AI, automation, and digital overload keep pulling us away from real relationships. In this episode, I sit down with Thom Singer. Thom is a keynote speaker, community-builder, and CEO of the Austin Technology Council, and we talked about Human Interaction (H.I.) in an A.I. world. We unpack why “networking” isn’t something you do once in a while, it’s something you live, why introverts may actually have an edge, and how the best opportunities often come from relationships you started building years ago. We also go into...

info_outline 046 - Say “Yes, And!” to Curiosity (and Sales Without the Ick) with Kirstin Carey show art 046 - Say “Yes, And!” to Curiosity (and Sales Without the Ick) with Kirstin Carey

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this episode, I reconnect with my longtime friend Kirstin Carey, a serial entrepreneur and business strategist, to talk about what happens when you’re doing all the “right” things in business… but the results still aren’t clicking. We explore why curiosity is the underrated superpower in sales, leadership, and relationships, and why most “sales resistance” is really about story, emotion, and identity. Kirstin shares practical ways to ask deeper questions (without feeling salesy), how to reframe money as an energy exchange, and how to reconnect to what you actually feel -...

info_outline 045 - Say “Yes, And!” to Stepping Into Your Greatness with Alvin Law show art 045 - Say “Yes, And!” to Stepping Into Your Greatness with Alvin Law

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this episode, I sit down with Alvin Law – an international Hall-of-Fame  keynote speaker, Emmy Award winner, and award-winning musician who was born without arms and built a remarkable life by refusing to let other people’s labels define him. Alvin and I talk about what it really means to step into your greatness when your life doesn’t look like an Instagram highlight reel. We explore how his parents, teachers, and coaches acted as “Yes, And whisperers” – choosing to see possibilities instead of limitations – and how that mindset helped him learn to eat, drive, play...

info_outline 044 - Say 044 - Say "Yes, And!" to Improv, Nursing, and Leadership with Dr. Candy Campbell

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Candace “Candy” Campbell - nurse, actor, filmmaker, and international speaker - to talk about improv, healthcare, and what it really takes to communicate courageously in high-stakes environments. Candy’s journey is wild and inspiring. She started with a degree in acting and was headed for New York… until a disturbing “casting couch” moment made her walk away from the profession for over a decade. That detour led her to Pan Am, where she spent years as a flight attendant, discovered how naturally she ran toward people in crisis, and eventually...

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More Episodes

When everything feels messy, most leaders reach for more tactics and more meetings. In this conversation, I sit down with Maartje van Krieken - engineer, skipper, crisis strategist, and host of The Business Emergency Room Podcast - to talk about how to triage chaos, make cleaner decisions, and realign people and processes without burning everyone out. We cover her “coat rack” process metaphor, the emotional side of chaos (and why emotion = people still care), and a simple way to de-risk the options you’ve been carrying around in your head. If you’re navigating growth, change, or just too many priorities, this one’s a compass and a raincoat.

Takeaways

  • Triage first, then treat: stabilize cash/commitments/people before “fixing” root causes.

  • Emotion is a signal, not a problem: frustration often means people still care—use it.

  • The coat-rack rule: lightweight, fit-for-purpose processes prevent “stuff on the floor.”

  • Preventive leadership: “see your people,” listen for small irritations before they scale.

  • Decision hygiene: define options to de-risk them; clarity beats carrying cognitive baggage.

  • Sail the weather you’re in: keep destination clear, adjust the route—not the mission.

  • Yes, And in chaos: assume positive intent, ask a better question, redirect the energy.

Links

 

About Maartje

Maartje van Krieken is a Dutch seasoned executive and host of The Business Emergency Room podcast, where she helps leaders triage chaos and steer their organizations toward stability and growth. With 20+ years leading global, multi-billion-dollar initiatives across from Iraq to India to New Orleans (her current base), she now guides mid-market B2B companies as a Fractional CEO/COO/CSO through The Chaos Games Consulting. She focuses on Triage, Decision Making Mechanics, People Dynamics and closing the gap to potential.

Her typical roles are Business Value or Start-Up Advisor, Executive Coach, Exit Planning Specialist, Speaker / Workshop Facilitator and various Board Positions. She is also an Entrepreneur, Investor, accredited Disaster Action Specialist, a Skipper and a mom to 3 teens committed to helping leaders and businesses turn chaos around and perform better in today's VUCA environment.