Meet Kristel Xena
Van der Wilt
Leading with Heart:
From Breakdown to Empowered Leadership
Eleven years ago, I took a leap of faith, leaving behind my home, family, and a successful life to follow my biggest dream: building a career in an international environment. I moved to the Netherlands to become Country Retail Brand Manager for one of the world’s most influential fashion retailers.
I was driven, passionate, and ready to prove myself. But soon, my health and soul paid the price. Constant stress, long hours, lack of boundaries, and no self-care slowly took their toll. Then came the wake-up call: a pulmonary embolism. Alone in a hospital room, hearing from doctors that I could have died, I knew something had to change.

