Taking on a Leadership Role Without a Safety Net: Courage, Leadership, and Decisions That Matter

In this episode of Visconti Talks, Hubert Reynier, CEO of Visconti Partners, welcomes Ariane, CEO of WeMoms, the leading digital community for mothers.

At just 34 years old, Ariane steps into the role of CEO of a company in the midst of transformation. A co-founder exits the business. A model she is still discovering. A team to bring along. And no room for pause.

A candid conversation about what it truly means to step into a leadership role—for real.

From Strategy Consultant to Operational CEO

Ariane reflects on her career within the Voodoo Group, her arrival at WeMoms, and the pivotal shift that followed: moving from advisory work to decision-making, from project-based culture to team leadership, from growth at all costs to profitable growth.

A radical change in posture, experienced from the inside.

What This Episode Reveals About Leadership

As the conversation unfolds, several strong convictions emerge:

• You don’t get six months to “learn the role” when you step into a leadership position
• Leadership requires building skills and delivering immediate impact at the same time
• Restructuring is not just about cutting costs—it’s about cutting in the right places
• What looks secondary in an Excel file can be vital to collective momentum
  

And above all: video calls and phone calls will never replace human warmth

Change, Yes — But Embodied

Ariane shares behind-the-scenes insights into a delicate transition: a start-up becoming an SME, a new organizational structure, revised routines, financial transparency, and the rebuilding of trust with both the team and the remaining co-founder.

A clear-eyed testimony on leading change through leadership—not through process alone.

The Coach’s Perspective

At the end of the episode, Hubert Reynier steps back and shares his perspective as an executive coach:

• Taking on a leadership role means accepting discomfort
• Leadership cannot be delegated
• Physical presence is once again a key performance factor
• Moving from advisory roles to executive leadership requires unlearning in order to relearn
  

Key Takeaways

• A candid testimony on stepping into a leadership role in an unstable environment
• Proof that leadership is forged through action
• A strong conviction: the human factor remains the primary driver of sustainable performance
  

An episode for all leaders, managers, and future executives who know that holding the course matters just as much as setting the direction.

Enjoy listening.

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