START AN EXPEDITION

Episode Description:

In this episode, Julia speaks with Shurti Singh from India and Myriem Benkirane from Morocco, explorers from the first Women Emerging expedition for students in higher education, as they reflect on their expedition, an experience that reshaped their understanding of leading, identity, and personal growth.

Women Emerging runs group expeditions for women who want to find their own approach to leading. Over seven months, explorers commit five hours per month to immersing themselves in the experience; listening to audios, speaking with guides, engaging in deep self-reflection, and coming together for monthly calls to test, challenge, and grow alongside a diverse group of women. Shurti and Myriem share how this unique methodology pushed them beyond traditional leadership concepts, leading them to profound realisations about themselves, their strengths, and the elements shaping their leading.

“Essence is represented in both light and shadows before we lead, we must first accept both,” said Shurti.

“Combining visibility and humility was something I had to work on. I used to think that being visible meant losing humility, but now I see that you can be both—and that being visible can create impact,” shared Myriem.

Listen to this episode to step into the expedition with Shurti and Myriem and discover how confronting fears, letting go of expectations, and embracing your Essence can transform the way you lead.

About the Guests

Myriem Benkirane

Myriem Benkirane is a solopreneur specializing in social media marketing, helping businesses and entrepreneurs with strong values create tailored strategies. Born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco, Myriem embraced personal growth after the loss of her dear father in 2017 and her beloved husband in 2021.

In 2022, at the age of 30, she returned to studying and is now an Executive Master participant at ESCA Ecole de Management, specializing in Digital Marketing. Passionate about leadership and communication, Myriem strives to set a positive example for her two children and aims to inspire others with her journey of resilience. She is also involved in various associations, including Women Emerging, TEDxESCA, Toastmasters, and Women in Business.

Shurti Singh

Shurti Singh is on a mission to reshape the future of leadership, one authentic conversation at a time. As an MBA student at Universal AI University, she has learned that true leadership flourishes when we embrace both our strengths and vulnerabilities. Through Women Emerging Expedition, she is building bridges between empathy and action, creating spaces where everyone’s story matters and collective growth thrives.

Shurti believes in transforming challenges into steppingstones for success, because when we lead authentically, we inspire others to do the same. For her, leadership is about more than just personal growth, it’s about championing a way of leading that celebrates our whole selves and empowers others to find their voice and purpose.

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.