We All Make Mistakes, the podcast with the mission to challenge what it means to be successful. And to show you that people at the top of their games have not always made perfect choices. Reassuring, right?
We All Make Mistakes is powered by ESCP’s media, The Choice, and hosted by Ben Voyer, a professor of entrepreneurship at ESCP and a behavioral scientist.
“When thinking of success, we often feel that the most successful people have done everything perfectly. There is, however, so much that can be learned from not getting things right the first time. Learning from mistakes and setbacks is perhaps the most critical skill for long-term success.”
Ben Voyer
Making mistakes, experiencing difficulties, regretting our choices might cause us to feel defeated, lose our self-confidence, or even want to quit. But what comes after the challenges and mistakes is even more important and rewarding. These setbacks can open a path towards evolution and growth that you never expected.
Human nature is resilient, and as the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, the best leaders know how to make lemonade.
We will be tackling this topic across a handful of episodes with guests that represent success in all its forms, from traditional industries like insurance and luxury to a climate startup and even ceramic art.
In Season One of We All Make Mistakes, we explored the lives of business leaders who have been successful despite seeing failure and experiencing challenges, while being able to learn from them. From their stories, they taught us that it’s never too late to put up a chase, build back, and thrive. This is We All Make Mistakes — because, we (all) do.
In Season Two, we return with a fresh, academic focus. This time, we dive into what experts from five key disciplines—including entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, innovation and sustainability—really think about mistakes.
Join us as we talk with ESCP Business School’s top academics, who highlight the vital role of making and learning from mistakes in their fields. Discover insights from leading scholars across ESCP’s global campuses.
Episode one: Dame Inga Beale on embracing your identity
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On the first episode of We All Make Mistakes, our podcast host Ben Voyer, a professor of entrepreneurship at ESCP Business School and a behavioural scientist, speaks with Dame Inga Beale, the former and first female CEO of Lloyd’s of London.
Recognised as a role model throughout the LGBTQ+ community as well as one of the most successful businesswomen in the insurance sector, Inga Beale has many impressive titles. To the point where one might wonder: has Inga Beale ever made a mistake? Ben Voyer digs in to learn how Inga Beale became the successful and inspiring leader she is today.
Episode two: Emmanuel Boos on the art form of mistakes
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When it comes to artistic practices, people will tell you it takes a lot of mistakes before you can reach perfection. But what is perfection, exactly? Professor of entrepreneurship and behavioural scientist Ben Voyer speaks with ceramic artist Emmanuel Boos about how he learned to play with and enjoy his mistakes.
Episode three: Plan A CEO Lubomila Jordanova on environmental leadership
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On the third episode of We All Make Mistakes, our podcast host Professor Ben Voyer speaks with one of the most influential CEOs in the cleantech industry right now: Lubomila Jordanova. Because “climate change is everyone’s business”, Lubomila Jordanova created Plan A, an award-winning platform for business carbon accounting, decarbonisation and ESG reporting. She is also the co-founder of the Greentech Alliance and was selected as Obama Leader for Europe 2022 by the Obama Foundation.
Episode four: Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron on taking leaps of faith
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On the fourth episode of We All Make Mistakes, our podcast host Ben Voyer speaks to prominent luxury industry leader: Cartier’s CEO and President, Cyrille Vigneron. At the head of a brand where timelessness and durability are core values, Cyrille Vigneron has been recognised and praised for his vision and sensitivity. He gives us insights into what it means to stick to one’s identity while still leaving enough space for others to express themselves.
Episode five: Christoph Seckler on the science of failing successfully
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On the fifth and final episode of Season one of We All Make Mistakes, Professor Ben Voyer speaks to failure expert and fellow ESCP Professor Christoph Seckler. Not that Professor Seckler has failed more than the average person throughout his life, but he has published widely-acclaimed work on how our organisations and people can better deal with errors. So, are you looking for a way to better own your mistakes? Christoph Seckler has a few ideas on where to get started.
Bonus episode: Growing as a leader with Dame Inga Beale
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Right on time for the International Day of Women’s Rights, the former and first female CEO of a three-century-old insurance market shared with us her experience growing as a woman leader, the role model that made a difference, and how she accepted the mission to be this role model for other women and beyond. Listen to Dame Inga Beale on We All Make Mistakes.
Episode one: Sylvain Bureau on the power of Art Thinking and embracing mistakes
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In the latest episode of We All Make Mistakes, Professor Ben Voyer talks with Sylvain Bureau, ESCP Business School professor and creator of the Art Thinking method. His groundbreaking work hinges on art, science, and business to help people create “the improbable” and rethink how they engage with mistakes. For Bureau, mistakes are not just inevitable—they are essential to innovation and creativity. “Mistakes are monstrous,” he says, “but they are also a crucial part of the creative process.”
Where to listen
The podcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms and featured on ‘The Choice’ – a media platform powered by ESCP which brings together a variety of voices that reflect both the European and international footprint of the school. From professors and students to guest writers, each author shares their own unique voice and vision of the world of business.
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“At ESCP Business School, we believe that in business, as in life, everything starts with choices. And it is by making such choices that we give meaning to business. As leaders, our choices can define the world we live in.”