Championing a New Era of Business That Heals, Restores, and Uplifts!
A new generation of businesses is rising, not just in the world to grow, but to grow responsibly. Certified B Corporations are leading this shift by redefining what success looks like: it’s no longer measured by profit alone but by the positive impact on people, communities, and the planet. Since becoming a B Corp in 2015, Innate Motion has championed this movement, placing empathy, inclusivity, and regeneration at the heart of business.
At the forefront of this commitment is Joyshree Reinelt, Co-founder of Innate Motion, who brings this vision to life through her mission to use business as a force for good in service of creating a more equitable world. A German-born psychologist, she approaches growth strategies with a distinct combination of profound empathy and strategic thinking. Innate Motion’s approach invites businesses to rise above conventional ‘brand purpose’ to become regenerative businesses that actively give more back to society and the environment than they take.
Guided by the diverse leadership team, Innate Motion has shifted focus from a transactional business that mainly values shareholder value to stakeholder value that values the triple bottom line. Joyshree emphasizes the importance of radical collaboration, engaging multiple stakeholders to co-create solutions that encourage genuine transformation.
Her style of leadership is one of ferocious empathy and a belief in inclusivity to bridge divisions in a world that is facing more and more polarization. Joyshree’s vision is not business growth alone but the building of a sustainable human future in which companies act as net positive forces for good in the world.
Let us learn more about her journey:
Humanizing Global Business
Change has always been a guiding force, not the disruptive kind, but the kind that gently stretches a person into who they are meant to become
Growing up in Frankfurt with parents who fostered curiosity and learning from differences, Joyshree experienced a multicultural upbringing that shaped her sense of identity as fluid, inclusive, and deeply human. With her childhood years split between American and German schools, she moved easily between different groups of friends, noticing early on how people often lived in social bubbles — shaped not by who they were, but by background and assumptions. These observations sparked her lifelong fascination with how identity is formed, expressed, and often constrained by social norms.A pivotal moment came in the seventh grade when she befriended a girl from a Turkish immigrant family. While she was encouraged to excel due to the academic family background, her friend had to fight just to be seen beyond stereotypes. The stark contrast awakened a deep sense of injustice and sparked a desire to challenge the dynamics that limited people based on their origins.
By the age of 15, she was volunteering at an NGO in Frankfurt that supported war refugee children and immigrants. As a tutor, she not only helped them learn German but also witnessed how prejudice could harden people, making them feel unseen and hopeless. These moments taught her the transformative power of empathy. Social workers who imposed solutions made little progress, but those who took the time to connect with the children’s cultures and needs had a profound impact. This showed her that real change doesn’t come from giving instructions and talking down to them; it comes from walking alongside others, seeing them, and co-creating a better path forward.
That realization led her to study psychology, driven by a commitment to help people, especially the vulnerable, lead fuller lives and tap into often-overlooked human potential. Her professional journey started in counselling before she shifted to Censydiam, a pioneer in motivational consumer psychology. It was there she discovered that psychology could be a business tool not for manipulation, but for genuine connection and understanding. Working across different industries and cultures, she developed a global perspective on how identity and emotion drive human behavior.
In 1998, she was sent to Dubai to build a joint venture with PARC at the age of 27. Unmarried and stepping into a leadership role in a region where female leaders were still a rarity, she faced uncertainty but also immense growth. Dubai, on the cusp of becoming a global hub, challenged her to rise to the occasion while staying anchored in her values. The experience became a major stepping stone in shaping her leadership identity.
In 2007, the opportunity to co-found Innate Motion marked a defining chapter. Alongside Christophe Fauconnier, Femke van Loon, and Benoit Beaufils, she helped launch a growth consultancy that would reflect their shared purpose: to humanize business for meaningful growth. The company began as the smallest global company in the world, built without physical offices or national borders. It became a pioneer in purpose branding, guiding leaders to connect with their deeper motivations to drive transformative, measurable impact. Since its inception, Innate Motion helped over 900 organizations and brands representing almost a trillion dollars to put human growth at the core of their business growth. Many Global Forbes 500 companies.
Each chapter of her life, from volunteer work to psychology, from Dubai to entrepreneurship, was a journey through identity itself. It reminded her that real transformation begins not with the roles we claim, but with the shared human experiences that connect us beneath them.
Today, she continues to help people and brands grow by expanding their identity and linking their purpose to measurable impact aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership.
At the heart of it all is a simple yet powerful belief: “Empathy unlocks human growth. And human growth fuels everything else, including business.”
How Cultural Insight Shapes Brands That Matter
What first intrigued Joyshree about the intersection of cultural understanding, branding, and meaningful business impact wasn’t something she encountered in a boardroom or a textbook; it was something she noticed as a child growing up. Certain brands weren’t merely purchased; they were cherished.
She vividly recalls how household staples like Schwartau jam, Ritter Sport chocolate, and Haribo candies weren’t just consumables; they were woven into family rituals, fond memories, and even personal identities. These weren’t products you just used; they were brands you felt something for and were part of the cultural fabric. Likewise, global icons like Coca-Cola transcended borders and generations. What all these brands shared was a quiet power: they did not demand attention; they invited belonging. They stood for something larger than their function, joy, connection, aspiration, or even a sense of who we wanted to be.
Even before she had the vocabulary for it, the realization was clear: branding wasn’t about selling; it was about storytelling, identity, and emotional resonance. It was inherently cultural. Deeply human.
Years later, while working in motivational research, this instinct was confirmed. Brands, she discovered, are cultural vehicles; they reflect who we are and shape who we aspire to become. When branding is rooted in empathy, context, and intention, it has the power to shift markets and mindsets. They become leadership tools.
She reflects on how even now, despite Coca-Cola facing headwinds from health-conscious consumers avoiding sugary sodas, the brand still stirs emotions. It still feels like optimism bottled up, a reminder of lighter, happier moments where there is more that unites than divides us.
For Joyshree, the fascination has never been with branding for branding’s sake. It’s always been about the why, the cultural currents, the emotional truths, and the lasting impact that emerges when business is anchored in meaning. That’s the intersection she continues to be drawn to, where empathy meets enterprise and where branding becomes not just relevant but deeply resonant.
Human-First Approach to Leadership
Describing her leadership style as human-first and growth-oriented, Joyshree believes that leadership begins with seeing the individual beyond their role or title. She avoids assumptions, choosing instead to remain curious, eager to discover what drives people, what excites them, and what may be holding them back. Whether engaging with her team at Innate Motion, collaborating with clients, or mentoring young professionals, she consistently seeks opportunities for shared growth and learning.
Mentorship is one of her greatest passions. Joyshree finds purpose in investing time and energy into others, offering support, issuing challenges, and being their unwavering champion. This commitment is reflected in her role on the board of KUBI e.V., an NGO based in Frankfurt that has been empowering people of diverse backgrounds since 1993. Through the organization’s business mentoring programs, she continues to guide others on their personal and professional journeys. Her motivation stems from personal experience; she understands the transformative power of being seen, believed in, and guided.
For Joyshree, leadership is not a one-way street. It’s as much about listening as it is about guiding. She strives to remain grounded, open to feedback, and willing to be challenged, especially by perspectives different from her own. At Innate Motion, a globally diverse team of around 45 Business Humanizers speaks 27 languages, making inclusivity and cultural richness a core strength of the organization. She recognizes that such diversity doesn’t just make conversations more vibrant; it also makes outcomes more impactful.
She also acknowledges the wisdom that emerges from the younger generation. Her 20-year-old son is one of her most insightful critics, constantly inspiring her with new thoughts and different viewpoints from his social circles. Through his lens, she is reminded that leadership is not static; it’s a living, breathing process of growth.
At her core, Joyshree leads with empathy, curiosity, and an unshakable belief in human potential. She understands that when leaders show up with authenticity and care, they don’t just build effective teams; they help build more compassionate and successful businesses that people want to work for.
A Values-Driven Approach to Professional Success
For the longest time, business culture has dictated that individuals should leave their hearts and souls at home, with only logic, performance, and a drive for excellence allowed at the table. However, at the core of it all, we are human beings first and foremost, and it’s from this place of authenticity that Joyshree chooses to lead and work.
Throughout her career, she has remained an intuitive person who listens to her inner voice and her moral compass. When she first transitioned into the business world, she was often advised to be less friendly and to “toughen up,” because business was seen as competitive and hostile. Despite this pressure, she refused to abandon her values and approach to relating with people. She couldn’t pretend to be someone she wasn’t.
At times, some people saw her as too soft or too kind. However, the same individuals were often surprised at her continued success in the professional world. She believes that this success was rooted in people recognizing and connecting with her authenticity. They wanted to collaborate with her and grow together, which led to the meaningful relationships she built along the way. She also acknowledges that in her younger years she was fortunate to have people who saw her as a whole person with all her aspirations and ambitions, and this has shaped the way she engages with others, whether it’s her team, clients, or partners in the wider business ecosystem.
Joyshree believes that showing your authentic self is courageous, although it makes you more vulnerable. However, that vulnerability is a strength, as it makes one relatable and real. Authenticity fosters trust, and trust is the foundation of true collaboration.
She doesn’t shy away from emotions either, even the uncomfortable ones. Whether it’s tension within a team or fear in the face of change, she prefers to name and address them rather than suppress them. What is suppressed ultimately blocks progress, whereas addressing and transforming difficult emotions can lead to positive outcomes. This was a key personal growth journey because she is a harmonizer at heart but sugar-coating is a dead-end road.
Moreover, she firmly believes in celebrating collective success genuinely and meaningfully. It’s not about performative gestures but about acknowledging the unique contributions of each individual. This shared celebration builds energy, unity, and pride in the collective achievements. But also failures need to be given space as part of growth and learning.
Ultimately, her values deeply influence the way she works. She doesn’t leave her humanity at the door and doesn’t expect others to either. By embracing authenticity, vulnerability as a strength, and genuine connection, Joyshree believes that not only can better outcomes be achieved, but better relationships and businesses can be built in the process.
Philosophy Behind Innate Motion’s Global Brand Strategy
Innate Motion believes that brands thrive when they discover the power of identity, not merely focusing on what they sell, but on what they stand for, contribute to, and make possible in people’s lives. The core philosophy centers around driving meaningful growth by helping brands tap into aspirational identities. This goes beyond workplace culture, market positioning, or societal presence, diving deep into understanding the layers of human connection.
Instead of seeing people as “consumers,” Innate Motion views them as individuals with dreams, struggles, and values, people who aspire to grow, belong, and matter. When a brand connects with these deeper human truths, it expresses a clear point of view and becomes a contributor to culture, earning both relevance and resonance.
One of the company’s innovations, the process of people immersions, goes beyond traditional consumer connections. While many businesses invite marketers and other functions to interact with consumers to better understand the category, product, or brand, Innate Motion trains teams to develop deep empathy with consumers. This involves fostering human conversations around culturally relevant topics. The focus shifts from transactional to relational, from consumer/consumption unit to people being served, from interrogation to dialogue, and from passive observation to active participation. This approach is seen as the best way to tap into authentic human truths.
Iconic brands, according to Innate Motion, are anchored in deep human truths, not just product truths. The most powerful brands today don’t sit on the sidelines; they engage with cultural shifts, address deep human tensions, and offer new possibilities that help people progress.
Whether shaping a global portfolio strategy or guiding a team through cultural change, Innate Motion always asks the key questions:
- What identity are we helping people embrace?
- What social or cultural tension are we helping resolve?
- What utopian future are we inviting them into?
The purpose is not merely a slogan or a poster on the wall; it is a lived experience. When a brand embraces its purpose boldly and consistently, it creates more than just market share. It cultivates meaningful growth for people, businesses, and the world at large.
Cultural Relevance and Human-Centric Work Across Markets
To ensure that work remains culturally relevant and human-centric across diverse geographies, it begins with a simple yet powerful approach: fostering a diverse team and cultivating a curious mindset. At Innate Motion, every project is approached by a team of individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Teams are intentionally designed to include people who are deeply rooted in a particular culture, possessing knowledge of its nuances, codes, and lived experiences. Equally important is including individuals from outside that culture, offering fresh perspectives that help identify aspects others might overlook because they are so imprinted by that culture. So, they don’t ask why things are done a certain way because they simply accept that’s the way it has always been.
This balance creates an environment where empathy and curiosity can thrive, encouraging better questions and deeper exploration. It avoids the pitfall of assumptions and ensures that cultural nuances are fully understood. Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on continuous training, helping team members recognize and challenge their own cultural biases. The approach is always to listen and immerse in the culture, not just through research, but by engaging with real-life experiences and understanding what people watch, listen to, and talk about. Pop culture often reveals what truly matters in a society.
An internal chat room is used to share new insights and discoveries, whether they’re from books, music, movies, or even recipes. Many projects also involve explorations with experts, such as bloggers, activists, and other thought leaders, while youth panels are often set up to offer fresh perspectives. Regardless of the location, whether in São Paulo, Johannesburg, Jakarta, Mumbai, New York, Rome, Paris, or Frankfurt, the guiding principles remain the same: lead with empathy, be aware of the bias trap, and allow people to define themselves, rather than making assumptions about who they are.
This mindset is the foundation of building brands that are not only culturally relevant but deeply human-centric, grounded in the real lives of people rather than abstract marketing theories. With experience in over 75 countries, most projects are multi-country in nature, further cementing the team’s commitment to cultural identity exploration. Additionally, many members of the team possess a genuine love and curiosity for culture and travel, which further enriches the process.
Staying Ahead in Branding and Business Strategy
In a world that’s changing faster than ever, the key to staying ahead is staying deeply connected to what makes us human. For Joyshree, the approach isn’t about following trends but paying attention to subtle signals in culture, society, and everyday behaviors. She constantly asks herself, what are people aspiring to? What tensions are emerging? What feels outdated? What feels urgent? This curiosity fuels her ability to remain sharp.
Her day-to-day life is an exploration of culture and shifts. It’s about observing people at the supermarket, sitting in a street cafe, or talking to salespeople and chauffeurs during her travels. For Joyshree, it’s about bursting out of her bubble and soaking in the happenings of the world around her, not just on an intellectual level, but on an experiential level.
A continuous commitment to learning is part of her routine. Whether from clients, her team, the people she coaches, or the younger generation, she remains a student of the world. She reads widely, observes closely, and reflects on what shifts mean for people, not just business. Joyshree is particularly interested in how people navigate topics like health and well-being, food and nutrition, and gender roles. She regularly asks herself how she personally relates to these issues because that helps to understand others more deeply.
For her, innovation is not about chasing the next shiny thing; it’s about staying relevant, remarkable, and real. It’s about having the courage to ask deeper, sometimes uncomfortable questions. She is a firm believer in the power of co-creation. Most of the transformative journeys she has been part of came from bringing together diverse voices across cultures, industries, and disciplines, creating space for shared exploration. This, she believes, is where real transformation begins.
In her view, staying ahead is not about being louder; it’s about being more attentive. Attentive to people, to culture, and to the subtle signals of change that will shape the future.
A Transformative Project
A transformative project that highlights the vision and approach involved a significant contribution from Innate Motion to Unilever’s Crafting Brands for Life and “People First” which sparked a decade of record growth – with 85% share growth and profitability records over 2012-19. This initiative marked a major shift by focusing on putting people at the core of marketing, making purpose the driving force behind brand growth. The project moved away from merely pushing products and instead created brands that genuinely contributed to people’s lives and society. It challenged marketers to step away from traditional thinking and create value that resonated with people on a human level.
However, one project that has remained particularly impactful on a human level was an initiative aimed at better supporting women with stage IV breast cancer, undertaken for a leading pharmaceutical company. The brief was to “understand the women better than they understand themselves” in order to serve them in more meaningful ways. Initially, there was apprehension about reaching out to these women, knowing that their time was precious. But the approach was made deeply personal.
Joyshree and her colleagues Mai Huan-Maury and Gilda Zarate-Chabluk, wrote a heartfelt letter explaining why they wanted to speak to these women, sharing their own raw personal stories to allow the women to decide if they wanted to talk. They respected their autonomy by giving them control over the timing and duration of the conversation. Importantly, no promises were made to the clients because the moral grounds of the project were non-negotiable.
The results were beyond expectations. Most women stayed in the conversation twice as long because they felt truly heard and wanted to make a difference for other women now and in the future. The approach didn’t isolate them as patients but examined the entire ecosystem: family members, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and advocates. The focus was on viewing all participants as whole human beings, beyond their roles. This led to the creation of holding spaces where people could speak freely, breaking away from societal expectations and unspeakable topics. Healthcare professionals also found the space to share their own emotions, which many found unexpected and liberating.
One deeply moving moment occurred when a woman in her 50s, nearing the final stage of her illness, shared that she longed to take a solo road trip. This wasn’t because she didn’t love her husband; she deeply loved him, but because she needed that journey to feel free, independent, and alive in her own body again. Despite the guilt of wanting something so personal during such a critical time, she took the trip with love, respect, and courage. This moment became a powerful reminder of the true essence of the work:
- Making the invisible visible.
- Creating spaces to hold difficult truths.
- Honoring people’s complexities with empathy and care.
The most fulfilling aspect of the work was helping teams, brands, and systems recognize the whole human being. When this happens, business growth naturally follows because it fosters relationships that go beyond surface-level interactions.
Path to Making a Meaningful Impact – Words of Wisdom
For women aspiring to create a meaningful impact in business, one crucial piece of advice is to have the courage to be fully themselves, especially during tough moments. It is important to know or find your purpose, believe that you have the potential to make your dream or ambition a reality, and not shrink to fit a mold that was never designed for them.
This approach takes vulnerability, but vulnerability is not a weakness; it is a strength. It is what makes one real, trustworthy, and capable of connecting with others on a deeper level, beyond just their role. Listening to the inner voice is essential because when actions align with personal purpose, growth, success, and thriving become possible, all without burning out or losing oneself along the way.
Staying curious, keeping the inner child alive, and finding wonder in the small, beautiful details can make all the difference. These details matter more than most realize. Additionally, the art of listening more than speaking is one of the most underrated leadership skills. In complex and often brutal business environments, truly listening helps one understand what’s really going on and allows for navigating through it with clarity and care.
By listening deeply, leaders can relate better, rise above ego battles, and find shared ground. This shift from “I” to “we” and from “them” to “us” breaks down barriers. In working with people, companies, and brands across the globe, looking for shared identity components instead of focusing on differences is key. A shared identity propels everyone forward with shared intent and meaningful action, demonstrating that no one has to navigate the journey alone.
The Leadership Shift
Joyshree believes that the biggest shift required in leadership today revolves around leading with fierce empathy and transitioning from an ego-driven approach to one that fosters a collective consciousness, or “ECO.” At the heart of leadership, she emphasizes the importance of empathy not as a mere soft gesture but as a powerful force that can be trained by anyone.
Leaders need to genuinely relate to others across teams, cultures, generations, and perspectives. This means being willing to sit with discomfort, acknowledge fear, and create space for difficult conversations, all while daring to envision a better, more positive future for everyone.
For inclusion and collaboration to truly take root at a global scale, it is not enough to check boxes or rely on slogans. These values are nurtured when leaders meet others as human beings first, when they listen deeply, challenge constructively, and dream together. This type of leadership demands courage, empathy, and imagination, all qualities that are within everyone’s reach.
Ultimately, the choice is ours: to embody this leadership style again and again, striving to make it a reality for the future we want to create. In Joyshree’s view, everybody is a leader and has something valuable to drive (business) progress.
Vision for the Future
Joyshree’s vision is fueled by a simple truth: we owe it to ourselves—and to future generations, to use our power for good. She is committed to supporting leaders and large enterprises in driving sustainable, purpose-led growth because business holds immense potential to shape a better world.
She refuses to be the person who tells her grandchildren, “I could’ve helped change things, but I stayed silent.” Instead, she creates spaces where people reconnect with their deeper purpose and find the courage to act with clarity, compassion, and conviction acting in synchrony with their company’s or brand’s mission
This is the path she chooses: bold, human, and driven by the belief that meaningful change is not only possible, it’s our responsibility.
For Design Purposes:
Featuring: Joyshree Reinelt
Designation: Co-founder & Business Humanizer
Company: Innate Motion
Quotes:
“My journey has always been shaped by change, not the disruptive kind, but the kind that invites you to grow and stretch into who you’re meant to become.”
“True leadership begins when we see people not for their roles, but for who they are — and help them grow into who they’re meant to become.”
“Business doesn’t need to be stripped of soul to be successful. When we connect purpose to identity, growth becomes meaningful — and measurable.”
“We rise above the battle of egos when we listen deeply, lead with fierce empathy, and co-create from a shared sense of ‘us.’ That’s how real business and human growth happen.”