Collaborating Across Barriers

"Let them take you somewhere you've never been and think in a more abstract way." – Evelina Van Mensel

In this episode of What if Instead?, guests Evelina Van Mensel and Martin Nedev explore what makes collaboration happen across barriers of training and geography.

Teamwork is often described in terms of shared vision and goals. But what about when the real action lies in collaborating with people different from you – such as scientists, when you’re an entrepreneur, or people who bring crucial talent from the other side of the world?

Evelina and Martin have lived this and more. What starts as a discussion about how to collaborate with people from other professional backgrounds, quickly opens up into a vital conversation relevant to anyone who wants to tackle the crises around them.

When a Shared Mission Becomes Magic

• Think about your last team project. Did it flow, or was it a struggle?

• Imagine a team of people from distinct professional and cultural backgrounds. What makes them play and dream together?

• What creates bonds so strong that, even when the work is done, no one wants to leave?

The Glue

Evelina and Martin highlight the glue that holds it all together, when they’re working across large differences in training and perspective. For Evelina, it’s about meaning—being around people who believe in something bigger.

“We got it all wrong,” she says. “The real magic happens when we stop seeing each other as just teammates.”

For Martin, this is about, not traditional authority, but creating an environment where people thrive. The key? Not just working together, but playing together. When this happens, in his experience, people don’t just contribute—they innovate.

Strikingly, the two don’t just apply these points to their own endeavors. They focus on what this kind of collaboration can do for education everywhere.

Martin’s company, Enthela, is an award-winning startup working to keep more nitrogen in the soil using bacteria. He can do what he’s doing, he insists, because of a window Evelina helped open. The two explain how this window created possibilities not just for him, but also for innovators around the world taking on the toughest problems human beings face.

Play, Purpose, and Power

Innovation and collaboration require support, in the form of talented people, needed resources, and methods that work. Martin stresses that the world needs innovation to solve its biggest problems, but many promising ideas struggle to secure funding—especially in places where traditional investors favor quick returns over long-term impact. Evelina emphasizes that without support, even the best ideas struggle to see the light of day. "We can never underestimate the power of networks and how disadvantaged are those who don’t have one."

Tune into the episode to hear what can be done about it.

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Suggested Reading & Listening

Throughout the conversation, several past episodes, books, and resources were mentioned. Here are some key recommendations:

• Previous What if Instead? Episodes Focused on Regenerative Agriculture and Bridging Differences:

  • "Talking To People Who Think Like Us Has Made Us Stagnant" - A conversation with Trevor Vaughn and Hunter Buffington (part I)

  • "A System Where Local Is the Norm – and We Pay What It Really Costs To Drive Something Hundreds of Miles” - A conversation with Trevor Vaughn and Hunter Buffington (part II)

    • All What if Instead? Podcast episodes are available on the major podcast streaming platforms.

• Projects & Initiatives Mentioned in the Episode:

  • Melodies For Palestine

  • "The Two Way Street: Creating Mindset Change is the Way to Fight" - A Conversation with Nico De Klerk

• Books & Research:

  • Effectuation Theory

  • "The Serendipity Mindset: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck" (Audiobook) By: Christian Busch

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