In this episode, we sit down with Geoff McDonald, former Global Head of HR for Marketing and Communications at Unilever, as he shares his raw and deeply personal journey from the heights of corporate success to the depths of depression—and how that experience transformed his life’s purpose. January 25th, 2008. Midnight. Geoff woke up in his UK home thinking he was having a heart attack. His fingers were tingling, his heart was racing, the bedsheets were drenched in sweat. The next day was his eldest daughter Jennifer’s 13th birthday, but when she burst into the room that morning, all he could say was: “Please go away.” Hours later, he was diagnosed with anxiety-fueled depression. Here was a successful executive—good salary, happy family, senior position—asking himself: “Why am I depressed?” But Geoff made a life-saving decision that day: he refused to be burdened by stigma. He talked openly with his family, friends, and colleagues. In his darkest moments, it was love and hope—those two emotions—that kept him alive. Four years later, Geoff lost a close friend to suicide. Someone full of light and energy who couldn’t bring himself to ask for help. That night, lying in bed, Geoff realized: “This is an injustice.” We’re all mental beings—we have minds, emotions, bodies, and spirits. So why is it okay to ask for help when we’re physically ill, but not when we’re struggling mentally or emotionally? That realization led Geoff to leave Unilever in 2014 and dedicate his life to breaking down the stigma around mental health. Today, he works globally as an advocate, activist, and consultant, helping organizations create cultures where people genuinely feel safe to ask for help.