In a recent episode of Meaningful Conversations with Annyse, I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Mirka Wilderer, CEO of AqueoUS Vets, a bold leader known for scaling companies, navigating disruption, and creating impact in the water industry.

From the very beginning of our conversation, something was clear: Mirka and I are co-creation sisters. We both believe deeply in the power of collaboration, trust, and inviting in perspectives that stretch beyond the norm.

Our conversation was wide-ranging, practical, and rooted in one central truth — the water industry (and leadership itself) needs to be reimagined.

💧 Consistency vs. Innovation: Rethinking the Familiar

When Mirka pulled the “Consistency” card from our deck of conversation starters, she reflected on a powerful paradox:

“Consistency can be a beautiful thing… but it can also signal inertia.”

In the water industry, there’s often an assumption that consistency equals safety. But in a world of rapidly shifting climate conditions, technology, and societal needs — Mirka argues that too much consistency can actually hold us back.

She reminds us that water is hyper-local. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to water challenges — so why do we keep applying the same systems, the same logic, and the same voices across every context?

🚀 Why We Need to Disrupt — Gently, Boldly, and On Purpose

Mirka’s professional journey includes taking companies public, leading teams through crisis, and introducing innovation into legacy systems. But she doesn’t believe in disruption for disruption’s sake.

She believes in purpose-driven disruption — the kind that challenges outdated mindsets and clears space for something more inclusive, more responsive, and more human.

“If we keep asking the same questions to the same people, we’ll keep getting the same answers.”

Instead, Mirka asks:

• What if we bring new voices into the water conversation?
• What if we looked beyond resumes and job descriptions and invited in purpose-driven talent from different backgrounds?
• What if we allowed new ideas to emerge, not from rigid planning, but from intentional, values-led collaboration?

🌱 Innovation is a Practice — Not Just a Product

Mirka made it clear that innovation isn’t just about developing new technologies. It's about how we implement, how we think, and how we invite others into the process.

She points to nature-based solutions and cross-sector collaboration as powerful tools — not just for solving water issues, but for building new paradigms of leadership.

“It’s not about flipping a switch. It’s about piecing the puzzle together — one step at a time.”

True innovation, she says, comes when we trust the co-creative process, allow ourselves to not have all the answers, and stay grounded in shared vision.

🤝 Trust First, Lead Together

Throughout the conversation, one theme kept returning: trust.

Mirka believes that speed, clarity, and transformation all begin with trust — not just between leaders and teams, but within ourselves.

Trusting the discomfort. Trusting the people in the room. Trusting that the next step will reveal itself even when the full map isn't visible yet.

Her own experience — leading through the pandemic and a major cyberattack — taught her that trust isn’t built in the easy moments. It’s built in the fire. And it creates teams that are resilient, creative, and bonded in purpose.

🌊 A Call for a New Kind of Leadership in Water

Mirka left us with a bold vision: a water industry that opens its doors to new kinds of leaders. An industry that doesn’t require perfect credentials, but invites passion, creativity, and environmental purpose.

We’re facing what she calls the “grey tsunami” — a generational shift where much of the water workforce is aging, and there’s not enough new talent coming in. But she sees this as an opportunity:

“Let’s welcome people who may have never considered water before — who care about the planet, who want meaningful work, and who are ready to think differently.”

It’s time for us to rethink what leadership in water looks like, to broaden the conversation, and to practice the muscle of co-creation — even when it’s uncomfortable.

💬 Final Thoughts

This conversation with Mirka reminded me that real change doesn’t come from perfect plans — it comes from brave conversations. From inviting people into the room who see things differently. From trusting that together, we can create something none of us could have built alone.

As we dream into the future of water, let’s make space for the untraditional, the untested, and the emerging.

Let’s co-create the next version of this industry — one bold, human, disruptive step at a time.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Meaningful Conversations with Annyse wherever you get your podcasts.