{"id":375,"date":"2026-05-11T10:20:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T10:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/i-just-knew-it-was-right-melek-usta\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T19:41:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T19:41:33","slug":"i-just-knew-it-was-right-melek-usta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/i-just-knew-it-was-right-melek-usta\/","title":{"rendered":"I just knew it was right &#8211; Melek Usta"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='full_slider_1'  class='avia-fullwidth-slider main_color avia-shadow   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-first   container_wrap fullsize'  ><div  class='avia-slideshow av-av_slideshow_full-64a0b9164c8e317b9217e8d7fb641e71 avia-slideshow-featured av_slideshow_full avia-slide-slider av-slideshow-ui av-control-default av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied   avia-slideshow-1' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:5,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner ' style='padding-bottom: 28.666666666667%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-av_slideshow_full-64a0b9164c8e317b9217e8d7fb641e71__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-1' class='avia-slide-wrap '   ><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-466 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-466\"  src=\"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/STIPPENCIRKEL-semitrans-1500x430.png\" width=\"1500\" height=\"430\" title='STIPPENCIRKEL-semitrans' alt=''  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"   \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><div id='after_full_slider_1'  class='main_color av_default_container_wrap container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-375'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div  class='flex_column av-av_one_fifth-4236371e50272b4ec399280bbf76d6bf av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_slideshow_full  el_before_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div  '     ><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-av_three_fifth-d9d4235c4dc5477e29570d3b99e2b500 av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_one_fifth  flex_column_div  '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mp11vf6b-cdb021de475dc68a4239f846eb2efec2 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h1><strong>&#8216;I just knew it was right&#8217;<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>Melek Usta is the founder and director of Colourful People, a leading search and advisory firm that has been focused on diversity and inclusion at the senior level for over 25 years. Her bicultural background is not a footnote in that story, but its very foundation. It shapes how she sees, listens and moves, as a professional and as a person.<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;My rational self is Dutch and my emotions are Turkish,&#8217; says Melek. For her, that&#8217;s not a contradiction but an enrichment. And therein lies her strength: the ability to analyse critically and feel deeply. Empathy, intuition and connection are not separate qualities for her, but a coherent whole, rooted in a strong desire for genuine, meaningful relationships.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Charting her own course, against the tide<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The most defining decision of her life came at a moment when very little was certain. As a single mother, without financial security but with a steady job, she chose to let go of everything and start her own company. Those around her didn&#8217;t understand it. But for Melek it was clear: &#8216;I just knew it was right.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>That inner compass determined not only <em>that<\/em> she started, but <em>how<\/em>. The choice for quality over short-term success, the emphasis on reputation and lasting relationships. For Melek these were not strategic slogans but intuitive convictions that later turned out to form the backbone of the organisation.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, her entrepreneurship has never been based on feeling alone. At the bank lay an excellent\u00a0 business plan, well thought through and convincing. Intuition and preparation go hand in hand for her, like two sides of the same coin.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The art of attunement<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In Melek&#8217;s work, intuition is not an abstract concept but an everyday instrument. This is most visible in conversations and pitches. For Melek, a pitch is not a one-way street but a form of attunement. She experiences it almost as a dance. &#8216;You have to tango with people to really make a connection.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>She reads the room, senses what is needed and moves with it without losing herself. She brings that same sensitivity to recruitment and selection, looking beyond the CV and recognising potential, or the absence of it, often before it becomes explicit.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Staying awake<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At the same time, intuition is never something she takes lightly. In a field where bias can play a role, trusting your gut requires discipline and reflection.<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Stay awake and keep questioning,&#8217; is her advice. That is why Melek, together with her organisation, has worked hard to objectify and test intuitive observations. Not to suppress them, but to make them sharper, fairer and more inclusive.<\/p>\n<p>That way intuition remains what it is at its best: not a quick conclusion, but a refined instrument, fed by experience, tested by awareness and always in service of genuine connection.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mp11wjbj-883618107418282554288348f69a0d2b\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mp11wjbj-883618107418282554288348f69a0d2b img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mp11wjbj-883618107418282554288348f69a0d2b .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mp11wjbj-883618107418282554288348f69a0d2b av-styling- avia-align-left  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-last '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-345 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-345 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek-300x300.png\" alt='' title='melek'  height=\"300\" width=\"300\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek-80x80.png 80w, https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek-36x36.png 36w, https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek-180x180.png 180w, https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek-705x705.png 705w, https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/foto-melek.png 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p><\/div><div  class='flex_column av-av_one_fifth-d9d4235c4dc5477e29570d3b99e2b500 av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_three_fifth  el_before_av_section  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div  '     ><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_section-517cfd3d546ef61330df18a8d85e2362\">\n.avia-section.av-av_section-517cfd3d546ef61330df18a8d85e2362{\nbackground-color:#e9eff2;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-av_section-517cfd3d546ef61330df18a8d85e2362 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-375'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div  id=\"avia-magazine-1\"  class='av-magazine av-mp11th3m-949120560d1ed44c8d270f1d0a4b5af0  avia-builder-el-7  avia-builder-el-no-sibling   avia-builder-el-7  avia-builder-el-no-sibling ' ><div class='av-magazine-group sort_all'><article class='av-magazine-entry av-magazine-entry-id-398 av-magazine-format-standard av-magazine-type-post av-magazine-entry-1 av-magazine-entry-small av-magazine-no-thumb'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class=\"av-magazine-content-wrap\"><header class=\"entry-content-header\" aria-label=\"Post: &#039;If it doesn&#039;t feel right, I don&#039;t do it&#039; - Mohamed el Achkar\"><time class='av-magazine-time updated'  itemprop=\"datePublished\" datetime=\"2026-05-14T12:41:36+00:00\" >May 14, 2026<\/time><h3 class='av-magazine-title entry-title '  itemprop=\"headline\" ><a href='https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/als-het-niet-goed-voelt-doe-ik-het-niet-mohamed-el-achkar\/' title='Link to: &#8216;If it doesn&#8217;t feel right, I don&#8217;t do it&#8217; &#8211; Mohamed el Achkar'>&#8216;If it doesn&#8217;t feel right, I don&#8217;t do it&#8217; &#8211; Mohamed el Achkar<\/a><\/h3><\/header><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><article class='av-magazine-entry av-magazine-entry-id-375 av-magazine-format-standard av-magazine-type-post av-magazine-entry-2 av-magazine-entry-small av-magazine-no-thumb'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class=\"av-magazine-content-wrap\"><header class=\"entry-content-header\" aria-label=\"Post: I just knew it was right - Melek Usta\"><time class='av-magazine-time updated'  itemprop=\"datePublished\" datetime=\"2026-05-11T10:20:44+00:00\" >May 11, 2026<\/time><h3 class='av-magazine-title entry-title '  itemprop=\"headline\" ><a href='https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/i-just-knew-it-was-right-melek-usta\/' title='Link to: I just knew it was right &#8211; Melek Usta'>I just knew it was right &#8211; Melek Usta<\/a><\/h3><\/header><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><article class='av-magazine-entry av-magazine-entry-id-428 av-magazine-format-standard av-magazine-type-post av-magazine-entry-3 av-magazine-entry-small av-magazine-no-thumb'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class=\"av-magazine-content-wrap\"><header class=\"entry-content-header\" aria-label=\"Post: \u2018How my intuition helped prevent a military escalation\u2019 - Kees Matthijssen\"><time class='av-magazine-time updated'  itemprop=\"datePublished\" datetime=\"2026-05-04T22:46:17+00:00\" >May 4, 2026<\/time><h3 class='av-magazine-title entry-title '  itemprop=\"headline\" ><a href='https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/how-my-intuition-helped-prevent-a-military-escalation-by-kees-matthijssen\/' title='Link to: \u2018How my intuition helped prevent a military escalation\u2019 &#8211; Kees Matthijssen'>\u2018How my intuition helped prevent a military escalation\u2019 &#8211; Kees Matthijssen<\/a><\/h3><\/header><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":345,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-experiences"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=375"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":555,"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375\/revisions\/555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benitaplesch.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}