For almost two decades I've been lucky enough to work alongside incredible leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, educators, and system designers around the world - those imagining and pioneering more beautiful pathways forward.
Watching Ilana is watching a master artist at work - I have experienced flow in the most beautiful and amazing way, where I am completely me and completely connected.
Karen Goldberg · Reos Partners, Cape Town
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. - Alan Watts
I've always been fascinated by what makes people come alive.
Born in England, growing up in South Africa, then working all over the world, I've had a deep longing for home most of my life. Not having a geographical identity meant that I have felt a strange freedom of belonging both everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Roots were not something that came naturally to me, wings were much easier.
I remember giving away chocolates when I was younger and getting a kind of high from seeing people light up. That feeling inspired my first project, Serotonin Productions - built entirely around the idea of raising people's spirits through comedy, satire, music and events.
Then I heard about near-death experiences where people would somehow wake up to who they really were and what they really wanted to do. I started wondering if we could get to that insight without the NDE. That question and fascination took me on the most extraordinary adventure.
I got to travel the world for the next 18+ years, creating and guiding experiences across Europe, China, India, South Africa and America - inspired by this question and making visible the deeper connection that lives within and between us. This was the closest thing to real magic I had ever experienced.
At some point, with all wings and no roots, I burnt out. This turned out to be an invitation for a much deeper journey inwards. And so a new chapter started - a long and profound journey back home to myself. I had to explore much further inward than I had outward, and it felt both far more treacherous and beautiful than I could have imagined.
I now work alongside pioneers of our time - deepening and expanding internally, so as to explore and navigate externally. Whether through hosting, coaching, guiding or consulting - all of my work involves playing together in and with the living field.
i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) - ee cummings
My work continues to evolve and surprise me, taking on new and unexpected forms.
What it's looked like more recently is hosting global summits that bring people together from across sectors and systems, creating living labs, consulting with pioneering organisations, guiding experiential journeys for those guiding others, and 1-1 coaching for those in entrepreneurial leadership roles.
Whether through hosting, coaching, guiding, or consulting - all of my work involves playing with and encouraging the creative capacities seeded within each of us.
Hosting & Facilitation
Summits, retreats, gatherings, labs and learning journeys across sectors, cultures and contexts — with clients including Summit Junto, European Forum Alpbach, Skoll Foundation and Ashoka.
Keynotes — Living Sessions
Full-colour experiential talks on coming alive — for ourselves, our work. Available for conferences, summits and organisational gatherings.
Consulting & Design
Co-creative design of learning experiences, leadership journeys and transformational programmes, shaped around the people in the room and what wants to emerge.
Coaching & Mentoring
1-1 work with leaders, pioneers and those who guide others — weaving ancient wisdom, human development and creative practice to reconnect to inner alignment, intuition and guidance.
"I am bedazzled by her approach. She is able to engage with all of us, reaching into the depth of our core."
Khanita · TSiBA University, Cape Town
Along with 1-1 leadership coaching and regenerative consulting, my work has taken many forms - programmes, summits, events, gatherings, retreats, experiments, projects, experiences, designing, interviewing, writing. I've been following a creative impulse for over 20 years.
Below are some examples. It doesn't reflect the courses I've been lucky enough to attend, the work that couldn't get completed, the personal heartbreaks, the once-offs, the burn-outs, the global shifts, the moves, the losses, the lessons - but it is a start, which seems quite fitting.
Our task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it. - Rumi
Ilana's expertise is so deep that it appears effortless, magical. She can bring a group of people together — strangers, colleagues, competitors — and through her facilitation they will leave having connected at a deep human level.
Pip · Climatics, NZ
I have met no-one since who can as effectively unlock the potential within a group of people. Her mix of deep intuition and experience mixed with her boundless creativity and energy create the perfect conditions for transformational experiences. Ilana is quite simply the best facilitator I have ever worked with.
Adam · Dark Matter Labs & Co-founder Power of Youth
Ilana is a masterful facilitator, trainer and speaker. I have never seen anything quite like it. Her ability to hold space, go deep, challenge and also be playful changed my life 360 degrees. Hands down my favourite, most powerful, most life-changing course I have done.
Katie · Facilitator and Coach, Spain
Ilana Wetzler is unique in the field of leadership development. Her playful manner and shy smile belie her ability to captivate her audience completely, creating a space where trust is absolute and strong and rewarding bonds are forged.
Evelyn · CEO ScotEdge, Scotland
She's the person with the biggest influence on my life until now, my biggest inspiration without any doubt.
Ana Patricia · Portugal
Ilana has a very rare ability to bring people together in a way that they open up and share the most important and honest parts of themselves. The Ilana effect continues to ripple round the world.
Neil · CEO Umega Lettings, Scotland
Over the past two decades I have been a part of countless groups and facilitators. It is difficult to overstate how special Ilana is. She is the best facilitator I have ever experienced.
Sid · Generation Pledge
Watching Ilana was watching a master artist at work. I have experienced flow in the most beautiful and amazing way — where I am completely me and completely connected.
Karen · Reos Partners, Cape Town
It has impacted every aspect of my life, personally and professionally. The most amazing facilitator I have ever come across. Best of the best! I was in awe, mind-blowing stuff. A rare gem. A gift from God.
Michael · Developmental Practitioner, South Africa
I am bedazzled by her approach. She is able to engage with all of us, reaching into the depth of our core.
Khanita · TSiBA University, Cape Town
Ilana is a magician. You know when you witness something absolutely amazing that nobody else sees — like a unicorn? Well, that's how I feel the world is going to feel after my experience.
Isabel · IkamvaYouth, South Africa
The way Ilana facilitated these 2.5 days has been absolutely fascinating and incredibly inspiring. It's a true gift to bring 20 persons from completely different backgrounds together and create a connection that I don't think many of us have experienced in so short a time.
American Express Emerging Innovators · Berlin
Incredible. The best facilitator I've witnessed. She was exceptional in leading our group and in creating space for deeply personal introductions.
Summit Junto Member · US
It is only with the absence of Ilana that you realise the impact of her presence. Just as a professional musician makes their instrument look so easy — so it is that you only realise how difficult it is when you try it for yourself.
Alex · Co-founder Power of Youth, Scotland
My favourite facilitator in the whole world.
Mark · Impact Investor, Austin
This experience changed the way I think about myself and the world around me for the better. The impact is, excuse the cliché, life-changing.
Andrew · Entrepreneur, South Africa
It has reconfirmed and strengthened my belief in humanity. I feel more like a human being now than I did before, and more connected to the world, to myself and mankind as a collective.
Christopher · Serial Entrepreneur, San Francisco
Magically facilitated. An amazing job facilitating the toughest group of people you can potentially get together.
Tim · Serial Entrepreneur, The Netherlands
Stop everything. Place both hands over your heart. Say "I am here in this body. I am home." Repeat. - Sarah Blondin
Remembering who and what you already are.
1-1 work with leaders, pioneers and those who guide others — weaving ancient wisdom, human development and creative practice to create the conditions to hear oneself, to reconnect to inner alignment, intuition and guidance.