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An Invitation to Embrace the Unknown
From a dot-com start-up in New York, to the heights of the Tibetan Plateau, Johan Depraetere’s journey has been shaped not by caution but by moments of daring. He imagined these choices as reaching into a bag of gummy bears and pulling out the rare green ones: dramatic, bold, life-changing. Others were like picking a yellow gummy bear: quieter, softer. Yet each choice opened doors to possibility and growth.
Through twelve vivid and honest stories, Johan shows how both subtle whispers and bold leaps pushed him beyond comfort and into a fuller, unbounded life. This is an invitation to recognise the inflection points in your own journey: the moments when comfort pulls one way and curiosity beckons another.
Pick Your Gummy Bear is your companion for those crossroads in life, when you pause and ask: Which gummy bear will I choose?
What the readers say
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"Powerful, deeply personal and ultimately transferable - a great tool for us to reflect on our careers and lives, and how we can future proof success and fulfilment."
— Sharath Jeevan OBE, Author of ‘Intrinsic’ and ‘Inflection’, Founder of the Generational Success Lab
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"This book is more than the memoir of a successful man; it is a profound reflection on courage, choice, and self-discovery."
— Hongsuk Kim, CEO Compose Coffee
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"Johan Depraetere’s ‘gummy bear moments’ is a brilliant way to frame the courage it takes to seek purpose and dare to grow. This is a powerful read for anyone ready to step off the expected path and discover what lies beyond the familiar."
— Barbara Martin Coppola, Former CEO of Decathlon, Board Director INSEAD
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"By sharing his remarkable personal journey of choices, Johan Depraetere inspires readers to deepen exploring their own story of life-shaping choices."
— Professor Erik van de Loo, psychoanalyst, INSEAD
Meet the Writer
Johan Depraetere was born in a small town in Belgium, but his calling led him to become a true modern nomad. He has lived across three continents, in Brussels, Boston, New York, Barcelona, London and Seoul, and he has travelled to just under 100 countries.
He has worked for some of the world’s best-known companies, including McKinsey, Samsung, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Procter & Gamble. He is the co-founder of Energy Equation Partners, a newly established investment firm focusing on energy transition. Johan also coaches scientists at Cancer Research UK and is a mentor for the social enterprise On Purpose.
Johan has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a master’s degree in Change from INSEAD and is trained as an executive coach.
As a dedicated spiritual seeker, Johan maintains a daily meditation practice that helps him explore the fundamental question: Who am I? He explores his creativity through writing, photography and pottery, through which he has learned the true meaning of vulnerability and courage. He is not afraid to embrace impermanence and his mortality. Walking alongside his mother and brother in their final moments taught him about courage in the face of death and the powerful lesson of forgiveness.
He currently lives with his wife, Kyoung, and their cat, Misty, in South London.
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