Manuela Seve has led teams, raised capital, and helped build one of the first Web3-native loyalty startups. She’s also stood at the edge of burnout, heartbreak, love and reinvention. In her debut book, Becoming an Alpha & Letting it All Go, she writes about the moments that changed her and the deeper truths she uncovered along the way.

In part 1 of our 3-part interview series with Manuela, we dig into the core motivation that compelled her to write about her experiences.

Publishizer: What inspired you to write this book now, at this stage of your life and career?

Manuela: I think I reached a point where the noise — both internal and external — was too loud to ignore. I had spent years building, pitching, succeeding, and failing in public. But behind the scenes, I was unraveling and reassembling parts of myself that no one saw. This book came from the urge to pause, to tell the truth, and to find meaning in the mess.

I wrote it now because I finally had enough distance to see the threads — and enough courage to share them.  Also, as a woman that had gone through so many challenges in a man’s world, I believe I needed to share some of these stories to inspire other women to keep GOING!  We’re stronger together.

You’ve built companies, pitched investors, and moved through spiritual healing and identity shifts. How did those experiences prepare you to write Becoming an Alpha?

They humbled me. Entrepreneurship taught me how to create from nothing and stay standing when the floor disappears. Spiritual work taught me how to sit in stillness and not need to “achieve” my way out of pain, less doing more being. Together, these extremes gave me a unique lens — one that could hold paradox: strategy and surrender, ambition and grief, innovation and intuition. That’s the space this book lives in.

Besides the book, what are you currently focused on creating or exploring?

I’m building Sponstar — a platform, similar to Pokemon Go but for brands, that gamifies real-world engagement, using Web3 tech to connect people to place and purpose. But more than that, I’m exploring how technology can be a tool for human connection, not just distraction.
I’m also deepening my personal practice, studying a lot of different meditation techniques, and other methods to return to the body and regulate my own emotions — learning how to be more present, more loving, and more grounded in whatever I create.

Thank you for sharing these insights with us, Manuela! How can readers follow your journey?

You can find me on Instagram @manuseve, on Twitter @sponstar_io, & on LinkedIn where I post updates about the book, speaking engagements, and my startup journey. I’d love to stay connected.

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of this interview series with Manuela, and Pre-order Becoming an Alpha today on Publishizer to receive exclusive early content!