About Beyond Cubicles
📢 #BeyondCubicles is a weekly LinkedIn series created by Carolina D’Souza, born out of her own experience transitioning from a corporate career to independent consulting. Since its launch in June 2024, the series has evolved into a platform that showcases the inspiring journeys of several founders who have redefined the traditional 9-to-5.
Through authentic narratives, #BeyondCubicles highlights themes of courage, resilience, and purpose. The stories feature individuals from diverse industries—ranging from tech and education to wellness and adventure—who share their experiences of stepping away from conventional roles to pursue passion-driven careers.
✨ Note: All features in this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories of transformation.
Sanaz Hanke had to stop apologizing for building something that does not fit into one category.
“Meaningful ideas refuse to stay in a box,” says the social entrepreneur.
During her university years in the UK, she explored how movement, paint, photography, and perspectives could become visual storytelling. It was an experiment, but in hindsight, the idea was leading her towards the life and purpose she was meant to build.
Born in Iran and raised in Germany, she lived in the UK, Italy, Belgium, and later Dubai, where a mentor encouraged the concept.
For over two decades, she’d built a career across technology, media, and digital strategy. Over time, she realized her work was not about brands or digital products. It was about transforming human emotion into impact.
That realization became UnitedWeDance, a social enterprise and participatory art movement in 2024. Through guided movement on canvas, participants become part of the artwork. Experiences include corporate team building, community projects and purpose-driven activations, using art as a catalyst for social change.
Building something unconventional brought weight. “The most difficult were uncertainty, loneliness, and the responsibility of carrying a vision before others could understand it,” she says.
Sanaz stayed grounded by returning to human moments. Children of determination expressing themselves, indigenous women celebrating culture through dance, and teams discovering ways to connect and celebrate diversity.
One defining moment came when UnitedWeDance was selected among 11 global artists to exhibit and perform at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. She danced with Maasai and Māori women, watched movement bridge culture, language, and identity. “The feeling was never, ‘This is working.’ It was, ‘This is touching people… leaving a mark’,” she says.
The journey changed how she sees herself. Once behind the concept and strategy, she grew into a founder, facilitator, spokesperson, and advocate.
“My brand evolved from what I do to why I do it,” she says. “It is no longer only about what I can create. It is about what I can activate in others.”
What began as an artistic experiment deepened her connection to the world. Her husband, along with a community of artists, mentors, and partners, stood by her.
“I believe movement is a language that can connect people before words, titles, status, or background get involved,” she says.