Breaking Barriers with Joy: How Polina Changuleva is Revolutionizing Corporate Inclusion

An entrepreneur's journey from corporate DEI roles to founding the world's first joyful inclusion consultancy

In a landscape where diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives often feel performative or checkbox-driven, Polina Changuleva is charting a different course. The founder and CEO of Same But Different Consultancy—which boldly bills itself as "the world's first joyful inclusion consultancy"—brings a refreshing perspective to corporate transformation work.

Drawing from her multifaceted identity as a Bulgarian immigrant, neurodivergent professional, and former insider at tech giants like Yahoo and Xbox, Polina understands that meaningful inclusion requires more than policies and percentages. Her approach centers on the radical idea that creating belonging in the workplace should be both rigorous and joyful, challenging the notion that important social change must be heavy or somber.

With an ambitious goal to impact one million lives globally, Polina's work represents a new generation of inclusion practitioners who are moving beyond traditional DEI frameworks. Her consultancy focuses on building what she calls "brave spaces"—environments where difficult conversations can happen alongside celebration, where discomfort and joy coexist in the learning process.

In this conversation, Polina shares why she left her corporate roles to work from the outside, how her intersectional identity shapes her methodology, and what sustainable progress actually looks like in the inclusion space.

You left corporate roles at DEI-forward companies like Yahoo to start Same But Different. What convinced you that working from the outside would be more effective than changing systems from within

I’ve always believed that meaningful change requires both insiders and outsiders -  but over time, I realised that my impact was being limited by the very systems I was trying to change. I led inclusion networks and advised global brands like Xbox and Yahoo from within, and while there were moments of progress, I kept bumping up against the same barriers in the industry: risk-aversion, slow decision-making, and performative commitments that rarely translated into long-term transformation.

I created Same But Different because I wanted to work at the root, not just at the surface. As an independent partner, I now have the freedom to ask the uncomfortable questions, to hold organisations accountable, and to build brave spaces that don’t rely on hierarchy to function. That distance gives me perspective -  but the relationships I build ensure the work stays close, relevant, and deeply human.

Your experience as a Bulgarian immigrant in UK tech has clearly informed your approach to intersectionality. How do you help leaders understand that DEI isn't just about checking boxes for different identity groups?

I often remind leaders: people don’t live in silos, so inclusion work can’t either.

As a white, cisgender, heterosexual woman who is also neurodivergent and a first-gen immigrant, I’ve navigated privilege and marginalisation at the same time. That lived experience taught me that real inclusion starts with understanding complexity -  the layers of identity that influence how someone moves through the world, and how the world responds.

To move leaders away from box-ticking, I use storytelling, data, and design-thinking to help them connect emotionally and intellectually with their teams’ lived realities. We explore not just who is in the room, but how they experience it. I believe inclusion is culture work. It’s about relationships, power dynamics, and trust -  not just policies or percentages.

Same But Different aims to impact one million lives globally. How do you measure meaningful change in this space, and what does sustainable progress actually look like?

Our ambition is bold - because the problem is, too. But we know that impact isn’t just about numbers; it’s about depth, ripple effects, and staying power.

We measure meaningful change through a mix of qualitative and quantitative tools: pre/post programme diagnostics, lived experience surveys, storytelling outcomes, and longitudinal feedback. But beyond metrics, I always ask: Are people more connected, confident, and courageous after working with us? Are they starting new conversations with people they wouldn't usually interact with, influencing policy, or shifting culture in their teams? That’s where the magic happens.

Sustainable progress looks like organisations taking ownership, not outsourcing inclusion to a single group of people - DEI or diversity champions. It looks like joy and discomfort coexisting in the learning process. It looks like a workplace where difference isn’t just tolerated - it’s celebrated.

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