What do you do when your entire career crumbles—and you're left staring at the pieces? What does it mean to experience a Careerquake—and rebuild not just your work, but your identity?In this honest and soul-baring episode, Uma opens up about the Careerquake that changed everything: being made redundant after years at the top of her tech career, losing her title, and confronting the deep questions of self-worth, purpose, and money. From building Lean In Singapore to co-founding Elevate, Uma shares what it really takes to start over—and stay grounded while doing it.If you're navigating a Careerquake of your own—whether it's burnout, job loss, or simply a quiet voice asking “Is this all?”—this episode is your permission slip to pause, pivot, and rewrite the story.Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:What a Careerquake feels like—and why grief is part of growthThe identity crisis that happens when your job title disappearsHow to reconnect with purpose using one powerful reflection questionWhy “failing well” is the key to building a sustainable, purpose-led communityUma’s honest take on scarcity vs. abundance, money fears, and letting go of egoHow to design your life first, and then build your business around it[00:00] Uma’s Careerquake: Losing Her Job, Finding Herself[03:47] Where Her Mission Really Began (And Why She Didn’t Act on It at First)[07:21] Ambition, Identity, and “Too Much” in the Workplace[09:48] Reading Lean In and the Spark That Changed Everything[11:55] Starting the Lean In Singapore Chapter (With No Experience)[15:22] The Truth About “Failing Well” After a Careerquake[18:00] Building a Community That Actually Works[20:43] Measuring Real Impact (It’s Not About Numbers)[22:40] Who Are You Really Serving? Uma’s “Anita” Avatar[25:03] How She Managed It All While Working Full-Time[28:15] Learning to Let Go (And the 3-F Rule)[30:30] What Makes a Great Volunteer Team[33:09] Redundancy, Grief, and Embracing the Careerquake[36:58] The Truth About Co-Founders and Clashing Styles[40:32] When the Body Speaks First[42:10] Scarcity vs. Abundance[45:20] Identity, Ego, and Being Seen Without a Title[47:13] Uma’s Current Definition of a Rich Life[49:30] How to Design Your Time with Intention[51:15] Final Reflections: Stillness, Spirituality, and the Bigger Dream👉 Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma👉 Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana/✨ Get more content like this — join my newsletter (it’s free!)https://elevateasia.org Follow Sharad Lal in his Newsletter:https://open.substack.com/pub/sharadlal#Careerquake #leadership #careertransition #asianwomen #womenintech #personalgrowth #purpose #rawconversations