Leilani Quiray is the Founder and CEO of be the change HR, an HR consulting firm on a mission to empower businesses to scale with heart and purpose. Since launching the company in 2017, Leilani has blended HR excellence with social impact, proving that for-profit organizations can be powerful forces for good. be the change HR delivers top-tier HR services to small businesses—especially in the natural products industry—while committing 1% of its topline revenue to provide free job readiness training and coaching to survivors of human trafficking. As a WBE and MBE-certified company, be the change HR fosters a joyful, purpose-driven environment for both its clients and team. Outside of work, Leilani climbs sketchy stuff, competes in long-distance triathlons, and fills her life with art, balance, joy, and love. LeiLani shares about how she started her company and why it's important that she had to be change she wished to see in this world. She also shares tips to help you in your journey to self-confidence.

Sheena Yap Chan is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, strategist, and award-winning podcaster renowned for her expertise in elevating leadership and self-confidence through media. She is the founder and host of the acclaimed podcast, The Tao of Self-Confidence, where she interviews women about their journeys to self-confidence. With over one million downloads, her podcast ranks among the top 0.5% most popular shows globally and features over 800 interviews, including conversations with celebrities and eight-figure CEOs. Sheena’s influence extends beyond podcasting. Her debut book, The Tao of Self-Confidence: A Guide to Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening the Leader Within, published by Wiley, is a Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller. It is also recognized as one of the top 20 best self-confidence books of all time by Book Authority, the world’s leading site for book recommendations. Her second book, Bridging the Confidence Gap, also published by Wiley, continues her mission of empowering women by addressing the barriers to confidence and leadership. Her work has been featured on prominent platforms such as MindValley, FOX, NBC News, and the Manila Times. Sheena is dedicated to closing the gender confidence gap through her training and programs, aiming to elevate women into leadership roles across all industries. She has delivered impactful speeches for organizations like Live Nation, NASA, and UKG, sharing her insights on self-confidence and leadership. This episode is a solo episode as Sheena shares a little bit about her story and the importance of taking action in your journey to confidence. Hope you enjoy this short and impactful episode.

Misa is the founder of The Authentic Asian, an AAPI Female Leadership Community, to help AAPI Female Founders and C-Levels feel less alone and more connected. Misa's exceptional leadership and entrepreneurial style have propelled her into high demand as a speaker, podcast host, television personality, and has even earned her the distinction of being ranked as the 23rd most viewed woman on LinkedIn worldwide and #1 most viewed Asian American woman nationwide with 16 million+ views per month. Her past speaking clients include Harvard Business School, UCLA, USC, and University of Washington. She has been featured in Inc. Magazine 30 under 30 entrepreneurs, Forbes Women to Watch, LinkedIn Top Voices, and as a serial entrepreneur on the Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race embarrassing herself in front of over 60 million viewers worldwide. Misa was also recently named Inc. Magazine's 2025 Female Founders 500, a list of the most creative and inspiring female leaders in America. Misa shares her journey of how she started The Authentic Asian and why she is so passionate about uplifting the voices of Asian women. She also shares some personal branding and confidence tips along the way. Tune into her episode to listen to her full story.

Lorraine K. Lee is an award-winning global keynote speaker, an instructor for Stanford Continuing Studies and LinkedIn Learning, and the author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career (Wiley, 2025). She is recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice and has more than 300,000+ LinkedIn followers and over a decade of experience leading editorial teams at the world’s top tech firms. Lorraine has been invited as a guest speaker to some of the world’s most recognizable brands including Zoom, Cisco, Amazon, ASICS, Hilton, and McKinsey and Company. She covers a wide range of topics including creating engaging virtual presentations, growing your presence on LinkedIn, effectively communicating in a virtual world, leading collaborative remote and distributed teams that thrive, and designing impactful virtual and hybrid meetings. Lorraine shares her journey in corporate and how she was able to seize the moment to write her upcoming book. She also shares tips that can help you in your own journey to self-confidence. Check out the full episode to listen to her story.

Hiromi Okuyama is a Toronto-based multi-hyphenate artist with a dynamic career spanning acting, martial arts, and content creation. With over 30 years in film, television, and theatre, she has brought compelling performances to life in productions like The Contest and FOB. She is also a talented voice actor, best known for voicing Farmer Yumi in Season 1 of Paw Patrol. A 5th-degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, Hiromi carries forward her family’s martial arts legacy, learning from her father, Grandmaster Kancho T. Okuyama, who also trained her in judo and other disciplines. She deepened her practice by studying Tai Chi under her maternal grandfather. As a dedicated instructor, she empowers women through her signature program, Embracing Menopause with Martial Arts, blending strength, wellness, and tradition. Beyond martial arts, Hiromi is a recognized digital creator and community builder. As a popular TikTok mom, a former Clubhouse App Icon, and a thought leader in social audio, she has cultivated a loyal audience through her engaging short-form videos. She even shares her expertise through her LinkedIn Learning course on the power of social audio, inspiring others to harness new platforms for connection and growth. Hiromi shares how she was able to unlock her confidence to be the powerhouse woman that she is today. She also shares an important tip to help you in your own journey to self confidence.

Tam R. Luc is the Founder of the Women Who BossUp Book series. In January 2018, Tam published her first book, "A Woman’s Side Hustle," marking the beginning of her six-figure success and inspiring many women to pursue entrepreneurial dreams. In 2019, Tam organized international retreats to help women write and produce their own books, broadening her influence by empowering others through storytelling and publishing. In June 2019, DelucsLife Media LLC. became the corporate name DBA Women With Vision International and was officially incorporated, facilitating greater organizational growth and commitment to helping women achieve their publishing goals and build personal brands. In March 2020, The project "Women Who BossUp" Movement was launched, bringing together ambitious women to share their success stories and strategies. This move proved to be a success and to date has produced 14 books, over 200 authors and multiple International Bestselling book projects. By 2024, Women With Vision International membership was initiated to enhance its reach, providing more resources and opportunities for women to grow and succeed. Today, Women With Vision International are dedicated to inspiring, educating, and supporting women in achieving their dreams. The commitment to empowering women and fostering a supportive community remains steadfast. Tam opens up about the pivotal moment that empowered her to level up in her own journey. She also reveals how, after 17 years of pursuing entrepreneurship, she finally achieved her breakthrough. Tune in to the full episode to hear Tam’s inspiring story!

Selena Rezvani is a recognized author, speaker, and consultant on leadership. Her newest book, the instant Wall Street Journal bestseller, Quick Confidence was born out of a viral newsletter she started in 2020, to help people build their confidence through small actions. Selena is also the author of the bestseller, Pushback: How Smart Women Ask — and Stand Up — for What They Want, which focuses on the unmatched power of negotiation skills in women's career advancement, and was recognized with an Axiom Business Book Award. Selena's first book, The Next Generation of Women Leaders, was published in 2009. Having amassed over 500,000 followers on social media, Selena creates daily video content on leadership and has been recognized by The Washington Post, Bloomberg, as a LinkedIn Top Voice and as a 'Fast Company top career creator'. Her experience and success in the leadership arena make Rezvani a frequent resource for news media and an in-demand business speaker. She has been quoted, interviewed, and profiled by CareerBuilder, The Wall Street Journal, Oprah.com, The LA Times, Marie Claire, NBC television, and ABC television. Selena shares the importance of being an advocate for yourself and how she does that in her own career. She also shares tips that can help you in your own journey to self-confidence. Tune in to listen to your episode.

Sohee Jun, Ph.D. is a premier leadership coach with 20+ years history working with highly ambitious and successful female leaders. A sought-after and recognized top executive coach who works with high achieving women, keynote speaker, and active contributor to Forbes Coaches Council, Sohee has more than two decades of experience in the corporate world. She’s been where you are: a former corporate leader and an expert in managing diverse team, a high achieving and ambitious mom of 3 with big visions and goals and a top leadership coach who brings her lived experience to empower women to be their most authentic, integrated selves in today’s dynamic landscape. Through her guidance, clients overcome impostor syndrome, silence their inner critics, build core confidence and uplevel their presence and beat burnout to tackle workplace challenges head-on. She has worked with some of the world’s most admired Fortune 500 companies in a variety of high-powered industries. She holds a Ph.D. and Masters in Organizational Psychology and multiple leadership certifications. Sohee shares how she was able to embody the confidence to become that leader that she is today while helping other women step into their power. Tune into her episode to listen to her story and wisdom.

This episode will be different since I was interviewed on the Sweet But Fearless Podcast with Mary Sullivan. I hope you enjoy today's episode and this will be the last episode for 2024. The Tao of Self-Confidence will be back with a brand new episode on January 7, 2025. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!

Wendy Kim is an international best-selling author of the book: Beyond Blending In: An Immigrant Daughter's Guide to Overcoming Cultural Bonds for a Life of Authenticity and Abundance, public speaker and certified diversity, equity and inclusion educator. She works with Fortune 500 companies to support people from underrepresented groups to make their voices heard, take up space and be leaders in their organizations. In her work across different organizations, Wendy has found that one of the most underutilized resources is leadership across underrepresented groups. To address this, Wendy has created the VOICE Framework, to support people from underrepresented groups to have greater influence and impact, making a difference to themselves, their teams and organizations. Wendy shares how writing her book, Beyond Blending In, led her to her purpose to create a positive impact on others while having the confidence to step into her greatness. Tune into the episode to listen to her story.

Amy Au is the founder of Innovate You. As an executive leadership coach, she radiates inspiring transformation with energizing connections. Amy empowers women in tech leaders and professionals by evoking their innate creativity and unlocking their innovative thinking pathways to seize opportunities, focus and take actions to turn their aspirations to accomplishments faster and be fulfilled in life. Transforming their lives and creating more positive impact to those around them for a brighter future. Before her coaching journey, her role as an IT leader at Nestlé equipped her with insights into the unique challenges and opportunities in the technology-driven corporate world. This experience, combined with her expertise in human-centric design and innovative thinking, forms the foundation of Amy's coaching approach. Amy shares her story of how she was able to transition from a corporate job to starting her coaching business Innovate You. She also shares tips that can help you in your confidence journey. Tune into the episode to listen to Amy's inspiring story.

Rechie Valdez is the Minister of Small Business for the Government of Canada. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville in 2021. She has been a member of various parliamentary committees and associations, including the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, as well as the Chair of the Canada-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group. Minister Valdez is a Canadian entrepreneur, television personality, and community advocate. She is the first Filipino-Canadian woman elected as a Member of Parliament and appointed to Cabinet, and is committed to ensuring the diverse voices of her community are heard. Before entering politics, Minister Valdez owned and operated a small business, and dedicated herself to growing her online business avenues. She was also the host of a television show that shares the stories of entrepreneurs, creators, and artists. Prior to that, she worked in corporate banking for 15 years, where she developed her expertise in change management and strategic initiatives. Drawing on her longstanding advocacy, Minister Valdez also sponsored the National Women’s Entrepreneurship Act in 2022. Rechie shares her inspiring story of how she made herstory by becoming the first Filipina to be elected as a Member of Parliament in Canada. She also shares her passion to empower more women in entrepreneurship succeed with the policies she has created since being in office. This is an episode you definitely want to tune in to be inspired to forge your own path.

Vivian Young is the Global Head Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs at JPMorganChase. As the Global Head of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs for JPMorgan Chase, Vivian leads a full-time, dedicated team focused on advancing equity and inclusion for the Asian and Pacific Islander community. The key focus areas include driving opportunity and progress through increased cultural understanding and collaboration, raising awareness about cultural identity and the challenges faced by underserved communities and supporting the API community globally through public advocacy, economic inclusion and community development. Vivian shares the importance of celebrating Filipino American History Month and how knowing that she was enough gave her the confidence to be the powerhouse woman that she is today. Vivian is also part of the USPAACC WISE, a program intended for AAPI Women that would strategically address core issues and create lasting impact in their professional and personal lives, thus empowering and uplifting them in creating and choosing their own personal choices.

Carissa Begonia is a Business Coach and LinkedIn Strategist for BIPOC entrepreneurs through company CONSCIOUSXCHANGE. She is particularly passionate about empowering underrepresented communities, particularly women of color to become successful entrepreneurs. Carissa has extensive experience in corporate settings and has worked with several large companies, focusing on driving initiatives that improve diversity and inclusion. She is often involved in speaking engagements, workshops, and coaching sessions aimed at empowering leaders and building more inclusive workplaces. In addition to her consulting work, Carissa Begonia is recognized for her advocacy and mentorship in support of women in leadership, particularly those from Asian and minority backgrounds. She collaborates with various organizations and platforms to share insights on topics like racial equity, leadership, and self-empowerment. Carissa shares how taking imperfection action in her journey to entrepreneurship led her to become the powerhouse woman that she is today. She also shares tips to help you in your journey to self-confidence.

Diana YK Chan is a renowned Business Growth Strategist, Personal Branding and Networking Expert. She is also the first Asian Canadian woman to achieve LinkedIn Top Voice. Diana helps her clients transition into business coaching and she is passionate about uncovering your unique strengths to help you stand out. As a super connector with a global network, Diana believes building and nurturing relationships unlocks new opportunities. Mer motto is "Your uniqueness is your edge, let’s turn it into success." Diana shares what she did to learn to live life on her terms with true happiness and fulfillment. She also shares how she was able to go from corporate to starting her own journey as well as sharing tips to help you in your journey.

Nicole Casperson is a journalist, podcast host, and the founder of the media brand, Fintech Is Femme leading the charge to create an equitable and diverse industry. With over 60,000 industry professionals subscribing to her podcast and newsletter, Nicole has become a trusted source of news, insights, and analysis. Before Fintech Is Femme, Nicole was a finance reporter, covering different B2B niches, from housing and mortgages to auto finance and financial advice. In 2022, Nicole was named a Top Inspiring Female in Fintech by the group NYC Fintech Women. She’s also a finalist for Fintech Nexus Industry Awards as a 2023 DEI Trailblazer. Nicole has been named a Top Influencer in Financial Twitter by ETFtrends.com and featured in the LA Times and Nasdaq Trade Talks. She is asked to speak about fintech, diversity, community building, storytelling, and content creation at established events like Money 20/20, Empire Startups, Fintech Nexus, Fintech Meet Up, and Future Proof Festival. Nicole is also an author with her debut book with Wiley called Fintech Feminists: Increasing Inclusion, Redefining Innovation, and Changing the Future for Women Around the World that will be out on October 2024. Nicole shares how learning to stop waiting for others to see her worth gave her the confidence to start Fintech is Femme and be the powerhouse woman that she is today in the fintech industry.

Breana Chan is the Vice President and Global Supplier Diversity professional.  She isn't just a diversity champion; she's a proven business leader with a track record of turning passion into profit.  Her journey began in the dotcom boom, navigating the fast-paced world of Silicon Valley startups. This entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with her 30+ years of Procurement and Supplier Diversity experience across industries, fuels her approach to consulting and mentoring individuals and businesses. Breana believes diversity isn't just a box to tick; it's a strategic imperative for growth.  Featured in Winning Leadership by Two-Time Olympian Sherry Winn, Breana empowers businesses to unlock untapped talent pools, gain a competitive edge, and build cultures of inclusion and does so with a constant attitude of gratitude. Breana shares the importance of learning to be okay with failure and how it was able to build her confidence to be the powerful women that she is today.  Breana is also part of USPAACC WISE, a program intended for AAPI Women that would strategically address core issues and create lasting impact in their professional and personal lives, thus empowering and uplifting them in creating and choosing their own personal choices.  This will be our last episode for the season and will be back for our new season on September 3, 2024. Check out https://thetaoofselfconfidence.com for show notes of Breana's episode, Breana's website, resources, gifts and so much more.

Charlene Vickers is the Director, Supplier Diversity & Inclusion for Johnson & Johnson.  She is responsible for developing and executing business strategies and solutions for the supplier diversity program while building critical relationships with internal and external stakeholders including advocacy groups, NGOs, industry partners and peer companies. Charlene shares that moment she realize her strengths to tap into her purpose and be the confident woman that she is today.  She also shares tips that can help you in your own journey to self-confidence.  Ashley is also part of the USPAACC WISE, a program intended for AAPI Women that would strategically address core issues and create lasting impact in their professional and personal lives, thus empowering and uplifting them in creating and choosing their own personal choices.   Check out https://thetaoofselfconfidence.com for show notes of Charlene's episode, Charlene's website, resources, gifts and so much more.

Ann Ramakumaran is the Founder and CEO of Ampcus Inc.  Ann is a technology savvy entrepreneur with more than 20 plus years of design, development and delivery of innovative and leading-edge Technology Solutions and Human Capital Management across the globe. Under her leadership, she has cultivated Ampcus and Ampcus group of companies into a fast-growing Consulting and Professional Services organization. For eleven consecutive years she has been recognized as a top Asian American owned business by USPAACC and for over twelve consecutive years honored as one of the 50 Fastest Growing Women Owned and Women Led Business in the CONUS by the Women Presidents Organization. Under Ann’s leadership, Ampcus has made the Inc. 500/5000 list and has been recognized as a Top Diversity Business. Ann was also awarded Women in Technology Entrepreneur of the Year by WIT and most recently was inducted into the Women's Business Enterprise Hall of Fame and Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council Hall of Fame. Ann has also received the Chairman’s Award for Inspirational Leadership from CRMSDC and the President’s Award from WPEO, the Global Growth Award from Astra Women’s Business Alliance, Supplier of the Year Award from GMSDC, Top Asian American Business Award from USPAACC-SE and USPAACC-SW, CRMSDC Supplier of the Year, NMSDC Supplier of the Year and NMSDC MBE of the Year, MBDA Minority Business Enterprise of the Year . In 2019, Ampcus became part of the NMSDC’S elite Corporate Plus Program.  Ann shares the importance of learning to let go that you have to do it all and instead have a great support system that will help you along the way.  She shares tips that can help you in your journey to self-confidence. Check out https://thetaoofselfconfidence.com for show notes of Ann's episode, Ann's website, resources, gifts and so much more.

Steffny Wallace is a Lavender Farmer and Essential Oil Alchemist.  She was a TV producer in the advertising world for 30+ years, alongside being a lifelong spiritual seeker.  For the past 7 years, Steffny is a a lavender farmer working with a new process called Enlivening.  Steffny is also part of USPAACC WISE, a program intended for AAPI Women that would strategically address core issues and create lasting impact in their professional and personal lives, thus empowering and uplifting them in creating and choosing their own personal choices.  Steffny shares the importance of giving yourself credit as a great way to build your self-confidence.  She also shares her upbringing and how she was able to overcome her self-esteem issues to be the woman that she is today.  Check out the full episode to listen to her story. Check out https://thetaoofselfconfidence.com for show notes of Steffny's episode, Steffny's website, resources, gifts and so much more.