Utibe Bassey, Vice President of Customer Experience at Dominion Energy and creator of the Love as a KPI framework, shares how redefining success starts with how we measure impact. She explains why love, expressed through delivering undeniable value, is a critical metric for organizations and individuals, and how anyone can apply her framework even without a leadership title. Utibe also reflects on moments when success didn’t feel like success, the lessons she’s learned about setting meaningful goals, and practical ways to navigate self-doubt early in your career.
Follow Utibe:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/utbassey/
Website: https://www.loveasakpi.com/
Bruno Yoshioka, Principal Software Engineering Manager at Microsoft, didn’t plan to become an engineer. For most of his life, he dreamed of becoming a music professor until a summer internship changed his path. Born in Brazil to Japanese parents and raised in the U.S., Bruno grew up navigating multiple cultures and expectations.
Bruno shares how he accidentally found his way into tech, how mentorship played a pivotal role in his growth, and why he now pours that same energy into supporting early-career engineers and professionals on their own journeys.
Follow Bruno:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/byoshioka
Website: www.byoshi.com
Music recommendations:
Polyphia - Playing God: https://youtu.be/Z5NoQg8LdDk?si=QZ3zRzwRwWHNFlE_
Jacob Collier - Over You: https://youtu.be/laI3x0bdgxQ?si=QZXIgprhxI41y-zZ
At 10 years old, Nde (The Engineer Emcee) Nkimbeng, froze during a rap performance and lost out on $50. But what he gained instead was a mindset that would shape the rest of his life: Do it anyways even if you are scared. In this episode, Nde shares how that early moment of fear helped him unlock his voice and eventually led him to become The Engineer MC, an international event host who has now led over 150 events across five countries.
Follow Nde:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/youreventmc/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ndenkimbeng/
Website: https://www.youreventmc.com/
Linda Ta Yonemoto, a personal finance educator and creator, shares how growing up as the daughter of Vietnamese refugees shaped her relationship with money, voice, and ambition. She discusses the emotional weight of being first-gen—navigating silence around money, breaking out of survival mode, and unlearning the belief that financial success was only for “other people.”
Today, she’s the founder of Good For You Money, a platform dedicated to helping first-gen women and people from underrepresented backgrounds build wealth and confidence through relatable, culturally-aware financial education.
Follow Linda:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindatayonemoto/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/goodforyoumoney
Josh Williams, a social impact leader, shares why it’s so hard to be yourself and why it’s worth the effort. From growing up as a child of preachers to teaching in the South Bronx and leading in social impact, Josh reflects on learning when to speak up and when to listen, navigating imposter syndrome, and redefining what a “good life” looks like beyond titles and prestige.
He shares how building a life rooted in service, relationships, and authenticity has shaped his journey, reminding us that even in a noisy world, you can chart your own path—and that you are enough.
Follow Josh on LinkedIn:
Jesús Salas, a venture capital investor, joins Ehis to talk about what it really takes to be seen in corporate America and why doing great work is only part of the story.
Raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and shaped by international experiences across Kenya, Nicaragua, and Chile, Jesús reflects on the unspoken rules of corporate culture: the importance of being known, not just being good. He shares the moment he realized top ratings weren’t enough to get promoted and how that awakening led him away from corporate America and toward a non-traditional path.
Follow Jesús on LinkedIn:
Sruti Bharat shares her powerful journey from growing up in the Bay Area to becoming an interim CEO of a nonprofit and eventually founding two mission-driven companies. In this conversation, we explore what it means to lead your peers, make decisions without a playbook, and stay true to your voice when the stakes are high.
We also dive into imposter syndrome and the environments that either nurture or silence confidence. Sruti reflects on building Campground Systems and FutureMap, offering lessons on authentic leadership, entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to build something meaningful especially when the odds aren’t in your favor.
Follow Sruti on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/srutibharat/
Nmasichi Chukwuemeka, founder of Tribes & History, shares her journey from a childhood in Nigeria filled with novels to navigating culture shock in small-town Kentucky and the mission behind creating Tribes & History, a platform to celebrate African stories.
She discusses the power of storytelling in reclaiming identity, the pressure to shrink parts of yourself to fit in, and why representation in media matters. Through Tribes & History, Nmasi is building a home for voices that have too often been left out of the narrative.
Learn more about Tribes and History.
https://tribesandhistory.com/
Follow Nmasichi on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinenyenmasichi/
Anissa Bouderraoui, Founder and CEO of LingoCircle, shares her journey from a multilingual upbringing in France to moving to the United States and the mission behind creating an AI-powered language learning platform for kids.
She discusses the importance of language in shaping identity, the challenges of fitting into new environments, and the innovative solutions Lingo Circle offers for bilingual education.
Learn more about LingoCircle:
Follow Anissa on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anissa-bouderraoui-bilingual-education/
Derby Chukwudi, a Nigerian-American finance professional and former Miss New Jersey USA (2023) shares her inspiring journey from Nigeria to the United States and the road to the pageant stage. She opens up about growing up in Nigeria, the loss of her mother, and how these experiences shaped her identity and voice. Derby discusses overcoming pressure to change her accent, staying true to herself, and the importance of mentorship in her personal and professional growth. Her story is a powerful reminder of resilience, authenticity, and finding your voice in new spaces.
Follow Derby:
Dr. Emmanuel Ohuabunwa’s journey—from being bullied for his accent as a Nigerian immigrant to becoming the first Black male valedictorian at Johns Hopkins University and earning both an M.D. and MBA from Yale—embodies his belief that “some battles must be lost to win the war.” Now an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern, his story is one of resilience, restraint, and purpose.
It’s a powerful conversation for anyone who’s ever felt unseen, questioned their belonging, or struggled to stay focused on their purpose.
Follow Dr. Emmanuel Ohuabunwa:
Kalule Guwatudde shares his journey from Uganda to the U.S., from launching a high school wiki to founding Bora Bond, a fintech platform helping the African diaspora invest in African government bonds.
Kalule opens up about navigating layered identities — African, immigrant, and Black — and the friction of using your voice in spaces that weren’t built for you. He talks about the emotional toll of entrepreneurship, the clarity of conviction, and what it means to see far like a giraffe… and act with purpose.
More information on Bora Bond:
Website: www.borabond.com
Kalule’s Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kalule-guwatudde-841308a1
Executive Coach Rabiya Hass joins Ehis to explore how the stories we tell ourselves shape our identity, confidence, and success. From growing up as an immigrant post-9/11 to rising through corporate America, Rabiya shares how she overcame self-doubt and imposter syndrome to step into her power—and now helps others do the same. This episode offers a practical mindset framework for reframing limiting beliefs, along with powerful insights on cultural identity, career growth, and choosing which narratives we let define us.Follow Rabiya:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiyahass/
Ilona Limonta-Volkova shares the aha moment when she realized she was funny—and how humor, preparation, and storytelling helped her find her voice.
From overcoming shyness to writing for Forbes to hosting her own podcast and thriving in venture capital, she unpacks the power of self-discovery, confidence, and showing up even when you have self-doubt.
She opens up about imposter syndrome, why preparation is key to confidence, and how podcasting unexpectedly strengthened her career.
If you've ever struggled with speaking up, this episode will inspire you to trust your preparation and embrace your voice.Follow Ilona: Money Memories Podcast: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/947650726/money-memories
Website: https://bearandthebull.com/
Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ilonalimonta-volkova/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilonaonthemoney/
In the inaugural episode of Unmuted Moments, host Ehis shares his journey of finding and owning his voice, from the doubts and cultural barriers that once held him back to the key moments that set him free—mentorship that gave him confidence, struggles that forced him to speak up, and the power of embracing authenticity.
For too long, many of us have held back—afraid of being misunderstood, dismissed, or simply unsure if our voice matters. Unmuted Moments is here to change that.From navigating new cultures to overcoming impostor syndrome, Unmuted Moments is about discovering how your voice can shape your career, community, and life👉 Subscribe now and join the conversation. Because the world needs your voice.
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and everywhere you get your podcasts.
