In a world that often celebrates the loudest voice in the room, what happens when you lead with quiet confidence instead?

💡 We discuss:

✨ Why being quiet doesn’t mean being invisible

✨ The dangers of overvaluing charisma in leadership

✨ Practical ways to grow influence without changing who you are

✨ The power of appreciating fully and adapting purposefully

✨ What organizations miss when they overlook quiet talent

✨ And how visibility can be reframed as service, not self-promotion

RSVP Here: Actsplore This with Megumi Miki - Melbourne Edition (Community Meet Up)

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✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: ⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

Layoffs are among the most difficult and disorienting experiences we face in our careers, and yet, they remain one of the least openly discussed. In recent months, it’s been hard to scroll through LinkedIn without seeing the ripple effects of widespread job cuts, especially across the tech industry.

In this insight-filled and actionable episode, we’re joined by Lorraine K. Lee, award-winning keynote speaker and bestselling author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career. Lorraine shares her own story of navigating an unexpected layoff, and how it became the launchpad for a rewarding chapter of her career.

A trusted voice on presence, influence, and personal branding, Lorraine has equipped leaders at Zoom, Amazon, McKinsey, and Cisco with the tools to go from invisible to unforgettable — and now, she’s sharing her practical wisdom with us.

You’ll walk away with:

• A behind-the-scenes look at how Lorraine rebuilt her confidence and career post-layoff

• Practical tools for navigating career transitions with resilience and clarity

• The EPIC framework to elevate your presence and tell your career story with impact

• Strategies to advocate for yourself with authenticity in uncertain times

Whether you’ve been affected by layoffs or are simply seeking a mindset shift for your next career move, this episode is filled with actionable insights to help you move forward with  purpose.

Buy Lorraine's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unforgettable-Presence-Influence-Catapult-Career/dp/1394281722

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

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✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: ⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

What happens when a former corporate exec walks on stage in a bathing suit... in front of 120 professional women? 🔥

Penny Locaso — Happiness Hacker, Harvard writer, TEDx speaker, and authentic leadership trailblazer — did just that to prove one bold point: true change starts where your comfort zone ends.

In this raw and revealing conversation, Penny takes us behind the scenes of her midlife awakening moment, the true motivation behind her quest to redefine success in her own terms and why self-compassion is the leadership skill we need more of, in our world today.

We also explore:

💥 How she turned public fear into a power move that still echoes today 🌀 Why the "perfect path" is a myth — and why your zigzag might be the key to fulfillment 🧭 What it really takes to rewrite your definition of success (hint: it involves grief, grit, and one hell of a truth bomb)

 💡 How action — even messy, imperfect action — creates the confidence you're waiting for

From grief to growth, bathing suits to boardrooms — this episode is a masterclass in becoming unapologetically you.

Witty Warning: Listening may cause spontaneous courage, clarity, and the desire to radically rethink your personal definition of success.

Remember: If you’re listening and something in this conversation lit a spark — don’t rush past it. Take a beat, sit in that discomfort, and see where it wants to take you.

Resources: 

1. Expert Checklist

2. Apply to be part of the ‘If not you, when who?’ leadership research project 

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

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✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

In this episode, we’re sharing six mindset shifts that have helped us navigate change, growth, and new chapters. These aren’t just surface-level reframes, but meaningful shifts that have shaped how we show up in our work and personal lives.

From embracing the discomfort of being a beginner, creating space for reflection, to leaning into difficult conversations - we reflect on what it really takes to grow with intention in the midst of life transitions.

 In this episode, we explore:

• Why it’s okay (and even necessary) to be bad at something new

• How stepping away from constant productivity can unlock creativity

• What happens when we lead with curiosity

• And why action often creates clarity—not the other way around

We’d love to hear your mindset shifts too: what’s been helping you level up lately, in whatever season you're in? Connect with us on Instagram @actsplorethispodcast and join the conversation.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:

This episode was brought to you by Woon Advisory, your trusted partner for talent acquisition. Head to http://woonadvisory.com and hit the ‘Contact Us’ button for a complimentary Talent Strategy Session with Charles - make sure you mention ‘Actsplore This Podcast’ in the email title.

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

✨Instagram: Actsplore This Podcast 🎙 (@actsplorethispodcast) • Instagram photos and videos

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✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

What if the key to winning hearts (and boardrooms) isn’t data... but your X-Factor?

Yamini Naidu is the world's only Economist turned Bollywood dancing business storyteller.

In this high-impact episode, Yamini reveals how to ditch dull presentations and turn your message into something people feel—and remember.

Whether you're leading a team, pitching an idea, or navigating career change, this episode will help you to discover and unlock your X Factor potential and become a more unforgettable communicator.

🔥GIVEAWAY ALERT: Yamini is giving away 1 signed copy of her book X Factor: Unleash Your Presenting Superpower to the first Australian-based listener who shares a key takeaway from this episode on LinkedIn and tags her!

Resources:

100-Banned-X-factor-words-2023-Version.pdf

Yamini-Naidu-X-factor-101-ways-to-discover-.pdf

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

✨Instagram: Actsplore This Podcast 🎙 (@actsplorethispodcast) • Instagram photos and videos

✨Youtube: Actsplore This Podcast - YouTube

✨Apple Podcast: Actsplore This on Apple Podcasts

✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

What does it take to go from starting out in a foreign country to shaping national policy and earning one of the UK’s highest honors -the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)? 

In this episode, we get up close and personal with the remarkable Jane Chelliah-Manning, who is the Assistant Director, Senior Policy Lead at the UK Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. 

With over 2 decades in the UK public sector, Jane has played a key role in major policy developments, from navigating Britain’s exit from the European Union to shaping responses during the pandemic.

In this episode, Jane gets real about the ups, downs, and game-changing moments that defined her career in the UK public sector, where she eventually earned an MBE for her work, joining the ranks of a few Malaysians who have received this award.  

Tune in as Jane shares powerful mindset shifts around feminine leadership and what it truly takes to drive meaningful impact.

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

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✨Apple Podcast: Actsplore This on Apple Podcasts

✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

Anne Marie Chaker went from breaking news at The Wall Street Journal to breaking personal records on the bodybuilding stage, and her story is anything but typical. After weathering a series of personal curveballs, a lift session in a hotel gym flipped Anne Marie’s whole world.

Now, she’s living proof that it’s never too late to build strength, own your power, and rewrite your story.In this conversation, Anne Marie get real about her journey turning struggle into strength.

In this episode, we unpack what it really takes to rise from rock bottom, why embracing discomfort is the ultimate superpower, and how your toughest seasons can fuel your biggest transformations. We also dive into insights from her upcoming book, LIFT, where she challenges the “skinny ideal” and explores the untapped power of muscle & why women should focus on building rather than shrinking themselves.

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

✨Instagram: Actsplore This Podcast 🎙 (@actsplorethispodcast) • Instagram photos and videos

✨Youtube: Actsplore This Podcast - YouTube

✨Apple Podcast: Actsplore This on Apple Podcasts

✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

Anne Marie Chaker went from breaking news at The Wall Street Journal to breaking personal records on the bodybuilding stage, and her story is anything but typical. After weathering a series of personal curveballs, a lift session in a hotel gym flipped Anne Marie’s whole world.

Now, she’s living proof that it’s never too late to build strength, own your power, and rewrite your story.In this conversation, Anne Marie get real about her journey turning struggle into strength.

In this episode, we unpack what it really takes to rise from rock bottom, why embracing discomfort is the ultimate superpower, and how your toughest seasons can fuel your biggest transformations. We also dive into insights from her upcoming book, LIFT, where she challenges the “skinny ideal” and explores the untapped power of muscle & why women should focus on building rather than shrinking themselves.

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

✨Instagram: Actsplore This Podcast 🎙 (@actsplorethispodcast) • Instagram photos and videos

✨Youtube: Actsplore This Podcast - YouTube

✨Apple Podcast: Actsplore This on Apple Podcasts

✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis

Happy International Women’s Day from us to you!🌷

This week’s episode is an Actsplore This Podcast Favourite - a re-release in conjunction with International Women's Day on 'Owning Your Story & Billion Dollar Goals’.

If there's one person who embodies dreaming big, wild, and audacious, it's none other than Malaysian born and bred, Washington based Sarah Chen-Spellings!

In this wide-ranging and unfiltered conversation, Sarah shares the formative experiences that drove her to start Lean In Malaysia and Beyond the Billion, the highs and lows of her career trajectory smashing the glass ceilings, how she redefines failure, the value of authentic leadership, and much more.

CONNECT WITH US HERE:

✨Instagram: Actsplore This Podcast 🎙 (@actsplorethispodcast) • Instagram photos and videos

✨Youtube: Actsplore This Podcast - YouTube

✨Apple Podcast: Actsplore This on Apple Podcasts

✨Email: [email protected]

✨Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis