asian, like me...

What happens when a multimedia storyteller who's built a name for herself across the art, design, and streetwear world gets brutally honest about the hardest chapter of her life — motherhood?

In this raw, deeply personal two-part conversation, Dr. Sohee Jun sits down with Sophia Chang — a Queens-raised creative force who has collaborated with brands like Samsung, Nike, Adidas, Apple, Footlocker, HBO, and the NBA. But this episode isn't about brand campaigns. It's about the "dark night of the soul" Sophia experienced with postpartum, the isolation no one prepared her for, and how she found her way back to herself through agency, choice, and — eventually — joy.

From growing up an only child in sensory-rich Flushing, Queens, to early Photoshop experiments that sparked a creative career, to the unfiltered truth about what her body and mind went through months after giving birth, Sophia and Sohee go somewhere few conversations about modern motherhood are willing to go.

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Part 2 drops on August 19th.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How an unstructured, sensory-rich childhood can shape a lasting sense of identity and creative freedom
• Why embracing mistakes — instead of avoiding them — is often the fastest path to creative growth
• How to "choose hope" as a daily practice, even on an ordinary, unremarkable morning
• An honest look at postpartum dread, panic, and isolation — including why symptoms can surface months after birth, not just in the early weeks
• Why so many women leave the doctor's office after birth with no real mental health support — and what to do instead
• How swapping "but" for "and" in the way you talk to yourself can shift an entire narrative
• What gets lost when we mother without a village — and why intergenerational community matters more than we think
• How "choosing joy" can become a daily practice that rewires the brain during a hard season

Quotes From This Episode:

• "There's always agency, there's always choice, you can always choose. That's very empowering — it shifts your entire body chemistry and state of being." — Sophia Chang
• "Trying to minimize our ‘buts’ in our sentence structures and narratives and replacing it with an ‘and’." — Sophia Chang
• “…mindset is all about what's possible. There's always a ‘possible’ and you get to choose within that, which is such an empowering place.” — Dr. Sohee Jun

Reflection Questions for You:

• What's your relationship with making mistakes? Do you try to avoid them at all costs because of how it will make you look or feel? How can you loosen the grip of not making mistakes and allow yourself to actually learn from them?
• How will you embrace and infuse the mindset of agency and choice into your work and life — and what would happen if you did more of that? What might you unlock in terms of being truly aligned and authentic?
• What micro-action will you take from the mindset of embracing agency and choice — in your work life or your life in general?

About Sophia Chang:

Sophia Chang hails from the borough of Queens, New York, and within two decades has championed a name for herself in the art, design, and streetwear community worldwide. With her BFA from Parsons School of Design coupled with a natural acumen for business, she has collaborated with a-list names across multiple fields such as Samsung, Nike, Refinery29, Adidas, Apple, Footlocker, HBO, and the NBA, to name a few. As a gifted multimedia storyteller with the ability to create lucid and inspirited imagery, she's expanding market boundaries and defining a new, vivid visual vocabulary. She understands that presence has dimension — online or in real life, Sophia inspires connection. Passionate about everyone's story, she listens and interprets those stories to empower the community she loves and respects. Sophia is a creative engine that lives to propel her friends and clients to greatness.

Connect with Sophia:

• Website: www.esymai.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/esymai

About Dr. Sohee Jun:

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of "asian, like me…" — a podcast and community for the modern Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author, and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent over 20 years helping high-achieving women navigate culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Sophia Chang: www.esymai.com | instagram.com/esymai
• Explore Dr. Sohee's bestselling books — Mommytracked & The Aligned Mindset: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event: https://soheejunphd.com/contact
• Explore Dr. Sohee's wellness products: www.evrten.com

SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and don't miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights

Enjoyed This Episode? Share this with the woman in your life who needs to hear she's not alone in the hard parts of motherhood

Leave a review — it helps the next woman who needs this find her way here

Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com

Follow "asian, like me…" on your favorite podcast platform

Part 2 of this conversation drops in two weeks — don't miss it

This is your space to feel seen, heard, and inspired. Let's grow together.

What does it take to go from growing up in an immigrant community in Queens to becoming a trusted HR partner to C-suite executives at some of the world's most complex organizations?

In this rich, practical, and deeply personal conversation, Dr. Sohee Jun sits down with Grace Chung — global HR business leader, consultant, and one of the most radically candid women you'll ever hear in conversation. Grace doesn't just talk about truth-telling. She lives it. And in this episode, she shares exactly how that has made her the go-to trusted partner for leaders navigating growth, change, and uncertainty.

From her parallel upbringing with Sohee — a pastor's home full of people from every walk of life — to landing her first client as a new entrepreneur by holding firm on her pricing, Grace brings the kind of grounded, practical wisdom that makes you want to take notes and take action.

And then she said something that stopped everything:

"The modern Asian female knows there's space for others just like her. And when there seems not to be — she creates it."

This episode is for the woman who has the answer at the tip of her tongue and stays quiet. For the one still running in seventh gear. For the one waiting for a seat at a table she should be building herself.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Grace's origin story — from growing up in Queens in an immigrant community to navigating Wall Street and beyond
• How her upbringing in a pastor's home full of people from every walk of life shaped her ability to build trust and community
• The two things Grace most commonly sees limiting Asian women in the workplace — and what to do about them
• How to give direct, candid feedback in a way that people can actually receive — and the exact language to use
• Why over-rehearsing and hesitating when you already have the answer is costing Asian women in the room
• The "do it afraid" moment that defined her early entrepreneurship — and how she held her pricing under pressure
• Why business development is really just genuine connection and curiosity — not networking events
• How to come back to center during the inevitable "oh shit" moments of entrepreneurship
• What agility and a "tapas approach" to career looks like for the modern Asian professional
• How to lead through uncertainty by investing in connection, trust, and curiosity on your team

Quotes From This Episode:

"The modern Asian female knows there's space for others just like her. And when there seems not to be — she creates it." — Grace Chung

"True hope is a confident expectation in a future reality that is unseen." — Grace Chung

"When you have the answer — what's holding you back?" — Grace Chung

"Do it afraid."

"There's always a next. There is always a next." — Dr. Sohee Jun

"You are learning in two weeks, two months, what most people would take two years, ten years to learn."

"Business development is the connection between you and somebody — helping them solve a problem in a generous way." — Dr. Sohee Jun

"It's not a life sentence one way or another — whether it's in-house or consulting."

"There's so much more that ties us together than pulls us apart."

Reflection Questions for You:

1. Where in your life are you still running in seventh gear — the survival mode that got you here? Is that gear still serving you, or are you just afraid of who you'd be without it?
2. Think about the last room where you had the answer at the tip of your tongue and stayed quiet. What was really holding you back — and who might have been changed if you'd let yourself be heard, unrehearsed?
3. Grace said that when there isn't space for a woman like her, she creates it. Whose door are you holding open right now — and where do you need to stop waiting for a seat and build the room yourself?

About Grace Chung

Grace Chung is a global business HR leader and partner to C-level executives and their organizations. She has led through significant growth and change, enabling people leaders to drive meaningful business outcomes across life science, financial services, and tech. Grace has also consulted across biotech, real estate tech, CPG/eCommerce, management consulting, and nonprofits. She grew up in Queens, New York City and lives in Princeton with her husband and two kids.

Connect with Grace:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gracechung1

About Dr. Sohee Jun

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of "asian, like me…" — a podcast and community for the modern Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author, and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent over 20 years helping high-achieving women navigate culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Grace Chung on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gracechung1
• Explore Dr. Sohee's bestselling books — Mommytracked & The Aligned Mindset: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event: https://soheejunphd.com/contact
• Explore Dr. Sohee's wellness products: www.evrten.com
• SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and don't miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights

Enjoyed This Episode?

• Share this with the woman in your life who has the answer and keeps staying quiet.
• Leave a review — it helps the next woman who needs this find her way here.
• Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com
• Follow "asian, like me…" on your favorite podcast platform

What if the thing that's been holding you back isn't fear — it's your refusal to make a mess?

In this rich, honest, and deeply relatable conversation, Dr. Sohee Jun sits down with Selena Rezvani — Wall Street Journal bestselling author, leadership speaker, and Forbes-named premier expert on self-advocacy at work. They go off the stage together, getting under the hood of Selena's Pakistani upbringing, the chaos of her family of origin, and how a girl who learned to be quiet, good, and invisible grew up to write books about confidence and self-advocacy.

This episode is for the woman who is still waiting until she's ready. Still perfecting. Still watching from the sidelines. Selena's message is both a permission slip and a push: you have a righting reflex. Trust it. Do it afraid.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Selena's origin story — from a chaotic Pakistani-immigrant household to becoming a WSJ bestselling author and global leadership speaker
• How growing up with an intense, workaholic father shaped her relationship with achievement, rest, and burnout
• Why perfectionism is a system built on unattainable standards — and how to start deconditioning yourself from it
• The difference between excellence and perfectionism — and why Asian women in particular get caught in the trap
• How Selena almost talked herself out of the LinkedIn newsletter that went viral, became a community, and led to four books
• Why "doing it afraid" is the only real path to building self-trust and confidence
• What it means to not gaslight yourself out of something that genuinely energizes you
• The concept of the "righting reflex" — and why you're more capable of adapting than you think
• What gives Selena hope: women refusing to settle for suboptimal
• How to fill your own energy tank — and why even your best days can drain you

Quotes From This Episode

"Do it afraid." — Selena Rezvani

"You are not served by gaslighting yourself into working harder — turning a capacity issue into a personal failing."

"Perfectionism is a system built on unattainable, out of touch standards. The more you get close but don't quite get it, the more you chase it."

"Stop taking it so deadly seriously. Have a little fun. Live a little."

"You are missing out on a huge part of life that's not just rule-following and trying to get a grade back that proves your worth."

"A modern Asian woman knows where she's come from — but she's not obligated to stay there."

"If there's a nudge and it keeps coming up, you've got to give it energy and put it out there." — Dr. Sohee Jun

"I'm doing it anyway. I'm trying it anyway."

"You have a righting reflex. No matter how sideways things go."

Reflection Questions for You

1. What would you tell your younger self to do more of — or less of — and why?
2. In what ways have you gaslit yourself or talked yourself out of doing something you were genuinely excited about?
3. What does it look like to fill up your own energy reserves in this season — and how can you do more of that?

About Selena Rezvani

Selena Rezvani is a leadership speaker, author, and consultant known for her practical, no-nonsense advice on thriving at work. She is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Quick Leadership: Build Trust, Navigate Change, and Cultivate Unstoppable Teams — part of her popular "Quick" series that began with Quick Confidence. A recognized authority on leadership and self-advocacy, Selena's work has been featured by The Today Show, NPR, Forbes, and The Washington Post.

As a LinkedIn Learning instructor whose courses have been viewed by millions, Selena is known for breaking down complex workplace dynamics into simple, actionable strategies. She has advised leaders and teams at organizations like Microsoft, Under Armour, and The World Bank.

Connect with Selena:

• Website: www.selenarezvani.com
• Instagram: @selenarezvani
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/selenarezvani
• TikTok: @selenarezvani
• Facebook: SelenaRezvaniOfficial
• Twitter/X: @selenarezvani

About Dr. Sohee Jun

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of "asian, like me…" — a podcast and community for the modern Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author, and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent over 20 years helping high-achieving women navigate culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links

• Pick up Selena's latest book: Quick Leadership — available where all books are sold
• Explore Selena's full book series: www.selenarezvani.com
• Pick up Dr. Sohee's book — The Aligned Mindset (featuring a forward by Selena Rezvani!)
• Listen to The Aligned Mindset on Audible: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event: https://soheejunphd.com/contact
• Explore Dr. Sohee's wellness products: www.evrten.com
• SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and don't miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights

Enjoyed This Episode?

• Send this to your work wives — right now, in your WhatsApp group chat
• Leave a review — it helps the community grow
• Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com
• Follow "asian, like me…" on your favorite podcast platform

This is your space to feel seen, heard, and inspired. Let's grow together.

Episode Description

What does it mean to enhance — not erase — who you are?

In this warm, honest, and deeply inspiring conversation, Dr. Sohee Jun sits down with Kelly Zhang — celebrity makeup artist, entrepreneur, and founder of Kelly Zhang Agency — for a live, in-person recording that feels like two old friends finally having the conversation they've always meant to have.

Kelly came to the U.S. at 11 years old without speaking a word of English. Today she leads an agency of 40 artists, runs her own makeup line, and does makeup for some of the world's biggest celebrities. Her journey is one of trusting the nudge, betting on herself, and building something beautiful — one step at a time.

This episode is for the woman who has been waiting for the right time. The right moment. The right sign. Kelly's message is simple and powerful: don't wait.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Kelly's origin story — from immigrant teenager to celebrity makeup artist and multi-hyphenate entrepreneur
• How a gap in the market (finding an Asian makeup artist who understood her face) became the foundation of her business
• Why entrepreneurship is never a solo journey — and how to pay attention to the people who illuminate the path for you
• The philosophy of "less is more" — in beauty and in business
• What it really means to enhance someone's beauty rather than erase it — and why that distinction matters deeply for Asian women
• How Kelly thinks about hiring, building a team, and letting go of the wrong people fast
• Why balance is a myth — and what seasons of life actually look like for a working mom and entrepreneur
• What she would tell the version of herself who was just starting out

Quotes From This Episode

"If you wait, there might never be a chance. You just have to get something started."

"I try to only enhance the look — not erase everything."

"Hire smarter people than you."

"I don't believe in balance. Once you want it to be balanced, the other side's going to come down."

"Everything happened for a reason. Just do your best at that moment and don't think so far ahead."

"We were so busy doing the work and not talking about our work." — Dr. Sohee Jun

"Don't be shy. Just go ahead and do it."

Reflection Questions for You

1. What inspired you most in this conversation — and what jumped out at you from Kelly's story?
2. Who are the people in your life who have helped shape your path — and have you thanked them lately?
3. In this season of your life, how do you define balance — and is there anything that needs to shift or be deprioritized?
4. Where are you waiting — and what would it look like to just get it started?
5. In what areas of your life are you trying to erase yourself instead of enhance who you already are?

About Kelly Zhang

Kelly Zhang is a highly sought-after celebrity makeup and hair artist known for her ability to create radiant, natural looks that make clients feel their absolute best. With expertise in both glowing, flawless makeup and effortless hair styling, Kelly delivers a seamless, polished look for red carpets, editorial shoots, and high-profile events. She leads Kelly Zhang Agency — a team of 40 artists — and has her own makeup line built on the philosophy of less is more.

Follow Kelly on Instagram: @kellyzhangagency

https://kellyzhang.com/

About Dr. Sohee Jun

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of "asian, like me…" — a podcast and community for the modern Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author, and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent over 20 years helping high-achieving women navigate culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links

• Dr. Sohee’s Summer Learning Series: https://soheejunphd.com/summer-series
• Follow Kelly Zhang: @kellyzhangagency on Instagram
• Learn more about Kelly Zhang Agency: kellyzhang.com
• Nourish Protein Bar by EVRten: www.evrten.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event: https://soheejunphd.com/contact
• Explore Dr. Sohee's bestselling books: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and don't miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights
• Get your free Self Care Assessment:https://mailchi.mp/1c5b4ef4d440/alm-free-download

Enjoyed This Episode?

• Share it with the woman in your life who has been waiting for the right time to start
• Tag us on Instagram — @soheejunphd and @kellyzhangagency
• Leave a review — it helps the community grow
• Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com
• Follow "asian, like me…" on your favorite podcast platform

This is your space to feel seen, heard, and inspired. Let's grow together.

If you're a high achiever who is always on, always anticipating what's next, and always saying

yes — this episode is for you.

In this solo episode, Dr. Sohee Jun gets real about burnout, people pleasing, and the one thing

most high achievers forget to factor in: the mental and emotional energy cost of everything they

say yes to. She reframes what boundaries actually are — not rigid rules that leave you feeling

guilty when you break them, but a flexible scaffolding for making decisions that honor your

priorities and protect your energy.

This one is practical, personal, and packed with tools you can start using today.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

● Why the popular conversation around "having boundaries" can actually be damaging —

and what to reframe it to

● How Dr. Sohee's own burnout taught her what she was missing every time she said yes

● Why mental and psychological load — not the doing of things — is the #1 depletion

factor for high achievers today

● Dr. Sohee's definition of healthy boundaries: the scaffolding for making decisions that is

flexible, realistic, and shame-free

● The 3-step framework for evaluating any new request before you commit

● Why establishing healthy boundaries means retraining the people around you — and

how to hold yourself through their reactions

● How to use Dr. Sohee's Self-Care Assessment Tool to identify exactly where you're most

depleted

Quotes From This Episode

"Healthy boundaries is about having the scaffolding to make decisions. It's not completely rigid

— it's flexible and realistic to maintain, and it doesn't leave you doing the walk of shame if you

didn't uphold it."

"For high achievers, mental and emotional energy is the cost. It's less about the doing of things

— it's the load. And it's the key aspect that high achievers do not factor in."

"When you establish healthy boundaries, you are retraining people on how to interact with you."

"Don't pick up their reaction. Hold yourself through it — and know that what you're doing is

building a muscle."

"This is the inner work that needs to happen for outer success."

Dr. Sohee's 3-Step Boundary Framework

When a new request comes in, pause and use this framework before responding:

Step 1 — Buy yourself time. Say "Let me get back to you" or "Let me think about it." This

short-circuits the automatic yes and gives you permission to pause.

Step 2 — Review against your current load. Look at your workload, family commitments,

caregiving responsibilities, and any other outside commitments. If your plate is already full —

that's a full stop no.

Step 3 — Ask: is this an aligned priority? If yes, commit — but ask yourself what you need to

drop to make room. If no, go back and say: "At this time I'm overcommitted. Thank you for

asking."

Free Resource Mentioned in This Episode

📥 Dr. Sohee's Self-Care Assessment Tool — one of her most downloaded resources. It

helps you identify the six areas where you're most depleted and offers specific ways to restore

each one. Download it here

Reflection Questions for You

1. What are the real reasons you keep saying yes — FOMO, scarcity mindset, people

pleasing, genuine interest? Name them.

2. When you said yes to something recently and regretted it, what did you forget to factor

in?

3. Where in your life are you most mentally and emotionally depleted right now?

4. Who in your life might "throw an adult tantrum" when you start establishing healthy

boundaries — and are you prepared for that?

5. What is one thing you can take off your calendar this week to restore yourself?

About Dr. Sohee Jun

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of "asian, like me..." — a podcast and community for the modern

Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author,

and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent over 20 years helping high-achieving women navigate

culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women

who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links

● Download Dr. Sohee's Self-Care Assessment Tool: https://bit.ly/drsohee_selfcare

● Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com/coaching

● Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event:

https://soheejunphd.com/contact

● Explore Dr. Sohee's bestselling books: https://soheejunphd.com/books

● Explore Dr. Sohee's wellness products: www.evrten.com

● SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and don't miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights

Enjoyed This Episode?

● Share it with the high achiever in your life who can't stop saying yes

● Leave a review — it helps the community grow

● Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com

● Follow "asian, like me..." on your favorite podcast platform

This is your space to feel seen, heard, and inspired. Let's grow together.

Keywords & Tags

healthy boundaries, burnout prevention, high achievers, saying no, mental load, emotional load,

people pleasing, asian like me podcast, Dr. Sohee Jun, boundary framework, self-care, inner

work outer success, modern Asian woman, overachieving women, psychological load, sensory

overload, scarcity mindset, FOMO, aligned priorities, executive coaching, women's leadership,

Episode Description

What if the problem you've been trying to solve isn't the real problem at all? In this rich and deeply personal conversation, Dr. Sohee Jun sits down with Bonnie Wan — life strategist, brand strategist of 30 years, and author of The Life Brief: A Playbook for No Regrets Living. Bonnie is someone Dr. Sohee chased down after seeing her speak at a conference, and once you hear this conversation, you'll understand exactly why. This episode is for the woman who has been looping a story in her mind that isn't actually true. For the one who is exhausted from people pleasing, overachieving, and trying to be everything to everyone. For the one who is ready — finally ready — to meet her life with curiosity instead of fear.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What a "life brief" is and how Bonnie used her own brand strategy tools to transform her marriage — and her life
• Why the answers we seek lie behind the questions we avoid
• How radical honesty with yourself can shift everything — instantly
• What it really means to be "self-centered" (and why it's not selfish)
• The immigrant experience of otherness, shame, and the deep hunger to be seen and belong
• Why doing the inner work in community creates something entirely different than doing it alone
• How to become your own compass by living in your truth
• What it looks like to be deeply ambitious and still take your time

Quotes From This Episode

"The answers we seek lie behind the questions we avoid."

"Many people prefer the certainty of misery to the misery of uncertainty." — Anaïs Nin, shared by Bonnie

"It wasn't my marriage that was broken. It was my relationship with time."

"It's not selfish — it's self-centered. Meaning you are literally centered in your truth."

"When you start living by your truth, you become your own compass."

"The immigrant experience starts from day one. We would not have felt so viscerally that hunger, that deep human longing, if we had not been othered."

"Done in community, the work is like fireworks."

When you are dead-simple-clear about what matters most - what is essential and what is vital - then you can radically prioritize. Only do what only you can do.

Reflection Questions for You

1. What is the story you have been looping in your mind — and is it actually true?
2. What question have you been avoiding — and what answer might be hiding behind it?
3. Where in your life are you confusing the symptom with the real problem?
4. What would it look like to meet your life with curiosity instead of fear?
5. What do you actually want — when you strip away what your parents, your partner, and your culture expect of you?
6. Where are you craving depth, and are you giving yourself permission to swim in those waters?

About Bonnie Wan

Bonnie is creator and author of The Life Brief, a simple yet profound action-driving practice that helps people navigate life’s big decisions with clarity, creativity and courage. The Life Brief applies the art and science of brand strategy to how we live our lives.

As a 30-year career Brand Strategist turned Life & Leadership Strategist, Bonnie not only helps some of the world’s most iconic companies innovate from a place of purpose but also guides everyday people on living with greater intention and imagination. She has been named AdAge

Chief Strategy Officer of the Year, one of 100 Women to KNOW in America, and an Eames Institute’s Curious 100.

Learn more about Bonnie and The Life Brief: thelifebrief.com www.linkedin.com/in/bonniewan

@bonniewanofficial

About Dr. Sohee Jun

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of "asian, like me…" — a podcast and community for the modern Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author, and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent over 20 years helping high-achieving women navigate culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Bonnie Wan and The Life Brief: thelifebrief.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event: https://soheejunphd.com/contact
• Explore Dr. Sohee's bestselling books: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• Explore Dr. Sohee's wellness products: www.evrten.com
• SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and don't miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights

Enjoyed This Episode?

• Share it with a woman in your life who is ready to stop looping old stories and start asking better questions
• Leave a review — it helps the community grow
• Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com
• Follow "asian, like me…" on your favorite podcast platform

This is your space to feel seen, heard, and inspired. Let's grow together.

Keywords & Tags

Bonnie Wan, The Life Brief, no regrets living, life strategy, brand strategy, asian like me podcast, Dr. Sohee Jun, Asian women podcast, immigrant women, coming home to yourself, deep relationships, radical honesty, curiosity over fear, relationship with time, people pleasing, overachieving women, inner work outer success, Asian female leadership, community and belonging, modern Asian woman, self-trust, identity and culture, personal transformation

Episode Description

What does it cost to be the child of immigrants — and what does it give you? In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Sohee Jun shares a story she has never told quite like this before. It begins with a little girl emptying trash cans in corporate office buildings at night, rehearsing what she would say if anyone from school ever saw her. It ends with her daughter watching her command a stage full of high school girls — and saying the words that changed everything.

This one is for the immigrant kids who are all grown up. For the parents trying to do it differently. For the Asian women who made it into rooms their parents could only clean.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What it felt like to hide her parents' work as a child — and the story she told instead
• How internalized shame shows up in our ambition, our overachieving, and our need to prove ourselves
• What Dr. Sohee calls "ambition in a really nice outfit" — and how to recognize it in yourself
• The full circle moment that cracked her wide open on stage, with her daughter watching from the front row
• What it means to be the bridge generation — carrying the weight of what came before while choosing what gets passed on
• What healing looks like across generations — and why it doesn't always look the way we expect

Quotes From This Episode

"Some of what we call ambition is actually shame in a really nice outfit. "

"The shame was never about my parents. It was about a story I had absorbed that said some kinds of work were worthy of being seen — and others needed to be hidden."

"My parents didn't come to this country working their asses off so I could be ashamed of them. They came so I could stand on the stages they would never get invited to."

"We are the ones who get to decide what gets passed on — and what stops with us."

"That is what healing looks like across generations. Sometimes it looks like your kid saying the words you couldn't say to the person you became because of the people you used to hide."

Reflection Questions for You

1. What did your parents do for work that you didn't want your friends to know about — and what story did you tell instead?

2. What's a specific image of your parents working that has stayed with you, and what does it bring up for you now as an adult?

3. Where in your professional life are you still "cleaning offices" — over-performing, over-delivering, or making yourself smaller but more useful, because some part of you believes that's the price of being allowed to stay in the room?

4. What does it mean to thank your parents not for what they gave you, but for what they survived?

5. What do you want the next generation to inherit from you that your parents couldn't give you — and what do you want them to inherit from your parents that almost got lost in translation?

About Dr. Sohee Jun

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of "asian, like me…"— a podcast and community for the modern Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author, and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent years helping Asian women navigate culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links

• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event:
• https://soheejunphd.com/contact
• Explore Dr. Sohee's bestselling books: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• Explore Dr. Sohee's wellness products: www.evrten.com
• SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and don't miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights

Enjoyed This Episode?

• Share it with an Asian woman in your life who needs to hear this — or send it to your mom, if you're brave enough
• Leave a review — it helps the community grow
• Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com
• Follow "asian, like me…" on your favorite podcast platform
• This is your space to feel seen, heard, and inspired. Let's grow together.

Keywords & Tags

Asian women podcast, immigrant daughter, bridge generation, Asian female leadership, cultural shame and healing, immigrant kids grown up, generational healing, Asian American identity, Dr. Sohee Jun, asian like me podcast, children of immigrants, overachieving Asian women, imposter syndrome, inner work outer success, modern Asian woman, legacy and family, immigrant parents, generational trauma, shame and ambition, full circle moment

What happens when you were raised to stay quiet — and then find yourself in a boardroom that demands you speak up?

In this powerful follow-up conversation, Dr. Sohee Jun sits down again with Selena Yuan — one of the most downloaded guests in Asian, Like Me history — for a live Q&A that gets raw, real, and deeply practical.

Selena is a senior corporate executive and Chinese immigrant who has spent years unlearning the cultural conditioning that told her to defer, stay silent, and never challenge authority. In this episode, she shares the exact mindset shifts, communication strategies, and leadership frameworks that helped her go from invisible to unmissable — without losing herself in the process.

If you have ever held back in a meeting, swallowed feedback you should have given, or wondered how to shape the way others see you at work — this episode is for you.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How to advocate for yourself in corporate spaces as an Asian woman
• Why cultural conditioning around silence and deference shows up at work — and how to rewire it
• Practical tools for communicating clearly, confidently, and being taken seriously
• How to shape your professional brand and control the narrative others have of you
• The role of emotional intelligence in navigating change, conflict, and difficult conversations
• Why strategic thinking is a skill you can practice — and how to signal it in the room
• The power of doing it afraid, and why courage isn't the absence of fear

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

[00:00] — Welcome & why Selena Yuan is back: the most-downloaded guest of 2025

[02:55] — How Selena defines hope — and why humanity's core values matter more than ever

[06:00] — Cultural tensions at work: deference, hierarchy, and the pressure to never push back

[08:50] — Conflict avoidance as a cultural inheritance — and what it costs us

[12:20] — Real-life example: teaching kids (and ourselves) to walk toward hard conversations

[15:28] — How to give feedback in corporate environments when you've been taught to stay quiet

[22:00] — Shaping perceptions: what people say about you when you're not in the room

[28:00] — How to ask smart questions that signal leadership and strategic thinking[34:25] — The language of strategy: how to infuse the right words to build your brand

[36:57] — Emotional intelligence unpacked: self-awareness, situational reading, and change

[43:59] — Selena's personal evolution with change — and why she now leads it

[50:26] — Learning to swim at 48: what fear, one small step, and doing it afraid taught her

[57:28] — What it means to be a modern Asian woman in 2026

Quotes From This Episode

"It's not about not being afraid. It's about being afraid — and trying anyway."

"We were taught obedience is a virtue. Unlearning that takes awareness, then practice, then time."

"Every moment is a chance to shape how you want to be seen."

"We have to do the inner work for outer success."

Reflection Questions for You

• What cultural tensions are holding you back at work — and in life?
• What mindset shift are you ready to make to navigate difficult challenges more skillfully?
• What inner work do you need to do for the outer success you want?
• What is your relationship to change — and is it working for you?

About Selena Yuan

Selena Yuan is a senior corporate executive, Chinese immigrant, and sought-after voice on leadership, communication, and organizational change. Her authenticity, real-world examples, and no-nonsense wisdom made her the most-downloaded guest on Asian, Like Me in 2025. This is her second conversation with Dr. Sohee Jun — and it goes even deeper.

About Dr. Sohee Jun

Dr. Sohee Jun is the founder of “asian, like me…” — a podcast and community for the modern Asian woman redefining what it means to thrive. A Korean immigrant, executive coach, author, and entrepreneur, Sohee has spent years helping Asian women navigate culture, career, and identity. She is also the founder of EVRten, a wellness brand for women who are ever curious and growth focused.

Resources & Links

• Listen to Selena’s previous episode on asian, like me…: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhoSo5exVPw
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore 1:1 coaching: www.soheejunphd.com
• Connect with Dr. Sohee to explore speaking at your company or event: https://soheejunphd.com/contact
• Explore Dr. Sohee’s bestselling books: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• Explore Dr. Sohee’s whole wellness products: www.evrten.com
• SUBSCRIBE to the podcast here and don’t miss a drop: https://soheejunphd.com/insights

Enjoyed This Episode?

• Share it with an Asian woman in your life who needs to hear this
• Leave a review — it helps the community grow
• Subscribe to Dr. Sohee Jun's newsletter at www.soheejunphd.com
• Follow “asian, like me…” on your favorite podcast platform

This is your space to feel seen, heard, and inspired. Let's grow together.

Keywords & Tags

Asian women in corporate America, Asian female leadership, workplace advocacy, being heard at work, professional Asian women podcast, cultural identity and career, emotional intelligence for leaders, strategic communication, conflict avoidance Asian culture, executive presence women of color, modern Asian woman, Dr. Sohee Jun, Selena Yuan, “asian, like me…” podcast, immigrant women leadership, corporate visibility, personal brand at work, change agility, doing it afraid, inner work outer success

Are you running today’s life with yesterday's operating system?

In this episode, we’re diving deep into a question that every high-performing professional eventually hits: “What does success look like in this season of my life?”

Often, we find ourselves "mired" in the busy—doing too much, saying yes to everything, and operating out of "conditioned actions" that no longer serve us. For many of us in the Asian community, the drive to achieve can lead us to ignore the shifting seasons of our lives until we are burnt out or misaligned.

Dr. Sohee Jun shares the "radical realignment" framework—a 5-question seasonal audit designed to help you stop using last year’s strategy for this year’s success. Whether you are navigating a "liminal" season in your career, a shift in your family life, or a pivot in your work mission or all of the above, this episode is your permission slip to get radically curious about what this season actually needs from you and to radically drop the rest.

• The Liminal Season: Understanding the space between who you were and who you are becoming.
• Conditioned vs. Conscious Action: How to identify the "shoulds" we’ve inherited and replace them with intentional priorities.
• The Courage to Say No: Why saying "no" more than you’re comfortable with is the secret to protecting your "precious time and energy."
• The 5-Question Framework: A step-by-step audit to gain clarity and build a go-to playbook for your current season.

1. What season of life am I in right now?
2. What are my top 3 values serving as the foundation for this season?
3. How do my priorities need to shift to align with those values?
4. What are my daily actions that support these evolved priorities?
5. What will I take off my list to (radically) focus my time and energy?

Take a moment to "flow journal" these questions. Don't rush the answers. As we discuss in the episode, being patient with the emergence of clarity is where the real work begins.

• Download the Values Worksheet here: https://soheejunphd.com/books
• Order Dr. Sohee's wellness proten bars: www.evrten.com
• Read the Book: Mommytracked: How to Take Authentic Risks and Find Success On Your Terms
• Work with Me: Interested in 1:1 deep coaching to gain seasonal clarity? https://soheejunphd.com/contact

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to asian, like me.. and leave us a review.

Share this episode with a woman in your life who is ready to redefine success on her own terms.

In a world that often views being "the only" as a barrier, we are flipping the script. What if the very thing that makes you an outlier is actually your greatest source of leverage?

In this conversation of “asian, like me...,” I sit down with Angela Chee, author of The Power of the Only, keynote speaker, and a trailblazer who has spent her career navigating spaces where she was often the first and only. Together, we explore how modern Asian women—bold leaders, changemakers, and dreamers—can stop trying to "fit in" and start owning success on their own terms.

This isn't just a conversation about representation; it’s about the Perimeter of Power and the unique vantage point you hold when you are at the edges of the traditional narrative, and how that position allows you to spark transformation in the spaces you navigate.

Inside the Conversation:

1. The Myth of the "Overlooked": Why the narratives of Asian women in leadership have been misrepresented for too long and how to reclaim your story.
2. Strategic Resilience: Moving beyond "bouncing back" to using your challenges as fuel for unfiltered ambition.
3. The Unfair Advantage: How being "the only" provides a unique perspective that can transform industries and workplaces when you reclaim it.
4. Authenticity as Currency: Building meaningful connections by showing up as your full, bold self rather than a curated version.
5. Creating the Ripple Effect: Why owning your power isn't a solo act—it’s a call to action to amplify others and open doors that were previously closed.

Resources & Links

Connect with Angela Chee: Find her book, The Power of the Only, and her latest work at: AngelaChee.com.

Connect with Dr. Sohee: www.soheejunphd.com

Purchase Dr. Sohee's whole wellness products: www.evrten.com

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to engage with our thriving community of Asian women leaders.