Boldly Ambitious

Quit the job, start the business, move cities… everyone makes taking risks sound SO glamorous. Until you’re the one making difficult decisions with no safety net to fall back on.

This week we discuss how to take calculated risks when you’re building from scratch.

We talked about:

👉 Why the safe option is so hard to walk away from, even when you know you want more

👉 Why choosing yourself can feel selfish when you’re first gen

👉 How to tell a calculated risk from a chaotic one

👉 Why having a plan B doesn’t make you any less ambitious

👉 How to de-risk the leap

+ more!

Save this one for the next time you’re scared of making a difficult decision 💛

Timestamps 🎧

00:00 Intro

01:19 Why The Safe Option Is So Hard To Walk Away From

03:43 When Choosing Yourself Feels Selfish

05:38 Why Taking A Risk Can Feel Like Self Abandonment

06:51 Taking A Year Out Of Medicine

09:12 What Medicine Teaches You About Big Decisions

10:23 Calculated Risk Vs Chaotic Risk

12:17 Test The Idea Before You Leap

14:49 Why A Plan B Doesn't Make You Less Ambitious

16:56 When You Can't Afford To Get It Wrong

19:03 Building The Safety Net You Weren't Given

20:36 How To De-Risk The Leap

22:35 Trial Run The Risk First

26:13 What The Risk Will Cost You, And What It Won't

28:10 The Risks We're Glad We Took, And The One We'd Skip

32:03 Dear Ambitious Girlies

Check out FIGS here:https://www.wearfigs.com

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties!

✨Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Share this with the friend who's been "about to quit" for a year now

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review, it helps more ambitious women find this space

🩷 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow @boldlyambitiouspod

See you next week, byeeeee!!

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Be honest, how many times have you opened with “sorry”, “just” or “I might be wrong”… in a room you worked SO hard to get into? Becasue same.

This week we’re joined by Dr Pretty Basra, award-winning optometrist, TEDx speaker and mindset coach, and she breaks down exactly what’s going on in your body when that happens, and what to do instead.

We talked about:

👉 Why capable women freeze, fight, fly or fawn in rooms that intimidate them

👉 Why being liked can feel safer than being respected

👉 What to do in the 30 seconds before you speak

👉 The shrinking phrases that make you sound less sure than you are

👉 How to advocate for yourself when you're asking for money or pushing back

+ more!

Save this one for the next time a room makes you feel small 💛

Timestamps 🎧

00:00 Intro

01:54 Failing Her A Levels

05:02 The Tutor Who Changed Everything

07:43 Fight, Flight, Freeze And Fawn

12:43 Mind Traps, And How To Name Your Brain

14:31 The Power Of The Pause

15:25 Shrinking Phrases That Make You Small

18:36 Phrase Swaps That Sound More Affirmative

21:26 Recording Yourself, And Losing The Filler Words

28:49 What Emotional Intelligence Actually Looks Like

32:36 Reading The Room, Body Language And Mirroring

40:19 How To Advocate For Yourself

48:40 Dear Ambitious Girlies

Connect with Pretty

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drprettybasra/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drprettybasra

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-pretty-basra-ab017976

Website: https://www.drprettybasra.com

Check out FIGS here:

https://www.wearfigs.com

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties! ✨

Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Share this with the friend who apologises before she asks for anything

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review, it helps more ambitious women find this space

🩷 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow @boldlyambitiouspod

See you next week, byeeeee!!

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It’s Q4, and there’s a gap between who you said you’d become this year and where you actually are. So let’s talk about how to close that gap before 2026 is over, and what locking in actually looks like when you strip away the aesthetic.

We get into:

👉 How to reset without it turning into self-shame

👉 Why the real glow-up can be boring, but is very important

👉 The difference between discipline and consistency

👉 How to spot productive procrastination, and why you just need to start

+ more!

If you want to finally get your life together and step into your disciplined era, this one’s for you!

Timestamps 🎧

00:00 Intro

01:17 The Pressure Of Reaching Q4 And Not Being Where You Thought

02:23 Resetting Without The Self Shame

03:02 What Becoming THAT Girl Actually Means

05:05 Why The Real Glow Up Is Boring

05:41 Discipline Versus Consistency

10:04 Why Ambitious Women Keep Falling Off

12:18 Plan For Your Lazy Self, Not Your Ideal Self

17:42 Contextualising Discipline For Your Real Life

18:37 The Systems To Lock In Before The Year Ends

23:53 Plan For Discipline And Schedule It In

29:47 Dear Ambitious Girlies

Check out FIGS here:

https://www.wearfigs.com

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties! ✨

Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Share this with the friend who keeps saying she'll start on Monday

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review, it helps more ambitious women find this space

🩷 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow @boldlyambitiouspod

See you next week, byeeeee!!

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You can look completely put together on paper and still feel exhausted underneath it.

That's the reality for a lot of first-gen and diaspora women: succeeding, adapting, code-switching and holding multiple worlds at once, without ever quite feeling like you can drop the performance.

Today we sit down with Roje Khalique, a Consultant Psychotherapist, founder of rkTherapy and a two-time Amazon bestselling author, who pivoted from a career in finance into psychology to help professionals from the diaspora navigate workplace pressure, cultural expectations and identity.

We talked about:

👉 Why so many high-achieving diaspora professionals feel like they're constantly performing

👉 How to tell if you're actually growing into a new environment, or just surviving it

👉 Working out what you really want when your ambition was shaped by family sacrifice

👉 What to say to the girl who feels guilty wanting a different life to the one her family imagined

👉 How to build self-worth that isn't dependent on achievement or being the one who copes

+ more!

If you've ever felt like you're holding two worlds at once and can't fully be yourself in either, this episode is for you.

Timestamps

🎧00:00 Meet Roje Khalique

01:42 Successful On Paper, Exhausted Underneath

05:06 Being The First With No One Ahead Of You

06:35 What Diaspora Actually Means

07:40 Code Switching, And Why It Isn't A Weakness

13:34 Why Ambitious Women Get Told They're Too Much

23:20 When Your Ambition Was Built On Survival

27:33 Putting Yourself First Without Losing Yourself

35:12 When Self Worth Is Tied To Achievement

47:54 Bicultural Burnout Explained

Connect with Roje

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rk_psyconsultancy/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roje-k-741468136/rk

Therapy: https://www.rktherapy.co.uk/

Check out FIGS here:https://www.wearfigs.com

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties!

✨Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Share this with your group chat, your bestie, or the girl who's also trying to figure it out

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review, it helps more ambitious women find this space

🩷 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow @boldlyambitiouspod

See you next week, byeeeee!!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone wants the internship, but not everyone knows how to actually find it.

So today's guest tells you exactly what to do and how to turn it into the career you want!

We sit down with Zainab Shire, who started as an intern at the Mayor of London's Office and is now their Content Creator and Communications Officer. She's also interned at Target Malaria, the global health research organisation backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, spoken at the Global Peace Summit in Bangkok, and contributes to Girls Who Talk Politics, all in her early twenties.

We talked about:

👉 Where to actually find opportunities before everyone else hears about them

👉 Using LinkedIn as an opportunity feed, not just a profile

👉 What makes an application stand out when it's competitive

👉 Where first-gen women lose marks without realising it, and how to fix it

👉 What she actually did to turn an internship into a job offer

👉 How to choose opportunities that build a clear story, not just ones that sound impressive

+ more!

If you want more experience, more exposure and more opportunities, but you don't always know where to look or how to make yourself stand out, this episode is for you.

Timestamps 🎧

00:00 Intro

01:26 How She Got Into The Mayor's Office

08:40 Where To Actually Find Opportunities

15:10 Using LinkedIn As An Opportunity Feed

21:35 What Makes An Application Stand Out

28:50 Where First-Gen Women Lose Marks

35:20 Turning An Internship Into A Job Offer

41:45 Choosing Opportunities That Build A Story

47:30 Dear Ambitious Girlies

Connect with Zainab

Instagram: @zainabshire_

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainab-shire/

Check out FIGS here:

https://www.wearfigs.com

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties! ✨

Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Share this with the friend who's been sending out generic applications and wondering why nothing's landing

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review, it helps more ambitious women find this space

🩷 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow @boldlyambitiouspod

See you next week, byeeeee!!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do you know exactly what you should be doing, and still not do it?

A question that I think more ambitious women need to sit with, because the gap between knowing and doing is where most of us get stuck, and it has nothing to do with willpower.

In today's episode we sit down with Giulia Remondino, founder and CEO of inGeniusly, a TEDx speaker, author and cognitive performance expert who has trained thousands of people across six countries, to break down the actual neuroscience of self-discipline and how to rewire your brain to become the person you want to be.

In today's episode, we sit down with Giulia Remondino, founder and CEO of inGeniusly, a TEDx speaker, author and brain coach who specialises in the neuroscience of self-discipline.

We talked about:

👉 Why being the first in your family to do something makes it so much harder

👉 Why your brain won't commit to a choice until it feels safe

👉 The real difference between motivation and self-discipline

👉 Why there’s a big gap between knowing and doing

👉 How to build a bank of positive references so self-doubt has nothing to stand on

👉 Why an internal locus of control changes everything about how far you get

+ more

If you know exactly what you should be doing but can't seem to actually do it, then this episode is for you.

Timestamps 🎧

00:00 Intro

01:31 Self-Perception & Ceilings

19:00 The Knowing-Doing Gap

36:49 Motivation vs Self-Discipline

46:23 Dear Ambitious Girlies

Connect with Giulia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giuliaremondino

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulia-selene-remondino-1a5849119/

inGeniusly: https://www.instagram.com/ingeniuslyuk

Book: Genius by Choice

Check out FIGS here:

https://www.wearfigs.com

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties! ✨

Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Share this episode with someone building something from scratch

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review, it helps more ambitious women find this space

🩷 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow @boldlyambitiouspod

See you next week, byeeeee!!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How comfortable are you with disappointing people?

A question that I think more ambitious woman needs to sit with, because every meaningful YES to your own priorities will at times require a no to somebody else’s expectations.

In today’s episode we sit down with Elsie Ofulue, an award-winning senior executive, a founder, author, public speaker and mother of four, to break down how to become an ambitious woman that stop’s people pleasing and learnt to put better boundaries in place.

We talked about:

👉 How to work out what your yes is saying no to

👉 Why first generation women say yes out of scarcity, and what it costs them

👉 The role that consistency plays when it comes to boundaries

👉 Whether the word “selfish” is interchangeable with being intentional

+ more

If you are always the reliable one, the one who never says no, and constantly priorities the needs of others of your own, then this episode is for you.

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This episode is for the ambitious woman who’s working hard, doing everything “right”, but still feels like she’s being overlooked, underpaid, or passed over for opportunities.

This week on Boldly Ambitious, we’re joined by Tasneem Bhamji, senior executive in financial services and host of Office Real Talk, where she breaks down the unwritten rules of corporate life that so many of us were never taught.

From being raised on free school meals to spending over a decade inside some of the UK’s biggest banks, Tas has managed thousands of people and led large-scale transformation programmes, giving her a front-row seat to how decisions around pay, promotions and progression are actually made.

In this episode, we’re unpacking:

👉 Why working hard alone isn’t enough to get promoted

👉 How to advocate for yourself, negotiate and get paid properly

👉 How being first-gen can shape the way you navigate corporate spaces

👉 How to stop trying to fit in and start owning your space

👉 And so much more!

Whether you’re starting your first corporate job, trying to get promoted, negotiating your salary, or figuring out how to navigate a workplace that wasn’t designed with you in mind, this conversation will give you the tools and language to be more intentional about your career.

Timestamps 🎧

00:00 – Intro

01:40 – Why Working Hard Isn’t Enough

14:30 – How To Get Paid Properly

37:50 – Owning Your Space as a First Gen Woman

01:05:10 – Dear Ambitious Girlies

Connect with Tasneem:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasneem-bhamji-a1056390/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officerealtalk/

Check out FIGS here:

https://www.wearfigs.com 

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties! ✨

Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/                                                                                                                                     

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/ 

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/ 

💌 Share this episode with someone building something from scratch

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review, it helps more ambitious women find this space

🩷 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow @boldlyambitiouspod 

See you next week, byeeee 💋

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is for the ambitious woman who's tired of overthinking, waiting for permission, and letting fear make her decisions.

This week on Boldly Ambitious, we're joined by Dr. Aghogho Okpara, medical doctor, Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, founder of Achieve with Aghogho, and content creator.

After being rejected from medical school five times over six years, Aghogho completely transformed the way she approached failure, opportunity, and taking action. Those mindset shifts have since led her to work with Apple, YouTube, Philips, the Nobel Prize, and to become one of the most inspiring voices helping students and ambitious women reach their potential.

In this episode, we're unpacking the 3 mindset shifts that changed everything.

We get into:

👉 Why mindset can completely change your life

👉 How to stop seeing failure as the end 

👉 Why taking imperfect action will always beat endless planning

👉 How to build the mindset that creates opportunities

👉 And so much more!

Whether you're building a business, studying for your dream career, or simply trying to become the woman you know you're capable of becoming, this conversation will leave you thinking differently.

Timestamps 🎧 

00:00 – Intro 

01:45 – Defining Mindset

12:20 – Mindset Shift 1 

24:40 – Mindset Shift 2

31:20 – Mindset Shift 3                                                                     

48:05 – Dear Ambitious Girlies    

Connect with Dr Aghogho: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsaghogho/ 

Website: https://www.achievewithaghogho.com/                                                                                                                                  

Check out FIGS here: https://www.wearfigs.com  

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties! ✨                                                                   

Connect with Myriad Studios: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/                                                                                                                                     

Connect with us: 

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter to hear more of our thoughts https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts:  https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Loved this episode? Send it to the ambitious woman who needs this reminder today.

⭐ If this inspired you, follow, rate, and leave us a 5-star review, it helps more women find our community.

🩷 For mindset shifts, BTS, and weekly motivation, follow us @boldlyambitiouspod.

See you next week, byeeee 💋

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is for every ambitious woman who's so busy building her dream life that she's forgotten to prioritise her health. 🤍

This week on Boldly Ambitious, we're joined by Dr Tosin Shotubo-Ajayi, NHS and private GP, medical advisor, TV doctor and passionate advocate for women's health.

Together, we unpack the health advice every ambitious woman deserves to hear, from the symptoms we shouldn't ignore to the myths we've been sold about what being "healthy" actually looks like.

Because 👏🏽 success 👏🏽 doesn’t have to 👏🏽 come at 👏🏽 the expense of your wellbeing!

Inside this week's episode, we get into:

✨ The biggest lies women have been told about their health

✨ Why painful periods and constant exhaustion shouldn't be ignored

✨ How to work with your menstrual cycle instead of fighting it

✨ The reality of burnout and the early warning signs to look out for

✨ The health foundations every ambitious woman should build in her 20s

✨ & more

Timestamps 🎧

00:00 – Intro

01:20 – Health Lies We’re Sold

17:50 – Working with your Cycle

34:30 – The Long Game

44:35 – Dear Ambitious Girlies

Disclaimer: Please note that the information shared in this video is not medical advice. If you have any concerns, please speak to a medical professional. 

Connect with Dr Tosin:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtosinofficial/?hl=en

Website: https://www.drtosin.com/

Check out BetterHelp:

Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/boldly!

Check out FIGS here:

https://www.wearfigs.com

Remember to use code FIGSXBA for 15% off your first order besties! ✨

Connect with Myriad Studios:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myriadstudiosldn/                                  

Connect with us:

✍️ Sign up to our newsletter for weekly thoughts → https://boldlyambitious.substack.com/

📸 Stay connected with the hosts → https://www.instagram.com/lydieandhazal/

💌 Share this with the ambitious woman who's been feeling like no one quite understands the life she's building.

⭐ If this resonated, follow, rate, and leave a 5-star review — it helps more ambitious women find this space. 🩷

📱 For BTS, mindset shifts, and weekly motivation, follow us @boldlyambitiouspod.

See you next week, byeeee 💋

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices