I’m in conversation with Hoai Scott, a Senior Vice President, people leader, and Vietnamese refugee whose story invites us to rethink what power, success, and integrity actually look like. Together, we trace her journey from surviving and striving to leading from a place of grounded wholeness—where her values, choices, and leadership style all align.

We talk about what it means to stop shape-shifting for approval, to choose yourself in rooms that weren’t built for you, and to lead in a way that honors both your ambition and your humanity. Hoai shares how she’s learned to own her story without bitterness, set boundaries without guilt, and build a career where her presence in any space is intentional and rooted in purpose.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt the pressure to overperform, be “the good one,” or carry it all alone—especially Asian women and women of color navigating corporate systems. It’s also a loving reminder that taking care of yourself is not indulgent; it’s foundational to doing the hard, meaningful work you’re called to do.

Key Themes & Takeaways

Leading with values: aligning your mindset, daily actions, and decisions

Moving away from perfectionism and people-pleasing toward purpose and integrity

Naming and unlearning the “shape-shifting” many Asian professionals experience

Building real, human relationships with supervisors and teams

Why self-care is a leadership practice, not a reward

Redefining freedom—not as “do whatever you want” but as inner permission and mindset

Powerful Moments

On Choice & Ownership

“I'm not bitter about my choices because they're mine.” – Hoai Scott

On Service, Not Selfishness

“It is not selfish. It is in service. Of giving the best.” – Sohee Jun

On Being Willing to Stand Out

“In order to make a difference, you have to be different.” – Hoai Scott

On Shame & Healing

“My belief is if you give it air, you talk about it and own it, it dissipates. The power of that shame dissipates.” – Sohee Jun

On Capacity & Hard Work

“You cannot do hard work without taking care of yourself.” – Hoai Scott

Reflection Questions

Where are you abandoning your own values in order to belong—and what would it look like to gently come back to yourself?

In which spaces do you feel pressure to “shape-shift,” and what is one small way you could show up more as you?

What choices in your career do you need to fully own, so you can move forward without regret or resentment?

How might your leadership change if you treated rest, care, and boundaries as part of your job description?

If you believed your presence in a room was intentional and necessary, how would you lead, speak, or decide differently?

Resources & Topics Mentioned

Values-based and integrity-centered leadership

Identity, refugee roots, and navigating corporate America as an Asian woman

Leadership development, executive presence, and workplace culture

Social justice, inclusion, and creating spaces of belonging at work

Mental fitness, shame resilience, and self-care for high-achieving leaders

Recommended by Hoai:

📚 The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown — on courage, shame, and embracing who you are

📚 Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine — on quieting inner saboteurs and strengthening your sage

🧊 Cold therapy and nervous system support — including science-backed insights from Huberman Lab

About the Guest

Hoai Scott is a Senior Vice President and values-driven executive who leads at the intersection of people, culture, and impact. As a Vietnamese refugee who built a successful corporate career, she brings a nuanced lens to leadership, equity, and what it means to belong. Hoai is committed to creating workplaces where people can do hard, meaningful work without losing themselves in the process—and where difference is recognized as a source of power, not a problem to fix.

#asianlikeme #ValuesBasedLeadership #PurposeDrivenWork #AuthenticLeadership #CorporateImpact #SocialJustice #InclusiveLeadership #ExecutiveWomen #WomenInHR