Sharon Singh Sidhu

In this episode, I share a recent decision that made me feel physically uncomfortable — investing in a mastermind for my business.

As a working mom and primary provider, decisions about money are never just about the money. They come with responsibility, trade-offs, and doubt.

But this decision brought up something deeper.

Not just whether it would work — but whether I was willing to take a chance on myself again, especially after past attempts didn’t always go the way I expected.

In this episode, I talk about:

• why fear doesn’t always mean you’re making the wrong decision
• what it really means to believe in yourself again without much proof
• how building a business alongside a job creates options
• the role of self-awareness in making better decisions

This episode is for women who are building something beyond their job, while managing the responsibilities of work and family.

Resources

• CLICK HERE to sign up to get the notes and updated when new episodes are out. 

Most women don’t design their careers.

They default into them.

Climb the ladder. Stay for stability. Do what’s expected.

And then one day, it stops working.

In this episode, I share why I chose to build a business while keeping my job — even though it’s harder.

Not because it’s ideal.

But because the alternatives were unacceptable to me.

I talk about:

• why “stability” isn’t always safe
• what keeps you going when motivation runs out
• and a simpler way to think about designing a career that actually supports your life 

This is part of my weekly Career Design Notes where I share how I’m thinking about career, money, and building something on the side as a working mom.

Subscribe to get the full notes here: https://sharonsinghsidhu.com

In this episode, I break down what I mean by financial resilience - moving from fear, panic, and anxiety around money to feeling calm, clearheaded, confident, and empowered even before you've achieved your financial goals. 

I share why the first step to financial resilience is awareness. On the practical side, this means getting organized and knowing where your money is coming and going. More importantly, and less discussed, on the psychological side, observing your money behaviors and the patterns behind them. 

I introduce the idea of “money disorders” (avoidance, worship, and relational issues) and how early experiences and financial flashpoints can shape how you react to money. 

I share the power of pausing to self-soothe, including simple techniques like breathing, mindful practices, movement, and more empowering self-talk to help you get better at overcoming money challenges and make a simple, doable plan instead of reacting from anxiety and fear.

If you've tried all the money tactics like saving, budgeting, investing, planning and still anxious about money, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned

• Follow me on LinkedIn for regular posts about building financial resilience
• Sign up to my newsletter to get updated when new podcasts are available

I’m back after taking a break to reflect on where I want to take the podcast and I’m recommitting to a core theme I don’t see discussed enough in personal finance: financial resilience—the internal ability to stay calm and make clear decisions when money situations change. 

With rising costs and uncertainty around jobs and business, I want to help you find more financial certainty by building resilience from the inside, not just focusing on tactics like budgeting or investing. 

I share my story of starting a cafe that closed after four years and left us with six-figure debt, returning to my HR career, and becoming my family’s primary provider. 

Drawing on decades in HR and my own fear and money avoidance, I explain why uncertainty is unavoidable and preview next episode’s first steps to build resilience.

Resources Mentioned

• Connect with me on LinkedIn.
• Get updated when new episodes are released.

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what 2025 actually looked like while building a business on lunch breaks and weekend mornings while working full-time, providing for my family, and caring for aging parents.

No highlight reel. No guru 'expert' advice. Just the real lessons from the trenches.

What You'll Learn:

• The Reality Check: What I planned for 2025 vs. what actually happened
• The 5 Unglamorous Lessons:

1. It Takes WAY Longer Than You Think
2. Visibility Is Practice, Not Personality
3. You Have to Become a Different Person
4. Building While Employed Is the Smarter Path
5. Small Wins Matter MORE Than Big Wins

• What I'm Taking Into 2026

This Episode Is For You If:

• You didn't hit your 2025 goals and feel discouraged
• You're building a business on the side while working full-time
• You're scared of being visible on LinkedIn (what if your boss sees?)
• You're overwhelmed by how long it's taking to see results
• You need permission to celebrate small wins instead of fixating on the gap
• You're a sandwiched mom providing for family while building something of your own

Resources:

• Business Clarity Session (1-on-1): In 60 minutes, we'll identify your monetizable expertise, map your first income stream, design your 1-hour/day plan, and handle the fear of being visible while employed. Book here: https://sharonsinghsidhu.thrivecart.com/business-clarity-session/
• Create 2026 Workshop: Review your 2025, set your 2026 vision, and create your action plan. Includes Annual Planning Guide + 5-Step Problem-Solving Framework. Get it here: https://sharonsinghsidhu.com/create2026

Learn More:

• Website: https://sharonsinghsidhu.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonsinghsidhu/

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps other working moms find this podcast.

Recording this on the last day of 2025, I'm sharing what came up for me while facilitating my Create 2026 workshop. It's probably not what you expect from a typical year-end review episode.

Yes, we talk about goals. But more importantly, we talk about WHO you need to become to achieve them.

In this episode:

• Why building a business is harder than anyone admits (and why that's okay)
• The skills employees aren't taught that business owners need
• How to hold two opposing energies: caring deeply while staying detached
• Why your 'failures' are actually stepping stones
• The perspective shift that changed everything for me: the process IS the goal
• How to approach 2026 with joy and gratitude instead of frustration

This is for you if:

• You didn't hit your 2025 goals and you're feeling discouraged
• You're building a business on the side while working full-time
• You're tired of the hustle culture and want a more sustainable approach
• You want to become the sort of person who figures things out even when it's hard

Resources mentioned:

• Create 2026 Workshop (FREE): Review 2025, set your 2026 vision, create an action plan
• Bonuses: Annual Planning Guide + 5-Step Problem Solving Framework
• Get it here: sharonsinghsidhu.com/create2026

Connect with Sharon:

• LinkedIn: @sharonsinghsidhu
• Weekly guides: sharonsinghsidhu.com

As the year comes to a close, many of us are reflecting on our jobs, our lives, and what we want next. But when you’re a working mom building a business on the side, it’s easy to skip reviewing your own progress especially when results feel slower than expected.

In this episode, I share what my 2025 business review revealed after 20+ years of leading reviews and goal-setting in corporate roles and what I’m doing differently in 2026.

You’ll hear:

• Why your vision can stay constant even when priorities shift
• How different seasons of motherhood require different strategies
• Why avoiding your numbers is often about emotion, not discipline
• How to review your business without beating yourself up
• A simpler, more sustainable way to plan goals when time and energy are limited

This episode is especially for working moms who feel:

• Busy but unsure if they’re making real progress
• Discouraged by slow or uneven results
• Overwhelmed by 'big goals' that don’t fit real life

Mentioned in this episode:
Create 2026 (Free Live Workshop)
A guided year-end review + 2026 planning session designed for busy working moms building a business on the side.

You’ll review what worked (and didn’t) in 2025, clarify your 2026 vision, and leave with focused priorities you can actually follow through on.

Register here: sharonsinghsidhu.com/create2026

Have you ever felt deeply exhausted, discouraged, or disillusioned while working toward something that truly matters to you - your career, your business, or your long-term goals?

In this episode, I share what I’ve been personally moving through over the past few weeks, and the deeper reason many high-achieving working women feel drained even when they’re doing “all the right things.”

This episode isn’t about time management or productivity hacks.

It’s about how a lack of self-belief and self-trust quietly running in the background drains our energy, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and feeling like we want to give up.

In this episode, I share:

• Why exhaustion isn’t always about workload
• How doubt and uncertainty drain more energy than action
• Why acceptance is not giving up but a powerful reset
• How to build self-trust when progress feels slow
• What to do when even loved ones don’t believe in your dreams
• How to stay committed without burning out or rushing the process

If you’re a working woman building something meaningful alongside a full life and wondering why it feels so heavy lately, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Exhaustion often comes from doubting the outcome, not the effort
• Acceptance clears emotional resistance and restores clarity
• Self-belief is a muscle, not a personality trait
• Big goals exist to shape who you become, not just what you achieve

Resources

• Follow the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes
• CLICK HERE to download the weekly guide with key insights and actions
• CLICK HERE to book a free discovery call if you want support navigating burnout, visibility, or career uncertainty

Links are in the show notes and on https://sharonsinghsidhu.com

Most corporate women are sold the same story:

Get a good job, climb the ladder, earn more and you’ll be safe.

But what happens when restructures, mergers, pandemics, or one decision you didn’t make suddenly threaten your income, your identity, and your family’s security?

In this episode, I share the moment I realised my 9–5 job was not safety and what true financial resilience really looks like for corporate women.

Drawing from nearly 30 years in HR, including hiring, firing, restructuring, and my own story of quitting a 6-figure job, taking on 6-figure debt, going back to corporate, and then building side income as a freelance trainer, I walk you through:

• The illusions of job security we’re sold in our 20s and 30s
• Why higher salaries often make you more financially vulnerable, not less
• How layoffs, mergers, and pay cuts helped me see who really controls your income
• The hidden emotional cost of depending on a single paycheck, partner, or employer
• The mindset shift from “I need a stable job” to “I can create money on demand”
• Why your existing skills and lived experience are enough to start earning outside your job
• What “paying the price” really means and how to decide what’s worth it
• The 3 core truths that helped me stop acting from fear and start building safety from within

This isn’t an episode about quitting your job overnight. It’s about never again outsourcing your security to someone else’s decision.

If this resonated and you want support to build your own safety, visibility, and side income while staying employed:

1. Follow the show so you never miss an episode
2. CLICK HERE to book a free discovery call to explore working 1:1 with me

In this episode, I share what’s really happening inside you when you try to post on LinkedIn and suddenly freeze. This isn’t about algorithms or content hacks. It’s about your brain, your conditioning, and why visibility feels unsafe especially for high-achieving corporate women and working moms.

You’ll hear my own stories of posting 'scary' selfies on LinkedIn, being the quiet compliant girl growing up, and how my failed café and 6-figure debt eventually led me to write online, build a side income, and show up consistently on LinkedIn all while still working in HR.

If you’ve ever stared at a drafted post and then quietly deleted it, this episode will help you understand why, and what to do next.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why your brain is wired for survival, not visibility
• Why LinkedIn feels uniquely risky compared to Instagram or Facebook
• The 'spotlight effect' and why it feels like everyone is watching you
• Catastrophizing: the worst-case stories you tell yourself before you post
• Old scripts from childhood, culture, and school especially as an Asian woman
• Identity conflict: 'good employee”'vs 'visible thought leader'
• Perfectionism & all-or-nothing thinking that stops you hitting post
• 5 practical ways to work with your psychology, not against it

Links:

• Sign up for the weekly guide & episode summary: https://sharonsinghsidhu.com (Click 'Guides').
• Book a discovery call: talk about your LinkedIn fears and your next safe steps: https://sharonsinghsidhu.com (Click 'Discovery').