Hi everyone, I felt like it was important to publish this summer break announcement so that you didn't think this show was over.

Till then, thank you for your support and hope you get some time to recharge as well!

If you're a woman+ in tech, a neurodivergent leader, or a founder navigating a system that wasn't built for you — this episode is for you.

Host Angela sits down with April Hicke — Founder and CEO of Toast, a talent partner dedicated to increasing gender diversity in tech. Since founding Toast, April and her team have put over $10 million in salaries into the hands ofwomen — all while building a 7-figure company that sits within the 1.9% of women-founded businesses to ever reach that milestone.

April shares what it looks like to lead as a neurodivergent woman from an unstable childhood, how a megaphone and a counter in a chaotic airport became her definingleadership origin story, and why the question she asks herself in every hard moment isn't "whose fault is this" — but "what is my responsibility here."

You'll learn:

• The 60% satisfaction rule that freed April from people-pleasing as a leader
• How rest became her most strategic business tool after burning out in year one
• Why psychological safety isn't a buzzword — it's what actually unlocks high-performing teams
• How "fault vs. responsibility" applies to every kind of leadership baggage
• What the data says about gender diversity in tech — and why the mission at Toast is more urgent than ever

If you're searching for gender diversity leadership, ADHD founder stories, or how to build psychological safety in your team — start here.

Because leadership isn't about having a perfect origin story. It's about taking responsibility for the one you have — and building something meaningful out of it.

Music intro credit: ⁠https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/⁠

Connect with April:

• LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilhicke/⁠
• Toast:⁠https://www.trytoast.ca/⁠

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

#LeadershipPodcast #WomenInTech #GenderDiversity #NeurodivergentLeadership #SelfLeadership#FounderLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety

If you're a woman+ in tech, a neurodivergentleader, or a founder navigating a system that wasn't built for you — this episode is for you.

Host Angela sits down with April Hicke — Founder and CEO of Toast, a talent partner dedicated to increasing gender diversity in tech. Since founding Toast, April and her team have put over $10 million in salaries into the hands ofwomen — all while building a 7-figure company that sits within the 1.9% of women-founded businesses to ever reach that milestone.

April shares what it looks like to lead as a neurodivergent woman from an unstable childhood, how a megaphone and a counter in a chaotic airport became her definingleadership origin story, and why the question she asks herself in every hard moment isn't "whose fault is this" — but "what is my responsibility here."

You'll learn:

• The 60% satisfaction rule that freed April from people-pleasing as a leader
• How rest became her most strategic business tool after burning out in year one
• Why psychological safety isn't a buzzword — it's what actually unlocks high-performing teams
• How "fault vs. responsibility" applies to every kind of leadership baggage
• What the data says about gender diversity in tech — and why the mission at Toast is more urgent than ever

If you're searching for gender diversity leadership, ADHD founder stories, or how to build psychological safety in your team — start here.

Because leadership isn't about having a perfect origin story. It's about taking responsibility for the one you have — and building something meaningful out of it.

Music intro credit: https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/

Connect with April:

• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilhicke/
• Toast:https://www.trytoast.ca/

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

#LeadershipPodcast #WomenInTech #GenderDiversity #NeurodivergentLeadership #SelfLeadership#FounderLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety

If you're a social impact leader, serial entrepreneur, or high performer who wants to lead with purpose and real-world impact, this episode is for you!

Angela Nguyen, leadership coach, consultant, and podcast host, sits down with Lourdes Juan — Co-founderand CEO of Knead Tech, award-winning Canadian entrepreneur, and urban planner who has founded six ventures across food security, hospitality, climate tech, and social enterprise. Since 2022, Knead Tech has facilitated the rescue of over 2 million pounds of surplus food and 1.67 million meals — equivalent toremoving 56 cars from the road each year and saving water equal to 200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. All with a team of eight.

Lourdes shares how she leads through uncertainty without having all the answers, how she navigated thebrutal reality that only 2% of venture capital goes to women, and how a stack of parking tickets in her twenties was the wake-up call that changed how she leads.

You'll learn:

• Why collaboration — not going it alone — is Lourdes's defining leadership strength

• How to separate your identity from your company's hardest seasons

• Why systems thinking is one of the most essential leadership skills for 2026 and beyond

• How writing down your priorities (not willpower) is the real boundary-setting tool

• "No is a full sentence."

If you're searching for systems thinking in leadership, food insecurity solutions, or social impactentrepreneurship — start here.

Connect with the Guest

▪️LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lourdesmercedesjuan/  

▪️Website:https://lourdesjuan.com/  

Music intro credit:https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/

#LeadershipPodcast #SocialImpact #SystemsThinking #WomenInLeadership #SelfLeadership#SocialEntrepreneur #LeadershipDevelopment

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

What if the version of "success" you've been chasing is quietly keeping you from accepting yourself? In this episode, Angela sits down with Lisa Tong — ex-corporate strategist, engineer-turned-entrepreneur, Ironman finisher, and author of Hello Me — to unpack how high-achieving leaders can build genuine self-acceptance and stop defining themselves by achievement.
You'll hear why "should," "could," and "would" are judgment verbs sabotaging your self-acceptance, how to use a simplecircuit-breaker tool to tell the difference between your ego and your intuition, and how to time-box a judgment-free space so your heart finally gets a voice. Lisa also shares her "screw the plan" approach to highest-excitement productivity and the masculine-vs-feminine energy reframe behind finishing an Ironman.
If you're a high-achieving leader, founder, or coach who's quietly outgrown the version of success you were handed — this conversation may be the permission slip you didn't know you needed.

Want to stay connected with our guest?▪️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-tong/

▪️Website: www.thisprojectcalledme.com 

▪️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechinesesouplady/

▪️Music intro credit: https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

In the human + AI era, the leadership skills that matter most are still deeply human.

In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast, host Angela Nguyen — leadership coach and consultant— sits down with Rashi Kakkar, Global Portfolio Leader, Leadership & Development at McKinsey & Company, and author ofthe Decks and Diapers newsletter.

From values-driven leadership to navigating gray areas, energy management, and the sponsorship gapholding women back, this is a grounded, practical conversation about leading yourself — and others — when the path isn't clear.

You'll learn:

• How to navigate a micromanaging boss
• A future-forward way to ask for more helpful feedback
• How your values can be the "source code" that can driveeffective decision making when the path is unclear
• How to manage energy, not time
• The benefits of having a Personal Board of Advisors
• Why human skills are the real edge in the AI era
• Why women need more sponsors and not just mentors

If you're searching for a leadership podcast on values-driven leadership, future of work skills, or leading well in the human + AI era — start here.

Because leadership isn't about having a clear map. It's about leading yourself and others when the path isn't clear.

*Disclaimer* all views expressed are Rashi's alone and do not reflect the views of any organization she might be associated with.

Connect with the Guest

All links / podcasts: https://linktr.ee/RASHI.KAKKAR?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Newsletter: https://decksanddiapers.substack.com 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rashikakkar

X: https://x.com/rashi_kakkar 

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@rashi_kakkar8 

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/rashikakkar.bsky.social

Music intro credit:https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

#ValuesDrivenLeadership #HumanAndAIEra #FutureOfWork #LeadershipPodcast #SelfLeadership #LeadershipSkills #WomenInLeadership #McKinseyLeadership

⚠️ Content warning: This clip includes opendiscussion of pregnancy loss, grief, and themes of hopelessness. If you're struggling, please reach out — you are not alone. 🇺🇸 Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) | 🇨🇦 Call 1-833-456-4566 (Crisis Services Canada). If this type of content triggers you and you are in another country, please look up your local support line before watching.

What happens when a leader falls below rock bottom — to a place where even hope disappears?

In this episode of The Leader Within, Angela Nguyen sits down with Hamza Khan — bestselling author of The Burnout Gamble and Leadership Reinvented, award-winning entrepreneur, and co-founder of Skills Camp and Saige — for one of the most honest leadership conversations in the show's history.

Released during Mental Health Awareness Month, this conversation goes beyond burnout as a buzzword and into what it actually looks like to live it, survive it, and lead through it. Hamza opens up about navigating back-to-back pregnancy losses, going to what he describes as "a place below rock bottom where the idea of hope doesn't even exist," and the intentional inner work — therapy, journaling, executive coaching — that helped him heal and lead again. Through grief and healing, he and his wife Bailey co-created a shared north star that ultimately led them to twins.

If you're leading a team, running a company, or quietly holding everything together while feeling overwhelmed — this episode is for you, and you are not alone.

You'll walk away with:

• The leadership philosophy of making yourself obsolete — and why it makes you indispensable
• The 13th stage of burnout — beyond rock bottom, and how Hamza found his way through
• Why AI is the 5th generation of the workforce and how to partner with it rather than fear it
• The compassion distinction — why empathy alone is not enough to truly lead people
• The eulogy exercise to reconnect with your north star as a leader
• "If you don't pick the time to relax, your body will pick it for you" — from The Burnout Gamble

Connect with Hamza Khan:Website: https://hamzakhan.caLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/khanhamzaInstagram: https://instagram.com/hamzakSkills Camp: https://skillscamp.coPodcast: https://hamzakhan.ca/podcast

Music intro credit: https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/
🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this solo episode of The Leader Within Podcast is for every high-performer with ADHD whose mind never slows down. Host Angela Nguyen — leadership coach, consultant, and podcast host — shares the real internal voice she hears before big rooms, stretch projects, and career decisions, and what she's learning about leading through the noise instead of fighting it.

From rest and recovery to imposter syndrome and building a sustainable portfolio career, this is a grounded, honest look at self-leadership, emotional intelligence, and mental health for the neurodivergent professional.

You'll learn:• How ADHD shapes high performance, energy, and recovery• Why "laziness" is a signal — not a failure• A practical Pause, Clarify, Choose framework to navigate self-doubt in real time• A grounding visualization for when the spiral starts• The Clarity, Visibility, Relationships formula for career growth

If you're searching for a leadership podcast for high performers, an honest conversation on ADHD and leadership, or a Mental Health Awareness Month listen that actually respects your intelligence — start here.

Because leadership isn't about having a quiet mind. It's about learning to lead through the noise.

Mental health matters. If you're navigating well-being concerns, please lean into the professional supports available to you.

Music intro credit: https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

#MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #ADHDLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #SelfLeadership #ImposterSyndrome #NeurodivergentLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #CareerGrowth #WomenInLeadership #HighPerformer

What if you treated your career like a quarterback leads a team?

In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast, leadership coach Angela Nguyen sits down with NadineNiba, an award-winning Chartered Professional Accountant and Enterprise Risk Management Leader,  speaker and author of ‘Quarterback: An Immigrant’s Guide to Corporate North America.’

Nadine shares how a Quarterback mindset has helped her create her career success. She also reflects on how her immigrant journey from Cameroon to Canada shapedher resilience, work ethic, and leadership philosophy.

From navigating career transitions to aligning your personal vision with workplace environments,Nadine reveals how leaders can build resilience, clarity, and influence—no matter where they are in their journey.

Takeaways

• Trust is the foundation of career advancement and influence.
• Networking and advocacy are crucial for overcoming experience barriers.
• A clear personal vision guides strategic career decisions.
• Leadership is about influence and adding value, not titles.
• Balancing empathy and accountability are key to leadershipeffectiveness.
• Leading with a mindset of building a career vs. job mindset can help you future proof yourself

Want to stay connected to our guest and the great work that they are doing? Check out the links below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mankanadine/

Website: www.nadineniba.com

Book: https://a.co/d/i3Em5uS

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

Music intro credit: https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/⁠ 

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button!

#Leadership #SelfLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence  #CareerGrowth

How do you lead difficult conversations effectively without avoiding tension, over explaining, or trying to control someone else’s reaction?

In this solo episode of The Leader Within Podcast, I share 3 practical shifts that have helped me navigate hard conversations more effectively in leadership, relationships, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:

• creating psychological safety
• focusing on what is within your control
• building self-regulation and healthy feedback loops

This episode is a reminder that psychological safety is not the absence of discomfort. It is about creating enough safety for honesty, feedback, and growth. When people feel safer, they are more likely to stay engaged, listen openly, and workthrough tension instead of shutting down.

Whether you are leading a team, giving feedback, or navigating an uncomfortable conversation in your personal life, this episode offers practical tools to help you communicate with more clarity, steadiness, and emotional intelligence.

If you want to grow as a leader without losing your humanity, this episode is for you.

🔔 Ready to empower the leader within? Click that ➕ button.

Music intro credit:https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-uplifting-2463/⁠ 

#TheLeaderWithin #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipPodcast #SelfLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #PersonalGrowth #GrowthMindset #CareerDevelopment #FutureOfWork #WomenInLeadership