Everyone talks about the freedom of being your own boss, but no one prepares you for the loneliness, sacrifice, and self-doubt that comes with building your dream from scratch.

Deborah is a licensed esthetician with over 20 years of experience. She has two spas and a sugar manufacturing company, but it didn’t come easy or quick. This week, she takes us on the emotional rollercoaster of building her sugaring empire from nothing.

She shares how her business was suddenly stolen from her with NO notice, how she rebuilt and pivoted during COVID, and what it’s really like working with celebrity clients. We also dive into who she was before becoming the “Sugar Mama,” and who she’s learning to be beyond it.

SHE CRIED, we laughed—you don’t want to miss this one!

For ALL your skincare needs, check out Sugar Mama:

Instagram

@theskindenbysugarmama

@sugarmamapro

Websitehttps://skindenbysugarmama.com/

What happens after you achieve the impossible?

This week, we have an OLYMPIC SWIMMER Jamie Yeung (so yeah, she knows a thing or two about dreaming big), joining us to talk about:

• Her journey from high school swim team to Division 1 swimming at the University of Michigan

• The road to qualifying for the Olympics
  

• What it’s really like inside the Olympic Village
  

• Women vs men in sports and why female athletes still have to be “exceptional” to be seen
  

• Finding your identity and purpose after the world stage
  

This is a conversation about dreams, discipline, identity, and reinvention—so join us, whether you’re an athlete or just a woman trying to figure out her next chapter!

***This episode is bilingual , video has English translation***

This is for the woman who’s ambitious but tired, capable but unsure, driven but also terrified to start.

Some people know her as a chairwoman. Some know her as an artist. But I know her as ‘Mom.’

In this episode, my mom shares her journey from being a housewife to becoming the chairwoman of a major international charity (HKTNWA). Raised in a traditional Asian household to becoming a woman who leads, this episode is about what it means to build a life that’s both grounded in tradition and boldly your own.

Mama Shiao also gives dating advice on what it means to be mysterious, rules of dating and what she really thinks about moving in with your S.O.

So if you’ve ever felt like you need to have your entire life figured out by your 20s or 30s - this episode gives US permission to breathe.

Episode resources

• Donate to HKTNWA
• More on period poverty

How do you say no without guilt?

How do you set boundaries without pushing people away?

How do you stop overcommitting just to avoid disappointing others?

In this episode, we dive into boundary setting, how to say no (thank you) in different situations, and how to prioritize yourself without guilt. From friendships to relationships, if you struggle with people-pleasing, this one's for you.

Facing a career dilemma or thinking about getting an MBA?

In this episode, I brought two of my close MBA friends to talk about the real struggles of navigating career choices in our late 20s.

We’re getting real about career pressure, comparison, financial stability vs. creative passion. PLUS, I put them to the test with a game to see if money really buys happiness. And of course, we spill the MBA tea: what surprised us, why does it sometimes feel like high school all over again?

What does it take to take risks and build a successful career in media — without losing yourself along the way?

In this episode, the Director of Integrated Media Strategy, spills the tea on navigating the corporate world, making bold career moves, and balancing ambition with personal life.

Growing up with Chinese immigrant parents who ran a restaurant, Annie learned early how to take risks and make big decisions independently. She opens up about the reality of working in entertainment, the challenges of advocating for bold ideas, and how she balances ambition with her personal life.

In this episode, the VP of Marketing and Network at a MAJOR creative agency talks about divine timing — how career detours, setbacks, and pivots often lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.

We get real about the uncertainty of building a creative career, what it’s like to turn your passion into your full-time job, and how to keep going when success doesn’t follow a straight line.
PLUS!! Find out how Iona learned metaphors... let’s just say, “Don’t take my heart and put it on a shelf.” (iykyk)

If you’ve ever felt like you’re starting over in your late 20s, still trying to find your passion, or wondering how you can be “successful” and still feel unfulfilled — this episode is for you. Whether you’re questioning career choices or just trying to figure it all out... I'm with you!

I’m backkkkk! Just a 28-year-old small potato stumbling through a never-ending quarter-life crisis, figuring out where I fit. Join me as I talk about being an intern at 28, reaching a career “pinnacle” that didn’t feel fulfilling, and navigating what the next chapter really looks like.