What happens when you slide into someone’s DMs—and it changes your life?

In this episode of First to Thrive, Nicole reconnects with former coaching client and now celebrated storyteller Olyvia Chac-Nguyen, co-writer of the powerful short film Yellow Balloon. What began as a copywriting opportunity turned into a deeply personal screenwriting project that explores intergenerational trauma, cultural identity, and what it means to be seen—without translation.

Together, they unpack:

• The unexpected journey from brand copywriter to Cannes-recognized screenwriter

• How Yellow Balloon centers Vietnamese language, community, and nuance

• The weight and risk of visibility for immigrant communities

• Why Southeast Asian stories deserve more space—and how Olyvia's team made it happen

• Her “Jordan Peele era” and using storytelling as a form of healing and resistance
  
  

This conversation is a powerful reminder that our stories matter—even if we’ve never seen them told before.

🔗 Follow Yellow Balloon and Olyvia:
IG: @yellowballoonfilm

Interested in a private screening or supporting the film? Reach out through Instagram or check the show notes for details.

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of First to Thrive, Nicole Cruz sits down with John McCartney, APR — a seasoned PR pro, founder of JMAC PR, and a proud Filipino American leader paving the way for the next generation of publicists.

John shares his unconventional path from aspiring engineer to successful public relations executive, reflecting on how storytelling, cultural pride, and a willingness to pivot shaped his career. Together, Nicole and John explore how PR is more than media coverage — it's about reclaiming narratives, building trust, and showing up with authenticity.

They also dive into the importance of AANHPI representation in media and leadership, what it means to mentor when you didn’t have one, and why choosing a joyful path — even if it’s unconventional — is not just valid, but powerful.

Whether you’re curious about PR, navigating your own nonlinear career, or simply need a reminder that your joy and culture are assets, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How John’s love of storytelling led him to PR

• What it means to change career paths without shame

• How representation in PR can prevent tone-deaf narratives and create deeper impact

• Advice for anyone exploring an unconventional career path
  
  

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about JMAC PR

• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Los Angeles chapter: https://prsala.org/
  
  

Let’s Stay Connected:
If John’s story resonated with you, especially as someone navigating identity, career shifts, and representation, check out Nicole’s 1:1 coaching program Align, created for high-achieving women ready to center themselves in how they live and lead. Learn more here → https://nicolecruzcoaching.com/privatecoaching

In this heartfelt episode of First to Thrive, I’m joined by PR powerhouse and proud Filipina immigrant Ely Anne Vedar, founder of the Ely Agency. We talk about her journey from navigating cultural whiplash as a four-year-old immigrant to building a career amplifying underrepresented voices in the PR world.

Ely opens up about the early loss of language and identity, the pressures of assimilation, and the conscious decision to stop hiding. We dive into how embracing her full self—from her name to her natural curls—has not only changed how she moves through the world but also how she supports others in owning their stories.

This is a powerful conversation for anyone who’s ever felt like they had to hide parts of themselves just to belong.

What We Talk About:

• 🎤 How Ely accidentally found her way into PR—and made it her calling

• 🧳 Her early experience immigrating from the Philippines at 4 years old

• 🫢 The impact of being told to stop speaking Tagalog

• 💫 What it means to follow the “70% aligned” rule in life and business

• 👁️‍🗨️ How reclaiming identity shows up in everyday decisions—like embracing her curly hair

• 📣 The power of visibility for underrepresented voices

• 🔁 What inspired her to break generational cycles of hiding

• 🧠 Why authenticity isn’t just personal—it’s strategic in business
  
  

Guest Links:

Follow Ely and learn more about her work:
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ely.vedar/ 💼 LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/elyannevedar
🌐 Learn more about Ely Agency: elyagency.com

Like this episode?

Leave a review, share it with a friend, and tag us on Instagram @nicolecruzcoaching 🙌🏽

Connect with Nicole:
🔹Apply for private coaching: nicolecruzcoaching.com/privatecoaching
🔹 Stay connected: Follow Nicole on Instagram @nicolecruzcoaching
🎙️ Subscribe & Review: If this episode resonated with you, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform. Your support helps amplify this work!

In this episode, Nicole Cruz sits down with Vietnamese American author Tiffany Trieu to talk about her book Inner Child and the healing power of reconnecting with your younger self. Tiffany shares how growing up as the eldest daughter in a refugee household shaped her, how inner child work helped her soften and come home to herself, and what it was like to write and publish her book in just one month.

They explore how play, cultural memory, and language can be tools for healing—especially for first and second-generation communities.

Highlights include:

• What the inner child actually is

• How to start connecting with yours

• Writing a book with imposter syndrome

• Why joy and play matter for our healing

Resources & Links:

🔹Purchase Inner Child by Tiffany Trieu: https://itstiffanytrieu.bigcartel.com/

Connect with Nicole:

🔹Apply for private coaching: nicolecruzcoaching.com/privatecoaching
🔹 Stay connected: Follow Nicole on Instagram @cicolecruzcoaching
🎙️ Subscribe & Review: If this episode resonated with you, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform. Your support helps amplify this work!

Feeling stuck, uncertain, or like you’re constantly making choices that aren’t truly yours? In this episode of First to Thrive, Nicole Cruz introduces the RECLAIM framework, a step-by-step process designed to help first and second-generation individuals break free from external expectations and reclaim their wants, desires, and joy. If you’ve ever felt trapped by the “good girl” playbook—prioritizing stability, external validation, and others' comfort over your own dreams—this episode is for you.

Nicole shares personal insights, client stories, and actionable steps to shift from proving yourself to prioritizing yourself. By following the RECLAIM framework, you’ll gain clarity on your values, rebuild trust in yourself, and start making aligned decisions that truly reflect who you are.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why high-achievers often feel stuck despite their success
✔️ The hidden impact of cultural and familial conditioning on decision-making
✔️ How to shift from external validation to internal fulfillment
✔️ The RECLAIM framework: A 7-step process to regain agency over your choices
✔️ A simple challenge to start reclaiming what you want this month
✔️ How private coaching with Nicole can support your journey

The RECLAIM Framework:
R - Recognize outdated expectations that no longer serve you
E - Examine cultural, familial, and professional pressures shaping your decisions
C - Clarify what success and fulfillment look like for you now
L - Learn to trust yourself again and make confident decisions
A - Align your actions with your values with less fear and guilt
I - Integrate all aspects of your identity so you feel whole
M - Maintain your shift and prevent slipping back into old patterns

Nicole’s Challenge to You:
What is one small decision you can make this week that’s purely based on what you want—not what’s expected of you? Take that step and have your own back!

Resources & Links:
🔹 Apply for private coaching: nicolecruzcoaching.com/privatecoaching
🔹 Stay connected: Follow Nicole on Instagram @nicolecruzcoaching
🔹 Join the waitlist for Nicole’s upcoming book on reclaiming agency (Coming Summer 2025!)

Connect with Nicole:

🌐 Website: nicolecruzcoaching.com
📩 Email: nicole@nicolecruzcoaching.com
🎙️ Subscribe & Review: If this episode resonated with you, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform. Your support helps amplify this work!

In this episode of First Thrive, Nicole Cruz shares real stories from the first and second-generation community, showcasing what it looks like to shift from making decisions to prove oneself to making choices that truly prioritize personal values, wants, and goals. Through the journeys of three clients, you'll hear how small yet powerful choices led them to live in alignment with their true desires.

If you've ever wondered whether prioritizing yourself really makes a difference, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the difference between externally aligned (proving) vs. internally aligned (prioritizing) decisions.

• The emotional and physical signs of making choices from a proving place.

• How small steps, like choosing a different color chair, can lead to life-changing decisions.

• The power of boundaries and how to hold firm even when others resist.

• Redefining what it means to be a "good" daughter, partner, or team member.

• Trusting your intuition when making career shifts and big life choices.

Client Stories:

1. L’s Story: From proving her worth in a male-dominated industry to taking a sabbatical and prioritizing her well-being.

2. R’s Story: Setting boundaries with family and overcoming the fear of disappointing others.

3. F’s Story: Shifting from self-sacrificing for family to pursuing a career in mental health that aligns with her passion.

Reflection Questions for Listeners:

• What parts of these stories resonate with your own journey?

• What is your “yellow chair decision” – a small but significant choice that prioritizes what you want?

• Are there areas in your life where you’re still making decisions based on proving yourself?

• What boundaries would help you feel safe, valued, and whole?

• How can you redefine what being a "good" daughter, partner, or employee means for you?

Resources & Next Steps:

• DM Nicole on Instagram @nicolecruzcoaching with your biggest takeaway.

• Email Nicole at nicole@nicolecruzcoaching.com to share your story.

• Join the waitlist for Nicole’s upcoming book at nicolecruzcoaching.com/book to get early access and exclusive bonuses.

• 🎧 Rate & Review: If this episode resonated with you, share your thoughts and leave a review! Your feedback helps bring more conversations like this to the community.

Episode CTA:
Take one step today that prioritizes YOU. Whether it’s a small decision or a big shift, know that you are worthy of choices that align with your desires. Sending love and see you in the next episode!

In today’s episode, Nicole Cruz explores the key skill that first and second-gen individuals must develop to create the life they truly want—internally aligned decision-making. She shares how external influences—whether from society, family, or white supremacy—often dictate our choices, leaving us stuck in cycles of overworking, proving ourselves, and ultimately feeling unfulfilled. Nicole reflects on her own experiences of outsourcing decisions to external expectations and why shifting to an internally aligned approach is the game-changer.

She also introduces the five phases of decision-making and explains how many of us get stuck in the analysis and follow-through stages, keeping us in careers, relationships, and life paths that don’t align with our true desires.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by indecision, overwhelmed by fear of disappointing others, or caught in a cycle of seeking external validation, this episode will help you break free.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✨ Why the external decision-making model is failing us
✨ The key difference between externally aligned and internally aligned decisions
✨ How to identify when you're making choices based on external validation
✨ The five phases of decision-making and where most people get stuck
✨ How to start practicing internally aligned decision-making today
✨ A sneak peek into Nicole’s upcoming workshop on overcoming obstacles like guilt and fear in decision-making

Resources Mentioned:
📌 Sign up for the "Prioritizing Yourself" Workshop Series – Get hands-on guidance and practical tools to strengthen your decision-making process. This interactive workshop series will help you identify your current decision-making patterns, overcome common obstacles, and practice making decisions that truly align with you.
🔗 nicolecruzcoaching.com/workshopseries

Connect with Nicole:
🌍 Website: nicolecruzcoaching.com
📣 Instagram:@nicolecruzcoaching

💌 Join the Email List for exclusive insights & upcoming events

Take Action:
✅ Ask yourself: What decision am I making today, and is it internally aligned or externally influenced?
✅ Start small: Practice choosing what you want for dinner, what you want to wear—without external input.
✅ Join the workshop series and co-create the tools that will help our community break free from externally driven decision-making.

🎧 Rate & Review: If this episode resonated with you, share your thoughts and leave a review! Your feedback helps bring more conversations like this to the community.

In this milestone 100th episode, Nicole Cruz answers listener-submitted questions about her journey as an entrepreneur, transitioning from employee to business owner, and building a freedom-centered life. She shares valuable tips for new entrepreneurs, insights into her book-writing process, and how she stays motivated during tough times.

Key Topics:

1. Transitioning to Entrepreneurship
   Nicole reflects on leaving her corporate job to build a freedom-centered business.

2. Designing a Freedom-Centered Life
   A glimpse into Nicole’s typical day living in Honolulu and managing work-life balance.

3. Tips for New Entrepreneurs
   Advice on prioritizing value over perfection, embracing mistakes, and trusting your instincts.

4. Staying Motivated and Overcoming Burnout
   Nicole shares how she reconnects with her “why” during tough times.

5. Coaching Tips and Client Selection
   Insights on choosing clients that align with your expertise and knowing when coaching isn’t enough.

6. The Book Writing Journey
   Nicole discusses the messy process of writing her book and the belief needed to see it through.

7. Podcasting Lessons
   What Nicole has learned after 100 episodes and her plans for future podcast growth.

Nicole's 2-part Workshop Series: Sign up here to start prioritizing your own needs and desires, and learn how to make decisions that align with your true values. https://nicolecruzcoaching.com/workshopseries

Follow Nicole:

• Instagram: @nicolecruzcoaching

• Website: http://www.nicolecruzcoaching.com

• Join the book waitlist: https://nicolecruzcoaching.com/book

Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. Your feedback helps us reach more people in the First to Thrive community. Thank you for tuning in!