In this episode of School of Self-Worth, I had the pleasure of interviewing Samantha Le, an inspiring Vietnamese American refugee, and CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce. Our conversation dives deep into grit, resilience, and what it truly means to own your journey, especially while navigating cultural barriers and building self-worth from the ground up.

We also explore Samantha’s rapid professional ascent, from customer service to VP to CEO, and the mindset that fueled her success. She credits her fast growth to determination, a desire to prove her worth in the face of bullying and discrimination, a willingness to learn from others, and a commitment to giving back by teaching what she learned.

Whether you’re navigating cultural expectations, stepping into leadership, or seeking ways to positively impact your community, this episode is filled with actionable insights, empowering stories, and heartfelt wisdom to inspire your next breakthrough.

THE TOP LEARNINGS IN THIS EPISODE:

The power of mentorship and access to resources for growth

Overcoming internal barriers and embracing self-worth

Handling criticism and envy when stepping into your power

The importance of evolving relationships and letting go

Navigating cultural expectations as an Asian American woman

Giving back to the community through supporting local businesses

GUEST BIO:

Samantha Le is a passionate community leader and proud Vietnamese American refugee rooted in South King County. As President and CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Success Foundation, she champions equitable economic and workforce development.

A fierce advocate for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and women entrepreneurs, she works to ensure access and representation across industries. Her efforts have earned her regional acclaim, including recognition as a 2025 Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree.

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag @nicoletsong and @thesamanthastyle so we can give you a shout-out and thank you for your support!

Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletsong.com/quiz

Want to build morning habits that last so you jump out of bed with energy and clarity every morning? Join Nicole’s 5-Day Morning Challenge: go.nicoletsong.com/morning-habits

Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love for you to at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-of-self-worth/id1678655504

For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit nicoletsong.com/podcast.

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Learn More About Samantha Le :

• Seattle Southside Chamber
• @thesamanthastyle
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-l-5045a828/

Catch up with Nicole:

• Website:

Have you ever asked yourself what it would feel like to live a life without guilt?

I mean, would that be a gamechanger or what?

But guilt, especially Asian guilt, is something that might be haunting you wherever you go.

In today’s episode, I’m going to share a two-step process for how to give up the guilt! I also go over what caused it in the first place, and how to permanently reverse it.

If you’re ready to live a life without guilt holding you back, this episode is for you!

THE TOP LEARNINGS IN THIS EPISODE:

• Understanding how guilt drives decision-making and limits self-worth
• Recognizing cultural conditioning and guilt tripping in family dynamics
• Identifying when you're being guilt tripped versus self-imposed guilt
• Gaining clarity on your desired relationships to combat guilt tripping
• Learn the two-step process to release guilt
• How to reclaim power and self-worth by practicing non-attachment in work and life

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag @nicoletsong so we can give you a shout-out and thank you for your support!

ASIAN VISIBILITY SYSTEM: Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletsong.com/quiz

Want to build morning habits that last so you jump out of bed with energy and clarity every morning? Join Nicole’s 5-Day Morning Challenge: go.nicoletsong.com/morning-habits

Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love for you to at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-of-self-worth/id1678655504

For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit nicoletsong.com/podcast.

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Catch up with Nicole:

• Website: nicoletsong.com
• Subscribe to her newsletter
• Instagram: nicoletsong
• Tiktok: @nicoletsong_
• Facebook community: Balance + Boundaries
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-tsong/

I’m bringing back one of the most downloaded episodes of the podcast because it’s that relevant right now.

In this replay, I break down the three biggest causes of overwhelm for Asian-American women — and share one powerful, yet simple tool you can start using today to shift out of survival mode so you can thrive again.

Inside the episode, you'll learn:

• Why overwhelm isn’t just emotional — it’s cultural
• How the Asian Pressure Cycle keeps you stuck and exhausted
• The deep connection between worthiness and burnout
• How to reprogram the way you think about your own needs and desires

If you’ve been putting everyone else first (again), this episode is your permission to come back to yourself.

ASIAN VISIBILITY SYSTEM: Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletsong.com/quiz

Want to build morning habits that last so you jump out of bed with energy and clarity every morning? Join Nicole’s 5-Day Morning Challenge: go.nicoletsong.com/morning-habits

Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love for you to at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-of-self-worth/id1678655504

For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit nicoletsong.com/podcast.

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Catch up with Nicole:

• Website: nicoletsong.com
• Subscribe to her newsletter
• Instagram: nicoletsong
• Tiktok: @nicoletsong_
• Facebook community: Balance + Boundaries
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-tsong/

Growing up with Asian parents, you might have a frugal money mind-set that makes you risk averse.

That’s what happened to Shang Saavedra, personal finance expert and author of "Wealth is a Mindset.”

Which is why her story is so powerful. In this episode, she talks about how her frugal upbringing, cultural conditioning and her parents’ aversion to risk-taking influenced how she looked at money.

But when she was in her 20s, she and her husband decided to go to extreme frugality in New York City to retire early by 31 — and then delves into all the lessons she’s learned since about the importance of grounding herself in the present, shifting your mindset toward abundance and looking at financial decisions from a place of calm rather than fear.

Shang shares some simple, practical tips for how to deal with some of the biggest financial stressors — unexpected expenses and how to make big purchases manageable.

I loved talking to her about how to shift the relationship between emotions and money patterns.

You don’t want to miss this healing conversation about money!

THE TOP LEARNINGS IN THIS EPISODE:

• How your cultural upbringing shapes financial habits and mindsets
• The importance and challenges of risk-taking for financial growth
• The reason generational trauma influences money worries and behaviors
• The decision and sacrifices behind early retirement
• Emotional health directly impacts financial decisions
• Building self-awareness and positive money talk is essential for wealth mindset

GUEST BIO:

Shang Saavedra is a published book author and the founder and CEO of Save My Cents, a nationally recognized personal finance expert. Shang finished saving for her retirement by the age of 31, and is America's leading expert on saving for retirement with joy.

Her insights have been published by Business Insider, CNBC, Forbes, Fox Business, USA Today, Time / NextAdvisor, Nasdaq, and more. Shang was educated at Harvard and University of Chicago, and has worked in strategy for various Fortune 500 companies. Her book, Wealth Is a Mindset, was published in January 2025 with Third State Books.

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag @nicoletsong and Shang Saavedra @savemycents so we can give you a shout-out and thank you for your support!

ASIAN VISIBILITY SYSTEM: Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletsong.com/quiz

Want to build morning habits that last so you jump out of bed with energy and clarity every morning? Join Nicole’s 5-Day Morning Challenge: go.nicoletsong.com/morning-habits

Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love for you to at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-of-self-worth/id1678655504

For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit nicoletsong.com/podcast.

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Learn More About Shang Saavedra at :

• savemycents.com
• https://savemy

Have you ever gotten the feedback that you lack gravitas? Or that you don’t have the presence of a leader?

In this episode, I dive into just what gravitas is — and the essential thing you’re getting WRONG about gravitas (and what you really need to understand about it to get your next promotion.)

Gravitas is often misunderstood, especially among Asian American women, who think it's about emulating the people who have it.

But here’s the thing you’re missing — real gravitas can only come from inside you. It’s part of your unique presence and power.

In this episode, I dive in deeper on how to access your inner gravitas, including simple techniques to step into your power and presence.

Gravitas CAN be simple! You don’t want to miss how easy to make it, so tune in!

The top learnings from this episode:

• Understanding gravitas and its real meaning for leaders. [00:01:51]
• How cultural conditioning impacts your leadership. [00:05:06]
• Why gravitas comes from authentic self-power, not imitation. [00:05:48]
• How to build presence (and stop thinking out loud.). [00:08:03]
• Simple vocal techniques to project authority and confidence. [00:08:46]
• Steps for moving from feedback to self-empowered leadership. [00:09:31]

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag @nicoletsong so we can give you a shout-out and thank you for your support!

ASIAN VISIBILITY SYSTEM: Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletsong.com/quiz

Want to build morning habits that last so you jump out of bed with energy and clarity every morning? Join Nicole’s 5-Day Morning Challenge: go.nicoletsong.com/morning-habits

Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love for you to at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-of-self-worth/id1678655504

For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit nicoletsong.com/podcast.

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Catch up with Nicole:

• Website: nicoletsong.com
• Subscribe to her newsletter
• Instagram: nicoletsong
• Tiktok: @nicoletsong_
• Facebook community: Balance + Boundaries
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-tsong/

Do you ever feel like you’re not fully living up to your potential? Like you know there’s more inside you, and you’re just not sure how to get that version of you out there?

Then today’s episode is for you!

I’ve seen so many talented, accomplished women who, despite all their achievements—juggling work, family, and everything else—still feel like they’re not quite living up to their potential.

In this episode, we talk about the biggest blocks holding back any high-achieving, successful Asian-American woman — especially when it looks on the outside like you’re doing everything “right.”

You’ll learn a key identity shift to make, plus some simple tools to help you step into your fullest potential (including how to set those pesky boundaries) starting TODAY.

You don’t want to miss this powerful episode!

The top learnings from this episode:

• How to uncover your full potential as an Asian American woman [00:00:00]
• The ongoing cycle when the goalpost keeps moving [00:04:55]
• The trap of tying your identity and self-worth to your job [00:08:57]
• Why you struggle to say no [00:10:38]
• The myth of delaying your potential [00:13:22]
• The power of emotional mastery and presence in creating change [00:16:26]

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag @nicoletsong so we can give you a shout-out and thank you for your support!

ASIAN VISIBILITY SYSTEM: Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletsong.com/quiz

Want to build morning habits that last so you jump out of bed with energy and clarity every morning? Join Nicole’s 5-Day Morning Challenge: go.nicoletsong.com/morning-habits

Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love for you to at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-of-self-worth/id1678655504

For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit nicoletsong.com/podcast.

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Catch up with Nicole:

• Website: nicoletsong.com
• Subscribe to her newsletter
• Instagram: nicoletsong
• Tiktok: @nicoletsong_
• Facebook community: Balance + Boundaries
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-tsong/

When Armoire CEO Ambika Singh founded her clothing rental company, she had no idea how much grit she was gonna need to source.

It turns out it was a lot.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Ambika and talk about how much Armoire has grown in the nine years since she had the idea to reduce fashion waste with a rental company.

In this episode, Ambika shares openly about the challenges she had getting funding for Armoire, and the key thing that helped her source confidence and grit along the way, especially as a woman of color in a male-dominated industry.

She also shares about how parenthood changed her perspective on work and creating more balance in her life. And that while she has had to be super tenacious to get here, she still is working on not being so hard on herself.

The top learnings from this episode:

• Embracing intentionality and early influences on entrepreneurship [00:06:05]
• Building a business with mission at the core [00:09:50]
• Learning to balance ambition, parenthood, and leadership [00:17:05]
• Grit, self-worth, and the challenges of entrepreneurship [00:14:10]
• Fundraising as a woman of color in a male-dominated space [00:27:16]
• Experiencing fulfillment through impact and community [00:35:52]

Ambika Singh is the founder and CEO of Armoire, and is on the journey of a lifetime, helping to revolutionize the way women dress. A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School, she works to make women’s lives a bit easier with Seattle-based startup- high-tech, high-touch company, Armoire, which offers a true “wardrobe as service” experience. Ambika has worked across diverse contexts in organizations both small and large, with roles in marketing, business development, product management, SEO and social media. She has been featured on the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list, in The Seattle Times, and was invited to speak at Amazon, Microsoft, American Express, Harvard Business School, MIT, and the UW Foster School of Business.

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag @nicoletsong @armoire.style and @ambikasi so we can give you a shout-out and thank you for your support!

ASIAN VISIBILITY SYSTEM: Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletsong.com/quiz

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Learn More About Ambika Singh:

• Website: www.armoire.style
• Instagram: @armoire.style, @ambikasi
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambika-singh1/

Catch up with Nicole:

• Website: nicoletsong.com
• Subscribe to her newsletter
• Instagram: nicoletsong
• Tiktok: @nicoletsong_
• Facebook community: Balance + Boundaries
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-tsong/

Want to know the real reason Asian-American women are unseen and unheard in the workplace?

The answer may surprise you.

And I break it ALL down in this episode.

Hint: it has a LOT to do with how you were raised.

Inside this episode, I share 3 simple, powerful steps to reverse cultural conditioning. If you’re ready to reverse cultural conditioning, follow these steps to break through old patterns and thrive in your dream career.

Top learnings from this episode:

• Why Cultural conditioning blocks leadership – 00:03:20
• Asian cultural values are part of what is holding you back – 00:03:59
• Why you aren’t outspoken and what to do with that feedback – 00:05:20
• Stop capping yourself by thinking hard work will fix things – 00:06:43
• Emotional mastery is essential for effective leadership – 00:10:33
• Separating self-worth from job performance supports growth – 00:14:24

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag @nicoletsong so we can give you a shout-out and thank you for your support!

ASIAN VISIBILITY SYSTEM: Want to permanently reverse cultural conditioning and step into a life where you feel purposeful and thrive? Grab the Asian Visibility System: go.nicoletTsong.com/visible.

Do you struggle with boundaries? Discover the blind spots holding you back and take the Boundary Tendencies Quiz: nicoletTsong.com/quiz

Want to build morning habits that last so you jump out of bed with energy and clarity every morning? Join Nicole’s 5-Day Morning Challenge: go.nicoletTsong.com/morning-habits

Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love for you to at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-of-self-worth/id1678655504

For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit nicoletsong.com/podcast.

Have a question or topic you’d like Nicole to touch on in a future episode? Email podcast@nicoletTsong.com to share any thoughts or feedback.

Catch up with Nicole:

• Website: nicoletsong.com
• Subscribe to her newsletter
• Instagram: nicoletsong
• Tiktok: @nicoletsong_
• Facebook community: Balance + Boundaries
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-tsong/