"Growth happens when you're uncomfortable, because you push yourself into things you wouldn't normally do." — Dr. Shola Sulaimon

There's a kind of tiredness that comes from being everything to everyone — and never quite getting around to asking what fills your own cup. For Dr. Shola Sulaimon, that question sat quietly for almost 20 years before she finally let herself answer it.

In this episode, Dr. Shola shares what it was like being the first Black woman PhD student in her program, the quiet weight of representing more than herself in corporate America, and the slow internal pull that eventually led her to step away from nearly two decades of corporate leadership. We talk about the difference between being nice and being kind, what it means to leave something on your own terms, and why finding an outlet outside of work and family might be the thing that saves you.

If you've ever wondered whether it's safe to want something different than what you built, this one's for you. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms.

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Highlights

00:00 Cold open — Dr. Shola on finding an outlet outside work and family
0:54 Heather welcomes listeners to Her Story Unscripted
1:20 Heather introduces Dr. Shola and the story of how they met
4:23 The phases of a woman's life — and what it feels like to hit “stuck”
9:24 Heather opens up about feeling stuck in her own routine
11:19 Leaving things on your own terms, and knowing who your tribe is
12:36 Kindness vs. niceness — and learning not to be a pushover
16:07 Where her boldness came from — her mother's influence
19:00 Being a woman of color in corporate, and the pressure of representation
23:05 What's within your influence vs. what's out of your control
25:57 The slow build toward finally leaving corporate after almost 20 years
31:50 Advice for moms re-entering the workforce after raising kids
37:39 Advice for women who feel stuck but are afraid to leave
47:15 What she's building now — ShoTune Medical Consulting Group and Voice to Value
51:28 Closing reflection — “you are not alone”
53:48 Outro

About Dr. Shola Sulaimon

Dr. Shola Sulaimon was born and raised in Nigeria, trained and practiced as a veterinarian, then moved to the United States to pursue her PhD at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — where she became the first Black woman to do so in her program. She spent close to 20 years in corporate leadership in clinical, regulatory, and quality roles before founding ShoTune Medical Consulting Group, where she advises medical device companies on regulatory, clinical quality, and commercialization risk. She's now building Voice to Value, a Sonoma County community and coaching space for professional women centered on leadership, mentorship, and helping women find the confidence to speak up in rooms where they once stayed quiet.

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