Career Success & Visibility for Women of Color With Cynthia Pong, CEO Of Embrace Change (Ep. 187)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Release Date: 09/10/2025
How to get your first in-house job and advocate for DEI with Lisa Mak, Senior Employment Counsel at Flynn Group (Ep. 188)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Are you looking to make a career pivot from private practice to your first legal in-house job? But you’re struggling because most employers already want someone who has in-house experience? Then this episode with Lisa Mak is for you. Lisa Mak shares her journey from how she went from a plaintiff-side litigator to landing her dream job as Senior Employment Counsel at Flynn Group, the largest restaurant franchise operator in the U.S., with a portfolio of brands including Applebee’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Panera. Lisa also serves as the Northern...
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Career Success & Visibility for Women of Color With Cynthia Pong, CEO Of Embrace Change (Ep. 187)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Join us for an empowering conversation with Cynthia Pong, the award-winning founder of Embrace Change. A Forbes contributor and LinkedIn Top Voice, Cynthia is a leading expert on career advancement for women of color. Her award-winning work has been featured in HBR, Forbes, The Atlantic, and on major networks like NBC, CBS, and NPR. Her book, Don’t Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color, is a must-read for anyone seeking to advance their career. In this episode, we dive deep into how to navigate systemic barriers, leverage your unique strengths, and build...
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The Confidence Blueprint: Key Strategies for Women in Leadership with Sheena Yap Chan, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author (Ep. 186)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Sheena Yap Chan, a keynote speaker, an award-winning podcast host, and author of the Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of The Tao Of Self Confidence and Bridging The Confidence Gap. Sheena shares her personal journey, from overcoming a lack of representation as a young Filipino immigrant to becoming a best-selling author. This episode provides a powerful roadmap for any woman looking to build confidence and take on a leadership role. Join us as we explore the blueprint to empowered leadership, including: The power of representation and...
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Thriving in corporate America as a Black man and first-generation college grad with Jaymon Ballew, Senior Counsel at The Major League Soccer (Ep. 185)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
This week, I’m so excited to share a podcast with one of my former clients, Jaymon Ballew. Jaymon is Senior Counsel for The Major League Soccer and a first-generation college and professional graduate. He shares his experiences navigating corporate America as a Black man, the importance of understanding the unwritten rules of the professional world, and how our work together helped him get clarity and land his dream job in sports. In this podcast, we do a deep dive into: How to reconnect with your true passions when you feel lost. How to build support...
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AANHPI Mental Wellness: Unpacking Workplace Microaggressions, Healing Racial Trauma, and Building Self Worth with Dr. Noel Ramirez, Founder & Director of Mango Tree Counseling & Consulting (Ep. 184)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
In honor of AANHPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Noel Ramirez, Founder & Director of Mango Tree Counseling & Consulting, an AAPI mental health resource center in Philadelphia. This episode delves into the unspoken realities of intergenerational trauma, racial microaggressions and macroaggressions, exploring the complex relationship between work, identity, and self-worth for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Dr. Ramirez shares powerful insights on how cultural narratives around...
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Protecting LGBTQ+ rights, marriage equality, and civil rights with Stuart Gaffney (Ep. 183)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Join Stuart Gaffney, a leading activist and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice, in an illuminating conversation that traces his journey into activism. This episode explores the vital intersection of education and advocacy, the enduring historical and contemporary significance of marriage equality, and the indispensable power of community solidarity in today's challenging political climate. Stuart offers invaluable insights into the ongoing necessity of vigilance in protecting civil rights, highlighting how individual actions are the bedrock of monumental social change....
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Unlearning Silence: Effective strategies for women and BIPOC leaders to find their voice, negotiate healthy boundaries, and build inclusive workplaces with Elaine Lin Hering (Ep. 182)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Feeling unheard in the workplace? Join Elaine Lin Hering, a world renowned author, speaker, and coach for women and people of color in executive leadership within majority white spaces, as she unpacks the power of unlearning silence. Drawing on her extensive experience with organizations like Google, Nike, and Harvard Law School, Elaine delves into the crucial connection between communication, negotiation, and inclusive leadership. Discover practical strategies to find your voice, establish healthy boundaries, navigate power dynamics, and cultivate truly inclusive workplace cultures...
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Asian American Empowerment: Fighting anti-Asian hate, creating representation, and building community with Dave Lu, Taiwanese American Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, and Activist (Ep. 181)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, we chat with the inspiring Dave Lu. Dave is a Taiwanese American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and activist. Dave shares his remarkable journey growing up as the child of Taiwanese immigrants to now being the Founder & Managing Partner at Hyphen Capital, Co-Founder & President of Expo, and Co-Founder, Stand with Asian Americans. From his experiences as a child of Taiwanese immigrants and a tech industry veteran to his powerful advocacy against anti-Asian hate,...
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Title: Secrets to thriving in a challenging job market with Tammy Dain, Founder of Rabble (Ep. 180)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Tammy Dain has over 10+ years of experience in the talent acquisition and human resources space from the tech, legal and higher education industries. Tammy is the Co-Founder of a boutique staffing company. Prior to this, she was the Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant with Axiom Law, where she was for almost 7 years as their Director of Talent Acquisition in the West region. In this episode, we dive deep into: Learning strategies for landing great job offers in the current challenging job market. Understanding the foundational importance of work ethic in today's...
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Breaking the glass ceiling in finance and tech with Constance Sng, Chief of Capital Formation and Investor Relations at Alphemy Capital (Ep. 179)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Join us for an insightful conversation with Constance Sng, Chief of Capital Formation and Investor Relations at Alphemy Capital, as she shares her remarkable journey navigating the intersection of finance and technology. Constance reveals how she successfully transitioned from traditional finance to the dynamic world of fintech and blockchain, built a thriving network after moving from Singapore to New York, and broke through the glass ceiling to achieve leadership success. Constance is the Chief of Capital Formation and Investor Relations at Alphemy Capital, and was the...
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Join us for an empowering conversation with Cynthia Pong, the award-winning founder of Embrace Change. A Forbes contributor and LinkedIn Top Voice, Cynthia is a leading expert on career advancement for women of color. Her award-winning work has been featured in HBR, Forbes, The Atlantic, and on major networks like NBC, CBS, and NPR. Her book, Don’t Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color, is a must-read for anyone seeking to advance their career.
In this episode, we dive deep into how to navigate systemic barriers, leverage your unique strengths, and build a career that truly empowers you.
Key Takeaways:
- Navigating systemic racism and barriers women of color face.
- Understanding how the "Model Minority" Myth to pit people of color against each other.
- Managing economic realities in a world of tariffs and AI.
- Creating visibility and a personal brand.
- Having agency in your career by telling your story.
- Setting healthy boundaries and protecting your energy to thrive in challenging times.
Connect with us:
- Learn more about Cynthia Pong at http://embracechange.nyc/, https://www.forbes.com/sites/cynthiapong/, and https://www.embracechange.nyc/ec-collective.
- Follow Samorn on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/.
- Get a copy of Samorn’s book, Career Unicorns™ 90-Day 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: An Easy & Proven Way To Cultivate Mindfulness, Beat Burnout & Find Career Joy, at https://tinyurl.com/49xdxrz8.
- Schedule a free 30-minute build your dream career consult by sending a message at www.careerunicorns.com.