Rewiring Your Brain for Joy: Heal People-Pleasing, Overcome Imposter Syndrome & Own Your Voice with Susan Britton (Ep. 198)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Release Date: 12/10/2025
The Power of Enough: Choosing More Mommy Over More Money, Investing In Yourself, and Being A Leader In AI Ethics With Irene Liu (Ep. 199)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
What happens when a high-powered executive, responsible for scaling multi-billion dollar companies, is asked by her 10-year-old: "What does that money actually mean to us?" In this deeply insightful episode, we sit down with Irene Liu, founder of Hypergrowth GC and former Chief Financial and Legal Officer at Hopin. Irene shares her journey from the Department of Justice to the front lines of the AI revolution, where she now advises the California Senate on AI safety. We explore the "Politics of the C-Suite," the necessity of high EQ in leadership, and why Irene decided to...
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Rewiring Your Brain for Joy: Heal People-Pleasing, Overcome Imposter Syndrome & Own Your Voice with Susan Britton (Ep. 198)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Are you ready to stop living for others and start living for you? In this powerful episode, Susan Britton, Founder & President of the Academies for Neuroscience Coaching, Inc., explores how our brains hold onto old behaviors like people-pleasing and self-doubt. Susan has 25 years of leadership in coaching and coaching education, and has supported 1,000s of coaches across six continents to earn their ICF credential. She shares the neuro-informed strategies you need to embrace all of yourself, shift from the "Red Zone" (fight/flight) to inner peace, and start listening...
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Decolonizing Healing: Reclaiming Our Narrative, Resisting Erasure And Healing Trauma With Dr. Grace Poon (Ep. 197)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Welcome back, Career Unicorns! This week, we are honored to host the incredible Dr. Grace Poon Ghaffari: a motherscholar practitioner, proud daughter of Chinese immigrants, and embodied healer. Grace is an Assistant Professor at San Jose State University, where she focuses on healing and harm among student survivors of sexual and relationship violence, examining how these experiences are intertwined with broader systems of oppression. In this deep and vital conversation, we discuss why the traditional justice system often fails to be a source of healing, the critical importance of...
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Breaking Free From Hustle Culture: How to Leave Prestige, Redefine Success, and Build Your Dream Career with Ann Sheu (Ep. 196)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
As a former lawyer, business expert, and founder of Mpowered Families, Ann Sheu has gone through her own journey of achieving society's definition of success only to realize it wasn't her own. She uses her unique background to help high-achieving leaders move past the "hustle culture" and design a career and a life that is deeply rooted in personal alignment. In this episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy, we tackle the pressure to prioritize prestige and money over happiness. Key Career Strategies You'll Learn: How to Pivot: The steps to take when you realize the hustle...
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The Mirror Effect: Dr. Sheila Gujrathi on Finding Your Voice, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, and Using Gratitude To Own Every Room You Walk Into (Ep. 195)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
As a physician, biotech CEO, and champion for women in leadership, Dr. Sheila Gujrathi, MD, has spent her career breaking ceilings and teaching others how to do the same. In this powerful episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy, we dive deep into the real-world barriers—from childhood racism ("Indians Go Home") to professional microaggressions—and how she reframed the pain of shame and doubt. We discuss: The devastating impact of FIDS (Fear, Insecurity, Doubt, & Shame). Why self-compassion is the key to silencing your inner critic. Battle-tested strategies for...
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Navigating Systemic Bias and Finding Our Shared Humanity with Kori Carew (Ep. 194)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Welcome, Career Unicorns! How do we lead with courage and heart when the system is stacked against us? Join us for a deeply moving and vital conversation with Kori Carew, Chief Catalyst Officer and Founder of Bridge 68 LLC, lawyer, TedX speaker, and former Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer. Kori challenges us to move beyond "a moment" to a true movement, urging us to reflect deeply on our values and courageously design the world we want to see. In this episode, we dive deep into: Courageous Leadership: Discover how to show up as leaders in our ordinary daily...
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Gaslighting And Narcissists At Work: How To Leave A Toxic Job with Sarah Cottrell, Founder of Former Lawyer LLC (Ep. 193)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Are you in a toxic job, but feel stuck? Making great money but feel absolutely dead inside? If yes, then this episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy is for you. Join us as we welcome Sarah Cottrell, founder of Former Lawyer LLC, who helps unhappy lawyers ditch soul-crushing jobs for fulfilling alternative careers. Sarah shares her expertise on the unique pain of leaving a high-prestige career. We dive deep into how to recognize the signs of an abusive workplace and the importance of prioritizing your mental health. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the...
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Reclaiming Your Power: How Trauma, Social Justice, And Systemic Gaslighting Impact Your Career And Self-Worth with Rosie Yeung (Ep. 192)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Ready to shatter the old-school corporate rules? In this powerful episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy, host Samorn Selim welcomes back Rosie Yeung, a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, HR Leader, and Chartered Professional Accountant. Rosie, a Chinese-Canadian, immigrant, cis-het woman living with mental illness and recovering from cPTSD (complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), shares her deeply personal journey of navigating identity, assimilation, and complex trauma. In this episode, we dive deep into: The ripple effects of trauma, including gender bias, systemic racism,...
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Beyond Survival: Dyanna Volek's Call for Collective Action Against Apathy and Anti-Asian Hate (Ep. 191)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
Get ready for a profound and powerful conversation with the incredible Dyanna Volek, a quintessential "Career Unicorn" who is using her voice and influence to push for real change. As a first-generation college student and daughter of Filipino immigrants, Dyanna currently serves as the Manager of Government Affairs for the San Francisco International Airport. She’s also a licensed attorney and a dedicated community advocate, including serving on the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood, Northern California. In this episode, Dyanna issues a call for collective action,...
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From Sunday Scaries To Love Mondays: Ron Monteiro on How to Break Free from Systemic Barriers, Find Your Authentic Voice, and Create the Career You Love (Ep. 190)
Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy
In this inspiring and candid conversation, we sit down with Ron Monteiro, author of Love Mondays, to discuss his 20-year journey from a shy finance professional to a powerful public speaker and executive coach. Ron shares how he turned a perceived weakness in public speaking into his life's mission. We dive into the challenges he faced as a person of color navigating corporate finance, offering a powerful perspective on how to tackle systemic barriers by focusing on what you can control: your daily growth, your commitment to learning, and the commitment to "put in the reps."...
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Are you ready to stop living for others and start living for you?
In this powerful episode, Susan Britton, Founder & President of the Academies for Neuroscience Coaching, Inc., explores how our brains hold onto old behaviors like people-pleasing and self-doubt. Susan has 25 years of leadership in coaching and coaching education, and has supported 1,000s of coaches across six continents to earn their ICF credential. She shares the neuro-informed strategies you need to embrace all of yourself, shift from the "Red Zone" (fight/flight) to inner peace, and start listening to your true voice to build your dream life and career.
We dive deep into:
- How people-pleasing is a survival response, and the science behind changing it.
- Leveraging neuroplasticity to rewrite old, self-limiting narratives that hold your career back.
- Why embracing small, necessary pain (Hormesis!) is the key to massive growth and impact.
- Giving voice to your "shadow energy" from a kind and compassionate place.
- Recognizing the signs of burnout and strategies for a compassionate recovery.
Connect with us:
- Learn more about our guest, Susan Britton, at https://www.theacademies.com/about/ or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachsusanbritton/.
- Follow our host, Samorn Selim, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/.
- Get a copy of 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.
- Get a copy of Career Unicorns™ 90-Day 5-Minute Self-Reflection Journal: An Easy & Proven Way To Find Career Clarity, Purpose & Fulfillment at https://tinyurl.com/yc3dfk73.
- Ready for a career change? Schedule a free 30-minute build your dream career consult by sending a message at www.careerunicorns.com.