Unlayered

In this episode, I sit down with Ritu Saxena, a Chartered Accountant, career coach and founder of Project Upgrade Her, to unlayer a truth that most high-achievers spend their lives running from. She spent 15 years building a "safe" life. She moved from Mumbai to New Zealand and eventually Australia, ticking every professional box and earning the titles that were supposed to make her feel...

We are often taught that money is just a math problem, a series of spreadsheets and investments. We chase a 10/10 lifestyle, the "right" car, and the "right" neighbourhood to fit into the societal box of success. But for many, especially those who have experienced loss, money is actually a nervous system problem. In this episode, Shriyansh joins us to unlayer the radical shift...

We are often taught that a "successful" child is a compliant one. We chase a 10/10 life, perfect grades, smooth transitions, and fitting into the societal box. But for many parents, this pursuit of "perfection" is actually a layer of high-pressure expectation that ignores the unique nervous system of the child right in front of them. In this episode, 3x Award-Winning Author and...

We are living in one of the most connected eras in human history, yet Australia is officially one of the loneliest countries in the world. 1 in 3 Australians report feeling lonely, and for the first time, it’s the younger generation (ages 15–24) who are suffering the most. Arjun, the founder of Social Threads, joins the podcast to unlayer why digital connection is quietly making us feel more alone...

If you feel stuck, go blank, or ramble in high-stakes moments, the problem isn't always your vocabulary; it's your body's survival mechanism. We’ve been conditioned to believe communication is a purely linguistic skill, but what if the true barrier to flow is psychological safety and a dysregulated nervous system? This week, we go beneath the surface with Sukhi, an Embodied English Coa...

In this episode of Unlayered, Pan sits down with Mohit, an inspiring human who transformed his life by building an unshakable reading habit. From working as a cleaner during the pandemic to reading over 126 books and interviewing hundreds of successful people, Mohit has decoded the psychology behind why we quit. Topics explored: The "Motivation Trap": Why motivation is like spontaneous c...

What if the very thing holding you back is actually your most powerful guide to personal growth and fulfilment? In this powerful episode of Unlayered, Pan Perera sits down with Penny Locaso, a renowned behavioural scientist, Leadership Coach, and TEDx speaker, to challenge everything you thought you knew about fear. 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱:   • Reframing fear from an enemy to a powerful inner compass for...

So many chase the dream of going abroad. Few talk about what happens after. In this heartfelt conversation, Pan sits down with Srishti, a Gen Z migrant and aspiring psychologist, to explore the hidden emotional cost of migration, where ambition collides with identity, belonging, and digital disconnection. 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱: The Myth of Making It Abroad — how social media shapes unrealistic expectati...

In a time of divisive headlines and anti-immigrant rallies, this question cuts to the very heart of a national conversation. In this timely conversation, Pan sits down with Divesh Sareen, author, tech entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and a powerful voice for the migrant community. Drawing on the ancestral echoes of the 1947 Partition and his own journey from Punjab to Australia with just $1000 in his po...

How does a top career coach with over 78,000 followers on LinkedIn be open to failing 360 days a year? In this deep and revealing conversation, Pan unlayers the man behind the brand, Varun Negandhi. He shares his journey from the streets of Mumbai, where he learned about "invisible scripts" around money and the relentless drive of a city that never sleeps, to becoming one of the most res...

Behind every viral post is a story you rarely hear. In this episode of Unlayered , Pan sits down with  Amanda Boyce , Australia’s #1 Aussie English Coach, with over 129,000 followers, to discuss the unseen struggles behind social media success. She opens up about the emotional toll of hateful DMs, the immense pressure of being a public figure, and the burnout that comes from building a dream from...

What if the root of your anxiety isn’t in your mind, but in your body? In this profound and practical episode, Pan sits down with Jon Otorongo, a former therapist with over 3500 hours of experience in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Before that, he had overcome years of addiction through indigenous plant medicine healing. He is the founder of OTORHONGO, a brand that weaves psychology, somatic healin...

In one of the most vulnerable conversations on Unlayered yet, Pan sits down with writer and podcaster Vishva to explore the invisible walls of a childhood built from trauma, fear, and the weight of unspoken truths. Vishva shares his raw, unflinching story of navigating deep depression and the lasting impact of a physically abusive environment, all while wearing a smile for the outside world. This...

In this third episode of Unlayered, Pan sits down with Jen, an English language teacher from the UK who is navigating life and work in Australia. This is a refreshingly honest and practical chat about the often-overlooked challenges of moving to a new country, even when you speak the language. Jen shares hilarious and insightful stories about decoding Aussie culture, from workplace communication t...

In this second episode of Unlayered, Pan sits down with Rahul Bharadwaj,  a business analyst, sports coach, and founder of Soulful Learning.  They reflect on the emotional undercurrents many of us carry into adulthood: From growing up in a traditional household in India to questioning the education system, Rahul shares how he’s been slowly unlearning who he was told to be and instead building some...

What if the very things you hide are what holds the key to your healing? In the first episode of  Unlayered , Pan sits down with  Sharan Bhinder,  a senior leader at LinkedIn and someone who has had a profound influence on his own growth. They discuss the hidden layers we carry: childhood stories, unspoken expectations, and the thoughts we accept without question. Topics explored: - What it means...