Magnolia Talks

What happens when the life you've been running on autopilot suddenly forces you to stop? In this episode, Mo Fong sits down with Tracy Kreiss — leadership and mental wellness coach, author of 21 Day Shadow Work , ICF Sacramento board member, and someone who has spent 25 years helping professionals develop as leaders. Tracy shares how her husband's diagnosis with Lewy body dementia became t...

What happens when the company you built to save lives almost breaks you in the process? In this episode, Mo Fong sits down with Jane Chen — New York Times bestselling author of Like a Wave We Break , co-founder of Embrace (whose portable incubator has helped save over a million babies), TED speaker, and Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. Jane shares how losing everything she thought...

Her book is called Writing an Identity Not Your Own — but swap one word, and it becomes a guide for every coach. In this episode, Mo Fong sits down with Alex Temblador, award-winning mixed Latine author and journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, and Architectural Digest. Alex grew up in a mixed Mexican and white household with a queer brother and a sister w...

What does it mean to create a "third cultural space" where everyone can flourish? In this episode of Magnolia Talks, Christina Burrows shares her journey as a mixed-heritage woman navigating multiple cultures—from growing up with a Korean mother and British father to living across six countries and building a career in intercultural leadership coaching. We explore what cultural agility r...

What does it take to step into visibility when everything in your cultural upbringing has taught you to stay small? In this opening episode of Season 3 of Magnolia Talks, Sheena Yap Chan shares her powerful journey from feeling ashamed of her Asian identity to founding the Confidence Through Visibility Movement. We explore the courage it takes to be seen as an Asian woman, the cultural scripts aro...

What if your coaching tools could help clients reconnect with who they truly are — and release what’s holding them back? In this closing episode of Season 2 of Magnolia Talks, Jen Lin shares how Human Design and Energy Balancing became foundational in her work. We explore how Energy Balancing helps clients move through stress and stuckness by releasing internal saboteurs, while Human Design offers...

What does it mean to lead from intuition — and how can we root that leadership in both spirit and community? In this episode of Magnolia Talks, Alisha Herrick shares her deeply personal path that led her to found Earthwise Coaching and the Wise Path Tarot. We explore the power of intuitive leadership at a time when traditional scripts are dissolving, and how reconnecting with ancestral wisdom, bod...

What does it really take to build a coaching business that’s not only successful — but sustainable and deeply fulfilling? In this episode of Magnolia Talks, Bea Kim shares how she built a lasting practice grounded in somatic wisdom, neuroscience, and bold experimentation. We explore her journey into coaching, who she serves (and why), and how her unique approach helps clients reconnect with what t...

What does it look like to reclaim your narrative as an Asian woman in leadership? In this episode of Magnolia Talks, Denise Ang shares her journey into coaching and the founding of the Asian Women Empowerment Network — a space born from both passion and purpose. We explore the unique challenges Asian women face in the workplace, and how cultural values can be leveraged as strengths rather than bar...

What does it really mean to coach from a place of cultural alignment and inner truth? In this opening episode of Season 2 of Magnolia Talks, we explore Minal Mehta’s journey in discovering her purpose — and how that journey led her to blend Eastern healing modalities with modern coaching practice. We dive into the tension between the “how” and the “why” that so many clients bring, the limitations...

On the fifth and last episode of this season’s Magnolia Talks, we chat with Hojeong Kim , the founder of BetterSelf.ai, about AI in the coaching world. With her expertise and insight, Hojeong takes us through a dialogue about AI’s rapid growth, its ethical implications on a human-focused industry, and its impact on the transformation of coaching. Together, Diane and Hojeong address some of the mis...

In the fourth episode of Magnolia Talks, we invited Dorothy Liu to chat about how identity, culture and inclusion has impacted her role as an Asian American woman coach and “equity amplifier”. This episode takes a look at the importance of connecting with one’s values and the need for inclusive leadership who strive to co-create spaces for individuals to express themselves. In light of the challen...

For the third episode of Magnolia Talks, Amy Yip , author of “Unfinished Business”, shares her unconventional journey from working at Google to quitting her job to volunteer to becoming a coach. She talks about the societal pressures she felt to settle down and have children, her struggles with infertility, and her tumultuous relationship with her parents - all while navigating her professional ca...

In the second episode of Magnolia Talks, we have Deepa Pulipati , a marriage and family therapist (MFT) turned leadership and executive coach. With Deepa’s expertise and experience in both roles, this episode tackles the complex and often confusing overlaps between the mental health and coaching realms. While it is crucial that clinicians and coaches understand the clear boundaries between their r...

To start off this season of Magnolia Talks, we have Mo Lei Fong , the visionary leader, President and founding member of Asian Women Coaching Collective (AWCC). In this episode, Mo shares how her powerful life story of being an immigrant, educator, business executive and coach leads her to co-founding AWCC in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In describing the philosophies and guiding principles...