School of Self-Worth

 Ever have that moment in a big meeting where you share your innovative idea … and it doesn’t land? And it’s happened more than once, despite your years of experience and knowing your stuff backward and forward. Today, we’re unpacking what’s REALLY going on before you even share your idea — and why being seen as reliable and hard‑working doesn’t always translate into being heard. For many Asian-Am...

In this episode, Nicole explores one of the most overlooked leadership dynamics affecting high-achieving Asian American women: the subtle ways we unintentionally give away our authority at work. If you've ever wondered why you're trusted with important projects but still overlooked for leadership opportunities, this conversation is for you. Nicole breaks down the hidden moments where aut...

Today on the School of Self-Worth, I’m sitting down with the remarkable Christine Chang, a celebrity photographer, author and now filmmaker, as she celebrates her debut short film, Making Space . In this conversation, we delve more deeply into how her Asian-American upbringing impacted her sense of self and how it affected her in her relationships and dating.  Throughout our conversation, she poin...

In this episode, I dig into why talented, high-achieving women, especially Asian American women, are often overlooked as leaders at work. Here’s the truth — it’s not really about confidence, communication skills, or how much you prepare, even though that’s the advice you might have gotten before. The real challenge shows up in those micro moments moments when you are caught off guard — like when a...

 You’re the one everyone relies on. You deliver. You solve problems. You hold everything together. So why are you still being overlooked? In this episode, Nicole breaks down the hidden dynamic keeping so many high-performing Asian American women stuck: becoming the invisible backbone at work. If you’ve ever been told to “be more strategic” or watched others get promoted ahead of you despite your r...

What happens when you stop letting your work define you?  In this deeply honest conversation, Nicole sits down with her longtime client, Jenny Zhang—a leader in the oncology and biotech space—whose career once demanded nearly everything from her. When Jenny first started working with Nicole, she was working 18 to 20 hour days, constantly navigating high-stakes decisions and the impact on patients’...

We chose to bring this popular episode back because the patterns it speaks to don’t just disappear, they resurface in new seasons. As many of you are stepping into bigger leadership roles or simply having more nuanced conversations at work, the instinct to over-explain can quietly dilute your authority, especially when the stakes feel high. This episode is a timely reset. If you’ve recently found...

You’re doing great work. You’re getting positive feedback. So why are you still being passed over? In this episode, Nicole unpacks a pattern she sees in high-performing Asian American women who are praised behind the scenes but overlooked when it actually counts. You may be surprised by how your cultural conditioning has held you back.  This isn’t about working harder. It’s about how you’re showin...

What does equity actually look like in everyday life—and how do we begin dismantling the systems we’re all swimming in? In this powerful conversation, Nicole sits down with equity educator and former public defender Pooja Kothari to explore the deep connections between self-awareness, systemic oppression, and personal responsibility. Drawing on her years defending marginalized clients in Brooklyn’...

 If you set big goals in January and you’re already feeling unsteady about them, this episode is for you. In today’s powerful episode, Nicole introduces a transformative reframe: You are always on a hero’s journey. The question is — are you the one choosing it? Drawing from her own experience as a new mother with a bold, world-changing mission, Nicole shares what it looks like to pursue massive dr...

There are moments in the year that naturally invite recalibration — in our careers, relationships, and how we show up for ourselves. If you’ve been feeling the pull to tighten your boundaries or honor your worth more deeply, this episode is the perfect one to revisit. We’re bringing back this powerful conversation on the three things Nicole no longer compromises on when it comes to self-worth. THE...

How do you find yourself again after walking away from the career that once defined you? In the latest addition to our Alumni Series, I sit down with transformational leadership coach Laura Saldivar Luna, founder of Piñata Possible. After leaving her C-suite role at Teach For America, Laura found herself in unfamiliar territory: no title, no roadmap, and no idea what was next. She knew she had a d...

A new year invites possibility, but only if you make space to step into it. In this episode of School of Self-Worth, Nicole Tsong shares the developmental theme she’s carrying into 2026 and the deeper reflection that led her there. After a year marked by transformation, Nicole explores what happens after a dream comes true, and why continuing to dream is an act of self-worth. This conversation is...

What if slowing down, asking for help, and surrendering control are actually the keys to unlocking your next level in 2026?  In this deeply personal and expansive year-in-review episode, Nicole reflects on the six most transformative lessons she learned in 2025—a year marked by profound change and identity shifts. This episode is for you if you are a high-achieving Asian American woman who is used...

Have you been considering a pivot from a corporate job to pursue a dream?  I’m thrilled to introduce you today to my client, Kim Moy, a YCC and Mastermind alumni. Kim spent years in a corporate job but knew she was being called to something else. Her biggest block was that she didn’t know how to get there. In this episode, Kim shares her journey of how receiving support was instrumental in helping...

 Did you know that Asian American women make up less than 3% of leadership in corporate America? Those numbers aren’t about ability—they signal something deeper influencing visibility, leadership, and self-worth. In this episode of the School of Self-Worth, Nicole Tsong gets personal and practical about one surprising thing making the “visibility” problem worse: judgment. After years of feeling in...

 Maybe you don’t do this…. But I know I tend to pack a LOT into summer. Quick weekend trips, longer vacations, social time with friends outside… …. All on top of the work that never stops. Suddenly, you find yourself getting short and snappish at work — and with the people you love.  Which is why I’m resharing one of the most powerful episodes we’ve ever shared on the School of Self-Worth. This on...

Have you ever reached a huge milestone, only to wonder, “Is this it?” In this YCC Alumni series, I had the pleasure of sitting down with my former client, Ash. When she first came to me, she had just moved to a new city and was feeling more grounded in her career but less clear about her relationships, friendships, and family. By the end of Your Clear Calling, she had completely changed her perspe...

Do you ever feel like slowing down means you’re falling behind?  Do you have a hard time letting go of control?  What if I told you that the moment you surrender is the moment everything could start to align? In this week’s episode, I dive into the powerful and under-discussed themes of surrender and rest–two key practices that are often missing for high-achieving Asian American women who’ve been...

Have you ever held yourself back because you were afraid of what other people might think? If the fear of being judged has ever stopped you from speaking up, showing up, or going after what you want, then this episode is for you. In today’s episode, I explore one of the biggest fears that keeps Asian American women stuck: the fear of being judged.  Listen to learn how you can stay grounded, compas...

In this episode of School of Self-Worth, I had the pleasure of interviewing Samantha Le, an inspiring Vietnamese American refugee, and CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce. Our conversation dives deep into grit, resilience, and what it truly means to own your journey, especially while navigating cultural barriers and building self-worth from the ground up. We also explore Samantha’s ra...

Have you ever asked yourself what it would feel like to live a life without guilt?  I mean, would that be a gamechanger or what? But guilt, especially Asian guilt, is something that might be haunting you wherever you go.  In today’s episode, I’m going to share a two-step process for how to give up the guilt! I also go over what caused it in the first place, and how to permanently reverse it.  If y...

I’m bringing back one of the most downloaded episodes of the podcast because it’s that relevant right now. In this replay, I break down the three biggest causes of overwhelm for Asian-American women  — and share one powerful, yet simple tool you can start using today to shift out of survival mode so you can thrive again. Inside the episode, you'll learn: Why overwhelm isn’t just emotional — i...

Growing up with Asian parents, you might have a frugal money mind-set that makes you risk averse. That’s what happened to Shang Saavedra, personal finance expert and author of "Wealth is a Mindset.” Which is why her story is so powerful. In this episode, she talks about how her frugal upbringing, cultural conditioning and her parents’ aversion to risk-taking influenced how she looked at money...

Have you ever gotten the feedback that you lack gravitas? Or that you don’t have the presence of a leader? In this episode, I dive into just what gravitas is — and the essential thing you’re getting WRONG about gravitas (and what you really need to understand about it to get your next promotion.)  Gravitas is often misunderstood, especially among Asian American women, who think it's about emu...