The Leader Within podcast with Angela Nguyen

If you're a social impact leader, serial entrepreneur, or high performer who wants to lead with purpose and real-world impact, this episode is for you!   Angela Nguyen, leadership coach, consultant, and podcast host, sits down with Lourdes Juan — Co-founderand CEO of Knead Tech, award-winning Canadian entrepreneur, and urban planner who has founded six ventures across food security, hospitalit...

What if the version of "success" you've been chasing is quietly keeping you from accepting yourself? In this episode, Angela sits down with Lisa Tong — ex-corporate strategist, engineer-turned-entrepreneur, Ironman finisher, and author of Hello Me — to unpack how high-achieving leaders can build genuine self-acceptance and stop defining themselves by achievement. You'll hear why...

In the human + AI era, the leadership skills that matter most are still deeply human. In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast, host Angela Nguyen — leadership coach and consultant— sits down with Rashi Kakkar, Global Portfolio Leader, Leadership & Development at McKinsey & Company, and author ofthe Decks and Diapers newsletter.   From values-driven leadership to navigating gray areas,...

⚠️ Content warning: This clip includes opendiscussion of pregnancy loss, grief, and themes of hopelessness. If you're struggling, please reach out — you are not alone. 🇺🇸 Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) | 🇨🇦 Call 1-833-456-4566 (Crisis Services Canada). If this type of content triggers you and you are in another country, please look up your local support line before watching....

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this solo episode of The Leader Within Podcast is for every high-performer with ADHD whose mind never slows down. Host Angela Nguyen — leadership coach, consultant, and podcast host — shares the real internal voice she hears before big rooms, stretch projects, and career decisions, and what she's learning about leading through the noise instead of figh...

What if you treated your career like a quarterback leads a team? In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast, leadership coach Angela Nguyen sits down with NadineNiba, an award-winning Chartered Professional Accountant and Enterprise Risk Management Leader,  speaker and author of ‘Quarterback: An Immigrant’s Guide to Corporate North America.’ Nadine shares how a Quarterback mindset has helped her...

How do you lead difficult conversations effectively without avoiding tension, over explaining, or trying to control someone else’s reaction? In this solo episode of The Leader Within Podcast , I share 3 practical shifts that have helped me navigate hard conversations more effectively in leadership, relationships, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: • creating psychological safety • focusing on what is within...

High-potential leaders aren’t just top performers—they’re the people who can lead through uncertainty, build trust, and grow others. In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast , host Angela Nguyen interviews Dr. Reece Akhtar (organizational psychologist, co-founder & CEO of Deeper Signals ) to break down the signs of leadership potential that drive leadership effectiveness —especially in the...

Why do difficult conversations feel so uncomfortable—even when you know you should speak up? In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast , Angela shares a fewstories about why difficult conversations can feel so uncomfortable. Part of itis that they can trigger protective responses like conflict avoidance, shuttingdown, people-pleasing, or defensiveness—reactions that are often outside of our con...

In this episode of The Leader Within, Angela Nguyen interviews Sylvana Rochet, an Executive and TransitionCoach helping founders and leaders navigate high-stakes transitions, scale their leadership, and clarify their next chapter. Sylvana unpacks why workplace drama often comes from triggers , how personal history shapes leadership under pressure, and why many “bad bosses” aren’t bad people—they’r...

What do you do when motivation fades and willpower isn’t enough? In this solo episode, I share a system for sustainable discipline—one designed to support me on low-energy, high-stress days, not just when I’m motivated and energized. I share the six elements of my system that helps build discipline through clarity, accountability, flexibility, and progress over perfection. I also share a Brazilian...

In today’s rapidly changing world, ethical leadership isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s a necessity. In this episode of The Leader Within , Angela Nguyen interviews ChaVon Clarke-Joell (CJ), founder of CKC Cares Ventures Ltd., whose work helps leaders, organizations, and communities make ethical choices in AI and digitalspaces. CJ’s mission centers on creating real impact by helping teams embrace inno...

In this solo episode of The Leader Within, I share how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) helps me stay calm under pressure—alongwith the leadership lessons I’ve been able to take from the mats into life and how I lead. From navigating imposter syndrome to fostering curiosity, emotional regulation, and adaptability, discover parallels that sharpen grounded confidence off the mat. 🔔 Ready to empower the le...

In this special crossover episode of The HR Hub and The Leader Within , Andrea Adams and I explore three critical HR and leadership trends shaping the workplace in 2026 . From systems thinking and AI adoption to the rising impact of workplace loneliness , this conversation is packed with actionable insights for HR professionals , people leaders , and future-focused organizations . Key themes in th...

In this episode of The Leader Within , host Angela Nguyen interviews leadership psychologist, executive coach, and award-winning author Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier (MH) . MH shares how strategic thinking and planning can improve your resilience as a leader while helping you build your team’s resilience as well. You’ll learn how to design a strategic resilience plan so you can lead through uncertain...

Feeling stuck trying to navigate uncertainty in your leadership journey? In this episode of The Leader Within , award-winning executive coach and leadership consultant Dr. Carol Parker Walsh shares how to lead through ambiguity, reframe fear, and tune into your intuition for greater clarity. With a background as a former attorney, senior leader, professor, and dean, Dr. Carol brings a unique blend...

How can leaders navigate complexity and systemic issues—while staying accountable to thecommunities they serve?   In this episode of The Leader Within , Angela Nguyen speaks with Sandra Clarkson , CEO of the Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre Society. They explore how Sandra leads through a housing crisis, toxic drug supply, and mental health challenges—while supporting a trauma-informed team. Key...

What does it take to lead with empathy, resilience, and vision in today’s complex world? In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast , host Angela Nguyen sits down with Dr. SaskiaSivananthan—an internationally recognized dementia policy leader, co-founder and CEO of The Brainwell Institute, Affiliate Professor at McGill University, and health data scientist.   Dr. Sivananthan shares stories from...

At 17, Jevon Wooden faced a 7-year prison sentence. A moment of empathy, set him on a path of personal transformation that would eventually earn him the Bronze Star for heroic leadership in Afghanistan—and later lead him to coach leadership teams around the world. In this episode of The Leader Within , Jevon shares his insights on the impact of emotional intelligence, effective communication, empa...

In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast , Angela Nguyen speaks with Trish Lindo —personal branding architect, LinkedIn strategist, and CEO of Too Ambitious Consulting. Trish shares her leadership journey from high-paced careers at Buzzfeed and LinkedIn to launching her own consulting business that empowers women executives and entrepreneurs. Together, Angela and Trish explore how leaders can...

In this special 2-year anniversary episode of The Leader Within , host Angela Nguyen flips the script and shares her story—one of setback, patience, and purpose.   After rupturing her Achilles tendon during a Muay Thai session, Angela was forced to slow down—a jarringshift for a high performer. What followed was not just physical rehab, but deep leadership insight on decision-making, resilience, s...

In this episode of The Leader Within podcast, Angela is joined by Akua Nyame-Mensah — Leadership, Culture & Transformation Advisor. Together, they explore what it really means to lead when there’s no playbook and you're constantly being pulled in different directions.   💬 Akua shares: Her 3-step leadership framework Lessons from building a team from scratch (and letting go of control) Change...

🎻 What can corporate leaders learn from anorchestra conductor? More than you might think.   In this episode of The Leader Within , international orchestra conductor and performance coach, Roit Feldenkreis shares how the high-stakes world of live performance offers apowerful lens on leadership, communication, and presence. From earning trust in minutes to navigating chaos with composure, Roit tran...

Curious as to what leadership lessons this former monk is sharing with fortune 500 leaders, tune in! In this episode of The Leader Within, Angela interviews Pandit Dasa, CEO of Work Mindful Corp. Pandit is a distinguished keynote speaker specializing in workplace culture, the future of work, resilience, mental health, andmindfulness. As an accomplished author and former monk, he has addressed nume...

Hey everyone — I’m pressing pause on new episodes starting July 8th , and I’ll be back August 12th . In this short solo update, I’m sharing why I believe stepping back is sometimes the smartest move — even when FOMO and algorithms tell you otherwise. After interviewing over 70 guests, I know we can’t just keep grinding without taking time to think, plan, and live in alignment with how we want to l...