RAW with Uma

The Brutal New Reality for Mid-Career Professionals

What happens when AI does not eliminate your job overnight, but quietly starts taking over one task at a time? The real question for many professionals is, “What am I now if AI can do half my work?” In this episode of Raw With Uma, Uma speaks with technology leader and psychology researcher Radha Raman about what AI transformation is doing to workers across Asia. Radha explains why professionals must move from being task executors to AI orchestrators. The conversation explores Radha’s research with 400 professionals across ASEAN and India, including why women experience greater AI-related strain and why Western psychological theories often fail to reflect Asian workplaces.She breaks down the five types of techno-stress and explains why generic reassurance from leaders can sometimes make employees feel worse. Uma and Radha also discuss how companies should measure AI adoption, why token usage is a dangerous KPI, how sales and marketing roles must evolve, and why human judgment becomes more valuable as AI grows more capable. From building trust through low-stakes experimentation to developing self-efficacy and normalizing mid-career upskilling, this episode is a practical guide to staying relevant without losing your identity. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:53 | When AI Takes Half Your Job 03:27 | Why AI Transformation Is Really an Identity Crisis 07:00 | The Problem With Western Psychology in Asian Workplaces 12:08 | Why AI Creates More Strain for Women 13:18 | The Five Types of Techno-Stress 15:16 | Why Generic Leadership Support Can Backfire 20:05 | Stop Measuring AI Adoption by Token Usage 22:37 | How AI Is Changing Sales, Research and Customer Conversations 27:50 | Why Experience No Longer Guarantees Relevance 29:40 | Start With AI Before Your Career Depends on It 32:18 | Are You Overloaded, Insecure or Simply Uncertain? 47:32 | Why Mid-Career Upskilling Should Be a Strength 48:54 | The Skill That Matters Most in the Age of AI 51:57 | You Cannot Avoid This Transformation Radha Raman is a technology leader and psychology researcher studying how mid-career professionals in ASEAN and India are adapting to AI transformation. Drawing on decades of experience navigating major technology shifts, her research brings together AI, organizational leadership, and psychology to understand the human strain behind digital transformation. A leader in building high performance sales teams through effective self-leadership and constant innovation in go-to-market execution. Diversity champion and active coach in creating an inclusive workplace culture as a cornerstone in building an effective workforce. Connect with Radha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radha-p-raman/ Raw With Uma Do you feel like you’re working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what’s actually standing between you and being seen.→ https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Uma Thana: 📱 Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e Share this episode with a manager introducing AI into their team, or a mid-career professional wondering how to stay relevant as their work changes. Please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more women find these conversations.

The Brutal Truth About Ageism, Relevance and Surviving The Modern Job Market

Everyone was taught the same corporate bargain: keep your head down, work hard, build experience, and eventually you will be rewarded. But what happens when decades of hard work no longer guarantee safety? In this episode, Uma sits down with executive career strategist and TEDx speaker Loren Greiff to expose why hard work is not job security, why calling yourself a “seasoned executive” may actually damage your career, and why relevance matters far more in today’s market. Loren explains why social media has become the new CV, how professional invisibility carries an expensive price tag, and why nobody can hire, promote, or advocate for someone they cannot clearly see. This conversation is a practical guide to staying visible, valuable, and employable at every age. From Loren’s 68 TEDx rejections and being fired at 55 to the exact framework she uses to identify your unfair advantage, the episode breaks down how to position yourself around urgent and expensive problems, build an evidence file of your impact, find sponsors before you need them, and create a network that can carry your reputation into rooms you are not in. Loren also shares the powerful reminder at the heart of her work: we do not age out by living longer—we age out by living smaller. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 | Teaser 01:00 | The Hard Work = Safety Myth 04:27 | Why “Seasoned” Is a Red Flag 05:03 | Relevance Over Tenure 06:33 | Social Is Your New CV 08:51 | The Cost of Invisibility 10:18 | The Mountain Climber Story 15:13 | Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable 17:41 | Embarrassment Is the Cost of Entry 19:04 | 68 Rejections and Spiritual Sandpaper 25:26 | The Unfair Advantage Framework 31:41 | Building Your Evidence File 37:39 | Networking Before You Need It 40:12 | Loren’s Story: Fired at 55 43:45 | Mentors and Inspiration 48:42 | Closing: Don’t Age Out by Living Smaller Loren Greiff | President | Portfoliorocket.com Loren Greiff is an executive career strategist who helps experienced leaders remain relevant, visible, and competitive in a rapidly changing job market. After being fired at 55, Loren rebuilt her career and transformed her experience into work that helps other professionals position themselves around the problems they are uniquely qualified to solve. Her TEDx journey included 68 rejections before she finally reached the stage—a process she describes as “spiritual sandpaper” that built resilience, humility, and conviction. Now in her sixties, Loren openly challenges the idea that age determines a person’s professional value. Her work focuses on helping executives move beyond outdated titles, generic experience statements, and traditional CVs to communicate their relevance, judgment, impact, and unfair advantage. Through her writing, speaking, coaching, and online presence, she advocates for taking courageous risks, building relationships before they are needed, and refusing to become professionally invisible. Connect with Loren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorengreiff Raw With Uma Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma 💻 On LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/raw-with-uma/ Follow Uma Thana : 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e

Careerquake™: Reinventing at the Top | Prague Keynote & Workshop

What happens when the career and identity you spent decades building suddenly disappear? For Uma, leaving corporate life meant going from managing an 800-person team and receiving 300 emails a day to complete silence and realizing she no longer knew how to introduce herself without her title. Recorded live in Prague, this special episode of RAW With UMA is part personal story and part practical reinvention workshop. Uma introduces the idea of a “careerquake”—the moment disruption forces you to rethink your professional identity, ambitions, and assumptions. Through practical exercises and live audience coaching, Uma explains how to stay visible and relevant, build a memorable elevator pitch, discover what you genuinely want, and make a clear ask without apologizing or waiting for permission. She also breaks down why sponsors matter more than mentors, how to network before you need the network, and the five biggest lessons she learned while reinventing herself. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:57 | Welcome & Introductions 02:55 | Meet Uma: From Malaysia to Tech Leadership 12:56 | Career Quake: Reinventing After Corporate 22:52 | The Power of Networking 28:41 | Crafting Your Elevator Pitch 40:57 | Discovering What You Really Want 54:10 | Mastering the Ask 1:08:52 | Five Lessons on Reinvention 1:16:14 | Audience Q&A Raw With Uma Do you feel like you’re working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what’s standing between you and being seen.→ https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Uma Thana: 📱 Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e Share this episode with someone navigating a career transition, building a business, or trying to understand what they genuinely want next. Please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more women find these conversations. #RawWithUma #Careerquake #CareerReinvention #WomenInLeadership #ProfessionalVisibility #PersonalBranding #NetworkingForWomen #CareerTransition #FutureOfWork

Dear Corporate: Women Don’t Expire At 40.

Everyone expects the corporate world to be ruthless, but what if the secret to doubling a two-billion-dollar business is simply creating a space where people can be themselves? In this unique cross-generational episode, Uma flips the script and invites her 21-year-old nephew, Kyren, to interview her alongside the man she calls "the best boss in the world" seasoned tech executive and author Duncan Hewett. This conversation explores the rare dynamic of genuine psychological safety and what it actually takes to build it. Duncan shares the unconventional tactics he used to completely transform his leadership team, taking it from one woman to nine and why the diversity premium drives a massive 25% to 30% spike in productivity. From the exact moment Uma broke down crying in the office to the specific "Zoom whisper" hack Duncan used to amplify female voices in meetings, this episode is a masterclass in empathetic leadership. The trio also tackles the shifting career expectations of Gen Z, the hidden stigma against older women in the workplace, and how to future-proof your career in an AI-driven world by simply being unapologetically human. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 | Diversity Isn’t “Woke.” It’s Smart Business. 00:30 | Flipping the Script: Gen Z Takes the Mic 01:13 | Anatomy of a World-Class Manager 04:40 | Normalizing Emotion to Build Team Trust 07:46 | How to Pitch Yourself to a CEO 12:55 | Hiring for Diversity & Women in Leadership 15:24 | The Impact of a Diverse Team 19:32 | What Young Men Are Getting Right 23:49 | Duncan's Book: Accelerating Women 26:43 | Celebrating Women's Wins at Work 30:30 | Red Flags and Green Flags in Leadership 34:02 | Why Gen Z is Redefining the Workplace 37:30 | Shedding Armor & Being Yourself at Work 38:37 | The Stigma of Age of Women & Re-entering the Workforce 45:26 | How to Stand Out Without a Traditional CV 47:51 | Befriending the Algorithm to Future-Proof Your Career 51:33 | Rethinking the Definition of a "Rich Life" Duncan Hewett is a seasoned global technology executive with over 35 years of experience leading massive transformations and growing multibillion-dollar businesses across the Asia-Pacific region. He is the author of Accelerating Women, a practical playbook designed to help managers and organizations support and elevate women in the workplace. Throughout his career, Duncan has been a fierce advocate for diversity, notably spearheading the Taara program in India, which successfully helped thousands of women return to the IT workforce after a career break. Kyren Lavan is Uma's 22-year-old nephew, currently studying at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney. Making his podcasting debut, he brings the sharp, observant perspective of Gen Z—a generation navigating a rapidly shifting economic landscape, the advent of AI, and new definitions of workplace culture. Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Uma Thana : 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e Share this episode with a manager who wants to build a more inclusive team, or a young professional trying to find their footing in a changing corporate world. And if you have your own experience of finding a great boss or navigating generational shifts at work, drop it in the comments. Please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more women find these conversations. ace #CareerAdvice

The Health Advice That Actually Helps You Live Longer

Uma’s death clock app tells her how long she has left to live. But surviving to 95 isn’t the goal—living with vitality, muscle, and a sharp mind is. Terrified that most common health advice is wrong and hoping to avoid the physical decline she witnessed in her parents, Uma brings her raw data and deepest fears to Dr. Foong, a primary care physician who specializes in longevity. This episode strips away the biohacking buzzwords and expensive trends to reveal what actually moves the needle on your healthspan. From a systematic breakdown of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine (which control a staggering 70% of health outcomes) to the uncomfortable truths about alcohol, perimenopause, and silent stress, Dr. Foong provides a personalized masterclass in aging well. The conversation builds to a candid conclusion: analyzing Uma's wearable data and delivering a final verdict on the one hidden risk that might actually stop her from making it to 95. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 | The Most Powerful Health Changes Are FREE 00:34 | Welcome to Raw With Uma 02:43 | Longevity-Focused Primary Care Practice 04:21 | What Does a Good Healthspan Actually Look Like? 06:07 | Can You Score Yourself on the 6 Pillars? 09:18 | Pillar 1: Sleep – Deep Sleep, Cycles & What's Going Wrong 14:57 | Pillar 2: Exercise – How Much Is Enough? 17:00 | How Do You Measure VO2 Max? 19:43 | Pillar 3: Nutrition – What Should We Actually Be Eating? 24:48 | Pillar 4: Mental Health – Stress, Anxiety & Dementia Risk 31:49 | Pillar 5: Social Connections – Quality Over Quantity 34:38 | Pillar 6: Avoid Harmful Substances – The Alcohol Conversation 40:11 | The Miracle Weight Loss Drug. Should You Be On It? 45:41 | Will Uma Make It to 95? Dr Tsin Uin FOONG | Osler Health Dr. Tsin Uin Foong is a physician, healthcare leader, and Co-Founder of Osler Group, where she serves as Chief Medical Officer of Osler Health International in Singapore. With more than 25 years of clinical experience, she specializes in primary care, preventive health, wellness, and longevity medicine. Dr. Foong is also a medical educator, healthcare innovator, and sought-after speaker on topics including healthtech, AI, and the future of healthcare. Her work focuses on delivering personalized, holistic care while shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs. Dr. Foong on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tsinuin-foong/ Connect with Dr. Foong on IG - https://www.instagram.com/dr_foong Raw With Uma Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e

How a Wrong Headline Destroyed Women's Health for 20 Years

If you've had a hormonal blood panel and been told everything is fine, you may have been asking your doctor for the one test that cannot actually diagnose perimenopause. Dr Foong explains why — and what the right diagnostic approach looks like. Uma Thana opens this episode by doing something most women never do: she shares her own medical records on camera, exposing a decade of missed signals across multiple doctors. With Dr Foong — a UK-trained precision primary care specialist with 25 years of experience — she works through each data point and discovers that the tests she was given, the ranges she was told to trust, and the advice she received were all pointing her in the wrong direction. Topics range from why cholesterol rises in your 40s without any change in diet, to the 2002 study headline that wiped out two decades of hormone therapy use, to why "within range" on a blood test is not the same as healthy. The episode closes with a number that reframes everything: 90% of clinicians admit they lack confidence treating perimenopause — and Dr Foong counts herself among them. Chapters 00:00 | Intro — Nobody Said the Word Perimenopause 03:01 | Why Perimenopause Gets Missed by Doctors 06:08 | Cholesterol Climbs — and Women Blame Themselves 11:15 | The Study That Scared Women Off HRT for Two Decades 15:28 | What HRT Actually Does — Benefits, Risks, and Timing 19:21 | "Within Range" Is Not the Same as Optimal 24:41 | Why Bad Sleep Is a Daytime Problem, Not a Bedtime One 28:05 | The Two-Minute Daytime Reset That Fixes Sleep 32:19 | The Perimenopause Supplement Stack, Evidence-Ranked 39:41 | Exercise, Immunity, and Weight Gain in Midlife 42:49 | Uma's Mother Was Suffering — and Uma Didn't Know 43:46 | 90% of Doctors Didn't Know — Including This One 45:46 | Where to Start If You've Done Nothing About Dr. Tsin Uin Foong Dr. Tsin Uin Foong is a physician, healthcare leader, and Co-Founder of Osler Group, where she serves as Chief Medical Officer of Osler Health International in Singapore. With more than 25 years of clinical experience, she specializes in primary care, preventive health, wellness, and longevity medicine. Dr. Foong is also a medical educator, healthcare innovator, and sought-after speaker on topics including healthtech, AI, and the future of healthcare. Her work focuses on delivering personalized, holistic care while shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs. Dr. Foong on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tsinuin-foong/ Raw With Uma Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Uma Thana: 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e Share this episode with a woman who's been told her tests are "normal" while she still feels exhausted, anxious, gaining weight, or struggling with sleep. And if you've ever felt dismissed, confused, or left searching for answers about perimenopause, hormones, or midlife health, drop your experience in the comments. Please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more women find these conversations. #RawWithUma #DrFoong #perimenopause #womenhealth #HRT #hormonehealth #bloodwork #womenover40 #midlifehealth #perimenopausesymptoms #sleephealth #supplementsforwomen #womenshormones #singaporehealth

Why "Psychological Safety" Is a Corporate Lie

Everyone expected her to be angry. What Tawana actually felt was harder, and she explains exactly why disappointment hits differently than rage when institutions betray you. Tawana is Meta's APAC lead, a senior Black American woman who came to Asia expecting the familiar challenges of race and gender and found something more complex: new forms of privilege she'd never noticed, the slow crushing weight of DEI being rolled back at the company she leads, and a personal philosophy that refuses defeat. This episode follows a rise-fall-rise arc: from a cold-start hook that redefines the emotional register of the entire conversation, through a brutal midpoint metaphor ("the weight of a ship, not a hammer"), and up again to a quiet, defiant resolution - "that bravery is the agency you give back to yourself." The back half opens into practical inclusion tools, personal rituals, and a thesis about community that Jingjin lands in a single sentence. Chapters 00:00 | Not Anger - The Weight of Disappointment00:55 | Being a Black American Woman in Asia 03:36 | Women Who Throw Their Hat Over the Wall 05:31 | English Fluency as Privilege 08:03 | Speak Last - Asian Leadership Redefined 09:41 | "My Voice Had a Quiver" 13:05 | Inclusion Tools That Actually Work 18:15 | The Weight of a Ship 23:39 | Clarity Is Care 26:15 | Brave Space vs. Psychological Safety 28:30 | Advice to a Young Black Woman Today 32:52 | Music, Quiet Spaces, and the Hidden Introvert 36:00 | Asia Leadership Hacks 39:09 | Creator Economy, Pachinko, and Staying in Your Lane 42:14 | AI Is Not New - the Pivot You Need Right Now About Tawana Tawana, a former management consultant turned startup employee and entrepreneur, has most recently spent the last 5 years as a global strategy and commercial leader at Facebook helping over 10 million advertisers and 3 billion monthly active users find space to connect, build community, and find value together. Prior to Facebook, Tawana led brand and product teams at Intuit, LeapFrog, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson, building and launching hundreds of new and innovative products for brands such as QuickBooks, Listerine, Advil, and ChapStick. She’s served on numerous Diversity and Leadership councils focused on developing Women and Black Leaders. Featured in Adweek’s 2019 Women Trailblazers for her strategic advisory and investment in over 15 companies founded by women and women of color and a participant in the groundbreaking #biascorrect campaign aimed to help correct bias and elevate the discussion of women in leadership positions. She holds a BA in English Literature from Rutgers University, an MA in Instructional Technology & Media from Columbia University, and an MBA from the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia. Raw With Uma Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Elevate Asia: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/elevateasiaorg 💻 On LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevateasia Follow Uma Thana & Jingjin Liu: 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana 📱 Follow Jingjin on Instagram → https://instagram.com/jingjin_liu 💻 Connect with Jingjin on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jingjin-liu Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e

Why Menopause Could Be The Best Thing That Happens to You

Menopause may have been the best thing to happen to her. In this episode, senior banking executive Sunday joins hosts Uma and Jingjin for one of the most disarmingly honest conversations the show has aired. Sunday talks about how menopause removed the social constraints that had been slowing her down, how parenting a daughter with ADHD rewrote the way she leads teams at one of the world's largest banks, and why investing in your boss relationship matters as much as the quality of your work. What’s more, you’ll end the episode with a set of frameworks on boundaries and standards that you can use starting right now! What You'll Learn Why menopause made Sunday more fearless in the boardroom and what she tells her team How Sunday's ADHD parenting diagnosis reframed what emotional regulation actually is The exact line Sunday draws between apologizing for your delivery and never apologizing for your standards The Dr. Becky Kennedy reframe Sunday now applies to her banking teams every day Sunday's three-part framework for building a boss relationship that actually advances your career Chapters 00:00 | Intro — Menopause as a Leadership Superpower 07:20 | Growing Up Filipino: Where Confidence Comes From 11:06 | Parenting a Child with ADHD 16:00 | Emotional Regulation Is the Real Leadership Skill 18:08 | Liked or Respected? 20:57 | When Uma Told Jingjin to Go to Therapy 24:39 | Never Apologize for Your Standards 27:04 | Women Love Everybody Except Themselves 29:57 | Top 3 Moves for Women Chasing Promotion 31:54 | How Much Vulnerability Is Too Much at Work 35:07 | The 50s Are the Best Career Years 36:23 | The Boundary Lesson Sunday Learned from a Parenting Book 39:38 | Why Great Work Alone Won't Get You Promoted 42:30 | Defining Success at 52 About Sunday Sunday Domingo is a Corporate Banker based in Singapore with experience leading regional and global product management teams in the corporate and institutional banking sector. She works on developing and managing digital banking products focused on simplifying financial services and enhancing client experience. She has been involved in client engagement, product strategy, and cross-functional collaboration across international markets Sunday on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundaydomingo Raw With Uma Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Elevate Asia: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/elevateasiaorg 💻 On LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevateasia Follow Uma Thana & Jingjin Liu: 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana 📱 Follow Jingjin on Instagram → https://instagram.com/jingjin_liu 💻 Connect with Jingjin on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jingjin-liu Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e Share this episode with a woman who’s constantly being told to be “less difficult,” “more likable,” or “softer” just for being confident and direct. And if you’ve ever felt judged differently at work for speaking your mind, setting standards, or choosing yourself first, drop your experience in the comments. Please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more women find these conversations #SundayFoundingVoices #FoundingVoices #ElevateGroup #WomenInLeadership #WomenInBanking #Menopause #MenopauseAtWork #ADHD #EmotionalRegulation #WorkplaceBoundaries #LeadershipForWomen #CareerAdvice #WomenWhoLead #SeniorLeadership #SelfInvestment

What Your Eyes Reveal About Your Health

As an ophthalmologist, Claudine kept noticing something that her patients' other doctors were missing. The retina doesn't lie - systemic disease shows up there first. She'd refer patients for follow-up and watch nothing happen. So she went and studied functional and anti-aging medicine herself, and built Asia Wellness from that frustration. In this conversation with Uma and Jingjin, Claudine unpacks what women's longevity actually looks like, and it's not what most of us were told. The research that established most of what we know about nutrition and exercise was done almost entirely on men. Intermittent fasting, low-calorie diets, and chronic cardio - all of them misfire for women, especially in perimenopause. What actually works: resistance training, sleep first, tracking your own data, and a microbiome you can feel. The episode closes with a hard reframe: women over 35 aren't breaking down. They're recalibrating. 00:00 | Your Eye Doctor Sees Your Heart Disease First — Claudine's Origin Story 06:54 | The One Number That Predicts How Long You'll Live (VO2 Max) 08:29 | Why Everything You Know About Fasting Is Wrong for Women 12:33 | Start Here: HRV, Food Journalling, and the Tracking Habit 17:56 | The 3-Step Longevity Playbook Any Busy Woman Can Follow 21:51 | What to Ask Your Doctor: Microbiome, Diet, and Hidden Inflammation 25:21 | Women's Health Is a Generational Investment, Not a Personal Choice 28:12 | Why Cardio Is Making You Store Fat — And What to Do Instead 34:31 | The Wine Collector's Honest Answer: The 80/20 Rule on Alcohol 36:20 | Hormones, HRT, and the Perimenopause Questions Nobody Asks 40:14 | You're Not Breaking Down — You're Recalibrating Clinics & Practices Asia Wellness - https://asiawellness.com.sg Paragon - https://paragonmedical.com.sg Tools & Tests Oura Ring — HRV and sleep tracking HRV (Heart Rate Variability) — biometric tracking for stress and recovery VO2 Max testing — gold-standard longevity biomarker Food journaling — first-step tracking recommendation Microbiome testing — gut health assessment; recommended by Claudine Elimination diet — referenced as a diagnostic tool About Claudine Claudine is an eye surgeon and longevity specialist who founded Asian Longevity after years of detecting systemic disease in her surgical patients' retinas - and growing frustrated that nobody was treating the root cause. She now practices functional and anti-aging medicine, working with women to build personalised longevity protocols grounded in biomarker testing, lifestyle optimisation, and hormonal health. She is affiliated with Paragon [VERIFY]. Claudine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudine-e-pang-8516a780 Asian Longevity website: https://asialongevity.com.sg Raw With Uma Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Elevate Asia: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/elevateasiaorg 💻 On LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevateasia Follow Uma Thana & Jingjin Liu: 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma_raw 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana 📱 Follow Jingjin on Instagram → https://instagram.com/jingjin_liu 💻 Connect with Jingjin on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jingjin-liu Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e Share this episode with a woman who’s struggling with decisions around her health, energy, or daily routine. And if you’ve experienced changes in your body, hormones, or identity—drop your story in the comments.

The Career Break That Changed Everything

She walked back into the workforce after five years at home, marched into Merrill Lynch without a client list, and proposed the following deal: If I'm successful, you pay me. If I'm not, you don't. They gave her the job. Evonne Tan is a wealth management professional who now advises some of Asia's wealthiest families. She spent 27 years in finance across multiple countries, including a 5-year career break to raise her children, returning with a demotion. In this conversation with Uma and Jingjin, she unpacks everything nobody tells you about stepping away and coming back: why demanding a guaranteed return keeps you trapped, why "you can have it all" just needs a time qualifier, and why what goes on your life CV matters as much as your career CV. In This Episode 00:00 | Does the System Really Allow Women to Pause? 02:23 | From Deutsche Bank VP to Starting Over in Wealth Management 04:29 | Why Accepting a Demotion Is Actually a Power Move 04:58 | You Can Have It All — Just Not at the Same Time 09:23 | Finding Your North Star When You Don't Have Clarity 13:05 | "Pay Me Nothing — I'm Variable Cost": The Merrill Lynch Pitch 14:39 | Cultural Expectations and the Courage to Defy Them 17:16 | Enjoy the Flowers on the Road — Evonne's Philosophy of Life 20:51 | "I Have Two Hands, Two Feet, a Degree — I'll Be Fine" 23:35 | The Life CV: How to Reframe a Career Gap on Your Resume 27:59 | The Double Guilt of Working Mothers 30:12 | How the Break Transformed Evonne — She Left a Girl, Came Back Wiser 31:04 | Supportive Spouse, Finances, and Acknowledging Privilege 35:32 | "It's Our Money" — Financial Agency During a Career Break 37:57 | Invest in Yourself — The One Thing Nobody Can Take Away 38:59 | Energy Management and Compartmentalizing Your Brain Evonne is a senior wealth management professional based in Singapore who advises some of Asia's most prominent families. She spent 17 years building her career in financial markets — including heading the FX desk at Deutsche Bank in Hong Kong — before taking a 5-year career break to raise her children. She re-entered the workforce in a deliberate pivot to wealth management, accepting a demotion to associate director to build a new client base from scratch. In 2021, Business Times named her one of the most prominent hires when Barclays Private Bank returned to Singapore. She is a mentor at FWA (Financial Women's Association). Evonne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evonne-tan-27a8663b Raw With Uma Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/rawwithuma Follow Elevate Asia: 📱 On Instagram → https://instagram.com/elevateasiaorg 💻 On LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevateasia Follow Uma Thana & Jingjin Liu: 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://instagram.com/uma__raw 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana 📱 Follow Jingjin on Instagram → https://instagram.com/jingjin_liu 💻 Connect with Jingjin on LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/jingjin-liu Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/id1821559768 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e Share this episode with a woman who’s struggling with decisions around a career break. And if you have your own story about navigating motherhood, health, or identity in the workplace, drop it in the comments. Please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more women find these conversations. #careerbreak, #RawWithUma, #womeninfinance, #worklifebalance, #MerrillLynch, #FWASingapore, #womenentrepreneurship, #Elevatewomen

She Was Pregnant With Twins and Still Got the CMO Job

What 300 Days on the Road Did to Her Body

What if the pain you spent 30 years being told was in your head was silently taking over your body, and you kept outperforming everyone in the room anyway? In this raw, honest conversation, Uma Thana and Jingjin Liu sit down with Amy Kunrojpanya, a global executive who has led teams across more than ten countries, navigated 20 years of infertility, raised three children in four years after 40, and managed all of it while traveling over 300 days a year. Amy opens up about living with stage four endometriosis that went undiagnosed for three decades, being told repeatedly that her chronic pain was in her head, and the emergency surgery in Thailand that changed everything, just before her 40th birthday. This is a story about what it costs to wear professional armor, and what it means to finally put it down. Amy takes us through the real price of saying yes to everything, the spine surgery she walked out of and straight onto a business flight, the maternity leaves where she never truly switched off, the boundaries she set but didn't enforce, and the moment a team member told her that her jumping in was robbing them of the chance to grow. She reflects on the difference between setting a boundary and enforcing one, why motherhood didn't dim her ambition but sharpened it, and how she learned that what got her here will not get her there. Amy also talks about how women are given feedback on style while men are given feedback on skill, and exactly what to say when your manager tells you to smile more. In this episode you'll find: [00:00] Introduction: Three kids in four years after 40 [03:40] What endometriosis actually is [07:44] Outworking, outperforming: the price of never saying no [10:31] Modern female founders rewriting the rules on boundaries [13:09] "Setting a boundary is self-love. Enforcing it is self-respect." [16:22] Why organizations plan for maternity cover but forget the reentry [17:25] Traveling 300+ days a year with a newborn: the logistics of breast milk across borders [23:54] The pull between career and family [32:53] Practical tools for reentry [36:52] High-performing cultures: owning your role, having honest conversations [42:09] Transitioning from doer to leader [44:40] Women get feedback on style. Men get feedback on skill. [46:10] How to respond when told to "smile more" [49:08] "The best is still ahead of me", and what that really means Do you feel like you're working harder than everyone around you but still getting overlooked for the opportunities you deserve? Take the free Discover Your 2026 Visibility Stage assessment and find out what's actually standing between you and being seen. → https://form.jotform.com/252218729975470 Follow RAW with Uma: 📱 On Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma/ Follow Elevate Asia: 📱 On Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/elevateasiaorg/ 💻 On LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevateasia/ Follow Uma Thana & Jingjin Liu: 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/uma__raw/ 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana/ 📱 Follow Jingjin on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jingjin_liu/ 💻 Connect with Jingjin on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jingjin-liu/ Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/ 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e?si=f11a165e6efd445d Find Amy here: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/amykunrojpanya/ Share this episode with a woman who has ever apologized for being pregnant, hidden her pain at work, or felt like she had to choose between ambition and everything else. And if you have your own story about navigating motherhood, health, or identity in the workplace, drop it in the comments. Please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more women find these conversations. #Endometriosis #WorkingMothers #WomenInLeadership #Boundaries #Infertility #Leadership #Ambition #RAWWithUma

He Died for Six Minutes and It Changed Everything

Reinventing Myself at 46 (and Never Looking Back)

What happens when reinvention unlocks parts of yourself you forgot existed? In this intimate episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the unexpected gifts that came from leaving corporate, the creative side I buried for decades, the writing that evolved into magazine columns and a book deal, and the coffee shop moment when I realized I never want to go back. I share how I rediscovered my joy of writing (from LinkedIn posts to Her World magazine to the front page of the national newspaper), the beauty pageant at 25 that planted the seed for democratizing knowledge, and why I built Lean In Singapore while still working my corporate job. Plus: the profound question my multiple-CEO mentor couldn't answer himself, how to pivot careers strategically when you feel misaligned, and why I have a death clock on my phone planning to live until 95. This is about uncovering who you actually are when you stop performing who you thought you should be. In this episode you'll find: [00:00] Rediscovering the joy of writing I buried for decades [02:00] The coffee shop moment: I don't want to go back to corporate [04:34] How a beauty pageant at 25 shaped my mission forever [05:48] The question my CEO mentor asked (but couldn't answer himself) [06:50] Why you should test your passion parallel to your corporate job [07:36] Feeling misaligned? How to pivot careers strategically [11:36] The African woman who wanted to cook: proof anyone can start [13:23] I have a death clock on my phone, here's why 📱 Follow RAW with Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/uma__raw/ 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/ 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e?si=f11a165e6efd445d Got a Careerquake story or question about reinvention, side projects, or rediscovering creativity? Drop it in the comments—it may show up in a future episode. If this resonated, please subscribe and share it with someone who's quietly wondering what else is possible. #Careerquake #Reinvention #CorporateToEntrepreneur #CareerTransition #CareerChange

We Spent $100,000 on a Business No One Wanted

What happens when you spend a year building the wrong business? In this raw episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on Year 1 of entrepreneurship, the part nobody posts about on LinkedIn. The pivots, the money lost, the arrogance that cost us everything, and the humbling moment when we realized our "perfect" business model wasn't working. I share the story of building The Elevate Group with my partner Jingjin, how we spent a whole year (and a lot of money) on a private network that nobody wanted, and the signs we ignored because we were too invested to walk away. Plus: the toothpaste story that exposed my entire relationship with money, the entrepreneurship myths I believed (and paid for), and why the most underrated skill isn't hustle, it's people. In this episode you'll find: [00:00] How the idea for The Elevate Group started [03:31] Meeting my business partner Jingjin and trusting my gut [04:54] The arrogance that cost us a year and thousands of dollars [06:15] The hardest part: walking away from something you invested in [09:35] What we pivoted to and how Year 2 is different [10:33] The entrepreneurship myth: "I'll only work 3 days a week" [11:49] The most underrated skill (Steven Bartlett agrees) [13:18] Corporate failure vs entrepreneurship failure [19:53] My relationship with money and the toothpaste moment [21:47] The Ikigai exercise and Chris Do's life-changing question 📱 Follow RAW with Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/uma__raw/ 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/ 🎧Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e?si=f11a165e6efd445d Got a Careerquake story or question about pivoting, failing, or starting over? Drop it in the comments—it may show up in a future episode. If this resonated, please subscribe and share it with someone who's building something messy and beautiful. #Careerquake #Entrepreneur #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney #Pivot #CorporateToEntrepreneur #RawWithUma

10 Questions That Changed My Life After I Quit

How do you find clarity when you’re exhausted from pretending everything is okay? In this intimate episode, I walk you through the 10 questions that helped me navigate one of the most confusing seasons of my life, a Careerquake™ that didn’t come with a dramatic exit or obvious failure, but discomfort, misalignment, and the feeling that something inside me was asking for more. Today, I’m sharing the questions I asked myself when I found myself sitting on the floor, overwhelmed, unsure of what the future should look like, and realizing I didn’t need the whole plan… I just needed the next right move. In this episode you’ll find: [00:00] The 10 questions to ask during a Careerquake [01:11] Question 1: What is the next right move for me? [02:20] Question 2: What have I trained myself to believe? [03:31] Question 3: What feels like play to me but looks like work to others? [04:24] Question 4: Who am I spending time with and why? [05:37] Question 5: What does a rich life mean to me, uniquely? [06:25] Question 6: What advice have I tried to make work that never felt right? [07:18] Question 7: What is the harder thing for me to do? [08:31] Question 8: What is unresolved that I need to face to move forward? [09:39] Question 9: When do I feel most in control and confident? [10:29] Question 10: When was the last time I lost track of time? [11:27] What comes after the questions: the unsexy beginning of reinvention [12:10] Closing reflections 📱 Follow RAW with Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma 📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/uma__raw/ 💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana 🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/ Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e?si=f11a165e6efd445d Got a Careerquake story or question? Drop it in the comments, it may show up in a future episode. If this resonated, please subscribe and share it with someone who’s quietly wondering, “Is this really what I want?” #Careerquake #CareerTransition #WomenInLeadership #CareerIdentity #Reinvention #CareerPivot #ExecutiveLife #CorporateToEntrepreneur #RawWithUma #IdentityAndWork

I Got Everything I Wanted… Then I Fell Apart

What happens when the ground beneath your career suddenly shifts?In this intimate episode, I share the story of the moment everything I thought I wanted stopped making sense. After building a two-decade career in tech, working toward the title I believed would define me, and finally reaching the peak I’d always imagined… the view wasn’t what I expected.I had the dream role.I had the team.I had the influence, the validation, the identity.And yet, something in me was quietly cracking.When my next “guaranteed” executive job fell through, when the interview for another big role left me completely uninspired, when I realized I could no longer pretend to be excited about a career path that once meant everything to me, the quake finally hit.This is my Careerquake™ story, the shift that forced me to sit in the rubble and ask myself the real questions: What now? Who am I without my title? And what do I actually want next?Inside this episode, I share the messy, honest middle:•⁠ ⁠Why grief is a natural, and necessary, part of career change•⁠ ⁠How losing a title can feel like losing a piece of yourself•⁠ ⁠Why we cling so tightly to being “needed” at work•⁠ ⁠How stillness helped me hear what my soul was trying to sayIf you’re questioning your path, feeling misaligned, or sensing a shift you can’t ignore, this episode will help you name what you’re experiencing and remind you that you’re not alone.In this episode:[00:00] Intro [01:22] What is a Careerquake?[05:41] Signs you might be going through one[07:36] Job titles, identity, and the pressure to perform[10:57] The first steps if you're feeling the tremors[14:09] Why Careerquakes are often a gift[15:11] Redefining what a “rich life” means[16:27] The 10 questions that helped me shift (coming next episode)[17:49] Closing reflections📱 Follow RAW with Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma📱 Follow Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/uma__raw/💻 Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e?si=f11a165e6efd445dGot a Careerquake story or question? Drop it in the comments, it may show up in a future episode.If this resonated, please subscribe and share it with someone who’s quietly questioning “Is this really what I want?”#Careerquake #CareerTransition #WomenInLeadership #Career #Reinvention #CareerPivot #corporatelife #entrepreneur #RawWithUma

The Day My Inbox Went Silent Changed Everything

What happens when the path you thought you were on suddenly disappears? In this deeply personal episode, I share the moment that shattered my corporate identity - when my inbox went from hundreds of emails to zero overnight. After navigating a major acquisition as a VP with a large team, I thought I had it all figured out. The payout was secured. The next executive role was lined up. Everything was going according to plan. Until it wasn't. This is my Careerquake origin story - the tremors that shook me awake: •⁠ ⁠The shock of an empty inbox after 20+ years of being "needed" •⁠ ⁠The call that my "certain" next role had disappeared •⁠ ⁠The uninspiring conversation that made me realize I could no longer fake enthusiasm •⁠ ⁠The terrifying LinkedIn post announcing I was done with corporate tech I reveal the messy truth about leaving corporate life - including the monthly panic when bills arrive and the constant question: "Did I make the right decision?" If you're feeling the ground shift beneath your career, if you're successful but empty, or if you're wondering what happens after "making it" - this episode is for you. In this episode: [00:00] Welcome to RAW [02:09] The empty inbox moment [04:39] Filling the void with recurring calendar invites [05:39] When Plan A falls apart [07:37] The uninspiring call that changed everything [08:56] The terrifying LinkedIn announcement [11:38] Understanding the tremors of a Careerquake [13:33] The truth about entrepreneurship and money 📱Follow RAW with Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma 📱Follow Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/uma__raw/ 💻Connect with Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/ 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e?si=f11a165e6efd445d Got a Careerquake story or question? Drop it in the comments - it might become a future episode. If this resonated, please subscribe and share with one person who needs to hear that they're not alone in questioning everything. #Careerquake #CareerTransition #CorporateToEntrepreneur #WomenInTech #CareerPivot #ExecutiveLife #Entrepreneurship #RawWithUma #CareerIdentity #Reinvention

TRAILER | Season 2: Welcome To My Careerquake™

What happens after everything you’ve built starts to crumble? Welcome To My Careerquake™ In this new chapter, Uma steps into the unpolished truth of reinvention, not the highlight reel, but the space between endings and beginnings. The part no one prepares you for. Two years ago, Uma walked away from everything that once defined her, a high-powered corporate career, titles, and the certainty of who she was. What followed wasn’t a breakdown. It was a Careerquake: a moment when the ground shifts and you’re forced to ask, Who am I if not this? This season isn’t about neat answers. It’s about living inside the questions. Because growth doesn’t happen at the start or the finish. It happens here, in the messy middle. 📱Follow RAW with Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma 📱Follow Uma on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/uma__raw/ 💻Follow Uma on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana Listen on: 🎧Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-with-uma/ 🎧Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1R7vwGXeHLcJLsX8HjOX4e?si=f11a165e6efd445d 🎧YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RAWwithUMA/ #Leadership #CareerGrowth #WomenInLeadership #Reinvention #Careerquake #CorporateWorld #TheMessyMiddle #RawWithUma

Why Losing Your Job Could Mean Your Next Pivot

What do you do when your entire career crumbles—and you're left staring at the pieces? What does it mean to experience a Careerquake—and rebuild not just your work, but your identity?In this honest and soul-baring episode, Uma opens up about the Careerquake that changed everything: being made redundant after years at the top of her tech career, losing her title, and confronting the deep questions of self-worth, purpose, and money. From building Lean In Singapore to co-founding Elevate, Uma shares what it really takes to start over—and stay grounded while doing it.If you're navigating a Careerquake of your own—whether it's burnout, job loss, or simply a quiet voice asking “Is this all?”—this episode is your permission slip to pause, pivot, and rewrite the story.Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:What a Careerquake feels like—and why grief is part of growthThe identity crisis that happens when your job title disappearsHow to reconnect with purpose using one powerful reflection questionWhy “failing well” is the key to building a sustainable, purpose-led communityUma’s honest take on scarcity vs. abundance, money fears, and letting go of egoHow to design your life first, and then build your business around it[00:00] Uma’s Careerquake: Losing Her Job, Finding Herself[03:47] Where Her Mission Really Began (And Why She Didn’t Act on It at First)[07:21] Ambition, Identity, and “Too Much” in the Workplace[09:48] Reading Lean In and the Spark That Changed Everything[11:55] Starting the Lean In Singapore Chapter (With No Experience)[15:22] The Truth About “Failing Well” After a Careerquake[18:00] Building a Community That Actually Works[20:43] Measuring Real Impact (It’s Not About Numbers)[22:40] Who Are You Really Serving? Uma’s “Anita” Avatar[25:03] How She Managed It All While Working Full-Time[28:15] Learning to Let Go (And the 3-F Rule)[30:30] What Makes a Great Volunteer Team[33:09] Redundancy, Grief, and Embracing the Careerquake[36:58] The Truth About Co-Founders and Clashing Styles[40:32] When the Body Speaks First[42:10] Scarcity vs. Abundance[45:20] Identity, Ego, and Being Seen Without a Title[47:13] Uma’s Current Definition of a Rich Life[49:30] How to Design Your Time with Intention[51:15] Final Reflections: Stillness, Spirituality, and the Bigger Dream👉 Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/rawwithuma👉 Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana/✨ Get more content like this — join my newsletter (it’s free!)https://elevateasia.org Follow Sharad Lal in his Newsletter:https://open.substack.com/pub/sharadlal#Careerquake #leadership #careertransition #asianwomen #womenintech #personalgrowth #purpose #rawconversations