Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy – Details, episodes & analysis

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Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy

Samorn Selim

Business

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/8d. Total Eps: 100

I'm Samorn Selim. Welcome to the Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy Podcast. I'm a lawyer turned career coach on a mission for us to take our careers from dread to joy. Growing up as the daughter of poor Lao refugees, I was the underdog. Against all odds, I made it to a top 10 law school and landed a job in Big Law. As an outsider, I was told that I was lucky to even be there and that I had to pay my dues. After coaching over 1,000 clients, I now realize that the idea that you have to pay your dues and work in a toxic place is a myth. We can face our challenges head on, do work we are passionate about, and work with good people to make a big impact. So even as we struggle, we can find a sense of belonging.

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The Power of Enough: Choosing More Mommy Over More Money, Investing In Yourself, and Being A Leader In AI Ethics With Irene Liu (Ep. 199)

Episode 199

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 • Duration 48:13

What happens when a high-powered executive, responsible for scaling multi-billion dollar companies, is asked by her 10-year-old: "What does that money actually mean to us?"

In this deeply insightful episode, we sit down with Irene Liu, founder of Hypergrowth GC and former Chief Financial and Legal Officer at Hopin. Irene shares her journey from the Department of Justice to the front lines of the AI revolution, where she now advises the California Senate on AI safety.

We explore the "Politics of the C-Suite," the necessity of high EQ in leadership, and why Irene decided to step out of the "survival mode" of corporate life to define what "enough" looks like for her family.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

Resilience born from crisis: how working in finance in Manhattan during 9/11 shaped Irene's mental fortitude.
Navigating layoffs with humanity: whether you are the one being let go, the one left with survivor's guilt, or the executive making the difficult calls.
The art of the pivot: effective strategies for transitioning from public service and government roles into the private sector.
The AI frontier: a sobering look at the "Empire of AI," the global race for innovation, and the urgent need for safeguards to protect children and vulnerable populations.
The path to the C-Suite: the two key qualities you need to transition from "just a lawyer" to a business leader.
"More Mommy" vs. "More Money": how to evaluate career choices through the lens of family values and the "seasons of life."
Owning your growth: Why you shouldn't let your employer drive your career, and the importance of self-investment and building a genuine community.

Connect with us:

Learn more about our guest, Irene Liu, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ireneliu1/.
Follow our host, Samorn Selim, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/.
Get a copy of Samorn's book, Career Unicorns™ 90-Day 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: An Easy & Proven Way To Cultivate Mindfulness, Beat Burnout & Find Career Joy, at https://tinyurl.com/49xdxrz8.
Ready for a career change? Schedule a free 30-minute build your dream career consult by sending a message at www.careerunicorns.com.

Disclaimer: Irene would like our listeners to know that her views expressed in this podcast are her own and do not represent those of any referenced organizations.

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Rewiring Your Brain for Joy: Heal People-Pleasing, Overcome Imposter Syndrome & Own Your Voice with Susan Britton (Ep. 198)

Episode 198

Wednesday, December 10, 2025 • Duration 50:10

Are you ready to stop living for others and start living for you?

In this powerful episode, Susan Britton, Founder & President of the Academies for Neuroscience Coaching, Inc., explores how our brains hold onto old behaviors like people-pleasing and self-doubt. Susan has 25 years of leadership in coaching and coaching education, and has supported 1,000s of coaches across six continents to earn their ICF credential. She shares the neuro-informed strategies you need to embrace all of yourself, shift from the "Red Zone" (fight/flight) to inner peace, and start listening to your true voice to build your dream life and career.

We dive deep into:

How people-pleasing is a survival response, and the science behind changing it.
Leveraging neuroplasticity to rewrite old, self-limiting narratives that hold your career back.
Why embracing small, necessary pain (Hormesis!) is the key to massive growth and impact.
Giving voice to your "shadow energy" from a kind and compassionate place.
Recognizing the signs of burnout and strategies for a compassionate recovery.

Connect with us:

Learn more about our guest, Susan Britton, at https://www.theacademies.com/about/ or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachsusanbritton/.
Follow our host, Samorn Selim, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/.

Decolonizing Healing: Reclaiming Our Narrative, Resisting Erasure And Healing Trauma With Dr. Grace Poon (Ep. 197)

Episode 197

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 • Duration 45:51

Welcome back, Career Unicorns! This week, we are honored to host the incredible Dr. Grace Poon Ghaffari: a motherscholar practitioner, proud daughter of Chinese immigrants, and embodied healer.

Grace is an Assistant Professor at San Jose State University, where she focuses on healing and harm among student survivors of sexual and relationship violence, examining how these experiences are intertwined with broader systems of oppression.

In this deep and vital conversation, we discuss why the traditional justice system often fails to be a source of healing, the critical importance of naming violence as it truly is (especially anti-Asian women hate), and how to move toward decolonizing our own healing experiences. Grace shares her wisdom on tuning into ancestral knowledge, recognizing the validity of traditional wisdom, and finding sustainable ways to resist the exhausting cycles of systemic harm and microaggressions.

Key Takeaways:

The Healing Gap: Why victims often don't find the justice system to be a source of healing, and the importance of acknowledging harm.
Revictimization: The harmful experience of unhelpful police and the dismissal of non-stereotypical victims of violence.
The Fight To Name Harm: Connecting the Atlanta spa shootings, anti-Asian women hate, and the necessity of uplifting marginalized narratives that are often wildly dismissed
Internalized Dismissal: How Asian women's experiences of violence are often minimized ("that just happens to Asian women"), and the role of purity culture in the Asian cultural context.
Decolonizing Healing: Recognizing the positives of Western medicine alongside the profound knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors, and how our relationship to the body and land are part of the healing ecosystem.
Ancestors As Researchers: Tuning into your own lineage and recognizing that your parents and community have been doing research all along, even if it wasn't recognized by traditional science.
The Tiring Nature of Resistance: The layers of trauma, microaggressions, and the importance of finding ways to be sustainable and be in the resistance for the long haul.

Breaking Free From Hustle Culture: How to Leave Prestige, Redefine Success, and Build Your Dream Career with Ann Sheu (Ep. 196)

Episode 196

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 • Duration 47:03

As a former lawyer, business expert, and founder of Mpowered Families, Ann Sheu has gone through her own journey of achieving society's definition of success only to realize it wasn't her own. She uses her unique background to help high-achieving leaders move past the "hustle culture" and design a career and a life that is deeply rooted in personal alignment.

In this episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy, we tackle the pressure to prioritize prestige and money over happiness.

Key Career Strategies You'll Learn:

How to Pivot: The steps to take when you realize the hustle culture you've been chasing is leading you to live someone else's definition of success.
The Value Test: A practical framework for defining your "no matter what values" to instantly guide your biggest career and life decisions.
Silence the Critics: Strategies for managing the pressure from professional networks who don't understand why you would leave a "prestigious" career for happiness.
Build Your Aligned Life: How to move past external expectations and successfully design a life and career that "feels good" and honors who you truly are.
Conflict Resolution: How to navigate friction when your professional and personal values clash, and gain the clarity needed for intentional decision-making.
The Power of No: How to gain the confidence and strategies needed to say "no" to opportunities and responsibilities that don't align with your values.
Two-Parent Balance: Essential insights into addressing parental responsibilities and career goals in two-parent working households, focusing on equitable solutions.

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The Mirror Effect: Dr. Sheila Gujrathi on Finding Your Voice, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, and Using Gratitude To Own Every Room You Walk Into (Ep. 195)

Episode 195

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 57:47

As a physician, biotech CEO, and champion for women in leadership, Dr. Sheila Gujrathi, MD, has spent her career breaking ceilings and teaching others how to do the same.

In this powerful episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy, we dive deep into the real-world barriers—from childhood racism ("Indians Go Home") to professional microaggressions—and how she reframed the pain of shame and doubt.

We discuss:

The devastating impact of FIDS (Fear, Insecurity, Doubt, & Shame).
Why self-compassion is the key to silencing your inner critic.
Battle-tested strategies for addressing toxic behavior and gaslighting immediately.
How practicing gratitude is the ultimate superpower for career resilience.

You do not want to miss this essential masterclass in owning your power.

Connect with us:

Learn more about our guest, Dr. Sheila Gujrathi at https://sheilagujrathimd.com/ and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-gujrathi-md/.
Follow our host, Samorn Selim, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/.
Get a copy of Samorn's book, Career Unicorns™ 90-Day 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: An Easy & Proven Way To Cultivate Mindfulness, Beat Burnout & Find Career Joy, at https://tinyurl.com/49xdxrz8.

Navigating Systemic Bias and Finding Our Shared Humanity with Kori Carew (Ep. 194)

Episode 194

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 • Duration 46:19

Welcome, Career Unicorns! How do we lead with courage and heart when the system is stacked against us?

Join us for a deeply moving and vital conversation with Kori Carew, Chief Catalyst Officer and Founder of Bridge 68 LLC, lawyer, TedX speaker, and former Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer.

Kori challenges us to move beyond "a moment" to a true movement, urging us to reflect deeply on our values and courageously design the world we want to see.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

Courageous Leadership: Discover how to show up as leaders in our ordinary daily lives when systemic biases are real.
Reclaiming Humanity: The impact of a racialized society stripping away our humanity and what we can do to reclaim our human dignity.
Power of Empathy: Learn how to practice empathy, especially when we're attacked, and remain hopeful in our capacity for good.
Creating Belonging: Practicing empathy with the understanding that we may all be in the same storm, but we're not in the same boat.
Embracing Rest: Recognizing why burnout is real, and what you can do to find joy while advocating for justice and change.

Connect with us:

Learn more about our guest, Kori Carew, at https://www.koricarew.com/ and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/koriscarewesq/.
Follow our host, Samorn Selim, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/.

Gaslighting And Narcissists At Work: How To Leave A Toxic Job with Sarah Cottrell, Founder of Former Lawyer LLC (Ep. 193)

Episode 193

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 • Duration 53:48

Are you in a toxic job, but feel stuck? Making great money but feel absolutely dead inside? If yes, then this episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy is for you.

Join us as we welcome Sarah Cottrell, founder of Former Lawyer LLC, who helps unhappy lawyers ditch soul-crushing jobs for fulfilling alternative careers. Sarah shares her expertise on the unique pain of leaving a high-prestige career.

We dive deep into how to recognize the signs of an abusive workplace and the importance of prioritizing your mental health.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why the prestige trap and sunk cost fallacy keep people in miserable, high-paying jobs.
How gaslighting and narcissistic behavior from bad bosses lead to workplace PTSD, GAD, and panic disorder.
Why leaving a toxic job is like leaving an abusive relationship, and how to start the necessary grieving process.
The critical role of calming your nervous system to do the deeper work of envisioning a sustainable career.
Why working with both a career coach and a therapist is the most efficient path to a successful transition.
The importance of reminding yourself that you are not crazy, and your feelings are real.
Key strategies for feeling less stuck and building a thriving career that aligns with your values.

Connect with us:

Learn more about our guest, Sarah Cottrell, at www.formerlawyer.com.

Reclaiming Your Power: How Trauma, Social Justice, And Systemic Gaslighting Impact Your Career And Self-Worth with Rosie Yeung (Ep. 192)

Episode 192

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 • Duration 49:39

Ready to shatter the old-school corporate rules? In this powerful episode of Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy, host Samorn Selim welcomes back Rosie Yeung, a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, HR Leader, and Chartered Professional Accountant.

Rosie, a Chinese-Canadian, immigrant, cis-het woman living with mental illness and recovering from cPTSD (complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), shares her deeply personal journey of navigating identity, assimilation, and complex trauma.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

The ripple effects of trauma, including gender bias, systemic racism, psychological unsafety, and gaslighting that is often baked into the modern workplace.
How seemingly "good people" can perpetuate harmful systems and why traditional career advice often fails marginalized individuals.
Why the problem isn't you, but it's the system, and what you can do to protect your mental health.
How to anchor in your body, name your truth, and step into your worth, even when the corporate structure is working against you.
The Un-Executive Coaching™ approach, a practice that sits at the intersection of social justice, trauma, and career growth.
The importance of having the permission and power to name your truth.
The fact that you are never responsible for someone else's bad behaviors or the failings of a toxic system.

Connect with us:

Learn more about our guest, Rosie Yeung, at https://changinglenses.ca/ and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosieyeung/.
Follow our host, Samorn Selim, on LinkedIn at .

Beyond Survival: Dyanna Volek's Call for Collective Action Against Apathy and Anti-Asian Hate (Ep. 191)

Episode 191

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 • Duration 48:10

Get ready for a profound and powerful conversation with the incredible Dyanna Volek, a quintessential "Career Unicorn" who is using her voice and influence to push for real change. As a first-generation college student and daughter of Filipino immigrants, Dyanna currently serves as the Manager of Government Affairs for the San Francisco International Airport. She's also a licensed attorney and a dedicated community advocate, including serving on the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood, Northern California.

In this episode, Dyanna issues a call for collective action, getting candid about the despair and apathy she sees in the current political climate and offering concrete ways we can use our spheres of influence to fight back.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of Luke Liss and the host, and do not represent the views of any referenced organizations.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

A guide on how to use local politics to effect positive change and tap into your spheres of influence.
The trauma, frustration, and emotional labor of dealing with Anti-Asian Hate and being a woman of color in leadership.
The urgent need to address systemic injustice and the breakdown of civility in public discourse.
Navigating DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) during challenging political times and what you can do to create a culture of inclusion.
Key strategies on how to sustain your energy, set boundaries, and find what "fills your cup" so you can continue the fight for decency and justice without burning out.

Connect with us:

From Sunday Scaries To Love Mondays: Ron Monteiro on How to Break Free from Systemic Barriers, Find Your Authentic Voice, and Create the Career You Love (Ep. 190)

Episode 190

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • Duration 48:30

In this inspiring and candid conversation, we sit down with Ron Monteiro, author of Love Mondays, to discuss his 20-year journey from a shy finance professional to a powerful public speaker and executive coach. Ron shares how he turned a perceived weakness in public speaking into his life's mission.

We dive into the challenges he faced as a person of color navigating corporate finance, offering a powerful perspective on how to tackle systemic barriers by focusing on what you can control: your daily growth, your commitment to learning, and the commitment to "put in the reps."

Whether you're struggling with toxic work, aiming for executive presence, or grieving a derailed career path, Ron's wisdom on self-investment and finding mentors will give you the tools and courage to move forward and, eventually, Love Mondays.

Key Takeaways

How to turn your weakness into your strength.
The importance of taking small, actionable steps to achieve your big goals.
The secret to building your confidence.
How to navigate systemic barriers and the power of surrounding yourself with people who believe in you.
What you can do to build executive presence and take up space in a room.
Why it's important to acknowledge injustice and how to use it as fuel for driving change.
The power of Ikigai and why investing in yourself leads to more freedom.
Advice for those who feel lost and scared after an unexpected career change.

Connect with us:

Learn more about our guest, Ron Monteiro, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronmonteiro18/ and grab a copy of Love Mondays at .

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Career Unicorns - Spark Your Joy – Details, episodes & analysis

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