Coherence Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

When we step into our personal agency, we step into a place of engagement with the world and we start to grow hope. I made this episode to respond to the mounting scarcity energy that I’m witnessing in my client calls. People are frustrated with not hearing back about job opportunities, outreach emails, and are in a ‘what’s going to keep the lights on?’ moment (both literally and figuratively). This all is super challenging and it all requires a LOT of resilience. I hope this listen can be a dose of inspiration to keep trying, to keep showing up and remain awake to yourself and to others. 

Stay until the end of the episode to hear me run you through a clarity exercise that you can do to take a next step toward figuring out what you, the protagonist of your life, can do to remember that you have the Author’s pen in your hand.

Stuck in the endless loop of "What should I do with my life?" When you're stuck between knowing you want change but feeling paralyzed by the pressure to figure it all out perfectly, it's easy to get caught in what I call "analysis paralysis." In this solo episode, I’ll dismantle the problematic "follow your passion" advice and introduce a drastically different approach that actually leads to results.

Through real examples from my own transition from Kickstarter to founding my first business, New Women Space, I’ll show how the people who successfully create meaningful career changes aren't making one dramatic leap. They're making a series of small, strategic experiments that build confidence and gather real-world data. You'll learn two specific tactics you can start this week: the coffee chat challenge and how to offer small versions of your ideas in low-stakes settings.

If you've ever felt haunted by not knowing your "passion," overwhelmed by too many options, or stuck researching without ever taking action, this episode offers a practical roadmap for getting unstuck.

Resources referenced: 

• Coherence Course - for a more structured guide through the career change process  

What happens when a painful secret becomes a revolutionary business idea? For Emily Sauer, painful sex wasn't just a personal struggle—it was a problem no one seemed to be solving (or talking about). So she took matters into her own hands and made a prototype in her kitchen and started talking about it. A lot.

Emily’s story reminds us that innovation often starts with a worthy problem to solve, empathy, and some guts. 

In this episode, Emily, founder and CEO of The Pelvic People, takes us through her career story from art school and high-fashion photo shoots to building a company that’s redefining pelvic health. With candor and humor, she reflects on her early days figuring out how to solve problems and do well in school even with her ADHD diagnosis, and connects a (retrospectively obvious) line to how she transformed something she felt shame around into an empowering solution and movement that now reaches thousands of clinicians and customers.

If you’ve ever felt like your body wasn’t doing what it was “supposed to,” or you’ve wondered how to use your relationship (and charismatic) skills to your advantage, this should be an inspiring listen. 

You can find Emily at:

website: thepelvicpeople.com

IG: @sauerhour

Simone Stolzoff is an author, designer, and workplace expert whose debut book The Good Enough Job catapulted his speaking career and recently landed him a TEDx talk.   

Simo and Melissa talk about the challenge of being pulled in two different directions, and the time he declared something on Twitter that changed his life. Simo worked for the reputed design consultancy IDEO for many years, so it’s no surprise that he helps other people design their next career steps and applies an extremely experimental approach to his own business. Listen in to hear here why Simo is doubling down on his business despite the challenges that come with doing your own thing.

Fun Fact: Melissa was the matchmaker who connected Simone with his now wife! 

You can find Simo at:

website: https://www.simonestolzoff.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thepizza_bagel/

Tired of hearing conflicting content advice that leaves you overwhelmed in inaction? When your livelihood feels tied to getting the word out about your work, it can feel like your only option is to show up on every platform and to force yourself to post all the time. But people feel tension around social media, not wanting to add to the noise or not knowing how to show up in a way that feels not… icky. 

In this reflective solo episode, host Melissa Wong unpacks the concept of "authentic sharing style," offering a personalized framework for sharing your work without burnout or vulnerability hangovers. She guides you through understanding your core motivations, addressing common fears like judgment and imposter syndrome, and identifying which communication mediums help you naturally show up with more ease.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by social media "shoulds" or wondered which content approach would actually feel sustainable, this conversation provides practical wisdom on finding the sweet spot where your strengths, audience needs, and unique voice converge.

Myisha Battle is a certified clinical sexologist and sex and dating coach, educator, and speaker. She is the author of This is Supposed to Be Fun: How to Find Joy in Hooking Up, Settling Down, and Everything in Between.

In this episode, Myisha takes us through her evolution from middle school peer counselor to psychology graduate student to working four jobs while trying to grow her business to today as a respected sexologist, author, and Time Magazine columnist. 

Myisha talks about how the business philosophy of "form follows function" allows her to create a coaching business that really works for her not just in theory but in practice. 

If you've ever wondered how to build a thriving practice around taboo topics, this conversation just might inspire you to have the courage to speak about issues that really matter. 

You can find Myisha at:

website: https://myishabattle.com/

IG: @myishabattle

What happens when you trade corporate success for creative pursuit? For Janet Wong (Melissa’s cousin!), leaving her role as director of labor relations to write children's books wasn't just a career change—it was a return to the artistic spirit she'd never been encouraged to take seriously. 

In this episode, Janet takes us behind the scenes of her 30-year journey in children's literature, from her early days of doubt to becoming an award-winning author and independent publisher. Through family artifacts, rejection letters, and pivotal moments of mentorship, she illustrates how our professional lives can become richer when we stop trying to fit into others' expectations.

If you've ever felt torn between practicality and passion, or wondered how to maintain longevity in a creative field, this conversation offers wisdom on embracing your quirks, finding your voice, and remembering that there's always "room for me" in spaces that matter to you.

You can find Janet at: 

Website: https://janet-wong.com/

IG: @janetwongauthor

Ever catch yourself daydreaming about breaking free from the 9-to-5 grind, but wonder if you're actually ready to take that leap? You're not alone in this, and today's episode walks you through an exploration of what's really possible.

I'm diving deep into what it truly means to be ready for self-employment—beyond business plans and savings accounts. I'll share my own journey of questioning, planning, and finally making the switch, along with the inner work that made all the difference.

We're getting real about the emotional rollercoaster of creating your own path and I'm breaking down both the mindset shifts and practical steps that will help you move from "someday" to "day one." Whether you're feeling that gentle nudge or a full-on push toward self-employment, this episode will help you understand if you're ready to write your own rules.

If you've ever looked at your career and thought "there has to be more than this," consider this episode your guide to figuring out if going solo is your next right move. I truly believe that creating a career that truly fits you is possible when you know what to look for and how to prepare.

Get the "Are you ready to work for yourself?" Quiz here.

Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky is a keynote speaker, workplace belonging & future of work expert and a bestselling author of four books that have been translated into multiple languages, including The Quarter-Life Breakthrough, Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, and The Workplace Belonging Toolkit. Melissa and Smiley used to live together in a 13 person co-living house in Oakland, CA. 

In this conversation they talk about the secret ingredient to his success getting his first book published and building the fulfilling and dynamic speaking career that he has today. Listen in to learn the classic and often overlooked tactic to growing a business that you love.

You can find Smiley at:

Website:https://www.smileyposwolsky.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/whatsupsmiley/

Substack: https://substack.com/@friendswithsmiley

Your host Melissa Wong shares about her zig zagging career journey and how she found her work calling.

It's a very personal episode that kicks off a new season of episodes all about people who have designed work that is custom tailored to their unique skills, stories, and sensibilities.

Hear how Melissa went from crying in the career counselors office to becoming a career coach herself.