The Power of the Only – Details, episodes & analysis

"There is a real power in recognizing that when you are The Only you are potentially the one who has received the invitation to be in that space." - Jess Pettitt

Jess Pettitt, MEd, MBA, CSP, is a master bridge-builder. Drawing on her broad expertise—including stand-up comedy and keynote speaking—she elevates conversations and challenges audiences to grow. A top facilitator, educator, and speaker in leadership, diversity, and inclusion, Jess holds master’s degrees in Education and Business Administration, with emphases on crisis management and corporate social responsibility. She also understands the power of accepting your weaknesses and areas for growth.

Did she always feel the power of being “The Only”? If so, how can someone cultivate that power?

"What we are prioritizing or how we are defining something might be a nuance that is critical to who that person is, and that is intriguing." - Jess Pettitt

Our world feels more polarized and disconnected than ever, making it hard to truly see and understand each other. Many of us are so exhausted that we’ve stopped connecting and having real conversations. Jess helps us navigate these uncomfortable spaces, sharing her secret to forming better connections—no matter what our differences are.

In today’s show, we explore how to connect while still honoring yourself, how to embrace different styles of power and leadership, and how to discover your own leadership path. We also discuss two simple questions that can transform how you communicate and connect with others. Finally, Jess shares the parable of the long spoons—illustrating what it means to build bridges and why it matters

"I don't think I have answered a question, I think I have just gotten more habitually used to asking." - Jess Pettitt

• How to overcome the fear of being The Only
• What does it mean to be a bridge-builder
• How to define your style of leadership
• Why is it important to be a bridge-builder
• How to find your inner strength

"We can learn from history anytime...but we don't want to because it is really heavy lifting of recognizing what we are responsible for." - Jess Pettitt

1. No one is going to invite you to do it
2. When you do it, you don't have to do it every day
3. If you are unhappy the best thing to do is to make someone else happy

"If we don't know or acknowledge that we have very different definitions of responsibility, the first bridge is finding out what the other person feels responsible for." - Jess Pettitt

• Get your copy of Almost Doing Good: Doing the Best That You Can With What You Have Some of the Time by Jessica Pettitt
• Get your copy of Good Enough Now: How Doing the Best We Can With What We Have Is Better Than Nothing by Jessica Pettitt

Facebook | Instagram | Jess Pettitt

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only! Get Angela's New Book The Power Of The Only

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry, or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence, and representation, to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources, and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership?  Join me in my free, invite-only YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/84

Today's episode is an ode to Connie Chung, the original power of the Only!  The trailblazer and legendary journalist is sharing her story in her upcoming memoir Connie, launching Sept. 17th, 2024. She was one of the only Asian women I ever saw on TV growing up and the first woman to co-anchor the CBS Evening News. Breaking barriers and navigating the competitive TV news industry, she inspired a generation of women, including me.

In this episode, I talk about Connie's early influence on my life and how she embodies the power of the Only. Get a preview of the book — all the "good, bad, and the ugly" — as she shares her life and career behind the scenes. Hear what she has to say about the book writing process, how she evolved from the quiet girl to a tenacious and driven reporter, how she navigated her career when overt sexism was a way of life, and the legacy she hopes to leave behind. Discover how you can step into and impact the world as an Only.

"To the world, she was a TV icon; to me she was the lady in the box that made me feel seen." - Angela Chee

• How did Connie Chung influence Angela
• Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Instagram @conniechungpovich
• How does Connie embody the power of the Only
• What is the process and experience of writing a book
• How she navigated in a sea of white men
• Her journey from "copyboy" to Co-anchor of The CBS Evening News
• What she would do differently now
• How she is embracing her legacy
• How to have an impact as an Only

"Like Connie, you may not always know or feel the impact you are making in the moment." - Angela Chee

• Learn more about Connie Chung's book tour
• Get your copy of Connie: A Memoir by Connie Chung
• Viral "Only" photo @angelacheetv Instagram

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry, or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence, and representation, to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources, and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership?  Join me in my free, invite-only YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/83

"Part of owning your power is knowing that sometimes things take longer than you think." - Angela Chee

When did you last take a little space for reflection and sharing?

It has been three years since I launched this podcast on International Women's Day and there is so much to look back on as well as lots to look forward to. In this episode, I want to encourage you to pause and take a look back at the areas of your life that you want to be more aware of -- or all of the things that you want to celebrate.

"Do you have a secret fear that you're afraid to admit?" - Angela Chee

In today's show, we talk about the first three years of The Power of The Only Podcast and I share some big news.  Find out how you can get involved.

"Being an Only isn't a weakness. It is your greatest strength." - Angela Chee

• Behind the scenes of Angela's keynotes and training
• How to connect with your audience
• How to be a part of The Power of the Only book
• How to handle things getting in the way of your goals
• The benefit of putting the audience first

"In this book I hope to serve you on a deeper level." - Angela Chee

• Email Angela to learn how to be a part of The Power Of The Only book
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 01: Welcome to The Power Of “The Only”
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 9: Psychologist Dr. Valerie Rein – Taking Care of Your Mental Health During Crisis: The Power Of Shifting From Surviving To Thriving and The Key To Women’s Happiness and Fulfillment
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 63: Writing A Book That Changes Lives Including Your Own with AJ Harper – Publishing Strategist and Editor

Facebook | Instagram | Angela Chee | Email

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence and representation and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources and training  to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  Join me in my free, invite only  YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/74

"The opportunity I feel in being the power of the Only is extending agency to those that should be in the room, but aren’t." - Alicin Reidy Williamson

What are you trying to shift and what is holding you back?

What is agency? Today I discuss this question with Alicin Reidy Williamson, Yahoo’s Chief Culture and Diversity Officer. Alicin says it’s all too easy for many of us to forget the power we already have and says it is important to remember and celebrate who we are.

"I didn't know where I wasn't supposed to be." - Alicin Reidy Williamson

Listen in to the lessons learned as she navigated a career in the entertainment, sports, fashion, political, and non-profit fields.  Her ambition took her from MTV Networks to Managing Principal at the national public policy firm Raben Group and then the Chief Inclusion Officer at Endeavor. 

We talk about her vision for her current role at Yahoo and how to harness our agency. We also discuss how to navigate difficult conversations, share advice for our younger selves, and explain how the diversity and inclusion sector is changing.

"I focus on relieving that burden in others." - Alicin Reidy Williamson

• What is some advice for people who haven't owned their agency
• How to harness your agency
• What is Alicin's power of The Only
• When did Alicin embrace her power
• What are the pros and cons of being an only
• How is the diversity and inclusion sector changing
• Advice for our younger selves

"It's easy to forget how often people feel othered." - Alicin Reidy Williamson

1. Remind yourself that you've worked hard to be where you are
2. Recognize that your agency is important to others too
3. There is so much opportunity to reach back

"In order to feel like we can, it is important to feel a sense of agency." - Angela Chee

LinkedIn | Columbia | Yahoo

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry, or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence, and representation, and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources, and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  Join me in my free, invite-only YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

"The power of The Only is the perfect description of my story, my battle, and my secret weapon." - Henna Pryor

How can we proactively begin to step into our unique power?

Today's guest Henna Pryor is, like me, a daughter of immigrant parents. She is a Workplace Performance Expert, an award-winning two-time TEDx speaker, and a professional executive coach. Her clients call her their “secret weapon for impossible change.” In this episode, she and I talk about leaning into our awkwardness instead of hiding it, and Henna shares where she gets her confidence from.

"Place small bets and do it awkward!" - Henna Pryor

Listen in to today's show as Henna shares tips for a successful TED Talk and we discuss the journey to find the source of our confidence. We also dive into the topics of enoughness, imagined potential, and more.

"If stepping out of line is not well behaved...then I don't want to be on the line." - Henna Pryor

• What does the power of The Only mean to Henna Pryor
• Where does Henna get her confidence
• What to say to your younger self
• How to define the role of a Workplace Performance Coach
• What is good advice for people giving a TED Talk

"What if you didn't have to follow other people's blueprint?" - Henna Pryor

1. Place small bets
2. Brag about and celebrate being The Only
3. Own your awkwardness

"It is that story that is uniquely mine that has given me a huge competitive advantage, but I didn't lean into it for the longest time." - Henna Pryor

• Listen to Henna's Tedx Talk: "Why Awkwardness is Your Secret Weapon"

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Pryority Group

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence, and representation and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  Join me in my free, invite only  YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/72

"Downshifting your ambitions doesn’t necessarily mean you are throwing away your past or becoming a slacker. It may actually mean that you’ve finally recognized what it takes for achievement and ambition to be sustainable." - Dorie Clark

What does it mean to always be ready?

Today I talk about how to embrace not being ready. At the start of every new year, it can be all too easy to bog ourselves down with newly formed goals and deadlines, and plans. It can be much harder to purposefully slow down and simplify, but maybe that is just what we need right now. Maybe we don't need to always be ready.

"Maybe to start the new year, we don't need another goal or another list." - Angela Chee

In today's show, I talk about giving ourselves permission to slow down and times when the power of The Only can be both a blessing and a burden.  I share how I discovered my strong suit can also be my weakness and how we can all discover what doesn't serve us and let it go.

"Maybe we don't need more. Maybe we need different." - Angela Chee

• How to embrace not being ready
• What does it mean to always be ready
• How to give yourself permission to slow down
• What does real personal growth look like
• Is it okay to not always be ready
• When can the power of The Only be a weakness

"The true power of the only is not always doing it alone."- Angela Chee

• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 70: 2022 Recap and the Power of Slow
• Read How to Make Peace with Feeling Less Ambitious by Dorie Clark
• Get your copy of The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence and representation and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  Join me in my free, invite only  YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/71

"Sometimes you need to slow down so you can feel." - Angela Chee

How do we want to wrap up the year and what do we want to be?

As this year comes to an end, let's look back at everything we learned and consider how we can apply it to the new year ahead. In this episode, I share insights from our 2022 guests, give you an exercise to help you slow down, and share the most important lessons I learned this year.

"How do you want to feel at the end of this year?" - Angela Chee

In today's show, I talk about why we all feel urged to move and act quickly and how we can combat those feelings. I explain what it looks like to really slow down and give tips for planning for next year.

"If you feel moved to do something, you need to move toward it." - Angela Chee

• What is Angela's mission
• Who embodies the power of The Only
• What does it look like to really slow down
• Lessons learned in 2022
• What is the power of slow
• Why are we driven to move quickly
• What do we need to slow down
• How to plan for next year
• Tips for being more productive

"The next level of the power and your leadership is the power of slow." - Angela Chee

• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 55: The Power of Being an Advocate for Yourself and Others with Veteran Media Personality/Expert Elizabeth Espinosa
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 59: The Power Of Healing and Generational Change with Success Mentor Tracy Litt
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 61: The Power of Women’s Brains and Aging with Dr. Louann Brizendine
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 62: The Power of “Undoing” with Author and “Untigering” Movement Founder Iris Chen
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 63: Writing A Book That Changes Lives Including Your Own with AJ Harper – Publishing Strategist and Editor
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 66: Excavate the Past, Breakthrough to the Future
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 67: The Power of Knowing
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 68: The Power of Making the Future – The Makers Conference 2022 Highlights
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 69: Charity Elder – Journalist and Media Executive on the Power of Self Belief, Using Your Voice & Rising

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence and representation and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  Join me in my free, invite only  YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

"Don't let anyone take away your voice. What you have to say is important." - Charity Elder

Where does our strength come from and how can we cultivate our strengths?

Today’s guest Charity Elder is an award-winning journalist and media executive with more than 20 years of experience working in and leading broadcast and digital newsrooms. She is also the author of the new book Power: The Rise of Black Women in America.

In 2020, Charity was a senior adviser to the Mike Bloomberg presidential campaign, strategizing ways to engage the Black community. She was also profiled for NYC Media’s Vanguard: Women in Media, and in 2016 she was on Folio magazine’s list of top women in media.

"You won't be able to grow and change as an individual without having a central knowledge of who you are." - Charity Elder

In this episode, Charity shares how she and other Black women rise to the challenge of building communities and creating lives of meaning and joy. She also talks about where her self-confidence comes from and why she believes that it's the best time in history to be a Black woman in America.

Listen in as Charity shares her experience as a leader in boardrooms and newsrooms. She says that it's important to use your voice even when it diverges from those around you because your voice and ideas are important.

"When someone is talking over you or diminishing you in some way, you stop them in that moment, calmly and clearly." - Charity Elder

• Where do Black women get their strength
• What is the story of Black women in America
• Is the average income for Black women rising
• Ways that Black women benefit from their communities
• Do the stories we tell about ourselves influence our behavior
• Is there value in helping others
• What change can one individual make

"What I have to say matters, whether anyone else gets it or not." - Charity Elder

1. Accept who you are.
2. Celebrate who you are.
3. Move with purpose and passion toward your goals.

"My mom did such a great job instilling the uniqueness of who I am. It's radical for a Black woman to teach her Black daughter that she is special and unique when laws used to say that we were not fully human." - Charity Elder

• Get your copy of Power: The Rise of Black Women in America by Charity C. Elder

Twitter | Charity Elder

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence and representation and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  Join me in my free, invite only  YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/69

"There is power in our stories; power in sharing them, that’s how it starts." - Angela Chee

How can a spark inside someone else lead to a spark inside you that can light a fire within us all?

This episode is about what we can all do to make the future. Today I share some highlights from the 2022 Makers Conference that I recently attended in Dana Point, California. The event featured powerful speeches and conversations from many iconic trailblazing women, like Gloria Steinem, Jessica Alba, Constance Wu, and more. They reminded me of the importance of breaking down the barriers inside of us to step up more fully into our power of The Only.

"There is no one way to make the future." - Angela Chee

In this episode, I talk about what it means to make the future and what that can look like for each of us. I also share the important reminder that you have an impact and it’s up to you to decide for yourself what that looks like and what action you can take to get there.

"My confidence has been hard earned through years of trial and error breaking down my internal barriers and cultural and societal rules; ones I’m still breaking through everyday." - Angela Chee

• Highlights from the 2022 Makers Conference
• How to make the future
• What does it mean to make the future
• Women that inspire Angela
• Barriers that different generations face

"While I'm calling you to make the future, I'm also calling on you to take care of yourselves." - Angela Chee

• Learn more about The 2022 MAKERS Conference
• Listen to The Power of The Only Episode 67: The Power of Knowing 
• Learn more about Jessica Alba
• Get your copy of Making A Scene by Constance Wu
• Learn more about Maybelle Blair
• Learn more about the 2022 A League Of Their Own series
• Learn more about Cynt Marshall
• Learn more about Heather Booth
• Watch the 2022 film The Janes
• Learn more about Pepper Parsley
• Learn more about Carson Pickett
• Learn more about Marley Dias #1000blackgirlbooks
• Learn more about Dr. Nadia Lopez
• Learn more about Dr. Sara Naseri and Qvin
• Get your copy of The Only Woman by Immy Humes

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence and representation and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  www.AngelaChee.com

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/68

"It's time to listen to yourself. It's time to take action. And it's time to move forward with whatever you've been wanting to create." - Angela Chee

What action can you take now to create change for yourself, your family, or your community?

Today's podcast was inspired by leaders I met at a Meta Boost Small Business event.  I kicked off the morning meeting with Eric Toda, Meta's Global Head of Social Marketing and Head of Meta Prosper -- a program to support and empower the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

In this episode, I share the inspiring stories and insights of leaders making positive changes in their communities.  Many had similar stories about being the only, and carving their own path vs following a formula.

"It is time to not just talk about what you want to happen, or what you think should happen, or to create scenarios. It's time to listen to yourself and take action." - Angela Chee

In this episode, I talk about how now is the time to move forward with the positive change that you're being called to put out into the world.  Listen in for an inspirational boost.

"There are so many ideas, so many things as a small business, as an entrepreneur, as an individual that we can do to create change, however big or small." - Angela Chee

• The power of knowing what you already know
• Wrapping up 2022 and planning for 2023
• What is the Meta Prosper
• The beauty of having no formula to follow
• How doing business your way creates opportunities for others
• The importance of trust, intuition and action

"I want us to gather together and to know that we are not alone." - Angela Chee

1. Carve out your own path
2. Put your idea out there and see what happens
3. Keep going!

"Maybe you don't know it all. But know that the call, or whatever it is you're inspired to do, is enough, and to take action." - Angela Chee

Learn more about:

• Meta Prosper - Empowering, amplifying, and celebrating the Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora
• 92130 Cares - Making meaningful connections and sharing resources in 92130
• Cat Cafe
• Paru Tea
• Kallie and Company

Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only!

Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence and representation, and to make an impact in your personal and professional life.

Want even more insider tips, resources and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership. Join me in my free, invite only YOU, Amplified!™ community!

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/67