Colour Me Brave

In this final episode of Season 1, I chat with Mary Chan, podcast strategist at Organized Sound Productions. Her story is not just about professional success, but about breaking free from intergenerational cycles and finding true freedom in self-expression. Mary's journey is a powerful reminder of the strength that lies in embracing our authentic selves and the courage it takes to step out of the shadows of expectations. As we embark on this episode, I invite you to join us in a conversation that not only celebrates our diverse experiences but also challenges us to think deeply about our own paths to freedom and authenticity. Stay tuned for an episode that promises to be not just thought-provoking but also a stepping stone in your journey towards empowerment and self-discovery. Thank you for being a part of the 'Colour Me Brave' community. Your presence here is not just valued; it's essential. See you next year on Season 2! Topics covered include: Intergenerational healing, finding your voice, navigating cultural expectations and embracing vulnerability and authenticity. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com.

In the latest solo episode of my podcast, I explore the vital yet often overlooked skill of active listening as a parent of a teenager. This episode is a deep dive into the nuances of active listening, where I share insights from personal experiences and research, inviting you to consider the transformative impact it can have on your interaction and relationship with your kids. It highlights the need for empathy and authenticity in our communications and invites listeners to create a space of sincerity, trust, and growth. Through active listening, we not only hear our kids, but truly understand, opening the doors to deeper connections and mutual respect. Topics covered include: the power of full engagement, the role of non-verbal communication, reflective listening for better understanding, asking questions filled with curiosity, the empathy connection and responding thoughtfully. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com.

In this episode, I chat with LJ Cajigas, a tattoo loving, modern bohème-styling, urban-hippie Artist is also a wife & mother to three dalagas & two dogs. She is the visionary, owner and artist at Dalaga Beauty + Wellness, a beauty studio whose sole mission is to break the stigma on beauty and self care standards. One of the themes of LJ's conversation is balance. As a wife, mother, and business owner, LJ faces the challenge of juggling various roles. She candidly discusses various highs and lows, symbolizing the ebb and flow of her life. This raises essential questions for all women entrepreneurs: How do you manage your various roles and responsibilities? What strategies can you employ to maintain balance in your life while pursuing your entrepreneurial goals? LJ's journey of self-discovery and cultural identity also offers a powerful point of reflection. As she embraces her Filipino heritage while being a first-generation immigrant raised in Canada, she inspires us to reflect on our own backgrounds and the impact they have on our identities as leaders. Join us in this meaningful conversation of what it's like to be a woman of colour business owner and mother in our present community, and what shifts we need to make to stay true to ourselves as we grow both personally and professionally. Topics covered include: juggling multiple roles, inspiration for change and authenticity, values driven purpose in life and business and breaking stigmas. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com.

In this episode, I chat with Stephanie Duong, a phenomenal pastry chef and co-owner of Roselle Desserts in Toronto. Together with her husband Bruce, they run this fun and playful dessert shop that changes their products and flavours all the time, depending on what’s in season, and what they’re inspired by. Join us on a captivating journey through the story of Roselle, a dynamite little bakery that made a big impact. In this episode, we explore the essential lessons of adaptability, community building, and the courage to align your business with your values. Whichever unique path you're on, this podcast sheds light on universal principles that can guide you toward a more fulfilling and successful future. Tune in to discover the power of change, the significance of fostering a loyal community, and the courage to follow your true north in the world of business. Topics covered include: the power of change, the signifance of community, and the courage to follow your true north For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *Music Credit: Shimmer by Capturez

In this episode, I chat with Barb Mackenzie, a business woman and community champion. She runs several businesses, each with purpose and visions that feed her soul and her community. Our Bahay is a community of women who come together for purposeful gatherings, focused on building community and practicing mindful movement. RE by Barb offers sound baths, meditation, and Reiki energy healing to help individuals relax and improve their physical and mental well-being. Both businesses prioritize the importance of fostering a supportive and uplifting environment for individuals to grow and heal. She most recently, also became a certified mortgage broker. If you find yourself caught up in the hustle of your day-to-day, how do you take stock of your energy? How do you create space for your physical and mental well-being, so you can manifest your fire? As someone who is constantly on the go, Barb had an unexpected opportunity to slow down herself, and what happened during her downtime reshaped her alignment to her hustle, and brought a new perspective on how to get back into the groove of the fire within you. Join us in this cozy conversation filled with laughter, momentary dips in life, and how Barb reignited her fire that serves herself and those around her, through intentional doses of mindful practices that we can use for our well-being. Topics covered include: human connection, self-reflection, reigniting your flame of purpose, the importance of community, mindful movement For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *Music credit: Good Times by Matrika, Glow by Sensho

In this episode, I chat with Jocelyn Auyeung, a Certified Life Coach. Jocelyn is on a mission to empower working moms like you to achieve a life of joy, balance, and fulfillment! With her expertise, Jocelyn specializes in guiding and supporting working moms through the often complex journey of balancing professional aspirations with personal well-being. As a working mom and a woman of colour, what does it mean to be released from the conditioned cultural narratives imprinted onto us? Jocelyn takes us on an awakening journey through naming and acknowledging what it was like for her, and we both share stories of how this showed up in our lived experiences. We continue to reflect on how this informs our parenting, and what it takes to "be the change we wish to see in the world" (Mahatma Gandhi) in the context of being a mom. The challenges that arise to break away from judgment and fear brings our conversation into an exploration on the stigma both our cultures continue to hold over mental wellness. She guides us expertly around ways we can do better for ourselves, and inspire us to shine, as this, is our TIME. Topics covered include: cultural conditioning, dangers of external validation, self-compassion, self-worth, honouring lived experience, regenerative parenting. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *Music credit: Connected by Simon Fowlar

In this episode, I chat with Jenice Yu, owner of eatfish.ca , also known as F I S H, short for - Fresh Ideas Start Here, located at Market Crossing in South Burnaby, British Columbia. With a solid family background in the seafood industry, she has been supplying seafood to top chefs and home cooks since 2008 as a purveyor, butcher, and smoker. She is also a mom to her young son. How do you become unstoppable? Jenice breaks it down for us. Through discipline, intense preparation and other practical strategies, this entrepreneur stops at nothing when it comes to serving up the best she has to offer to her loyal customers. As a board member of Les Dames d'Escoffier BC Chapter, and the BC Seafood Festival, she advocates for women in the food and hospitality industry, and supports her community with all her might. Join us for a delightful, frank and hilarious conversation around entrepreneurship, being a Porsche with no breaks, and find out who in her family is the one person who breaks through her DO NOT DISTURB barriers! Topics covered include: discipline and readiness, determination, the power of listening, stepping into your power, pivoting at every corner. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *Music credit: Tropicana by Soundroll

In this solo episode, I tackle the complexities of unmasking SORRY. I delve into the nuances of offering a sincere apology and explore the role of vulnerability in nurturing authentic connections, and share my own insights gained from personal experiences and research, and the invite you to consider the transformative potential of genuine apologies. In serving this delicate topic, I unpack the discomfort around apologizing, and offer my own opinion on the anatomy of an apology, and how the act of apologizing is intertwined with self-awareness, empathy, and emotional intelligence. I then explore how vulnerability can be a catalyst for personal and professional growth, highlighting the importance of empathy and authenticity as we move into forgiveness. Topics covered include: the power of vulnerability, embracing humility and empathy, the impact words have, crafting a genuine apology, transitioning from apologizing to seeking forgiveness, creating a space of sincerity, trust and growth for acceptance. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *Music credit: Blue Waters by Yasumu

In this episode, I chat with Laura Sato, a Certified Executive Coach, a member of the International Coaching Federation and a Charted Professional in Human Resources. With over 15 years of experience developing teams and including a decade in Human Resources leadership, she partners with growth-oriented individuals, leaders, and teams in elevating their effectiveness, self-efficacy, and ability to achieve results. When someone offers you feedback, what do you do with it? Do you take it at face value, jump into action and implement the ask in the name of growth? Or, do you take a step back and think about how this new information might impact you? This deeply reflective conversation is anchored around ways of speaking up authentically. We examine the different perspectives of how others might impose their desire to turn the dial and frequency of our voices, and what we can do to own our freedom to speak up on our own terms. Laura offers us some expert advice and takeaways to help us navigate our voice in a way that rings true for us, through the art of reflection. Topics covered include: Reflective practice, summoning your courage, embracing identity, aligning to your authentic self and stepping into your worth. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *Music credit: Music Is by Pryces

In this episode, I chat with Caroline Ngo, a pastry chef and owner of CXS Cakes where she creates luxury cakes. She also co-owns a restaurant with her husband called Carben in Ottawa, ON, and is a mom of 2. We examine the world of intentional parenting as an entrepreneurial mom. Join us as we explore Caroline's inspiring journey, her challenges with guilt, overcoming external pressure and the physical manifestation of stress, and how those challenges presented an opportunity for her to make a shift in the way she runs her business and as a mother. She learned to make intentional decisions to become the parent she aspired to be. This mindful conversation around the tensions of a working parent and choosing our own path of joy presents a chance to think about our own practices and reflect on the shifts we might need to take to find our own equilibrium of happiness. Topics covered include: Recognizing stress, taking a stand against expectations, coping with guilt, listening to your own voice, curbing the need to compare yourself to others, and the importance of support systems. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *Music credit: A Perfect Day, by Iros Young

In this solo episode, I reflect on a recent panel discussion I had the honour of contributing to, around the ups and downs of running a business. As an ode to immigrant women entrepreneurs, I share some personal road blocks and struggles I faced as a result of deep rooted cultural conditioning, and what I did to overcome them. There is a sense of purity and love in everything hand made. The minute a passion turns into a business, the daunting task of sustaining the business comes into sharp focus, demanding our attention and testing our resolve. I share some lessons I learned from my own journey that helped me face the obstacles that were beyond the looking glass. You will discover the power of the human mind, and how to change negative narratives and turn them into a power source for yourself, and some key practices you can implement now, to free up precious time to allow you to breathe, expand your mind, and cherish with loved ones. Topics covered include: recognizing obstacles beyond what you can see, the role internal saboteurs play in our minds and how they show up, prioritizing wins and acknowledging your priorities and how to overcome hurdles with the power of positive affirmation. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com.

In this episode, I chat with LeLe Chan, an interdisciplinary artist based in Vancouver, BC. Inspired by a reconnection to her ancestral roots, she creates artwork that combines elements of tribal Filipinx designs with her own modern style. We cover the difficult and vulnerable truths about the younger days, where, as a young immigrant, she struggled to identify with her own culture, as she searched for a sense of belonging everywhere and anywhere else in her Vancouver community. It wasn't until the later years, in the wake of the pandemic and social change that sparked shortly after the tragic death of George Floyd in the U.S., that she began reflecting on what it was like to fall in love again with her Filipino culture she was so quick to hide from all those years back, and how it flourished into a transformation of her truth and that of her business purpose, and motherhood. This inspiring conversation of culture, identity and boldness encourages us to reflect on our own past, to take the learnings into our own hands and to be curious about our own relationship to our culture and how it can enrich our truth. Also, wear sunscreen, and love the colour of your skin! *Music credit: Love, by All Good Folks Topics covered include: Trusting business experts to shine in their craft, pressure of assimilating to surroundings and community, the value of connection through ancestral history, know your worth, intersectionality between brand identity and cultural roots, and acts of kindness. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com.

In part 2 of Garam Masala Diaries, we continue our conversation with Aman Dosanj, Chef and owner of Paisley notebook, a diaspora kid, adulting in the Okanagan, telling stories about her food immersed in her culture and heritage, while expressing her emotions unapologetically through her one of a kind pop up dinner series, SOURCED. She gets right into societal assumptions and what we can do, to help correct the narrative, as women of colour with courageous voices. Aman’s outlook is informed by her lived experiences. In this deeply emotional episode, we explore taking on the responsibility of creating opportunities for ourselves, and take charge of the keys to our future. She explains how she does this and holds her power through her intentions and actions of giving herself a chance to make a difference. A poignant lesson she pulls from the beautiful festival of Holi (which she celebrates in one of her pop-up dinners annually), is the joy of evoking joy and laughter through the act of covering ourselves in a myriad of colours, while flattening the curve on all those pointers that sets us apart such as race, wealth, religious beliefs and cast - what better way to allow space for humanity to shine through. Through Aman’s captivating story-telling, you will discover ways you can stand up for what you believe in and find your path, no matter what life throws at you. Also, when it’s mango season, enjoy as many mangoes as you can, and find joy in sharing the love! Topics covered include: Race, cultural perception and it’s limiting beliefs, self-compassion, how and why representation matters,accountability, strength of community, imprints of generational parenting, and acts of humanity. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com. *In loving memory of Laticia Watson, who suddenly passed in between the recording of this episode and its airing*

In Part 1 of this 2 part episode, I talk with Aman Dosanj, and we cover some deep and emotional liberations and pain, as entrepreneurs, claiming space and amplifying the passion behind the work that she commits herself to. What struck me with my conversation with Aman was her raw vulnerability and the courage she mustered to speak her truth and call out wrongs to make them right. I witnessed her pulling herself out of dark and twisted narratives to then flip them on its side to evoke a sense of power and gratitude over her story, and the strength in building community despite facing struggles of inclusion. She takes us on a journey through family treasures, food security, biodiversity, racial scars, immigrant life, the sore prints of colonization right through to little acts of kindness, the service of humanity and the exploration of the concept of home. Leaning into and finding gratitude in the hurt and pain experienced as an immigrant, listen closely as the tensions, struggles, the forces of mother nature and human connection are weaved into her magical Pop-Up Dinner Series, SOURCED Topics covered include: Family legacy, gender inequality, race, immigrant life, concept of home, struggles of inclusion, acts of kindness, love of community. For more resources from this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com.

Speaking up: Why is it crucial when it comes to staying true to ourselves and standing up for our identity, or for something we believe in? When we stay silent in the face of ignorance or disrespect, we allow others to define us. We become complicit in perpetuating a cycle that diminishes our worth. But when we find the courage to speak up, we reclaim our narrative and assert our right to be seen and heard. Whether it's correcting the mispronunciation of our names, challenging stereotypes, or sharing our stories, each act of speaking up contributes to the larger tapestry of social change. Speaking up requires vulnerability, resilience, and a strong sense of self. So, what can we do about this - how can we find the courage to cultivate the confidence to speak up? How do we shift the perspective of speaking up, from shame to shine? In this debut episode, I discuss what sparked my curiosity about speaking up, and how it serves us as leaders and parents. You will discover how to shift your narrative, and key practices you can implement now, to fund the courage to power up your voice, and to shine in your authenticity. Topics covered include: Evaluating your values Embracing culture and identity Modelling behaviour for your child Trusting your power to create change Let's live a life of colour and lead with freedom. For more resources for this episode, hop on to www.soirette.com

On the Colour Me Brave podcast, Shobna Kannusamy examines how you can embrace your true self and experience the powerful impact of courage, kindness, and self-compassion in life, and as a leader. Together, we dive into the intricacies of identity, culture, tradition, conditioning, and perception, exploring how you can live, love and lead with purpose and grace.