Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors: Shatter Limiting Beliefs - Redefine Success - Chase Big Dreams

The Power of The Only with Angela Chee

• Erica Rooney

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Ever been the only one in the room? The only woman, the only person of color, the only one who doesn’t quite “fit the mold”? It can feel isolating—but what if being the only is actually your greatest strength?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Angela Chee—media and communication coach, former TV anchor, keynote speaker, and author of The Power of the Only (coming March 2025). Angela shares how to own your space, break through limiting beliefs, and amplify your voice—no matter the room you walk into.

We dive into:
🔥 The 5 key principles to stepping into your power
🔥 Why authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s strategic
🔥 How to navigate environments that don’t always welcome you
🔥 Overcoming imposter syndrome and using fear as fuel
🔥 The science-backed reason you must celebrate your wins

This episode is packed with real talk, research-backed insights, and actionable strategies to help you lead with confidence.

🎧 Hit play now and step into your power!

📖 Pre-order Angela’s book: ThePowerOfTheOnly.com
💡 Connect with Angela: AngelaChee.com | @AngelaCheeTV
💪 Ready to break through your own glass ceilings? Join me for coaching & keynotes!

👉 Check out HER COLLECTIVE: If you want to level up without loosing your mind, join me here. 

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Have you ever walked into a room and realized you're the only one like you? The only woman, the only person of color, the only one who doesn't seem to fit the mold. That feeling of being the only. It can be isolating, intimidating, and sometimes it can be just downright exhausting. But what if I told you that being the only one is actually your superpower? Now today I'm joined by Angela Chi, a powerhouse media coach, former TV anchor and keynote speaker who has spent decades breaking barriers. She's here to share how you can own your only, turn it into your greatest strength, and step fully into your power. No matter the room you walk into. You are listening to the Glass Ceiling and Sticky Floor podcast, the show that's here to empower you to break free from limiting beliefs. Ditch toxic behaviors and unlock the infinite possibilities waiting for you. This is your time to live your best life unapologetically. I'm Erika Rooney, your host and biggest cheerleader, on a mission to get more women into positions of power and keep them there where they belong. If you're ready to shatter ceilings, crush self doubt, and build a career and life overflowing with growth and abundance, you're in the right place. Here's the deal. We talk about the real stuff here. Imposter syndrome, perfectionism, fear, burnout, you name it, we talk about it. It's raw, it's honest, and it's exactly what you need to level up. So grab a seat, pop in those earbuds, and let's dive in.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Today, I am thrilled to welcome Angela Chi, a powerhouse in media and communication, to the podcast. Now, Angela is a media and communication coach. She is award winning former TV anchor and a keynote speaker. She is also the creator of You Amplified, which is a transformative leadership network and host of the Power of the Only podcast. Angela has decades of experience in media, hosting shows for major networks like E! Entertainment, HGTV, and even launching Entertainment Tonight China. But beyond her accolades, Angela's mission is clear, to empower people to own their story and lead with authenticity. And she has a book coming out in March of 2025 called The Power of the Only. So Angela, welcome to the Glass Ceiling and Sticky Floor Podcast. It's so great to have you here.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Oh, thank you so much, Erica. We've been waiting for this. I love

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

have been waiting. And so Angela, for all my friends who don't know you as well as I do, give me a little background personally, professionally, like who is Angela?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yeah, well, right now I'm a crazy person in book launch with two teenagers juggling all that. But yes, I am a former TV news anchor and reporter, had a long journalism career. You know, imagine this. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be like Connie Chung. So that's kind of how it all started. Imagine, you know, um, an Asian immigrant child growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles and I feel like I saw her on TV and I was like, something, you know, awoken in me. And my dad's like, Hey, you could be like Connie Chung. And I was like, What really me and I think that planted a seed and I kind of became that extra overachiever high schooler You know that had that set path, but I didn't go into news right away I kind of took a detour into entertainment. So that's like stage one of my career, right? And then after I had my first child, um, I had reached the pinnacle of Los Angeles. I was a news anchor in San Diego as well. And I just kind of took a step back and I was like, what do I really want to create? And I had been working nonstop waking up at 2 a. m. and 3 a. m. all morning. And I took a step back and I kind of became, you know, uh, like step into this motherhood thing. And I raised two kids, but all throughout that I stepped into, people started asking me, how do I get on TV? How do I do this? And I really had to sit down and go. You know, what do I want my life to be? What is that next phase? So I thought I was just going to host shows, take care of the kids, still do some speaking. And I really sat down with myself and that's when You Amplified happened, which is who are you? What do you stand for? And how do you want to show up in the world? And so my work for the last decade has really been about helping leaders, entrepreneurs, uh, as well as corporate leaders really step into who they are, but through communication. So I'm a communication coach. I'm like your life coach meets communication coach. And now for this next phase, I'm launching the new book. My kids are teenagers now. And so it's always been a juggle, right? Your audience, I know they're always juggling and there's so many chapters to our life. So it's hard to summarize all in one piece. But yes, that's how I transitioned from a wannabe reporter to a TV news anchor and now to a keynote speaker and a communication coach. And my goal is to really just awaken that gift in each individual, because we all struggle with the similar things, but going through that journey and peeling back those layers to get to that you amplified core is really what I'm here to help people do.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Oh, I love just the whole roadmap of that,

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yeah, it's a lot. I'm sorry.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

of people, yeah, would say you got it. You made it, you're on news. Like that's it. But you're like, no, no, no, that's not it for me. Like, there's so much more I want to do in this world.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yeah. And for. And for news it was the pinnacle and you know news has shifted and I love and believe in journalism so much I left the industry because my life was shifting the chapters of my life were shifting in the station If they hadn't gone through certain shifts, I might have stayed a little longer But you know circumstances happen just like you may love your career But maybe the the job situation may shift and so for those of you out there maybe in transition Just know that you know, it could be the same chapter in a different You know company or it could be a whole new chapter and that's what's exciting But yeah, it was you know, i'd reached that pinnacle, but it wasn't the end.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

And in your book, The Power of the Only, right, you talk about the experience of being the only. So kind of detail, what do you mean by that? How were you the only, and then how did that shape your life?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yes And uh, you know growing up as an asian immigrant child I was always the only one in the neighborhood and it didn't really bother me You know, I grew up in los angeles pretty diverse But in my neighborhood where I was I was the only asian girl growing up And I struggled with that a little bit until my teen years and then you know, obviously in competitive industries like entertainment and uh news I was always Always mostly the only woman and sometimes the only Asian woman and as a keynote speaker as you know many times You know, you're the only woman in the room and I'm sure your audience and listeners know that you know You're in room sometimes where you're the only one and sometimes it can be super powerful, but it's definitely hard and so what happened for me is that I look through the this String of my life and all these stories I was at a mastermind conference about six seven years ago and someone asked me and my story and I was saying well I was the only one in this and the only one in that and she's like me too The only one and we looked at each other and I said, but there's power in being the only and it was like wow You know There was something in me that like kind of erupted and I know certain people can find power in it but Because it's so hard navigating certain spaces a lot of times like the women that I talk to They don't see the power in it Like I come up I speak and i'll have young girl young women come up to me and they go I have imposter syndrome or I have this how did you do that? And I want people to see that it's not that it's easy and just be confident and you'll overcome it It's really that there is power right? That being the only is not a weakness. It's your greatest strength. And I spent the last four or five years interviewing CEOs, filmmakers, you know, authors, entrepreneurs to really get to the core. Why do some people feel the power of the only And some don't and then I backed it with research So that's really what the is about is I felt the power of the only and I did certain things to navigate spaces So, how can we own our voices and thrive in any environment, right? We don't have to wait for the world to change to step into our greatness So that is my gift to the world is all that research and my personal belief Backed with a whole bunch of other stories to really move that forward

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

I love that. What were some of the reasons why some people do not lean into the power of the only? And it. I guess, is it fear? I mean, you tell me.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yeah, well, I broke it down into five principles and the principles are pretty vague and they sound familiar, but it starts with owning your opportunity and owning your opportunity isn't just taking what's available to you in front of you, not just breaking through that fear, but also when someone says it's not possible. Right? We don't do that. That hasn't been done before. You know, all the people I spoke to that stepped into their only, they owned their opportunity, even when they said that it wasn't possible. I've been told no so many times and figured out a way to navigate around it. So that's not easy. Owning your power, knowing that you already have it. It's not your title. It's not a certain thing. It's a mindset shift. Right of knowing that you have that power But in our society women are often told we don't have that power and we often see it, too We may be confident but there's this subconscious thing that we feel because it lives in society own your voice Owning your voice isn't just speaking up. It's knowing that what you say matters Right, and I know you deal with this and talk about this often those inner voices It's not just the voice that we use externally But the voice that we use internally to talk to ourselves and those that truly step into their power Know when those voices come up doesn't mean that we don't have them But they're able to overcome it and I have some research and exercises in the book to do that And most importantly owning your communication And that's where my communication skills come in. Owning your communication. I believe that with AI, with all the changes, technology, the most important thing still is how do you communicate and connect with others. So that is super important. And owning your future. Owning your future. You can't own your future if you're in this survival mode and not thriving. Right. So for most of us as women, if we're overachievers, if we're successful, we've been pushing, pushing, pushing. And my whole thing is what got me to where I was was great. I reached the top, but it's not what's going to allow me to thrive into the future with two teenagers and a full life ahead of me. And so we have to move into a new mode of thriving rather than survival. And I talked to so many leaders about burnout and how the tools that they have so that we can continue to thrive in any environment. So I know that's a lot, but that's kind of how, um, together we can focus on each of these areas and really see where do we get stuck and then have the tools and the strategies to navigate around them.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Alright, so the five principles are owning your opportunities, owning your power, own your voice, own your communication, and own your future. And I want to dig in on this own your power because I believe that, but I also know that so many people struggle and they feel as if they're in situations where they don't have control. Right? And they don't feel like they have any power of the situation. What would you say to that person?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yes. You know, this is where in, um, I talk about discernment a little bit. Now, you can own your power internally, but you're still going to run into, right, we, we deal with corporations, titles, you know, hierarchies, there are certain cultures that just don't fit. And so we can do all that we can, but it's also recognizing sometimes the system doesn't work with us. I think in the past there was a lot put on women where it was like, well, if you just do this, then you can own your power. And it's not as simple as that. And so that's why in the book I tell stories of not only. What is on your power? But why don't we own our power? Right? But knowing why we don't own our power gives us a little more leverage. And the discernment comes in is sometimes you can't, right? It's like knowing when to, when is it in your head? And when is it a reality, right? And when it's a reality, sometimes there comes a point where you have to have discernment. What do I let in? What do I let out? What do I push for? What do I sit out on? Doesn't mean you're weak. Doesn't mean you don't have power. And so I think part of owning your power is knowing that you have the power to decide when you choose to use your power, to push against it, or when to sit back or to navigate around it, Or to create something else. And so I think That is powerful.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

I love that and I think what I also really love about that and I preach a lot about is people will say I don't have power over the situation or I don't have any control over that and it's, it's, it's like, yes, but. You always have choice, right? To stay or to go, right? You have the power to, if you're in a toxic like environment at work, like you don't have to work there. You can leave and find another job. I'm not saying quit your job and go run away and be irresponsible. If you're the breadwinner, you got a family to take care of, but you have the choice to say, okay, I'm not going to tolerate it. I'm going to start laying the groundwork for what's next. Right. And I think the big thing that I just. want to really express is like sometimes these powerful choices take a long time to come to fruition.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

and that's why I talk about thrive in any environment and I'm very specific this book. I was very careful It is a leadership empowerment, you know, go girl book and you know, it's not just for women But I also didn't want to dismiss actual things. So you talked about you know people I write about this in the book. There's a lot of people who say burn all the bridges, you know So what it's not working go do this and we have to recognize that's not the same reality for everyone Like you said some people are locked into they have certain things They need to meet and then that's where the discernment comes in and that's where your power comes in You get to decide what you need to do and sometimes you need to understand That person may be able to say you know what burn all the bridges. I'm out of here. I'm doing that And also to honor that sometimes people move at different paces for whatever circumstances are in your life. And so I have a lot of exercises for people to take a look at their holistic life and get to choose what do I want to do and what do I not want to do? But by looking at your story, not comparing yourself to somebody else, it's like, Oh, well, if I want to have power, then I need to do this. And it's more about. Ah, I understand why I I I personally feel like I don't have power or in this situation Here's why I feel like I don't have power now. How do I navigate? For my individual needs. How do I navigate for this situation? How do I navigate for this company? And that may change or navigate for the stage of your life, right? You may live your life one way in the early part of your career and at the latter part of your career, you know what I've changed and that's why I also take a deep dive into creating your new vision and that vision sometimes, you know, I do this for myself every four or five years because we change as people and what we value and how we want to see our lives.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Ooh, create your new vision. I like that. I want to go back though. Do you have, you said you have a lot of exercises where people can really work through the discernment. Can you share one of those with us?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yes. Um, well, you know, one of the ways you talked about fear, right? You talked about why, why people don't do certain things. You know, I find it's interesting is, um, not really so much an exercise or we can go through the book, but like with fear, you know, there's a study called The Spotlight, spotlight Effect. I'm not sure if you're aware of that, that we think people, you know, noted us more than we do. So they people think you know, at least there was this experiment where people were wearing t shirts, right? And it's like oh if I wear this certain t shirt super, you know with the title on it 50 percent of people will notice Well, it turns out that 25 percent or less even know what's going on or remember what you're doing And so that kind of takes the edge off And so what the exercises do is allows us to see that there's some research around Oh, you know, people aren't paying attention to me as much as I think they are. But an exercise, you can think about it. So for my on camera coaching clients or even my communication clients, they go, I have a fear of this or I have a fear of that. And to think about, well, it's not actually fear. It's like shifting from fear to energy. When you're doing something big or about to do something, you feel uncomfortable, right? There's those sensations. People call it the pit in my stomach or, you know, my palms get all sweaty, but it's your Energy activating, right? So instead of seeing it as fear coming towards you, it's that your body is revving up and for to do something big and to be proud of that and to use that energy for you. An exercise that I do also for people who are not feeling in their power is we have a tendency to forget how much we've accomplished or who we are. Especially if we're in a down point and you just asked me to summarize my whole life in like a minute and for anyone that's feeling in a down point, you're going to forget all those things prior because maybe there's something happening. So a tool that I like to have people do is to really just sit down and write down all the things that you are proud of. You appreciate about yourself. It could be an accomplishment. It could be a trait. It could be something that you tackled this week. And I think it's really important to honor who we are and to remember because our brain likes to forget the good things and remember the bad things. And there's actually research behind that as well. So this is kind of flipping your cognitive brain and reminding ourselves of all the good in our lives. And it doesn't have to just be accomplishments, but it could be traits or things that allow us to generate more positive energy for us to go, Oh yeah, that did happen, right? How many times has that happened to you? You're like, wait, I did do that. Wait, I did that too. Wait, I already, you know, I already accomplished that. Why am I so upset about this? And so we need reminders.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Well, and I also think, too, as women, we tend to brush those off. You know, people will tell me, like, Oh my gosh, that was so amazing, I can't believe you did that. And I'm like, oh, it's no big deal. Move on to the next thing. And so for me, I struggle to sit in that celebration and really own it sometimes. Gosh, so I would add a number six, own your wins.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Well, that, you know, you're going to laugh. That's one of the chapters, celebrate your wins is part of a thriving, right? So in order for us to move into a thriving mindset, there's actually research around celebration to celebration allows it to move from when you have a recognition of something and you pause and you focus and you savor that moment, it actually moves it from your short term brain to your longterm brain. So when we brush things off, you're actually like ignoring it when you actually take a moment to say thank you and to savor and then to think about why do I celebrate this or even mark it for yourself. Those little moments are the things that train your brain in the long term to move it into that memory so you don't forget it, but it also increases all those activations of endorphins and dopamine, serotonin, all those feel good chemicals. And when you feel good, what happens? You're more productive. You. End up doing more and be able to break down those voices that come up And so it's all this biochemical stuff that's coming to you know, all those things be like celebrate your wins There's actually purpose behind it

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Oh my gosh. Well, I'm a big evidence and science fact girl, so I love that you share that. Because so many people want to skip the fluff. All the time. They want to skip the fluff. And I'm guilty of that too. I could not tell you, Angela, I took me years to sit down and just do my own values exercise

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Oh, yeah, it seems so simple, right? It's too simple. It's like, okay, great. What is writing them down going to do?

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

right. But now I know it, it really does act as my moral compass if I'm stuck with a decision and my values are courage, growth and health and wellness. So am I doing the thing a courageous person would do? Am I doing something that a growth minded individual would do? Is this what a healthy person would do? And it varies, It's very black and white when you put it like that. And it helps me keep my decisions and stay true to myself. But if you don't do the fluff work, you're not going to get there. So

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

is that in the last, you know, I mean this research has been going on for ages people just didn't recognize it It became like you said fluff or woo woo and what happens is what's interesting is now that there's neuroscience has become a study Neuroscience wasn't even really a study right before people weren't looking at the brain and how does that affect performance? And so what I wanted to do with this book is yes, I'm like, you know, I'm that spiritual go get him girl Do all those things but I'm also a journalist and so I backed it with stories Evidence as well as studies because I was like I celebrate my wins. But what does that mean for my brain? How does that make us better? and so it's important for us to ground it in that especially for people who are more into tangible evidence, but So more and more, there's so much research out on all those things that we've been taught that were sound kind of good, but you're like, eh, that doesn't apply to me. I don't need to do it. You're literally training your brain to be aware of certain things. It's the subconscious programming that's so important, right? By lining your values, and I have my speaking clients do that too. Before I have them walk into a room, I'll give you another exercise. I have them pick four adjectives of how they want to show up in their energy. Because your energy walks in before you do right and people may say oh energy, whatever. I'm just I memorized my slides I'm going to walk in I'm gonna say what I'm going to say as you know as a speaker as Any type of and I don't want to call performer because when you're speaking you're talking your truth from the heart but any type of person that is Presenting energy or information needs to get ready and one of the ways to get ready is to think about how do I want to? feel And how do I want other people to feel? And I write down four adjectives and I almost channel it and embody those emotions so that when I show up on that stage, I'm not thinking about, do I want to be inspirational, centered, energetic. know, informative. I just know for this audience, that's how I want to serve them by writing them down. It's almost like programming the computer and then you let your body and your energy and your true core take over. But you're you're programming yourself. Yes.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

you know what I think is really powerful about that is I remember very early in my speaking career, and this kind of circles back to that spotlight effect that you were talking about. I would be going into it. Like I want to be seen as this. I want them to think I am. You know competent smart a good speaker and it's all about what I want them to think of me Not how do I want to show up and it's just this very subtle shift But I think that it is so powerful because it takes number one a little bit of the control back, right? I can't control how they view me or what they think but I can control how I show up

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yes. And just by feeling it, right? And how do I want them to feel? You know, when I speak to a group of high schoolers, very different than I speak to, you know, I do corporate trainings with just women and I do corporate trainings with men and women. The energy shifts. What I say, my expertise, the topic I'm talking about, it does not change. That is who I am. I'm not going to, you know, wibble, move back and forth for different audiences. But I do shift my connection for each audience because I'm thinking about how can I serve them? What are they thinking about? What are they dealing with and what a high schooler's thinking about is different than what a male ceo is thinking about and so or a female ceo and so we need to Think ahead as to how can I serve them without changing who we are?

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

And to kind of go a little bit deeper on that. I know a lot of the women that I work with and speak with have Attempted to be authentic, right? But then that authenticity because of societal norms is, I guess, made to be a negative. So, for example, you're too aggressive. You're too much. You're too extra. How does the woman who is being told all of those things

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

yes,

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

but in a, in an effective and authentic way?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

it's a hard balance right because when they say, you know, I don't necessarily say be authentic I'm like, I'm always like who are you and how do you connect in this situation? And I think if you connect and are strategic about how you connect in each situation you are being authentic So my goal for people is to know who they are. First of all Right. And taking those values, taking the time to look at their values, who do they want to embody? How do I want to be overall and how do I want to be for the situation? And when you know who you are and you're aligned, it kind of just sits within you, right? If you do that work beforehand, it is part of who you are. And then you need to think about each room. How am I going to navigate this situation in this room? So I'm not asking people, you don't need to be your full, authentic, full self every time. That's not being inauthentic. It's being a good communicator, right? When you are a good communicator and a good connector, how am I serving this audience? How am I serving my team members? How am I serving this pitch? How am I serving this environment at this moment? So I think sometimes people say, Oh, if you're not doing this, then you're not authentic. I think being authentic is. Just embodying who you are, but you need to have discernment and choose when am I going to let that part show, right? So it is hard because one of the reasons why people don't show up fully is because sometimes some rooms aren't safe Right, they are not Safe, they are not, you are not welcome. You can feel it. You're not welcome. And it just depends on the situation Sometimes the feeling of not being welcome is because you've played into those own stereotypes and it's internal Sometimes it's real and it's really hard. It takes I think, you know working in corporate knowing how to read a room properly So I don't want to tell people to read the room and then if they read it wrong have all you know sometimes it's that internal talk track that you are Welcome in that room. You've been invited into that room. So act like you are right. But there are times when maybe there's some, you know, you already know, kind of, you're going to be navigating spaces that are a little bit more uncomfortable that your power maybe isn't appreciated. And then you can choose. Which parts of your authenticity you want to show, but I really do feel like it's being, you know, uh, strategic about it. And I know that that's a hard, hard answer, but I think in these days, we've known that there are unconscious biases that show up. So we really have to understand who are we talking to, what is the situation and how are we going to show up and meet that?

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Well, I'm glad that we're talking about this because authenticity is just always the buzzword, right? About show up authentically, and I get that, but also I'm an ex chief human resource officer, so like, please don't, you know? And, and I say that, like, with a little bit of joke and a little bit of love, but it's like, you know, you said, you, you don't want to bring your full authentic self everywhere, and you're right. I don't need people seeing how I am at home in the workplace sometimes. That's just not what we're gonna do.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Well, and it doesn't mean you're not authentic, right? And it, it's like, I know who I am. I know what I represent. And when you feel that inside, you are authentic. I come to every situation as whole as I can be. But if you're a smart communicator navigating certain spaces, I'm also in tune to what is the purpose of this meeting? What is the purpose of this exchange? If I'm hanging out with my friends, you probably shouldn't have any. Guard up. I mean, that's the whole point. Why your friends, but if you're in a workplace trying to achieve a common goal or work towards something or express yourself, you want to say like, how am I showing up fully in my full self in a way that serves this situation? And so I can save the other pieces for me later, but it doesn't mean i'm being inauthentic It just means i'm not bringing that to the table right now. It's not part of the conversation It's not part of the situation and it's not necessary But it is it is a fine line I don't want to tell people you know It is hard because even when people bring their full selves to the table for a specific event and are being discerning, there can be unconscious biases and other people that still affect it and that is out of your control, which is really hard. And so you do your best to be centered in who you are, be as authentic as possible and bring your full self to the situation that serves that moment. And then the rest is part of that discernment where You know, you can't control how other people react to you.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

You cannot.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Nope.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Oh my gosh, Angela, I'm going to take us on a left turn because you broke so many barriers being the power of the only, right? Being the first Asian American woman and in many ways, what's sticky floors, right? Any limiting beliefs or toxic behaviors did you encounter personally, like in your journey, which one kind of resonates with you or stands out and then what did you do to overcome that?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yes. Well, it's interesting. It's an evolution and I want to see people as seeing themselves as layers, right? Who I am as that young, shy Asian girl that got a little bullied when I was younger with a little bowl cut is different than I was that overachieving high schooler that was like class president, but I still didn't have it all together. That was all image. That was all like packing it on. Like, oh, I'm this, I'm that. I'm going to get into college. I. Even when I made it to the top of my career at 27 years old, I made it. I became a reporter and anchor in Los Angeles. I still had to peel back the layers. So I remember I had a, um, um, voice coach and I wanted to go to that next level. I had made it to the top market, but in order to be at the top market, you really have to think, Oh, how can I get, you know, I'm still only 27 years old. I have so much to learn in a whole career ahead of me. And I remember I was doing voice lessons and the coach said to me, he's like, does being a woman. And an Asian woman holds you back and I looked at him. I'm like, excuse me. What do you mean? Like I'm a TV reporter in Los Angeles. I've made it What do you mean hold me back and I'd never really dealt with race I always just pushed forward even though I'm sure it was you know it colored all of my being, but I just move forward as much as I could for myself. And I looked at him and he's all, does being an Asian woman affect your voice? And then I looked at him and I was like, what is he talking about? And what he was talking about was those inner voices. And as I started to dive deeper into my career, when I was younger, I blocked everything out and I just pushed and I worked hard and I got to the top. And then as you go through your career, you're like. Ah, inner voices, how I was raised. I was raised to not rock the boat. Anytime I would stand out, my mom would scold me. It's like, don't do that. Don't say that. And I fought through all of that because I became a, you know, I went on television.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

I was gonna say, then you became a news reporter. It kind of went completely opposite.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

So I broke through all that. But did I? Right. Did I own my space? Did I? And so when he was talking about for voice coaching, it was like, you're talking too fast, Angela, do you own your space? Why do you have to rush? I go, I'm not rushing. And because you don't own your full power. That was like, even though I owned my voice. I didn't fully own my voice. I was a rookie reporter. And so by embodying who I was, and I was like, Oh, I do have that voice still. Oh, I'm not as good as I thought I was, but now I know that it comes up. And so it was just something that he wanted me to look at so that I was more centered, you know, and I'm a fast talker normally, you know, and I love it. Like me and you converse, but you know, when you're owning your space and that's another thing you can do. Do you pause? Are you okay with silence? Do you own that room? Right? It's so powerful to pause and to be okay with that space, but you asked me how I overcame it So that's a little side detour But basically what I was saying is I had those voices even when I reached the pinnacle of my career And then when I became a new mom and I left my career I talk about this in the book, too I had to shift my external status For internal status, because I no longer had the title. I was no longer on TV and this will happen to you many times in your career. When you do a career change, who am I? What am I? Especially if you're so successful and everything you did was your identity may have been wrapped around your career. And I had to create a whole new identity as a new mom, a whole new identity. But that doesn't mean I lost all of that, you know, all those years I worked and everything I achieved, but I had to create a new identity. But in those down moments, all those voices came back way louder. And I was like, that's why I tell people to make that list. Cause I was like, I know nothing. I'm starting my own business. I, you know, and I had been speaking already and emceeing events and I'm like, who, who am I? What am I? And that's where you amplified came and now moving into as a mom of teenagers and moving into that next phase There's always layers, right? So i've overcome I can say that I do own my power. I do own my voice You know, I own my opportunities. I've But as I was writing this book, I had said to myself, I cannot finish this book because I am going through the middle of the thriving part. And I'm still am right. It's layers. And so it was interesting. That's why I think I took four years of research. I'm like, I'm not ready to finish this book because I'm still going through it. And the interesting thing is I finished the book. It's filled with things. I'm still going to be going through it. You know, I'm almost going to have to open each chapter for myself, but I can say for the most part, I do own my voice. I do own my power, but that's surviving to thriving. All of us are going to have to continue to unwire that that part in us, because if we are successful, we did reach the top. We create a set of skills that allowed us to be that. Right? And so now it's about, oh, that got me here. But in order for me to continue to thrive without burning out, some of those skill sets I learned aren't as good for me. So what do I want now? And that's where creating the new vision and rewiring ourselves matters. And to do that every several years because we change in our life stages. So, yeah.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

fan of that. Yes. I always tell people also new level, new devil, right? Like every new phase of life. And then with you, your kids are going to be out of the house and in college, and it's going to be you and your partner. Then what? Right? Like, what does that life phase look like for you?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

But I want people, oh go on, yes. But I want people to be optimistic about it. I don't see it as like, oh my gosh, I conquered that and now I have to deal with it again. It's more like, what's next? And if you're comfortable staying at the level you are, that's okay. But you'll know when you're, it's tugging at you and you're like, um, there's more, I'm moving. And you don't have to do this All the time, right? Maybe you reached the pinnacle and you're like, I'm good, but you'll know when you're like, um, this isn't working for me right now. And it just means there needs to be a recalibration of our vision of our values and what our North star is, right? My North star in the day was to be like Connie Chung and get that job in LA. I didn't care about anything else. I didn't care about my boyfriend. I didn't care about where I lived. I was like, this is what I'm doing. And then I got there. And it was like, oh, what does the next phase of my life look like? And even now, you know with with the book launch and my kids I just want to appreciate this time because my son's going to college soon. We're starting the college process What can I still achieve in my personal life without shutting it down and waiting till they're all out of the house? But also still savor that moment that i'm in I don't want to wish it away

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

No, because then they're just going to be old and like, oh my gosh, I think

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

It's hard though. It's really hard for any working woman. Yeah. Any working woman now knows that it's like push, pull, push, pull, and you shouldn't have to give up everything you've worked for and your own ambitions, but you also need to honor what life stage you're at. because you know, those little moments are very, very important. It's something I struggle with every day, but I'm trying, like I just told you on, you know, on Monday I spent the whole day volunteering for this wonderful thing called challenge days. It was like personal development for teenagers where they were in group discussions and I wanted to be like kind of a supportive group volunteer for that. And then it was college prep. And then now I'm, you know, this week I'm more focused on work, but you know, I wanted to do that because that's the life stage I'm in.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

That's where we're at. Oh my gosh. Angela, if you could go back in time to the little girl who's wishing she was going to be Connie Chung when she grew up, what piece of advice would you give her today?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

I would give her a big hug and, and just let her know that all is good and you are seen just the way you are and it's all okay. I mean, that's kind of a little bit of an inner child exercise, but I actually go visit her often because I think where most of us get stuck is. All starts from our childhood. It really does. As you do more deeper work, leadership work, personal development work, you're like, what? From that? You know, and as even, you know, I'm Midlife woman career. I've accomplished all my goals, but we still have to go back to that little girl and just give them a big hug. And it's like, it all works out. You are good just the way you are. And I think for a lot of us, not just little girl, you are enough, just the way you are.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Oh, that's beautiful. I know my mother always used to say it'll always be okay in the end and if it's not okay, it's not the end. And

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Amazing. I love

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

love that. Oh my gosh. Well, Angela, we're going to be able to buy your book on Amazon, Barnes Noble, all the places where books are sold. If somebody wants to work with you, bring you into the organization, learn more about you, where can they find you?

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Yes, I'm at AngelaChi. com. The book is at thepoweroftheonly. com and you can always find me online at AngelaChiTV on all of social media.

erica_1_01-29-2025_130929:

Amazing. All of that will be linked in the show notes, but Angela, thank you so much for this amazing conversation on the power of the only, I mean, there were so many gems in here. I know my brain was kind of ping pong and all over the place with all of the just amazing things you shared with us today. So thank you.

angela-chee_1_01-29-2025_100929:

Thank you. I appreciate you so much and I'm so honored to be part of your conversation with your community.

MacBook Pro Microphone-1:

Oh my gosh, if you don't feel fired up now, I don't know what to tell you, but Angela just dropped some serious wisdom on how to own your space, navigate tough environments, and redefine power on your own terms. Now, if you're ready to step into your power and break through any limiting beliefs holding you back, Make sure that you check out her book, The Power of the Only, dropping this week, March 4th, 2025. And if you want to learn more, check her out at her website and follow her on social media. I'll drop all those links in the show notes so that you have them handy. And if this resonated with you, please take a screenshot, tag us, and share your biggest takeaway on Instagram and LinkedIn. Make sure you also head over and check out Her Collective, the online community for women who are looking to grow, connect, and level up. I'll see you next time.

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