Breaking Cultural Expectations: From the Singapore Dream to Strategy Consulting - Clara Ho

Money, Mindset & Multi-Passion: You Can Have It All, Just Not at Once – Jessie Leong

What if the reason you feel bad about money has nothing to do with how much you have? Jessie Leong is a marketing manager by day and the founder of How I Fund This by night — a personal finance community of over 80,000 people built on one simple but radical idea: that financial confidence isn't about perfection, deprivation, or having it all figured out. It's about understanding your relationship with money well enough to make it work for the life you actually want. In this episode, Jess and Jessie get into the real stuff — the anxiety, the shame, the seasons where money feels impossible — and why being honest about all of it is the first step to feeling better. In this episode you'll learn: * Why money is an emotional topic first and a practical one second — and why that changes everything * How to work out what you actually value (and spend accordingly, without guilt) * The case for building an emergency fund — and how to start even when the end goal feels out of reach * Why small, consistent habits will always outperform a one-off financial overhaul * How to be multi-passionate and build something meaningful alongside a full-time job * What Jessie would tell her younger self about mistakes, permission, and peace of mind Connect with Jessie: Instagram: How I Fund This | Substack: For What It's Worth Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at successfulafpod@gmail.com - we're always looking for incredible people to feature. Connect with Jess: Instagram: @kalicoaching.co Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

Can You Be Ambitious Without Burning Out? Riah Patel on Networking, Mentorship & Slowing Down to Succeed

Riah Patel has the career, the drive, and the results to prove it. A senior leader and surveyor in the real estate industry, she's spent a decade building an impressive career through sheer intentionality — moving from graduate scheme to business development, team leadership and strategy, while becoming one of the most respected networkers in her field. But the most interesting part of her story isn't the promotions or the business development wins. It's what she discovered when she finally gave herself permission to slow down — and realised her results actually got better. In this episode of Successful AF, Riah gets refreshingly honest about the cost of always being full throttle, what sustainable ambition really looks like in practice, and why she still does power poses in work bathrooms before big presentations. In this conversation, you'll hear: * Why career networking doesn't have to feel transactional — and how to build genuine human connection in professional spaces * What Riah learned when she stopped working at full speed (spoiler: she didn't fall behind) * How she finds and works with mentors — including why her longest-standing mentor wasn't who she expected * The confidence-building habits that actually work, from coaching to body language * What burnout prevention really looks like when you're wired to be competitive * Why her definition of success has shifted — and what "complicated" really means This one is for anyone who's ever wondered whether ambition and sustainability can actually coexist. Turns out, they can. You just have to be intentional about it. Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at successfulafpod@gmail.com - we're always looking for incredible people to feature. Connect with Jess: Instagram: @kalicoaching.co Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

When Your Doctor Won't Listen: Risa August on Brain Tumours, Radical Reinvention, and What Success Really Feels Like

What if you spent seven years knowing something was wrong with your body — and every doctor told you nothing was? Risa August is a two-time Ironman athlete, cyclist, author, and one of the most quietly compelling people I've ever spoken to. For seven years, her body was changing in ways she couldn't explain. She was dismissed, minimised, and told to drink more water — while completing Ironman triathlons. It was only when Risa demanded her own MRI that doctors discovered a large tumour on her pituitary gland and a rare condition called acromegaly that had been reshaping her body for years. What followed was brain surgery, radiation, lifelong medication — and six months later, Risa had signed up to cycle from Meixco to Canada, cycling 1,845 miles down the Pacific Coast Highway to Mexico. She had injections shipped to remote locations along the route. Because that's just who she is. But this isn't really a story about physical feats. It's about what happens to your identity when the version of yourself you've built everything around is no longer available to you — and who you find when you stop trying to get her back. In this episode, you'll discover: ✨ How to advocate for your own health when medical professionals aren't listening (and why women are disproportionately dismissed)  ✨ What identity collapse really feels like — and the surprising first step Risa took toward recovery (spoiler: it wasn't getting back on the bike)  ✨ Why receiving help used to feel like weakness — and the mindset shift that changed everything  ✨ How to find forward motion when you can barely get to the front door  ✨ What success feels like when you stop measuring it in achievements and start measuring it in days that just flow  This episode is for you if: * You've been dismissed by doctors and are looking for validation that you know your own body * You're a high-achiever going through a health crisis, burnout, or major life disruption * Your identity is deeply tied to what you do — and that's starting to feel fragile * You're rebuilding after loss and wondering what the first step looks like * You want to redefine success on your own terms, not someone else's About Risa August: Risa August is an athlete, author, and speaker who has competed in two Ironman triathlons, completed a 1,845-mile Pacific Coast cycle six months after brain surgery, and channelled her experience of acromegaly and pituitary tumour diagnosis into her debut book, The Road Unpaved: Border to Border with a Brain Tumour and a Bike. You can find Risa at risaaugust.com. Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at successfulafpod@gmail.com - we're always looking for incredible people to feature. Connect with Jess: Instagram: @kalicoaching.co Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

From Invisible to Unstoppable: Building a Business That Heals with Marcella from On A Sew

Marcella spent years feeling invisible—so she built a business where everyone is seen, heard, and valued. Marcella's story is one you'll want to listen to twice. She grew up speaking only Spanish after moving from Columbia to the UK at the age of 2, struggling to find her voice in a system that didn't see her. Picked on by classmates, dismissed by teachers who accused her of cheating when she excelled. Fast forward to motherhood—postnatal depression, isolation, mistaken for a nanny by other mums who wouldn't give her the time of day. But instead of staying small, Marcella taught herself to sew. And then she built On A Sew—a sewing school where adults and children don't just learn a craft, they find their voice, their confidence, and their community. In this episode, you'll discover: ✨ How to build a business from lived experience (not credentials or formal education) ✨ Why taking it slow actually accelerated Marcella's growth (she went from one class a week to a thriving school without burning out) ✨ The real difference between teaching a skill and creating transformation ✨ How Marcella uses her past pain to heal others—including apologising to children on behalf of adults who failed to listen ✨ Why surrounding yourself with people who see you is non-negotiable for success ✨ The non-negotiable boundary that protects her from burnout (and why saying no became her superpower) This conversation is for you if: You've built something meaningful, but still feel invisible You're starting a business without traditional qualifications and wonder if you're "enough" You've experienced loneliness, isolation, or postnatal depression and want to channel it into purpose You're a creative entrepreneur looking to build community, not just customers You want to see what sustainable, slow-but-steady business growth actually looks like About Marcella: Marcella is the founder of On A Sew, a sewing school in London where she teaches adults and children the art of sewing—but more importantly, helps them find confidence, community, and creative expression. A self-taught sewist with no formal education past age 16, Marcella has built her thriving business purely from lived experience, patience, and an unshakeable belief that everyone deserves to be seen and heard. Connect with Marcella: Instagram: @on.a.sew Website: onasew.co.uk Connect with Jess: Instagram: @successfulafpod Website: kalicoaching.co.uk Love this episode? If Marcella's story resonated with you, screenshot your favourite moment and tag us on Instagram @successfulafpod and @on.a.sew. I'd love to hear what landed for you. And if you're ready to build something meaningful without burning out, subscribe to Successful AF so you never miss a conversation that might just change everything. How to build a business without a degree Creative business ideas Self-taught entrepreneur success story Postnatal depression and entrepreneurship Building community in business Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at successfulafpod@gmail.com - we're always looking for incredible people to feature. Connect with Jess: Instagram: @kalicoaching.co Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

Breaking Cultural Expectations: From the Singapore Dream to Strategy Consulting - Clara Ho

Clara Ho crossed international borders with a passport every day just to get to school. Six hours round trip on the worst days. She was raised on the "Singapore Dream"—five C's that defined success: cash, credit card, condo, country club, and car. This episode of Successful AF is about what happens when you stop asking for permission. Host Jess West sits down with Clara, now a strategy consultant at Roland Berger in Dubai, for a conversation about breaking cultural expectations and career transitions. From selling Louis Vuitton whilst studying pre-law, to becoming head of operations in Bangkok at 27, to taking a career sabbatical in Cambodia and Central America that horrified her grandmother—Clara's journey is about doing the hard things. Clara's unflinching honesty about toxic conditioning hits hard. Being taught to suppress every feeling. The favouritism towards boys. The narrow success markers that left no room for being human. But she also shares how she unlearned it all through solo backpacking, therapy, and building the muscle of being different. She redefined success entirely: breaking through self-imposed limitations whilst maintaining integrity. No permission needed. Perfect for listeners navigating career pivots, cultural expectations, or anyone tired of asking permission to live their own life. About Clara Ho Clara Ho is a strategy consultant at Roland Berger in Dubai. Born in Malaysia, raised between Malaysia and Singapore, she studied law in Wales before pivoting into education and eventually strategy consulting. She spent a transformative year teaching at the Harpswell Foundation in Cambodia and learning Spanish in Central America before her career change into consulting, whilst her family questioned why she wasn't earning money. Key Takeaways 1. Your body is wiser than your brain - Listen to every signal you've been taught to suppress 2. Success needs two pillars - Breaking self-imposed limitations AND doing it with integrity 3. You don't need permission - If you feel you do, ask whose voice is in your head 4. Do hard things constantly - Comfort breeds complacency; discomfort drives success 5. Face your fear gremlins daily - Even small, uncomfortable things count 6. Being different is a muscle - You build tolerance for being the odd one out Reflection Questions * Whose voice is in your head when you think you need permission? * What cultural expectations are you carrying that don't belong to you? * Are you honouring how far you've come, or only measuring where you think you should be? Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at successfulafpod@gmail.com - we're always looking for incredible people to feature. Connect with Jess: Instagram: @kalicoaching.co Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk