Rising from Refugee Roots to CEO with Samantha Le

• The power of mentorship and access to resources for growth – 00:06:36
• Overcoming internal barriers and embracing self-worth – 00:29:39
• Handling criticism and envy when stepping into your power – 00:25:53
• The importance of evolving relationships and letting go – 00:35:56
• Navigating cultural expectations as an Asian American woman – 00:31:43
• Giving back to the community through supporting local businesses – 00:42:07

“My self-worth came from just learning how important access to information and mentors is and just having a wide network, a deep network. It really allowed me to gain insights that my parents lacked.”  Samantha Le

On building community and paying it forward:

“To see that someone did that for my mom, and then my mom paid it forward, continues to create a sustainable ecosystem where you learn, teach, and repeat. It eliminates barriers to access and really uplifts our community out of poverty.” Samantha Le 

“A long time ago, I told myself that success was going to be my best revenge. Growing up, it was not easy being the one who was different… That kind of lit a fire in me.” Samantha Le

“I’ve learned that those negative voices in my head that hold me back are not my voice; they’re someone else’s voice. I don’t own those. I’m not going to allow folks to deter me or distract me from the work that needs to be done.”Samantha Le

“You are meant to be there. Sit down and take your seat.”  Samantha Le (advice from her mentor about owning her place at the table)

“If you don’t have any haters, you know you’re not doing anything. So you just got to keep going and not own it.”  Samantha Le

“I can assert myself and still be in my true, feminine power. I can speak my truth and be okay.”  Samantha Le

Nicole:

Hello friends. Welcome back to another episode of the School of Self-Worth. I’m your host, Nicole Tsong. Today’s episode digs into the heart of grit and resilience and really rising above to own your own journey.

My guest is Samantha Le. I met her at an event in Seattle, and I was so moved by her story that I wanted to have her join us here on the show. Samantha is a Vietnamese American refugee who came to the United States and overcame so many obstacles to now be named one of the 40 Under 40 by the Puget Sound Business Journal in Seattle. She is the CEO and president of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, and she is so passionate about supporting local businesses. She is also the daughter of entrepreneurs. Her story is so inspiring, and you don’t want to miss her simple tips on how to handle things when other people start to judge or get envious of your success. So before we get started, if you are an Asian American corporate leader wanting to step into greater visibility, grab the Asian Visibility System to get the exact step-by-step guide to becoming a strategic leader at work. It’s linked down below in the show notes.

Okay friends, let’s dive in. Welcome to the School of Self-Worth, a podcast for ambitious women who know they are worthy of an astoundingly great life. Join us weekly as we get on the right side of your intuition, redefine success, and reclaim your self-worth. I’m your host, Nicole Tsong, an award-winning journalist who left it all behind to become a bestselling author of three books and a work-life balance expert, helping ambitious women unlock their intuition and step into a life of fulfillment and radical joy. Every single week, I will bring you diverse and meaningful conversations with successful women from all walks of life who share insights about what it takes to be brave, joyful, and authentic every day. Every episode is thoughtfully designed to leave you feeling empowered with tangible tips and advice that will lead you to your next breakthrough.

Samantha, thank you so much for being here on the School of Self-Worth. I’m so thrilled to have you join us.

Samantha Le:

Thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited.

Nicole:

It’s so fun! I love the different ways I encounter guests. I met Samantha at an event locally in Seattle where she spoke, and you just shared your life experience and the challenges you’ve faced in such a deep, heartfelt way that I was like, “I really want her on the podcast.” She’s going to be such a great voice for anybody out there who encounters challenges while following their dreams, paths, and desires. That’s really what I got from that conversation when I saw you speak. So, you know, we’re here to talk about self-worth, as always, the foundational thematic part of the conversations. What I would love, Samantha, is if you could actually start by telling us a little bit about your own journey to where you are now and how self-worth played into that.

Samantha Le:

Yeah, certainly. So, I am a Vietnamese refugee. My family came here in the early ’90s, and we grew roots here in South Seattle. I watched my parents try to find a sense of stability for the family, and they accomplished that through entrepreneurship. My mom owned a nail salon, and my dad was a gardener. I was kind of like their baby business manager.

As I was going through school, I was able to learn English and come home to teach my parents the English that I was learning. I became a sort of navigator for them, interpreting documents and information, talking to vendors, even customers, and putting together marketing materials. I remember running through neighborhoods and flyering for my dad’s landscaping business. It was really fun during summers, evenings, and weekends to help him grow that. I found myself in high school trying to identify what I wanted to be. Of course, as a refugee, your parents want you to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. I didn’t like robotics, so I didn’t want to be an engineer. I get very squeamish around bodily fluids, so I didn’t want to be a doctor, nor did I want to be a lawyer- I just don’t like arguing with people. So all of that was out of the question for me. I was just kind of floundering for a little bit, trying to figure out what to do. I remember that K through 12 track, they teach you so heavily on: go to college and you’ll find success. Success- go to college and you’ll find it. But I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I did not grow up with a lot of resources.

I didn’t have aunts and uncles that worked in various fields, like non-profits or aerospace. I didn’t have that kind of family connection. There wasn’t a deep bench of resources for me. So, I was looking at maybe just continuing to support my parents and their business. Then one day, an adult came to my school, did a presentation, and shared that there was this opportunity to enter a program that would connect me to mentors and workshops that would really help me with my professional growth. It gave me a scholarship and stipend to go to college. I thought, “Why not? Let’s see what this is all about.” I literally had nothing to lose.

So I applied and was one of 30 students selected to enter that program. That program completely changed my life. I was then connected with a pool of mentors and a wide network of subject matter experts that really helped me get access to resources and insights that I would have never had just by the nature of where I came from. That really helped me navigate the landscape ahead of me to then go to college. By the time I was 22, I had my MBA. I saw education as a privilege and my way out of poverty, allowing me to help my family go from surviving to thriving. After college, I worked in customer service and got really interested in learning how the sausage was made at the manufacturing company where I was working. From that point to when I started getting promoted to a senior leadership role, it was eight months in between. So, it was really fast growth. From there, becoming a C-suite executive, the vice president at our chamber here, took six years, and then two years after that, I became the CEO. So it’s been fast and furious, to say the least, in growth. 

My self-worth came from learning how important access to information and mentors is. Just having a wide and deep network really allowed me to gain insights that my parents lacked because they didn’t have those life experiences to help me. This program really took me from surviving every single day, not knowing what I wanted to be, to getting to where I am today. Now I’m able to create programs just like the one that helped me to help the community that essentially raised me.

Nicole:

What a beautiful story! I have many questions around all of these pieces. In terms of the mentors you had, how do you feel like that helped you? Did you have Asian American mentors there or not? How did that sort of help you skyrocket, as it sounds, in terms of the work to get to CEO? What did they do exactly? What was happening in those relationships?

Samantha Le:

Yeah. My first mentor was a Hispanic man who had lived experiences as a refugee, so he understood the unique struggles and barriers I was facing. He understood that trust was a big thing, and so it wasn’t just automatically given. He was able to slow down and talk to my parents to help them understand the importance of allowing me to take a week away from home to go to a summer camp that the program was putting on. He had experience working with Asian American families, and the community I grew up in had many Asian American community members. I went to high school in Kent, where there were a lot of students from Southeast Asia. His office was right there, and he was able to talk to us differently. 

It wasn’t cookie-cutter; he really met us where we were and understood that many of us were juniors and seniors in high school but were working. Some of us brought home significant income to help contribute to our families. He understood that if I couldn’t make it to a mentoring meeting, he didn’t make me feel shameful for it. He was really kind and extended a lot of empathy. In college, I had a woman who was not Asian American but had a strong, empowering female presence to help me hone my own voice and learn about female power- how to feel empowered to speak up, even when I see something that needs to be fixed or shared. That was really important for me. 

I did not have an Asian American mentor until about three years ago when I met one who worked in the nonprofit sector, focusing on education and workforce development. Just seeing how she commanded a room and was so vulnerable yet strong, was empowering and inspiring. I approached her, not necessarily asking her to be a mentor, but just asking for coffee. I said, “I just want to have a cup of coffee with you, if that’s okay, or some tea.”

We sat and chatted, and we quickly became really good friends. She shared a lot of the things she learned in her life, which were simple but impactful, like “don’t burn bridges” and “continue to put yourself in uncomfortable spaces.” She also emphasized the importance of asserting boundaries if I ever felt stretched too thin or uncomfortable. Growing up as a Vietnamese American female, my parents- without faulting them- taught me to be demure, quiet, obedient, and not to assert myself. She really helped me learn how to conduct myself in a boardroom or at the table when I was called upon. 

Something she told me was, “You are meant to be there. Sit down and take your seat.” Remembering those words really helps me snap out of it whenever I start to feel imposter syndrome creeping up again.

Nicole:

That’s so powerful. I love that. I think a lot of times we forget that piece of it, you know, like, you got there. Can you actually own it? Because so many of the women I’m working with are facing that similar cultural conditioning of obedience- being demure, like, “Don’t speak up, don’t make too much noise.” Then, if you do reach that point where you’re kind of in a top tier, how do you own it? That’s really an interesting step. But I’m actually curious for you, then, if you weren’t owning it as much when you were younger, what do you attribute your fast growth to? Is it just being open to learning? What was it that made you able to step into it even when you still had this imposter syndrome lurking? Because I think sometimes we think, “If I have imposter syndrome, I can’t get there.” And obviously, you did get there.

So what helped you get there? And then, obviously, she helped you with owning it.

Samantha Le:

Yeah, a long time ago, I told myself that success was going to be my best revenge. Growing up, it was not easy being the one that was different. In my school, I was bullied and teased a lot. I didn’t have very many friends. And I’m also biracial, so I never felt like I was Vietnamese enough or American enough. I was often left out of hangouts with friends and group projects. I just felt like, “Okay, one day I’m going to do great things, and you’re going to wish that you were nice to me.” That kind of lit a fire in me because I also saw the discrimination my parents dealt with. There would be people who would just hang up the phone on them, and I thought, “Okay, I’m going to study English- like, you know, back and forth and upside down and everything in between- so I can get really, really good at English.” I wanted to ensure no one would ever question me or say they didn’t understand me. I was being misunderstood a lot, and it was really tough.

Just wanting to do a good job always motivated me. I told myself that when I got a “big girl job,” I would do that job really well and be the best at it. I would look at all the people doing a really good job in that same role, befriend them, learn from them, and have my colleagues tell me what was working for them. I started realizing I was beginning to teach that back down the line. It was also about engaging with folks in other departments and learning quickly that we’re all on the same team. Sometimes in the manufacturing space, there’s a divide between the manufacturing floor and the office. I tried to be that bridge between the two and make sure that everybody knew I was an ally, remaining approachable and trying to be helpful. 

Through that, I started to develop efficient processes and began teaching that forward. I caught the eyes of leadership, who continuously placed me forward and progressed me. Anyone who asks me, I say just do your job the best you can do every day. Teach, learn, teach, and repeat- that’s all you can do.

Nicole:

Yeah, fascinating. Okay, good. Thank you so much for sharing that because I think it’s important for us to recognize what the journey is since each journey is so individual. Tell me about how you got to where you are today, which is, you know, running. You focus very much on South King County. For those of you listening who are not in Seattle, it’s a particular region in Seattle- the southern part of the county, right? 

So how did you get to that place where you knew you wanted to do that? I’m very near to where Samantha works, and I think, “Oh, yeah, it’s such an essential area.” How did you bring your energy and focus to that region?

Samantha Le:

Yeah, so I mean, I took my first steps here in SeaTac on American soil. My first job was in Tukwila. My mom’s first salon was in Des Moines, and my dad’s first landscaping job was in Burien. Our first apartment was in Burien. Everything was always in the South Side area.

I was working at a manufacturing facility in Tukwila, which has a huge manufacturing valley. My former employer had a membership with the Seattle Southside Chamber. At the time, it was COVID, and we started to get more involved. The Chamber really provided a lot of essential resources to help businesses stay open, identify if they were essential or not, and navigate that intense time that many small businesses were facing. I became more involved with the Chamber, joining committees and attending every single event. I put myself out there to engage continuously, which helped me get a lot of folks to purchase products and services from us in our business. 

I then became an ambassador for the Chamber and helped my predecessor create a program that we still run today, which helps our outreach to small businesses and community members. One day, he called me and said he was leaving the Chamber, looking to see if I knew anyone in my network who would be interested in working for him. I was like, “For the Chamber?” I knew the Chamber threw events, but I didn’t realize how much the Chamber did. I had never worked in a nonprofit; I always worked in the private sector. 

So I tossed out, “Would you be open to reviewing my resume?” He said, “I was really hoping you’d say that.” I submitted my resume, and the CEO at the time, Andrea Ray- an amazing woman- gave me a call later that afternoon. I interviewed a couple of days later, and about an hour after that, I got the offer. A week and a half later, I started at the Chamber and never looked back. It’s been a fantastic place, just full of opportunity and heart in this work.

I really enjoy working for a nonprofit, helping people achieve their dreams or overcome obstacles. It’s such an honor and a privilege to be here.

Nicole:

What a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing that. It’s so interesting. Like you said, sometimes people are looking out for you, and definitely, in that situation, that helped you for sure. I think sometimes, too, for Asian Americans, we can downplay stuff like that instead of stepping forward. I love how you just stepped forward and went for it, which is so powerful. 

I remember you telling the story, and there may be different examples since then, but when I heard you speak about how, when you step into your own power and really step into your self-worth, people can be really critical or jealous or say challenging things. I’m curious if you have suggestions because sometimes that’s why we hold back, right? We think, “I’m not going to go forward because then it might put me out there in a way that I don’t want to hear those criticisms.” How do you think about that kind of situation?

Samantha Le:

I just feel like the risk is worth it to put yourself out there. There’s so much more support than criticism. I’ve had to learn that it’s okay for people to have their own opinions, even old friends who I used to have who don’t follow me into this next journey. I continue to focus on the mission at hand, standing firmly and strong on my values. I just keep taking it one step at a time. 

It really does shake you to your core; it’s hard. It doesn’t take the sting away from what they say. But through lots of therapy, I’ve learned that those negative voices in my head that hold me back are not my voice; they’re someone else’s voice. I don’t own those. I’m not going to allow folks to deter me or distract me from the work that needs to be done. They can say whatever they want about me, or anyone else who steps into their power. You’re going to continue to create beautiful things, and you’re going to continue to fight for them. One day, they might turn around and ask you for a seat.

I’ve had that happen so much. Like I mentioned before, when I was younger, I had a lot of bullies or corporate competition in former workplaces. I now receive many emails or direct messages on LinkedIn or Instagram from folks who I know spoke ill of me or tried to sabotage my success, asking for my time. I get to make that choice whether I allow them in or not. I try to stand firm in my values and my mission and just proceed forward. It’s a lot of noise to block out sometimes. One of my friends said to me, “If you don’t have any haters, you know you’re not doing anything.” So you just have to keep going and not own it. 

There was a woman I worked with at one of the manufacturing companies, her name was Cindy Derricott, and she said, “You’re really good, and you know, you’re going to go really far.” At this time, I was just a customer service rep. She was like,  “You’re really good, you’re really smart. You’re going to go really far.” I looked at her and said, “Why did you say that? That’s really nice, and thank you for saying that.” But she replied, “I see that you have a lot of internal barriers that you need to work through. That’s all internal work.” Once I started to shift my perspective, it really helped me make it through the fog.

Nicole:

Well, one thing you said reminded me of how I think about it too, which is when someone’s being a hater or jealous or whatever they’re doing, their goal is actually to distract you, right? They win if you get distracted by it and focus your energy and attention on it. I feel like, and I don’t know if this is cultural as much, but I’m a really loyal person. So when it’s hard for me to release relationships and move forward, I always have to remind myself, “Well, if they’re not supporting me to move forward, then that’s not a relationship that’s going to support my life.” If they’re a hater or saying whatever it is to you, that can be really challenging.

But I think it’s hard because sometimes people don’t want to rise for that reason. They’re afraid of putting themselves out there and what might come. It’s like you said, the internal work of how to get stronger in the relationship with yourself so that whatever they’re saying, or whoever they are, doesn’t affect you so deeply. 

But I do think that desire to please is very generalized in Asian culture. You’re supposed to be protecting your family and keeping them good. So when someone’s criticizing you, they’re criticizing your family. It can be difficult for Asian women to accept that this is just going to happen sometimes. How can I be powerful in myself? I don’t know if that’s something you think about that way or if you have anything else to add around that piece of it.

Samantha Le:

Yeah, certainly. I mean, being Asian American, and a woman, you’re taught to be so soft-spoken and to serve. You’re considered good if you listen, don’t talk back, don’t raise your tone, and don’t lose your composure. It’s really hard not to want to appease your parents and go in the opposite direction of what you were taught. Not that I’m being disrespectful in any way, but I can object without being disrespectful. I can have boundaries, assert myself, and still be in my true feminine power. I can speak my truth and be okay.

As a recovering people pleaser, I spent many years putting other people’s needs in front of my own. I had a realization years ago when I had emergency surgery and flatlined for several minutes. When I came back, I realized that if I had lost my life at that point, I was not living my truth. I was not being authentic. I was doing work that I was good at but didn’t feel fulfilled by. I was just doing a lot of soul searching and realized that I feel my best when I am helping people, but I also need to take care of myself while doing that. It’s been a journey, but it’s so empowering when you can reflect and take good care of those around you while also taking care of yourself and finding that balance.

Nicole:

What you’re saying is so powerful and helpful. Sometimes when we worry about what others think of us, it’s challenging to maintain and come back into our own power. It’s not an easy thing; it’s something you have to practice and work on. But I feel like the more you do it, the more you can say, “Oh, right, I can do this in various situations.” When it feels tough or when you’re starting to rise up, people will aim for you. That’s what it sounded like happened for you, right? The more successful you got, the more people started to want to take you out or ask for your help.

Samantha Le:

I had to figure out quickly who was a true friend and wanted my time and would respect my time versus those who wanted to grasp at the opportunities around me- people who were opportunistic. It’s a sad reality, but not everyone is going to walk with you in this next phase of your life. At my lowest, I lost a lot of friends. At my highest, I also lost a lot of friends. But I’ve gained new ones, which created space for new connections and relationships. You find a new sandbox to play in.

Nicole:

Sometimes we get stuck on the idea that whoever we had when we were younger is who we have forever. Instead of realizing that as we evolve, we get to have new relationships and step into different ones that are amazing. As an adult, once I realized this, I became way more open to having more friends. I used to think, “Well, I have the friends I have, and they’re good, and that’s it.” Now I see there are new people for new circumstances and situations, and that’s really powerful and cool. 

When we can say, “Oh, I have plenty of time for new people,” that’s a much more interesting place to be than thinking, “I only have this set group that I’ve always hung out with.” It’s an important conversation for us to have because sometimes these fears can be subconscious. People are afraid they’re going to lose their family or whoever it is or their approval. Breaking those patterns is essential because when we don’t change them, it doesn’t allow us to expand and grow. It’s something I always talk to my clients about. We also get to have different relationships with our families and parents. Even as you grow, you’ll get to shift that.

It doesn’t have to be how it was when you were a kid. It can be different, and it can take time. It’s like turning the Titanic sometimes to shift your relationships with your family into ways that feel good to you. It is possible; I’ve done it, and many of my clients have done it as well. I love having this conversation because I think especially with Asian families, we learn to be so close to our family and take care of them. They are the most important thing, and they are, but they’re not more important than you. How can we be in our own power while also loving them?

Samantha Le:

Right! I just had dinner with a friend I worked with over 15 years ago. She’s doing amazing things, designing massive murals all over Pierce County and King County. Most people don’t know who she is, but they will recognize her art. She finds herself in these rooms of opportunity but also has a sense of loneliness at the top. She had to let go of many people in her life who didn’t see her vision or who made her feel like she was bragging. I absolutely identify with that. 

There were so many times I would have conversations with folks I grew up with, and they would make me feel bad about talking about the good things happening in my life. It’s like, “Oh, don’t rub it in our faces or anything like that.” They would minimize my growth or not be there to celebrate with me. It hurts. But I think I’m getting to an age where I don’t care as much anymore. I think, “One day we’ll hang out again soon, but if not, it’s fine. I wish you well.” There are no ill feelings on my end; I don’t wish them anything negative.

It’s more about not wanting to be around that energy that pulls you down. You can feel it when you’re having a conversation with someone who’s envious, jealous, or has a fixed mindset and doesn’t want to expand and grow. My friend and I talked in great detail about the feeling you get walking away from those conversations. That’s when you start to realize that this friendship is not doing me any justice. It’s not serving me anymore.

Learning to be okay with that can be hard. I like how we’re having this conversation because it normalizes that evolution as an adult. We can have shifts and changes in relationships and let go of people, especially if they aren’t for us. I always think, “Is this person for me?” If something amazing happened in my life, would I text them, and would they respond with excited emojis? Or are they someone who’d say, “Oh, that’s good for you,” without being genuinely excited? Those are the standards I consider. If this person isn’t for me, why am I still spending time with them? Is this relationship going to be worth it to me in the long run?

Nicole:

Right, exactly. You can just be like, “Hey, it’s okay to release that.” Yeah, for sure. I love that we’re having this conversation because I think it’s not talked about enough. You know, you do change and evolve, and then things happen. People evolve, and your relationships evolve. And that’s totally okay.

Well, there’s been so much rich conversation here. My last question for you is, you know, you really focus on supporting local businesses- what remains for you? How does that help you? What’s the passion for you around supporting local businesses?

Samantha Le:

I think it just stems from my childhood. I distinctly remember putting up my mom’s nail salon sign and my mom letting me flip that open and close sign on the first day of opening. Helping my dad flyer through the summer with my little brother and sister in tow made it a fun family activity. We would get Taco Bell at the end of the day, and that was our treat. Taco Bell was like our treat, and I still love it. 

Seeing the independence that my parents were able to gain from that was significant. They built their generational wealth through entrepreneurship, and it stemmed from a dream. What I saw my mom and dad do was not just build; they helped and gave back by teaching new incoming Vietnamese immigrants and refugees in the community. They coached them, walked them through how to be a manicurist, and helped them build out their business plans to open their own salons. My mom didn’t have a school, but she had such a big heart and continued to give back. 

To see that someone did that for my mom, and then my mom paid it forward, continues to create this sustainable ecosystem where you learn, teach, and repeat. It eliminates barriers to access and really uplifts our community out of poverty and reliance on assisted care. My parents were then able to purchase their first home. They could take vacations and go back to Vietnam for the first time to visit family because we came here with no one- just my mom, my dad, and me, and then my mom had more children.

The heart of what I do is rooted in my upbringing. It connects me back to that little girl inside of me who really enjoyed that time of my life. Those are some of the happiest memories I have. To sit across the table from another entrepreneur who dreams of bringing their product forward, and for me to provide technical assistance and help them navigate, is fulfilling. Seeing their concept turn into a storefront and then the chamber doing a ribbon-cutting for them brings me right back to that.

I’m constantly in a leap of joy through this work. There can be really challenging days because entrepreneurship has its ebbs and flows. Sometimes I talk to a business, and they’re like, “I am two weeks away from closing my doors. What do I do?” 

But I’m able to connect them to resources they didn’t even know existed and extend that cutoff time for them, helping them overcome the end of their dream. That is just so fulfilling for me. It’s not just the businesses I’m helping; it’s people. People are at the heart of everything we do. You don’t create a product without thinking about the user. You don’t create or provide a service without considering what problem it’s solving for your patient or customer. I’m just happy to be a part of their journey.

Nicole:

I love that. As a fellow entrepreneur, I am so grateful that organizations like yours exist and that there is support out there. It’s interesting because I thought going into entrepreneurship felt very bold, but when you’re really in that world, I know a lot of entrepreneurs, and it’s still a minor part of social groups. It’s still rare. I appreciate what you do and love the stories you’re telling about it because I also love to frequent local businesses. It’s pretty cool that you’re supporting them in all those different ways while also being an entrepreneur.

Well, Samantha, thank you so much for all of this. It’s time for our fast action questions. Are you up for it?

Samantha Le:

I’m up for it.

Nicole:

Okay, awesome. Alright, what was the last thing you watched on television?

Samantha Le:

90 Day Fiancé.

Nicole:

Okay, perfect. I love it. We always find out how people are decompressing at night with that question. Next question: What is on your nightstand?

Samantha Le:

A candle, a battery charger, another charger, and the remote to my fan. It’s hot.

Nicole:

Awesome. And what is the last time you tried something new, and what was it?

Samantha Le:

Something that comes to mind is ziplining. I went to Whistler at the end of the summer last year and ziplined for the first time in my life. I was so terrified, but it was beautiful. Out of the terror of going down a mountainside, I got the courage to open my eyes and take everything in. I went from screaming at the top of my lungs to thinking, “Oh wow, this is beautiful,” and then back to screaming.

Nicole:

I’ve only ziplined once, and it was also in Whistler, so it’s probably the same one. It’s terrifying- you’re like, “I’m going that way on what?” But it’s also so cool.

Samantha Le:

Yeah, it’s so fast, and I didn’t expect it to be like a five-hour experience. I thought it was just a slide- you know, you just go.

Nicole:

So funny! And then the last one is: What are your top three most used emojis?

Samantha Le:

The heart hands emoji, the rolling laughing emoji, and the sparkles emoji- the one with the three little yellow sparkles.

Nicole:

Yeah, I love that one too! So fun. Well, Samantha, it was such a joy to have you on the School of Self-Worth. Thank you so much for being here. For all of you interested in the work she’s doing, we’re going to link everything below, so check that out. Thank you for being so generous and open with your sharing about your experience and journey. I know that people listening are benefiting so much from what you had to say. So thank you.

Samantha Le:

Thank you so much, Nicole. I appreciate your time.

Nicole:

Thank you so much for tuning into today’s episode. Before you go, don’t forget, if you are a high-achieving woman who wants to uncover your biggest blind spots preventing fast intuitive decisions, I’ve got a 72-second assessment for you. Make sure to DM me “quiz” on Instagram at Nicole Tsong. Thank you for being here and for listening. We read every note we get from you about how the podcast is making a difference in your life. Please know how much we appreciate each and every one of you. Until next time, I’m Nicole Tsong, and this is the School of Self-Worth.