Ambika sits down with Sahaj Kaur Kohli, MAEd, LGPC, founder of @browngirltherapy and author of “But What Will People Say” to discuss (as her book’s subtitle so perfectly articulates), navigating mental health, identity, love, and family between cultures. This episode centers South Asian experiences, but topics apply to intersectional multicultural and immigrant experiences.  Show Notes00:24 The Impact of Brown Girl Therapy01:28 Journey to Writing a Groundbreaking Book01:49 Navigating Cultural Identity and Mental Health04:31 The Birth of Brown Girl Therapy and Its Evolution05:43 Exploring the Book’s Themes and Personal Resonance09:03 Understanding the Psychological Impact of Being a Second-Generation Immigrant13:25 The Role of Impression Management in Cultural Identity16:16 External Validation and Its Influence24:00 Exceptionalism and the Pressure to Overcompensate26:20 Navigating Relationships with Other Indian Women26:53 Exploring the Impact of Internalized White Supremacy28:38 The Struggle with Trust and Competition within Communities28:52 The Journey of Brown Girl Therapy and Facing Challenges31:20 Cultural Scapegoats and the Cycle of Exceptionalism36:31 Navigating Difficult Conversations and Emotional Validation46:16 Reflecting on Parenting and Cultural Legacy47:01 The Healing 

In this episode of Corner Office Breakdowns, Ambika speaks with  Melissa Goldstein and Natalia Rachlin, the co-founders of Mother Tongue Magazine, who sought to fill a gap in maternal narratives in media. They discuss the magazine’s mission to include diverse, authentic stories of motherhood, transforming the genre into one that resonates deeply and universally, regardless of one’s direct experience with parenting. Exploring the magazine’s thoughtful approach to advertising and intentionality in growth and storytelling, the dialogue also touches on personal identities, generational shifts in understanding motherhood, and the importance of slow media in today’s fast-paced world. 00:00 Opening Greetings and Personal Updates 01:42 The Struggles of Parenting and Work-Life Balance 02:53 Preparing for Travel and Managing Kids 04:12 The Essence and Challenges of Motherhood 06:06 Introduction to Mother Tongue Magazine 10:13 Exploring the Identity and Impact of Motherhood 10:56 The Creative Process and Vision Behind Mother Tongue 19:59 Diverse Voices and the Power of Storytelling 31:15 Reflecting on Identity, Work, and Motherhood 38:04 The Importance of Inclusive Narratives in Motherhood 40:03 Navigating Expression and Perception 41:03 The Challenge of Packaging Emotions 41:26 Evolving Conversations in Media 43:59 Exploring the Intersectionality of Motherhood 44:40 Balancing Toxic Positivity and Negativity 46:00 The Role of Storytelling and Activism 46:38 Finding the Balance in Editorial Content 57:27 The Impact of Generational Perspectives 01:02:12 The Journey to Creating ‘Mother Tongue’ 01:09:05 Expanding Reach and Embracing Slow Media 01:18:20 Reflecting on the Journey and Looking Ahead

Guest: Sarita Walsh  Being Coach, Sarita Walsh joins Ambika to explore our cultural relationship with money. Our simultaneous fascination and distaste of wealth and the wealthy, and how we can stop and/or start connecting our worth with how much we’re worth.

Guest: Lisa Marchiano Exploring the intersection of career and vocation with Lisa Marchiano in our new podcast episode. A thought-provoking discussion that challenges the way we view our professional lives and personal callings. Industry leaders, professionals, and dreamers—this conversation is for you. Listen now.

Join Ambika Gautam Pai for a live recording of Corner Office Breakdowns, a podcast that reconciles humanity and the workplace, part of the Advertising Week podcast network. As a mom of two, a first-generation South Asian American and the Chief Strategy Officer advertising agency, Mekanism, Ambika Gautam Pai is an experienced feeler and expert at “breaking” shit down. Her candid LinkedIn content-turned-popular newsletters reconciling humanity and the workplace take new form as a bi-weekly podcast.

Ambika reflects on the decision to leave her job as Chief Strategy Officer.

In Corner Office Breakdown’s season one finale (!!!), Ambika speaks toAmber Rae. Amber is an international best-selling author, writingmentor & story doula who believes in the healing power of the writtenword. She helps people find the stories within and then shepherds theminto existence by teaching that belonging, acceptance, and connectioncome from allowing ourselves to be fully seen, heard, and known.Website: https://www.amberrae.com/Instagram: @heyamberrae

In the ninth episode of “Corner Office Breakdowns,” Ambika talks to Anushay Hossain, the author of “The Pain Gap” and a feminist policy analyst who has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, and more. They start by discussing the healthcare field and its limited understanding of women’s bodies and then shift to the idea that dismissing women’s experiences is disconnecting us from our intuition and keeping us disempowered. 

In episode 8 of Corner Office Breakdowns, Ambika partners up with Amani Duncan, a highly awarded executive who has worked across beauty/fashion, media, advertising, music/entertainment, and manufacturing. Together, they unpack how and why the idea of “ego” has become so negative. They reframe ego as critical to both achieving progress and fulfilling corporate America’s commitment to a more diverse workforce. 

In episode seven of Corner Office Breakdowns, Ambika speaks to Alfa Demmellash, the CEO of Rising Tide Capital, in what she says is one of the most goose-bump-inducing, profound, heart-wrenching, and inspiring conversations of her lifetime. Alfa breaks down the topic of privilege – not in the sense of race or wealth – the privilege of being loved. She then imagines what it looks like to inject love into the spaces that are typically void of it – like work.