Building Unshakable Courage & Self-Confidence w/ Carmen Wan | S2 E7

The Climb | A podcast for Women in Business | Presented by the Inner Mountain Foundation

When women uplift and support one another, they don’t just climb mountains—they move them. A shining example of this is Carmen Wan, a financial planner and dedicated member of The Inner Mountain Foundation.

In this episode of The Climb, host Natasha welcomes Carmen to share her remarkable story of resilience, self-discovery, and unshakable courage. From navigating career pivots and immigrating from China to the United States, to overcoming the isolation of living far from family, Carmen reveals the powerful philosophies that have shaped her perspectives on life, community, and entrepreneurship.

Looking for the inspiration to conquer your inner mountain? Don’t miss this empowering conversation!

Mountains we’re climbing in this episode:

• Trailblazing the Internet Era: Carmen’s journey as one of the first Internet employees in Shanghai, China.
• Reinventing a Career Abroad: How she pivoted away from tech after immigrating to America.
• Entrepreneurship as a Teacher: Learning a new language while building a business.
• Mastering the Mindset: Carmen’s strategies for overcoming worry and navigating crises with confidence.
• Balancing Act: Her philosophy on harmonizing careful planning with spontaneity.
• Sticking to Your Goals: Practical advice for staying committed to a plan or dream.
• The Power of Self-Compassion: Why being your own best friend is essential to success.
• Coping with Loss: How Carmen faced loneliness after the passing of her parents.
• A New Take on Meditation: Carmen’s unconventional approach to finding inner peace.
• The Strength in Community: How building connections helped her navigate career changes and life as an immigrant.

Key Takeaways for Female Entrepreneurs:

• Everyone worries, but don’t let worries prevent you from taking action. When you have a plan, you’ll feel better and more capable of overcoming obstacles. Create a plan with 3 possible solutions/scenarios: best case, worst case, and most possible.
• Keep your goals organized so that you know what knowledge and plans you need to have in place to achieve each goal.
• If you keep making the same plan or goal, but you never achieve it, take it off your plate and create a plan/goal that’s more attainable. Don’t keep setting yourself up for failure!
• Talk to yourself like you’re your best friend (because you are!). You know yourself best. Check in with yourself regularly - ask yourself questions and give yourself affirmations.
• Writing is a powerful way to organize your mind, let out emotions (positive and negative), and reflect on how you once felt in the past with a more regulated mindset.

Reflection Question:

• When have you listened to your heart? When did you first know that you could trust your inner voice?

Subscribe to "The Climb", share your journey with us, and create a world where every woman is empowered to reach her summit. #TogetherWeClimb.

Resources:

• Inner Mountain Foundation: www.innermountain.org

Connect with Carmen Wan:

• Email: [e-mail]

Climb with us!

• Website: www.innermountain.org
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/inner_mountain_foundation
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheInnerMountainFoundation
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/@InnerMountainFoundation

The Climb Podcast is proudly presented by The Inner Mountain Foundation.
This episode is produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.