In Confidence with Lisa Sun: A Gravitas Podcast
What would happen if you let go of fear, stepped off the sidelines, and jumped boldly into the game of life? That’s exactly what we’re unpacking here on In Confidence. Hosted by Lisa Sun, founder and CEO of Gravitas, bestselling author, and confidence expert, this is your go-to space for personal growth, resilience, and stepping into your power. Because what we share in confidence helps us grow In Confidence. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts & follow @GravitasNewYork @LisaLSun Transcripts: GravitasNewYork.com Suggestions or questions? Email us at InConfidence@GravitasNewYork.com
Listen on:
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Like it or not, small talk is part of life. And whether you love it or dread it, it helps to have some gravitas going into the room.
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa shares how to approach small talk with intention so you’re not just getting through it, but actually making the most of it. Whether you’re at a networking event, a wedding where you barely know anyone, or like Lisa, your college reunion, these moments can turn into something meaningful.
What you'll get from this episode:
The mindset shift that makes walking into a room feel less intimidating.
5 tips to help you make real connections.
How to move from surface chatter to something that feels more personal.
Plus, our downloadable PDF guide to help you prep before your next event.
Small talk isn’t about filling the silence. It’s about creating something real.
00:00 Intro
00:59 Why Small Talk Matters More Than You Think
02:15 Resetting Your Mindset
04:10 5 Tips To Master Small Talk
09:50 Final Thoughts and a Free Downloadable PDF
10:45 Outro
11:09 Disclaimer
AS SEEN IN THE EPISODE
From Our Studio to Your Closet
Meet the Corazon Blouse: https://gravitasnewyork.com/products/corazon-button-down-blouse
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions?
Email Us at inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Friday May 09, 2025
Friday May 09, 2025
Have you ever been called bossy, cold, or intimidating at work? Or been told you're too quiet to lead? In this episode of In Confidence, we unpack the triple standard women face at work and how it affects how we’re perceived, promoted, and valued. Through personal stories, surprising research, and tactical ways to reframe the narrative, Lisa shares how the Leading superpower can be both your greatest strength and your most misunderstood quality. Learn how to expand the scorecard for success, advocate for yourself in real time, and lead with both clarity and connection.
Let’s redefine what leadership really looks like.
00:00 Intro
00:43 Defining the Triple Standard
02:58 The Hidden Bias Behind Promotion
03:57 Expanding the Scorecard and Helping Women Embrace and Appreciate Their Superpowers
05:40 How to Respond When You've Been Called Bossy
10:04 Balancing Leadership with Connection
13:46 Final Thoughts: You're Not Bossy, You're Leading
14:57 Outro
15:23 Disclaimer
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions?
Email Us at inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Friday May 02, 2025
Friday May 02, 2025
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa sits down with Lindsay Shookus—former SNL producer, co-founder of Women Work F#cking Hard, and speaker—to talk about reinvention, resilience, and redefining success.Lindsay shares what it looks like to embrace uncertainty, build a “portfolio life,” and trust in your own talents, even through wobbly moments.
Key Takeaways:
Why “normalizing wobbliness” is crucial when navigating career transitions or reinvention
How to build a portfolio career based on energy, joy, and trust in your talents
Strategies for making meaningful connections (even if you're introverted)
Why showing up, especially when you don’t feel like it, can change your life
00:00 Intro
00:50 Meet Lindsay Shookus
03:48 What It Really Takes to Leave a 20-Year Career
11:03 Founding WWFH and Creating a Space for Women to Support Each Other
17:55 Authentic Connection, Showing Up, and Advice for Introverts
21:20 Letting the Universe Guide What's Next
22:52 The Portfolio Life: Reinvention, Speaking, and Creative Problem Solving
33:50 Normalizing Wobbliness and Discomfort
37:06 Final Thoughts and What She's Most Excited About
41:07 Outro
42:01 Disclaimer
Seen on Lisa in this episode: the Unbossed & Unbought Sweatshirt, inspired by Shirley Chisholm's 1972 Presidential campaign slogan. Chisholm challenged societal norms to give marginalized groups a voice, becoming the first Black Congresswoman and the first Black woman to run for a major-party presidential nomination. Get yours today on GravitasNewYork.com.
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions?
Email Us at inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Friday Apr 25, 2025
Friday Apr 25, 2025
This episode of In Confidence gives you two tools to name what’s holding you back and recognize the strengths already within you that will help you push through it. Lisa walks you through a weekend reflection practice on the six forces that fuel your inner critic and invites you to rediscover your confidence through the Gravitas Confidence Language Quiz.
You’ll leave this episode with more clarity, more self-belief, and a simple mindset shift: the thing standing in your way isn’t stronger than the power you already have.
Take our Confidence Language Quiz
Head to our website to download the episode worksheets
00:00 Intro
00:39 Exercise 1: Identifying the Six Forces That Hold You Back
01:46 Lisa’s Personal Story: Facing the Satisfaction Conundrum
03:15 Exercise 2: Take the Confidence Language Quiz
03:33 How to Interpret Your Quiz Results
04:31 A Family Breakthrough from the Quiz
06:12 What Changes When You Name Your Strengths
06:31 Outro
06:59 Disclaimer
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.
E-Mail: inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Friday Apr 18, 2025
Friday Apr 18, 2025
Only 12% of people have the Performing superpower—the ability to shine in front of others with ease. But what if you could practice it in a way that’s low-stakes, joyful, and just plain fun?
In this episode, Lisa explores how karaoke can be a powerful tool for building confidence in everyday life. She’s joined by writer, editor, and karaoke journalist Ada Tseng, creator of the LA Times Karaoke Generator, to talk about how karaoke helps us get comfortable with the spotlight on our own terms.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What the Performing superpower is (and why so few of us claim it)
Why karaoke is actually risk-free confidence training
How to pick your perfect karaoke song (with data to back it up)
Why letting go of perfection might be your biggest mic-drop moment
Whether you're karaoke-curious or a seasoned shower-singer, this episode is your permission slip to take up space, sing your heart out, and have fun doing it.
00:00 Intro: Why karaoke is a powerful tool for building confidence00:42 The performing superpower and how we develop it03:46 Real-life growth: Performing in everyday situations08:10 Karaoke as practice: A safe, joyful way to build the performing superpower09:54 Meet Ada Tseng, karaoke journalist and creator of the LA Times Karaoke Generator14:44 Karaoke as culture, connection, and self-care18:08 From stage fright to spotlight: Building confidence through song24:44 What makes a great karaoke song and Lisa and Ada’s top tips27:42 Letting go of perfection and having fun with it33:30 Are women held to a higher standard? Making karaoke a judgment-free zone38:57 The Gravitas team’s favorite karaoke songs43:53 Final thoughts and Ada’s post-marathon karaoke celebration46:23 Outro46:41 Disclaimer
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.
E-Mail: inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
In this special episode of In Confidence, Lisa shares the story of a tiny plaque on the Brooklyn Bridge that sparked a big realization: women have built the world we live in, but their names are often left out of the story. From Wi-Fi to Monopoly, dishwashers to life rafts, Lisa highlights five surprising everyday inventions created by women and why it’s time we give them the credit they’ve always deserved.
This episode is both a celebration and a reclamation. It’s a reminder that behind every great invention, there’s often a woman whose brilliance made it possible—even if she didn’t get the spotlight. Tune in and be inspired to not just honor the past, but to build boldly into the future.
00:00 Intro
01:40 The Inspiration Behind This Episode
02:10 Five Inventions That Were Created by Women
05:28 Even More Inventions You Didn’t Know Were Invented by Women
06:34 Final Thoughts
06:44 Outro
07:09 Disclaimer
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.
E-Mail: inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Friday Apr 11, 2025
Friday Apr 11, 2025
From performing in Rent and Aida to directing The Notebook and The Wiz, Schele Williams has built a legacy not only through what she’s accomplished, but through how she leads.
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa and Schele sit down to discuss how the discipline, heart, and conviction she’s carried through her career have shaped the way she shows up.
What You’ll Learn:
Why representation behind the table can change the entire story.
How to shift from scarcity to a purpose-driven mindset.
What it takes to overcome stage fright and own your voice.
Why your peers aren’t your competition, but your inspiration.
Whether you're navigating your own creative path or redefining leadership in any industry, this conversation is a masterclass that will leave you thinking bigger and rooting harder for the people around you.
00:00 Intro
00:43 Meet Schele Williams
01:44 Getting Started in the Arts
07:41Love for the Arts
09:21 Transitioning from Performer to Director
10:45 Her First Directing Opportunity
13:40 Comparing the Roles of Performer and Director
18:33 How Performing Shaped Her Directing Style
21:47 What She Had to Learn to Become a Great Director
23:08 Building Her Leadership Style
25:17 Handling Rejection and Staying Confident
28:28 The Power of Community and Peer Support
32:11 Creating Work You’re Proud Of (Even If Others Don’t Get It)
35:47 Learning to Lead Diverse Teams
38:50 Advice for Overcoming Stage Fright
41:46 Applying Storytelling Across Roles
43:49 How Broadway Is Evolving
50:22 Theater’s Role in Expanding Perspective
53:09 Breaking Barriers in Broadway Leadership
54:54 Writing Your Legacy for the Next Generation
57:20 What’s Ahead and Her Advice for Confidence
58:42 Outro
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.
E-Mail: inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Friday Apr 04, 2025
Friday Apr 04, 2025
Before success happens in reality, it happens in the mind. Whether it’s sinking the game-winning shot or stepping confidently into a high-stakes meeting, elite performers don’t just hope for success, they start out by visualizing it. Dr. Wendy Borlabi, a high-performance expert and sport psychology consultant, has spent her career helping top athletes and leaders harness the power of mental preparation to perform at their peak.
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa and Dr. Borlabi explore how your mindset shapes outcomes and the mental resilience required to stay focused under pressure and bounce back from setbacks.
Key takeaways include:
* How visualization is a proven tool for peak performance.
* The power of routines.
* How reframing a fear of failure to a ‘win-win’ mindset can lead to breakthroughs.
* The leadership qualities that foster an unstoppable team.
Success isn’t just about talent; it’s about training your mind to succeed. Whether you’re navigating high-pressure moments in sports, business, or everyday life, Dr. Borlabi’s insights will help you build confidence, stay composed, and turn challenges into opportunities.
00:00 Intro
02:00 Meet Dr. Wendy Borlabi
04:07 Love of Sports
08:04 Career in Sports Psychology
10:50 Techniques Shared with Elite Athletes
12:19 The Effectiveness of Routines
15:20 The Importance of Deep Breathing
16:48 How Openness Helps You Build Authentic Connections
19:04 Letting Resistance Play Out
25:37 The Power of Visualization
28:22 Life is About Perspective
29:41 Pulling the Best Out of Your Team
31:33 Women in Male-Dominated Fields
32:59 25 Ideas in 2025 to Accelerate Action for IWD
34:32 Outro
36:00 Disclaimer
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.
E-Mail: inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
April 1 marks the calendar for office mandates saying it’s time to go back to working in office 4 to 5 days a week. But for many, this return feels like more than a logistical shift. It’s emotional. It’s generational. And it’s bringing up big questions about purpose, productivity, and power. In this episode, Lisa unpacks why the return-to-office conversation hits such a nerve and how we can make this moment work for everyone.
We cover:
Why returning feels so personal and what generational tensions have to do with it.
The pros and cons of working from home vs in office.
What employees and leaders can do to navigate this transition.
How dressing for work has changed and how to find your new “power look” (yes, sneakers count).
Whether you’re remote forever or back to a badge-in culture, this episode offers tangible strategies for navigating this modern workplace moment with confidence.
00:00 Intro
00:57 Why Are We Resisting This Return?
05:40 Lisa’s Playbook for Returning to the Office
11:22 Turning this Moment Into a Win-Win
12:10 Rethinking Leadership
20:30 It’s an “And,” Not an “Or”
22:38 What Is Your Resistance Telling You?
25:38 Dress for the Moment
28:13 Long-Term Vision
29:36 Outro
30:04 Disclaimer
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our Website
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.
E-Mail: inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com
Friday Mar 28, 2025
Friday Mar 28, 2025
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa is joined by friends, Marybeth Coleman and Lauren Wolf, for a laugh-filled deep dive into romantasy: the genre where fantasy and romance collide. This once quietly passed–between–friends genre has turned into a full-blown cultural moment and offers much more than just dragons and slow-burn romance.
From the book boyfriends of Fourth Wing and the favorite tropes of A Court of Thorns and Roses to the ways these heroines help us reconnect with our own strength, navigate healing, and reflect on the relationships we choose, this is a cozy, candid conversation about why these wildly entertaining reads stick with us long after the final page.
00:00 Intro
02:47 Meet the Guests: Lauren & Marybeth
04:10 What Is Romantasy?
07:30 Lisa's Romantasy Algorithm
08:58 How We Got Hooked: Personal Journeys into the Genre
12:40 From Secret to Mainstream: Normalizing Romantasy
15:30 Yes, Men Read It Too
16:13 Why Women Love Romantasy
19:30 Empowering Heroines & Escapism
21:17 Reflections of Real Life: Adversity, Growth, and Relationships
25:44 From Streaming to Reading: A Shift in What We Crave
29:07 Rapid Fire: Tropes, Favorites, and More
30:21 The Book Boyfriend Phenomenon
37:03 How These Stories Challenge the Way We Live
38:23 Romance vs. Fantasy: Which One Elevates the Other?
40:10 The Community Effect: Romantasy as a Shared Experience
42:25 Outro
44:20 Disclaimer
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:
Visit Our WebsiteGet Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback
Follow Gravitas on Instagram
Follow Lisa on Instagram
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.
E-Mail: inconfidence@gravitasnewyork.com