

In Confidence with Lisa Sun: A Gravitas Podcast
Lisa Sun
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
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
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 5, 2025 • 17min
Episode 36: Social Media Series, Part 2: Post with Purpose
Discover how to engage with social media meaningfully and intentionally. Learn the powerful tests to apply before posting, ensuring your content contributes positively. Celebrate others to create a ripple of confidence and connection in your community. Shift from comparison to abundance, transforming how you experience social platforms. Ultimately, explore how to forge deeper connections and foster a supportive online environment.

Sep 2, 2025 • 34min
Episode 35: Social Media Series, Part 1: Rethink Your Approach
Why do we crave our devices despite knowing better? This lively discussion delves into the addictive nature of social media, supported by brain science. Listeners are introduced to a four-part framework for healthier platform engagement and learn to avoid pitfalls like FOMO and the 'superhero facade.' A refreshing mindset shift from seeking validation to focusing on abundance is encouraged. Get ready to rethink your social media habits for a more positive impact on your daily life!

Aug 29, 2025 • 29min
Episode 34: How to Actually Make Friends as an Adult
Friendships are vital to our health and happiness. When they are good, they give us energy, support, and joy. But even with those benefits, many of us still struggle to make and keep friends as adults. Between shifting life stages, busy schedules, and the awkwardness of “friend dating,” connection can feel daunting. In this episode, Lisa explores:
Why making friends as an adult feels so daunting and how to overcome the “friend dating” stage
The circles of friendship: leaf, branch, and root people and how to know who belongs where
Simple ways to nurture your inner circle and let go of friendships that no longer serve you
Friendships need care, and this conversation shows you where to start.
00:00 Intro
03:36 How do you make friends as an adult?
11:32 Not all friendships are created equal
16:51 How to nurture your friendships
25:12 Reflection questions
26:34 A simple way to show someone you’re thinking of them
27:15 Outro
28:11 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

Aug 26, 2025 • 43min
Episode 33: Keep Marching on Women’s Equality Day with Jill Furman
Every great movement needs its storytellers. On this Women’s Equality Day, we’re going behind the curtain with Jill Furman, Tony Award-winning producer of In the Heights, Hamilton, and now Suffs, the Broadway musical about the women who fought for the right to vote. From tough rewrites to building inclusive teams, Jill shows us how producing art can shape how we see equality, leadership, and each other.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
The behind-the-scenes journey of Suffs and its Tony wins
Why progress is messy, but still worth marching for
How Jill leads with compassion in an industry built on uncertainty
Celebrate Women’s Equality Day with Gravitas:
See Suffs on tour and experience the story inspiring audiences nationwide
Shop our new Forward Into Light Rebel Sweatshirt designed to honor this day and suffragist Inez Milholland who fought for our right to vote
00:00 Intro
00:55 Meet Jill Furman
07:08 Women’s Equality Day
07:47 Suffs Musical
15:08 Choosing Projects & Why Suffs
19:45 Struggles That Still Apply Today
21:17 Walking the Talk
27:08 Building Trust & Jill’s Leadership
32:17 Jill’s Confidence Language
36:40 The Role of a Producer
38:48 Suffs on Tour
40:15 Celebrating Women’s Equality Day
41:25 Outro
42:43 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

Aug 22, 2025 • 55min
Episode 32: The Leadership Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making with Sabina Nawaz
Sabina Nawaz, a bestselling author and former senior leader at Microsoft, shares invaluable leadership insights. She discusses how pressure can corrupt leaders more than power, urging authenticity and transparency. Expect to learn about four common leadership mistakes and unique tools for closing the power gap and fostering honest communication. Sabina also emphasizes the power of doing nothing in high-pressure situations, inviting listeners to embrace feedback and personal growth for a more inspired leadership journey.

Aug 19, 2025 • 20min
Episode 31: Ask Lisa Anything: Workplace Conflicts, Tough Feedback, and Office Gossip
Have you ever finished one of our In Confidence episodes feeling inspired, only to face a situation that puts those ideas to the test? In this “Ask Lisa Anything” episode, Lisa answers three listener-submitted workplace dilemmas and shares the tools to navigate them with confidence.
In this episode, we tackle:
A respectful, trust-building way to challenge a higher-up’s decision
How to process and act on tough feedback without losing momentum
Practical steps to avoid the gossip trap and strengthen workplace relationships
We love hearing your questions and stories. Keep them coming so we can continue learning from each other and growing stronger together because what we share in confidence helps us grow in confidence.
00:00 Intro
01:58 How to Challenge the Decision from Someone Higher Up
05:28 What to Do After a Bad Performance Review
13:05 Office Gossip About Someone Who Is Tough to Work With
19:14 Outro
20:03 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

Aug 15, 2025 • 57min
Episode 30: Why the Secret to Success is Chasing Failure with Jane Park
We’re taught to chase success, but what if the real growth comes from chasing failure? In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa sits down with her best friend, Jane Park, founder of Julep and Tokki, and former director at Starbucks and leader at BCG, to talk about why she sets “failure goals” on purpose. Jane shares how reframing failure as a target instead of a setback can help you aim higher, take bigger risks, and uncover who you’re truly meant to be.
You’ll learn:
Why avoiding failure is the enemy of growth and how to rewire your brain to seek it out
The “next time this happens, I will…” method to turn regrets into learnings
How to process rejection, face worst-case scenarios, and keep the conversation going when you hear “no”
This conversation will inspire you to rethink your relationship with failure and see it as proof that you are stretching, growing, and playing bigger than before.
00:00 Intro
01:37 Meet Jane Park
08:22 Why Jane Thinks We Should Strive to Fail
12:00 What Is a Failure Goal?
17:37 No Regrets, Only Learnings
19:51 Why Jane Adopted This Philosophy
22:47 Jane’s Failure of Character Story and What She Learned from It
32:53 How to Process Shame and Embarrassment
34:56 Shame Buddies, Holding Space, and Recognizing Toxic Positivity
39:07 Quick Questions: Ritual to Stay Grounded, Rewards for Failing, Normalizing Failure in the Workplace, Jane’s Professional Failure Rate
48:39 Why Great Risk-Taking Means Being an Expert in Failure
53:16 Try This Failure Goal This Week
55:10 Outro
56:25 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

Aug 12, 2025 • 22min
Episode 29: How to Own the Room (Even If You Hate Public Speaking)
Only 12% of people feel confident speaking in front of others, which means the rest of us are winging it, sweating through it, or avoiding it altogether. Are you part of the 88% who don’t feel ready for the spotlight? Let’s change that.
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa shares the rituals, strategies, and mindset shifts that helped her go from a shy immigrant kid to a confident keynote speaker.
What you'll get from this episode:
Lisa’s 3-part framework for public speaking (no stage required)
How body language, breathwork, and playlists can help you show up with power
The storytelling formulas and connection tricks that make your words stick
Public speaking isn’t just for performers. It’s for all of us. And with the right tools, you can get better at it.
00:00 Intro
04:06 What to Expect: 3 Tips for Public Speaking
04:26 Tip 1: Embrace Your Body
13:10 Tip 2: Practice Storytelling
15:24 Tip 3: Energize and Enthuse
20:19 Use Season 1, Episode 1 as a Practice Too
l21:35 Outro
22:05 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

Aug 8, 2025 • 1h 4min
Episode 28: Why K-Pop Matters More Than You Think with Dr. Grace Kao
This week on In Confidence, Lisa sits down with Dr. Grace Kao, IBM Professor of Sociology at Yale University and K-pop expert, to explore why Korean idol groups have taken the world by storm and what their global rise reveals about identity, belonging, and the forces that shape confidence.
This episode unpacks:
The rigorous training system that gives idols unshakable confidence
How fandom creates deep belonging and challenges stereotypes
Why K-pop may be shifting how the world sees Asian identity
Stay with us because this isn’t just about K-pop. It’s about the power of being seen.
*This episode contains discussion of mental health, suicide, and body image. If those topics are sensitive for you, please take care in choosing how and when to listen.
Listen to Dr. Grace Kao's YouTube Playlists:
10-Song Intro to K-Pop
40 Song Intro to K-Pop
00:00 Intro
02:01 Meet Professor Dr. Grace Kao
10:48 How Grace Got Into K-pop
13:07 Lisa’s Story: Reclaiming Identity Through K-pop
16:41 What Makes K-pop Fandom Different
21:50 How Fandom Shapes Identity and Belonging
27:14 How East Asian Men Are Viewed in Media and Dating
31:49 Why K-pop Crossed Over While Other Asian Music Hasn’t
37:33 Biases, Archetypes, and the “Someone for Everyone” Formula
40:52 Idol Romance Rules, Western Collabs, and K-pop’s Film Takeover
45:16 Unrealistic Beauty Standards in K-pop
48:31 Confidence Through Preparation: The Idol Training System
50:08 Mental Health Pressures in the Industry
53:13 The Global Rise of Asian Desirability
56:08 Quick-Fire Round: Music Videos, Bias Picks, and Billboard Highlights
01:01:44 Outro
01:03:32 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

Aug 5, 2025 • 33min
Episode 27: The Key to Understanding Your Coworkers, One Generation at a Time
Think your coworkers are difficult or you just can’t seem to work well together? With Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z all sharing the same workplace, it’s no wonder that collaboration can feel harder than it should. In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa breaks down the values, habits, and communication styles that shape each generation and how to use that insight to build stronger team dynamics at work.
You’ll learn:
Strengths and triggers of each generation and how they show up at work
Why trust starts with curiosity, openness, and acceptance
Practical tools for cross-generational communication and collaboration
Whether you’re managing, mentoring, or just trying to be understood, this episode offers insight for every generation at the table.
00:00 Intro
01:59 What to Expect: 4 Generations in the Workplace
06:19 Generation Overview: Strengths & Challenges
11:07 How to Build Trust Across Generations
12:09 What Each Generation Teaches Us and What Triggers Them
19:00 Resolving Cross-Generational Conflict
30:35 Final Takeaways
31:51 Outro
32:15 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