406: Investing, innovation and inner knowing with Maria Shiao
Women Who Lead is more than a podcast—it’s a movement, a mindset, and a space for transformation. It’s a platform for real, raw, and radically honest conversations with women who are redefining leadership on their own terms. Rooted in the belief that true leadership begins within, these Women Who Lead invite us to break free from outdated models of power and success.
Through storytelling, coaching, and a soulful newsletter that follows the rhythm of the seasons, it supports women to rise—courageously, unapologetically, and as their whole selves. This is a space for women ready to lead with more self-trust, more softness, and more power. Learn more at https://ourtimetobloom.com.
Season 4, Episode 6: Investing, innovation and inner knowing with Maria Shiao
This week, I’m joined by the brilliant Maria Shiao—angel investor, tech strategist, and advisor to some of the world’s most innovative early-stage companies.
Maria’s career spans decades of leadership in telecoms, finance, and emerging tech. She now operates at the intersection of innovation and impact, backing founders who are reshaping the future—and doing it with purpose. Her unique lens as an engineer-turned-investor is grounded in both rigour and intuition.
In this conversation, we explore what it means to lead with conviction, to trust your inner knowing, and to navigate complexity without abandoning yourself in the process. Maria brings wisdom, clarity, and a quiet fierceness that makes this episode one to return to again and again.
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Timestamps:
01:59 | What does it mean to you to be ‘in Bloom’ in work and life?
03:11 | How did you create and maintain confidence and authenticity in environments where those traits might be tested?
06:18 | How has understanding the connection between mind and body influenced your life and career growth?
10:01 | We can’t possibly Bloom all of the time, how do you bounce back from setbacks or failures stronger than before?
11:50 | What challenges did you face as a woman in the male-dominated world of work, and how did you navigate them?
18:32 | What advice would you give to women on building confidence and asking for what they deserve?
24:08 | Which season of your career shaped you the most, and how did it impact you?
26:12 | What’s your relationship like with your feminine energy? How do you balance masculine and feminine energies in leadership?
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