A storytelling workshop with 100+ Asian women in STEM
Why storytelling isn’t fluff — it’s a leadership tool
The actual framework I shared to help them own their impact (that you can steal, too!)
🧳 …And It Became My First AOL Screen Name
When I was two, my working, immigrant parents enrolled me in preschool. Not only was I the youngest in the class, but I didn’t speak a word of English. I’d hum to myself in Urdu and hog the classroom rocking chair waiting for my grandma to pick me up.
By the end of the year, the teachers told my parents I might need to be held back.
To my overachieving South Asian parents, this was blasphemy.
So they kicked into high gear: a tutor, speaking only English at home, and by the fall, I had turned into a full-blown chatterbox.
My teachers were stunned — and gave me the nickname "Arshmobile." And yes — I totally embraced it...and it became my first ever AOL screen name 🫠🫠🫠
🎤 Why Did I Tell That Story To A Room Full of Execs?!
Last Friday, I hosted a storytelling workshop at the Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers Women’s Leadership Conference (SASE),Beyond the Data: Using Storytelling to Influence, Lead & Inspire
Over 100 Asian women — most of them scientists, engineers, and leaders at companies like Proctor & Gamble and Cisco with 30+ years of experience — packed the room. The brilliance was off the charts.
But so was something else: a quiet frustration.
Asian women are one of the most educated and fastest-growing professional groups in the US, but we still hold only 3% of C-suite roles.
Asian women are also 42% less likely to be promoted into leadership than their white counterparts, are more likely to face the "double bind" bias and are seen as both "too passive to lead" or "too assertive to be likable."(Center for WorkLife Law)
So we explored the question:
How do we get from “capable” to “leader-like”?
The short answer:
Manage how you are perceived, not just how qualified you are.
🧠 From Contributor To Leader: The Power of Storytelling
Have you ever introduced yourself by immediately listing:
Your degrees
The fancy companies you’ve worked at
Your title or promotion?
What if I told you... no one, absolutely no one, cares!!! As you grow in your career, your next professional move is less about your credentials and more about the stories you share about yourself and your work.
Storytelling isn’t just about speaking well — it’s about being seen, being heard, and helping others understand who you are and what you bring to the table.
Here’s the question I asked the room (and now, I’m asking you): Are you telling the story of your work in a way that makes you irreplaceable?
📓 Try THIS For Your Next 3 Sentence Story
Here’s the ultra short version of the storytelling framework I taught in my session:
🌱 Context: What were you working on? ⚡ Conflict: What made it hard? Why did it matter? 🎯 Conclusion: What did you do? What changed?
Now your challenge:
🔍 Reflect: How do you want to be perceived? ✍️ Write: Pick one story from your work and write it using the 3 Cs. ☕ Share: Try it in a 1:1, team meeting, or even just over coffee.
One sentence per C — that’s it. And yes, it really works.
🤝 Want Your Story To Land?
After my session at SASE, a senior exec at P&G with 35+ years of experience DM’d me to book a follow-up.
She walked away with:
✅ A storytelling strategy tailored to her new role ✅ Confidence to communicate her work in a way that builds trust — even with skeptical stakeholders ✅ A game plan for which stories to tell now… and which ones to keep in her back pocket
Here’s the thing:
It doesn’t matter how experienced you are — your next move depends on how well you can communicate what those years actually mean. And where you're going next.
So if you’re heading into a big moment — an interview, a pivot, a promotion — don’t wing it.
🔑 Instead, Book a 90-Minute Power Session
I keep these sessions high-touch and high-impact — so I only open a few each month. That way, we have time to dig in, not rush through.
In one session, we’ll:
Find the story behind your strengths
Rework your positioning and narrative
Build confidence in how you talk about your work
Whether you’ve got a pitch coming up, a rebrand on your mind, or you just need a clearer story — let’s get into it.
Not quite ready? Grab 15 minuteswith me to see if it's the right fit for you. (it's free!)
🥨 Snacks
Here's what I've been paying attention to this week👇
📚 Storytelling Can Make Or Break Your Leadership (HBR): A clear take from the pros on why storytelling isn't just fluff — storytelling is foundational.
🎬 Palette Cleanser: The world is falling apart, so let's close out with a short, feel-good, animated love story that starts with yellow gloves, and no hello.
A brief moment of video on for a bunch of folks in my afternoon session at SASE: Beyond the Data — Telling Stories to Lead, Influence & Inspire. A joy to spend time with these brilliant humans!!!!
Looking for more personalized coaching support, a tailored workshop, or something else? I'd love to learn more 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
