162 - From Silicon Valley Burnout to Podcasting Success: Sarah Wong's Journey!

In this special in-studio episode of The Adrian Tan Show, I sit down with Sarah Wong, a former Silicon Valley professional, now a podcast host, a consultant, and a mom of two.

Sarah shares her personal journey from experiencing career burnout, transitioning to motherhood, and shifting to a portfolio career. She also talks about her podcast ⁨@makeitwork.podcast⁩ which focuses on inspiring stories of modern working moms in Asia.

Sarah covers her work as a venture partner, a real estate licensee, and her heavy involvement in mentorship programs aimed at helping women in tech and leadership.

Tune in to discover her strategies for balancing professional and personal life, her insights on overcoming career transitions, and her unique approach to integrating rest into her busy schedule.

---

Sarah Wong is a mother of two and the host of Make It Work, a podcast sharing honest, inspiring stories of modern moms in Asia who have redefined success on their own terms. The show was born after Sarah’s return to Singapore from Silicon Valley, where she experienced burnout after six fast-paced years in tech. It is now one of Singapore's top podcasts for working mothers.

Today, she leads a portfolio career as a Venture Partner at Heal Venture Lab, a regional health tech accelerator, while also supporting her family’s real estate business.

Sarah is a long-time advocate for women’s mentorship, having founded the RockIT Women Mentor Program in the U.S., and currently mentors mothers returning to work through Return Ready.

She holds an MBA from INSEAD and has lived and worked in Singapore, the U.S., and India. Some fun facts: Sarah is married to a pastor (could be a podcast on its own!) and she loves both heights (rock climbing) and depths (swimming).

---

This episode is brought to you by Deel⁩ ‬, the all-in-one platform simplifying global team management with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance solutions, trusted by over 35,000 businesses worldwide. Learn more at ⁠⁠https://deel.com/adriantan⁠⁠.

---

00:00 Introduction and Personal Background

01:15 Welcome to the Adrian Tan Show

01:44 Meet Sarah: A Modern Working Mom

02:39 Sarah's Career Journey and Portfolio

04:30 The Shift to a Portfolio Career

06:50 Balancing Career and Motherhood

13:39 Starting the Podcast: Make It Work

17:27 Podcast Production Insights

22:57 Exploring the Power of AI

23:04 Mentorship for Women in Tech and Leadership

25:00 Starting a Mentorship Program

26:19 Motherhood and Career Mentorship

27:49 Networking and Career Advice

33:37 Managing Time and Energy

43:37 Advice to Younger Self

46:52 Where to Find More

---

Where to find Sarah Wong:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/swongx/

Youtube: ⁨Make It Work Podcast⁩

⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78ulY0B27nYxGB6jPCABPI?si=abfc48d037d943be

⁠TikTok⁠: ⁠ht