Coaching for ambitious minds

Your outsider perspective isn't a liability.
It's your edge.

For the "outsiders" in tech, leadership, and entrepreneurship who are tired of fitting in and ready to lead authentically, in your own terms.

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Client testimonial

"Working with Jiayao has been a truly uplifting experience. She brings such warmth and positivity to each session, and somehow always knows how to help you believe in yourself — even when you're struggling to."

— S.Z

Client testimonial

"Before these sessions, I was very lost in which path to take. With Jiayao I was able to think about what's most important for me. Now I'm able to be more aware of what I value and what helps me be my happiest version."

— J.S

Who I work with

You've crossed oceans.
You're driven. And something is off.

You moved cities or countries for opportunity and built something real. You've earned the credentials, the career, maybe the business. And yet — you're caught between what your family expects, what your culture taught you success should look like, and what you actually want.

The invisible pressure sits underneath everything. So you optimize, you over-prepare, you prove every single day that you deserve to be there. The relentless pursuit of perfection leads to anxiety and burnout. You move from one achievement to the next without ever feeling satisfied.

You're not looking for generic advice. You want someone who can match your intellectual level, see through your patterns with precision, and give you both the depth and the structure to move forward with clarity.

"I feel like I'm having to make all these decisions and doing other work—it's a lot... I feel like I'm tangled in the decision fatigue."

"I think I need someone to help me, but I feel like it’s so hard to find the right person."

"I feel like I'm almost still just in a survival mode."

"I haven’t given myself an actual target... I think I just got burned out probably on that."

How I help

A space that's yours.
Every session moves you forward.

This isn't therapy. It's structured coaching grounded in psychology, designed for one outcome: helping you surface what's underneath so you can finally move with purpose and without apology.

See your patterns clearly

The perfectionism, the people-pleasing, the borrowed scripts running your decisions. Once named, you can't unsee them and you'll start choosing differently immediately.

Practice leading as yourself

Real actions each week that prove you can show up authentically without catastrophe. You speak up. You say no. You decide based on your values. These become your new normal.

Reclaim your energy

You stop doing what's expected from others and start building a life around what actually matters to you. More ease. More impact. More joy.

Own your achievement

You've built it. You've proven it. Now we make sure you stop waiting for someone else to tell you it's real.

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The program

Three months. One clear transformation.
You walk in with the fog. You walk out knowing the way.

Month 01

See Clearly

We identify the patterns that have been running your decisions — the perfectionism, the people-pleasing, the borrowed scripts. By the end of the month, you understand what's been keeping you small, and that clarity alone changes everything.

Four weekly sessions
Reflection exercises between calls
Async support via voice notes & messaging

Month 02

Break Through

You take real actions that prove you can show up as yourself without catastrophe. You speak up. You say no. You start to make a decision based on what you want, not what's expected.

Three sessions
Continued async support
Real-time encouragement when needed

Month 03

Build Forward

You're in motion now. We close with a roadmap: where you're actually headed, what patterns to watch, how to navigate what comes next on your own. You leave with purpose, conviction, and clear self-awareness.

Two sessions + closing roadmap
Written transformation summary
Continued async support

Everything that's included

Nine one-on-one sessions (50 minutes each)
Weekly or Bi-Weekly cadence that evolves with your pace
Async support Mon–Fri via voice & messaging
Tailored exercises and reflections to your goals
Personalized Action Plans after each session
Written transformation summary at the end of the program
Bilingual delivery — English, Chinese, or both
Resources curated for your specific journey

What to expect

Depth. Honesty. Breakthrough.

Psychological rigor

Most coaches hear your story. I hear the structure behind it. Every pattern, every block, every moment of self-doubt. I trace it back to what you value. Because once you see the distance between how you're living and what actually matters to you, everything becomes clear.

Unfiltered space

You won't perform here. This is the one space where nothing needs to be edited, managed, or made presentable. You show up as you are. That is not the starting point; that is the whole point. That's when real transformation begins.

Honest reflection

You are your own harshest critic. I will show you what you're missing in both directions: the wins you've dismissed and the patterns you haven't named. Both without hesitation. Both with care.

Flexibility built in

Life doesn't pause for coaching. If you need to shift sessions, adjust the pace, or spend a call on something unexpected, we do that. This program works around your actual life. Bilingual: English, Chinese, or the mix that feels most authentic.

About me

I know what it feels like.
I've been that girl.

"You don't need more effort. You need truth, clarity, and the courage to choose yourself fully."

Hi! It's Jiayao here. So nice to meet you! I've moved across six countries alone, turned down an Ivy League offer to follow my own path, and created opportunities where none existed: calling 100 people during COVID to break into a creative industry that wasn't built for people that look like me. I've founded city-wide initiatives without credentials, led as an outsider, and earned trust in rooms where I wasn't expected.

I know what it's like to live in a place that isn't home and question your choices. To build something your family doesn't fully understand. To look successful on the outside while quietly struggling inside. Together, we strip away what no longer fits and build a path that reflects your depth so you stop performing a life that looks right, and start living one that feels undeniable.

Background & Training

B.A. Psychology. M.A. Psychology and E-Therapy
Certified Headspace Coaching Institute
Certified National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching
Past and current clients includ founders, tech professionals, and UN officials
Bilingual practice — English & Chinese

Is this for you?

Come as you are.
We'll figure it out together.

This is for you if —

You've built your life across countries and feel the quiet tension of never fully belonging to just one

You're driven, accomplished, and externally successful, yet internally navigating pressure few people see

You're balancing family, culture, and identity while questioning what you actually want

You've learned to overperform and over-prepare to prove your place in rooms that weren't built for you

You recognize the patterns: the perfectionism, the inability to fully rest or feel satisfied

You want someone who can meet you at your level and help you move with clarity

This is not for you if —

You're seeking a therapist for psychotherapy

You want quick answers and advice for your situations

You're not ready to confront the tension between who you've been conditioned to be and who you actually are

You're unwilling to engage in work that is both psychologically rigorous and personally honest

Your outsider perspective isn't a liability.It's your edge.

You've crossed oceans.You're driven. And something is off.

A space that's yours.Every session moves you forward.