Ep. 235 When Success Isn’t Enough: A Career Wake-Up Call w Sandra Ma

In The Pausecast Ep. 235, Rachael O’Meara sits down with tech entrepreneur Sandra Ma for a refreshingly honest conversation about career reinvention, leaving big tech, leadership, and joy at work.Sandra shares her journey from starting out in finance, to MTV, to Google, to co-founding Jovial, a startup dedicated to helping teams build more human, joyful, and impactful workplace cultures. Together, Rachael and Sandra explore what happens when external success no longer feels like enough—and the inner nudges that signal it’s time for something more.This episode is for leaders who are doing “all the right things,” yet quietly wondering if there’s another way to work, lead, and live. You’ll hear candid reflections on investing in yourself, navigating uncertainty, breaking free from autopilot, and remembering that—sometimes—it’s really not that serious.A grounding, perspective-shifting conversation for anyone craving more meaning, joy, and agency in their career journey.Pause-worthy moments:It’s okay to still be figuring out who you’re becoming—even at the top of your gameWanting more impact doesn’t mean something is wrong—it means you’re evolvingJoyful, human-centered workplaces are possible—and necessaryThe interview process is as much for you as it is for the employerEntrepreneurship can be the fastest personal growth accelerator there isPerspective is leadership: we often forget to zoom outWork matters—but your whole life matters moreStandout sound bites:“I’m still figuring out what I want to be.”“We get so caught up in our own lives.”“It’s not that serious.”Episode Chapters00:00 – Introduction & Sandra’s background03:14 – From corporate success to startup curiosity06:09 – Founding Jovial and reimagining workplace culture08:45 – Navigating uncertainty, mistakes, and growth11:35 – Investing in yourself through coaching and inner work14:09 – What success looks like now16:45 – Finding balance and perspective in a busy world19:36 – Final reflections on joy, impact, and leadership