Ep. 80: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome & Defining Your Own Identity | Sheila Buswell

Episode 80: In this episode of The Lost & FoundPodcast, Amanda Powers sits down with Sheila Buswell — engineer, entrepreneur, veteran, and founder of the Upward Mobility (UPMO) — for a powerful conversation about career changes, identity crises, personal growth, and innovation born from lived experience. Sheila shares her transformative journey from military service to biomedical engineering and entrepreneurship, revealing how a personal injury and her grandmother’s legacy inspired her to build solutions that enhance mobility and improve quality of life. Amanda and Sheila explore critical topics like grief, family relationships, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, empathy in business, and the evolving definition of success. Together, they dive into the realities of being a woman in male-dominated fields, the gender gap in venture capital, and the importance of community support in overcoming self-doubt and finding purpose. Sheila’s story is a testament to the power of intuition, perseverance, and daring to reinvent yourself — no matter how daunting it seems.  Key Topics Covered: Using creative outlets like podcasting to help rebuilding your personal identity How to manage career changes and identity crises Misconceptions about military service and transitioning to civilian life How entrepreneurs and founders use innovation and problem-solving in the healthcare industry Balancing your grief while remaining resilient Imposter syndrome and redefining what it means to be “feminine” as a engineer The difficulties of breaking through venture capital opportunities and gender equity gaps How to build confidence, community, and self-trust    📚 Chapters 📚00:00 Catching Up with Amanda 04:45 Discussing the Journey of a Podcaster 06:03 Amanda’s Career Journey 09:43 Understanding Grief and Letting Go of Your Previous Life 11:31 Navigating Identity Crisis 13:47 Lessons from Grandparents and the Impact of FamilyRelationships 17:04 Sheila’s Military Experience and Its Influence 19:57 Injury and Innovation in Biomedical Engineering 25:34 Empathy and Mindset Shifts Through Personal Experience 29:12 The Importance of Longevity and Quality of Life 31:27 Developing the UPMO - Challenges and Progress 33:27 Discussing Sheila’s Book “Is This Seat For Me?” 34:00 Exploring Imposter Syndrome and Self-Doubt 38:46 The Intersection of Femininity and Professional Identity 44:09 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Building Confidence 45:11 Reinvention and Changing Misconceptions 46:21 The Gender Gap in Venture Capital 49:07 Defining Success 50:06 My Greatest Personal Achievement 51:35 Living In Your Purpose 53:45 Learn to Listen to Your Intuition 57:56 Advice for People Feeling Lost in Life  🔗 Connect with Sheila 🔗 Free Chapter of Is This Seat For Me? Amazon | LinkedIn | Buswell Biomedical🔗 Connect with Amanda 🔗 Email: [email protected] | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube💵 Affiliate Links & Discount Codes📲 Ask Amanda Anything