Ash Rao - Career Coach & Speaker

Whether it is an audience of 500 where I get to speak for 20 minutes

Or

An audience of one where I conduct a day long workshop !

My intention and goal remains the same -
✅To deliver Value

When we focus outward and aim to serve others , your own self doubt disappears!

Agree ?

✨ The Confident Leader Summit Update ✨

Day 1 and Day 2 done ✅ and we are heading into our FINAL DAY 🎉

The last two days have been powerful with big energy, real breakthroughs, and game changing insights. Thank you to everyone who showed up and leaned in.

Quick recap 👇
✅ From invisible to influential so your voice is seen and heard 🎤✨ with Ash Rao CPCC
✅ Winning from within and leading with intention 🧠💡 with Alex Dumas
✅ Moving beyond burnout and reclaiming your energy ⚡🌱 with Elaine Robinson Beattie RCC MSML MRL
✅ Setting boundaries without guilt and owning the power of NO 💪 with summit host Carla Coates
✅ Reframing self doubt into strategic positioning 🔄 with Alyssa Bailey CPCC CDCS PMP
✅ Creating a clear career map that actually moves you forward 🎯 with Brian Kelly

🔥 Going LIVE today for our FINAL DAY at 4 pm EST

⭐ Jaime Chambron NCRW NCOPE The Career Catalyst
Build Your Brand How to Own Your Leadership Journey
Learn how to shape your professional identity and lead with clarity and confidence

⭐ Jessper Maquindang EML SPHR
Future of Team Leadership Building High Performing Team Cultures
Discover how modern leaders build trust, alignment, and thriving teams

⏰ Last day. Last chance to attend.
Scan the QR code to join or DM us.

Carla Coates and I are excited to be your hosts and MCs, and huge gratitude to our amazing show producer Connie K. Siu 🙌

💥 Confidence is not something you wait for. It is something you choose.
Hope to see you there ✨

So much fun connecting with the .austin group and recharging just before the snowstorm rolled in over the weekend ❄️✨

Grateful to be part of a that grows stronger together through genuine connections and truly showing up for one another 🤝💛

When we gather, flow more freely, grows, and expand 🚀💡

Throwback to 2016 😄
I was happy and comfortable in corporate life 💼

✔️ Loved the stability
✔️ Appreciated the good pay 💰
✔️ Worked with an incredible team 🤍

But here’s what hindsight taught me.
Comfort can quietly turn into

If I could rewind, I would:
✨ Speak up and advocate for my work
✨ Take on projects with higher leadership visibility
✨ Document my impact and clearly showcase my wins

After more than a decade in corporate and now coaching leaders, one truth stands out 👇
Hard work matters, but visibility, storytelling, and self advocacy matter just as much. Agree?

This is exactly what we’ll dive into at the upcoming leadership summit
The Confident Leader 🧠✨

We’ll cover , presence, telling your , advocacy without sounding braggy, becoming promotable, increasing visibility, and avoiding burnout.

Join us. Details in the Bio !

Your turn 👇
Looking back at 2016, what’s one thing you would do differently?

Unpopular truth 👇
💥 Working harder is not the problem.
🚫 Doing everything alone is.

Going solo feels productive 😬
But it quietly limits clarity, growth, and opportunity.

Strong leaders do not do it all 💡
They build support 🤝
They ask for help 🧠
They grow faster 🚀

If you want 2026 to look different, show up differently now 🔑
Talent alone is not enough.
Support, confidence, and strategy matter ⭐

✨ Join The Confident Leader
A 3 day virtual leadership summit built for professionals ready for their next level 📈

📅 Feb 18, 19, 20
⏰ 4 pm to 6 pm EST
💻 Virtual and accessible anywhere

🎟 Early bird access
All 3 days for just $19 ⏳ Limited time

What you will gain 👇
🎤 9+ live sessions with leadership and career experts
🛠 Clear tools and actionable next steps
👀 Visibility, confidence, self advocacy, and balance strategies
🤝 Real connections with speakers and peers

👉 Ready to lead with confidence
Register now. Link in Bio !!

My word for 2026 is Growth 🌱

Last year, I did not choose a word, but looking back, 2025 was clearly my year of “experimentation”
It was my first year building my consulting and coaching business. A year of trial and error, trying new things, and learning through mistakes.

This year is different.
This year is intentional.

For me, Growth means
✨ Stretching beyond my comfort zone
✨ Expanding into group coaching, corporate trainings, professional speaking, and workshop facilitation
✨ Creating deeper impact while leading with confidence and clarity

Growth is not always comfortable, but it is always necessary.

Now your turn 👇
What does growth mean to you in 2026?
Share in the comments 💬

Looking for clarity and momentum in the new year?

Join us at The Confident Leader Summit, a 3 day virtual leadership experience for emerging leaders and ambitious professionals.

✨ 9+ live sessions with industry leaders, leadership coaches, and executive recruiters
✨ Practical strategies to help you reach your next level

👉 Scan the QR code to know more !!

Link 🔗 in the bio !


See you on the inside 🚀

As 2025 comes to a close, I’m taking a moment to reflect 💭✨

This year marked my first full year transitioning from corporate life to solopreneurship and it stretched me in all the right ways.

Personal wins
✈️ Guilt free travel
👨‍👩‍👧 Being fully present for my family and my teenager through every phase and mood:))

Professional growth
💼 Serving corporate clients through customized career coaching
🎤 Stepping into speaking with virtual and in-person opportunities

What truly made this year special were the connections 💛

Few notable ones -
🤝 Carla - leadership coach who is now my business partner as we build our first joint leadership summit in Jan 2026!!
🤝 Renne - worked together in corporate and now both solopreneur s sharing and navigating the journey together
🎙️ Elaine for my first virtual keynote
💬 Charu for inviting me to speak at American Statistician Association Austin Chapter
🌴 ICON Conferences for a keynote in Miami
🤝Anu Mandapati for trusting me to serve as VP of Mentorships with Ascend Austin

Biggest lesson of 2025-

Discipline beats motivation.
Consistency beats excitement.
Doing the boring work creates the breakthroughs.

Heading into 2026 grounded, grateful, and focused ✨

What’s one lesson 2025 taught you? 💬

Think December is a slow month when it comes to growth ?
Here is a quick reset 🌱

December is not the end. It’s the soft start of what’s next!!

While most people coast over this slow month , you can choose to get intentional !
No big goals. No announcements. Just small smart moves.

And by early next year , you will be a step ahead than the rest🚀

Want to use this slow time? Try this 👇

✨ Reconnect intentionally with people !
Send a thank you to a mentor or leader. Share one win and what you’re excited about next.

📝 Reflect without judging
What energized you this year? What drained you? Write a few honest notes.

👀 Make one visibility move
Share a win, an idea, or a contribution you’ve been holding back.

You don’t need a full plan. Just plant the right seeds 🌱
January will be loud. Right now you have space and time to get your clarity and plan your move for the new year!

Are you ready?
What is the one thing that you want to accomplish in December ?
Share below👇

✨Success is built on quiet struggles which aren’t visible on social media✨

I meet with corporate professionals all the time who say, “I wish I had the freedom of a solopreneur.”

✨ And while this journey has been deeply rewarding — and yes, it feels amazing to share the wins and milestones online — there’s also a hidden part no one talks about.

💡 Behind every post of “success” lies countless moments of failure, rejection, and self-doubt. Those parts rarely make it to social media, but they’re what truly shape your growth.

🎙️ In my latest episode of The Unforget Yourself Show I sat down with Mark Adams to unpack the real story behind growth and grit. (Link to the episode in the comments 👇)
Thanks to adams and for inviting me to the show!

Here’s your reminder today 👇
🚀 Don’t be fooled by highlight reels — behind every win are multiple setbacks.
💪 Stay consistent even when things fall apart.
🌱 Small wins compound over time into big success — it’s never overnight.

Do you agree? What would you tell someone who’s navigating tough times right now? Share below ⬇️

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting students at UT McCombs School of Business 🎓📚as part of Mentorship program by Texas ALPFA organization !!

Walking back onto campus was nostalgic 💭💛 and reminded me of my own college days.

It was inspiring to meet so many bright, ambitious students 🌟🔥 eager to learn, grow, and begin their careers.

Mentorship can act like a GPS 🧭🚗 — guiding mentees in the right direction, helping them avoid wrong turns, and providing that timely nudge 🚀💨 to accelerate their journey!!

I’m truly grateful for the chance to give back and support the next generation of leaders 🙌💙.

Have you had a mentor who has positively influenced your career ? Share your experience and tag them below !