Fear is Just an Emotion - Betsy Tong on Resilience, Reinvention and Finding Your Voice

2025-08-06

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Disclaimer: This episode includes brief use of strong language. As part of our mission to support real, lived experiences in tech, we’ve chosen to preserve the authenticity of this conversation. 2023 was not a great year for Betsy Tong. Only three years after losing her mother to cancer, Betsy found herself navigating a series of personal challenges - a sick father, the end of a long-term relationship - and sudden unemployment at the age of 56. For years, Betsy had been a near-unstoppable Tech Industry ba...

Disclaimer: This episode includes brief use of strong language. As part of our mission to support real, lived experiences in tech, we’ve chosen to preserve the authenticity of this conversation.

2023 was not a great year for Betsy Tong. Only three years after losing her mother to cancer, Betsy found herself navigating a series of personal challenges - a sick father, the end of a long-term relationship - and sudden unemployment at the age of 56.

For years, Betsy had been a near-unstoppable Tech Industry badass, leading teams that developed complex systems for companies like IBM, Lenovo, Symantec, and Intel. But now, just when she thought she’d be able to coast and enjoy the payoff of all her hard work, Betsy’s entire life felt like it was falling apart. For the first time in decades, Betsy had no idea what her next step was - or how she’d achieve it without the clout of a big company behind her.

But, Betsy did figure it out, and in this episode she talks to Brenda about how she set aside fear, resolved to reinvent herself, and ultimately found purpose - and a thriving second act - in helping other women do the same through her consulting firm, FocusOS.

Brenda and Betsy talk about what it takes to release outdated assumptions, rebuild the architecture of our authority, and recognize the unexpected people who help us find our way, like Betsy’s own “Shannon.”

For more, check out Betsy on...

And, read The Edge : Your Brain on AI, the book that Betsy set out to write in 72 hours!

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Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

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B The Way Forward Is…

Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson.

Produced by Avi Glijansky

Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle

Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond

Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski

Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki

Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull.

Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman

Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine

Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions