Jane Marie Chen: Why A Million Lives Saved Can’t Fix What Is Broken Inside

Aconic host Soon Yu sits down with Jane Marie Chen, entrepreneur, bestselling author of Like a Wave We Break, leadership coach, and co-founder of Embrace Innovations. Embrace created a life-saving infant warming blanket that has helped save over one million babies worldwide.

Despite extraordinary success, Jane shares the truth few leaders talk about: even after saving a million babies, she still felt like a failure.

In this powerful conversation, Jane opens up about resilience, leadership, mental health, and the hidden emotional toll of high achievement. She explores how cultural expectations, generational trauma, and self-criticism shaped her leadership—and why outward success alone cannot heal what’s broken inside.

Soon and Jane dive into:

-The difference between grit, endurance, and true resilience

-Why psychological safety in teams starts with inner psychological safety

-The pressure many Asian and AAPI leaders face around achievement and identity

-How Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy helped Jane heal

-Why self-respect must come before filial respect

-Letting go of beta blockers and fear around public speaking

This episode offers a deeply human perspective on resilience, authentic leadership, psychological safety, and self-acceptance. If you’re a founder, leader, creator, or anyone navigating personal growth, this conversation will change how you think about success.