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First to ThriveAuthor: Nicole Cruz
Welcome to First to Thrive, the podcast dedicated to exploring the unique journeys of 1st and 2nd generation individuals. Hosted by culturally-informed speaker and leadership coach Nicole Cruz, each episode delves into the challenges and triumphs of navigating life beyond survival mode. Let's be honest, being the First in your family to challenge the status quo is difficult. But just because you're the first, doesn't mean you're alone. You are part of a large and growing community of other trailblazers who are creating lives beyond their ancestors' wildest dreams. Join us as we provide actionable strategies and inspirational stories to help you become the First in your family to truly thrive. From navigating cultural identity and intergenerational expectations to achieving personal and professional success, First to Thrive is your supportive guide. Subscribe now and start thriving today! Language: en-us Genres: Education, Relationships, Self-Improvement, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep 111: A Reintroduction — Who I Am, What I Do, and Why I Do It
Episode 111
Wednesday, 6 May, 2026
Episode Summary After a meaningful pause, Nicole Cruz is back — and she's brought her whole story with her. In this reintroduction episode, Nicole shares the arc that led her from a decade in corporate America to building a coaching practice rooted in cultural wisdom, lived experience, and one defining question: what does it actually mean to be fully alive? If you've ever arrived at the destination you worked your whole life toward — and felt something was still missing — this episode is for you. What We Cover Why Nicole stepped away from the podcast (hint: she became a mom 🍼) Growing up as the daughter of Filipino immigrants and the unspoken "script" that came with it Over 10 years in corporate — sales, marketing, and CSR at a major healthcare company — and what it cost her to succeed there The moment of clarity that made staying impossible Leaving her six-figure career, traveling the world for a year, and what she found on the other side How she discovered coaching — and why it felt like coming home Why she specifically serves women of color and first and second-generation leaders The role of culture, conditioning, and white supremacy in the work she does with clients How becoming a mother has deepened the meaning of this work Key Quotes "Once you know, and once you feel, and once you see it — you can't unsee it. You can't unfeel it. You can't unknow it." "It was the first time in my life I really experienced pure joy, euphoria. This is what living feels like. This is what it feels like to be fully alive." "The script didn't include — okay, what do you do once you get there? When there doesn't feel the way you thought it would." "The soft skills I thought weren't as valuable were actually the ones that really lend themselves to this work." "This work is contributing to the world I want my daughter to grow up in." About Nicole Nicole Cruz is a leadership and life coach, TEDx speaker, and mama. She works with women of color and first and second-generation leaders who have mastered achievement but are missing fulfillment. With nearly eight years of experience in culturally-informed coaching, Nicole helps her clients get radically honest about what they want now — and reorient their lives around that vision. Connect with Nicole Instagram: @nicolecruzcoaching LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolecruzmba/ Email: nicole@nicolecruzcoaching.com Explore 1:1 coaching: DM Nicole on Instagram or send her an email If This Episode Resonated With You If you heard yourself somewhere in Nicole's story — in the immigrant household, in being the only person of color in the room, in arriving and still feeling like something's missing — you're in the right place. And if you're sitting with a voice asking is this it? is there more? — that voice is worth listening to. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
