Women groups—essential or overrated?

I sat down with Yolanda Lee, founder and CEO of Uncommon, to unpack why women leaders need spaces to connect, share, and grow. Yolanda’s journey—from navigating leadership roles in fast-growing tech companies to building a global network—proves that leadership doesn’t have to be lonely.

We dive into confidence, burnout, setting boundaries, and why women sometimes hesitate to ask for help. Are women-focused communities the key to thriving in leadership? Tune in to find out!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Why leadership can feel lonely—and how to change that
(03:10) The power of safe spaces: Do women really need them?
(04:34) The confidence trap: Are you holding yourself back?
(06:30) Do men secretly struggle with work-life balance too?
(07:04) The first signs of burnout you might be ignoring
(13:15) How to give without guilt (and stop people-pleasing)
(16:23) The hidden benefits of learning from different experiences
(18:55) Growing up as an outsider: How it shapes leadership
(21:18) Remote, hybrid, or office? The workplace battle continues
(22:56) Who do you call when you're on the verge of burnout?
(24:59) The one rule every leader needs to rewrite

Yolanda Lee
Yolanda Lee is the Founder & CEO of Uncommon, a coaching community designed to help women leaders connect, grow, and thrive. With over 15 years of experience across industries—from launching retail stores in the U.S. to building a food delivery startup in West Africa—she brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, resilience, and empathy to leadership. Yolanda believes that leadership isn’t just about a job title—it’s about embracing your unique spark and using it to drive impact. Her mission? To create spaces where leaders can support each other, set boundaries, and rewrite the rules of success.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-lee-8b936626/

Meet the Hosts,

Ritu Gupta Mehrish:
Ritu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.
https://www.letsrewritetherules.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritugmehrish/
https://www.ritumehrish.com/

Rajita Saxena
Rajita Saxena is a leader and people manager with over 20 years of business experience in sales, sales support, strategic operations, and learning & development. She builds strong, high-performing teams and believes in being a Level 5 leader to unleash the potential and performance of teams. She thrives in an environment that provides an opportunity to problem solve or create impact, whether it is a situation that is full of change and ambiguity or one that requires creating a strategy.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajita-saxena/

Kalyani Vaidya
I’m a fractional marketing manager with a diverse background and a passion for brand activations, podcasting, and business development. As both a sportsman and podcaster, I enjoy offering fresh perspectives and adding value to start-ups. I have a special interest in the domain of parenting, education, and wellness.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalyani-vaidya/