EP25: How to build authentic leadership when the odds are against you?

What does real confidence look like for young women in leadership? In this episode, PR strategist and founder Parul Yadav gets candid about building self-trust, challenging cultural expectations, and leading authentically without shrinking or performing.

Parul is the founder of North Wave Media, a PR and integrated communications agency operating across Canada and the U.S. Her journey, from navigating first-generation family pressures to running a cross-border agency, is a masterclass in quiet confidence and intentional leadership.

If you're an entrepreneur battling imposter syndrome, self-doubt, or the pressure to lead a certain way, this conversation is for you.

What You'll Learn

• Why confidence matters more than competence and how to close the gap
• How cultural narratives and family expectations shape self-doubt for South Asian  women
• What quiet confidence actually looks like in leadership (and why extroversion is overrated)
• How to stop waiting for permission and start taking action
• Practical strategies for overcoming fear of failure and perfectionism
• How to advocate for yourself and build authentic visibility in the workplace
• Why unlearning Western leadership models unlocks your real leadership style

Episode Timestamps

• (00:00) - Introduction to Parul Yadav and her journey in PR
• (02:00) - Confidence vs. competence: what's the real difference?
• (03:32) - Visible vulnerability and why exposure builds confidence
• (05:38) - The moment confidence became central to her path
• (06:11) - Small decisions that shifted her self-perception
• (08:35) - Cultural expectations and being a first-generation South Asian woman
• (09:54) - Talking career choices with family in traditional communities
• (11:43) - Letting go of external validation as an entrepreneur
• (13:21) - How cultural narratives fuel self-doubt and fear
• (15:30) - Overcoming perfectionism and fear of failure
• (17:49) - Intentional presence and what authentic visibility really means
• (20:17) - Quiet confidence vs. performative confidence
• (21:39) - Debunking the myth that confident leaders are extroverts
• (27:27) - Unlearning Western confidence ideals and leading on your own terms
• (32:20) - Why action beats waiting until you feel ready
• (34:18) - Small acts of bravery that build real momentum
• (35:54) - Embracing your authentic story as a leadership strength
• (36:27) - Where to find Parul + her final advice for listeners

Resources & Links

• North Wave Media
• Parul Yadav on LinkedIn
• CommsRebel
• Decoding Confidence: The 7 Habits of Confident Leaders.

Want to understand more about which confident habit you should focus on first? Take the free assessment, and the results will be sent to you immediately. 

Keywords: confident leadership, women of colour in leadership, BIPOC entrepreneurship, South Asian women in business, imposter syndrome, quiet confidence, authentic leadership, building self-trust, overcoming fear of failure, first-generation professionals, PR and communications, women in entrepreneurship