Episode Description
"I just felt like I had to choose one. But by choosing one, I knew I was betraying my cultural identity, and I was betraying myself." — Urmi Hossain
There's a version of belonging that means folding yourself in half to fit somewhere — keeping one culture on for school and another for home, and never letting the two sit in the same room. For a long time, that's the only version Urmi Hossain knew.
Urmi is a wealth management professional based in Montreal, born in Italy to Bangladeshi parents. In this real life story, she shares what it was like walking into a male-dominated finance career without realizing it, why she left a demanding job to ask who she was outside of her title, and how writing her book finally let her stop choosing between two cultures and start embracing both.
If you've ever felt like you had to leave part of yourself at the door to belong — this authentic storytelling conversation about women's identity and life transitions is for you. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms.
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Timestamp
00:00 Introduction — Heather welcomes Urmi Hossain
02:40 Wearing many hats — chasing impact, not titles
08:20 Leaving a demanding job to find herself outside of work
09:34 Walking into a male-dominated finance world without realizing it
15:45 Writing Discovering Your Identity and embracing both cultures
19:13 Starting a podcast about immigration and belonging
30:23 Where to connect with Urmi Hossain
About Urmi Hossain
Urmi Hossain is a self-published author, speaker, podcast host, and finance professional based in Canada, holding both her CFA and CAIA designations. Her book, Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth from Interracial Struggle, reflects her journey as a third-culture woman navigating belonging, culture, and self-worth. She hosts Stories Beyond Borders, a podcast amplifying diverse voices on identity, migration, language, and what home really means, and serves as Co-Chair of Women in Leadership's Montreal Chapter. When she's not in the boardroom, you'll find her boxing, running, or with her nose in a good thriller.
Instagram (Personal)
Book: Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth from Interracial Struggle