The Robyn Engelson Podcast
Ever wish you had a life mentor with over decades of experience whispering million dollar tips in your ear? That’s exactly what you will get each week when you tune into The Robyn Engelson Podcast. I’m your host, a sought after burnout recovery coach for high-achieving women and help you heal from burnout and survival mode, so you can reclaim your energy, joy, and rediscover your voice. Each week, I bring you inspiring guests, insights, and tools to empower you to be energized, compress time, and start living instead of existing.
Episode Title: How Do You Rebuild After Losing Everything?
Host: Robyn Engelson
Guest: Rashmi Airan
Episode Summary:
In this episode, we sit down with Rashmi Airan, former attorney, Wall Street investment banker, and now a speaker, leadership guide, and fierce advocate for redefining success. Rashmi’s story is not about perfection. It’s about truth, ownership, and rising with purpose.
After being indicted for bank fraud and serving six months in federal prison, Rashmi faced the loss of everything she thought defined her: her career, her reputation, her status. But in the ashes, she discovered something far more powerful, her real self.
Now, Rashmi uses her story to help others rise. Through her RISE Process: Reframe, Identify, Surrender, Evolve. She invites us to let go of shame, redefine our worth, and lead with authenticity.
This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like failure was the end. Rashmi is here to remind you: it might just be the beginning.
You’ll learn:
How did prison become the start of personal transformation?
Why is letting go of ego the key to real growth?
What the RISE Process looks like — and how to use it?
How did gratitude journaling change Rashmi’s life?
Why do most women leaders set boundaries without guilt?
What happens when you embrace vulnerability as strength?
Memorable Quotes:
“I got eulogized before I died. And I realized people loved me… not for my success, but for me.” – Rashmi
“Not doing something is still doing something wrong.” – Rashmi
“It’s not about the fall. It’s about who you become when you rise.” – Robyn
Resources & Mentions:
https://rashmiairan.com
Actionable Steps for Listeners:
1. Reflect on a Moment You Reframed
Was there a time you turned pain into purpose? Write it down. Let it guide you.
2. Start a Gratitude Journal
One line a day. Especially on hard days. It changes everything.
3. Identify Your Support Circle
Who helps you stay grounded? Reach out. Tell them they matter.
4. Share Rashmi’s Story
Send this episode to someone who feels like they’re in a low moment. Remind them they’re not alone.
Final Thought:
Your worth isn’t defined by what you achieve, but by how you show up, even when everything falls apart.
Like Rashmi says:
“You can lose everything, and still find your purpose.”
What listeners have to say:
“I cried when Rashmi said she thought no one would pick up her call. This episode is a must-listen.” – David M., entrepreneur
“This is the most honest conversation I’ve heard on leadership and failure.” – Alisha T., executive coach
“Gratitude journaling in prison? I’m rethinking everything I complain about.” – Marissa G., C-suite mom
These stories remind us:
Failure isn’t the end. It’s an invitation to evolve.
Success means nothing if you lose yourself in the process.
True connection comes from authenticity, not achievement.
Which part of Rashmi’s journey resonated most with you?
Have you ever felt like your worth was tied to your achievements?
We’d love to hear. DM us, tag us, or share your story. You never know who it might inspire.
Loved this episode?
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Connect with Rashmi Airan:
About Rashmi Airan:
Rashmi Airan is a force of nature. A keynote speaker, consultant, and unapologetic truth-teller, she shakes up rooms with her raw, riveting story. One that challenges everything you think you know about leadership, ethics, and the hidden traps of ambition. She doesn’t just speak about resilience; she lives it, proving that even the most crushing failures can be transformed into a catalyst for growth, authenticity, and unshakable courage.
As a first-generation Indian American, Rashmi was raised to chase excellence. She did just that. Graduating with honors from Columbia Law School, thriving in corporate America, and building her own law practice. But success has a dark side. During the housing boom, she made a decision that, at the time, seemed small, but had devastating consequences. A single ethical blind spot, fueled by the pressure to provide for her children, led to a federal prison sentence for bank fraud.
Prison shattered everything she thought she knew about herself. And then? She rebuilt: stronger, bolder, and more awake than ever. Through six months behind bars, Rashmi stripped away the layers of ego, guilt, and fear that had defined her. She emerged with a powerful message: our worst mistakes don’t define us, our responses to them does.
Now a "recovering government, corporate, and real estate lawyer," Rashmi is a globally recognized speaker who fearlessly tackles the complexities of human behavior, decision-making, and ethical leadership. With 30+ years in business, law, and finance, she has a front-row seat to the pressures that push good people into bad decisions, and she’s on a mission to wake up individuals and organizations before they fall into the same traps.
Her insights are backed by cutting-edge research in behavioral psychology, ethics, and leadership, and she’s partnered with global powerhouses like Coca-Cola, Cardinal Health, Merck, Comcast, Sotheby’s, and Hershey’s. Deloitte has recognized her transformational impact, and her story has been featured on ABC, PBS, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
Rashmi doesn’t do surface-level inspiration. She sparks deep, uncomfortable, necessary conversations. She challenges Fortune 100 leaders, financial firms, legal teams, and women’s groups to confront their blind spots, own their decisions, and rise through their struggles with integrity and courage.
Beyond the stage, she’s an avid hiker, globe-trotter, and proud mother of two. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Overtown Youth Center/Alonzo Mourning Foundation and is an Ambassador for The Key Clubhouse.
Her message is simple but urgent: Life will break you. Your choices will define you. And no matter how hard you fall: you can RISE.
Connect with Robyn:
