What does it take to walk away from 19 years of federal leadership to start completely over? Yaa-Hemaa Obiri-Yeboah shares her remarkable journey from political refugee to Rhodes Scholar to federal executive—and why she ultimately chose to leave it all behind. This conversation goes deep on career pivots, generational workplace dynamics, the messy reality of transitioning back to work after mat leave, and what it really means to "operate from your power." If you've ever felt successful on paper but unfulfilled in your soul, this episode is for you.
In this episode, we cover:
(04:01) Surviving a political coup as an infant – How Yaa-Hemaa's family fled Ghana when her father refused to participate in a military coup, eventually landing in Canada as political refugees
(18:19) The "public servant by day, singer-songwriter by night" era – How Yaa-Hemaa juggled federal leadership with performing at jazz bars and releasing an EP, all while appearing on CBC radio in the morning and rushing to work for executive meetings
(23:26) Getting promoted while on maternity leave – Yaa-Hemaa passed executive-level exams and interviews when her son was under 3 months old, proving that motherhood doesn't pause ambition (even when you're sleep-deprived)
(27:13) Why the pandemic was actually good for her family – With her parents moving in to create a supportive pod, Yaa-Hemaa had the village most working parents dream of during those early years
(47:17) The return-to-office debate – Why mandating in-office days without intentional connection is missing the entire point (and frustrating everyone in the process)
KEY TAKEAWAY
Success on paper doesn't equal fulfillment in your soul—and it's okay to walk away from what looks good to find what feels right. "I wanna be able to operate from my power."
Connect with Yaa-Hemaa Obiri-Yeboah
Website | https://theyvariable.com/
LinkedIn | Yaa-Hemaa Obiri-Yeboah
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/itstheyvariable/
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@itstheyvariable
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Connect with Andrea
Website | https://www.andreabarr.com/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea
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