129. The Versions of Ourselves We Learn to Become | Femi Corazon on Identity, Adaptation, and Change

About this episode

How much of who we become is actually ours?

That question sits underneath this deeply thoughtful conversation with Femi Corazon, a senior creative leader whose life has moved across cultures, industries, storytelling, leadership, and behavior change. Her story begins in Iowa, stretches through the Philippines and Nigeria, and eventually lands in New York advertising, technology, and creative strategy. But underneath all of it is a deeper thread: identity.

Femi talks openly about growing up feeling visibly different in every environment she entered. In the Philippines, her Blackness stood out. In Nigeria, her mixed identity made her feel foreign. Returning to the United States as a teenager brought another layer of cultural adaptation. Yet what stands out most in her story is the distinction she makes between difference and rejection. She never felt unloved by her family or communities, but she became deeply aware of how much human beings adapt in order to belong.

That lifelong process of adaptation eventually became the foundation of her work. Femi explains that storytelling wasn't simply creative expression for her — it was survival. Stories helped her understand people, navigate unfamiliar environments, and make meaning out of change. That same curiosity later shaped her career in advertising, coding, user experience, and behavioral strategy. Whether she was building software systems at BBDO or leading creative teams years later, the underlying question remained the same: What makes people move?

One of the strongest themes in this episode is that information alone does not change people. Human beings change when a new version of themselves feels emotionally survivable. Femi describes behavior through the lens of narrative: the unhealthy habits, fears, or limitations people hold onto are often rooted in stories that once kept them safe. Meaningful change only happens when people can imagine a different story that feels possible for them.

We also spend time discussing leadership, empathy, creativity, and the emotional burden leaders sometimes carry. Femi speaks candidly about learning boundaries, avoiding burnout, and understanding that leadership is not about sacrificing yourself for others, but about creating environments where people can safely do their best work. Again, the conversation keeps returning to meaning, purpose, and the stories human beings live inside every day.

Toward the end of our discussion, Femi reflects on technology, artificial intelligence, and the fear that humanity may slowly lose touch with what makes us human in the first place. But she also shares what gives her hope: the belief that despite all our flaws, people are still driven by connection, meaning, and the desire to understand one another.

Ultimately, this episode is about identity — not as something fixed, but as something continually shaped through story, culture, adaptation, and choice. And maybe the most important question isn't simply Who am I? but Is the story I'm living still helping me become who I'm meant to be?

What's The Point? is a podcast hosted by Bill Ellis featuring real conversations with people who've figured out what matters — their purpose. Each episode explores what motivates them and how they find meaning in what they do.

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Links for This Episode:

CONTACT INFO: Name: Femi Corazon Email: [email protected] Website(s): femicorazon.com SOCIAL MEDIA INFO: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/femicorazon Instagram: @‌femicorazon

Quick Episode Summary:

• 00:00 – Introduction + "The Versions of Ourselves We Learn to Become"
• 01:00 – Growing up between Iowa, the Philippines, and Nigeria
• 03:00 – Feeling different in every culture
• 05:00 – Difference vs. rejection: an important distinction
• 07:00 – Being visibly "other" and adapting to survive
• 10:00 – Family, belonging, and multigenerational influence
• 13:00 – Learning English and adapting in Nigeria
• 15:00 – Creativity, imagination, and storytelling as survival
• 17:00 – The stories we inherit vs. the stories we choose
• 18:00 – Why acting and advertising both mattered to Femi
• 20:00 – Moving to New York to become an actress
• 21:00 – Coding at BBDO and learning human behavior
• 24:00 – Storytelling, software, and influencing adoption
• 26:00 – Why behavior change starts with curiosity
• 29:00 – Understanding the stories people tell themselves
• 31:00 – What actually makes people change?
• 33:00 – Safety, fear, and emotionally survivable change
• 36:00 – Leadership, meaning, and motivating teams
• 40:00 – Leadership boundaries and avoiding burnout
• 42:00 – Pitching ideas and understanding human psychology
• 46:00 – Why information alone doesn't change people
• 48:00 – Curiosity, learning, and stepping into uncertainty
• 49:00 – What worries Femi most about the world today
• 51:00 – Humanity, connection, and what gives her hope
• 52:00 – "What's the point?" + Femi's final answer