#403 Lora Chow: Trading Wall Street for a Steinway — Part One

Lora Chow didn’t abandon ambition—she just rewrote its score.  In this episode, we trace her unusual arc from elite finance to classical composition. She opens up about choosing Yale over Cambridge, chasing Wall Street dreams, and what it really took to reclaim her voice—literally. This isn’t a story about dropping out or burning out. It’s about tuning into the parts of yourself that never stopped playing. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Choosing Yale Over Cambridge Wasn’t Just About Prestige “My heart wanted music. But my mom majored in math—and Hong Kong wanted finance.” Lora opens up about the early tension between cultural expectation and personal calling. Fitting Into the Ivy League Mold—Until It Didn’t “Everyone was applying to Morgan Stanley. I followed the crowd—and got the job.” At Yale, ambition and conformity collided. She got the offer, but the itch for music never left. A Grand Piano, a Grand Salary—But Something Felt Off “I loved music. But I also wanted a home with a grand piano.” Trading dreams for stability was logical—but it came with a cost. Silence Sparked the Return to Sound “I lost my voice for a year. That’s when I started composing.” An unexpected health detour brought her back to the keyboard. Bulgaria, Opera, and a Creative Awakening “A summer program opened a door I hadn’t dared to knock on before.” A trip abroad flipped the script—and planted the seed for Reveries on Ivories. _______________________ Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Lora Chow (YouTube Channel)   --Chief Change Officer-- Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep, Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts. EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist. 20 Million+ All-Time Downloads. 80+ Countries Reached Daily. Global Top 1% Podcast. Top 5 US Business. Top 1 US Careers. >>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<< See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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What’s Stopping You from Outgrowing Yourself? Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Chief Change Officer isn’t just another podcast. It ranks in the Top 3% globally, hit #1 in Careers (US), and cracked the Top 10 in Business (US)—because it offers what others don’t: expansive human intelligence, shared by the world’s most extraordinary thinkers and doers. This is the space for transformation gurus, bold hearts, black sheep, and unsung visionaries. We go beyond digitized tips and AI-smooth talk. Here, you get real, time-tested, experience-driven wisdom—the kind that blends logic and love, art and science, hindsight and foresight. For me, this show marks career transition #18. Across 17 transitions, I’ve been mentored by global changemakers who helped me emerge stronger and freer. Now, I’m passing that power forward—through raw, unfiltered conversations with extraordinary people across cultures, industries, and identities. If you’re a growth progressive, a black horse, a visionary underdog, or someone boldly rewriting the rules—you’re already one of us. Because you are the Chief Change Officer. Our mission? To help you become wiser in action, clearer in thought, and more ambitious in motion—so you can outgrow yourself and unlock outcomes beyond imagination or calculation. A better you is already unfolding. 130,000+ followers are outgrowing. Join them on LinkedIn, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube @chiefchangeofficer.