There’s a moment many professionals fear—and few talk about—where the success they’ve spent years chasing suddenly starts to feel like a cage.
For Ling-Ling Nie, that moment came in a hospital bed, on the eve of surgery, watching her life slow to a halt while the rest of the world kept moving. After two decades as an attorney, her body had finally pushed back.
The long hours. The pressure. The title. The expectations. It all caught up.
She realized something critical: her entire identity was wrapped around a single dimension—being a lawyer. And it was slowly destroying her.
“I didn’t know how to value myself outside of work. Everything I was, everything I chased, came from that title. And that’s the tie I had to cut.”
What Success Used to Mean
Growing up as an Asian American child of immigrants, Ling-Ling didn’t pick her path—she inherited it. Her parents told her early on: you’re going to be a lawyer. And like many of us raised in achievement-focused households, she said okay and made it happen.
She was good at it, too. Smart, driven, and successful in a high-stakes field.
But underneath the surface, something was off.
“When pressure hits hard, and you didn’t choose this path for yourself, it becomes harder to stay anchored. There’s nothing to fall back on. You’re just surviving.”
By the time she realized something needed to change, her health was in serious decline. And that moment in the hospital—praying before surgery—became a turning point.
Not overnight. Not dramatic. But deep.
“I promised myself that if I got better, I’d change. I didn’t know what that meant yet, but I knew I couldn’t go back to living the way I had.”
The Power of Unplugging
Ling-Ling compares it to a laptop acting up. Sometimes, you just need to unplug and let it reset.
That reset came in the form of curiosity—Who am I when I’m not being a lawyer?
She started small. Volunteering in a hospital. Restocking wheelchairs. Showing up at 6 a.m. to do something completely different from her legal world. And feeling fulfilled.
Then came the leap: she started a company.
“It was strange. To heal from burnout, I added more to my plate. But it helped me diversify my identity. I wasn’t just a lawyer anymore—I was a creator. A founder. An artist.”
And for the first time in a long time, she felt human again.
Creating Something That Feels Good
Ling-Ling founded Tender Cosmetics in 2022, but the vision started long before. Back when she could barely move but still got out of bed to apply moisturizer—because even in pain, she wanted to feel like herself.
“Beauty, for me, became a way to reclaim humanity during a time I felt anything but. That’s why I built something focused on how it feels—not just how it looks.”
Tender Cosmetics centers around cooling, creamy formulas that feel refreshing on the skin. It’s not just about makeup—it’s about making busy women feel better during the rush of daily life.
But make no mistake: this wasn’t easy.
She didn’t come from the beauty world. She didn’t know the lingo. She called the packaging “the thingy” in her first vendor meeting. And she felt out of her depth, often.
“You’re going to embarrass yourself. But so what? No one’s replaying the tape. Just start. Just try.”
The Real Work Is Personal
Starting a company isn’t just a business decision. It’s an emotional reckoning.
You have to cut the tie—but you also have to rebuild something else in its place. And that takes support.
Ling-Ling didn’t do it alone. Fellow entrepreneurs helped her brainstorm, offered advice, and problem-solved beside her—without asking for anything in return.
“Entrepreneurs want to help other entrepreneurs. It’s the most surprising and beautiful part of this journey.”
She also stayed grounded by setting boundaries. Scars from her surgeries remind her daily why balance matters. The goal isn’t to burn bright and fast—it’s to build something sustainable.
“Sustainable success. That’s what I’m after now.”
Don’t Wait for the Right Time
If there’s one thing Ling-Ling wants to leave you with, it’s this:
Be curious about yourself.
Try something new.
Say yes to tap dancing. Or safari. Or tennis. Or comedy.
Do it badly. And laugh.
Because the version of success that someone else handed you when you were young—maybe that’s not what you want anymore.
“Don’t wait until something breaks. You can change. You should change. And it doesn’t have to be drastic. Just start somewhere.”
She may have come from law, but her story is about something deeper: ownership of self. And redefining your path, no matter where it started.
Shameless Plug
Ling-Ling Nie is the Founder & CEO of Tender Cosmetics, a wellness-driven beauty brand built for women who do it all.
Tender’s signature products are creamy, plant-based, and cooling—designed to refresh your skin and your spirit. No burning, no plumping, just formulas that make beauty feel good again.
💻 Explore the full product line: tender-cosmetics.com
📱 Follow on Instagram: @tender.cosmetics
🤝 Connect with Ling-Ling:
- LinkedIn: Ling-Ling Nie
- Personal IG: @_linglingnie_
🎙️ And if you’re ready to define success on your own terms, follow host Thomas Helfrich at Cut The Tie Apple Podcast, Cut The Tie Spotify, or connect on LinkedIn.