Curious Monica

In the final episode of Curious Monica Season 2, I reflect on all the conversations I've had this season to create a special advice column for innovators. The past few months have been about transition - transitioning into new workplace norms, new careers, and new ways of innovating. And my guests continued to remind me that greater purpose and intention are the heart of what we do. But what exactly does it mean to create and live for tomorrow? This episode summarizes some of the best answers to that question, and serves as an extra dose of inspiration (and curiosity) as the year closes. Thanks again to all my guests and the InnovatorsBox team for making Season 2 happen. See you in the New Year with Season 3! Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

I'm curious. What are you curious about lately? How can we transform what we're curious about into actionable intention? In this very special edition of Curious Monica, I invite you to pause and be mindful with me as I lead you through an interactive reflection on curiosity. Yes! Instead of the usual guest interviews, I'm going to share various resources we developed to create an immersive experience for you to use this time to reflect, pause, and be curious. My hope is that you'll walk away from this special episode with new questions, and use this time to reflect, pause and set your intentions as you are mapping out your 2022 goals and intentions. Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here

Good writing and speeches inspire you, motivate you, and make you feel heard. That's powerful and a skill to hone! So, I was always curious. What would it be like to do this full time, and how does one decide to want to become a speaker or a writer? I mean do you start wanting to become a speaker to have a career as a speaker and writer? No, not necessarily. Having deep curiosity and drive to learn can be the start to how you find yourself as a speaker or a writer. In this episode I speak with authors, speakers, and workplace communicators Don Khouri and Saleema Vellani about their journey into this profession and how others can be successful at it too.  Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

The pandemic gave us all a taste of what it's like when health challenges derail our business models and careers. Some people have already had to overcome health challenges in order to succeed, and for the guests on this podcast today, we were able to transform their pain into inspiration for their lives and career changes. Being able to overcome challenges, especially health challenges, takes an incredible amount of resilience. And it takes creativity to be able to apply the lessons we've learned from those challenges into our careers. In this episode, we highlight the incredibly inspirational stories of Michelle de Matheu and D. Anthony Evans who pushed through their darkest health moments to find inspiration and a career. Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

Is it possible to do business and do good for society? At first, I wasn't sure but now as a social entrepreneur, and working with other friends who are also doing business for good, I know my answer will be, yes all the time! Still, how does one do it and what is their journey like doing business and doing something good for society? In this episode, I speak with social entrepreneurs Amy Malin and Rachel Svetanoff about their journey into a field of doing good for the better of the world and running a successful organization at the same time. And if you're new to the world of social entrepreneurship, tune in for some great first steps in getting started.  Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

Education is highly appreciated and respected yet a lot of teachers in school are underappreciated, underpaid, and very overworked. Why are the people who play such a key role in our lives and future are overworked and underpaid? And why do teachers start their career even if the work is demanding? It's because they deeply care. They care about the students, their journey, and the future they will build. In this episode I speak with educators Margaret Park and Ellie Kim on their experience with teaching, empowering the younger generations, and of course, innovating in the new normal.  Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

We've talked about the profession of coaching before, but what really makes a coach a great leader? Why is coaching an important skill for everyone? And what are some of the key characteristics of a good coach, no matter what field or location? As a coach myself I know that behind every great coach is someone who believed in them, a leader who held them accountable. In this episode I talk with three close friends, who are all coaches in different fields and from different countries, about what it's like dedicating a career to coaching others to become leaders as well. I found three, key characteristics in all of them. And these characteristics are essential to anyone listening in becoming a better leader in their life and work. Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

When was the last time you consumed something that was translated? Maybe it was a business report or Squid Game or even a video game! The translation industry makes things accessible, but it also helps businesses grow, reach new markets - and more! In this episode I speak with Marina Illari and Colleen Beres  of Terra Translations, a company who has been solving problems in this industry for over 25 years. What is it like to be in the translation business?  What is changing? And why shouldn't you compare online translation tools like Google Translate to a human translator?  Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

Have you found yourself watching more films than usual these past few years? I know I have! Good movies make me cry, reflect, celebrate, laugh, and remind me how beautiful and meaningful life is. In this episode I dive into all the aspects of working in the film industry, especially for those whose voices are often underrepresented. Meet David Masami Moriya and Kelly Li who share their stories about why they entered in the industry, what they love about it, and how they're using their voice to amplify other voices in the process. Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

As a long-time children's books fan, I've always wondered, how does a children's book come together? How is it different from other books and why do authors write what they write? Whether you are looking to write your children's book, or a fan of children's books you're in for a treat. In this episode, I caught up with three friends who took different paths to bring their children's books to life. Meet Helena Ku Rhee, Heather Davis, and Tamara Haque who share their journey to being a children's book author. (P.S. I'm a new children's book author too. Check out my book “Have You Seen My Friends?: The Adventures of Creativity” now available. Discover more creativity-related resources at creativitywithmonica.com.) Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

Is it too late to start my dream career? No! In the next few weeks, I'm excited to visit friends in different industries to learn how they fell in love with their jobs and industries. Whether you are already in your dream job or not, you can have a career that you love and enjoy growing in. Welcome back to Curious Monica where we learn how different innovators thrive at different jobs. Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more about our candid conversations with thriving innovators at curiousmonica.com. Too busy to listen? Find the summary notes of all our episodes here.

Why do you do what you do? What do you live for? In today's episode, we went back through our 90+ conversations with innovators in Season 1 to learn more about why they live with intention and purpose. ‘What is your legacy?' is a good question to ask. Watch the full video at our InnovatorsBox YouTube channel.

What do you really want in your career and life? As we wrap up Season 1 and look back at our interviews with over 90 guests, it reminded me of the lesson professor Randy Pausch shared in his Last Lecture - never stop dreaming and working for it. What dream are you dreaming today, innovators? Learn more about us at curiousmonica.com. Sign up to InnovatorsBox's monthly newsletter here to get resources and insights on workplace creativity.

How do community builders become who they are? What motivates them to build communities, and how do they find the courage to continue to speak up in the face of disagreements? In this episode, we speak with Maggie Chui and Bryan Pham from Asian Hustle Network, Derrin Slack from ProActIndy, and Avani Parekh from Facebook. Learn more about us at curiousmonica.com and sign up to our monthly newsletter at InnovatorsBox!

Great music moves people. But what does it take to be a musician and build a career in music? Today we caught up with Serin Oh and Luke Helder to learn about their music careers and why at the end of the day, how you invest in yourself as a person really matters. From the music they make at InnovatorsBox Studios, to the music they make together as a team, you'll find a new charm and want to rethink how you show up each day. Thank you Serin and Luke for sharing your story! Learn more about us at curiousmonica.com. Sign up to InnovatorsBox's monthly newsletter here to get free resources.

Can you love your day job and your part-time business? Yes! In today's conversation I'm interviewing friends who love their day job, as well as their side businesses. How do they make time for what they do and how does working two jobs help them be who they want to be? When you hear their stories, you'll come to view part-time entrepreneurs with more respect and appreciation. Thank you to Ashley Sutton, Corey Ponder, and Shaun Applegate-Swanson for sharing your story with us. Learn more about us at curiousmonica.com. Sign up to InnovatorsBox's monthly newsletter here to get resources and insights on workplace creativity.

What is it like to run your business full time? With high risk and high reward, despite the never-ending challenges every day, there are always new businesses opening somewhere in the world. Why do people start their businesses, and what helps them be a good entrepreneur? In this episode, we visit all your questions on being a full-time founder. Thank you to Kevin Felix Chan, Nish Parikh, Hetal Parikh, Ariana Gómez, Dave Dellacato, Lumbie Mlambo, and Gary Hwang for sharing your stories as founders.  Learn more about us at curiousmonica.com. Join our monthly newsletter here by InnovatorsBox.

From TacoBell's kiosk to design thinking workshops, innovation experts play a key role in finding new paths in familiar places. But how do they build a career in innovation, and what does it really mean to be creative in what they do? In this episode, I caught up with six friends who shared why they fell in love with innovation, honing their expertise, and empowering others to unleash their creativity. Join us to unlock your creativity too. Thank you, Leo Chan, Brian Gaab, Coonoor Behal, Van Lai-DuMone, Jeff Harry, and Rishi Gupta for sharing your stories about working in innovation. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

Diversity and inclusion jobs have been on the rise as the world seeks a more inclusive workplace for all. But what do you do in this career? How do you become good at it? From understanding differences in diversity to being more inclusive to learning how to build psychological safety, we untangle all your questions about D&I and workplace belonging jobs in this episode. Thank you, Ashley T. Brundage and Abadesi Osunsade for sharing your stories. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

While some would not describe a career in law to be fun or creative, many who love this profession beg to differ. In this episode, I spoke with three friends who love being a lawyer to learn more about why they love what they do, how they started their careers, and how they stay creative. Whether it was learning how to practice law, writing a children's book or a novel, or building a niche in cryptocurrency, resilience, and patience was key to their growth. Thank you, Jessica Childress, Natashia Deón, and Maureen Murat for sharing your insights with us today. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

What is therapy and what does it mean to be a therapist? - from the rise of mental wellbeing awareness to society's misconceptions of therapy. In this episode, I speak with Jeanie Chang and Ivy Kwong to share their journey of becoming therapists and why other leaders like Tiffany Gray and Minji Chang advocate for therapy. There will also be some great tips for your mind and body, aka free therapy and wellbeing tips! Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

From acting to filmmaking, what is it really like to work in entertainment? I had so many questions. How do you handle all the rejections? How do you develop a film? Why is representation hard to find? Luckily, a few friends were able to share their perspectives and wisdom including a voice actor, filmmaker, comedian, creative producer, and founder. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Thank you, Minji Chang, PK Paul Kim, Pierre Edwards, DeShuna Spencer, Joseph Juhn, Luke Helder, and Serin Oh for sharing your insights. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

Writing your story is a vulnerable and humbling process. I wanted to learn more. How do authors decide what to write? How does the publication process work? Where do they get inspiration? In this episode, we speak with friends who write books, publish books, and help others write books. Tune in to learn how you'll tell your stories. I spoke with some friends - Jenn T. Grace, Ashley T. Brundage, Ivy Kwong, Smiley Poswolsky, Dr. Stephanie Han - to learn more about the power of storytellers. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

Politics is a field in which everyone is watching you and everyone is impacted by what you do. As I look back at how diverse this field is, I'm also intrigued at how we still see a lack of diversity. In this episode, I spoke with two friends who shared why they love public policy and how they find opportunities for more women to see this as a possible career path. Thank you Jane Kim Coloseus and Nicole Horn for sharing your story. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

When we think of tech entrepreneurs, we often envision an engineer in Silicon Valley. But there are so many incredible tech entrepreneurs changing people's lives and social norms everywhere. In this episode, I speak with my friends who have used technology to change social norms, communities, and more as an entrepreneur. And no, you don't have to be from Silicon Valley to change the world. I spoke with five friends - DeShuna Spencer, Kimberly Moore, Marcus Bullock, Jonathan Chen, and Jan Wong - to learn more about what it means to be a tech entrepreneur today and build a future for tomorrow.  Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

Coaching - what exactly is it and how do people get into this industry? The coaching industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, yet many still feel misunderstood and undervalued - why? In this episode, I speak with my friends in coaching to learn how they got into the profession, why they care, and why they believe this to be one of the most crucial skills in our future. I spoke with six friends - Jennifer Hart, Vik Kapoor, Kasia Gurgal, KarFei Cheah, Julie Smith, and Sherry Ezhuthachan - to learn more about why they care for empowering others through coaching. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Where do you want to work? It's a question we get asked all the time, but how often do we pause to wonder why this matters? Welcome to our Reimagine series where Monica Kang shares bitesize power insights and actionable tips for innovators related to career development. In this first Reimagine episode, she shares insights on how to rethink career advice and what can help you find the courage to reframe uncertainty in transition. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Join our newsletter from InnovatorsBox here.

What does food mean to you? For most of us, it may be nourishment and happiness, but for others, it's more than that. In this episode, I discuss with friends in the food business to learn how they address equality, food illiteracy, social impact, and justice while serving quality food. Food with a purpose is possible. I spoke with four friends - Diego Rhoger, Manal Kahli, Eliza Martin, and Ian So - to learn what it means to build a career in food and be purpose-driven. Learn more at curiousmonica.com.

How do you describe what you do when your role keeps changing? In this episode, I discuss two roles that have rapidly grown and evolved due to technology: product managers and product marketers. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Learn more about our guests: Anne T. Griffin and Kushaan Shah.

Ever feel like people don't understand what you do? In this first episode, I discuss a role that is common in most organizations but is also misunderstood for its depth of work - HR and People Operations. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Learn more about our guests: Claire Kennedy, Mimi Wang, Elyse Neumeier, and Enrique Rubio.

Candid conversations with friends exploring why and how different people thrive at work and in life. I'm curious. What about you? Subscribe now to learn more. Hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com.