The podcast to supplement WhyYouNoDoctor.com. This is where I feature short interviews and short stories from top Asian leaders in unique fields.
Episode 53: Malinda Lo is the bestselling author of the National Book Award finalist Last Night at the Telegraph Club, which received eight starred reviews and was named by Oprah Magazine as one of the 50 Best LGBTQ Books That Will Heat Up the Literary Landscape in 2021. Malinda's debut novel, Ash, a Sapphic retelling of Cinderella, was a finalist for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, the Andre Norton Award for YA Science Fiction and Fantasy, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, and the Lambda Literary Award for Children's/Young Adult, and was a Kirkus 2009 Best Book for Children and Teens. Before she became a novelist, Malinda was an economics major, an editorial assistant, a graduate student, and an entertainment reporter. She was awarded the 2006 Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Journalism by the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association for her work at AfterEllen. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and has master's degrees from Harvard and Stanford Universities. She lives in Massachusetts with her partner and their dog.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 52: Dr. Kristen Choi is a pediatric psychiatric nurse and an assistant professor at UCLA whose research focuses on mental health policy for vulnerable populations. She has published more than 30 academic articles, including several commentaries in the past few months on how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting mental health. She was also an alumni of the Forbes 30 Under 30 List under Healthcare.In this episode, she shares her experience on pursuing a career in mental health despite the stigma in Asian communities, what drives her behind her work, and advice she would give to young audience. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 51: Ragini Bhasin (@bhasinragini) is an award-winning film director from New Delhi, India who is currently working as a director at Jubilee Media, a Youtube channel with over 5M subscribers. She studied her Masters In Film Directing from Chapman University. She is the recipient of the Meredith MacRae Award in 2018 sponsored by Women in Film for telling diverse stories. Her first short film ‘The Deafening Silence' was picked up by India's biggest short film distributor Pocket films and has garnered almost 3M views. She then went on to make 3 short films that won awards, played festivals worldwide and 2 of them found distribution online. Her next short film, Ghazaal which she developed in the prestigious Aotearoa Short Film Lab in New Zealand revolves around a young refugee experiencing her period in a refugee camp. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Kulap was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Eagan, Minnesota. She is the child of Lao refugees. Her debut documentary, Origin Story, chronicles a road trip into her complicated past to meet her biological father and understand her mother. Vilaysack was also the creator, showrunner and sometimes director of the 4-season semi-scripted comedy series Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ (Seeso). She served as showrunner and co-executive producer of A Legendary Christmas With John & Chrissy (NBC). Kulap also directed the Emily Heller Comedy Special, Ice Thickeners (Comedy Central Digital). She currently co-hosts Add To Cart with SuChin Pak --a podcast about what we buy and what that says about who we are for Lemonada Media.In this episode, Kulap shares her experience being a showrunner as a woman of color and the challenges that come along with that. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 49: Dr. Jenny Wang, also known for @asiansformentalhealth, is a 1.5 generation Taiwanese American and licensed psychologist in Texas and North Carolina. Dr. Wang works exclusively with women's mental health issues across the lifespan with a specific focus on racial identity and trauma, social justice, and cultural reverence.In this episode, Dr. Jenny Wang talks about the stigmatized relationship between mental health and Asian culture, the doubt expressed by her parents in pursuing social work, and how she is trying to bridge together her psychological practice and her own Asian American identity. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 48: Eric Sze (@esze.e) is the chef-owner of 886 (@eighteightsix), a Taiwanese cuisine restaurant in Manhattan, and soon to be Brooklyn too! Eric was born and raised in Taiwan, and recently featured on the Forbe 30 under 30 list. In this episode, Eric shares his journey trying to expand his restaurant against all odds, mainly a global pandemic. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 47: Kylie Ying (@kylieyying) is a computer engineer currently earning her Master's at MIT and creating content about coding & programming on Youtube. Kylie has always loved math, science, and engineering; her focus is working on applying machine learning to particle physics and improving the dynamical model of a self-driving car! Kylie also started her Youtube channel out of pure love and the intention of sharing her knowledge with anyone with a desire to learn about coding/programming, especially women of color. In this episode, Kylie talks about her love for machine learning, her upbringing as an Asian woman, her experiences of being in a space dominated by white men, and her mission to create more space for women of color in her field. Follow us on Instagram for more content at @wyndpodcast!Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 46: Esther Moon (@esthermoonstagram), plays Mrs. Oh in Minari, the Oscar-nominated film. Born in South Korea, she immigrated to the United States with her parents at the age of two. Esther decided to pursue acting later in her life and is relatively new to Hollywood. She spent the last two decades as a licensed mental health clinician; it was not until a battle with breast cancer in 2015 that she finally decided to pursue her American Dream. In this episode, Esther shares about her upbringing, reflections on her career change after her cancer diagnosis, and the importance of finding joy. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 45: Vanessa Pham (@vanessatpham) cofounded Omsom, an emerging Asian pantry staple brand that makes cooking favorite dishes with uncompromised flavors and hard-to-find ingredients possible in any home kitchen. A former consumer packaged goods management consultant at Bain & Company, Vanessa and her sister Kim, first-generation Vietnamese-Americans, created Omsom to reclaim the cultural integrity of Asian cuisines that are too often diluted in the grocery aisle. Their sauces span flavors from East Asia to South Asia, including Vietnamese lemongrass barbecue and Korean spicy bulgogi. Kim, a former head of platform at Frontline Ventures in London who was named to 2017's 30 Under 30 Europe list.In this episode, Vanessa shares her origin story, her connection and relationship to her culture through food, and the difficulties faced by growing up as a child of Asian immigrants. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Jason Y. Lee (@jasonylee_) is the Founder & CEO of Jubilee Media, a platform that thrives to provoke a new culture of empathy. With a mission to push people to feel more, think more, and see more in others, Jubilee has garnered over 1B views and 6M+subscribers on Youtube. In this episode, Jason shared more about the core of his mission on empathy, the challenges that come along with it, and what it means to be an Asian American to him. With the recent rise of violence against the AAPI community, we felt that it was important to touch upon topics such as racism, mental health, and political progress. Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Jurassiq (@jurassiqlol), also known as Clarence Mabansag, is a Professional League of Legends Player and Content Creator. Born in Manila but raised in Chicago, he is breaking stereotypes within the gaming world. During this competitive gaming career, he was a part of Team Gates and Golden Guardians Academy, making his way to the NACS 2017 Summer Qualifiers and NA Academy League. Jurassiq made the transition to content creation in partnership with Twitch, you can find his content on YouTube. In this episode, Jurassiq talks about the negative stigma surrounding gamers, dropping out of college, growing up with video games, and how they played an important role in his personal life. Show Notes: 1:20 - Introducing Clarence's work, and discussing the desire to break the stereotype of the "gamer's" physical build5:10 - Discussing the negative gamer stigma, Clarences' experiences with games growing up, and how games have become much more mainstream now9:18 - How did things become more mainstream? How far are we from getting to established sports leagues? 14:20 - Discussing Clarence's beginnings in League of Legends, and receiving parental approval from his dad18:10 - Explaining the role video games played in his personal life, and boosting accounts to help the family make money on the side23:00 - Making enough to earn money playing League, the difficulties of making League of Legend's top ranks, and the perseverance required to go pro29:45 - Dropping out of college to pursue gaming with Zenith Esports, a semi-professional team, and joining other teams to become a professional35:57 - Discussing the importance of teamwork and people skills in pro gaming and esports38:00 - The benefits of playing for a professional team--receiving a salary, a place to stay, daily meals, and locale to practice with teammates for tournaments42:11 - Controversies with Team Sky's contract restrictions, and then getting signed with the Golden Guardian's Academy team, a team backed by the Golden State Warriors44:00 - Exploring how esports contracts work, their financial viability, and how many investments exist within League Esports51:20 - Transitioning to educational content creation and Twitch streaming after his career in professional play57:45 - Asian American representation in the gaming scene, and how it can possibly be an advantage1:03:12 - What it take to go pro--dedicate everything. Have the drive, passion, love, and perseverance1:07:52 - How to get in contact with Clarence!Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 42: Maggie Lee is a playwright based in Seattle who aims to create diverse, imaginative new worlds in genres like science fiction, horror, and action-adventure. Her works have won numerous awards and prizes, produced in Seattle, New York, Seoul, Chicago, and San Francisco. Maggie is currently a board member of Rain City Projects, an organization that supports playwrights in the Pacific Northwest, an Artist Associate with Macha Theatre Works, and a member of the Dramatists Guild. You can find selected plays by Maggie on Amazon! In this episode, Maggie Lee shares the expectations of being raised by Asian parents, how her journey led her to be a playwright, and some of the most rewarding moments as a playwright. Show Notes: 1:05 - Introduction to Maggie and her previous theater experience4:21 - Learning more about Maggie's work in theater during high school and college7:10 - Maggie's parents and their reserved support for Maggie's untraditional vocation8:45 - Contrasting the traditional path with her work in lighting, and how her theater work seemed much more applicable and practical after graduating13:20 - Maggie's work right after college as an Operations Analyst, moving to Seattle16:45 - Dividing time between being a playwright and working as a freelance typesetter to pay the bills21:30 - Working in an office in Seattle before doing sketch comedy, which became an entryway to producing, acting, etc.26:40 - Continuing freelance while enduring the recession in 2008, and learning how to work optimally while switching between her freelance work from her creative work33:40 - Defining her success: having fun and enjoying the process while she has the opportunities37:31 - Discussing how to get greater recognition as a playwright, debating on getting an MFA, and what kinds of plays Maggie is inspired to write41:15 - Describing the most rewarding moments as a playwright43:55 - Relating her experiences as an Asian American in the Bay Area and expanding beyond the common narratives of Asian American heritage48:55 - The types of writing that she sees now among Asian Americans circles within theater54:17 - Drawing inspiration from her background and letting it flow into her work57:30 - Most important traits in becoming a playwright- be open-minded and make connections!59:30 - How to keep in touch with Maggie, Macha Theatre Works, and a timeline for reopening things up in a post-COVID world1:02:07 - Some of Maggie's plays on Amazon!1:04:01 - Final thoughts on being an artist and choosing to share both the good and the bad in your lifeJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 41: Dan Tran (@dans.first.dances) is a professional ballroom dancer and dance instructor. Growing up, Dan never identified himself as a confident individual until he stumbled upon a dance class in college. Discovering dance meant he was able to find his own voice and an outlet of expression. Dan's interest in dance eventually led him to a competitive career, and ultimately won him two National Titles. Aside from being a performer, Dan holds multiple top teacher & studio awards as an instructor. In this episode, Dan shares how dancing became a way of expression for him, his struggle to find support from family for his dance career, and how he is coping with the pandemic. Show Notes: 00:50 - How would you normally describe yourself, and how did you get into dance?04:40 - Dan's parents and his dancing background growing up in San Jose6:55 - Speaking about his post on Asian Creative Network and his desire to dance in order to reinvent himself10:27 - Getting bullied out of auditioning for a part, but using the fresh start in San Jose State to learn Latin Dance14:50 - How dance became a medium to measure how much he has grown over the years17:30 - Parental pressure to pursue a traditional vocation or a traditional major in college, despite all of his success in dancing21:16 - Learning Salsa Dance in college, giving Ballroom Dance a shot, and losing in the competition25:25 - Practicing partner dance doesn't always require a partner, which allows independent practice!31:41 - Choosing between Breakdancing and Ballroom, coincidences, and being inspired by So You Think You Can Dance33:50 - Not seeing himself as a minority until leaving the Bay Area and traveling to different places in the US35:30 - Not a lot of successful Asian American representation, although there are many Asian American dancers38:25 - Feeling inspired after seeing a legendary performance from Victor Fung at a Stanford dancing event41:56 - Learning more about DanceSport events, the different divisions, and the difficulties of each event47:55 - Explaining the benefits of dance and how it appeals to such a broad audience53:45 - The experience of putting out a Cosplay Ball where his students and attendees dance and get out of their comfort zone58:20 - How Dan is teaching now despite COVID restrictions1:01:50 - Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. Create the opportunities you want1:03:40 - How to keep in contact with Dan!Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 40: Zach Benson (@zachvacay) is living the dream many of us fantasize about: traveling the world and making money while doing it. But it wasn’t always that easy. He grew up in Iowa as a Korean adoptee, had a speech impediment, and suffered a back injury that cut his dancing career short. Yet Zach’s fighting spirit kept him going, and now he has reconnected with his birth mother in Korea, he has overcome his speech impediment to become a keynote speaker, and he has built an incredibly successful Instagram marketing agency. In this episode, he talks about his incredible journey, from his volunteering work to his professional development, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Show Notes: 0:50 - Meeting Zach through the Facebook Group Asian Hustle Network3:05 - Introducing Zach and his work in Growth Hacking, Social Media, and PR5:05 - Zach's experiences as a break dancer from Iowa, his life as an adoptee, and growing into his love as a dancer9:00 - Growing up in Iowa, a lack of an Asian presence, and struggling with the Asian American identity11:40 - Spending the first year out of college volunteering with World Relief. Helped refugees find homes and jobs where he got the idea to go to Korea to find his birth parents13:20 - Found his birth mom just before his job contract in Korea expired16:40 - Getting fired from his job, getting a new job at the YMCA, and taking a leap of faith to pursue his dance career. Put in a lot of money, time, and sacrifice to get to where his dance career was20:05 - Working at an International Boarding School to be an RA the age of 25 while growing his Social Media Agency business23:05 - Learning everything he could about social media marketing--paying for consulting and gaining exposure through his investments25:30 - Where's the direction from here for the company--transitioning from a social media growth hacking to a more PR agency.27:00 - Getting more involved with masterminds. What is it? And what is it used for?29:25 - Discussing more about Asian American entrepreneurs like the Gold House32:50 - Exploring the idea of creating an Asian American Mastermind35:37 - Difficulties of burnout, time management, traveling, and trying to work through those difficulties42:50 - Not being too involved in every aspect of the agency to allow a more independent company45:45 - Zach's personal mission statement: travel and do the things that I love while taking care of the people I love the most47:10 - Most important things learned from being an entrepreneur: Reputation is what others think you are, and character is what you are50:35 - How to get in contact with Zach!Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 39: Alex Lee (@alex_lee) just made history by becoming California’s first Gen Z, first openly bisexual and youngest Asian American lawmaker -- all at the age of 25. While Alex claims he had just been an average student, he definitely isn’t your average politician. He’s about half the typical age of his colleagues, he lives at home with his parents, and in order to make it through his campaign, he had been a part-time gig worker for an app delivery company. When it comes to Asian representation, he’s taking it to the next level. He now politically represents one of the most heavily Asian districts in California. In this episode, he shares how he turned his weaknesses into his strengths, how he won a campaign as an underdog, and what his job actually entails. Show Notes:--No Expletives--00:00 - Introduction2:30 - What is the District Assembly?5:28 - State budgets and how they fluctuate during a recession8:20 - Speaking to the importance of interpersonal skills and other interesting quirks about the political world10:17 - Alex's early background before becoming elected. Deciding between film and politics in college, and what he likes about Californian politics in particular15:28 - Discussing differences between political theory and how people vote in practice. How the assumptions of perfect information and rationality don't always hold up18:00 - Discussing The Great Hack and the importance of privacy and data in our society21:25 - Being one of the youngest assembly members ever, and how he can effectively navigate tech and privacy as a member of a newer generation26:35 - Talking about the difficulties of the campaigning process, and why Alex thought people voted for him30:30 - How has the job been within or not within Alex's expectations. Navigating the difficulties of short two year terms32:30 - More about Alex's personal background--growing up in San Jose, California, having Hongkonger parents, and earning very average grades34:50 - The importance of the desire to make a difference when getting into politics36:25 - The difficulty of the primary election, where Alex faced ageism and Asian stereotypes37:42 - Trying to turn weaknesses into strengths while campaigning. Using perceived disadvantages and spinning them into potential advantages 40:02 - Valuing integrity when entering politics. There are too many people who go into politics for superficial reasons and not because they wish to fix something in their community.41:00 - Addressing special interest donors and election buyouts and its harmful impact on democracy47:00 - Alex's hobbies and bucket list items--to become an elected official to become a parent48:50 - The most important thing is to remember your community and that your success doesn't exist in isolation, and there are many ways to give back.51:50 - How to get in touch with Alex!Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 38: Last year, we all experienced something together: an uncertain future. As we enter into a new year, we might ask ourselves, where do we go from here? In this episode, Julia Saubier, a French-Filipina actor, model, martial artist, activist and co-founder of J+J Ventures, tells us how to trust in the process and to take risks. Growing up in the Philippines, she always wanted to achieve the best for herself -- the best grades and the best schools so she could achieve the best career. But after all of her hard work, she found herself with nowhere to go after graduating from college. Rejected from graduate programs and jobless, Julia faced an uncertain future for the first time in her life. She tells us about her unexpected journey from being a scholar, to a martial artist, beauty pageant model, to an actor, an activist and co-founder of J+J. Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 37: Jaeson Ma (@jaesonma) is no stranger to adversity. From running the streets to his close brush with the law, it was hard to imagine where he’d be today. Now, he’s a serial entrepreneur with a string of success stories behind him: He’s the co-owner of Triller, the founder of East West Ventures, and co-founder of 88rising and Stampede Ventures. His journey began with a thirst to prove himself -- knowing that even though Asians weren't being represented in the media, it didn't mean they weren't worthy. He became committed to the mission of boosting Asian representation in entertainment and fusing the best of eastern and western cultures together. In this episode of WYND, Jaeson takes us through the ups and downs of his story, from the challenges he faced as a teenager, to his first job with MC Hammer, to launching his first company and becoming a venture capitalist. Show Notes:0:55 - Introductions to Jaeson and his work3:15 - Born in Lubbock, Texas, where his immigrant parents studied at the Church of Christ and became the first international Chinese students to study at Pepperdine University. They then moved to San Jose in the Bay Area where Jaeson grew up.5:25 - Growing up with an incredibly diverse community, but still not seeing that diversity reflected in mainstream media. Growing up with heroes Yan Can Cook on PBS with an inauthentic Chinese accent and Bruce Lee who had already passed away.9:00 - Growing up with Michael Chang (Tennis Grand Slam Winner) and practicing tennis to be like him.10:27 - Jaeson's dad as a minister and an entrepreneur, who went to Chinatowns across America to sell steam cleaner trucks.12:31 - How his parents influenced him towards his different interests like entrepreneurship and spirituality.14:47 - Studied three different majors after being a problem child. Got kicked out of schools and was almost sent to jail. How his parents were happy he was studying in college while both of his siblings are valedictorians and overachievers.17:25 - Growing up with a non-present father, separated parents, and being unable to find love and consistency at home.19:55 - The value of representation and allowing it to change the limits in your mind of what is possible.22:22 - Growing up in hood San Jose, and an anecdote on how his small eyes were made fun of in school. All of his friends had bigger eyes than him, and howit let to an identity crisis growing up.27:23 - Growing up always feeling shorter, smaller, and skinnier. His constant desire to want approval from others, and never getting the affirmation he needed at home.28:44 - Getting into acting in theater class, getting accepted into Oregon Shakespeare, and learning Shakespeare with the best actors in the world. Entered a new school, joined theater and landed lead roles. How Jaeson consistently met challenges and overcame them.34:22 - Being MC Hammer's personal assistant and investing in Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow. Starting a Hip Hop Bible study and turning his life around.38:44 - The Hip Hop Bible Study becoming a huge community event, reaching out to MC Hammer and getting him to speak at the event.42:51 - Following MC Hammer on his venture capital jounrey. Meeting the early employees of Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, etc.48:44 - The power of seeing Asians and representation in a full length Asian film. The desire of wanting to represent Asian culture through the powerof stories and film.51:29 - Leaving venture capital and pursuing film, and a discussion on Asian Americans breaking into the scene.53:47 - Growing up with Hong Kong cinema in the 80s in the summers, and developing aSupport the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 36: Shang Saavedra (@savemycents) is the voice behind the popular financial-literacy blog, Save My Cents. Having achieved financial independence at the age of 31, she aims to share her money expertise with those who need it most, empowering others to change their lives, on their own terms, for the better.In this episode of the Why You No Doctor Podcast, Shang and Dominic take a deep dive into some of Shang's most treasured pieces of wisdom that shaped her life for the better: the abundance mindset, the act of doing it scared, and of course, the pursuit of financial independence. Show Notes:1:14 - Introduction to Shang and her work on helping others achieve financial freedom with mental health2:53 - Abundance mindset — adopting a growth mindset over a fixed mindset and having agency in your narrative4:39 - Being jealous about other people's success, and revising goals to improve them6:04 - Shang and how she viewed intelligence as fixed, but changed her mindset to believe that grades are not a fixed indication of her success9:09 - Meeting people who grew up in neighborhoods that grew up in debt and believing that debt and financial instability is normal9:53 - Born in China, moving to Switzerland and the Netherlands before moving to various places in the States. Her parents' background with the Cultural Revolution and how it impacted Shang's upbringing14:33 - For those with huge debt, usually there is something in their upbringing that affected their view on money. Working away from the Asian-American upbringing of being cheap and frugal20:50 - Realizing the importance of frugality despite its restrictions23:26 - Value based spending —discovering where your top values are and using it as a guide to spend money27:50 - Do it scared but do it anyway — help people get over their fears to improve financial literacy or self-advocacy33:30 - Having confidence and belief in yourself even if others' seem smart and vocalize their success35:25 - Achieving FIRE at age 31 and becoming work optional, but choosing to work anyway because of other priorities40:01 - What Shang spends her time on — being a mom, developing courses, and helping others on financial literacy41:45 - Defining what retirement means and analyzing people's lifestyle to give people a direction on their financial health44:02 - Discussing different ways to achieve financial freedom depending on who they are and their situation48:28 - Favorite places Shang has been: Japan, Ireland, New Zealand, and Italy50:10 - How to contact Shang (Instagram) + parting wordsJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 35: Benny Luo (@bennyluo) is the founder and CEO of NextShark, a media company that speaks primarily to the global Asian youth. A venture that was started with just $3,000, NextShark has since grown to serve millions of monthly readers, with hundreds of thousands of followers spanning across their social media.Learn the insights of Benny's entrepreneurial and personal journey in this week's episode of the Why You No Doctor podcast. "It really helped to find other Asians or Asian Americans around me that really had that Asian pride and showed me that I wasn't alone."Show Notes:01:23 - Living in Puerto Rico and its taxes3:03 - NextShark, how Benny is doing, how COVID disrupted some of those plans5:21 - Benny's background, working four jobs in college, and how NextShark evolved into its Asian American niche7:39 - Having Asian pride, running an Asian American blog, and the emptiness10:43 - Elaborating on Asian pride and the diversity of the Asian American experience13:46 - Growing an Asian American audience and pivoting towards that audience17:49 - Asian Americans gaining a presence and trying to make a difference20:33 - Aiming for quick growth or for sustainability, and the difficulties of digital marketing in this environment25:00 - Spikes in growth and covering different kinds of stories with the rise of COVID28:56 - Dealing with burnout, resiliency, and finding motivation beyond just making money34:33 - Staying on top of the direction of his goals and being wary of news networks42:51 - The Great Hack, advertising, and the rise of social media51:20 - Life outside of work — being a foodie, working out, and board games55:31 - Meeting neighbors, restaurant business, and dry aging fish1:00:24 - Benny's restaurant recommendations and final thoughtsJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 34: In this bonus episode, Dominic and John Victoria from Polianna LLC (https://www.linkedin.com/company/polianna-seo/) have a conversation about entrepreneurship, future goals, books, and more.Show Notes:1:14 - Introducing John, his work, his goals, and the context of the call.5:08 - Maintaining focus on SEO and discussing work life balance when trying to grow a company.6:56 - Making revenue goals and changing goals once the company is sustainable.10:58 - Dominic's goals 5-10 years from now, focusing on personal goals, and where his time goes.13:43 - Burnout, hiring the right people, and the importance of sales.21:15 - The most important elements in growing the company.24:00 - When to bring in partners, finding A-players, and leveraging the network Dominic already had.28:45 - Doubtful on cold calling numbers and closing other deals through referrals instead.34:16 - Rest and recovery, putting in the work for a good relationship with the client.37:03 - Dating and how it places value on your personal life outside of work.39:10 - Finding values in a partner, dating as an entrepreneur, and valuing your personal life42:15 - Dominic's book recommendations--How to Win Friends and Influence them, Extreme Accountability, and other books45:17 - Plans for the future, TikTok, finding creative outlets, and hobbies during COVID48:20 - More book recommendations and final thoughtsJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 33: Eugene Kang (@countryarcher) is the CEO and co-founder of Country Archer Provisions, the number one jerky brand in the natural and specialty channels.Eugene dropped out of college to found Country Archer Jerky Co after tasting the product by chance at Grand Canyon while on a road trip. In 2019, just 8 years after its founding, the company earned an estimate of $35 million in revenue, with its products spread across 25,000 stores in America. He was a part of the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 class, under the Food & Drink category.Show Notes:1:25 - Introduction into Eugene's background, buying out a business, and how it led to Country Archer Jerky8:18 - Eugene starting out at 20 years old, his experience, and his thought process on buying the business10:46 - Going to school, hobbies, and other involvements growing up13:19 - Aspirations in Political Science and Law, pivoting interests towards entrepreneurship and disruption16:28 - Convincing his dad and getting the loans to purchase the business21:22 - Discussing doubts on starting the business and how some ignorance can help with entrepreneurship26:39 - Transforming into a larger business, getting into supermarkets, and returning the money to dad32:08 - Letting others' take greater control of the business and meeting veteran investors34:21 - Being a young Asian American investor in an industry of older Caucasians37:14 - Deciding to continue in the food industry, favorite foods, Japan42:10 - What draws Eugene to Japanese culture and other stories about Japan49:02 - Developing a work-life balance and focusing on life outside of work54:32 - Growing older and how priorities change. Book recommendation for For Better or For Worse.58:26 - One habit you do benefit most from--listening and being attentive.59:25 - The worst habit you have--dragging your feet too much.1:00:16 - Defining success--having successful relationships in your personal life. Getting perspective of voices outside of your industry.1:02:02 - Best investments you've made under $100--investing in better sleep.1:03:35 - Best advice--never lose self-awareness. Know your shortcomings and your strengths.1:06:04 - Parting thoughts and how to contact EugeneJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 32: Jessica Chen (@jessicachenpage) is the founder and CEO of Soulcast Media, a communications and media agency. Prior to founding her start-up, Jessica was a TV news reporter for ten years, working for various stations like Time Warner Cable and ABC 10News. In 2017, she won an Emmy Award for her reporting work at ABC.Now, she works full-time with her clients at Soulcast Media, where she coaches professionals on developing executive presence, communicating effectively, and ultimately, breaking the bamboo ceiling. In this episode, we discuss many of those communications strategies. Show Notes: 1:18 - Introductions, adjusting to COVID and remote work3:10 - Tactics on remote communications--body language, and other tricks. The pros and cons of video calls7:41 - Being shy in a professional context and taking it as a challenge to overcome10:57 - The importance of confidence in conveying a message and developing a presence14:41 - How do clients work with Soulcast? Membership, C-level Executives, Pitching17:01 - Jessica's background in media, undergrad, and working for different news agencies19:06 - Jessica's Emmy Award in covering the San Diego wildfires19:53 - Finding a new career that plays to Jessica's strengths and posting on LinkedIn21:52 - Discussions on clientelle from different cultures its differences with Americans26:31 - Writing a book on how things taught in an Asian household differs from the corporate world30:01 - Asian media representation and reasons for why Asians do not speak up often33:26 - Motivations on why she is writing her book and the process of writing it37:53 - Scaling the agency and Soulcast's new membership program39:52 - Teaching strategic communication and being intentional with your words48:18 - Being concise when communicating to articulate points50:36 - Advice you would give yourself--take action yourself. Don't wait for permission52:35 - Bucket list item--read the Go Giver54:30 - Favorite quote or philosophy--so be it56:27 - How to contact Jessica or join SoulcastJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 31: Shawn Xu (@shawnxu) is an early-stage investor, product launcher, and growth hacker. After graduating from UCSD in 2012 with three separate degrees - global business, political science, and psychology - Shawn worked in Silicon Valley, managing Square’s and Vungle’s business expansions into Europe and Asia respectively. After five years, he packed his bags and headed to the east coast to pursue an MBA at The Wharton School.While at Wharton, Shawn joined First Round’s Dorm Room Fund as a partner, eventually becoming their managing partner, making investments in over 20 startups founded by students. While there, he also realized the lack of diversity in the startup ecosystem, vowing to create a more inclusive space for women, people of color, and graduates of schools outside the Ivy League. He now works as a senior associate on the investment team at Floodgate.Most recently, Shawn was a part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2020, under the Venture Capital category.Show Notes:1:45 - Intro, discusing forbes 30 under 30, knowing really inventive people4:45 - Joining the founding team of startup Bayes Impact, managing international expansion for startups7:21 - Business school and his intellectual journey through geopolitics and venture capital11:23 - Getting involved into venture capital14:34 - Day to Days with working in venture capital and why he loves it17:04 - What are some of the biggest problems Shawn has seen entrepreneurs tackle?22:02 - Entrepreneurs tackling remote work and coronavirus24:10 - Politics and using a methodical approach to solve problems28:03 - The Asian American identity, low turn-out rates on elections, and Asian representation30:15 - A lack of governmental candidates, political polarization, and high level policy initiatives34:09 - The rising automation of jobs and retraining towards high demand industries37:10 - Advice to a new grad--find someone who will invest in you. Floodgate and seed investments41:20 - Start-up mafias as great resources to consult, and be intentional about the people you self select into42:58 - Do things that terrify you to go outside your comfort zone43:44 - Bucket list item--travel to places that are untouched and different from your experiences46:30 - Shawn's podcast episode on North Korea47:22 - How to contact Shawn and follow himArticle of Shawn's Experience in North Koreahttps://medium.com/@shawnxu/what-i-found-in-north-korea-c6670385d777Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 30: Charlie Chang (@charlie__chang) is the owner of his own real estate brokerage, an Amazon FBA seller, and a personal finance YouTuber with over 100,000 subscribers. But before all of this, he was once, like Dominic, a recent graduate looking to get into medical school.Medical school didn't end up happening, and so Charlie instead opted to become his own boss and work for himself. Now, he's everywhere, doing everything — and at the center of all of his ventures is the desire to become just 1% better each day, to constantly improve himself and learn. Show Notes:0:30 - Introducing Charlie Chang2:03 - Applying to medical school and nurturing his side hustles4:25 - Growing up with parental expectations and background on Dominic and Charlie's history7:51 - Realizing medical school wasn't for him and juggling side-hustles with a vision11:28 - Getting into Ecommerce, and starting his clothing business14:58 - Choosing to take the risk to take action when the opportunity arises18:13 - Breaking even and remaining focused despite a slow start20:44 - Seeing an opportunity in real estate and representing himself for a house sale25:52 - Entering the mortgages business. Seeing where Charlie's time is split with all the side hustles28:14 - Feeling lost after graduation, wanting to create a platform to inspire through personal finance30:35 - Advice you'd give yourself--start reading! Recommends: The Slight Edge, The Compound Effect35:22 - Growing up Asian American in Palo Alto, struggling with his Asian American identity42:17 - Getting out of your comfort zone and how it allowed personal growth46:07 - Doing Youtube and growing to become a successful personal finance channel50:55 - Top things on your bucket list--If you're reluctant, just do it and keep at it54:47 - Second bucket list item--investing in yourself and be willing to spend money on things1:02:15 - TikTok as the best means of ROI for content creation1:04:16 - How to contact Charlie, have confidence in creating the life you wantJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 29: Riana Singh (@rianasingh_) is the founder and CEO of Boss Women Collective, a community that works to connect and empower womxn in real life through intimate experiences. She graduated from UCLA in 2017 with a degree in Asian-American studies, completing eight internships at various tech companies throughout her college career.We talk about creating space and opportunity for women in tech, fighting imposter syndrome, defining success, and more in this week's episode of Why You No Doctor.Show Notes:00:00 - Introducing to Boss Women Collective (BWC), their objective, who attends, and what they do2:15 - How did Riana come with the idea? How is BWC expanding?5:25 - Switching majors in UCLA, learning about Asian American identity, and growing up in Socal10:59 - Transitioning into tech and integrating her Asian American studies major13:48 - Working at Headspace and valuing mindfulness15:36 - Starting BWC as a side hustle and the differences between NYC, LA, and SF22:21 - Continuing to build up BWC, being adaptable, and other lessons learned fromsuccesses and failures25:58 - Holding workshops at coffee shops, successes with AngelList, Valentines Daypanel, and female representation29:39 - Lacking women representation in VC management, effects of a referral system, and suggestions to fix it33:26 - Difficulties as a young, female minority in the tech workplace and tips on fighting imposter syndrome37:44 - Anecdote on negotiating for a higher salary, legal obligations on revealing salary information41:07 - Being an Asian American while leading BWC and adding value to the minority experience43:05 - Riana's definition of success--feel like you're making a difference44:21 - Advice to a young woman entering or exiting college--follow your curiosities.46:37 - Number one thing to put onto a bucket list--do one thing that makes you nervous every year49:36 - How to get involved in BWC, how to contact Riana, and closing thoughtsJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 28: Kevin Li (@kevinlimagic) is a professional magician who currently holds the title of the Youngest Returner on Penn and Teller's hit show, Fool Us. With over 200K followers on Instagram, the recent Cal Poly Pomona graduate has dubbed himself the social platform's first magician. In this episode of the Why You No Doctor podcast, we talk to Kevin about learning his first magic tricks from his grandfather in China, how he turned magic into a career, and why he strives to make his shows modern, meaningful, and memorable.Show Notes:00:00 - Introducing Kevin Li and his earlier background on becoming a magician4:46 - Aspirations to do shows in China as homage to his heritage8:08 - Traveling in China and meeting Lu Chen10:43 - Living in Rowland Heights, having immigrant parents, and learning magic from his grandfather in China14:40 - Kevin's relationship with his parents, changing majors to study Business Management.17:33 - Turning magic into a career, relating to his parents, and having no regrets23:29 - Embracing Chinese language and culture28:09 - Day to days during COVID, close up magic, and the process of creating magic31:15 - Creating Kevin's unique style of magic and speaking with Teller38:02 - Revealing how the magic happens and deciding how much to reveal40:55 - Habits that helped with success--not being too hard on yourself and improvisation43:21 - Acting classes and its similarities with magic44:45 - Bigger aspirations and uncertainties in the future47:09 - Advice you'd give to a younger version of yourself--Adapt to the circumstances49:05 - Bucket list recommendations--have meetings with people outside your industry!50:18 - Sharing cultures, last words, how to contact KevinJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 27: Margaret Ying (@oncemorewithlove) is the owner of Once More With Love, an online shop that started out on Etsy and eventually made its way to Michael's. Margaret's venture into design, however, only came after her friend casually asked her to make a few stickers for an Erin Condren planner..."I was able to express myself in way that I couldn't before and it made me feel so alive! At that moment, I realized that nothing ever felt right for me because there was no love. I was not in love with my education, my degrees, or my fancy jobs. So no matter how much I excelled at any of them, I was never satisfied. But now, I've decided to try this again. Once more, with love."Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Margaret's work and starting out on Etsy5:40 - Transitioning to Shopify and how to build up a following8:30 - Margaret's science background and dentistry. Navigating different career paths in her twenties.14:05 - Discussions on doctors and their thoughts on the premed-doctor pipeline19:05 - Deciding against dentistry and pursuing visual effects22:00 - Working after the VFX program and working in the film industry25:50 - Telling the story of how Once More With Love got started on Etsy30:23 - How Margaret creates the drawings through Wacom and it's differences with the iPad34:59 - Difference between Asian and Western markets for Margaret's products37:03 - Talking more about how Once More With Love became a sustainable business39:30 - Building the business, long working hours, and burnout45:43 - Getting to sell in Michael's and its success47:14 - Advice you would give to your 20 year old younger self -- Try everything!49:52 - Recommend something to put onto a bucket list51:10 - Favorite book and favorite place you have been52:46 - How to contact Margaret and parting wordsJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Welcome back to the Why You No Doctor Podcast! We're so excited to kick off our second season. We're publishing episodes twice a week on Tuesday and Friday, so be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get notified of our new content.Episode 26: Patrick Lee (@rottendoubt) is best known as the co-founder and founding CEO of Rotten Tomatoes. Over the years, Patrick has founded six start-ups across three countries and served as the advisor to several businesses across disciplines.In this intimate episode, we speak to Patrick about motivations, burnout, being Asian American, and more.Show Notes:00:00 - Introduction to Patrick Lee and his work02:41 - Gauging money and valuing your time in the context of current events5:58 - Valuing legacy and what it means to Patrick specifically11:17 - Asian American Representation and GoldHouse16:00 - Maintaining motivation and avoiding burnout while aging20:47 - Advice you Patrick would give to younger iterations of himself27:00 - Stress, depression, and relationships32:50 - Fears, insecurities, and expressing gratitude36:23 - Living in Asia and its perspectives40:45 - Traveling in Asia and the cultural differences with the US45:20 - Millennials and commitment aversion on where to live48:52 - Discussing video games, stress relief, and e-sports51:40 - Valuing time to respect our mortality. Spending time with loved ones57:40 - Advice to Asian American graduates: take risks young and go for your dreams1:01:00 - Conclusions, parting wordsJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 25: Cynthia Pong (@embracechangenyc) is an ex-lawyer turned career coach. She received her JD from the NYU School of Law and served as a public defender for six years before founding her own business: Embrace Change. Now, Cynthia works as a career coach and workshop facilitator for navigating career change, negotiation, and more. While most of our episodes leave off with a motivational, inspiring message to our young audience, Cynthia's note is focused on empathy, and being kind to oneself throughout the process of not only career searching, but also life itself. In episode 25 of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Cynthia and Dominic discuss her transition from lawyer to entrepreneur, how to mitigate burnout, therapy, and more.Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Cynthia Pong, her work, and how she became feminist career coach4:22 - On being an introvert: pros and cons in the workplace8:39 - The structure of Cynthia's work: how she works with her clients12:00 - A discussion on leadership: how does someone grow into a leadership role? How Cynthia helps develop leadership skills for her clients + the difference between personal vs. career growth.17:30 - On the importance of following through18:40 - Therapy: Cynthia's story on re-framing thoughts and shifting behaviors22:52 - More on Cynthia's background: where she grew up, her career aspirations while in college, and going from a public-defense lawyer to launching her own business28:26 - How difficult was the decision to leave her public defender position? Looking back, would she have done anything differently?34:05 - How do you decide to change careers, or to stick with your current path?42:34 - A deeper dive into the transition to consulting: side hustles, working part-time at a Farmer's market, etc.45:18 - On Cynthia's new career as a coach and consultant: what's different?48:37 - What does success mean for Cynthia today?50:57 - The risk of burning out as an entrepreneur58:26 - Cynthia's advice for young Asian-American graduates1:04:58 - Outro: how to find Cynthia online, etc.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 24: Bing Chen (@bingchen) has a stacked resume. After serving as the Global Head of Creator Development at YouTube, where he spearheaded the now-famous Partner program, Bing founded the start-up Victorious, which was acquired by Headspace in 2018. He's served as an advisor for over 10 top companies, including Google, Snapchat, and Baobab Studios. In 2018, Bing founded Gold House, the largest collective of pioneering Asians across the cultural industries, and continues to lead the non-profit in supporting and connecting the Asian diaspora. And he's still moving - the AUM Group is Bing's newest project, a multicultural film fund that invests in the next generation of storytellers.But every activity he engages in is intentional, and every step in his career leads him closer to his life's purpose. Listen in on this week's episode of the Why You No Doctor podcast, where we converse with Bing about how he developed Gold House's and AUM Group's missions, figured out the meaning of life at the tender age of 16, and determined his qualitative goals in life and used them to mold his career.Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Bing Chen and the Gold House Collective: how Asians can support one another + the organization's mission and Bing's personal goals6:03 - Bing's origin story + how his parents' experiences shaped his perspective9:26 - The meaning of life, from Bing's point of view + how being Asian does and does not play into his purpose16:50 - Bing's new project: the AUM Group Multicultural Film Fund - what it is, and what he hopes for it to become20:54 - A deeper dive into AUM's philosophy and criteria for investing in stories24:22 - What role Gold House plays in supporting films27:56 - Bing's interest in franchises, explained32:50 - How to create a franchise34:29 - The number one item Bing recommends everyone to put on their bucket list + advice on how to determine your qualitative goal and turn it into a career39:52 - The difference between the present-day Bing and the Bing from ten years ago43:12 - Bing's best and worst habitJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 23: Megan Le (@missmeganle) holds many titles. While growing up in Indiana, Megan began dance classes as a toddler, and eventually expanded her creative efforts towards theatre and acting in high school. Now, she lives in Los Angeles and juggles both acting and serving as a stunt-woman - oh, and she also founded her own production company, where she helps produce and direct independent projects.Most recently, Megan starred in the Netflix series, Medical Police as Agent Tran.On this episode of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Megan describes her upbringing, and her personal experience with race and ethnicity in the entertainment industry, and what she's learned during her tenure in Hollywood. Plus, learn what the phrase "eating the frog" means.Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Megan Le, how she started acting and getting into stunt work + her current role on Medical Doctor6:10 - On downplaying accomplishments, the surreal feeling of being booked9:31 - Megan's early life and upbringing13:44 - How Megan's mother supported her passions and career throughout her childhood15:51 - Asian representation + the financial worries behind a creative career18:00 - Megan's person experience with race and ethnicity in Hollywood21:30 - Advice for getting your foot into the entertainment industry, how to build important relationships + with what people28:01 - The struggle of branding yourself28:52 - Megan's path to landing her role on Medical Police + founding her own production company30:42 - What's next in store for Megan's career + advice on auditioning, imposter syndrome, and how to keep improving35:30 - The most important rituals for success + closing thoughts and adviceJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 22: Aneesh Chaganty (@aneeshchaganty) is the director and co-writer of the critically-acclaimed film, Searching (2018, starring John Cho; winner of the Sloan Feature Film Prize at Sundance), as well as the upcoming thriller, Run (2020, starring Sarah Paulson). He is also a recipient of the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 award in Hollywood & Entertainment. When he first came out of film school at USC, Aneesh took part in the typical recent-graduate festivities: writing scripts at coffee shops in Los Angeles. After eight months, his perfect domino fell when he took up the opportunity to create a film for Google Glass, a project that - after many obstacles and hoops - eventually went viral and kick-started Aneesh's career in the entertainment industry. The short, 2-minute film led to a job at Google Creative Lab, which led to Searching, which led to Run.Listen in on this week's episode of the Why You No Doctor podcast, in which we converse with Aneesh on his family background, the exact story of his Google Glass breakout, and more.Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Aneesh Chaganty and his background: where he grew up, the profession of his parents (serial entrepreneurs) 2:26 - A deeper look into how Aneesh's parents ultimately influenced him to pursue what he loves and to take risks + how they provided him with something more than just monetary resources7:34 - More on Aneesh's high school cultural background, and what set him apart from others + where he went to film school10:59 - The turning point that most significantly affected Aneesh's life: the making of the Google Glass project - and a lesson Aneesh considers is essential to making it in the entertainment industry (watch the video, SEEDS, here: https://vimeo.com/94024888)28:22 - Aneesh on how it often just takes one domino to fall in the right way for you to be on your path + it starts with taking an opportunity that isn't yours29:04 - What are some of the biggest lessons learned from and through his experience?32:41 - The number one thing Aneesh recommends listeners put on their bucket list33:27 - What's next for Aneesh + outroJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 21: An Phan (@anthienphan) is a Vietnamese-American actress, model, and writer who is best known for co-starring on HBO's Euphoria and winning the Miss Talent Vietnam USA crown in 2018 - but her background is anything but easy and glamorous. An is the second child of two Vietnamese refugees with grueling stories - her father, who was caught while trying to make his escape to the United States, served two years of jail time before reuniting with his wife in Arkansas. But even while facing financial hardships and working multiple jobs, An's parents were able to send her to private schools to give her the best shot at the life they never had. The situation created a fissure in understanding between the two generations, who faced different problems and different desires at different times. On episode 21 of the Why You No Doctor podcast, listen in on An's story of growing up, navigating her relationship with her parents, and facing the issue of representation in Hollywood.Show Notes: 0:00 - introduction to An Phan + her background growing up in Arkansas2:41 - An's parents: the story of Vietman refugees6:29 - An's experience growing up, transitioning from public to private school + generational difference between first-generation and second-generation immigrants11:20 - Dealing with anxiety and bullying in elementary school + finding the favorite subject and teacher: art15:00 - How An got involved in performing arts, her initial experience with representation, and when she decided to pursue it as a career20:14 - Confronting (or not confronting) her parents about acting and moving to LA, and the resolution30:36 - An on moving to LA, booking shows, and winning Miss Talent Vietnam USA35:18 - An on representation of Asian-Americans and Vietnamese-Americans in Hollywood38:48 - The biggest challenges in the entertainment industry40:11 - The moment that had the most impact on An's life43:24 - An's advice for listenersJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 20: Chris Do (@thechrisdo) is the founder and CEO of two companies: his first being Blind, an Emmy award winning brand design consultancy, and the second being The Futur (thefutur.com), an education platform that teaches creatives the principles of business. He's garnered a huge online following on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram for the content he produces.But being a first-generation immigrant refugee, Chris has had to navigate through a multitude of hoops to get to where he is today: from needing to adopt English as his second language, to choosing the creative path as a designer and dealing with the disapproval of his parents, to forcing himself to acquire the soft skills necessary to lead his own companies - it's been a life-long process of learning, of becoming better, day after day. In episode 20 of the Why You No Doctor Podcast, Dominic and Chris dive into his story, philosophy, and advice for the next generation of Asian Americans. Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Chris Do, and his companies: The Futur and Blind + discourse on product creation vs. client service work5:51 - How Chris teaches creatives to merge business and design with The Futur + his thoughts on "selling out" and the trope of the starving artist9:43 - Chris's background, childhood, and parents: how he grew up, what his parents thought about his passion for design, cultural dissonance19:12 - Where Chris went to school + the story of his college application process and getting into Arts Center23:53 - How to let critique not affect you personally + submitting yourself to the teacher to get better32:31 - On Asian representation in Arts Center and art universities in general, both in the current and in the past34:06 - How Chris approached his career in college, what his job aspirations were upon graduating, and the first jobs he worked36:26 - The story of the start of Blind + his biggest challenges starting his business: mindset, soft skills41:58 - Building up the soft skills: through high school, college, and the first 12 years of Blind51:22 - Recounting an experience of white privilege and worship in China56:52 - Advice on how to keep from getting burnt out1:03:56 - what Chris recommends everyone put on their bucket list: on life-long learning1:08:28 - Chris's book recommendations + outroJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 19: Kevin Wu (@kevintxwu) is the founder and CEO of Pathrise (pathrise.com), an online mentorship program for job searching that focuses on optimizing and systematizing the career hunt. Kevin is also a Y Combinator alum, as well as a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient in the education category.In episode 19 of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Kevin goes into how and why his company helps young professionals rise above the grueling aspects of job hunting, what his experience at Y Combinator was like, and his background growing up - with one message ringing clear and constant throughout: assess your own risks, make your own choices, and never be afraid of reaching out.Show Notes:0:00 - introduction to Kevin Wu + his company, Pathrise3:30 - More on Pathrise and the fellow choosing process/criteria, the success rate of the program8:12 - How Pathrise helps you along the job hunting process: systematizing and optimizing the job search11:45 - How Kevin founded Pathrise + more advice and caution surrounding career hunting17:10 - Deeper into the founding story and the mechanics behind starting a company + Pathrise's revenue model, the income-share agreement22:34 - Kevin's experience with the Y Combinator start-up accelerator28:43 - Kevin's background: growing up, parents, high school and college, etc.33:35 - Post-college path, discussion around the "risk" of tech entrepreneurship36:22 - Advice for college graduates: send cold emails38:38 - Hobbies + outroJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 18: Peilin Chou (@peilinchou) is the Chief Creative Officer of Pearl Studio, and has worked behind-the-scenes production roles for various hit films, including Mulan, Kung Fu Panda 3, and Abominable. After graduating from college in the '90s, she nearly went down the law-school route before solidifying her place as one of the few Asian Americans creatives working behind the camera in the entertainment industry. On episode 18 of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Peilin and Dominic touch upon Asian American representation in Hollywood, promotion tips and career advice for the younger generation, and more. Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Peilin + how she got into film/tv production4:11 - What did her parents expect her to study in college? + the pressures she felt as a communications major nearing graduation6:25 - Peilin tells the story of when she skipped taking the LSAT and drove to the Grand Canyon instead9:39 - The outsider feel that prevented Peilin from pursuing the entertainment industry immediately out of college + Asian representation behind the screens in the 90s12:51 - What difficulties did Peilin have to confront as an Asian American in the entertainment industry?15:56 - How Peilin secured her first job after college: Disney19:41 - The key tips or character traits that led Peilin to a full-time offer at Disney23:58 - What was her creative executive role at Disney like, especially from the Asian American perspective?27:30 - How Peilin worked behind-the-scenes on the original Mulan, and how that affected her view on representation31:52 - What does it take to become a chief creative officer? What is the path? + more on Asian American representation in the industry36:40 - What does Peilin look for when offering career promotions at pearl studio? + more tips on being a great hiring candidate44:24 - Peilin's advice for Asian American college graduatesJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 17: Florence Shin and Athina Wang are co-founders of Covry (@shopcovry and shopcovry.com), a direct-to-consumer eye-wear brand that specializes in elevated fit; the idea that started as a conversation at a climbing gym has turned into a company with over 10,000 followers on Instagram.Covry launched on Kickstarter in 2015, where Florence and Athina surpassed their initial goal of $18,000 by over $30,000, nearly tripling their project budget. In this episode of the Why You No Doctor podcast, the two Asian female founders take us through their background, Kickstarter dos-and-don'ts, manufacturing tips, and more.Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Athina, Florence, and their company, Covry + more on glass-wear for Asians and what makes Covry eye-wear unique2:32 - On Covry's market, audience, and goal5:00 - Florence and Athina's background8:10 - How the initial idea to form Covry began11:14 - Kickstarter: how it works, how to market it18:00 - After Kickstarting - tips on how to manufacture, attending expos, etc. 23:32 - The negotiating process for manufacturing + more on warehousing25:00 - Marketing + current goals27:58 - How has Florence + Athina's Asian American background been advantageous/disadvantageous in their business?29:00 - Advice for Asian American listeners + entrepreneursJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 16: Joy Regullano (@joyregullano) is a Filipino-American screenwriter and actor who's worked for Netflix, CW, Adult Swim, and more. She's starred in Supernatural, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Secret Life of the American Teenager, and held a staff writer role on the Netflix series "The Healing Powers of Dude."Even though Joy has been writing all her life, she made her dream career a reality when she made the decision to switch majors at UC Berkeley, much to her parents' dismay. After graduating and moving to Los Angeles, Joy has been balancing improv classes, writing gigs, acting opportunities - but above all, she consistently strives to enjoy and appreciate the challenging journey of pursuing something you love.Show Notes:0:00 - Introduction to Joy + what she's currently up to (her musical, supportive white parents), and how she got into theatre4:18 - How the conversation (about switching from pre-med to theatre) with her parents went7:00 - What were Joy's plans when she switched her major?10:25 - How did Joy get into writing + what was she writing before she decided to commit to the field full-time? Does she feel confident in her work, and how did she gain confidence?15:48 - Encountering negative feedback when pushing boundaries + balancing that with helpful, critical feedback to improve18:00 - Joy's life after college 21:27 - What's it like being an Asian american show writer? How do you book a writing gig?25:35 - On the development and impact of Joy's first viral video, "White Fetish"30:10 - How long are writing gigs typically? How does contracting work?32:09 - On Asian representation in the writing room37:10 - The future of Asian representation in media38:40 - Advice for young Asian AmericansJoin the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Jacob Fu (@jacobthefu) is the co-founder of LocalAdventurer.com, one of the top five travel blogs in the US. He and his wife, Esther JuLee (@estherjulee), run their business together.What started as a side hustle has since turned into a full-time gig and seemingly countless memories in the cities they've traveled to. But Jacob admits that when the couple is not outside exploring, they spend much of their time looking at their computer screens - editing content, trying to strike new partnerships, and more. In episode 15 of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Jacob takes us deep into the back-end of his world of travel blogging, where we dive into the nitty-gritty details of what it really takes to adopt blogging as your job.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Show Notes0:00 - Introduction to Jacob Fu and LocalAdventurer.com3:36 - The pros/cons of traveling the world and moving constantly6:40 - The difficulties of balancing work and life when you are your own boss9:26 - How LocalAdventurer.com was started + how it became successful13:10 - How Jacob & Esther kept motivation to continue blogging16:50 - The money: sponsorships, ad revenue, and affiliate sales23:00 - LocalAdventurer.com's income reporting25:06 - Content strategy recommendations + hours put into the blog28:20 - Current goals for LocalAdventurer.com30:30 - The shift to entrepreneurship and taking on your dreams in a calculating way37:26 - Advice for the next generation of graduatesSupport the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 14: Jerry Lee (linkedin.com/jehakjerrylee) is by day, a Senior Strategy & Operations Manager at Google who’s been promoted twice in just two years at the company. By night, he’s a vocal leader in the Asian American community, most known for his contributions to the Subtle Asian Networking group on Facebook and his own content on Linkedin. In this episode of the Why You No Doctor Podcast, Jerry and Dominic dig deep into what it takes to be a strong candidate in the race up the corporate ladder, their conversation spanning across subjects like the bamboo ceiling, the soft skills that make or break you in the corporate world, the effect cultural background has on your ability in the workplace, and more. Check out our corresponding blog post on this episode here.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Show Notes0:00 - Jerry Lee guest introduction and background (Strategy operations @ Google)2:20 - Jerry on leading groups like Subtle Asian Networking, and getting promoted at Google 4 times within 2.5 years4:15 - Advice on what it takes to get promoted: proactiveness and ownership7:00 - Discussion on ownership, and its influence in leadership9:00 - Corporate leadership and management, and the importance of soft skills11:52 - Cultural background affects on soft skills, from an Asian perspective14:14 - How to develop confidence in expressing your own point of view15:34 - What soft skills are most valuable? What do managers look for when promoting?20:30 - Dom’s story demonstrating the importance of relationship building25:24 - Mental barriers when networking with higher-ups and tips on overcoming them28:30 - Tips on how to be more personable at interviews, networking events, etc.31:44 - How to deal with tense situations33:12 - Does culture have an impact on the way we develop relationships?36:04 - More tips on being personable and overcoming shyness40:00 - Passion should drive you forward in your endeavors45:10 - It’s hard to connect the dots looking forward.46:30 - The top three requests Jerry receives from Subtle Asian Networking & others51:00 - Rules of thumb for resumes and cover letters54:58 - How to find and reach Jerry online and last parting words and adviceSupport the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 13: Almost exactly a year ago, Tanya Zhang (taneeyuh) left a cushy corporate job at Ernst & Young to co-found an e-commerce start-up that fills a gap in dress shirts for slim men, Nimble Made (@nimblemade). From learning the ins and outs of an unfamiliar yet saturated fashion industry, to being the literal 24/7 customer service chat response on their website, to self-funding the entirety of the company, chasing your dream and founding your own venture is an experience Tanya can't compare to anything else. Listen as we discuss Tanya's first year of taking on Nimble Made full-time, advice for any budding entrepreneurs, and more. Check out Nimble Made at their site, https://nimble-made.com.Check out our corresponding blog post about Tanya here.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 12: Natasha Jung (@natashajung) is the founder and executive producer of Cold Tea Collective, a new media platform dedicated to telling the real stories and perspectives of Asian millennials with the means of celebrating their heritage.But before Natasha found her calling, she worked tirelessly at her corporate marketing job - only to meet the end of the road when she wasn’t performing up to par: her heart wasn’t in it. It took a lot of deep-digging and self-reflection, but with the defining of her core values, Natasha successfully changed her career path to chart towards endeavors she was truly passionate about: career consulting and of course, Cold Tea Collective.In this episode, Natasha shares how you can find the career path that’s most meaningful to you - along with tidbits of her background, story, Myers-Briggs personality type, and more.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 11: Nathanael Ren (@nathanaelren) is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Buoy Health, a start-up that’s leveraging artificial intelligence to create a free, digital health tool that provides consumers with a real-time, accurate analysis of their symptoms. And though he jumped on board because he couldn’t see a future without this tool, carrying out the decision to leave a corporate job for the start-up life isn’t easy.It not only means sometimes working over 100 hours a week, but also facing instability and insecurity head-on - overcoming new challenges and obstacles every day. In this episode of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Nathanael sheds light on why he chose to become an entrepreneur, what advice he has for the next generation of graduates, and more.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 10: Nathalie Con (@nathaliecon) is the VP of Strategy at Giant Spoon, a marketing and advertising agency that ranks at #37 on LinkedIn’s 2019 Top Startups list. She started at Giant Spoon in 2014 as their second hire in the Los Angeles office, and has since been promoted four times to now fill the shoes of a Vice President at a full-scale company that’s expanded to over 200 employees. To add on to her impressive resume, Nathalie was awarded the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 award in Marketing.In episode 10 of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Nathalie sheds light on qualities that she finds are most valuable in a team member, how she manages stress, and her experience as an Asian American woman in a non-traditional field. Get ready to listen and learn. Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 9: Andy Lin (@outromundialista) is the founder and creative director of the Self-Portrait Project (@selfportraitp), an experience that aims to empower people to create their own images and ultimately, express themselves through their own means.Andy has done it all - he’s dropped out of college, been a part of a Christian rock band, founded a non-profit, and somehow along the way… he’s found his own way of helping the world around him in a meaningful way. After 10 years of working to give others a platform of expression, Andy tells his own story on episode 9 of the Why You No Doctor podcast.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 8: Tuan Ho (@2onhello) couldn’t afford to pay the tuition to the only college his was accepted to. But one summer and 40 scholarship essays later, he accumulated over $500,000 in scholarships and gladly took the full-ride to Northeastern University.Since then, Tuan has taken his experience and multiplied it by 100. He is now the CEO and Co-founder of ScholarJet, a company that's creating a future where people are rewarded during their pursuit for a career based on their ability; the platform connects diverse talent to tech companies through online, skills-based hiring competitions. ScholarJet has helped many great clients including Wayfair, Rapid7, and Akamai Technologies expand their talent pipelines and show their commitment to diversity and inclusion.For his work, Tuan was recognized on the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Education. Listen to his story on episode 8 of the Why You No Doctor podcast.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 7: When he was attending Cal State Fullerton, Kevin Chiu (@kvn_chiu) barely graduated with a 2.1 GPA. Now, he and his brother have successfully acquired their Series A funding (over $15 million dollars) for their company Catalyst, the first customer success platform built by a team of customer success leaders. At only 27 years old, he became part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2019.That sounds glimmering, but it sometimes isn’t. Kevin sheds light on the ups and downs his company has faced since its founding, the mistakes they made, and the overwhelming amount of work they had to put in to get to where they are now. Take a peek behind the curtain of success and hear about the raw hardships, roadblocks, and hard work Kevin overcame as the COO of Catalyst. Hear his story on episode 7 of the Why You No Doctor podcast.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 6: Archie Kao (@archiekao) is an American and Chinese actor best known for series regulars roles on Chicago P.D., Power Rangers Lost Galaxy as well as long-running hit CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. In this episode of the Why You No Doctor Podcast, learn how running for student body vice president during college pushed Archie “throw his hat over the fence” to pursue acting, and hear the genuine advice he has for young students and professionals that want to break into the acting sphere. “I think you just need to be bold, because no matter what, the clock is ticking. We only get so much time, so do it - because all that other stuff will fade away, but it’s your life. Be bold.”Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 5: You define your own success - that’s the biggest lesson Kenny Nguyen (@the_kennynguyen), now the CEO of a successful marketing agency, learned when he dropped out of college during his sophomore year. Since getting fired from PacSun in high school, Kenny has harnessed all the momentum in moving forward with his life: he founded a public speaking consulting business called Big Fish Presentations in college, and is now heading ThreeSixtyEight, a modern marketing and branding agency. On top of that, he has a whole slew of accolades: he’s a board member of Delta Air Lines, an investor in a modern asian restaurant called Soji, author of The Big Fish Experience, Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient in Marketing and Advertising, and occasional stand-up comedian. There is no one correct path to achieving your goals.Hear about Kenny’s experience and advice on episode five of the Why You No Doctor Podcast.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Show Notes0:00 - Introducing Kenny Nguyen1:45 - How getting fired from PacSun spurred Kenny’s career in communications and entrepreneurship4:06 - How to speak: the development of Big Fish Presentations7:36 - Balancing time between being a restaurant investor, CEO of ThreeSixtyEight, Board Member of Delta Air Lines9:22 - “I don’t need to study” - the lesson of hard work10:30 - What growing up Asain in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is like12:20 - Dropping out of college to pursue Big Fish Presentations, and defining your own version of success13:40 - Kenny’s advice for college students and graduates: opening your perspective and making yourself uncomfortable15:38 - Being grateful for the ordinary moments16:13 - Kenny’s to-do list and journaling habit17:16 - ThreeSixtyEight day-to-days and momentum18:33 - Kenny’s #1 bucket list recommendation: the silent retreat20:20 - The next steps for ThreeSixtyEight and Kenny?21:22 - Book recommendations22:01 - Get in touch with Kenny: kenny.n@threesixtyeight.com and parting advice: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” Support the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 4: Justin Ching (@justinrching) is a producer who has made hit series for many media giants including Disney, YouTube, and Fox. He’s since left his full-time job at Fox to pursue a different kind of journey; in 2016, he founded his own production company, j-school, through which he works to tell the stories that matter the most: those of all underrepresented groups. What started with a free editing software called iMovie has now brewed into a continuous passion beyond just a career path - and, well, also a Forbes 30 Under 30 award in media.In episode four of the Why You No Doctor podcast, Justin takes us through it all: from a small city known as San Bernardino, to a ticket to an Ivy League school, to jobs at the largest media companies… to learning how to find Morocco - hear his story now.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com.Show Notes0:00 - Introducing Justin Ching0:45 - Getting in the filmmaking industry - from San Bernardino to UPenn to discovering his love for writing6:05 - How Justin’s life was changed at 177:20 - Growing up Asian in San Bernardino and finding peace with the lasting effects10:00 - What it’s like being an Asian in the filmmaking industry now: Disney, YouTube/Google, Fox14:40 - Starting his own production company, j-school, and playing the great Hollywood game17:18 - Justin’s advice to college students: reaching out, going all in, and staying sane19:50 - Tips on staying sane: keeping a small circle, being self-aware of the culture21:05 - Never being above the culture, and never being above helping other people22:26 - What’s the worst advice Justin has gotten thus far in his career?24:50 - Justin calls you to find your Morocco26:23 - Find Justin online: @justinrchingSupport the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)
Episode 3: Wen Ren (@thewenren) is a Chinese-American filmmaker based between Los Angeles, California and Beijing, China.His latest sci-fi feature film, The Last Sunrise, won the Best Film category at the Fantasporto Film Festival, the same award won by David Fincher, Guillermo del Toro, and Danny Boyle in the past - but that’s just a glimpse of success for Wen in a field tries your passion, grit, and ability to persevere through failures again and again. In this episode of the Why You No Doctor Podcast, Wen speaks to his life journey - of moving to China, of going through the best highs and the worst lows, and ultimately - of the vulnerability it takes to really go after what you love.Join the community! Follow us on Instagram @wyndpodcast and find all of our socials at whyyounodoctor.com/podcast.Questions or comments? Email us at nancy@whyyounodoctor.com. Show Notes0:00 - Introducing our first guest, Wen Ren1:10 - What got you into what you do, and what exactly do you do? Wen’s backstory: how the camera gave him a voice2:35 - Film school choices? How to develop your voice and choose your path5:30 - Moving to China, the ups and downs of working there, and how he pitched his feature film10:11 - Why Wen’s motto is “Never Celebrate”11:12 - Wen’s turning points in life and why he encourages you to move12:23 - The Tribeca Film Festival, and how it empowered Wen to keep pushing through13:40 - What Wen’s learned about film distribution15:50 - The story of winning the Best Film Award at the Fantasporto Film Festival 20:33 - The film in hindsight: how to utilize what makes you different to stand out21:30 - How has being Asian positively or negatively affected your life? What being Asian American means to Wen Ren, and the in-between space22:50 - Wen’s advice for college students, and harnessing privilege25:22 - Wen’s worst and best habits: boba and grit26:36 - The coffee shop stake27:40 - The Last Sunrise summary and available showsSupport the show (http://whyyounodoctor.com/podcast)