Aconic

Intentional Leadership with Mayor Aftab Pureval. In this episode, host Soon Yu interviews Aftab Pureval, the mayor of Cincinnati, who shares his inspiring journey from his immigrant family's experiences to his leadership in public office. Pureval discusses his career trajectory, starting from his early days in student government to his role as clerk of courts, where he tackled systemic challenges...

In this episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu speaks with Charles Yu, award-winning novelist and executive producer of Hulu's 'Interior Chinatown'. They dive into Charles' journey from a career in law to becoming a celebrated writer, focusing on his struggles and breakthroughs.  The discussion covers the moment when he almost gave up on writing 'Interior Chinatown' and how he overcame i...

Yamini Rangan: From Small Town Dreams to Leading HubSpot. In this episode of Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu, along with co-host Tina Shah Paikeday, interviews Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot. The conversation covers Yamini's inspiring journey from a small town in India, to leading a prominent software company. Yamini shares personal anecdotes about overcoming gender biases in engineering school, adapt...

In this episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu engages in an honest and candid conversation with Jenny Ming, a prominent Asian-American leader and the CEO of Rothy's, a fast growing fashion company endorsed by. Jenny shares her remarkable journey, from immigrating to the U.S. as a child to rising through the ranks to leadership roles at top fashion brands, including Co-Founder and First...

Ho Nam: Resilience and Reinvention. In this episode, host Soon Yu interviews Ho Nam, Managing Director of Altos Ventures. The conversation delves into Ho's upbringing in Korea, his family's immigration journey to the U.S., and the socio-economic challenges they faced. Ho shares insights into the founding and evolution of Altos Ventures over three decades, highlighting the shift from a feeder fund...

Manny Maceda: From Exile to Acclaim. In this episode, Soon Yu speaks with Manny Maceda, former CEO/Worldwide Managing Partner of Bain & Company, about his remarkable journey from a privileged childhood in Manila to becoming a global leader in consulting. Manny shares how political turmoil reshaped his family’s life, leading to their exile in the U.S. and inspiring him to pursue higher ed...

In this episode of the Aconic Podcast, hosted by Soon Yu, we welcome Joe Bae, CEO of KKR. Joe shares his journey from immigrating to the U.S. at a young age, growing up in a predominantly white community, and developing a passion for music which later transitioned to finance. He speaks about his rapid career progression, starting at Goldman Sachs and joining KKR. Joe discusses his significant cont...

On this episode of the Aconic Podcast with Soon Yu, we speak with Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry, a senior executive in Silicon Valley. Deb shares her story of overcoming the challenges she faced as an Asian-American woman, reflecting on her upbringing in South Carolina and the discrimination she encountered. She delves into her mission of being a creator, connector, and problem solver. Highlighting her...

In this episode, host Soon Yu interviews Andrew Yang, entrepreneur, founder of the Forward Party, and former 2020 presidential candidate. They discuss Yang’s stereotypical upbringing as the son of Taiwanese immigrants, his struggles with identity, and the challenges he faced in his early career. Yang shares his journey from a scrawny, picked-on geek to a resilient, transformative leader, emp...

In this episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu engages in an inspiring conversation with Debby Soo, the CEO of OpenTable. Debby delves into her remarkable journey from humble beginnings in Daly City to breaking stereotypes in the corporate world. She shares her candid experiences of overcoming cultural stigmas, trailblazing through various professional roles, and mastering the art of adapting...

Ready for an inside look at the world of professional football through the eyes of a groundbreaking leader? On the premiere episode of the Aconic™ Podcast, we sit down with Paraag Marathe, the trailblazing President of the San Francisco 49ers Enterprises, who is shaking up the NFL. From his humble beginnings working in his family’s pizza shop to navigating the high-stakes world of football operati...