hot pursuit by AsianBossGirl

We often say that your 20’s are a time for exploration and new experiences, and today’s guest has certainly proven that! You might recognize Ashley Chen from her incredible work as our former Social Media Coordinator or Episode 160 when she was on the pod to talk about transitions in your early 20’s. Now in her mid-20’s, she recently made big steps to quit her corporate job and move to Taiwan for...

Raise your hand if you know Jay Chou? Jolin Tsai? F4? lol One of the most common questions we get asked is “How do you stay connected to your culture?” or “Have you always been connected to your cultural identity?” In this episode, I’ll share why I’m so proud to be Taiwanese-American and how I stay connected with my cultural identity. Trust me, it’s more fun than you think! Join me for an inspirin...

Today’s guest will likely be a familiar face - Steven Lim is known for his work as a co-host of Buzzfeed’s “Worth It” series and for being a co-founder/CEO of Watcher Entertainment. But before that, he was just a kid from Ohio, who went from being a chemical engineer to the creator and AAPI community advocate we know him as today! And with the launch of his new food show Travel Season, there’s sur...

In this enlightening episode, we explore the powerful intersection of acupuncture and fertility with Michelle Oravitz, a licensed acupuncturist and author of "The Way of Fertility." Michelle shares her personal journey from struggling with irregular periods to finding healing through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Her experiences led her to transition from a career in architecture to becoming...

In celebration of Father’s Day and all the different ways fatherhood can look, we’ve brought Sam Tsui and Casey Breves on the show to share about their journey and outlook on parenting. Sam and Casey are OG YouTubers, incredibly talented musicians, and fathers to their beautiful daughter Elaia. It’s clear that music and creativity are core values in their lives, and they’re passing it onto Elaia a...

I’ve been feeling really sensitive lately and got curious about this quality. I went down a rabbit hole of research, and it turns out that there is such a thing as highly sensitive people, or HSPs. In this episode, I talk about examples of sensitivity, explore a framework from psychologist Elaine Aron, and share ways I manage sensitivity. And yes, there is a test you can take to gauge whether you...

We’ve talked a lot about healthy communication in relationships, but when it comes to the topic of sex, partners often shy away from talking about it directly. On top of that, our experience of pleasure as women is often not prioritized, and some may even wonder: Is it possible for me to reach “the big O”?  To help guide these conversations, we’ve brought on Sex & Relationship expert Dr. Tara. As...

Did you know I never took the SAT? Yet I still earned a Bachelor's Degree from a four-year university! And guess what? I saved $27,000 on college tuition! How? I started at my local community college for two years before transferring to UC San Diego. In today's episode, I’ll share why I chose community college despite having a 3.8 GPA in high school, what the experience was like (did I feel behind...

Earlier this year, Helen went through a miscarriage, and since then she’s been navigating this devastating loss alongside her husband Philip. From doctor visits to sharing the news, every step along the way has been a difficult one. It’s unfortunate to learn that about 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, and expectant parents often have to go through their grief in silence, and alone. For this...

Whether you’re a parent or someone who has faced the heavy weight of grief, this episode is dedicated to you. From the initial shock and denial to the eventual steps towards acceptance and hope, I share my journey with grief after my miscarriage, delving into what it means to grieve, how to navigate through grief, and the importance of community and support. I also share what I’ve learned about th...

Have you ever wondered if someone you know is a Narcissist? Maybe they have very high self-esteem, but when does self-confidence cross the line into an unhealthy level of self-importance? To help shed some light on this topic, we’re so excited to have Alyssa “Lia” Mancao back on the podcast! Last time, we spoke with Lia about the Importance of Chemistry vs. Compatibility in Relationships, but one...

I am a big believer that food is medicine. Growing up in a Chinese household, my mother often told me (and still tells me) to eat certain foods based on Eastern philosophies of health. Once I went to college, I was more exposed to Western ways of thinking about healthy eating, which sometimes conflicted with what I was taught growing up. Through the years, I’ve experimented with vegetarian and veg...

YouTube launched in 2005, and today’s guest was there right near the start. Weylie Hoang started her channel in 2007, with a video she filmed to teach a friend how to use a tampon. Over the years, we’ve watched her content evolve from beauty and fashion to camping, car maintenance, and traveling. We’re so excited to hear her perspective on how she’s maintained longevity as a content creator withou...

Join me for a special Q&A episode where we dive into the questions YOU submitted! From updates on the bustling streets of NYC to personal reflections on happiness and anxiety, nothing is off-limits. In this episode, we tackle everything from city life to emotional well-being. Plus, I had to answer your questions on what K-Drama I'm watching next and what I'm anticipating for this summer! Grab your...

Mel’s settling into New York now, but before that, she sat down with Janet to talk about her expectations for the big move. Frequent listeners will know that Janet’s bounced around a lot, and at one point, NYC was a place she really hoped to live. Unfortunately, though the city is easy to romanticize, setting down roots there has its own unique set of challenges. Mel talks about how she prepared f...

Today's topic is a tough one, so I want to give a heads-up: we’re diving into the difficult subject of miscarriage. Cue: “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” by Taylor Swift. About a month ago, I went through a miscarriage, and as a hopeful mom of two, it was the single most devastating thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. It's a heavy but necessary conversation, and today, I share my own experience wit...

Happy AANHPI Heritage Month! Every year, we love to highlight our personal stories and connections with our heritage. In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into specific topics we’ve always been curious about: Why did most early immigrants from China to the US come from the Toisan region? What’s the history & symbolism behind the familiar Chinese knot artistry often used to decorate homes & cl...

I really love minimal living. Whether it’s from moving around and traveling a lot in my adult years sampling life in different cities, a desire to leave less of a negative footprint on the planet, a real resonance with the Marie Condo mindset, or a combination of all of the above - the less stuff, the better, and the more minimal and efficient the design, the more I’m drawn to it. That’s why I was...

As people grow and change, you might find yourself in your 30s as a very different person than you were in your 20s. Teenage you might not have even imagined who you are today. So while it may be slightly embarrassing to look back at those old versions of ourselves, in this episode we’re reflecting on all the glow ups (and even glow downs) that brought us here. From puberty and bad haircuts, to fi...

For today’s episode, it falls a bit after my 2 year anniversary with Ray. The last time I was in this long of a relationship was in high school and that was a very different time. With us moving in together, in a new city, we are definitely in a different stage in our relationship. Today, I reflect back on our relationship, compare year 1 & 2, chat through the other insights I discovered in our re...

Oof, no one likes to look back on past failures, even if it’s been years since then. But making mistakes is a part of life, and none of them define who you are or what the rest of your life will look like. Today, we share our biggest academic, relationship, and career failures – from getting a D+ on a final, to facing negative performance reviews at work. These moments often felt like they closed...

Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to raise your child in another country? In today’s episode, I bring my old high school friend, Connie Ma, onto the podcast to chat about the unique experience of raising a family abroad, particularly in Taiwan. Connie shares her journey from the United States to Taiwan, highlighting the challenges and joys of integrating into Taiwanese society. We discuss l...

In a world filled with so many influences and voices, how do you return back to your core self and rediscover your life’s purpose? Or in the words of today’s guest, how do you start living from the inside out, rather than the outside in? We’re so excited to sit down with John Kim, known for his work as The Angry Therapist. After going through a divorce, John shared his self-development journey onl...

In a previous episode, I talked about the importance of play and how I have been trying to incorporate more of it into my life. *Spoiler alert* In that episode (In My Play Era, I Took a Heels Class) I talked about how scheduling a playful activity like a dance class actually wasn’t the best way to get into a state of play. In this episode I share a moment when I unexpectedly, and without planning,...

When you go through big life changes, it can frequently feel like you’re unbalanced and losing control of your circumstances, even if the changes are good ones. This year, Mel’s taking big steps by moving cross-country, while Janet is stepping out of her comfort zone into a new era of carefree play. As we enter new chapters in life, what is the best way to measure progress and re-center ourselves?...