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Navigating the Rise

Navigating the Rise

By George Wu

Navigating the Rise was created to bring awareness and recreate the misperceptions of Asians in the West. For example, people mistaken quietness as a lack of confidence, not creating intense conflicts as a lack of personal viewpoints, among others.

Because of the miscommunication, sometimes Asians were being taken advantage of within Western society in various forms from social to professional environments.

Navigating the Rise aim to merge the best of Western and Asian values.

Contact: george@navigatingtherise.com
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Currently playing episode

[S2] [E8] How to Awaken Your Cultural Consciousness with John Eing, Partner at Abacus Wealth Partners

Navigating the RiseMay 14, 2020

00:00
47:07
[S3] [E13] What It Is like to Be Asian American with Vivian Tran, Author of Asian Duckling

[S3] [E13] What It Is like to Be Asian American with Vivian Tran, Author of Asian Duckling

Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong as an Asian American? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Join George and Vivian Tran as they chat about what it’s like to be Asian American. Dr. Vivian Tran helps businesses analyze their needs and develop programs aimed to create a healthy work environment. She’s also writing a book based on her experiences growing up as an Asian American called the Asian Duckling.

In the episode, the two share their observations in the workplace environment, experiences being raised in between two cultures, and finding a good business partner.

Here are the things to expect in the show:

  • The need for companies to recognize and act on the mental shifts with their employees.
  • Conflicts of interest between the American way and the Asian way of living.
  • The value of proper communication especially if you’re in a multicultural business.
  • The ability of the multicultural mind to do “context switching”. What’s that about?
  • Finding a business partner that complements your weaknesses in the work that you do.

~


Dec 24, 202033:31
[S3] [E12] How to Start Eco-friendly Living Across the World with MR Maximo, Founder of Mabhuhai Maxima

[S3] [E12] How to Start Eco-friendly Living Across the World with MR Maximo, Founder of Mabhuhai Maxima

This week, we have the opportunity to interview with MR Maximo.  She is a flight attendant, freelance author, and financial advisor.  She currently lives in the Philippines.  Also, because of her work as a flight attendant, she travels throughout the world that advanced her cultural understandings across countries.

Her work revolves around sustainability and how sustainable living can create the maximum value in your life.  MR Maxima also created a podcast to talk about her journey as an environmentalist.  She changed her brand to the vegan flight attendant in a world that promotes otherwise from her perspective.  Thereafter, she goes in-depth on how to stay true to yourself and how to stay kind and happy for yourself—at the same time, doing all without negatively affecting the planet.  She mentioned how the societal pressure of consumerism can affect you and how to avoid that.

https://vurbl.com/station/NTR

Dec 10, 202033:06
[S3] [E11] What It Is Like to Be a Cabin Crew Influencer w/ Ekasari Gusti

[S3] [E11] What It Is Like to Be a Cabin Crew Influencer w/ Ekasari Gusti

Most people think being a cabin crew and an Instagram influencer is all about the outside looks; Ekasari Gusti proves that it's more than that. For her, looks won’t matter if a person has poor behavior and doesn’t celebrate her own body.   Sari's brand is all about learning how to build self-confidence. Listen to the episode to hear Sari's traveling stories, fashion tips, the challenges of being a cabin crew influencer, and why your inner beauty and confidence matter the most.

Nov 26, 202031:48
[S3] [E10] What It Is Like to Work as a Creative in Hollywood with Vicki Lau, Content Creator

[S3] [E10] What It Is Like to Work as a Creative in Hollywood with Vicki Lau, Content Creator

Working in Hollywood might be the sexy thing on the outside, but is it the sexy thing on the inside?    In this episode, Vicki Lau gives us an inside scoop of what is like working in Hollywood.  In fact, she describes her experience working in hot shows and movies like Aquaman and Walking Dead.

Nov 19, 202024:52
[S3] [E9] How to Still Pursue Your Dreams as a Mom w/ Vivien Yap

[S3] [E9] How to Still Pursue Your Dreams as a Mom w/ Vivien Yap

Who says being a mother is a hindrance to your dreams? Influencer and enneagram coach Vivien Yap begs to disagree. From juggling full-time work, motherhood, and influencer marketing, there's no limit to what a motivated mother can do. Listen to the episode to hear how she deals with her busy schedule, the importance of self-care in motherhood, and why the best thing you can do for yourself as a mother is to pursue your dreams.

Nov 12, 202034:47
[S3] [E8] What Helped People Accept who They Are with Stacy and Danah Gutierrez, Founder of Raw & Real Podcast

[S3] [E8] What Helped People Accept who They Are with Stacy and Danah Gutierrez, Founder of Raw & Real Podcast

Have you ever felt lost with the direction your life and faith is going?

Finding our truth takes a lot of reevaluation of our beliefs and values. However, God puts us in these situations to lead us toward the right path. In this episode, Stacey and Danah Gutierrez share the story of their transition toward spiritual work. They lay down raw and real insights into why our advocacy must align with the beliefs we uphold.

Listen to the full episode to know how you can find your path to a spiritual rebirth.

Oct 22, 202039:29
[S3] [E7]How to Be a Top Content Creator in Indonesia with Rizky Ardi Nugroho, Founder of Do You See What I see

[S3] [E7]How to Be a Top Content Creator in Indonesia with Rizky Ardi Nugroho, Founder of Do You See What I see

Do you want to know what it takes to become a top content creator?

If yes, this episode will show you how you can build your skills, attract an audience, create engaging content online, and overcome the challenges that come with it.

You will gain advice from the horror master himself, Mizter Popo, as he shares how he started podcasting and how the things he learned from entrepreneurship led him to become a top content creator in Indonesia.

Oct 08, 202028:47
[S3] [E6] How to Survive Being a Sexy Asian Actress in Hollywood with Vivian Ahn

[S3] [E6] How to Survive Being a Sexy Asian Actress in Hollywood with Vivian Ahn

Do you need survival tips and empowering advice to help you fulfill your dreams of becoming an actor?

The path of the artist is paved with difficulty. You need to face and overcome a lot of predicaments and hindrances. There are internal and external factors that may affect your confidence and passion for your craft. Vivian Ahn shares her experiences and learnings along her acting journey.

Listen to the full episode to know how you can be one of the new rising stars in the acting industry.

Sep 26, 202047:51
[S3] [E5] How Social Media Helps with Acting w/ Daniel Ang, Actor and Influencer
Sep 10, 202039:56
[KR] [E5] Look at all the Korean Fusion food here in LA
Sep 03, 202004:06
[S3] [E4] What It is Like to be a Fashion and Lifestyle Influencer with Athena Ng, Fashion and Lifestyle Influencer

[S3] [E4] What It is Like to be a Fashion and Lifestyle Influencer with Athena Ng, Fashion and Lifestyle Influencer

Nowadays, it’s tempting to start a career on social media because it’s lucrative. But becoming an influencer isn’t all about taking good pictures; you have to go out there and build a brand for yourself.

In this episode, Athena Ng shares her journey in becoming a social media influencer. She discusses sustainable fashion, the ups and downs in the fashion industry, and how companies collaborate with them to boost their presence online.

Listen to the full episode to understand the world of influencers better!

Aug 27, 202037:09
[S3] [E3] How to Combine Acting with Fashion with Deborah Cristobal, Actor and Fashion Designer

[S3] [E3] How to Combine Acting with Fashion with Deborah Cristobal, Actor and Fashion Designer

Do you want to break out of the conservative identity society has forced on you?

Having a creative channel for sharing our thoughts and personalities enables us to connect with ourselves and our communities. In this episode, Deborah Cristobal shares how she expresses herself through acting and fashion. She delves on her various voice acting gigs and takes us through her garment-making techniques.

Listen to the full episode and be inspired to work on your self-expression.

Aug 13, 202039:03
[KR] [E4] Why You Need to Come to LA Koreatown
Aug 07, 202013:41
[KR] [E3] Why Are There 7 Ways to Say the Same Thing in Korean?

[KR] [E3] Why Are There 7 Ways to Say the Same Thing in Korean?

Hierarchy is very important within Korean culture. That means using the right words when saying the same thing...even "I love you."

Please go to https://navigatingtherise.com/youtube for video.

Aug 07, 202006:12
[KR] [E2] 3 Things that Made K-Pop Popular
Jul 29, 202007:31
[S3] [E2] What It Is Like to Break Out of Your Rules and Boundaries

[S3] [E2] What It Is Like to Break Out of Your Rules and Boundaries

Here are three reasons why you should tune in to the full episode: 

1) Discover how Kiki cleaned up her act after being riddled with addiction, alcoholism, and partying.  

2) Get motivated to live a life of purpose. 

3) Learn how to overcome the fear of rejection and failure.  

Are you feeling trapped and out of control? Disentangling yourself from present addictions can be tricky. After all, you’ve relied on them for so long to feel alive.  Kiki Wong shares how she overcame her addiction to alcohol, drugs, and partying through Muay Thai. She also talks about the importance of creating a positive headspace in redefining your life for the better.

Jul 23, 202042:31
[KR] [E1] Do You Want to Eat the Universe?

[KR] [E1] Do You Want to Eat the Universe?

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: 

1) How to eat a universe to make you feel important  

2) If you love food and where it comes from 

3) If you are interested in Korean culture

Jul 17, 202005:23
[S3] [E1] Why Asian Creatives Are Unique in Their Special Way with Han Ju Seo, Founder of Asian Creative Network

[S3] [E1] Why Asian Creatives Are Unique in Their Special Way with Han Ju Seo, Founder of Asian Creative Network

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: 

1) Discover the beginnings of the Asian Creative Network. 

2) Find out how Han Ju balances conflicting viewpoints in managing ACN. 

3) Learn the importance of narrative diversity in the Asian creatives community.  

Growing up, what stereotypes have influenced your life?   The most prevalent stereotype for Asians is pursuing high-paying professions.   Is there space for people with creative passions?  In this episode, Asian Creative Network founder Han Ju Seo talks about the complexity of Asian creatives. She shares the beginnings of the community that aims to connect and bring opportunities to Asian creatives.  Listen to the full episode if you want to be a part of an inspiring community that brings out the creativity in you.  

Jul 09, 202034:05
[S2] [E11] People Who Know How to Party Make Great Entrepreneurs with Carl Choi, Founder & CEO at The Great Company

[S2] [E11] People Who Know How to Party Make Great Entrepreneurs with Carl Choi, Founder & CEO at The Great Company

How can you navigate cultural differences to communicate with others?

Appreciating the uniqueness of each culture is key to building confidence and engaging with others. In this episode, Carl Choi discusses his early experiences as an Asian-American trying to adjust to his surroundings. He shares how he overcame his shyness and became a more outgoing individual to become the entrepreneur he is today.

Listen to the full episode and be empowered to live a more connected life.

Jun 25, 202045:24
[S2] [E10] How to Bridge Asian and Western Business When You Are Not Asian with Kenneth Randall, VP of Product at HED Social

[S2] [E10] How to Bridge Asian and Western Business When You Are Not Asian with Kenneth Randall, VP of Product at HED Social

How do you deal with cultural differences in your business?

This week, we learn about Kenneth Randall’s experiences in bridging Asian and Western cultures. As an American, he encountered challenges in adapting to the Asian approach to work and leadership. However, Kenneth addressed these cultural gaps. The values and principles he learned from the Asian culture also helped him in raising his family.

Tune in to this episode to learn more about bridging cultural differences in your business and personal life.

Jun 11, 202037:12
Update to Navigating the Rise

Update to Navigating the Rise

Navigating the Rise on YouTube and all guest episodes come with workbook
Jun 06, 202001:18
[S2] [E9] How to Turn Anxiety to Professional Marketing with Sunni Sukumar, Marketing Director at preHIRED

[S2] [E9] How to Turn Anxiety to Professional Marketing with Sunni Sukumar, Marketing Director at preHIRED

This week we have the opportunity to speak with Sunni Sukumar, Marketing Director at preHIRED.  We explored various topics on how he broke out of the limitations he had and practiced his grit to get to where he is now.  Some of those stories we heard from Sunni include:


* How Sunni grew up scared of white people because of all the racism he faced as a kid.

* His parents didn't teach him any Indian languages or the culture. They wanted him to be as American as possible to fit in America.  After all, his parents struggled to fit into the US culture even though they spoke good English and were highly educated).

* Have severe social anxiety. That drove him to understand people better, which got him curious about marketing.

* How Sunni defined marketing as the science of helping people embrace change. People need to hope that "this time can be different." The reason is that we've almost all tried to get a result many times before we finally do. That same kind of fear keeps us from straying outside our culture to understand others.

Among everything Sunni described, the core things we touched upon include using exposure therapy to get over the hump.  Also, Sunni mentioned how he combined anxiety and marketing.  As a result, he does that by understanding people and how marketing can be used to relieve others' anxiety.  He mentioned avoiding being trapped by data. The different techniques of marketing are dangerous.  They take the emotion out of marketing. People buy from emotions, not data. Hence, most importantly, he views marketing as a way to help people embrace change.

May 28, 202043:07
[S2] [E8] How to Awaken Your Cultural Consciousness with John Eing, Partner at Abacus Wealth Partners

[S2] [E8] How to Awaken Your Cultural Consciousness with John Eing, Partner at Abacus Wealth Partners

Our upbringing determines our identity and values. Every decision we make is affected by our beliefs growing up. As a result, it can become a constraint in a diverse workplace, where you have to learn how to put yourself in the shoes of someone from another culture. By learning how to respect each other’s differences and awakening our cultural awareness, we can achieve success in everything we do.

In this episode, John Eing joins us to talk about how you can advance your career without compromising your values in life. He also discusses the importance of breaking cultural norms and stereotypes in the workplace. Also, he highlights the role of cultural awareness in our multicultural interactions in the workplace and society.

This episode will teach you the importance of culture in living a happy and successful life. Tune in!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
  1. Learn the three most important pieces of career advice John learned in his first job.
  2. Find out how our values and cultural beliefs affect the way we act and make decisions.
  3. Discover the role of cultural awareness in addressing obstacles in the workplace.
May 14, 202047:07
[S2] [E7] Why You Can Never Be the Top 1% with Angeline Wehmeyer, Wealth Strategist and Entrepreneur Builder at Angeline Wehmeyer, LLC

[S2] [E7] Why You Can Never Be the Top 1% with Angeline Wehmeyer, Wealth Strategist and Entrepreneur Builder at Angeline Wehmeyer, LLC

This week we have the opportunity to discuss with Angeline Wehmeyer on she went from making minimum wage with a master's degree to owning 1000's apartment units. Angeline Wehmeyer has always been an entrepreneur at heart. Her passion is to share her system with others to continually add more value and help them create a lifestyle filled with health & wealth, joy & abundance.

Apr 28, 202043:25
[S2] [E6] How to Run a Business in the United States When You Are Elsewhere with Surbhi Rathore, Co-founder at Symbl.ai

[S2] [E6] How to Run a Business in the United States When You Are Elsewhere with Surbhi Rathore, Co-founder at Symbl.ai

This week we have the opportunity to speak with Surbhi Rathore.  Surbhi Rathore is the CEO and Co-Founder of Rammer, the popular AI platform that automatically generates actionable insights from meetings. Prior to leading Rammer to success, Surbhi was heading Pre-Sales and Implementation projects for the Intelligent Assistant from Amdocs pluggable on existing Telco Enterprise software solutions around the globe. She has earlier worked with Nevis Networks, where she oversaw the development and deployment of Endpoint Agent for Network Security across organizations.

Apr 14, 202035:30
[S2] [E5] How to Be an Expert at Emergent Technologies with Amit Joshi, CEO of HashPrix

[S2] [E5] How to Be an Expert at Emergent Technologies with Amit Joshi, CEO of HashPrix

This week we explored how to be an expert at various new technologies quickly with Amit Joshi in his entrepreneurial journey.

Amit is an MBA+B.Tech graduate with 10 years of work experience in business strategy consulting and product management. He has been in the blockchain domain for 3+ years. He also worked on the implementation of blockchain in healthcare, payments, logistics, aerospace, crypto exchanges/funds, asset tokenization, among others.

For any company, integrating innovation with your business model is key to delivering better products and services to your customers. If you’re looking into using emergent technologies in your business, you have to innovate and use your resources well. In this week’s episode, we’re chatting with Amit Josh, the CEO of the blockchain domain company HashPrix. Amit shares his entrepreneurial journey, and he lets us in on his knowledge on how to be an expert quickly at new technologies. He also talks more in-depth about how residing in different countries has helped shape his perspective not only in business but also in life.

This episode is packed with valuable insights on entrepreneurship and firsthand experiences on different cultural exposure. I hope you get loads of takeaways after the show!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Discover how you can easily apply emergent technology across different verticals.

2. You will learn how Amit leveraged his cultural background in his work.

3. Find out the different levels and paces of innovation in different cultures, specifically in India.


Mar 30, 202038:15
[S2] [E4] Is K-Pop and K-Drama All You Need to Know about Korean Culture w/ Alex Sohn, Head of US Office at King Sejong Institute Foundation

[S2] [E4] Is K-Pop and K-Drama All You Need to Know about Korean Culture w/ Alex Sohn, Head of US Office at King Sejong Institute Foundation

This week I have the opportunity to speak with Alex (Woo Seung) Sohn, Head of US Office, King Sejong Institute Foundation.  The goal of the organization for King Sejong is to share Korean culture through activities and Korean Language.

Given the recent rise in K-Pop and K-Drama, many people are becoming interested in Korean culture.  But that is still at a superficial level.  To fully become more immersed in the culture, it is imperative to learn about the language.  One of the ways is that the Korean language is more of a context-driven language than a non-context driven language.  For example, in English and other languages, the sentence itself can quickly convey the meaning by itself. However, Koreans like to communicate a bit directly, and one word can mean different things depending on the context.  Because of those structures, not learning the language will take away many of the deeper nuances of the Korean language.

Mar 16, 202043:55
Navigating the Rise

Navigating the Rise

A show that uses culture to elevate yourself personally and professionally.
Mar 15, 202000:60
[S2] [E3] What Asian Values Make You a Great Entrepreneur w/ John Kang, Co-Founder and CEO of Reasi

[S2] [E3] What Asian Values Make You a Great Entrepreneur w/ John Kang, Co-Founder and CEO of Reasi

This week I have the honor of having a session with Co-Founder and CEO of Reasi.

Reasi automates property settlements so customers can transact real estate using only their phones. We've streamlined home closings and eliminated frustration in a $110 billion industry plagued by expensive fees and wire fraud. However, the deal is sourced; Reasi will close it efficiently and securely.

John described how his Asian culture ensures his worth ethic. Given the state that Asians are still being discriminated to some extent, he believes that it is up to Asians themselves to put in the extra effort to bridge the gap. Like other successful entrepreneurs, he doesn't want to give anyone an excuse for any failures, even if the reason is something he can't change, such as his race.

Feb 28, 202038:16
[S2] [E2] What Effects Do Superstition Have on Your World w/ John Houser, Content/Web Project Manager at Verizon Wireless

[S2] [E2] What Effects Do Superstition Have on Your World w/ John Houser, Content/Web Project Manager at Verizon Wireless

John is a web manager with over 10+ years of experience launching web sites, applications, and content to market. My passion lies in learning new techniques and technologies to improve business operations.

Feb 14, 202055:02
[S2] [E1] How to Strengthen Your Emotional Intelligence w/ Valerie Reeves, Motivational Trainer and Hypnotherapist

[S2] [E1] How to Strengthen Your Emotional Intelligence w/ Valerie Reeves, Motivational Trainer and Hypnotherapist

This week we explored what it means to have strong emotional intelligence.  People usually associate emotional intelligence in how well we can read and understand other people.  Valerie gave her perspective in developing a strong foundation for emotional intelligence, and that begins with the self instead with others.  After all, how can we say we know about someone else when we don't even know about ourselves.  Additionally, we also explored how the people we don't like can be potentially what we don't like about ourselves.  Valerie mentioned how she was a hypnotherapist to get people to get over their fears and blockages.  Many times, it results from the lack of awareness and acknowledgement of the situation.  How many times have you noticed where you ignore the facts because you refused to acknowledge the situation?

We also explored many ways to respond appropriately where we control our response as opposed being reactive.  Some ways include letting the emotion out and then process that.  That does not mean directly confronting the the other individual directly, but more like writing it out and then throw it away completely.  Now that takes up a step deeper.  Why do they give us such negative emotions?  Many times we have complete control our responses because the trigger was installed by us, not by others.  That is why the same thing can make some people unhappy and another joyous.  We have to dig deeper into what was causing this.  There is the concept that the world is our mirror, and when we see something we don't like, we tend to arouse strong negative emotions with it.  In this episode, we started to explore how to start with ourselves and what mindset changes needed to be done (such as liking everyone, including people you don't like) as a way to start to build the right foundation in having emotional intelligence.

Jan 28, 202052:56
[S1][E25] How to Navigate Life as a Meek Individual w/ Tim Chak, Manager at Strategy&

[S1][E25] How to Navigate Life as a Meek Individual w/ Tim Chak, Manager at Strategy&

This week we explored how to navigate the situation as a meek individual.  We investigated how it affects our work lives as well as our personal lives.  These effects have long term consequences, both good and bad, depending on the environment we are in and being exposed to.  We explored how can we deal with that situation in cultures where being meek is perceived to be incompetent as well as where it is highly valued.  Because of those situations, how to go about content switching between the two becomes vitally important.  As such, the conclusion boils down to personal development.  When we are consciously aware of our surroundings, we can look at the situation objectively and do context switching rather quickly.  Even if we mess up, we can readjust accordingly as opposed to constantly worrying what the next step will be.

Regarding self-development, the most important thing is being self-aware.  In previous episodes, we talked about the role of context switching. In some situations, being meek is excellent, while others were being submissive is not as high.  We can take the lesson from previous episodes on using our background to do successful context switching. If we can decide what works in the meek environment but also what synergistically works in a non-meek climate, we can create a response in a better way.  Tim and I had the issue because of our unique upbringings where we are sometimes passed over because of our temperament.  That is also a reason why we are continuously trying to change ourselves in a way so that we can survive in a culture where self-promotion is critical but strategically.  Please leave any comments and listen in as we summarize in how to act and behave as a meek individual.

Jan 14, 202053:48
[S1] [E24] How to Build Up a Successful Business w/ Alex Yu, Luxury Home Specialist at First Team Estates

[S1] [E24] How to Build Up a Successful Business w/ Alex Yu, Luxury Home Specialist at First Team Estates

This week we explored how to build up the mentality of having a successful business when the traditional path either cannot or won't serve you.  Alex started his career where most of his income came from commissions, which means he gets paid based on results as opposed to time like a regular job.  That means he had to be creative in how he approaches his career.  Like most Asian households, he had a lot of communication challenges with Asian parents on what needs to be done where pleasing his parents meant making minimum wage.  He decided to chart his path into a real estate business where he gave his mindset on his approaches toward business.  He had this full commitment toward the company for 12 months of working 40-50 hours a week before deciding to call it quits.  He also took his lessons from his Asian parents on how they started enterprises to create a legacy of his. Listen here as we delve more deeply into how he used his Asian upbringings to get to where he is now.

We also dove deep into his upbringings and how some immigrant parents do not have any choice but to be an entrepreneur in the United States.  Some of the struggles involve language barriers, credentials not matching up, and other barriers that prevented them from securing a typical job.  Because of that, Asian immigrants went through many unstable environments where they wanted their children to have a more stable career.  That which is in the complete opposite of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.  Alex mentioned his upbringing made him believe the entrepreneur is not a right path but a step to overcome to have a secure income.  However, Alex said how, when he went to the job market how his skills and educations do not pay him enough to make his ROI for his knowledge worthwhile.

Dec 30, 201901:03:29
[S1] [E23] Do You Really Want to Be a Lawyer w/ Peter Lee, Partner at Lee Hong Degerman, et al.

[S1] [E23] Do You Really Want to Be a Lawyer w/ Peter Lee, Partner at Lee Hong Degerman, et al.

Peter Lee has been in law practice for over 25 years. He practiced many different areas of law with current specialties in the following:

  1. Real estate transaction and litigation.
  2. Commercial leases and unlawful detainer actions.
  3. Construction contracts and disputes. Business consultation and litigation.

Peter Lee shared his background and how his family indirectly influenced him to practice law. One of the significant thing that helped Peter pivot into law was doing well on the LSAT. That started his career into law and stayed in that field for a while. Like many people who began their careers without experiencing other professions, Peter also wondered if being a lawyer was the right career path for him. Because of that, his early years where he was tempted to find something else. The typical syndrome that "grass is always greener on the other side." Peter took time off to determine whether being a lawyer was the right path. During his time off trying to find himself, he finally realized that it is a blessing that he found a career that was the best for him. He just had to find a way to create an environment that works for his personality.

Dec 16, 201937:21
[S1] [E22] How to Disappoint Your Asian Parents w/ Mary Ngo, Founder of Little Shop of Mary

[S1] [E22] How to Disappoint Your Asian Parents w/ Mary Ngo, Founder of Little Shop of Mary

This week we explored with engineer turned business owner in how she branched out in creating not one, but two businesses.  We examined how she went about creating her activities as well as what Asian traits she utilized to make her business successful.  Some sample traits mentioned including the cost conscious and the hard-working behavior commonly exhibited in the Asian community.  The perfection that was driven by our Asian parents helped her in addressing all the logistics in opening her first sandwich shop.  We also explored how the Asian culture of being obedient and humble hurt our climbing of the corporate environment, which also contributed to her desire to opening her businesses.

Nov 28, 201939:39
[S1] [E21] How to Merge with Your Past Self w/ Shian Chuan, Energy Healer, NLP Master Practitioner & Executive Coach
Nov 14, 201945:39
[GW] [E8] Do you know that Russia is in Asia?

[GW] [E8] Do you know that Russia is in Asia?

There are actually 6 major regions in Asia.  I broke it down for you as well as the list of countries in each region.

Nov 11, 201904:23
[GW] [E7] Why Everything You Know About Your World Is a Lie

[GW] [E7] Why Everything You Know About Your World Is a Lie

Languages alter your worlds in ways you can't imagine.

Nov 07, 201905:30
 [JP] [E1] 日本シリーズ: ハート vs. フェイス

[JP] [E1] 日本シリーズ: ハート vs. フェイス

This is a Japanese episode about the conflicting feelings between inner and outer display in Japan

Nov 06, 201916:39
[S1][E20][P3/3] Cheat Guide for Asian Professionals with Jerry Lee, Strategy and Operations Manager at Google

[S1][E20][P3/3] Cheat Guide for Asian Professionals with Jerry Lee, Strategy and Operations Manager at Google

In this episode, Jerry Lee gave us some top tips on how to overcome some of the perceived limitations of being Asians.  Also, we addressed some of the cultural nuances that affected Asians in the workplace in the United States.

Jerry Lee is an admin from the Subtle Asian Networking Group in the US, and he takes his experience in the group as a guide on how to overcome these potentially harmful perceived traits.

Be aware of the Asian upbringings on, and values growing and try to understand them as strengths instead of weaknesses

Asians tend to be a hard worker and put their heads down. That is great; however, the lack of challenging the status quo causes issues as that puts Asians in a bind is not being perceived super high value. As the chain of command or leadership roles continues to go up, the execution of the project is less important than the strategy part of the project. For example, highly paid leaderships are not paid to work in producing deliverables, but driving the overall direction on where things need to go. That one sentence or one word can literally change the entire course of the company. Think of the top positions like the CEO as controlling the wheel of the ship. That one motion or one turn alters all the subsequent execution of the boat. As such, for Asians, it would be great also to challenge the status quo.  That way, they can start to develop those underutilized thinking muscles as those will become increasingly important one's career progresses.

Speak Up

As the Asian culture was told to be quiet and be what we were told. One area to overcome is that every voice matters. It is not about hierarchy or positions within the company. Instead of the mere fact, there is another voice in the room means the person brings value. Without a difference of opinions, there can be a danger in narrow-mindedness and homogeneity. As such, that is why many companies tout diversities as those are increasingly essential to make sure different perspectives are being heard.

Speak up for yourself

It is vital to be one's own advocate; otherwise, other people will fill in the story for you. That will result in having negative backdrops on yourself when others start to either sabotage your brand or your work. One approach is to be humble and unconfrontational.  But, the effectiveness of that approach is only significant in a collaborative culture and indirect communication. In the United States, where the country's culture is more focused on individuality over collaboration, no one will speak up for you if you don't.  That can allow others to sabotage you without retaliation. An instructor who teaches students all over the world mentioned that in the US, there are more confident students wanted to be in the spotlight over other international students. However, he said there is a drawback. The students here in the US do not become as close as the other international students as the students here are more self-centered. Looking from that lens, you can tell by maintaining the non-US approach to professional development can be quite detrimental

Learn from mentors who are also Asian

It is crucial to not just learn about what works but also what doesn't work. That results in getting a full 360-degree approach in understanding the situation. Also ideally, you get the result and mentorship from someone who has a close of a profile as you. Because if they are close to your background, your thought process, life experiences, and even down to the DNA level, the closer their advice is actionable. Also, people know that with every success, there are probably 10 failures. Many times, people try to be creative only to realize that they had been tried and failed. After all, the mentor probably has already tried those approaches and failed at them.


Oct 28, 201914:59
[S1] [E20] [P2/3] Stereotyped Misconceptions of Asians in the West at Work w/ Jatin Anand

[S1] [E20] [P2/3] Stereotyped Misconceptions of Asians in the West at Work w/ Jatin Anand

In this episode, we evaluated how Asians work and perceived in the professional environment both from the US and from the UK.

Initially, I spoke with Jatin Anand from the Asian Professional Facebook Group in the UK, and he noticed these couple of things among the professional Asians in the workplace.

Asians do not take initiatives at workspace -> perceived lack of leadership skills

The Asian culture can describe the perceived lack of taking initiatives in not trying to disrupt harmony in a group setting. By taking actions, it creates conflicts. Asians, for most, are known to be some of the most passive-aggressive people in the world. For example, they would be super friendly to you, but once you leave, they would start to complain about you to their close confidants. However, that is not wrong from their perspectives as is expected. They have the understanding that is what will not be surprised if that ever comes up. However, that can create problems. Because there is a perception that someone who can confidently voice their opinions (whether right or wrong) is perceived to have strong leadership skills.  Note some solutions below.

  1. Enlist the help of your manager or co-worker to see what type of leadership is prized at this organization.
  2. Adapt the Asian upbringings to the prized leadership style.

The above can mean asking for if people need help with work first instead of jumping straight into I will handle that.

Asians don't give many opinions and reluctant to speak up in group meetings -> cultural issues

Similar to the above in not disrupting the current harmony within the group. One way to counteract this perception of having a lack of opinions and trying to speak up can be done in many ways. Here are some of the ways that one can do to establish their presence in the workspace

  1. Before the meeting, make a list of things you want to cover and make an attempt to say one of the items in the conference.
  2. Before the meeting, discuss some of the things you have in mind individually, then have them help prompt you in giving your ideas.

Note: There is sometimes a danger with the second approach as there are people who will take your ideas as your own.

Asians lack perceived self-confidence

In Western society, sometimes humbleness is seen to be lack of confidence. One of the core attributes of Asian culture is about being humble. For example, when complimented, it is expected to demote yourself to appear modest. When you are praised that you are smart, it is likely to respond with something along the lines of "oh I am not that smart, see all these flaws, etc.".  Alternatively, it is common to attribute the success not of your own accord but by environmental circumstances. That can easily be perceived, by the Western cultural values, to be negative and lack self-confidence. What that means is that the person is incapable.  The workplace needs to do a lot of work to create an environment for that person to succeed.  That belittled the hard work and doing whatever it takes to make things work is at the core of Asian culture. One of the ways, although it will be difficult, is drop the association with the environmental influences. Those with Asian upbringings might have to think a bit more proudly (subject to interpretation) to get perceived as confident. After that, when going back to Asia for personal/professional settings to do a context switch.

Oct 21, 201917:53
[S1] [E20] [P1/3] Top 10 Asian Cities to Challenge Your World w/ Girik Sehgal

[S1] [E20] [P1/3] Top 10 Asian Cities to Challenge Your World w/ Girik Sehgal

This episode is a bit different as I have taken the top 10 things that people have experienced and put it down into a sequential story.  Girik Sehgal from Subtle Asian Travel gave us a brief breakdown in the top 10 cities that people should visit to better understand the cultural phenomenon within Asia. In the first part, we explore where are the best cities that give a good representation of the top cities.  For those who are interested in exploring those cities to better understand Asian cultures, we recommend the following cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Busan, Seoul, and Manila.  Why not other cities?  Well actually there are, but they give you an easy way to interact in a safe environment.  Heck if you want to venture out, go to the countryside, but most first-time visitors might have an issue with no English, no toilets...(Asian squats), among others.  In the podcast, we go a bit deeper into each of the locations...locations that I have been that that is.  I have only been to Tokyo, Osaka,Kyoto, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, and Manila.  Looks like I got to travel to Kuala Lumpur and Busan.

From those, cities as a first step, I hope that you can start to understand Asian's cultural norms for both Westernized Asians and non-Asians.

Oct 14, 201922:56
[GW] [E6] Language Makes You Miss out on Reality

[GW] [E6] Language Makes You Miss out on Reality

Explore why languages cause you to look at the world differently.

Oct 10, 201905:30
[GW] [E5] Do You Care When You Ask How Are You?

[GW] [E5] Do You Care When You Ask How Are You?

Greetings around the world:   How are you? = Did you eat yet?

Oct 07, 201903:47
[GW] [E4] The Good and the Ugly: Positive Vs Negative Reinforcement

[GW] [E4] The Good and the Ugly: Positive Vs Negative Reinforcement

Evaluating the positive vs. negative reinforcements in leading others.

Oct 03, 201906:56
[GW] [E3] Why Your Past is Not Useless

[GW] [E3] Why Your Past is Not Useless

Everything in your life can be reused.  I mentioned three examples:


-Learning languages

-Career pivots

-Travel

Oct 02, 201908:40
[S1] [E19] How to Choose to Be Happy When Life Continuously to Stomp You w/ William Hung, Professional Optimist

[S1] [E19] How to Choose to Be Happy When Life Continuously to Stomp You w/ William Hung, Professional Optimist

This week, I had the opportunity to speak to William Hung, the viral American Idol who looks adversity in the face and charges through with unwavering conviction.  After his American Idol audition, William Hung’s rendition of “She Bangs” became famous for all the wrong reasons. Despite the harsh criticism he endured, William persevered—having gone on to attract a cult following, release three albums, and even perform live with Ricky Martin in Las Vegas.  A strategic storyteller and professional optimist, William is proof that the underdog can succeed when you rise above the haters and choose to be happy.  William has appeared on media outlets like FOX, ABC, CNN, and NBC and in such publications as Rolling Stone, TIME, and USA Today. He was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Born in Hong Kong, William now resides in Los Angeles.

Sep 30, 201954:10
[S1] [S18] Why Social Media Marketing Is Better Than the Old Ways w/ Chirag Sagar, Co-Founder of Money Matters Top Tips

[S1] [S18] Why Social Media Marketing Is Better Than the Old Ways w/ Chirag Sagar, Co-Founder of Money Matters Top Tips

This week, I had the opportunity to speak to Chirag Sagar, the Co-founder of Money Matters Top Tips, a media, entertainment, and book-publishing company dedicated to the needs of business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives. Chirag is also the Co-Founder of Digital Luxury Agency, where the team has collectively worked with over 3000 small and large companies, Fortune 500s, governments, non-profits, and investment firms. Their roster of clients includes Richard Branson and Virgin, the country of Panama, SBE Group, Bank of America, Cadillac, and Qatar Airways. Before that, he served as the COO of Destination Luxury, a luxury lifestyle media outlet that reaches over 5 million people every month through their various channels. He spearheaded the team that built the website presence to reach 500,000 monthly unique visitors and grew its social media properties to reach millions from scratch. Before that, he helped scale a White House-recognized start-up non-profit called Moneythink, where they’ve taught their financial education program to over 15,000 high school students across the US. He has served on over ten advisory boards (3 alumni boards from his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he graduated with his Bachelor’s of Science). He is a member of the Los Angeles Global Shapers, a World Economic Forum initiative. He also has published three books focused on diversity, real estate, and business leadership.

Sep 16, 201944:44
[GW] [E2] Why You Need to Have Random Meetings for Asian Businesses

[GW] [E2] Why You Need to Have Random Meetings for Asian Businesses

This short episode describes why face to face meetings are so important to Asian countries

Sep 13, 201904:28
[GW] [E1] - 10 Gifts Chinese Will Hate You for It

[GW] [E1] - 10 Gifts Chinese Will Hate You for It

These objects signify death...or bad luck

Sep 06, 201906:20