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December 1, 2024

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Not knowing what to do when starting his business, DhungJoo “DJ” Kim burnt through a whole sum of cash during his early days and later got himself in an environment full of volatility and bad actors. 

Yet after years of honing his entrepreneurial experience, DJ founded and grew RevGenius to a 30,000-member community at $1M ARR, sold three businesses, and helped over 50 business owners scale their companies with offshore staff.

Propelled by a passion for uplifting the community, he founded Cherry Assistant, a bridge dedicated to providing global talents for founders. 

Whether you are a young founder or a seasoned leader looking for something to kindle your entrepreneurial spirit, DJ’s story will redefine what it means to have a legacy that extends beyond business success.

An Entrepreneur Hero

DJ’s inspiration for entrepreneurship started with his admiration for his father, who had been an entrepreneur for over 30 years. As a child, he saw firsthand how his father had traversed challenges, empowered his team, and innovated his business to stay competitive. 

“He faced the ups and downs of the industry with resilience and dedication, which taught me the importance of hard work, adaptability, and long-term commitment,” DJ explains. 

DJ learned that entrepreneurship is more than starting a business but creating something that can evolve and endure the test of time. This drive nurtured DJ’s entrepreneurial spirit, invoking his desire to make an impact through his ventures. 

“His passion for his work, even after decades, has inspired me to build my path in business, with the same drive and perseverance,” DJ reflects.

His father's passion is what drives DJ to build his business.

His father’s passion is what drives DJ to build his business.

Shaky First Steps

Like many young founders, DJ was eager but inexperienced when starting his entrepreneurial journey. During his first years, he recalled wasting a lot of money for not knowing the fundamentals. 

DJ states, “We outsourced development to a team in India, only to realize that without the technical know-how to properly manage and guide the project, we were burning through cash with little return.”

These struggles were further burdened by DJ’s struggle to reconcile with his Asian heritage and the pressures of assimilating into a Western environment. As a Korean who immigrated to the US at a young age, DJ regularly felt he was losing parts of himself, specifically in spaces where Asian representation was lacking. Yet, these challenges also drove DJ to give the Asian community a turning point. 

“I want to create opportunities for others in the Asian community to embrace their identities fully and bring their cultural strengths into the business world,” he exclaimed. 

An Entrepreneur’s Passion

Startup was DJ’s passion even as early as his college days when he launched his first mobile app startup with an initial $250K raise. Transitioning from a startup incubator to co-founding RevGenius, DJ fostered a community with 30,000 members and hit $1M ARR in one year. 

Eager to expand and hone his experience in software, e-commerce, and B2C ventures, DJ moved to LA to explore crypto/Web3, where he found himself in an environment of bad actors and volatility. 

Looking back, DJ states “It tested my resilience and taught me the importance of diligence, research, and staying true to my ethical standards in any venture.”

This experience inspired DJ to found Cherry Assistant, a business dedicated to helping founders scale their companies with virtual assistants. 

Building Cherry Assistant was no simple feat. DJ has encountered numerous challenges in hiring offshore talent sifting through scams and dishonest individuals to identify reliable people. He understands that clients are wary of offshore workers as there is a misconception that these laborers are somehow ‘lesser’ or incapable. Hence, he made it his mission to show clients that there are hardworking, skilled professionals who simply happen to live in different countries.

He states, “I learned that, at its core, a community thrives on mutual benefit and authentic connections.”

Throughout DJ's business journey, he learned that community is core to success.

Throughout DJ’s business journey, he learned that community is core to success.

The Strength of a Community

During this journey of scaling Cherry Assistant, DJ found Asian Hustle Network (AHN). 

“AHN became instrumental in expanding my network, showcasing the power of community support in entrepreneurship,” DJ excitedly claimed.

As Cherry Assistant attracted many home cleaning businesses seeking offshore support, including one business owner who offered DJ mentorship, he decided to open his third business: a remote home cleaning company. Within just a year, DJ successfully scaled and sold it to a local entrepreneur thanks to AHN’s community. 

“Through AHN’s supportive community, I eventually found a local entrepreneur interested in buying the business. This network not only enabled me to close the deal but also highlighted the power of community and connection in the Asian business world,” DJ excitedly claimed.

A Vision to Help the Community

Focusing on scaling Cherry Assistant and his experiences building three businesses, DJ’s mission is to empower entrepreneurs and small business founders by providing them with the resources to achieve similar success.

DJ states, “With Cherry Assistant, my goal is to create a bridge for founders to access global talent, helping them streamline operations, save time, and focus on growth. This mission is personal to me as a Korean American, knowing firsthand the value of hard work, resilience, and the importance of leveraging opportunities.”

DJ’s vision is to foster a diverse and inclusive workforce, all while building a platform that provides businesses with skilled support. For the Asian community, this mission holds a greater significance in DJ’s heart.

“By sharing my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned, I hope to empower other Asians and Asian Americans to pursue their ambitions, leverage their networks, and give back to their communities,” DJ states.

DJ’s true legacy goes far beyond the success of his business—it lives in his unwavering passion to uplift and empower other founders.

Connect with DJ Kim

Instagram: @dhungjookim

Twitter: DJ Kim

LinkedIn: DJ Kim

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4 Creative Ways Trysen Kaneshige Uses Art to Keep Aloha Alive

Some artists create for attention or fleeting trends, but Trysen creates with intention, guided by a deep sense of responsibility to the culture that shaped him. Growing up in Hawaiʻi, he learned that Aloha is not just a feeling, but a way of living rooted in care, respect, and connection.

That belief now guides both his art and his creative studio, Inspire to Create Media. Through murals, design work, and storytelling projects, Trysen uses his business as a platform to protect culture while helping others share their stories with intention.

1. Reviving Local Stories Through Murals

 

Photo courtesy of Trysen Kaneshige, Founder of Inspire to Create Media

At the core of Trysen’s work is listening. On Kauaʻi, he spends time learning from residents about their histories, struggles, and sources of pride before creating any artwork. This approach reflects the values he also brings into Inspire to Create Media, where storytelling always begins with people.

The murals that follow are rooted in real voices. They transform blank walls into visual records that help locals feel represented and allow visitors to understand the island through the community’s lived experience.

 

2. Designing With Aloha in Mind

 

Photo courtesy of Trysen Kaneshige, Founder of Inspire to Create Media

Aloha influences how Trysen collaborates, how carefully he considers each element, and how much intention goes into every decision. Design, for him, is about respect as much as aesthetics. That same mindset shapes the design work produced through Inspire to Create Media. 

Whether creating branding, apparel, or custom visuals, his goal is to make work that feels warm and grounded. Each piece is designed to reflect care, balance, and a sense of home rather than fleeting trends.

 

3. Empowering Youth and Community Spaces

 

Photo courtesy of Trysen Kaneshige (fourth from left), Founder of Inspire to Create Media

Beyond client work, Trysen uses both his art and his studio to invest in the next generation. Through partnerships with schools and wellness programs, Inspire to Create Media supports projects that turn shared spaces into places for expression and growth.

By involving young people in the creative process, he helps build confidence and identity. These initiatives focus less on the final product and more on giving youth a voice and a stronger connection to their roots.

 

4. Building a Global Bridge From Island Roots

 

Photo courtesy of Trysen Kaneshige, Founder of Inspire to Create Media

While his work is deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi, its reach continues to grow beyond the islands. Through collaborations with global brands like Volcom and OluKai, Trysen shares an authentic island perspective with a wider audience.

These partnerships amplify his message without compromising its foundation. By staying grounded in culture, he shows that it is possible to connect with the world while remaining true to where you come from.

 

Photo courtesy of Trysen Kaneshige, Founder of Inspire to Create Media

 

Carrying Aloha Forward

At its core, Trysen’s work—through his art and his studio, Inspire to Create Media—is an ongoing act of care. Through each project, he honors his home, uplifts his community, and uses creativity as a way to carry Aloha forward with intention, respect, and lasting impact.

More than anything, his work reflects a belief that culture is something you actively protect and pass on. By choosing collaboration over ego and meaning over trends, Trysen ensures that Aloha is not only preserved, but lived, felt, and shared with future generations.

Discover more from Trysen Kaneshige here:

📍Facebook

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Learn more about Inspire to Create Media here:

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  • 3 min read
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From Jackie Chan’s Assistant to Building Paire: How Nathan Yun’s Vision for Better Essentials Became a $15M a Year Brand

Nathan Yun did not start his career thinking he would one day build a consumer brand. His early years were spent on film sets and in editing rooms, learning how stories are shaped and how audiences respond to them. Working as an assistant to Jackie Chan gave him a front-row view of storytelling at its highest level. He watched how a single film could reach millions of people and create a shared emotional moment across cultures.

Yet over time, he noticed something that stayed with him. The inspiration was real, but it faded quickly. Once the credits rolled, people returned to their usual routines. That contrast made him question what lasting influence really looked like. Was it found in big, unforgettable moments, or in the small things people interacted with every day?

Paire grew out of that question, built not around trends or marketing tactics, but around everyday essentials, starting with socks. If stories could move people for a moment, Nathan believed products could shape how they lived every day.

From Film Sets to Daily Habits

Nathan came to understand that while stories stay with people selectively, habits are formed through repetition. Clothing, especially everyday essentials, plays a quiet but constant role in daily life. When something feels uncomfortable or wears out too quickly, people notice it immediately, even if they never say it out loud.

This insight marked a turning point. Nathan no longer wanted to create something people felt for a moment. He wanted to build something they could rely on every day. From the beginning, Paire was shaped around that idea.

Instead of chasing trends, the brand focused on fit, fabric, and longevity. The goal was simple: to make essentials people would reach for again without thinking.

Nathan Yun (right), Founder of Paire

Learning How to Build Before Building His Own

Before launching Paire, Nathan spent five years at furniture startup Brosa, where he learned what it takes to grow a business beyond an idea. As the company expanded from a ten-person team to more than one hundred employees, his role evolved from content creation to leading brand and marketing.

During that time, he saw how forecasting affected inventory, how data guided growth, and how pressure increased as operations scaled. He also witnessed what happened when demand moved faster than systems, and how costly it could be to build those systems too late.

Those experiences shaped how Nathan approached entrepreneurship. He did not want to build Paire on instinct alone. He wanted a clear understanding of supply chains, margins, logistics, and customer behavior before committing to his own brand.

Nathan Yun (far right), Founder of Paire

The Trip That Made the Mission Personal

The purpose behind Paire became clear during a trip to India. Away from polished storefronts and online campaigns, Nathan saw the fashion industry in a very different light. He witnessed environmental damage near production sites and spoke with workers whose livelihoods depended on high-volume manufacturing.

“That experience made it clear something needed to change,” Nathan explains. What stayed with him most was how disconnected these realities were from everyday shopping habits.

Much of the damage he saw came from clothing treated as disposable. When he returned home, Nathan reached out to his longtime friend Rex, a textile expert. Instead of launching a wide range of products, they chose to start small. The focus was on improving a single item and making it last.

Nathan Yun (left), Founder of Paire

Earning Trust Through the Product Itself

Nathan understood that values alone would not earn loyalty. The product had to prove itself in everyday life. The team spent months refining fabric blends, improving breathability, and testing durability through repeated wear and wash cycles.

Pricing a pair of socks at twenty-four dollars came with risk. Most consumers were used to buying socks cheaply and replacing them often. But once people tried Paire, many returned. Nearly seventy percent became repeat customers, not because of marketing, but because the product became part of their routine.

By focusing on quality and longevity, Nathan Yun built a $15M-a-year brand that shows meaningful change does not always arrive loudly. Sometimes, it begins quietly, through the simplest things we rely on every day.

Follow Nathan’s journey:

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What the Creator Economy Really Needs in 2026

The creator economy is no longer a niche corner of the internet. It is a $250 billion industry, powering modern marketing, culture, and commerce. Yet for the creators at its core, the experience often remains unstable and fragmented. Inconsistent rates, shifting platform demands, and “gifting” budgets paired with outsized expectations have left many navigating an ecosystem that hasn’t caught up to their value.

As we look toward 2026, the industry is approaching a tipping point. Growth alone is no longer enough. What creators need now are standards, systems, and support that allow them to build sustainable careers—not just viral moments.

Below are five critical shifts shaping the future of creator work, and the standards Meraki is building to support a stronger, more intentional industry.

1. Stronger Structure for a Growing Industry

 

Photo courtesy of Vivian Kwan (center), Founder of Meraki Group

While creator content has never been more polished, the backend of the industry remains disorganized. Uneven pay scales, scope creep mid-campaign, and unclear paths to professional growth are still common. Creators are often met with constant brief changes or “gifting” requests that require high-level deliverables without fair compensation.

The gap: There is no shared structure defining fair rates, clear deliverables, or realistic timelines across the industry. Expectations are often implied rather than stated, leaving creators to absorb last-minute changes, unpaid revisions, and expanded usage. Over time, this places most of the financial and emotional risk on creators instead of being shared evenly with brand partners.

The Meraki solution: Meraki builds every partnership on clarity. Terms and rates are established upfront, expectations are clearly defined, and communication stays transparent throughout the process. By setting strong boundaries early, creators are protected from underpayment, and brands begin each project with a shared roadmap for success.

 

2. Education That Powers Careers, Not Just Content

 

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The biggest challenges creators face are rarely creative. They are structural. Pricing work correctly, understanding usage rights, and identifying harmful contract clauses remain major pain points—even for experienced creators.

Too often, creators are expected to learn these lessons the hard way.

The gap: Most creators enter the industry without access to professional guidance that supports long-term career growth. Knowledge around contracts, licensing, and negotiation is often gatekept or learned through costly mistakes. As a result, many creators stay stuck in short-term cycles instead of building sustainable paths forward.

The Meraki solution: Meraki focuses on training ethical, creator-first managers who act as true career partners. Through negotiation support and education around contract red flags, creators are equipped to think beyond the next deal and toward sustainable, multi-year growth.

 

3. Standards in Negotiation and Contracts

 

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A significant number of creators still undercharge for their work, and 26% report needing help navigating contracts. Without standardized deal benchmarks, creators are often left guessing their worth—leading to pay gaps, rights misuse, and legal risk.

The gap: Negotiation norms vary widely, with no clear benchmarks for fair compensation or usage terms. Many contracts are written in dense legal language that creators are expected to sign without full understanding. This imbalance leaves creators vulnerable to losing control of their work and long-term earning potential.

The Meraki solution: Meraki empowers creators with defined negotiation standards and the confidence to secure fair, market-value deals. By demystifying contracts and usage terms, creators can focus on their craft knowing their income and intellectual property are protected.

 

4. Work Models That Protect Wellbeing

 

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Burnout has become one of the industry’s most pressing issues, affecting more than half of full-time creators. The always-on model—driven by algorithm shifts and last-minute deadlines—is no longer sustainable.

Creativity cannot thrive under constant urgency.

The gap: Many campaigns are built around speed and volume rather than realistic creative timelines. Creators are expected to be constantly available, adapt instantly, and produce under pressure without recovery time. Over time, this erodes both creative quality and mental health.

The Meraki solution: Meraki advocates for structured planning and sustainable workflows. Campaign timelines are built to protect both creative quality and mental health, proving that high-level output does not require constant exhaustion.

 

5. Representation Rooted in Voice, Not Trends

 

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Creators are increasingly resistant to being reduced to labels or treated as trend-driven checkboxes. True representation starts with understanding a creator’s voice—not forcing them into a predefined brand narrative.

The gap: Many partnerships remain transactional, prioritizing short-term relevance over genuine alignment. Creators are often selected to fill a category rather than for their perspective or long-term vision. This leads to inauthentic work that disconnects creators from their communities.

The Meraki solution: Meraki begins every partnership by listening. By understanding each creator’s goals and vision, Meraki aligns them with brands that share their values—fostering long-term relationships that feel authentic to both the creator and their community.

 

Photo courtesy of Vivian Kwan (second from left), Founder of Meraki Group

 

The Next Era: Purpose Over Pressure

As we look toward 2026, the transition from a “Wild West” to a professionalized industry requires more than just better tools—it requires a fundamental shift in how we value the humans behind the content. 

Meraki sits at the center of this new era, bridging creative passion with real professional growth. By pushing for fair standards, ethical representation, and sustainable careers, Meraki does more than manage creators; they help protect the future of creative work.wi

Learn more about Meraki Group:

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Joeydolls by Samantha Ong: A Story of a Daughter’s Search and a Mother’s Mission

Where Identity Begins

Growing up in Australia as part of a small minority shaped Samantha’s early understanding of identity. It taught her what it feels like to search for belonging, to look for pieces of yourself in the world and not always find them. Those early lessons sat quietly in the background as she moved into adulthood.

Her career began in finance, a path she chose for its stability and predictability. But creativity eventually led her in a different direction. She built a thriving wedding photography studio—one that grew from passion, long nights, and the joy of capturing love stories. It was a life she couldn’t have imagined at the start.

Then the pandemic arrived. Overnight, hundreds of thousands of bookings vanished. The business she had spent years building collapsed in an instant. And in that same period of loss, another reality weighed heavily on her: the rise in anti-Asian hate. As a mother, the headlines and the stories hit differently. Samantha began thinking deeply about the world she wanted for her daughters—what they would grow up seeing, feeling, and believing about themselves.

That led her on a simple search: dolls that reflected her daughters’ culture. But what she found were options that were limited, stereotypical, and often too expensive. It was a moment that crystallized something important. Realizing how quickly children learn about who they are, the idea for Joeydolls began to take shape—quietly, but powerfully.

Turning an Idea Into a Brand

An idea, however, is only the beginning. Turning it into a real toy brand meant stepping into a world Samantha knew nothing about. She had to learn everything from manufacturing to product design to e-commerce—starting from zero. There was no roadmap, just persistence and a mission that felt too important to abandon.

The timing made it even harder. Pandemic rules slowed communication. Shipping delays stretched out timelines from weeks to months. With very little funding, every decision mattered. Every misstep cost time she couldn’t afford to lose.

Then tariffs on goods from China jumped to 145%, and suddenly even the future of the business came into question. There were moments when it all seemed impossible—too expensive, too complex, too overwhelming for one person to navigate.

But Samantha kept going. She kept refining the vision, pushing through setbacks, and holding onto the mission that started it all. And she didn’t do it alone. Throughout the long nights and the uncertainty, she was supported by a husband working multiple jobs so she could stay focused on building the brand their daughters—and so many other children—deserved.

A Brand With a Bigger Purpose

Today, Joeydolls has sold over 15,000 dolls and earned major recognition. But those numbers only tell part of the story. At its heart, the brand is Samantha’s answer to a question that began during one of the hardest moments of her life: How do we help children grow up seeing their cultures celebrated, not erased?

Joeydolls stands as that answer—a way for children to see their cultures reflected with pride, dignity, and everyday joy. What started as a search for her own daughters became a mission to help thousands of children feel seen, valued, and connected to where they come from.

A single doll can seem small. But for many families, it’s a beginning. And for Samantha, it’s proof that representation—when created with care—can grow into something far bigger than one person’s story.

Learn more about her story here: https://www.joeydolls.com/

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