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July 5, 2023

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Growing up with stereotypical Asian tiger parents, Angie had always been interested in entrepreneurship but was constantly discouraged.

Angie Kim is the physician and CEO of Glow Up MD Medical Aesthetics and Wellness Practice. Her journey to success was far from easy. Angie grew up with traditional Asian immigrant parents who believed that taking risks in business was foolish.

She did all the stereotypical Asian things such as playing piano, being good at math, and going to a good college. She studied engineering and went on to complete medical school. And like most Asian women are expected to be, Angie was very quiet and had low self confidence.

But after completing her medical training, Angie realized that working for someone else was not what she wanted for her life. She refused to work for people without medical education and decided to take a chance on herself.

Starting her own business was an intimidating prospect for her. She had no background in business and had to navigate legal regulations, insurance requirements, and financial planning on her own. But with determination and persistence, she and her husband were able to set up a successful brick and mortar practice within just a few months.

Angie’s journey serves as a reminder that there is never a perfect time to start a business and that sometimes the best way to learn is by doing.

I DID IT ANYWAY

Even in middle school and high school, starting a business always piqued Angie’s interest. She had even presented a few ideas, such as a t-shirt business, to her parents when she was in middle school. Unfortunately, her parents always shot her ideas down, telling her they were stupid.

Angie’s parents have always been extremely risk averse and were against anything that required any type of investment with uncertain return. They wouldn’t even let her spend money to create a website.

Despite the discouragement, Angie was still very interested in entrepreneurship. She would constantly read articles about people who developed new apps or websites that became very popular. However, she had to put those aspirations on the backburner and focus on her education as her parents placed a high emphasis on education.

Even still, she would come up with ideas every so often and kept a list of these on her computer, hoping to return to them one day to get them started. “One thing that’s been constant since my childhood has been that whenever they told me I wouldn’t be able to accomplish something, I did it anyway,” she said.

BIGGEST CHALLENGES

Initially, one of their biggest challenges was trying to figure out the laws surrounding opening a medical practice. They looked at so many sources but kept finding contradicting or incomplete information.

The actual legalese was difficult to understand and they didn’t trust their interpretation of it. They finally spoke to a lawyer who confirmed what they understood. This allowed them to feel comfortable enough to continue on.

As of right now, the biggest challenge they’re facing is marketing and getting the word out. They are still trying to figure out the best way to do this. It has been mostly through trial and error. They are constantly trying different strategies, such as Facebook ads, in-person events, local SEO, local media and print, and direct mailing.

THE TURNING POINT

While working in the hospital, Angie began noticing little things over time that pointed towards the toxicity of the working environment, such as how little control and autonomy physicians have in taking care of their own patients, the backstabbing from other healthcare workers, and how physicians from other healthcare systems all had similar stories.

“I came to the realization that this would not change if I just changed jobs. The only solution was to start my own practice,” she said.

LOOKING BACK ON HER JOURNEY

The most rewarding aspect for Angie is the freedom to practice medicine the way it should be practiced. “I can spend as much time as I need to with patients. I don’t need to spend extra time trying to fight insurance companies. And my patients have been happy with their results,” she said.

She is hoping to grow her practice enough that she can open a second location and eventually franchise it, which would allow her to help even more patients and improve the healthcare system in her own small way.

“If I were to do it all over again, I would document my journey. I thought about it this time, but I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing the whole time.”

ANGIE’S ADVICE FOR OTHERS FACING SIMILAR CHALLENGES FROM THEIR FAMILIES

“People are always going to doubt you when you start, especially those closest to you. You can’t let that get to you. If it’s what you really want and you can’t stop thinking about it, then you should go for it. It’s going to be lonely and somewhat isolating when you start, but it’ll be worth it,” Angie said. 

She believes that there’s always a way to solve a problem. If you feel like you’ve hit a roadblock, you can try looking at the problem from a different perspective.

Right now, Angie still hasn’t told her parents about her business and she’s waiting for the right time when she can finally tell them.

CONNECT WITH ANGIE

Instagram: @glowupmdspa

Facebook: Glow Up MD Medspa

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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

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Next Era: Purpose Over Pressure

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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.

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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.

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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.

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