Linda Marigliano on Sharing Lessons of Love and Immigration Stories - AHN Media Group
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October 18, 2023

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Love – a universal language that transcends boundaries, cultures, and time.

It’s a force that can inspire, challenge, and ultimately transform our lives. And I’m not just talking about the heart-fluttering, romantic kind of love, but also the tough love, the kind of love that helps us grow, teaches us the hardest lessons, and makes us strong in the face of challenges. Linda Marigliano’s “Tough Love” podcast embarks on a mission to uncover these lessons hidden within the folds of love stories.

Linda is a creator, co-founder, author, and podcaster. She created Tough Love during the most difficult times of her life. It was in the middle of a rigid lockdown in Australia in 2021. After being in a long distance relationship for three years, Linda quit her high profile radio job planning to move overseas and begin a new life with her boyfriend who lived in LA, but the pandemic happened and the world stopped. She found herself stuck in Australia due to border closures and was forced to move back in with her strict parents in her mid-30s. 

Her podcasting journey began with the ambition to share her own story, inspire diversity, and share Australia’s proud immigration stories. Building the podcast from scratch was a challenge she embraced with passion.

Facing Challenges Head-On

Linda’s most significant challenge in this journey was launching, producing, and marketing the podcast as an independent creator. She had to master every facet of the podcasting industry, acquiring equipment to set up her home studio and venturing into the field as a roving reporter, capturing real-life scenes like a documentary. The hustle was relentless as she faced rolling deadlines and created a media campaign to promote the series.

As the podcast’s host, Linda also faced the personal challenge of sharing her vulnerable story. Linda had to let the listeners into her own uncertainty in modern life as she opened up her Italian Chinese family home. She addressed topics about how she froze her eggs during Season 1 and how she navigated her heartbreaking long distance relationship.

These stories, though challenging to share, created a devoted community of listeners who resonated with her journey through uncertain times.

Achievements and Milestones

The “Tough Love” podcast has been a remarkable success. In 2021, it earned the title of Best Lockdown Podcast at the Australian Podcast Awards and was a finalist in the Best New Podcast category. What makes this achievement even more impressive is that “Tough Love” is a completely independent project, with no financial backing from a production company.

In 2023, Linda achieved another milestone in her journey. Not only did she release her own book, “Love Language,” a deeply personal and true story that inspired the podcast, but she also performed a SOLD OUT live podcast show at the iconic Sydney Opera House.

This performance brought her Chinese mother, Janet, into the spotlight, sharing her experiences of growing up in a tiny village in Malaysia and how her unwavering loyalty to her family back home has shaped the way she lives her life. This narrative moved the audience, making them eager to learn more about Janet, her upbringing and her immigrant journey as a teenager who had a difficult time fitting in when she first moved to Australia.

Mission and Vision

Linda’s mission for the podcast is to share her compelling story using innovative documentary storytelling and music, offering practical lessons for modern life, while her vision involves expanding her audience to live shows, events, and exploring television and film opportunities. 

With Linda’s focus on her Chinese Malaysian culture, especially through her friends and her mother’s portrayal in it as a strong business woman even in her late 60s (and fan-favorite), amplifies diverse Asian perspectives, resonating with a dedicated community of listeners.

Message from Linda

If there is one episode of the Linda Marigliano’s Tough Love podcast you should listen to, make it the Season 2 ‘Help, My Parents Are Getting Older’ episode. This one showcases how we feel when we realize our parents are aging and what it means to remain loyal to family. We attend a salsa party with my Chinese mother, Janet, and she tells us about her Malaysian upbringing. It’s a moving, heartbreaking, but ultimately joyous scene.

I am incredibly proud to have inherited my mom’s deep Asian hustle spirit! There’s delight in hard work, and I love hearing the Asian hustle stories you share.

Now, I’m finally living in LA, reunited with my boyfriend, and the hustle continues. I’m open to exploring the city and connecting with the Asian community, so please reach out. And stay tuned for Linda Marigliano’s Tough Love Season 3!

CONNECT WITH LINDA

Instagram: @lindamarigliano

Linkedin: Linda Marigliano

Tiktok: @lindamarigliano

Facebook: Linda Marigliano

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Building Tomorrow: How Nan Lin Redefines Homebuilding with 3D Printing 

For Nan Lin, entrepreneurship isn’t just business; it’s freedom. A freedom earned through sacrifice, relentless execution, and a refusal to accept the limits of a broken system. As the founder of Kaizen Capital and 4DIFY, Lin is reimagining the housing industry, tackling its inefficiencies with cutting-edge technology and a bold vision. His mission? To build stronger homes faster, at lower costs, empowering communities and challenging the status quo.

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Lin’s journey began at age 10, when he immigrated to America with his mother. While adapting to a new country, he was inspired by his loving parents’ sacrifices, which shaped his relentless drive. “I saw the lengths they went to give me a better life,” Lin says. “Their love and dedication became my compass.” Years later, that resolve led to the creation of Kaizen Capital, where he transforms underutilized properties into vibrant housing solutions: ADUs, subdivisions, condo conversions, and luxury short-term rentals. By unlocking hidden value in land, he delivers market-rate and affordable housing that strengthens neighborhoods.

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Nan Lin | Founder and Principal of Kaizen Capital and 4DIFY

3D Printing: The Future of Housing, Today

Lin’s vision for 4DIFY was sparked by a frustrating reality: “Wildfires destroy neighborhoods every year, yet we keep building stick-frame homes that burn like kindling,” he says.

After visiting several 3D printer manufacturers, Lin partnered with New York–based SQ4D. It took nearly a year to secure exclusive licensing rights, navigate regulatory hurdles, and obtain building permits, but he got it done.

Now, 4DIFY is building California’s first community of 3D-printed concrete homes. As this article goes live, their first printed home is nearing completion, despite heavy regulations and a steep learning curve. The team is already outperforming traditional timelines and cost benchmarks. The second and third homes will soon print simultaneously, targeting completion in two months, effectively one home per month at under $200 per square foot.

Despite challenges as an Asian immigrant, Lin managed to transform them into motivation and success. 

“We’re aiming to build at half the cost and in a quarter of the time,” Lin says. “That’s not a dream. It’s the direction we’re heading.”

Built with concrete, reinforced with rebar, and topped with metal roofs, these homes are resilient against fire, wind, earthquakes, mold, and pests. They’re also designed for long-term savings, with lower maintenance, less waste, and reduced energy and insurance costs.

“Critics doubted it would work,” Lin reflects. “But seeing is believing. This is the future.”

A Philosophy of Purpose and Resilience

Lin’s journey has been marked by relentless challenges, some seemingly insurmountable. “Obstacles never stop,” he admits. Yet he transforms adversity into opportunity, fueled by a positive mindset, solution-driven focus, and disciplined execution. His trusted team is his backbone. “No one succeeds alone,” he says. “My team turns the impossible into reality.” This resilience shapes his leadership, blending bold vision with purposeful action to create opportunities, particularly for communities long excluded from wealth-building. “Housing isn’t just a product,” Lin says. “It’s a platform for empowerment.”

Recognition and Inspiration

Lin’s impact is gaining notice. The Sacramento Bee named him one of the Top 20 AAPI Change Makers, and he was honored in the Business Elite Awards’ 40 Under 40. But for Lin, the real reward is inspiring others. “I want to show the next generation of Asian entrepreneurs what’s possible when we claim our seat at the table,” he says.

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