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Stories

August 16, 2023

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Pianpian’s own experience struggling with leadership and relationships in her professional life inspired her to create a solution that would help others facing similar challenges.

Amotions, founded by Pianpian Xu Guthrie, is a platform that aims to improve managers and hybrid teams’ productivity and connection by upskilling their soft skills such as emotional intelligence with AI-powered coaching.

Recognizing that not everyone can afford an executive coach or passively consume content to learn skills like emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills, she set out to create an accessible and affordable platform that could provide people across various social-economic circumstances with the tools and support network they need to reach their potential.

At Amotions, they believe that each person has unlimited potential and can grow with the right support and encouragement, and with the right tools and support, anyone can achieve greatness.

COMING UP WITH THE IDEA OF AN AI VIRTUAL COACH

Growing up in a rural village house in Taishan, China, Pianpian’s parents worked tirelessly to provide her with education and opportunities. When she discovered the internet in high school, it opened up a world of possibilities for her, allowing her to connect with mentors and educators from around the world.

Pianpian received her master’s degrees in sociology from Yale University with a thesis on social mobility and psychological well-being. She was a teaching and research fellow in social science at Yale and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She then led product management and growth at multiple tech companies in hybrid and remote settings before founding Amotions, Inc.

Inspired by her own struggles with managing teams and relationships in the tech industry, Pianpian came up with the idea of building an AI virtual coach that could help people regulate their emotions in high-pressure situations, build better connection with their colleagues and people around them, and reach their full potential.

“I had the idea of building an AI virtual coach which can listen to me and give me tips when I am raising my voice and say “Seems like you are getting upset, take a deep breath, calm down first, so you are not getting into an argument with your coworkers and destroy your relationships.” Then as I discussed the idea with the team members and potential users and customers, I realized that we can also utilize the power of a human support system,” Pianpian shares.

Amotions uses technology to connect users with knowledgeable peers, coaches, advisors, and mentors, providing a powerful network of support for those looking to advance their careers and personal development. Amotions is poised to transform the way people learn and grow, empowering individuals to reach their full potential with the help of technology and human kindness.

WHERE AMOTIONS COMES IN

Millions of people struggle with emotion management and relationship issues in their personal and professional lives, but there are no accessible and affordable solutions. Executive coaches are expensive, and passive learning methods like books and videos are often ineffective in learning important skills like emotional intelligence and leadership.

As teamwork and collaboration become increasingly important in the modern workplace, there is a growing need for individuals to improve their interpersonal skills and develop emotional intelligence. This is where Amotions comes in.

Amotions aims to provide a platform and support network for everyone to continue to grow themselves both professionally and personally. Their solutions are designed to be accessible and affordable for people of all social-economic circumstances around the world.

“As a mother, I want my children to have the self-motivation and support network to grow themselves, and have great relationships in their professional and personal lives. I hope to create the kind of environment needed for them and many others. The world will be a better place when a lot of people are happy with their lives and care about each other,” Pianpian said.

IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF MANAGERS AND HYBRID TEAMS

Amotions leverages AI-powered coaching to enhance the connection and performance of managers and hybrid teams.

Through daily practices, real-time insights, communities, and AI-powered coaching conversations, Amotions helps upskill people-facing roles, leading to improved employee efficiency and engagement.

With sentiment analysis and recommendations, powered by AI, and integration with calendars, Slack, and Zoom for context, Amotions provides a platform approach that allows companies, experts, and coaches to upload content. Users can also converse with an AI coach and participate in peer communities for support and practice. 

AMOTION-AL CHALLENGES

One of the biggest challenges that Pianpian faced in building Amotions was determining the best products and experience to address these challenges and acquire customers and users.

“We have been reaching out to people in our network, as well as reaching out to potential users and customers, and having lots of conversations with them. Support from people like the Asian Hustle Network founder Bryan Pham and members like Jenny He, Kerry Wei, Jane Lee and others helps too, as well from other founders, mentors, friends, alumni from Yale, Sun Yat-sen University, and other universities I attended, former colleagues, and kind people I encountered,” Pianpian shared.

THE FOUNDING TEAM

The founding team of Amotions is comprised of Pianpian Xu Guthrie, Jerry Hong, and a few other engineers and designers.

Pianpian has over ten years of experience as a product lead at various companies, including GoDaddy, Ticketmaster, Priceline, and several startups. She also earned a Master’s degree in Sociology from Yale University, providing her with a deep understanding of social science.

Jerry, on the other hand, has over 20 years of experience as a senior software engineer and manager, working for companies such as Ticketmaster and several startups.

With their extensive backgrounds in software product development and social science, the founding team brings a unique perspective to creating effective solutions for emotion management and relationship issues in professional and personal lives.

NOT YOUR ORDINARY WORKPLACE TRAINING SOLUTIONS

Amotions differentiates itself from other workplace training solutions in the market by offering an AI-powered coaching platform that provides quick solutions for users’ problems, available 24/7.

Unlike traditional corporate trainings, which are not effective for long-term learning, Amotions’ platform allows users to learn by doing, reflecting, interacting with others, and getting real-time feedback. Additionally, the platform is affordable and accessible for people from various socio-economic backgrounds, offering daily practices, peer communities, sentiment analysis, and recommendations powered by AI.

Amotions’ approach focuses on developing soft skills, such as emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills, that are essential for success in the modern workplace, providing a comprehensive solution that goes beyond one-off training sessions.

THE FUTURE FOR AMOTIONS

Pianpian envisions the company as a tool to empower millions of individuals worldwide to reach their full potential and transform organizations through high-performing teams and next-generation leaders.

“We start with helping managers and teams develop soft skills and solve problems they face, and I can see that we expand to help employees upskills and reskills also technical skills and functional skills, and to be the biggest player in the professional development and personal development space,” she said.

As the company grows, it plans to continue leveraging technology to personalize the experience and provide real-time insights and recommendations to users.

We are looking to connect with founders and company leaders and angel/pre-seed/seed investors interested in innovation and building high-performing teams to get feedback on what we are building and learn more about their needs. Please let me know if you are interested in connecting with me for a 15-minute conversation, or if you know if anyone I should connect with.

What can you offer to this community?

Happy to help with manager training and leadership development, soft skills development, product management, emotional wellness, Chinese and Japanese cultures and markets, or any way I can. We also offer free trials and discounted access to our product.  

CONNECT WITH PIANPIAN

Website: amotionsinc.com

Linkedin: Pianpian Xu Guthrie

Twitter: @PianpianCarolyn

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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.

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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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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.

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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.

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3. Standards in Negotiation and Contracts

 

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The Next Era: Purpose Over Pressure

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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

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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.

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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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