API Rising

In this episode of API Rising, Van sits down with Nikki Lamba, a seasoned leader in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), People Operations, and Learning and Development (L&D) to explore the evolving landscape of professional training and development. Nikki brings years of experience and invaluable insights into how professionals discover and access training opportunities, the impact of traditional and innovative pathways, and the importance of continuous growth. She is the Founder and CEO of Sixth Sense Advisory, where she partners with middle-market firms to embed inclusive principles in their operations. Whether you're seeking to advance your career, develop new skills, or understand the latest trends in DEI, HR, and L&D, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and practical tips.  Join us for a deep dive into the dynamic world of professional development and discover new avenues for your growth journey.

In this episode, we're excited to chat with Kenny Nguyen, CEO of ThreeSixty Eight, Co-Curator for Assembly Required, and TEDx Alumni and Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree. Prepare to be inspired by Kenny's unique journey, from his parents' escape to the US as Vietnamese refugees to their US experience and Kenny's unconventional path to success. His unwavering commitment to problem-solving and ambitious mission to transform Baton Rouge into the Creative Capital of the South is inspiring and infectious.

Join us as we sit down with Michele Ching, VP of Sightly, investor, speaker, writer, and advisor, alongside her inspiring mother, Cheryl Shigematsu, former President of the Paralegal Association of Hawaii and a pioneer for Hawaii's Positive Parenting Association. This mother-daughter duo dives deep into their upbringing as part of a six-generation Asian, Hawaiian American lineage and how their incredible journeys have inspired them to pave unique portfolio career paths. Hear their stories of resilience, cultural pride, and trailblazing leadership.

Welcome to Episode 21 of API Rising, where we dive deep into the stories and journeys of Asian and Pacific Islander leaders. In this episode, we shine the spotlight on Sheila Akbar, the CEO of Signet Education. Sheila takes us on a captivating journey from her childhood as a South Asian American girl in a small town in Michigan to her role as a prominent leader in education. Growing up as the daughter of Bengali parents, Sheila shares insights into navigating cultural dynamics while forging her path in leadership. Her story is a testament to resilience, cultural heritage, and the power of embracing one's identity. Join us as we uncover Sheila's rich and sometimes jaw-dropping narrative, exploring the intersections of culture, leadership, and personal growth. Tune in to API Rising Episode 21 for an inspiring and enlightening conversation.

For many API, success stories tend to span generations. We talk about sacrifices and coming of age from a complex cultural upbringing.  In this episode, we are so honored to chat with Tiana Austel and her mother Jackie Austel, a retired architect. Their generational journey is absolutely incredible, encompassing Jackie’s parent's experience in internment camps, her own trailblazing adventure in architecture as one of the first women in the industry, and closing with Tiana’s wonderfully rich experience as a culturally complex Asian-German woman in Corporate America. And stay tuned all month long for API Rising’s special series highlighting API leaders and, when we can, their parent. 

In celebration of International Women's Day, Van & Cathy sit down with Robin Li, Operating Partner for GGV Capital, US on the API Rising podcast. Robin has had far-reaching impact, finding and fueling potential through venture capital investing, advising founders and startups, and more recently community building for AAPI startups and leaders. Robin shares her road into Venture Capital, finding potential, fueling growth, and factors to success.

In celebration of Black History Month, we've invited Danisha Lomax, EVP, Head of Client Inclusion & Impact, to the pod. She is a force in the industry, driving greater inclusion with incredible brands like Sephora, Hulu and more. Danisha shares her origin story, how she carved out such an incredible role, the business case for inclusion, and how she influences and persuades brands to move towards greater inclusion. Tune in for some gems for influencing and impact.

Join Cathy and Van for a candid conversation with Jill Kelly, US CEO of EssenceMediacom. Jill talks about her origin story as a Korean adoptee, the path to becoming CEO, and navigating the first 90 days as a CEO of a recently merged organization. 

This time of year is steeped in traditions for many who celebrate Lunar New Year. We're preparing our homes and ourselves for celebration. But many second and third-generation immigrants may struggle to remember all the rituals, dishes, and symbolism associated with Lunar New Year. We sat down to chat with Mai Truong, who found herself addressing the dilemma of a fractured connection to our cultural heritage. Join us for a heartfelt conversation with Mai. And if you're still looking for all the decorations and details to celebrate Lunar New Year yourself, check out www.boandmei.com. #embracingculture #lunarnewyear #aapi

Have you ever asked yourself what you truly want? For many, it’s a hard question to answer. It takes intentional, deep self-reflection and a commitment to excavating your real desires. In this episode, Cathy and Van interview Bonnie Wan, author of The Life Brief, a practical guide to bold living. Bonnie shares her own story, getting messy, getting clear, and getting active when it comes to creatively and courageously living the life you truly want.

What are your 2023 Highlights? The end of the year is a great time for reflection. But let's get our of our routines and take a comprehensive inventory. What are the key categories of your life? When you look at the various areas of your life, how satisfied are you with your year? Tune in to a conversation on a very non-routine intentional reflection. #reflection #lifeaudit #wholeself

In a recent poll published by Fast Company, 52% of U.S. workers are considering a job change this year, and as many as 44% have actual plans in place to make the leap. In this episode we’re talking about making changes in our careers. Changes like shifting roles, industries, or re-starting your career entirely. Doing something like this may seem daunting but with a little self-reflection and planning, you may be surprised how exciting and fulfilling it can be.

As leaders it's an incredible responsibility to be the container for answers, comfort, inspiration, but it's even more fraught when navigating through crisis. Here's a behind the scenes discussion with Cathy and Van as they talk about leading through crisis.

Research has shown that business cultures rooted in kindness are also equitable, more diverse, and have stronger employee retention. Can APIs thrive in this culture when so many of us have grown up in families where praise and recognition are not prevalant? Cathy and Van talk about their own experience cultivating kindness, and discuss pitfalls that can limit kindness cultures from thriving.

Why is it so scary - but so important - to have big dreams? With special guests Sarah Kim-Tomcek, Client Services Lead, Digital Experiences for Avanade, and Jennifer Lin, Sr Manager, Philanthropy Communications at Salesforce, we explore our Career Rising approach to dreaming big, ambitious dreams, and discuss how having a dream is both grounding and uplifting.

We’ve been talking about doing hard things and setting big goals over the last couple of episodes, it only makes sense for us to talk about our own big goal of launching API Rising in 6 weeks. In this episode, we talk about our initial conversation, setting our own ambitious timeline, our strategy to launch, what we had to build, and most importantly what we learned along the way.

At some point in our lives, we’ve all experienced the daunting feeling of tacking a challenging goal. We might procrastinate, we might dread it, we might even lose sleep over it. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started and taking that first step, or maybe it’s about the endurance needed to accomplish your goal.  In this episode, Cathy and Van talk about one key ingredient in accomplishing a challenging goal.  

When promotions are on the line, we may find ourselves playing it safe when it comes to setting goals. Easy goals might be mistaken with challenging but attainable goals, but what does that do for your overall growth?

Have you eaten? Are you hungry? In this episode Cathy and Van explore how family dynamics can slip into the office. Are we unconsciously bringing API values and cultural patterns of communication into the workplace and how can we be more intentional?

Many of us fall into the misconception that following a simple framework is all it takes to master the art of giving and receiving feedback. However, the truth is that a framework is merely the starting point. Engaging in a meaningful feedback discussion requires us to tune into emotions, reactions, and how individuals process what we say, allowing us to adjust accordingly. The same principle applies when receiving feedback. In essence, honing this skill demands continuous effort. In this installment, Cathy not only shares an easily understandable framework, but we also delve into role-playing scenarios where initial feedback serves as a launching point for deeper reflection and information gathering. It's invaluable to practice giving and receiving feedback through role-playing, as there can be a significant disparity between what we read, what we intend, and what we actually do when the moment arrives.