Aconic

Aconic

The Aconic Podcast features candid conversations with successful Asian and AAPI icons who share their personal journeys of challenges and triumphs. Hosted by Soon Yu.

Episodes

July 16, 2025

One Mother's Sacrifice Inspires Daughter's Mission to Move Families Forward.

In this episode, host Soon Yu interviews Ritu Narayan, the CEO of Zum, a company revolutionizing the school transportation system. Ritu shares her journey from India to becoming a tech leader in Silicon Valley, discusses her family's influence and the challenges she faced while building Zum. The conversation delv...

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From Side Hustles to Direct Delivery: Larry Liu’s Journey to Building Weee!

In this episode of the Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu sits down with Larry Liu, the CEO of Weee!, America's largest online Asian supermarket. Larry delves into his immigrant journey, the early challenges in America, and his relentless hustle from reselling backpacks to launching Weee!. They discuss Larry's initial struggles to secure f...

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ACONIC Rising: Stanford, Robots, and a Tiara: The Unconventional Reign of Tiffany Chang

This episode is part of our new series ACONIC Rising, which features younger guests on their journey to becoming Aconic. In this episode, Miss Asia USA Tiffany Chang shares her journey from an introverted knitter to a Stanford student, nonprofit founder, and pageant titleholder defying stereotypes. She opens up about ov...
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Geoff Yang, co-founder of Redpoint Ventures : From Building Network Routers to Building a Network of Entrepreneurs, Hip Hop Artists and Olympians

In this episode of the Aconic Podcast, Soon Yu interviews venture capital titan and Redpoint Ventures co-founder Geoff Yang as he shares his extraordinary journey of building influential networks that extend far beyond Silicon Valley. From early bets on game-changing compa...

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May 21, 2025 73 mins

Lisa Ling, Emmy Award-Winning Journalist: How Family Sacrifice and a Hunger for Truth Shaped One of America’s Most Fearless Reporters

Join host, Soon Yu on the Aconic Podcast for a deeply reflective conversation with journalist Lisa Ling. In this episode, Lisa opens up about the forces that have shaped her remarkable journey: grappling with identity as an outsider, confronting early career racism, and t...

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From Cargo Ship Passenger to Secretary of Transportation: The Trailblazing Legacy of Secretary Elaine Chao

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu sits down with Secretary Elaine Chao to explore her remarkable journey—from arriving in America as a seasick 8-year-old on a 37-day cargo ship to becoming the first Asian American woman to serve in two U.S. presidential cab...

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Balancing Babies, Books, and Boardrooms: The Inspiring Journey of Sheila Lirio Marcelo

In this heartfelt episode of the Aconic Podcast, host Soon interviews Sheila Marcelo, the visionary entrepreneur behind Care.com and Ohai.ai. From navigating an unplanned pregnancy as a 20 year old sophomore in college to founding a company that became a lifeline for millions of families, Sheila’s journey is nothing short ...

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The Future Will Be Bought: How Bing Chen is Funding the Way
In this episode, Soon welcomes Bing Chen, the visionary founder of Gold House, a cultural ecosystem championing Asian creativity. The discussion covers Bing's remarkable journey, his influences, and the transformative work of Gold House. From his beginnings, the impact of losing his father, to his pivotal role at YouTube in shaping the cre...
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Embracing Growth, Grit, and Grace with Guy Kawasaki. In this episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu sits down with Guy Kawasaki, the renowned evangelist for Apple and Canva, author of 16 books, and the host of the 'Remarkable People' podcast. Guy expounds on his philosophy around the three G's: growth, grit, and grace, and how they've shaped his career and life. He shares personal anecdotes, from his early day...

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Intentional Leadership with Mayor Aftab Pureval. In this episode, host Soon Yu interviews Aftab Pureval, the mayor of Cincinnati, who shares his inspiring journey from his immigrant family's experiences to his leadership in public office. Pureval discusses his career trajectory, starting from his early days in student government to his role as clerk of courts, where he tackled system...

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In this episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu speaks with Charles Yu, award-winning novelist and executive producer of Hulu's 'Interior Chinatown'. They dive into Charles' journey from a career in law to becoming a celebrated writer, focusing on his struggles and breakthroughs. 

The discussion covers the moment when he almost gave up o...

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Yamini Rangan: From Small Town Dreams to Leading HubSpot. In this episode of Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu, along with co-host Tina Shah Paikeday, interviews Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot. The conversation covers Yamini's inspiring journey from a small town in India, to leading a prominent software company. Yamini shares personal anecdotes about ...

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In this episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu engages in an honest and candid conversation with Jenny Ming, a prominent Asian-American leader and the CEO of Rothy's, a fast growing fashion company endorsed by. Jenny shares her remarkable journey, from immigrating to the U.S. as a child to rising through the ranks to leadership roles at top fashion brands, including Co-Founder and First President of ...
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Ho Nam: Resilience and Reinvention. In this episode, host Soon Yu interviews Ho Nam, Managing Director of Altos Ventures. The conversation delves into Ho's upbringing in Korea, his family's immigration journey to the U.S., and the socio-economic challenges they faced. Ho shares insights into the founding and evolution of Altos Ventures over three decades, highlighting the shift from a feeder fund model to a value-f...

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Manny Maceda: From Exile to Acclaim. In this episode, Soon Yu speaks with Manny Maceda, former CEO/Worldwide Managing Partner of Bain & Company, about his remarkable journey from a privileged childhood in Manila to becoming a global leader in consulting. Manny shares how political turmoil reshaped his family’s life, leading to their exile in the U.S. and inspiring him to pursue higher education and a care...

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November 13, 2024 47 mins

In this episode of the Aconic Podcast, hosted by Soon Yu, we welcome Joe Bae, CEO of KKR. Joe shares his journey from immigrating to the U.S. at a young age, growing up in a predominantly white community, and developing a passion for music which later transitioned to finance. He speaks about his rapid career progression, starting at Goldman Sachs and joining KKR. Joe discusses his sig...

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On this episode of the Aconic Podcast with Soon Yu, we speak with Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry, a senior executive in Silicon Valley. Deb shares her story of overcoming the challenges she faced as an Asian-American woman, reflecting on her upbringing in South Carolina and the discrimination she encountered. She delves into her mission of being a creator, connector, and problem solver. Highlighting her professional mile...

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In this episode, host Soon Yu interviews Andrew Yang, entrepreneur, founder of the Forward Party, and former 2020 presidential candidate. They discuss Yang’s stereotypical upbringing as the son of Taiwanese immigrants, his struggles with identity, and the challenges he faced in his early career. Yang shares his journey from a scrawny, picked-on geek to a resilient, transformative leader, emphasizing his exper...

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In this episode of The Aconic Podcast, host Soon Yu engages in an inspiring conversation with Debby Soo, the CEO of OpenTable. Debby delves into her remarkable journey from humble beginnings in Daly City to breaking stereotypes in the corporate world. She shares her candid experiences of overcoming cultural stigmas, trailblazing through various professional roles, and mastering the art of adapting to different envi...

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September 10, 2024 1 min
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