Big Asian Energy

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with Sheila Lirio Marcelo, co-founder of the Asian American Foundation and CEO of Ohai.ai. Sheila shares her remarkable journey from arriving in the US from the Philippines as a child to becoming a serial entrepreneur who built Care.com into a platform serving 45 million families. She opens up about transforming from a "tiger mom" leadership style to leading from the heart, and reveals how inner work and meditation helped her move from chasing approval to finding authentic power through love and service.

What Sheila Lirio Marcelo Shares:

About Sheila Lirio Marcelo

Sheila Lirio Marcelo is a serial entrepreneur and community leader who has built multiple platforms serving millions of families. She founded Care.com in 2006, scaled it to serve 45 million users, took it public in 2014, and exited in 2020 when it was acquired by IAC for $500 million. She is co-founder of the Asian American Foundation (TAAF), launched in 2021 to address Asian hate and promote belonging, safety, and prosperity for Asian Americans. Currently, she serves as co-founder and CEO of Ohai.ai, an AI-powered personal assistant platform helping families manage their mental load. A Harvard Law and Business School graduate who became a mother during college, Sheila has been recognized in Fortune's top 10 women entrepreneurs and Forbes' 50 over 50 list. She is a grandmother, mother of two, and dedicated advocate for caregivers and Asian American communities.

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with Dr. Ken Fong, the godfather of Asian American pastors and host of the top 1% Asian America Ken Fong podcast. Dr. Fong shares his journey from being told he was "30 years too soon" to creating the first Pan-Asian church in America, and reveals how Asian Americans can break free from gatekeeping systems to forge entirely new paths of leadership and community.

What Dr. Ken Fong Shares:

About Dr. Ken Fong

Dr. Ken Fong is a third-generation Chinese American who created one of the first Pan-Asian churches in the US in 1978, long before "Asian American" became mainstream. A retired pastor with over 40 years of ministry experience, he now hosts the Asian America The Ken Fong Podcast, which has been downloaded nearly 800,000 times, ranks in the top 1% of podcasts globally, and is archived by UCLA's Asian American Studies Center for its cultural significance. Dr. Fong has spent decades amplifying the voices of Asian American artists, activists, and community builders, and serves as a bridge between generations of Asian American leadership.

Connect with Dr. Ken Fong

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with clinical psychologists Dr. Michelle Chung and Dr. Laura Berssenbrugge to explore their groundbreaking Modern Asian Parent (MAP) movement—a research-based approach that challenges traditional tiger parenting while honoring cultural heritage. The doctors share why effective parenting starts with parents doing their own inner work around generational trauma, how to redefine success beyond traditional career paths, and why validation is the missing ingredient in most Asian family dynamics.

What Dr. Michelle and Dr. Laura Share:

About Dr. Michelle Chung

Dr. Michelle Chung is a clinical psychologist and head of Inpractice Psychology, specializing in anxiety, trauma, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. As a board member at Korean Community Services, she works directly with Asian families navigating the tension between cultural expectations and mental health. A recovering perfectionist herself and mother to a budding artist, Dr. Michelle is passionate about helping families break toxic cycles of pressure and achievement while building emotionally intelligent, values-aligned relationships.

About Dr. Laura Berssenbrugge

Dr. Laura Berssenbrugge is a Hawaii and New York-based child psychologist and former middle school teacher with specialized training from the Child Mind Institute and NYU Child Study Center. She works with children, teenagers, and families dealing with stress, anxiety, and the unique pressures facing Asian American youth. Dr. Laura focuses on giving parents practical tools to become cheerleaders for their children's emotional wellbeing while teaching stress management skills the whole family can practice together.

Connect with Dr. Michelle Chung and Dr. Laura Berssenbrugge

Website: themodernasianparent.com (free worksheets and resources)

Instagram: @themodernasianparent

Substack: themodernasianparent.substack.com

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with Leo Xia (professionally known as Lowhi), a Los Angeles-based men's mental health facilitator and founder of JinShan Collective and Proud Asian Men. Leo shares his powerful journey from classical pianist to leading transformative men's circles across the US, revealing how Asian men can break free from the belief that pain must precede worthiness. Through raw conversations about isolation, the pressure to perform, and the shame of vulnerability, Leo illuminates why community and brotherhood are essential for Asian men to sleep better at night—literally and figuratively.

What Leo Shares:

About Leo Xia
Leo Xia (known professionally as Lowhi) is a Los Angeles-based men's mental health facilitator, founder of JinShan Collective, and lead facilitator of Proud Asian Men (partnered with the Asian Mental Health Project). As an alt R&B lo-fi artist, he uniquely blends creative expression with deep emotional work. For the past five years, Leo has been leading men's circles, retreats, and workshops across the US, creating spaces where Asian men explore identity, heal generational wounds, and build lasting brotherhood through movement, music, open dialogue, and somatic practices. His work integrates emotional intelligence, communication skills, and authentic self-expression to help Asian men redefine what masculinity means on their own terms.

Connect with Leo Xia:

Instagram: @lowhiofficial
Website: proudasianmen.com

Check Out the Upcoming Vancouver Wellness Retreat here

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with Jane Chen, entrepreneur and author of the forthcoming memoir "Like A Wave We Break," to explore how childhood trauma shapes entrepreneurial drive and why healing work is essential for sustainable success. Jane shares her powerful journey from Stanford graduate student to founder of Embrace, a company that saved over a million babies, and reveals how a complete breakdown led her to Indonesia for a transformative healing journey. Through exploring everything from Internal Family Systems therapy to MDMA-assisted therapy, Jane discovered that true resilience isn't about pushing harder, but about coming home to yourself.

What Jane Shares:

Jane Chen is the author of "Like A Wave We Break," a memoir exploring trauma, healing, and finding worthiness beyond achievement. She is the founder of Embrace, a social enterprise that created a low-cost infant warmer that has helped over one million premature babies in remote areas worldwide. Recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Jane has been honored by President Obama and supported by Beyonce. After experiencing burnout and a mental breakdown ten years into building Embrace, Jane embarked on an intensive healing journey that transformed her understanding of success, resilience, and leadership. She now works as a leadership coach, bringing trauma-informed practices to help leaders create psychologically safe teams and organizations.

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with Emmy Award-winning journalist and NBC News anchor Vicky Nguyen to explore her remarkable journey from Vietnamese refugee camp to national television and New York Times bestselling author. Vicky shares powerful insights from her memoir "Boat Baby" about the immigrant experience, breaking through the bamboo ceiling in broadcast journalism, and why she now embraces bringing her full identity to her work after years of staying neutral. From navigating jealousy early in her career to empowering the next generation, Vicky offers wisdom on collective success, generational healing, and what it means to truly thrive rather than just survive.

What Vicky Shares:

About Vicky Nguyen
Vicky Nguyen is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, NBC News correspondent, and anchor of NBC News Daily. Born in a Saigon, her family fled Vietnam by boat when she was just 8 months old before their journey to make a new life in America. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir "Boat Baby." Throughout her career in broadcast journalism, Vicky has worked across the country—from Orlando to California to New York—covering major national stories including the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. She is passionate about representation in media, platforming diverse voices and thought leaders, and using her position to inspire the next generation that "if you can see it, you can be it." Vicky lives in New York with her family.

Connect with Vicky Nguyen
"Boat Baby" by Vicky Nguyen available wherever books are sold

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with TeachAAPI co-founders Ann Kono and Renee Yang to explore how personal experiences of racism against their children during COVID sparked them to leave successful corporate careers and create systemic change in education. Ann and Renee share their journey from C-suite executives to education activists and reveal how they've reached 125,000 children across schools nationwide by building bridges rather than creating division.

What Ann and Renee Share:

Why AAPI education must move beyond once-a-year celebrations

Building confidence in parents and educators to advocate for full representation in schools

Navigating political volatility around education by creating safe educator communities built on authenticity, trust, and peer-to-peer support new quotes for these ones

About Ann Kono Ann Kono is co-founder of TeachAAPI and a 2025 Female Executive of the Year Finalist from the LA Business Journal. A Chinese American who grew up in inner city Boston, she built a 25+ year career in corporate leadership, helping grow assets from $18 billion to $150 billion and serving on multiple public company boards. After her son faced microaggressions during COVID, she activated her network to create TeachAAPI, transforming her experience with childhood racism into a force for systemic educational change.

About Renee Yang
Renee Yang is co-founder of TeachAAPI with a 25-year career in strategic marketing at Fortune 500 companies including Neutrogena and Mattel. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Los Angeles, she combines her corporate expertise with deep passion for education equity. After her fifth-grade son courageously stood up to racist comments during Zoom school, she partnered with Ann to create programming that has achieved a 95% school retention rate and reached over 125,000 students.

Connect with TeachAAPI

Website: teachaapi.org

Social media: Follow @TeachAAPI

Breaking PR Gatekeeping: Visibility, Trauma, and Authentic Storytelling with Gloria Chou

In this episode of Big Asian Energy, John Wang sits down with award-winning PR strategist Gloria Chou to explore how cultural conditioning affects business visibility and why healing generational trauma is essential for entrepreneurial success. Gloria shares her journey from US diplomat to PR disruptor and reveals how small business owners can land major media features without expensive agencies or connections.

What Gloria Shares:

About Gloria Chou Gloria Chou is an award-winning PR strategist, host of the top-rated Small Business PR podcast, and Forbes Next 1000 honoree. A former US diplomat turned PR disruptor, she helps BIPOC and female entrepreneurs land features in outlets like The New York Times, Forbes, and Vogue without connections or massive followings. After experiencing burnout and a health crisis from chasing traditional success metrics, Gloria rebuilt her business around authentic messaging and community healing. She's passionate about dismantling PR industry gatekeeping and creating safe spaces for marginalized entrepreneurs to step into visibility.

Connect with Gloria Chou
Instagram: @gloriachoupr
Free Masterclass: learn.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass or DM "ASIAN" on Instagram for AI workflow resource
Podcast: Small Business PR

In this spontaneous street encounter turned deep conversation, John Wang sits down with internationally renowned entrepreneur John Lee for an exploration of wealth creation, business psychology, and the future of entrepreneurship. Recorded on-site in Austin after a chance meeting, this episode dives into the mental frameworks that separate successful entrepreneurs from those who struggle, and how AI is reshaping the business landscape.

What John Lee Shares:

About John Lee John Lee is an internationally renowned entrepreneur, investor, and speaker who has been featured in Forbes, Sunday Times, and BBC. Awarded Man of the Year in 2017 by Global Women's Magazine, he has built a community of over 6 million social media followers worldwide. Starting as an animator who was paid £50,000 to speak on his first major stage, John transformed unconventional skills into business advantages. His empire now spans multiple industries, and he's pioneered AI clone technology that allows entrepreneurs to scale their expertise. His upcoming book with Hay House focuses on the psychology of wealth creation and business success.

Connect with John Lee:
Website: https://johnlee.com/
Instagram: @john_lee_official

In this solo episode of Big Asian Energy, AAPI author and podcast host John Wang provides an in-depth psychological analysis of the Netflix phenomenon K-pop Demon Hunters. This animated film has broken streaming records worldwide while exploring themes of Asian American identity, intergenerational trauma, and mental health. John decodes the deeper meanings behind the demon-fighting storyline to reveal insights about cultural patterns, perfectionism, and generational healing in Asian communities.

What John shares:

Connect with John Wang

Instagram: @johnwangofficial
"Big Asian Energy" book - Available at major retailers
Free Big Asian Energy patterns quiz at bigasianenergy.com