Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings | Global Venture Capital

Summer’s almost here—and with it, a moment to reflect on what it really takes to spark lasting, meaningful change. In a world where progress often feels slow and the stakes impossibly high, Dr. Rajiv Shah has spent his career proving that bold, system-shifting bets can work.

From leading global vaccine efforts at the Gates Foundation, to reshaping food security policy at USAID, to now powering innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation—Raj’s story is one of grit, vision, and conviction.

This conversation is a masterclass on making big bets: how to build unlikely alliances, act with urgency, and stay grounded in optimism—even when the odds feel stacked.

If you’re a leader wondering “Where do we go from here?”—this one’s for you.

Let’s dive in.

Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:32 - Key Takeaway #1: The 3 key elements of big bets:

04:38 - Key Takeaway #2: It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes.

09:22 - Key Takeaway #3: Keep taking the risks, keep reinventing.

12:05 - Key Takeaway #4: Crossing boundaries IS part of the process

15:08 - A powerful reminder: every billion-dollar move starts with conviction, clarity, and courage.

About Dr Rajiv Shah

Dr. Rajiv J. "Raj" Shah was born to Indian immigrant parents who settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1960s. He joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2001, serving in a range of leadership roles including Director of Agricultural Development, Director of Strategic Opportunities, Deputy Director of Policy and Finance and Chief Economist. During his time in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he was also responsible for developing the International Finance Facility for Immunization, which raised more than $5 billion for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

Throughout Obama administration, Raj was nominated to serve United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). As Administrator of USAID, he restructured $2.9 billion of global health investments to focus on cost-effective ways to save lives of children under the age of five in priority countries.

On January 5, 2017, Raj Shah was sworn to serve as the 13th president of the Rockefeller Foundation, continuing the mission of the foundation to improve the lives of humanity around the world.

In 2023, he authored the book "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Occurs,”, offers insights into some of his experiences in philanthropic and public service work, as well as the lessons he has learned throughout his career on how to drive transformational change through a big-goal mindset.

FOLLOW DR. RAJ

Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter

Rockefeller Foundation - Big Bets

https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bigbets

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

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Her great-grandfather helped birth the VC industry. Her father, Tim Draper, made game-changing bets on Tesla, Hotmail, and Skype. 

But Jesse Draper? She’s carved her own path—first as a Nickelodeon actress, then as the creator of The Valley Girl Show, and now as the founding partner of Halogen Ventures. With over 75 female-founded companies under her belt, Jesse is proving that investing in women isn't charity—it's just good business. 

From battling biases in the boardroom to rewriting what venture capital looks like through the lens of the modern family, this episode is Jesse Draper like you've never heard her before. Let’s dive in!

Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:52 - Jesse Draper’s early aspirations; family legacy & "Nepo Baby" pushback

05:21 - Starting a Tech talk show — The Valley Girl Show from her parents’ garage

10:16 - Pivoting to venture; early angel investments led to major returns: Laurel & Wolf with 26X return

13:17 - From Valley Girl persona to founding Halogen Ventures

21:28 - Thesis and conviction: Fund 1 raised $10.4M

27:27 - Childcare economy; Halogen doubling down on future of family

34:43 - Challenges with fundraising & biases; advice to women navigating wealth and power

47:50 - Billion Dollar Questions

About Jesse

Jesse Draper is a mother of 3 boys and founding partner of Halogen Ventures. Halogen Ventures is a Los Angeles based Venture Capital firm focused on early stage investing in consumer technology and strategic B2B software companies with a female in the founding team. Draper, the first solo female GP in Los Angeles, is also a 4th generation venture capitalist, the creator and host of Emmy nominated television series, The Valley Girl Show, and host of the MOMumental Podcast.

She is a fierce advocate for investing in women and the opportunity for using technology and innovation to solve some of the biggest issues facing women and families today. Among her 70+ portfolio companies, are theSkimm, Babylist, ThirdLove, HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company, Squad (acquired by Twitter), Eloquii (sold to Walmart) and This is L (sold to P&G).

FOLLOW JESSE:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessedraper/

https://www.instagram.com/jessecdraper/

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

In this AANHPI Heritage Month special, we go beyond the headlines to uncover the real strategies behind extraordinary leaders who happen to be Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander. 

From billion-dollar founders to high-conviction investors, this episode dives into the mindset, grit, and quiet strength that drive lasting impact—not just success. You'll hear unfiltered insights from Melanie Perkins, Canva; Steve Chen, YouTube; Cathy Gao, Sapphire Venture; Kimberly Yao, CloudEats; Lisa Su, AMD; Momei Qu, PSP Partner; and James Rhee, the red helicopter; as they redefine what it means to lead in today’s world. 

This isn’t just about representation—it’s about outperformance.

TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

0:52 - Key Takeaway #1: Entrepreneurial Grit and Innovation

09:06 - Key Takeaway #2: Leadership Lessons

15:37 - Key Takeaway #3: The Quiet Power of Humility

20:28 - Final takeaway: Treat grit as an input. Identity as insight. And never underestimate the quiet builders.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODES:

Journey after YouTube w/ Steve Chen, Draco Evolution

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/

Enterprise is Eating The World with Cathy Gao, Sapphire Ventures

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/enterprise-is-eating-the-world-cathy-gao-sapphire-ventures/

Bite: Evolving as a CEO That Your Company Needs with Kim Yao, CloudEats

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/bite-evolving-CEO-scaling-company-kim-yao-cloudeats/

Investing with Penny Pritzker and Building a Robust Venture & Growth Practice with Momei Qu, MD, PSP Partners

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/building-robust-venture-growth-practice-with-momei-qu-md-psp/

CEO Series: Lisa Su, AMD

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-lisa-su-amd/

CEO Series: Melanie Perkins, Canva

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/

Leading with Kindness: The Power of Goodwill with James Rhee, Owner, Red Helicopter, TEDTalk Speaker

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/leading-with-kindness-the-power-of-goodwill-james-rhee-red-helicopter/

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

Laurel Mintz is not your typical VC. At just 26, she stepped in to run her father’s Bassett Furniture business — managing 60 employees and learning leadership the hard way. From there, she launched ⁠Elevate My Brand⁠, a marketing powerhouse behind hundreds of consumer brands — many of which went on to raise capital.

Today, she’s rewriting the VC playbook with ⁠Fabric VC⁠, a seed-stage fund turning marketing into a superpower for picking and growing winners. In this episode, Laurel opens up about her first LP check, flipping the script on fundraising, using proprietary diligence tools, and why investing in diverse founders isn’t charity — it’s a smart business model.

If you’re a founder, funder, or future GP — this one’s a masterclass.

TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:12 - From lawyer to founder: interim CEO for Bassett Furniture; founded Elevate My Brand

05:19 - 16 years of marketing experience; first LP check into Halogen Ventures’ Jesse Draper

09:56 - Why Fabric VC? The data-backed diversity bet

13:00 - AI hype; secondary diligence layer using marketing listening software

17:27 - Sweat equity + marketing as a VC edge

21:32 - Fundraising lessons: the mindset shift and the rolling raise / rolling deploy strategy

23:31 - Empowering new female LPs & destigmatizing money talk

27:58 - Laurel’s exit strategy philosophy & her bets for the future

31:58 - Billion Dollar Questions

ABOUT LAUREL

As founder of Elevate My Brand, Laurel has spent 16 years turning bold ideas into measurable growth for over 400 powerhouse brands like Verizon, Paw Patrol, Zendesk, Geico and Squishmallows. Their marketing strategies don’t just look good—they drive visibility, profitability, and real results.

In parallel, as General Partner at Fabric VC, Laurel invests in the next wave of consumer-tech, health, and fintech founders. With a marketer’s lens and a strategist’s mindset, she helps visionary startups scale smart and stay seen. Across both roles, her mission is simply described as fuel innovation and impact, elevate bold ideas, and build what’s next.

FOLLOW LAUREL:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurel-mintz

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion.

Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the former CEO of Coursera, he had led the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and had helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators.

From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for.

00:00 - Intro

01:55 - From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations

09:26 - Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult

12:55 - Jeff's take on AI: another form of technology, impact, and social concerns

16:18 - Using GPT to predict business strategies

19:10 - Coursera; Digital platform business models in online learning: why massive online open courses (MOOCs)?

29:20 - Being a growth company CEO: challenges & lessons.

32:40 - Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change.

38:10 - Billion Dollar Questions

Coursera Inc. is a publicly listed U.S.-based massive open online course provider founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subjects.

Jeff Maggioncalda is an American business executive and was the chief executive officer of Coursera until January 29th, 2025. 

FOLLOW JEFF:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmagg/

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol...

FOLLOW SARAH:

Instagram @sarahchenglobal 

LinkedIn @sarahchenglobal  

https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

This week, we sat down with father-daughter duo Evan and Ariel Segal of Segal Ventures, pulled back the curtain on how modern family offices can drive real impact. From investing in 94% women-led funds to creatively deploying donor-advised funds, the Segals share how they're rewriting the playbook on values-aligned investing. 

Tune in as they discuss building an ecosystem of trust, navigating today’s venture landscape, and why being additive—not extractive—is the future of capital!

0:00 - Intro

02:18 - Evan Segal's journey: from Pittsburgh roots, CEO at 27, CFO at USDA, to impact investing and philanthropy

05:10 - Ariel Segal's path inspired by her father’s entrepreneurial journey

05:35 - Inside Segal Ventures’ over 50 venture funds (94% women-led), 180+ direct investments, spanning 800 startups

08:15 - Segal Ventures’ strategic check-writing; additive relationships over passive capital

09:14 - Weathering the political changes; “for us, making an impact is the key driver; that legacy becomes so much greater than just simply an investment”

14:51 - Portfolio growth from family offices view: balancing profit and purpose

22:38 - Post-2021 downturn: challenges in fundraising; importance of storytelling during fundraises; founder strategies to reallocate resources

29:27 - Creative use of capital, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), and marketing

34:11 - Setbacks and barriers in venture to achieve purposeful investing; ‘smashing the patriarchy’

41:46 - Final takeaways; Segal Ventures as a model for next-gen family offices: blending profit with purpose

Segal Ventures is an early stage investment firm focused on women-led venture capital funds and companies. They provide capital in three ways:

Evan J. Segal is a business leader, philanthropist, angel investor, social entrepreneur, author and adjunct professor. He was the President/ Owner of Dormont Manufacturing Company, the inventor and world's largest manufacturer of flexible stainless steel gas appliance connector. 

After a successful exit, Mr. Segal served as the Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Nominated by President Obama and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate, Mr. Segal also served on The White House Innovation and Information Policy Task Force and was the Co-Chair of the Federal CFO Council. 

In addition to leading The Segal Family Foundation, Evan serves as Founder & General Partner of Segal Ventures, Co-Founder of The 412 Venture Fund, Founder of Kiva Pittsburgh and Venture For America Pittsburgh. 

FOLLOW EVAN | LinkedIn

As Managing Director of Segal Ventures, Ariel advises fund managers and founders on strategies to fuel growth, providing valuable resources and cultivating community. With 15+ years of experience as an operator at tech startups, Ariel most recently led marketing at Foursquare, where she developed deep expertise across content, events, customer insights, social media, email, paid advertising and more. 

FOLLOW ARIEL | LinkedIn

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

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In this episode, we dive into France's bold €54 billion climate investment plan with Raphaele Leyendecker, Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris. 

As France positions itself as a leader in sustainable innovation, this massive initiative spans sectors from green energy to clean transportation. Raphaele unpacks how Techstars Sustainability Paris fits into this movement, the evolving role of European startups in climate tech, and the tangible ways global founders can engage with France’s green transition. 

With practical insights on market access, regulatory alignment, and ecosystem support, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone building for the climate era!

0:00 - Intro

01:40 - Raphaele’s background & motivation to align career with meaningful sustainability work

04:24 - Techstars Sustainability Paris: The launch & vision

07:08 - European funding landscape: France’s €54B climate investment plan; BPI France

08:42 - Software VS Hardware Clean Tech companies in Europe; Deep Tech & Hardware in Climate Innovation

10:48 - European Climate Tech landscape & regulatory advantage; Techstars' role in facilitating soft landing and long-term expansion support

14:34 - Growing trends in Climate and Sustainability and the challenges in European market

19:00 - Profit & purpose alignment; 

21:41 - The thrive of female founders in Clean Tech; how Techstars Paris is designing program around founder needs in deep tech

24:51 - 3 Key takeaways from Raphaele & Billion Dollar Questions

Raphaele Leyendecker is the Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris. Raphaele is a sustainability and digital entrepreneur, startup board member and early stage investor in over 40 startups. She is also versed in strategic innovation and venture building, working with 55+ corporations such as Engie, Suez, Schneider Electric, L’Oreal or Nespresso over the years.

FOLLOW RAPHAELE:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaeleleyendecker/

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

In this insightful episode, we sit down with industry leaders dive deep into the challenges and opportunities for women in the venture capital realm. From the evolving investment landscape in Europe, strategies for securing funding, and the power of diverse leadership in driving billion-dollar growth — we’ve covered it all. 

With firsthand accounts from these funders and founders who are driving the future, get ready for actionable insights on how to navigate the startup ecosystem, overcome biases, and how to create a more inclusive future for innovation and capital.

0:00 - Intro

03:56 - Fleur Pellerin: former French minister turned investor; current state of women in venture capital and French ecosystem

07:29 - Tatiana Jama: from an exited founder to SISTAFUND; data-driven insights on funding disparities and progress made

12:53 - Stephanie Nenta: founder driving the future with AI; challenges faced by women founders and structural biases in investment decisions

16:19 - Liz Matthews: corporate supporting diversity initiatives; why diversity in leadership is a winning strategy

18:42 - Difficulties faced while diversifying portfolio; Le French Tech and incentives as solutions

22:38 - The role of institutional investors & policymakers in solving the gender gap in funding

26:22 - Overcoming biases: strategies for fundraising & growth

29:58 - Leveraging AI and tech to drive long-term impact

31:45 - Audience Q&A

46:47 - Final takeaways and calls to action for funders and founders

Panelists:

Fleur Pellerin 

Former Minister of Culture of France

Founder & Managing Partner, Korelya Capital

Stephanie Nenta Mbianda

Directrice Générale & Co-Founder, Xtramile

Liz Matthews 

Senior Vice President, Brand and Advertising, Dell Technologies

Tatiana Jama

Founder & Managing Partner, SISTAFUND

Moderator:

Sarah Chen-Spellings

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion

Read Full Recap: 

https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-paris-edition/

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

Susan Wojcicki didn’t just lead YouTube—she shaped the digital age. From being Google’s 16th employee to orchestrating YouTube’s $1.65 billion acquisition, her vision transformed the platform into a global powerhouse.

In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, we honor Susan’s legacy—from her groundbreaking leadership in tech to her unwavering commitment to innovation. As we reflect on her impact, her story remains a masterclass in bold decision-making, resilience, and the power of long-term vision.

0:00 - Intro

03:35 - Key Takeaways #1: Spotting Unconventional Opportunities

06:49 - Key Takeaways #2: Navigating Controversy with Strategy and Empathy

09:51 - Key Takeaways #3: Empowering Others to Succeed

12:20 - Key Takeaways #4: Balancing Personal Challenges with Professional Resilience

14:41 - Key Takeaways #5: Betting on Long-Term Growth and Building Stakeholder Buy-In

18:18 - Mental Models to Think, Lead, Invest and Build Like Susan Wojcicki

Susan Diane Wojcicki was an American business executive who was the chief executive officer of YouTube from 2014 to 2023. Her net worth was estimated at $765 million in 2022. Wojcicki worked in the technology industry for over twenty years.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSAN:

https://www.youtube.com/susanwojcicki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Wojcicki

A conversation with YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki

Susan Wojcicki on: How to Avoid Burnout In A Leadership Role & Learning To Celebrate the Small Wins

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki on Recode Decode

Davos Annual Meeting 2022 - A Conversation with Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

India’s startup ecosystem is at a tipping point. With unicorn valuations correcting and global VCs recalibrating their bets, what does the future hold? 

In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, we sit down with Shuvi Shrivastava, Partner at Lightspeed, one of the world’s most influential venture firms, to unpack India’s rise, venture capital shifts, and the billion-dollar opportunities ahead.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just someone tracking the next big global tech shift—this episode is packed with insights, bold plays, and lessons from the frontlines of India's venture boom.

0:00 - Intro

02:00 - How Shuvi landed at Lightspeed; The evolution of india’s startup ecosystem

04:47 - Privatisation in India and the cultural shifts

07:17 - India’s unicorn boom and global market corrections

11:47 - Lightspeed’s India strategy & forth fund at $500M

16:19 - The rise of India in the global supply chain; the blooming advance engineering industries

17:44 - India’s robust IPO pipeline and exit landscape

19:42 - The surprising slow AI adoption in India; what makes a venture-backable company in India

24:18 - Billion Dollar Questions

At Lightspeed India Partners, Shuvi Shrivastava invests in early-stage consumer and fin-tech startups in India and Southeast Asia. In a previous role she sourced DarwinBox at its Series A and also sourced ed-tech startup Byju's which was recently valued at $8 billion. She has also worked as a consultant with Bain & Co., led business development and operations at an early-stage computer vision startup, Drishti Tech, in Silicon Valley (raised close to $15 million from Andreessen Horowitz and Emergence Cap), and ran her own startup Uttr Labs.

FOLLOW SHUVI:

https://x.com/shuvi

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shuvi-shrivastava/

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PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal