Bombshell Brunches Podcast

What a FIERCE, FABULOUS episode! Natasha Jung takes us on a journey through the inception and continued growth of Cold Tea Collective, a 25-strong, volunteer-led organisation that tells stories for, by and about Asian Millennials. We talk finding your niche, engaging your stakeholders, building an authentic community, and creating lasting relationships. Natasha is, in our opinion, a true pioneer of facilitative leadership, and champion of anti-racism. One of Kristina’s absolute heroes, Cold Tea Collective is a safe space to share stories without having to explain yourself - it’s about celebrating a shared culture. We spill the tea on when to launch, overcoming imposter syndrome, on knowing what’s ‘enough’, and when (and HOW) to get paid. If you are building a new community, looking for one, or enjoy learning and understanding the wonderfully different ways that we create connections within our chosen and lived societies. We love how honest, passionate, clear and humble a leader Natasha is, and we know you will absolutely ADORE her as much as we do. Enjoy, BBs! 

About Natasha

Natasha Jung is the Founder, Editor in Chief, and Executive Producer of Cold Tea Collective, a media publication for, by, and about Asian millennials in North America and has previously partnered with global brands Dove and Refinery29. Natasha’s experience as a broadcast journalist, producer, and marketer have led her to interview cast members of Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi and more. PR Newswire has named Cold Tea Collective as one of the “10 Top-Notch Asian American News Sites to Follow”.

In 2021, Natasha was named a Community Builder in BC Business’ Women of the Year Awards and Cold Tea Collective was recognized by the BC Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards. 

Natasha is a founding advisor for the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and has served on several non-profit boards over the last decade. Her dedication to community has also been recognized by the United Global Chinese Womens’ Association of Canada and Deloitte Canada.

Outside of work, Natasha is a new mom and when she isn't taking care of her four month old son, she's on the hunt for the best bubble tea and other Asian desserts. 

REFERENCES:

Natasha’s LinkedIn: click HERE 

Board of Trade: click HERE

Cold Tea Collective: click HERE

Asana (productivity tools): click HERE

To connect with Natasha: click HERE 

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: Glen, Bosco, Hannah, Grace, Elvin and Nicole!  

Today is a MUST LISTEN:

We talk using TikTok to gain brand awareness and authority as a professional, using YouTube’s short stories to gain MAJOR traction, and the power of forgetting failure and JUST TRYING THE THING. 

This episode is for creators, entrepreneurs and real estate investors (whether you’re on your first or fifth home, this episode has tricks and tips for you!). 

You don’t want to miss this badass brunch with Ashley Smith, who sits on the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver as the youngest President in its 100 year history, representing over 14,000 Realtors. So, buckle up and get ready to re-evaluate your content strategy, interview your agents, and find your perfect partnerships, whether it’s for your first home, your business, or empire-building investments. Ashley’s got you covered, BBs. 

About Our Guest: 

A licenced REALTOR® since 2008, Ashley Smith is keen to participate in the real estate profession, and to help shape its future in an exciting and fast-evolving landscape. As a young leader in the BC business community, she was recognized by Business in Vancouver with a "Top Forty Under 40" award. For her business, Ashley leans heavily into social media and video to build community, authority, and brand awareness. A self-proclaimed governance nerd, Ashley has 10 years of leadership experience in Organized Real Estate - recently serving the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver as its youngest President in the organization's 100 year history in 2019/20 representing over 14,000 Realtors. In 2021, Ashley was appointed a director's seat with the B.C. Real Estate Association.

REFERENCES:

• CHOA (Condominium Home Owners' Association)
•  Ashley's LinkedIn

To connect with Ashley: click HERE

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Glen Gustard: Creative Team (to connect with Glen, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

Grace Harvey: Social Team (to connect with Grace, click HERE)

Elvin Sisco: Social Team (to connect with Elvin, click HERE)

Nicole Mikala: QC Team (to connect with Nicole, click HERE)

Levels Music Production: Audio Career Pathway Support (to connect with Levels Music Pro, click HERE)

With special guest Dr. T aka Dad, aka Papa, aka Kristina Lao’s Father-dearest, we explore how to curate the career path that will keep you inspired, passionate and happy. We get into everything from how having a good resume can help alleviate imposter syndrome, tactics to keep you curious and inspired and how sometimes the biggest leaps forward come from someone doubting you. Dr. T lets us in on the secret that started him on a career path which spanned five countries and a world of experiences while keeping up with his passion for sport and undertaking continuous learning - including a Ph.D.

Whether you’re looking for a way to escape the cycle of work-home-work or are just entering your career this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

About Dr. T: 

1. Born in London, UK. Lived in UK, NZ, Australia, Hong Kong, and

Canada.

2. Career spans banking, police, military, private sector

(construction), consulting, and teaching/instructing (at a local

university, which is what he’s doing now).

3. Sports include(d) running, swimming, soccer, marathons, Ironman

Triathlons - and now, walking!

4. Hobbies include learning basic guitar, and how to read sheet music

(piano).

5. Interests - Learning how to learn - and, continuous learning.

REFERENCES:

• Jim Kwik
• Sir Ken Robinson
• Leadership - Norton
• Kwantlen University

To connect with Dr. T: click HERE 

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Glen Gustard: Creative Team (to connect with Glen, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

Grace Harvey: Social Team (to connect with Grace, click HERE)

Elvin Sisco: Social Team (to connect with Elvin, click HERE)

Nicole Mikala: QC Team (to connect with Nicole, click HERE)

Today’s guest has been on Raquelle’s wish list for as long as the podcast has been around. We talked to Saschie from @formationstudio_ about navigating loss, how she turned her grief into a way to empower herself and others to heal and feel fabulous. From learning the hard lessons of finding out what she wasn’t made for to rebuilding herself after big oopsies (aka photoshopping your grades for your parents), Saschie is the badass, unapologetic, open book kind of woman we LOVE. Saschie spills the tea on this incredible journey to joyful living. Whether you’ve been thinking of starting a new venture, or just ready for a new personal adventure, this episode is for YOU, BBs! Check out Formation to find new freedom in movement, dance, and soul connection.

RESOURCES:

To connect with Saschie: click HERE 

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Kristie Chan: Lead Audio Engineer (to connect with Kristie, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

Grace Harvey: IG Team (to connect with Grace, click HERE)

Nicole Mikala: QC Team (to connect with Nicole, click HERE)

Sheena Russell is the Founder of Made with Local, a B Corp Certified, female-led small business that makes the most delicious, simple, nourishing snack bars without the crap in them. Her products are sold in stores across Canada including Loblaws, Costco, and Well.ca. 

Made with Local started as a small table at a farmer's market, selling snack bars. At the time, Sheena's table was next to a local apiary that made the most incredible honey. She began by bringing home a tub of their honey every few weeks, to add as a natural sweetener to her bars. Over time, she went from getting a tub of honey every month or so, to every Saturday as the business grew.

Today - Made with Local products are made entirely with products by Canadian farmers and producers. And they are the only notable snack-bar company to use honey (and Canadian at that) in their bars. 

RESOURCES

Sheena’s LinkedIn: click HERE

To connect with Sheena: click HERE

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Kristie Chan: Lead Audio Engineer (to connect with Kristie, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

And WELCOME to our new team members Nicole, Glen, Grace and Elvin!! 

Not unlike every other human in this (almost) post-pandemic world, Kristina and Raquelle have dedicated themselves to finding JOY this summer. But what is joy? What does it look like and how on green earth do you find it? 

Join Kristina and Raquelle as they boozy brunch chat their way through hunting for joy, releasing schedules (ahem - Kristina), expecting and learning to love imperfection (Raquelle) and all the other things that come with that elusive feeling. We talk about epic joy-hunting fails, tips and tricks learned along the way and get real about how it’s STILL hard. Listen along and let us know what your Joy hunting tips are. Happy UNscheduling, babes xo
REFERENCES:

Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: click HERE

Jay Shetty, On Purpose: Adam Grant Interview: click HERE

Kinnie Starr Episode: click HERE

Ted Talk on Boredom, by Manoush Zomorodi: click HERE

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Kristie Chan: Lead Audio Engineer (to connect with Kristie, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

And WELCOME to our new team members Nicole, Glen, Grace and Elvin!! 

Do you think of boundaries as how to ‘say no’? SNAP! Well, this episode is for US! We gained so much from Justine’s holistic approach to stress management coaching - this goes beyond wellness and into proactively communicating with our peers, loved ones and others as confident, caring and connected humans. Justine highlights the shift from seeking constant external validation to practically training in daily self-awareness, so that we can share from our scars, not from our wounds. This episode helps us make space for that self-care, so that we can create brave spaces, deal with boundary violations, and improve the quality of connection and relationships.

About Justine:

Justine Sones is a stress management and self-care coach who specializes in boundary setting. Justine’s coaching career began in massage therapy where her practice was dedicated to exploring how stress, pain, and relaxation affect the physical body. She realized that the support her clients needed was holistic and required more than a massage. She now works with business owners, burnt-out parents, high performers and over-functioners to develop awareness around the impact boundaries and self-care has on their businesses, relationships, productivity and happiness.

To connect with Justine: click HERE 

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Special thanks to Jenn Wint Communications for the awesome hook up - to connect with Jenn, click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Kristie Chan: Lead Audio Engineer (to connect with Kristie, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

Freezing your eggs? Thinking about trying for children? Need IVF? Experiencing fertility issues? Just DON’T KNOW?! Welcome to the club, BBs. In this episode, Kristina gets up close and personal with us all, sharing her own experience with egg freezing. It is still an under-discussed, behind-closed-doors subject, and frankly, we don’t like that. We want you to know the facts at all ages, so you can pass it forward, back and sideways. We chat with TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Doctor Ryan Funk, who was Kristina’s supporting TCM Doctor throughout her process, and talk through how to prep for your best eggs and best health, before, during and after your procedure. If you’re like Kristina and want to give yourself the best holistic shot at fertility, this is the episode for you! 

Special thanks to Acubalance, the clinic that Kristina attended (and where Dr. Ryan Funk currently practices from).

About Dr. Ryan Funk 

Dr. Ryan Funk graduated as a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine from the International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Vancouver, BC. He then pursued postgraduate studies, completing 500 hours in Gynecology and Internal Medicine at the Anhui Hospital of TCM, Hefei City, China. 

To connect with Dr. Funk: click HERE 

To connect with Acubalance: click HERE

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Kristie Chan: Lead Audio Engineer (to connect with Kristie, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

About to start a new venture? Want to explore the world of entrepreneurship? Got a burning passion for candle making/sock puppet designing/creative world domination and don’t know how to monetise it? Or, is bookkeeping ruining your life? We got you, babes! Willow Oak is a personalised consultancy, committed to helping you do what only you can do - and that, is the product/service that you uniquely offer! We talk to Megan, founder of Willow Oak, about developing a healthy money mindset, robust bookkeeping and systems, and learning how to understand your numbers, so that you can set up for sustainable success from day one. Megan offers a wide variety of insights from HR, to incorporating your business, to virtual assistants (something we can’t wait to get in our lives). This episode will help you dissolve that startup stress, and demystify some of (what we consider to be) those intimidating barriers to a bountiful business! 

About Willow Oak Business Consulting

Megan Hughes is a CPA, currently living just outside of Vancouver, BC with her husband, Evan and children, William and Kennedy. I love all things business related, and enjoy working to make processes more efficient. I believe that by alleviating some of the tasks by wearing one (or a few) of the many hats for you, you can focus your attention, time and energy on other matters.

To connect with Willow Oak Business Consulting: click HERE 

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Kristie Chan: Lead Audio Engineer (to connect with Kristie, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)

How many times have you heard the ‘you can’t have it all’ phrase? Well, we’re here to bust that myth right here and now, with the help of our friends - our previous guests, our own coaches, our books and poetry, and YOU. 

This brunch break is all about how to reframe, retrain, and regain your sparkly, sustainable self. We talk about the language we use when there’s ‘too much on our plates’. We dig into the biohacks that have helped us to ramp into high performance mode. We drop past guests’ and audience wisdom into the fold. We hosted this episode as a reminder to our community that it is great to want it all, and we’re here to help you achieve your version of that sparkle. That’s what friends are for.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or are questioning if you should be letting go of something(s) - this one’s for you. 

BOOKS REFERENCED: 

Boundless: click HERE

Deep Work: click HERE

Fast This Way: click HERE

To connect with Bombshell Brunches: click HERE

To connect with Kristina Lao: click HERE

To connect with Raquelle Roodenburg: click HERE

Thank you to our incredible BB Team: 

Kristie Chan: Lead Audio Engineer (to connect with Kristie, click HERE)

Bosco Li: Audio Engineer (to connect with Bosco, click HERE)

Hannah Gorton: Production Coordinator (to connect with Hannah, click HERE)