First Person with Alejo Largo

In this episode of First Person, we welcome Mari Iwahara, a designer and founder of Sibling, a cross-cultural brand consultancy.

Mari shares her unique upbringing in a Japanese household in New York City, her struggles with dual identity, and the pivotal moment that led her to embrace her mixed heritage.

She discusses her journey into the creative field, the founding of her agency, and the importance of cultural exchange. Mari emphasizes the value of being useful and the significance of community in her work, aiming to bridge the gap between Japanese brands and the U.S. market.

Learn more about Sibling:

- Website

- Instagram

- LinkedIn

Alejandro López is the founder of Toma—a small-batch Bloody Mary mix inspired by his Colombian and Cuban roots.

In this episode, Alejandro shares how growing up as the only Latino family in his Arizona neighborhood shaped his identity, how he found his way into brand marketing, and what led him to start Toma from a family recipe.

We talk about building a business rooted in culture, the creative power of being a solopreneur, and what it means to keep going—even when things get tough.

Alejandro’s story is a reminder that our roots aren’t something we have to grow out of. They can be the foundation for everything we build.

🎧 Listen now and follow First Person for more stories like this.

Learn more about toma on https://drinktoma.com/

In this new episode of First Person, I sit down with Sonny Caberwal, an entrepreneur, father, and first-generation American, whose path has been anything but ordinary.

Sonny’s journey has taken him from a tight-knit Sikh immigrant community in North Carolina, to becoming the first Sikh model in a Kenneth Cole campaign, to founding companies like Bond and Legends. Along the way, he’s learned to see his difference not as something to overcome, but as a source of power.

We talk about growing up between cultures, building confidence from discomfort, the influence of immigrant values on entrepreneurship, and how raising children has deepened his purpose.

This episode is full of insight on how identity, risk-taking, and reinvention shape the way we lead, create, and connect.

🎧 Listen now to hear why Sonny believes that “only those willing to be different ever really make a difference.”

Connect with Sonny:

LinkedIn

Legends

In this episode of First Person with Alejo Largo, I sit down with Rachel Gogel—a Parisian-born, San Francisco-based creative director, educator, and solopreneur.

Rachel has led design teams at GQ, The New York Times, Meta, and Airbnb. Today, she runs her own consultancy as a fractional design executive, helping companies set up thoughtful and impactful creative practices.

We talk about growing up in France, moving to the U.S. at 17, building a career in design leadership, and what it means to return to France to start a new chapter.

Rachel shares insights on identity, embracing change, designing her time, and aligning work with personal values. Her story is a powerful example of how our lived experiences—especially as immigrants or first-generation individuals—can shape what we build and who we become.

🎧 Watch now and follow the show for more conversations like this.

Let’s connect:📍 Instagram: @firstpersonpod📍 LinkedIn: Alejo Largo

Welcome to a special episode of First Person. This time, it’s just me—your host, Alejo Largo.

In this solo episode, I take a few minutes to share more about my story and why I started this podcast.

From growing up in Cali, Colombia, to spending summers in New York and studying in Germany, I talk about what it was like to grow up between cultures, move to the U.S. at 17, and find my path in the creative world—learning to stay curious and navigate uncertainty along the way.

At the heart of it all is a simple idea:Your lived experiences—especially as an immigrant or first-generation individual—can shape what you build, and even make you a better entrepreneur, creative, or builder.

This episode is a reflection on identity, creativity, and the hypothesis that drives First Person.

🎧 Listen now, and if something resonates, I’d love to hear from you.

Let's connect:

Instagram

LinkedIn

In this first episode of First Person, I sit down with Tiffany Shi—entrepreneur, product leader, and co-founder of the travel startup we launched together back in 2018.

Tiffany shares what it was like growing up between China and the U.S., and how her third-culture background shaped the way she sees the world, makes decisions, and takes creative risks. We talk about building Travel Trove, the lessons we learned from launching (and eventually pausing) the company, and how becoming a mom has reframed her relationship to ambition, identity, and success.

It’s a candid conversation about change, creativity, and learning to trust your own voice—wherever you're starting from.

LinkedIn

Good Inside

Travel Trove

Join me in candid conversations with immigrants and first-generation individuals who’ve started something meaningful of their own. From entrepreneurs to creatives and small business owners, we’ll explore how change and lived experiences have shaped their journeys and fueled their ideas.

I’m your host, a Colombian-born, New York-based design leader who once launched a travel startup. Like you, I’m here to learn with these remarkable people. Through their stories, we’ll uncover the lessons, turning points, and insights that can inspire all of us to bring our own ideas to life, no matter where we come from or where we’re headed.