In this episode, Trisha interviews Ned Legaspi, a CQ Fellow and cultural intelligence consultant who spent three decades pioneering diaspora storytelling with ABS-CBN Global, the Philippines' leading media conglomerate.

Why do some stories resonate across continents while others remain culturally bound? What if the key to global storytelling isn't neutralizing culture, but deepening it? Ned introduces the CIS Bamboo Framework—a groundbreaking approach that asks not "what happens next?" but "what matters here?" Drawing from films like Parasite and How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, he reveals how stories rooted in specific cultural logic can bend without breaking, traveling authentically across cultural clusters. Discover why bamboo's interconnected roots mirror the way meaning moves through storytelling, and how cultural intelligence transforms the way creators approach narrative craft. Stay tuned for an upcoming episode where Ned and Trisha will apply this framework to analyze two powerful films: The Drover's Wife and How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.

Connect with Ned at nedlegaspi.com and on LinkedIn. His book, Culturally Intelligent Storytelling for Southeast Asian Creators, is available globally on Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Books.

Join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack or LinkedIn.

Resources Mentioned:

1. Book: Culturally Intelligent Storytelling for Southeast Asian Creators by Ned Legaspi
2. Available globally on Amazon, Apple Books, Google Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo
3. Available in the Philippines on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop
4. Book: Leading With Cultural Intelligence by Dr. David Livermore

Films Discussed:

1. Parasite (South Korea)
2. Squid Game (South Korea)
3. Money Heist / La Casa de Papel (Spain)
4. Dark (Germany)
5. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand)

Coming Soon: Stay tuned for upcoming episodes where Ned and Trisha analyze specific films using the CIS Bamboo Framework:

1. The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson (Australia) by Leah Purcell
2. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand)