It’s our final episode of the year (and also coincidentally our 200th episode!) 2022 certainly flew by, and as we prepare for the New Year, we wanted to take the time to reflect on the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, and why) of this eventful year, both as individuals and as a company. From in-person meetups all around the world, to the publication of our first children’s book “Lucky Cat,” to the launch of our mini-shows, we’re so proud of where ABG is today and excited for what 2023 may hold. ___...
Dec 30, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 17Ep. 200
A few years ago, Helen arranged two blind Holi-Dates for Mel and Janet. This year, we’ve certainly still got love in mind, as we’ve all found holiday romances of our own. So, instead of focusing on new romances, we wanted to learn more about what love is like for a couple who has been together for 8+ years: husband and wife, Helen Wu and Philip Wang! They sit down for an open and honest discussion of how they navigated the ups and downs of their relationship, the expansion of their family, and t...
Dec 23, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 17Ep. 199
Happy Holidays from ABG! To celebrate our favorite time of year, we thought it’d be fun to play a Holiday-themed game… and get a little tipsy ;) Grab your favorite drink of choice and play along with us as we reveal which one of us would build the best gingerbread house, who’s most likely to bring an unwanted guest to dinner, and who might be drunk before the New Year countdown? If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out Episode 95: Who’s Most Likely to Be Drunk at a Holiday Dinner??? for...
Dec 16, 2022•58 min•Season 17Ep. 198
Winter holidays are the best time for gathering with friends and family to eat lots of food. But planning these events can get stressful quickly - that’s why potlucks are a great way to get together without too much pressure on the host. But have you ever wondered about potluck etiquette? What’s an acceptable dish to bring if you really don’t like to cook? How do leftovers get shared? We discuss these potentially sticky situations so everyone can avoid all faux pas and sail smoothly through the ...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 17Ep. 197
The holiday season is upon us! It’s the time of year where everyone gathers to spend time with loved ones - family, friends, and that special someone in your life. Amidst all the potlucks and parties, you may find yourself having to introduce your Significant Other to friends and family for the very first time. Or, you may have the equally intimidating task of meeting their loved ones - how can you prepare? On today’s episode, we share our tips for these first-time meetings based on our personal...
Dec 02, 2022•55 min•Season 16Ep. 196
“The 36 Questions That Lead to Love” by Daniel Jones on The New York Times challenges friends and couples to be candid through a series of personal questions. There are three sets of twelve questions each, with increasing levels of vulnerability. This activity is based on a psychology study that explored how intimate and honest conversation creates connection and increases closeness, even if the participants were strangers at the start. After starting a podcast and business together, we know a l...
Nov 25, 2022•57 min•Season 16Ep. 195
This year has been jam-packed with new life experiences. As our baby reaches the ripe age of 1 (very soon!), I wanted to bring my husband, Philip Wang, on to the pod to talk about what it’s been like to take on this new identity of a parent. If we could turn back time, what is a piece of advice we would’ve told ourselves one year ago today? What is something we didn’t know or expect to happen in the first year as new parents that surprised us? Becoming a parent is a major life transition, and al...
Nov 23, 2022•56 min
Keke Palmer has questions for days, about everything under the sun. From the existential to the inconsequential. From pop culture to pop science. From the meaning of life to the meaning of W.A.P. From life in outer space to “Where the eff is Tom from MySpace?“ And everything in between. Because Baby, this is Keke Palmer, and she is here for All. Of. It. Each week, the multi-talented Keke is taking you on a journey down the rabbit hole on a topic that she cannot stop obsessing over. She’ll also g...
Nov 19, 2022•4 min
Over the years, we’ve shared many of our dating and love stories for AsianBossGirl listeners. As many of you know, Mel has been seeing someone for a while, but she’s kept that relationship mostly private so far. Now, she’s ready to share more details, and… surprise! Janet has also met someone special in her life recently, and she’s excited to introduce him! Join us as we share how the two of us met our partners and how those relationships developed, and highlight some sweet and meaningful moment...
Nov 18, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 16Ep. 194
Some healthy habits are harder to adopt than others - eating your veggies, exercising regularly, maintaining a consistent sleep routine - these may all take some convincing and effort. But what if I told you that some pleasurable activities, like having sex regularly, is also critical to your health? Here with me to talk about sex for health is Anna Lee, Cofounder of Lioness, the women-led sexual health startup that built the world's first and only smart vibrator and app that lets you see & ...
Nov 16, 2022•33 min
Today’s guest is truly a Boss, whose embodiment of courage and power is reflected in her physical prowess as much as her inner strength. Bi Nguyen, also known as “Killer Bee,” is a professional MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter, actress, and self defense coach. From growing up as a Vietnamese refugee, to escaping an abusive relationship at age 20, Bi now tells her survival story to empower women and encourage them to embrace female duality. Join us as Bi shares how she reclaimed her own power thr...
Nov 11, 2022•52 min•Season 16Ep. 193
Hello K-Dreamers! We are quickly approaching the end of 2022 and the end of a full year of K-Drama watching. There were some dramas that quickly became a fan favorite, like “Little Women”, and sleeper hits that we didn't expect to love so much, like “Extraordinary Attorney Woo.” There were also shows we just did NOT like (side note: Is it just me, or does no one talk about the K-Dramas they dislike out loud?) For today’s episode, I thought it would be fitting to talk through the Best & Worst...
Nov 09, 2022•40 min
Our office hours are back in session! We received so many questions for our last Office Hours episode that we had to separate them into a second part (you can listen to the first part here!). On this episode, TAs Helen, Mel, and Janet tackle tough questions like: How do we field out the fuckbois vs. serious guys while dating? What are our favorite Self-Help books? And what’s our advice for young staff in corporate jobs? If you would like us to record more Office Hours episodes, leave us a commen...
Nov 04, 2022•49 min•Season 16Ep. 192
We started sleep training our little one at nine months, and it has been a bittersweet journey. For his first nine months of life, every single night we held him in our arms, rocking him back and forth, dipping him up and down, snuggling him until he found his way into a comfortable nook of our arms to fall asleep in. Our hearts were heavy to start the sleep training process – would he ever fall asleep in our arms again? But we were ready to sleep more than a few hours (usually 2 to 3 hours) at ...
Nov 02, 2022•37 min
Halloween is just around the corner, and since the nights have gotten longer and colder, we’re in a spooky mood. In this episode, we’ll be sharing some creepy experiences we’ve had… both real and supernatural. From Helen’s harrowing travel story in India, to Mel and Janet’s eerie encounters in college, we recount the details of what happened… and discuss if there could have been anything other-worldly involved. Beware! This episode may not be for the faint of heart… Now it’s your turn - tell us ...
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 16Ep. 191
Have you ever heard of “energy healing”, “Reiki”, or phrases like “balancing your chakras”? As someone who started my interest in wellness rooted more in traditional Western concepts of nutrition and health, energy healing is something I might have rolled my eyes at a decade ago. But since that time, I have been more curious about this modality of wellness, of healing. If you’re in the same boat as me – curious about this modality, but a little skeptical – listen to this episode where I share ab...
Oct 26, 2022•21 min
ABG’s Office Hours are open! Today, we are the Teaching Assistants you’d go to for career, relationship, and life advice. We received questions from our Instagram - some for each of us individually, and some for all of us as a group. Grab a seat and listen in as we share tips on how to pick up corporate lingo, the best way to get used to doing activities independently, and our go-to snacks to have on hand for a long day of work. __________________________________________ Hosts: Melody Cheng, Jan...
Oct 21, 2022•51 min•Season 16Ep. 190
Hello K-Dreamers! Today’s episode is going to be SPICY! We're seriously entering the world of fantasy with this one! We're talking about our favorite Korean actors & actresses...and who we'd fck, marry, and kill. Who seems like the best kisser & the worst? Also, is there anyone with that BDE in the Korean drama world?! This episode is also pretty special, because I get to bring on my very first guest. Fun Fact: we also started a Korean drama club together called Seoulmates! My good frien...
Oct 19, 2022•42 min
We discuss romantic relationships often on our podcast, but today, we’re putting the spotlight on friendships. Life is best lived with friends, those who become your chosen family, through all the ups and downs. But as we journey through different life stages, some friendships become passive, or fall apart altogether. What are the qualities we value in a close friend nowadays? How are those qualities similar or different to those we seek in a romantic partner? And how do we recover from the hear...
Oct 14, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 16Ep. 189
With any pregnancy, one of the most obvious and dramatic transformations is the physical one. As a first-time mom, I knew I’d be packing on the lbs throughout my pregnancy journey, but the weight gain and acceptance of this new body took time. I share in this episode what it was like to gain more than the recommended amount of weight for someone of my BMI during my pregnancy, the pressures to “bounce back” post-pregnancy, how my body changed, and also, how to (and not to) compliment someone who ...
Oct 12, 2022•24 min
Sugaring, bikini waxes, Brazilians, and landing strips - do you know what all of these terms mean? The practice of personal grooming “down there” is not a topic that is often discussed, particularly among young Asian Americans. So whether you shave, wax, laser, or keep it natural, we’re here to share our tips and stories for anyone who wants to learn more about the waxing process. Since we just passed our 5 year anniversary, we thought it would be fun to replay one of our favorite episodes, all ...
Oct 07, 2022•37 min•Season 16Ep. 188
Those of you who have listened to some of our earlier episodes at ABG know that I have switched careers many times. I started out at one of the Big 4s working in global transfer pricing, then in social enterprise, before switching to strategy in advertising, and finally landing in UX design before going full time on ABG. However, between my stint in Advertising and my time in UX design, I actually spent about half a year in Chinese Medicine School. If you’re curious about how and why I did this,...
Oct 05, 2022•24 min
Weddings are joyful, picture-perfect moments that couples will remember for years to come. But the months leading up to the Big Day can be extremely stressful and overwhelming; there are so many decisions to be made about flowers, guest lists, and venues. Today, we’ve brought an expert to help us navigate all your wedding planning questions! How to stay within budget, balance personal wants and needs with familial expectations, and honor cultural traditions on your special day. Our guest, Michel...
Sep 30, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 16Ep. 187
Hello my K-Dreamers! Sigh… so I have a confession to make. I’m sure by now, you’ve read the episode title and are aware of a little secret I’ve been keeping. A lot of my friends and you all know I’m a fan of K-Pop. BUT not a lot of people actually know that I… auditioned for a Korean entertainment company. Yes, I auditioned, with the hopes of being in a K-Pop group. Tune into this episode to hear the full story and confessions of a (former) K-Pop idol wannabe lol! _______________________________...
Sep 28, 2022•22 min
AsianBossGirl just passed our 5th birthday! On September 21, 2017 we released our very first episode, “ABG - What’s in a Name?” At that time, this was very much a passion project - we were three girlfriends with corporate jobs, sitting around a table drinking wine, who decided to share our experiences as Asian American women with the Internet. Now, five years later, we’ve established a company, a community, and we’ve grown as individuals - all thanks to the amazing support we’ve received from yo...
Sep 23, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Season 16Ep. 186
Let’s Talk About Boobs - breastfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding, why my supply dipped, how I increased my supply, and how I see my boobs now. How does Philip see my boobs now?! Basically, everything related to my breastfeeding journey. This is the episode where we cover ALL of it. For any mommas out there who are on this seemingly endless, yet rewarding journey of nursing/pumping, know that I very much see you and I am here along the ride with you. And for all of you who are just curious and wan...
Sep 21, 2022•58 min
Kulap Vilaysack’s career path was not a linear one, but it landed her in Hollywood – from Nurse Kulap in Childrens Hospital to guest roles on Bob’s Burgers, The Office, and more. Over the course of her decades-long career, she has witnessed the media and entertainment industries evolve and change for the better. From her experiences as an actress, comedian, writer and showrunner, Kulap has seen that representation must start from the top of the ladder, and goes beyond simply casting diverse acto...
Sep 16, 2022•58 min•Season 16Ep. 185
Plant-based or plant-forward eating has been lauded as a healthy lifestyle habit for years now. If you’re a meat-eater who is plant curious, this episode is for you! What exactly is a plant-based/forward way of eating? How do you start the transition? Where do you get your protein? How do you feel full? I’m also here to share how a plant-based diet has affected my lifestyle: How do I eat out with non-plant-based/forward company? What about dates? Or my family (i.e. why might my Asian parents be ...
Sep 14, 2022•22 min
If you grew up in an Asian household, you may be familiar with certain rituals or practices that were taken very seriously by your parents, sometimes without much explanation. Beliefs such as, “drinking hot or room temperature water is better for you,” or “wearing slippers will keep your feet warm,” were ingrained in us growing up, but today, we are researching whether or not these beliefs are actually rooted in truth. Will your babies’ hair really grow back thicker if you shave their hair? Why ...
Sep 09, 2022•57 min•Season 15Ep. 184
Welcome back to another episode of K-Dreaming with Mel! Today, I want to talk about a K-Drama that I feel like has made it to everyone's watch list, has taken over my social media stories, and has been leaving everyone (including myself) with such a good feeling. That drama is of course, Extraordinary Attorney Woo! Woo to the Young to the Woo! Resources: • Polygon Article AsianBossGirl is turning 5 years old! To celebrate, we are hosting a Happy Hour event in Los Angeles on September 16th. RSVP ...
Sep 07, 2022•22 min
