Big Asian Energy

John Wang
  • 5.0 (12)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Big Asian Energy Show is designed for Asian Americans, Canadians, or anyone wanting to learn more about psychology, mindset, and personal growth. Each week, host John Wang interviews and showcases Asian changemakers, pioneers, leaders, and entrepreneurs who share their journies of success and reveal the secrets and strategies they've learned along the way. In the show, John draws on scientific studies, psychology research, and 15 years of coaching and real-life stories to share practical knowledge on breaking through mental blocks, maximizing your potential, and finding your purpose. He has amassed a passionate following of over 300,000 followers on social media, empowering a new generation of purpose-driven Asian Americans seeking to become the best version of themselves and make a positive impact in the world. If you're ready to take your life to the next level, break through your internal ceilings, or just want to learn more about super-inspirational Asians, tune in to The Big Asian Energy Show. Follow John on instagram @johnwangofficial or check out our webpage at www.bigasianenergy.com

  1. APR 15

    How a Princeton Neuroscientist Took Democracy to the Supreme Court with Dr. Sam Wang

    Show notes:  In this episode, John sits down with Dr. Sam Wang, Princeton neuroscience professor, founder of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, and Congressional candidate for New Jersey's 12th District. From growing up as the son of Chinese immigrants in the Midwest to eating a live cricket on CNN, Sam has never been the kind of scientist who stays in his lane. He took his research on gerrymandering all the way to the Supreme Court, helped dismantle New Jersey's corrupt County Line ballot system, and now he's running for Congress because he decided that wasn't enough. In our conversation, Sam breaks down how gerrymandering actually works and why it's one of the biggest threats to fair elections in America right now. We get into the current attacks on scientific research funding and what that means for the next generation of Asian Americans trying to build careers in medicine and science. And we talk about why two thirds of Chinese Americans in his own district aren't affiliated with either major party, and what that tells us about where our community is headed politically. Notable Quotes: "Scientists discover things, but we also build things and we think of solutions. This is what scientists do." — Sam Wang "In the last year and a half, there has been this strange thing that might have escaped some of your listeners, which is that there's this weird hostility to knowledge. And it makes it harder to develop drugs, harder to develop cures, and harder for young people to come up and be successful." — Sam Wang "I want to make elections fairer for everyone. And that is a thing that's inside me that needs to get out." — Sam Wang Sam Wang Links: samfornj.org samwang.substack.com

    55 min

  2. APR 8

    How to Be a Bad Asian with Katy Ho

    In this episode, John sits down with Katy Ho, author and founder of BAD ASIAN, a community and Substack dedicated to exploring what it means to push back against the expectations placed on Asian people in the diaspora. From growing up as a minority in a predominantly White city to building a platform around reclaiming identity on your own terms, Katy is a sharp, fearless voice on the intersections of race, gender, and cultural belonging. In our conversation, Katy unpacks the three components of what it means to be a Bad Asian: from resisting the model minority myth, to challenging gender expectations placed on Asian men and women, to navigating parental and cultural expectations. We also get into the viral "I'm in a very Chinese time in my life" TikTok trend and what it reveals about how Asian culture is consumed and commodified in mainstream media. Notable Quotes: "There's such a long history of how colonialism and imperialism and white supremacy were created to put Asians in this place of being the model minority: of keeping our heads down, being quiet, and complying with the system. Being a Bad Asian is about rebelling against that." — Katy Ho "Culture is about being part of a community and having a shared experience. You can't claim a culture for yourself. The culture has to claim you as its own." — Katy Ho "I think the greatest thing we can do for our community right now is create spaces of deeper conversation: to be frank, to be direct, to be unpolished, to be raw." — Katy Ho Katy Ho Links: https://katyho.substack.com https://www.instagram.com/katyho_

    54 min

  3. MAR 24

    How to Build Your Own Table When There's No Seat for You

    What do you do when the industry tells you there's no space for you? You build your own. In this episode, John Wang sits down with Don Michael "Don Mike" Mendoza, Broadway producer, talent manager, entrepreneur, and host of the podcast Producing While Asian, for a conversation about what it really takes to create opportunity when the door hasn't been opened for you yet. Don Mike shares the one piece of advice that changed his life and career: don't be afraid to ask for what you want. And if you hear no? You're asking the wrong person. He breaks down how he went from being told he had a limited future on stage to producing Here Lies Love on Broadway: the first Broadway musical with an all-Filipino cast and how the instinct to build was something passed down through his family long before he ever set foot in a theater. They also get into what it means to be "the only" in the room, why crab mentality is one of the biggest threats to community progress, and how the most powerful thing you can do once you've made it through the door is hold it open for everyone behind you. In this episode: Why asking for what you want is harder for first-gen and immigrant families  and why it's worth unlearning the shame around itThe Kris Jenner rule Don Mike swears by when he hears noHow he built LA TI DO from a basement bar underneath a sex shop in Washington D.C. into a national production companyThe phone call on 45th Street that landed him on Broadway — and how it started with befriending a writer named Zach and meeting his first management client, Vincent Rodriguez IIIWhy authenticity and research are non-negotiable when you're telling someone else's storyThe real reason Here Lies Love is still relevant today Connect with Don Mike:  Instagram: @donmikemendoza  Company: @dmhmendozaproductions Website: dmhproductions.com  Podcast: Producing While Asian Don Michael H. Mendoza, (Don Mike), is the Founder of DMH Mendoza Productions and the Co-Founder and Executive Producer of LA TI DO where through both entities he’s produced on Broadway (Here Lies Love), Off-Broadway (Hazing U), and hundreds of cabarets, concerts, theatrical shows, and events nationally since 2012. Concurrently, he is an international talent manager, and as an independent marketing professional, he served as the first Director of Marketing & Media for the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles and the Pennsylvania State Chair for Filipino Americans for Harris-Walz. Mendoza is an alumnus of the Commercial Theater Institute in New York City, and holds a B.A. in Musical Theatre & Journalism and an M.A. in Strategic Communication from American University where he sits on the Alumni Association Board. He also sits on the Board of Trustees for Winchester Thurston School, and the Board of Directors for New York Theatre Barn, and The Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh. As always — when we rise, we rise together.

    46 min

  4. MAR 17

    How to Break Free from the Achiever Treadmill (And Finally Feel Like Enough)

    You worked hard, hit the goal, and then felt nothing. If you've ever reached a milestone you'd been chasing for years only to feel strangely empty on the other side, you're not broken. You're on the Achiever Treadmill, and this episode is going to show you exactly how to step off it. In this deeply personal episode, John opens up about what happened after publishing his book Big Asian Energy, a childhood dream that landed him on the Wall Street Journal, NBC, and Amazon's Top 20 Business Books of 2025. Despite all of it, he felt lost. He uses that experience to break down the psychology behind "not-enoughness," where it comes from, and how to reclaim your own sense of worth. What You'll LearnThe Science of the Achiever Treadmill Psychologists Dr. Philip Brickman and Donald Campbell studied lottery winners, accident survivors, and everyday people and found that within a year, everyone returned to the same baseline happiness level. Your brain is wired to adapt. That promotion, that raise, that dream job title all become the new floor faster than you think. This is hedonic adaptation, and it's why external achievement can never permanently fill an internal gap. Where "Not-Enoughness" Really Comes From For many Asian Americans, the roots go back to childhood. Dr. Bart Soren's research on "conditional regard" shows how children who only receive affection tied to performance start to believe their worth lives in their output, not in who they are. Add in the model minority myth, and research from Claremont College shows it creates some of the highest rates of imposter syndrome among the highest-performing students. How to Actually Break the Cycle John shares the two-word piece of advice from a monk friend that changed his entire year, plus two practical tools you can start using today. The first is the "Whose Voice Is This?" practice, where you pause before chasing the next goal and ask whether the desire is genuinely yours or an expectation you inherited from someone else. The second is a Micro Wins Journal, a simple folder on your phone where you log small wins and moments of progress to train your nervous system to recognize that you're already moving forward. Key Quotes"More pressure doesn't build confidence, it builds more self-doubt." "No external achievement will ever get you to enough if you don't currently feel like you are enough." "You can't step off a treadmill you didn't know you were on." "Enoughness is your birthright." Resources Mentioned📖 Big Asian Energy by John Wang, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold. Named one of Amazon's Top 20 Best Business Books of 2025. If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. When we rise, we rise together.

    32 min

  5. MAR 11

    How to Navigate Interracial Relationships Without Losing Yourself

    In this episode of Big Asian Energy, host John Wang sits down with resident psychologist, sexuality and relationships expert, and author of Patterns That Remain,  Dr. Stacy Litam, for one of the most honest, charged, and long-overdue conversations in the Asian diaspora space: interracial relationships, and everything society projects onto them. In this episode, they cover: The "Oxford Study" explained — What it actually is, where it came from (a 2023 TikTok comment), and why people keep using it to shame Asian women in interracial relationshipsIs it “Asian fetish” or “Just a preference”?  — How to tell the difference, what red flags actually look like, and whether fetishization can exist in a loving, consensual relationshipInternalized racism and partner selection — How to identify if someone’s partner selection was influenced by internalized racism The demasculinization of Asian men and hypersexualization of Asian women — How decades of Hollywood representation (or lack thereof) shaped the dating landscape, and how things are shifting"You're muddying the bloodline" and "You're colonized" — Unpacking the three most common attacks Asians in interracial relationships receive. How to talk to your family about dating a non-Asian person — A practical framework for navigating parental disapproval, separating "need to haves" from "nice to haves," and addressing fear with compassionThe "Chinese era" trend — Why cultural appreciation gone corporate is a problem, and the line between appreciation and appropriationDr. Stacy Litam is a licensed psychologist and one of the leading voices on Asian American mental health, sexuality, and identity. Find her on Instagram and check out her previous episodes on Big Asian Energy for more. Show Links Guest: Dr. Stacey Litam Website: www.staceylitam.com Instagram: @drstaceyalitam Patterns That Remain: A Guide to Healing for Asian Children of Immigrants Available on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Patterns-that-Remain-Children-Immigrants/dp/0197762670

    49 min

  6. MAR 3

    How Asian Family Comparison Culture Creates Motivation Differently than Western Culture

    Ever feel a knot in your stomach when a cousin gets into med school, or a coworker lands a big promotion? If you grew up in an Asian household, you may have felt that sense of comparison dread before.  In this episode, John breaks down the fascinating science behind why Asian and Western cultures are wired to respond to success and failure in almost completely opposite ways.  In this episode, you'll learn: Why Japanese students work harder after failure while North Americans work harder after success, based on a landmark 2001 study that reveals how Asian and Western motivational systems are often flipped.The difference between the independent vs. interdependent model of self — and how your cultural background shapes what makes you feel valuable at the most fundamental level.How social comparison works as a tool of motivation in collectivist cultures, and why "upward comparison" isn't threatening to East Asians, but  informationalWhy perfectionism in Asian cultures is often a survival strategy, not just a personality trait.The hidden reason why Western talk therapy and standard mental health advice can actually increase stress for East Asian people.How immigrant family dynamics intensify these pressures — and what often gets missed about the genuine benefits of collectivist systems.Referenced Research: Heine & Lehman (2000s) — Japanese vs. Canadian participants on self-assessment biasHeine et al. (2001) — Success/failure feedback and task persistence across culturesWhite & Lehman (2005) — Upward comparison preferences after failure in Asian CanadiansKo & Kim — Interpersonal vs. intergroup comparison and self-esteem in Asian Americans Resources Mentioned: Quiz: The 7 most common achievement patterns in Asian Americans → bigasianenergy.comBook: Big Asian Energy by John Wang

    32 min

  7. FEB 25

    How to Stop Playing Small and Stand Out with Diana YK Chan

    Guest: Diana YK Chan, Personal Branding & Authority Strategist, LinkedIn Learning Instructor, 7-time UN Speaker Episode Overview: Have you ever talked yourself out of an opportunity before you even tried? In this episode, John sits down with Diana YK Chan, personal branding strategist, LinkedIn top voice, and one of the most practical voices in the space when it comes to visibility and confidence. Diana breaks down why so many talented people stay stuck, undercharge, and undersell themselves and exactly what to do about it. Whether you're launching a business, gunning for a promotion, or trying to get on bigger stages, this conversation gives you mindset shifts and tactical frameworks you can use immediately. What You'll Learn in This Episode What imposter syndrome actually is and why 70% of people experience itDiana's 3-step framework: Identify → Believe → Voice your valueThe difference between speaking from your head vs. your heart — and why it changes everythingHow to "borrow belief" when you don't have enough of your own yetDiana's 4 Pillars of Marketability: Positioning, Credibility, Visibility, and RelatabilityThe "features tell, benefits sell" rule that will change how you pitch yourselfWhy the biggest mistake new entrepreneurs make is undercharging — and how to fix itHow to use the "What would NOT have happened if I wasn't there?" question to own your impactWhy sharing vulnerable stories on LinkedIn led Diana to become a LinkedIn Top Voice Key Quotes "How you see yourself shapes how others see you.""Nothing has meaning except the meaning you give it.""When you don't believe in yourself yet, borrow that belief.""Selling is serving. When you shift that, everything changes.""Stop underselling, underrepresenting, and undermining yourself.""A no doesn't mean not ever, it just means not right now." Resources & Links Connect with Diana on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dianaykchanDiana's LinkedIn Learning Courses: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/diana-yk-chanDiana's company: My Marketability - https://mymarketability.com/

    53 min

  8. FEB 17

    How to Become Your Own Best Advocate for Career Advancement

    Stephen Lee is the president of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago.  He was a federal prosecutor for 11 years and was a partner at a law firm, and he now has a solo practice where he primarily defends people who are accused of health care fraud.  Before becoming a lawyer, he was a newspaper reporter, and he still writes in his spare time about topics including Asian American legal history.  In this episode, Stephen Lee shares his journey from a shy kid to a high-stakes trial lawyer, dismantling the "quiet professional" stereotype along the way. He provides a masterclass in self-advocacy, the importance of building a niche personal brand, and the technical communication skills needed to command a room or a courtroom. Key Takeaways:Be Your Own Best Advocate: As a lawyer, you're trained to fight for your clients, but often forget to fight for yourself. Stephen emphasizes that doing "great work" isn't enough to reach senior levels; you must be intentional and vocal about your career goals.The Power of a Niche Brand: In a crowded field, specialization is key. Stephen explains how narrowing his focus to healthcare fraud and data analytics helped him stand out more effectively than being a generalist.Strategic Networking: Forget the cocktail parties. Real connections are built through collaborative work, such as organizing panels or volunteering for bar associations.Mastering Presence and Communication: Stephen shares the "sprinkler vs. sniper" technique and the importance of pacing and gestures in public speaking, skills he learned through high-stakes trial experience.Confidence Through Survival: True confidence isn't born from success, but from surviving rejection and failure. About Stephen LeeStephen Lee is the president of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago.  He was a federal prosecutor for 11 years and was a partner at a law firm, and he now has a solo practice where he primarily defends people who are accused of health care fraud.  Before becoming a lawyer, he was a newspaper reporter, and he still writes in his spare time about topics including Asian American legal history.  Connect with Stephen:AABA Chicago: https://aabaogc.wildapricot.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenchahnlee/Website: https://www.stephenleelaw.com/Asian American legal history written by Stephen: https://ourapaheritage.substack.com/The Portrait Project: https://www.apaportraitproject.org/  Love this episode? Share it with someone who’s ready to level up their career. And don't forget to grab your copy of Big Asian Energy, now available on Amazon and major bookstores!

    54 min
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About

The Big Asian Energy Show is designed for Asian Americans, Canadians, or anyone wanting to learn more about psychology, mindset, and personal growth. Each week, host John Wang interviews and showcases Asian changemakers, pioneers, leaders, and entrepreneurs who share their journies of success and reveal the secrets and strategies they've learned along the way. In the show, John draws on scientific studies, psychology research, and 15 years of coaching and real-life stories to share practical knowledge on breaking through mental blocks, maximizing your potential, and finding your purpose. He has amassed a passionate following of over 300,000 followers on social media, empowering a new generation of purpose-driven Asian Americans seeking to become the best version of themselves and make a positive impact in the world. If you're ready to take your life to the next level, break through your internal ceilings, or just want to learn more about super-inspirational Asians, tune in to The Big Asian Energy Show. Follow John on instagram @johnwangofficial or check out our webpage at www.bigasianenergy.com

Information

  • Creator
    John Wang
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 John Wang
  • Show Website
    Big Asian Energy

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