Fascinating People Cliff Hsia & Derek Kamm

Follow Angela Moy on Instagram at @superluckyangela and her YouTube channel "LKE Dojo," which she does with her partner, Aileen, for indoor cycling, motivation, and energy flow. 

Angela Moy is someone we've known since high school. We went to 'Iolani School together and she has been a person that has always been interesting and beating to the beat of her own drum. Angela has really come into her own in the last five years or so. And we're really excited to share that story with you through our conversation.

She has been through an amazing transformation as a person. She's an amazing person just to begin with, but where she was from about 20 years ago to where she is now with her family and her partner. And her identity and self-awareness of who she is—it's an amazing thing.

She is a writer, poet, dancer, and a fitness instructor. She's a mother and really an inspiration for all. We invite you to join us on this podcast to really listen to Angela Moy's story and hear the messages that she's trying to tell.

Shen Brown is a multiplatinum producer, lyricist, songwriter, vocalist, front man, and ukuleleist from Hawaii. He's a classmate of ours at 'Iolani School and someone we always knew had a thing for music. We just didn't know it would be THE thing. And look how far he's come.

He started his musical career in Japan when he met his partner Micro and formed the group “Def Tech”. Their 1st album “Def Tech” sold over 2 million copies. Between 2005 and 2006, Def Tech’s 3 album releases sold over 5,000,000 copies.

In 2008, Shen released his first solo album “SOLAIRO” and collaborated with popular Hawaiian artists such as Jake Shimabukuro, KONISHIKI and others by participating in their albums and performing at their concerts.

Along with 8 critically acclaimed albums, Def Tech’s songs have also been used for numerous commercial tie ups with major corporations such as Sony Ericsson, Fuji Television, Yokohama Tires, Toyota, and The Red Cross Japan.

Shen also regularly heads collaborations with top level artists and creators through his new creative collective project “ALOHA DAMASHII”, and also tours throughout Japan, Asia, and Hawaii playing some of the largest venues in the regions.

On this episode, we talk story with Shen about where he gets his inspiration and motivation, what advice he would give to artists just getting started, the benefits of conscious breathing, how to find balance and peace in life, and many more fascinating topics. Shen had a lot of perspective and wisdom to share, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

On this episode of Fascinating People, we speak with Dr. Thomas Lee. Born and raised in Hawai'i, Dr. Lee has a Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology along with a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Hawai'i at Manao. Dr. Thomas Lee also is a forecaster for HI-EMA or Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and has been frequently interviewed by local and national news outlets during the COVID-19 pandemic. In short, he's one of the go-to people for the facts and forecasts about COVID-19 in Hawai'i. He's also a U.S. Army reservist, an avid crossfit trainer, and a father of a baby girl.

In our talk with Dr. Lee, we discuss a wide range of issues around COVID-19 to get a clearer picture of where we're headed and what we can do on both individual and collective levels to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. No matter where you stand on vaccines, masks, and mandates, you'll want to listen to this episode to learn what you need to know about COVID-19 right now.

*This podcast was recorded on December 31, 2021.

Hosts: Cliff Hsia and Derek Kamm

On this episode of Fascinating People, Derek and I spoke with Alex Kinsey, singer, songwriter, and just a really interesting guy. We talk about a range of topics including the ups and downs of fame, the joy of performing—and cooking, and the importance of authenticity in music and life. 

Ladies and gentlemen, Alex Kinsey: 

Born in Daytona Beach, Alex Kinsey is a singer/songwriter best known as one half of X Factor winning duo, Alex & Sierra.

After winning the US talent competition in 2013, the duo went on to have two successful albums and three successful tours. In 2017, Alex formed the band BoTalks. Their first single ‘Know U Anymore’ with Modern Family's Sarah Hyland was a breakout hit, with over five million streams and two-and-a-half million plays.

In 2019, Alex launched his solo career with the edgy, raw pop track 'Simple'. Produced by Johan Lindbrandt, and written by Lindbrandt and Jackson Morgan, Simple was released independently through Alex’s own label ‘Kinsey’.

Of this next chapter, Alex said: “I’ve been so fortunate to have an already varied career in music, but it feels like now’s the time to step out from behind the safety of a band and show who I am as a solo artist. I can't wait to see where my own music can take me.” Alex released his solo EP ‘Party of One’ in 2019.

Collectively, Alex has over 450 million plays on Spotify and 170 million views on YouTube. 'Party of One’ features an eclectic mix of genres including his first single, infectious, dark hit ‘Simple’ and lead single, sexy sultry tune ‘Hot Mess’.

Influenced by John Mayer, Andy Grammer, The Beatles, and his friend Jason Mraz, Alex’s music is a mix of pop, hip-hop and his own style that has already shown to resonate with audiences around the world, and leave them wanting more.

Dustin Reynolds is the first double amputee to sail solo around the world. It took him almost 8 years, multiple restarts, a global pandemic, encounters with pirates, near financial poverty, broken boats, and not to mention all his blood, sweat, and tears to get through his crazy journey. Dustin is an inspiration for all. 

His motorcycle accident by a drunk driver could have been the beginning of his end. But it was just the beginning of all the amazing adventures that would be in store for Dustin. Without an arm and a leg, Dustin pretty much hit rock bottom in 2008, but it was only up from there. 

With a dream and a boat, Dustin set sail from Kona, Hawaii to sail over 30,000 miles and visit over 30 countries over the course of almost 8 years, all by himself. This man has been through many literal and figurative storms in his life, and he's made it out alive and even better. You can see all his articles and photos on his blog at singlehandedsailor.com and also make sure to follow his Instagram @thesinglehandedsailor

Sit back, relax, and get ready to be inspired by Dustin's story and how you can make your dream a reality, no matter how big or crazy it might be. 

Hosts: Cliff Hsia and Derek Kamm

On this episode of Fascinating People, Derek and I speak with Albert Ching, a classmate and friend of ours from Iolani School. From Iolani, Albert went on to continue his education at Harvard University and MIT. He then went on to work at Google in various finance and product leadership roles. Interestingly enough, Albert Ching and his partner created the first bus map of Dhaka, the mega-capital of Bangladesh and piloted live bus tracking and free Wi-Fi on a government owned bus line. In recent years, he was the COO of a startup that created a DIY platform for millions of non-developers to build mobile apps, on Android, iOS and the web without code. To say that he is incredibly intelligent and remarkably accomplished is an understatement. Google him and you'll find his TED talk on his work in Dhaka.

Albert Ching is a man of many interests and creative outlets. Follow him on Instagram and you'll see that he loves to make rare and thoughtful candles and perfumes, he's an avid hula dancer, a dog lover, and a student of the world and its many cultures. He's one of the most interesting people I know, as he approaches life with a unique openness, curiosity, and sensitivity. And he's a soon-to-be father.

In this podcast, we talk with him about the importance of emotional sensitivity, how to be a more empathetic and trustworthy person, why pursuing your creative passions matter, and how we can slow down time, among many other deep and resonating topics. We really enjoyed our time with Albert, one of the smartest and emotionally intelligent people we know, and we hope you will, too. 

Albert Ching's Instagram: @maisonbuongiorno @monsieurbuongiorno

Albert Ching's website with fascinating products and publications: https://maisonbuongiorno.com/

Hosts: Cliff Hsia and Derek Kamm