Community Building 💌

In partnership with

This week, someone is making waves! 

Well… actually, it is something, a deep-sea anglerfish that shocked everyone by rising thousands of feet beyond its usual depths—an incredibly rare sight! Netizens speculated that it might have been fulfilling its final wish—to see the light—overcoming all odds to do so.

In both business and life, sometimes we need to take an unexpected leap to reach new heights. Change can be intimidating, but it also opens doors to new opportunities.

This week, we’re diving into stories of resilience, innovation, and community—celebrating businesses that adapt, leaders who redefine success, and bold moves that push boundaries.

If you find this newsletter interesting, refer it to your friends by sharing this link and receive amazing gifts from AHN!

UPLIFTING STORIES 📕

Lessons from April Koh, the Youngest Female Unicorn Founder and CEO of Spring Health

At just 29, April Koh led Spring Health to unicorn status with a $2 billion valuation, transforming her own experiences with mental healthcare into a revolutionary platform that matches employees with personalized mental healthcare solutions. Earlier this year, April and her team raised a $100M Series E at a $3.3B valuation. The company now connects 13,000 providers with patients worldwide through its team of 1,200 employees.

COMPANIES DISCOVERED ✅

Zen Coast
Zen Coast University (ZCU) and Asian Hustle Network (AHN) have partnered to empower Asian entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals. The collaboration aims to provide actionable insights, mentorship, and growth opportunities. 

To join, complete the form on our website.

Hook Logistics
Hook Logistics is a team of operations experts providing simple, steadfast, and fair fulfillment services for entrepreneurs.

Paired
Paired helps businesses find the top overseas talent for as low as $5/hour. Our intensive search and outreach processes help us find amazing rockstars in places like Indonesia, LATAM, and South Africa within two to three weeks!

Starcycle
Starcycle is the "TurboTax for windup" — we help companies shut down faster by streamlining compiling, fact-finding, and other pre-filing admin for founders.

Limited Edition Collectibles
We created a first-of-a-kind LED-wrapped vending machine that sells highly desirable collectible mystery box products to customers of all ages and demographics. 

To order our mystery box machines, fill out this form!

WEEKLY FAVORITES ❤

In this series, AHN will share our top picks from last week—whether it’s music, a movie, or a random item. We hope it brings you fun and maybe even some new experiences!

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane - Lisa See ☕

Lisa See’s The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane gives us all sorts of tea - quite literally. The book follows Li-yan, a girl from the tea-harvesting Akhan hill tribe in China who had an unwanted pregnancy. Closed and insular, the village brimmed with age-old traditions and customs where women are not highly respected and babies out of wedlock are set to be doomed. On the other hand, it also follows the process of identity navigation of Haley, Li-yan’s long-lost daughter. 

Throughout the book, both individuals yearn for and reward the release/return from that monolith; and that nuanced navigation lurches into life-changing alterations. The book sifts through that conundrum and weaves into thought-provoking narratives of identity, deftly embroidered by Lisa See’s masterful storytelling.

Paraluman - Adie 💐

There are a few words whose sound alone, even for those not native to the language, is enough to evoke the senses. “Paraluman” is that word, which Filipinos refer to as a “goddess-like” woman. Adie—a talented Laguna-born singer and songwriter—has poetically turned this word into his second single, “Paraluman,” a love-fused ballad that is enough to make one’s heart flutter, let alone his muse.

“Palagi kitang aawitan ng Kundiman” (I will always sing you a Kundiman)—Filipino traditional love songs. Poetic lyrics and head-in-the-clouds melodies, accompanied by Adie’s cozy and gentle voice, will sift through your mind even above cloud nine as if you’re on the first date and he opens the door and pulls the chair out for you.

Into Eternal Land: Citra Sasmita’s Vision of Women and Power 🤎

Much of what has been associated with Bali, from the tranquil Hindu temples to nightclubs brimmed with foreigners, has successfully welcomed people to this island of the Gods—that mix of modernity and divinity. Indonesian artist Citra Sasmita has lured this juxtaposition into her art, reimagining traditional Balinese Kamasan paintings through a feminist lens in her exhibition Into Eternal Land at London’s Barbican.

Her large-scale scrolls portray females as warriors and divine beings of transformation and rebirth. This is a threat letter to the inherited myths that reduced women to dolls and desired objects. Inspired by Hindu priestess Mangku Muriati, Sasmita creates new narratives centering on women as heroes. As the feminist theme shines on its own, Sasmita also spares some criticism for Dutch colonial influence, which diluted Balinese art’s community spirit to merely commercial work.

By reviving traditional techniques while reshaping storytelling, she bridges history and modernity. Sasmita urges greater recognition of Balinese artistic heritage and its preservation. Into Eternal Land is on display until April 21, 2025.

How Vloggers Misrepresent the True Essence of Hồ Chí Minh City 🏙

The Quiet American, a 2002 film starring Michael Caine opens with a monologue that truly captures the essence of Hồ Chí Minh City (HCMC): “They say you come to Việt Nam and you learn a lot in a few minutes. But the rest has got to be lived.”

In the modern fast-paced digital environment, YouTube vloggers tend to boast themselves as jack-of-all-trades, but in reality, they are masters of none. As a consequence, many misrepresent HCMC, reducing it to a mere tourist destination and cultural showcase of Việt Nam. Stepping off Tân Sơn Nhất Airport, visitors are immediately greeted by the city's vibrant sights and sounds. Yet, oblivious to them, this captivating energy is not the true essence of the city. As tourists draw close to the city’s heart, District 1, they often conclude that everything the city has to offer is confined to just a few streets—another misconception that fails to capture its depth and diversity.

The essence of HCMC lies in its diversity and community.  No matter what you're seeking, you’ll find it here. Across the city expanses, enclaves have emerged where both older and younger generations come together, forming micro-communities that pulse with life. Venture further, and you'll encounter the mega-rich. Yet, woven among them are hardworking families enjoying street food, always ready to engage with those around them. Vendors, restaurants, small shops, and major businesses coexist, all booming amid the city's rapid growth. It is true you can’t experience a city within 12 to 24 hours. To truly understand it, you have to connect with its people, embrace its communities, and immerse yourself in its unique local culture.

Read the full article here.

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ❔

This isn’t traditional business news

Welcome to Morning Brew—the free newsletter designed to keep you in the know on the business news impacting your career, company, and life—in a way you didn’t know you needed.

Note: this isn’t traditional business news. Morning Brew’s approach cuts through the noise and bore of classic business media, opting for short writeups, witty jokes, and above all—presenting the facts.

Save time, actually enjoy business news, and join over 4 million professionals reading daily.

Check it out

For newsletter sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to [email protected]

📣 Calling All Local Event Hosts for Asian Heritage Week 2025!

Asian Heritage Week (AHW) is back, and we are more than excited that we are now open for event hosts to register their events!

Asian Heritage Week is an annual celebration where we enable AHN members to host events in cities across the U.S., Australia, and Canada to honor the history, culture, and achievements of the Asian community. Each city will be highlighted during a specific week from April–June.

For more information, please visit our website here.

Be part of Asian Heritage Week and showcase the cultural richness of our communities. Let’s celebrate, uplift, and amplify ANHPI voices together!

Gain Higher Conversions and Reduce Website Anxiety With AHN Group

According to a digital report by Content Square, 54 seconds is the average time a person spends on any website. We sometimes leave a website due to its slow loading time, irrelevant queries, or bad design.

At AHN Group, we do creative designs and ensure your websites are well-developed to keep your customers engaged and your brand relevant.

If you want to explore our services more, visit the AHN Group website at ahngroup.co.

Seeking impartial news? Meet 1440.

Every day, 3.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a brief 5-minute email. Enjoy an impartial news experience.

Join for free today!

• BeautyRightBack is revolutionizing self-care with unlimited beauty and wellness services at dozens of NYC salons—for one fixed monthly price! No more financial burden, just unlimited visits. Use code ASIAN for 10% off any subscription at beautyrightback.com.

Got deals to share with the community?

Fill out this form if you have any deals or perks you would like to share with the community!

📱 Social media has revolutionized the way we connect and build communities. Whether you're an individual or a business, mastering community-building is key! Here are four powerful strategies to help you grow and engage your audience.

Share the Uplifters Newsletter with friends and co-workers for incredible gifts from AHN!

You currently have 0 referrals, only 1 away from receiving 3 Demo Chapters of AHN’s Exclusive Business Guide .

Or copy and paste this link to others: https://www.ahn-newsletter.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

Want to amplify your story through AHN? Fill out this form.