Happy Lunar New Year! 🥳

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Happy Lunar New Year! 🥳

Did you know the red envelope is believed to "suppress Sui money"? According to legend, an evil spirit named Sui would scare children on New Year’s Eve, so parents would do anything to keep their kids awake. One year, a child was given eight coins to play with. Disguised in the coins were the Eight Immortals, a group of powerful individuals. When Sui appeared, the coins glowed, scaring the demon away. That’s why red envelopes are considered to bring good luck and protect against bad spirits!

We might not have red envelopes for you but we do have valuable insights and new year stories that will surely make you feel blessed!

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

Michele Wong McSween Brings Chinese Culture to Life Through Gordon & Li Li

Navigating one’s cultural identity is confusing, especially in a diverse nation like the United States (US). One minute, you proudly claim that heritage of yours, and two seconds later, you feel as if your identity were the main character of a roast party. That carries on to the parents, who face the challenges of keeping their children connected to their roots amidst the complexities of a multicultural society. 

As a Chinese parent, Michele Wong McSween knows this all too well. By the time Michele became a mother, the pressure of teaching her children Mandarin had only grown stronger. That gave birth to “Gordon & Li Li,” a series of books designed to make learning Mandarin and connecting with Chinese culture fun and approachable for kids.

Discover more inspiring founder and innovator stories at awakennewsletter.substack.com

UPLIFTING LEGENDS 🧨

To celebrate Asian culture and heritage, we’re unveiling a series that weaves together the mystical folktales and timeless lullabies that shaped generations. Let the journey begin.

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!

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!

Happy New Year - ABBA 🥂

To many Vietnamese, this song needs no introduction, but if you’re unfamiliar, think of it as the Vietnamese version of Auld Lang Syne.

The bittersweet verses leading to a hopeful chorus perfectly capture the spirit of Lunar New Year—where optimism for the future mingles with uncertainty. It’s the kind of song that reminds you of those hazy, hangover-induced moments of reflection, leaving you asking, “Well, it’s officially New Year… now what?”

Ironically, for generations of Vietnamese, it has become a joyful, nostalgic anthem. Its familiar tune drifts through every street corner, making it the “unofficial” soundtrack of Tết.

Bad Bunny's Album Inspires Asians to Celebrate Cultural Roots on Social Media 💌

Social media is not always that bad. Distant family members can now see each other, photos are stored more easily, and memories can stay longer. Asian diasporas worldwide often use music and social media as ways to celebrate their roots.

Bad Bunny’s new album ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ may be geographically specific to his hometown, Puerto Rico, but the stirring nostalgia and memories run universal, regardless of race or background. Asian communities also join the trend of sharing childhood photos, along with cultural symbols—like family recipes, festivals, or heirlooms.

South Asians would share photos of the luminous Diwali, while East Asians hop on the trend just in time for Lunar New Year.

Such expressions foster cultural pride and also bridge interracial relationships, where music is universal and memories connect people across distances and backgrounds.

Read the full article here.

Teeniepings Boost the Global Appeal of Korean Animation 🎨

SAMG Entertainment, the owner of the intellectual property (IP) for the 3D animated brand Catch! Teenieping is optimistic about its future growth. The series features small, large-eyed space creatures who crash-landed on Earth and befriended humans. It has attracted a large following, mainly children, and has expanded to over 140 countries. SAMG’s financial performance has improved significantly, driven by strong sales from the Teenieping brand. The company has amassed 57 million YouTube subscribers, and over 32.3 billion views, and its merchandise is available in 380 retail stores and 53,000 convenience stores. To date, over 7 million Teenieping-themed figure toys have been sold.

The popularity of the series reflects the rise in global appeal regarding Korean animation. As Kim Su-hoon, CEO of SAMG Entertainment since 2000, states, “I anticipate further growth in Japan where people are familiar with animation IPs and accustomed to enjoying various subcultures, and we are also actively discussing with many other countries to export our global animation character IPs and related goods.”

Read the full article here.

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ❔

The red envelope has always held a sentimental value more than the money within. But, as we embrace the digital age, research in China shows over four billion virtual red envelopes were sent in recent years.

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Adding Personality to Your Website With AHNG!

Your website is the digital heart of your brand. But too often, websites can feel generic and forgettable. To stand out, it needs to speak your brand’s personality and make a memorable connection with your visitors. 

Our team crafts websites that reflect your brand’s essence, engaging your audience with compelling narratives that inspire and build connection. Let’s work together to create a site that’s as unique as you are.

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

🎊 Gordon & Li Li: Lunar New Year Giveaway

As a collaboration with AHN, Gordon & Li Li has launched a special Lunar New Year Giveaway! Inspired by the incredible article featuring our journey, this collaboration celebrates our mutual admiration for each other’s work in uplifting the AAPI community and promoting cultural awareness. Enter our giveaway and get ready to welcome the Year of the Snake! 🐍🧧

One lucky winner will get a Gordon & Li Li LNY Bundle worth $140+!

For more information, please check out our Instagram post!

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💥 They say eight is a lucky number. So why not start daily with the 8+8+8 rule to keep your life balanced and productive?

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