MIDYEAR MADNESS 📆

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Greetings 👋 

Hi, how was your weekend?

Just like that, June is here! As the Korean saying goes, "Even jade must be polished before it shines." As we reach the midpoint of the year, we hope the challenges, lessons, and successes of the past few months have helped you grow and shine. 

To kick off the month, we've got plenty of stories and updates waiting for you below!

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

🎉 Asian Heritage Week Melbourne is bringing together culture, community, and connection in one vibrant celebration.

Join founders, creators, professionals, and community members for a week of events highlighting the stories, achievements, and contributions of Asian communities across Australia.

Event Details:

🗓️ June 10, 2026
📍 Docklands, Australia

Why You Should Attend:

✨ Celebrate Asian heritage and culture
🤝 Connect with the community
🎤 Hear inspiring stories and perspectives

THIS WEEK: RETAIL BRANDS

Building a brand or business?

Join the AHN Directory and get discovered by the community.

The Simple Lesson Behind Pomelo's Growth Across 40+ Countries

"Every brand, every retailer needs to figure out how they can seamlessly combine the two channels to provide a significantly better experience than just online or offline separately."

— David Jou, Co-Founder & CEO, Pomelo

Before founding Pomelo, David Jou helped launch Lazada Thailand and built several ecommerce ventures of his own. One lesson has guided his approach: listen closely to your customers.

Shoppers loved the convenience of buying online but disliked returns and sizing issues. In response, Pomelo combined online and offline retail to create a smoother shopping experience. Today, the company serves customers in more than 40 countries.

Interested in supporting founders building impactful brands?

Join our private investor network and stay connected to future opportunities across the AHN ecosystem.

Two Filipino Americans Set to Make NBA Finals History

For the first time in NBA history, two Filipino American players will face each other in the NBA Finals as Dylan Harper and Jordan Clarkson compete for a championship. The historic matchup marks a major milestone for Filipino American representation on basketball’s biggest stage.

Harper helped lead the Spurs to the Finals with a standout rookie season, while Clarkson continues to carry the torch as one of the NBA’s most recognizable Filipino American stars. As the series tips off on June 3, fans will be watching a moment that goes beyond basketball.

Read the full article here.

Li Jun Li Lands Two Tracks on the Spider-Noir Soundtrack

Li Jun Li is taking on a bigger role in Spider-Noir with two featured songs on the series soundtrack, including a cover of “Dream a Little Dream of Me” and the original track “The Devil You Know.” Her music helps bring the show's dark, jazz-filled world to life as she plays nightclub singer Cat Hardy.

Set in a noir-inspired version of 1930s New York, Spider-Noir stars Nicolas Cage as an aging Spider-Man turned private investigator. Alongside a score packed with vintage sounds and experimental touches, Li’s performances are becoming a key part of the series’ identity.

Read the full article here.

BINI and no na Exchange Dance Covers, Leaving Fans Wanting a SEA-Pop Collab

BINI and Indonesia’s no na have fans dreaming of a crossover after the two groups surprised social media with dance covers of each other’s songs. The exchange quickly gained traction online, with supporters from both fandoms cheering on the mutual appreciation.

The viral moment sparked a wave of calls for an official collaboration between the two groups. For many fans, the interaction felt like a celebration of Southeast Asian pop music and the growing connections between artists across the region.

Read the full article here.

Save Smarter for Education With the Future Path 529 Plan

Rising education costs make early planning more important than ever. The Future Path 529 Plan by J.P. Morgan Asset Management offers a simple, tax-smart way to save for future education expenses while helping reduce long-term student loan burdens.

How the Future Path 529 Plan can help:

• Tax-smart education savings

• Flexible options for qualified education expenses

• Long-term investment support

• A way to prepare for rising education costs

Start building toward future opportunities with a plan designed to support long-term success.

Unlock Payroll Tax Benefits and Savings With ADP’s SMB Solutions

Managing payroll, HR, and tax compliance requires time, accuracy, and constant attention to changing regulations. For many small and mid-sized businesses, these responsibilities can take focus away from strategic growth.

Through our partnership with ADP, SMB leaders gain access to reliable, cloud-based payroll and human capital management solutions designed to simplify operations while maximizing cash flow. 

How ADP supports your growth:

• AI-Enhanced Payroll: Reduce errors and late penalties with automated filings and AI-powered error detection that flags discrepancies before you pay.

• Maximum Tax Credit Recovery: ADP’s specialists use your payroll data to uncover valuable incentives—including R&D credits (now with expanded eligibility) and Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC).

• Built-In Compliance: Stay ahead of 2026 regulatory shifts, including new retirement plan mandates and updated wage bases, with automated system updates.

• Scalable HR Infrastructure: From your first hire to your 500th, access integrated tools for recruitment, benefits administration, and 24/7 HR advisory support.

Strategic payroll management is a reinvestment in your business. Fill out our form to connect with an ADP specialist for a personalized review of your current payroll process or review of potential payroll tax savings.

Investors see ANOTHER return from Masterworks (!!!!)

That’s 6 sales in 7 months. 29 all time. And the performance?

16.5%, 17.6%, and 17.8%, net annualized returns on sold works held longer than one year (See all 29 at Masterworks.com)

It’s not from stocks, private equity, or real estate… it’s from contemporary and post war art. Crazy, right?

With Masterworks, you don’t need to be a BILLIONAIRE to invest in multi-million dollar art anymore.

Historically, the segment overall has had attractive appreciation and low correlation to stocks.*

Masterworks targets works featuring legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, identifying what they believe to have significant long-term appreciation potential, not just at the artist level but at the level of individual artworks.

As one of the largest players in the art market, with $1.3 billion invested over 500 artworks, they pass critical advantages through to their 70,000+ members to add art to their portfolios strategically.

Looking to diversify your investments in 2026?

Click here to skip the waitlist

^{*According to Masterworks data. Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.}

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