Thrive Spice
Thrive Spice is a podcast centered on the Asian American mental health experience while navigating career, family, identity and social empowerment. Join host Vanessa Tsang Shiliwala as she invites diverse business and political leaders, entrepreneurs, activists, and creators to share their real stories and practical advice on how they found their "Thrive Spice" - the joy that comes from finally owning our identity, power, and worth. Our mission is to promote a more inclusive world that centers intersectional communities, including women of color, AAPI, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Join us as we unpack some feelings and spill the tea: from sharing what real self-care and boundaries look like for us as we create social, political, and economic change; how we're healing from hate crimes, intergenerational trauma, and racism; and what we're doing to break glass ceilings, reclaim our stories and redefine what true happiness and success look like - for ourselves, and for the next generation.
Episodes
26 episodes
Turning Trauma into Purpose: Michelle Li's Journey as a Korean Adoptee and TV Journalist
How do you turn trauma into purpose? This AAPI Heritage Month, get ready to be inspired as Michelle Li, TV journalist and Co-Founder of the #VeryAsian Foundation, opens up abou...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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1:02:02
Modern, Ambitious Women Unsubscribing from Self-Doubt with Neha Ruch | AAPI Heritage Month & Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
In honor of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week and AAPI Heritage Month, host Vanessa talks with Neha Ruch, Founder of Mother Untitled, about choosing yourself, unsubscribing from...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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54:53
AAPI Healing Session | Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay
Join Vanessa Shiliwala and special guest Leslie Lew as we hold space for AAPI community healing in the aftermath of Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay shootings. It's a raw, honest session as we struggle to process grief alongside joy durin...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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46:53
Asian Women Rising: Nancy Luong on Breaking Bamboo Ceilings in Tech, Immigrant Dads, and Money Myths in a "Bling Empire" World
Vanessa interviews Nancy Luong, a senior marketing leader at Salesforce, author of "How We Got Here", and recently crowned Ms. Southern California 2023. We talk about why allyship is the key to breaking the Bamboo Ceiling and Glass Ceilin...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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44:49
The “Busy” Trap: Dr. Jenny Wang on Navigating Anxiety, Anger, and Uncertainty
What happens when society is OK with Asian women feeling anxious - but not angry? Perhaps we find comfort with hyperproductivity - until it leads to anxiety, burnout, and rage. “Busyness is an addiction to urgency,” says Dr. Jenny T. W...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:11:09
Breaking the Stigma: Neurodiversity and South Asian Mental Health
“I thought therapy was a hardcore luxury for the rich”, says Mrinal Gokhale, Author of Saaya Unveiled: South Asian Mental Health Spotlighted...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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43:14
Work-Life Balance, Doomscrolling, & Social Media: BIPOC Mental Health in a Hyper-Digital Age
As busy BIPOC professionals, parents, and partners who often WFH or do remote work, is it possible to put our phones (and anxiety) to bed? Vanessa is interviewed by our guest host, CEO & Founder Linda Ong of Cultique, a Seacrest globa...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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30:55
Stepping Into Our Power with Ira Briones | Queer Asian Identities & Mental Health
Happy Pride Month! Vanessa talks to special guest Ira Briones (they/them), a Filipinx business empowerment and energy coach based in New York City. Ira shares their multifaceted journey as a quee...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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42:39
Top 8 Mental Health Lessons from AAPI Leaders | Best of AAPI Heritage Month & Anniversary Special
The best mental health tips from AAPI Leaders, creators and activists, including how to navigate anxiety and depression, self-care, imposter syndrome, social media, body image issues, and hate crimes. PLUS: Thrive Spice was featured on Apple Po...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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1:11:14
Aparna Shewakramani of Netflix's "Indian Matchmaking" On Fame, Fate, and Freedom from People-Pleasing
Aparna from Netflix’s hit TV show “Indian Matchmaking” opens up about her new book, She’s Unlikeable: And Other Lies that Bring Women Down. The author and reality star shares w...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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34:41
On Self-Love, Starting a Business, and Raising Kids who are Proud to be Asian
Samantha Ong is on a mission to Stop Asian Hate and colorism, and Start Asian Love with Joeydolls, the first inclusive collection of Asian dolls for kids. The Founder/CEO, Mom and Entrepreneur gets real about juggling mom life and starting a bu...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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29:04
The Success Trap: How to Overcome Perfectionism and Live Authentically
In the pursuit of success, do we lose ourselves? As a recovering perfectionist, I spill the tea on my own personal journey going from corporate life to mom to podcaster to Lillian So, fitness entrepr...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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54:26
Alyce Chan on Mental Health for Moms: Comedy, Postpartum Depression and the Glass Ceiling
Mom by day, comedian by night, Alyce Chan (@MomComNYC, @Scary Mommy) is ready to smash two glass ceilings - the one at home, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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1:07:19
Lillian So on Bossing Up as the CEO of Your Own Life
If you've ever felt the urge to escape your life and "Eat, Pray, Love" your way to a yoga ashram in India or Bali, please listen to this podcast episode instead - it will save you a lot of time, money and heartache. Lillian So, a life coach, fi...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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1:18:22
How to Manage Anxiety & Panic Attacks
If you feel like your anxiety and stress have intensified since COVID-19, you're not alone. Nearly half of Asian Americans have reported anxiety during the pandemic, according to a
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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11:48
Gregory Cendana on Reclaiming Joy through Dance & Pandemic Self-Care
Can leaning into something you were previously ashamed of actually become your superpower? We find out when Vanessa talks to Gregory Cendana, a dancer, political strategist and entrepreneur who has been named one of Washington DC's most influen...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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57:57
Lyn Liao Butler, Author of The Tiger Mom's Tale: Asian Family Drama. Adoption. Food as a Love Language.
Lyn, author of The Tiger Mom’s Tale, speaks out on her own personal mental health journey as a Taiwanese-American writer, mother, designe...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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52:58
Mayuko Okai on Intuitive Eating, Body Acceptance and Mindful Living
Mayuko and Vanessa unpack myths about our mental and physical health in diet culture and discuss the allure of the abundance trap in many areas of our lives: our bodies, our self worth, our relationships, and our careers. Mayuko shares he...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:00:48
LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Mental Health Advocacy with James Coleman, City Council Member, South San Francisco
Biracial. Bisexual. Unapologetically Progressive. At 21 years of age, James Coleman is the youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ member to be elected to South San Francisco's City Council.We talk to James about the remarkable journey he's had...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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58:37
Asians Speak Up | Brian Gao and Arin Siriamonthep on Activism, Allyship and Mental Health under Pressure
You're never too young or too old to find your voice. We talk to Brian Gao (incoming NYU Stern '25) and Arin Siriamonthep (Boston University '24) of Asians Speak Up, a New York based AAPI community advocacy group that has been featured on...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:04:03
Jonathan TranPham on the Power of Therapy, LGBTQ+ Pride, and Hustle Culture in Silicon Valley
Happy Pride Month! Our guest is Jonathan TranPham, the CEO and Founder of reflect, a company whose mission is to make mental health more accessible. We talked about his own struggles with anxiety and how finding a therapist inspired him ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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52:23
Mirfie Chan on Motherhood, Money, and Purpose
Mirfie Chan, founder of Love, the Chans, a social impact-based artisanal textile brand, shares how her experiences as an Arab Singaporean immigrant, wife and mother raising a mixed-race Asian American family have led her to champion diversity a...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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1:00:34
Holly Raña Lim on Confronting Stereotypes, Imposter Syndrome, and Racial Identity
Holly talks about her journey and ever-changing identity growing up as a Pinay immigrant, and how she found her voice as a self-described introvert to become Student Body President at UC-Riverside and the founder of
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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1:02:06
Therapist Sakina Issa on the Power of Affirmations, Boundaries and Unlocking a Positive Mindset
Sakina talks about finding balance between both Indian and American cultures, and how it ultimately shaped her personal and career journey as a mother (who just gave birth to her 3rd child 2 days ago - Congrats Sakina!), Licensed Marriage and F...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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57:09
Kimberle Lau on Positive Parenting, Breaking the "Bamboo Ceiling", and Breast Cancer
Kimberle Lau, mother of 2 and founder of Kimmie’s Healthy Treats, talks about her mental health journey as a Chinese-American parent and clean baking entrepreneur, a professional trying to break the “Bamboo Ceiling”, and her family's battle wit...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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1:04:37