Afleveringen
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In this final episode of Firelight Chats for 2024, Jaime Cham coded his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha about tech, engineering, coding, AI, the startup world, running a successful company, and otherwise reflecting on the collage of memories he's managed to create thus far in life.
Jaime also shared his thoughts, insights, and stories about a recent trip to his first musical festival, the family kung fu lore, growing up in Panama, going to college in another country at the age of 16, his father's intervention, the PicCollage story, the state and evolution of the Taiwan ecosystem, his fears and excitement about AI development, fathering in the modern age, riding the waves of nature, and hoping to never miss another big boat again.
Jaime Cham is a 3rd generation Chinese-Panamanian with deep personal and professional ties to Taiwan. He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech & Stanford University, and is the Co-Founder & CTO of the company behind PicCollage.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, the BlckTeeth duo swung by the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about life, music, collaborations, and more. After a 3-week residency making music with indigenous groups in Taitung in August, the two returned to Taipei for another month of performances, work, and play. This episode was recorded two days before their flight back out to Philly.
The duo share their respective background stories, how they met, experimenting in the shed, laying down roots in the basement, the story behind the name, performing on rooftops, hosting sold-out events on yachts named after Benjamin Franklin, creating RnB After Dark and other musical series, connecting with Taiwan, working with various Indigenous groups and artists, what keeps them motivated, and what the future holds.
BlckTeeth is a dynamic production and DJ duo out of Philadelphia, composed of Elijah Black & Justin Powis. The duo are music, culture, and experience curators and are known for their signature events: The Boat Jawn & RnB After Dark.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Anna Yang tuned into the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha about art, authenticity, and creating a supportive ecosystem for creatives to experiment. Anna shares stories from her vast library of books, which include memories from a broken childhood, winning global competitions, achieving success, encountering failures, getting stuck in Taiwan during Covid, bouts with depression, discovering psychedelics, and her enduring belief that advertising & creativity have the power to move cultures.
Anna also shares stories about memorable projects, important people, the entrepreneurial journey, chance encounters, secrets of advertising, drinking moonshine & sipping on Tequila, bronze apples & white lies, autism, toxic thoughts, killing the ego, and the vulnerability & power of love. Anna also reveals some of her hopes and plans for the future, including a forthcoming retreat to Iceland, which promises to be yet another long trip.
Anna Yang is a Chinese American art director, creative maestro, and founder. She is a winner of the prestigious Cannes Young Lions competition, has worked at JWT & W+K, and is a creative partner at The Right Kind, LuckySparks, and Room Temperature. Anna is a graduate of UBC and will soon undertake graduate studies at NYU.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Keril Victor crooned his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha about his home island of St. Lucia, his adopted home of Taiwan, and everything R&B. Keril shares stories about childhood dreams, the island life, honeymoon spots, similarities and differences with Taiwan, the challenges of learning Chinese, studying at a top university, teaching English, performing again, the Jungle Voice experience, and the making of his latest album.
Keril also shares stories about facing racism, the hard life in the music industry, the inspirations in his life, singing a song for his mother on TV, the benefits & perils of sudden fame & recognition, the departure of money, the arrival of success, the story & concept behind his album & each of the tracks, and his plans for the future. And when the mood beckons, Keril also sings several acapella teasers.
Keril Victor is originally from St. Lucia but has been living and working in Taiwan for the past decade. He arrived in Taiwan on a MOFA scholarship, is a graduate of NCCU, and was a finalist of a nationally televised singing competition. In October of 2023, Keril 韋喆 released his debut solo R&B album, entitled The Departure.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Charlie Chen sparked his way to the Spacelab to chat Netflix dramas, film, animation, documentaries, and more with Kane & Mocha. Fresh off the recent release of "Let's Talk about Chu", Charlie shares stories about developing the script, inspirational trips to 金山 & Joshua Tree, filming during Covid, the importance of music, putting out fires & staying nimble, intimacy coaches, locking down the right talent, remote directing through iPads, trusting his gut & supporting his director.
Charlie also shares stories about growing up in a mix of cultures, languages, education systems, and religions; culture shocks & expanding his view; early film & theater memories; returning to Taiwan after college; teaching English & working for his family's maternity wear company; deciding to start his production company; and working with his brother, best friends, & a lucky cast of talented teammates.
Charlie Chen was born in Los Angeles, grew up in Taichung, went to boarding school in Boston & college in Seattle, and has spent the past decade+ growing his business out of Taipei. He is the co-founder of LuckySparks, one of two production companies behind the recent hit Netflix global series, "Let's Talk About Chu" (愛愛內含光).
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Derrick Lin riffed his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about life, language, music, bass, touring, and more. Derrick shares some deep & personal stories about cancer, confronting death, inspirational figures in his life, his passion for music, learning from legends, working to elevate the game in Taiwan, vital rituals, memorable concerts, and musical orgasms.
Derrick also talks about getting his start at the legendary Brown Sugar club, transitioning to SMEXY, joining the Taipei Professional Orchestra, the production process behind the TPO's recently released debut album, Twisting Roots, his imminent China tour with Anpu, and his upcoming Australia tour with his band ZyTheWay.
Derrick Lin is the band leader and bassist of the house band at SMEXY, a smart & sexy live music venue in Taipei. Derrick is also a founding member of the TPO jazz big band, ZyTheWay, and plays with some of the biggest jazz and pop talents in Taiwan.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, James Hush engineered his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha about tech, engineering, metal music, enterprise sales, customer service, stand up comedy, hosting events, weddings, and more.
James shares stories about thinking inside the box, moving to LA to chase fame & fortune, entering the startup world, the Louis Vuitton method of sales & marketing, being in a metal band, taking stand up comedy classes, his process of writing jokes, his first time bombing on stage, and swiping right & meeting his wife. He also shares his thoughts and insights about AI, ChatGPT, LLMs; his fear of virtual gf/bf technology; and his goals for parenting and raising his children.
James Hush is originally from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, but is now living in Taiwan on a Gold Card visa. He has worked for Microsoft, GoGuardian, the NFL, Remo.co, and is currently working remotely for Daily.co. He also co-hosts Taiwan Digital Drinks, a meetup for tech-oriented professionals in Taiwan.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Diogo Pinheiro smooth jazzed his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha about his epic life story from rags to musical riches. Diogo shares stories about growing up in the rough suburbs of São Paulo, playing in the church orchestra, finding the saxophone at the age of 6, experiencing a near-death experience at age 11, his mother's wisdom & faith, getting his first job because of English, and the improbable story of eventually making it to the magical kingdom.
Diogo also shares deep stories about being robbed and kidnapped at gunpoint, losing his car & musical instruments, chance encounters through YouTube, falling in love at first sight with Taiwan, meeting amazing people, crying a lot, and how he got his chance to work with the King of Mandopop himself. Diogo also explains why God is Good, why he cannot not be grateful, and why respect, good vibes, and happiness are so important.
Diogo Pinheiro is a smooth jazz saxophonist originally from São Paulo, Brazil and currently based out of Taipei, Taiwan where he resides on an Artist Visa. When not performing at various events & performances around Taiwan & beyond, Diogo can be found traveling all around the globe as part of Jay Chou's Carnival World Tour.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Jim Geddes directed his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about jazz big bands, musicals, cruise ship touring, and more. From a small town in Wisconsin, Jim recounts his story of happening upon the saxophone, thinking of music as a way to travel the globe, working at Disney World, living the cruise ship life, visiting 48 out of 50 states on the musical theater circuit, the craziest things he saw while on the road, his favorite musicals, and finally making his way to Taiwan.
Jim also shares stories about working with his idols, learning from legends, forming Taiwan's preeminent jazz big band during the early days of Covid, performing during National Day with the President right behind him and the firework show synced to his music, the arduous process behind the recording of the TPO's first album, his love of indigenous culture, his deep desire to give back to Taiwan, and his thoughts about the current and future prospects for the Taiwan jazz and music scene.
Jim Geddes is a multiple woodwinds player, the founder and director of the TPO - Taipei Professional's Orchestra - is a member of the ZyTheWay band, and can be found touring, performing, and collaborating with top musicians both within Taiwan and internationally. The TPO's debut album, Twisting Roots, was recently released and can be found on various streaming platforms.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Ivan Yanakov struck his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha about piano, music, freedom, and life. From his childhood in communist Bulgaria, Ivan takes the audience on a whirlwind tour through the French alps, over to the US, back across the pond to London, and all around Asia. He shares stories about pivotal skiing accidents, childhood letters to dictators, enormous protests, seeing the free world for the first time, learning English, great professors, immersing in cultures, 2-year trips to the other side, forgetting clothing, dragon's lair studios, whiskey libraries, evolving as a conductor, leading a chamber orchestra, memorable performances, great venues, and putting together an ensemble of 2 classical and 2 jazz pianists.
Ivan also shares stories and his thoughts about a wide variety of topics, including his connection to Bach, his appreciation of Liszt, the difficulty of Rachmaninoff, the balance of art and craft, the creative process, government censorship and VPNs, the importance of freedom & fast internet connections, golden ages, the classical music scene in Taiwan, and the karaoke uncles that stand in the way of progress.
Ivan Yanakov is an award-winning Bulgarian-born pianist and conductor. He is a graduate of Mannes College of Music in NYC and has performed at some of the most prestigious concert halls around the world, across four continents. Ivan currently resides in Taipei on a Gold Card visa.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Fan Shen & special guest Truffle, navigated their way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about her career in gaming and more. Fan shares valuable stories, learnings, and insights from her rich & rewarding career working at Riot Games, on the Luna cloud gaming platform of Amazon, and leading gaming & partnerships for the $725M Ecosystem Fund at Dapper Labs. This episode also marks the first public tease of the upcoming Mocha Chain & Truffle Coin, which is currently under development.
Fan also shares stories about her earliest gaming memories, hanging out with boys & ditching school, the various culture shocks after leaving Taiwan, her early consulting career experiences, becoming open-minded & flexible, leading various League of Legends business development initiatives, 6-pagers & learning how to operationalize a business, the challenges of cloud gaming platforms, being an integral part of peak eSports, negotiating with Tencent & other gaming players in China. Fan also shares her thoughts about blockchain gaming, parts of Web3 that she's most optimistic about, her all-time favorite games, following your passions, and finding your own wolf pack.
Fan Shen is an investor, advisor, and business executive at some of the most impactful gaming, tech, and Web3/blockchain companies in the world, including Riot Games, Amazon Luna, and Dapper Labs. She is a graduate of NCCU & Columbia University, is currently leading investments for her family office, and splits her time between Washington state & Taipei with her French bulldog, Truffle.
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In this final episode of the Firelight Chats 2023 Season, Ronald Chan brewed his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about his life as the oddest one out. Ron shares stories about Canada & his powerful cousin & former guest Angela Feng (Ep045), Club Super Sex & their lovely lunch buffets, studying abroad in Tokyo, classroom hierarchies & other cultural differences, contemplating working as a male host, having to return to Canada, entering management consulting at Deloitte, burning out & feeling empty, almost getting hit by an 18-wheeler, wishing the truck had hit him, and then getting a fateful spammy/scammy email about an unbelievable opportunity in Taiwan that would change the course of his life.
Ron then goes into deep detail about working for Rocket Internet, shifting from Zalora to jumping in as CEO of Foodpanda TW, starting off in a little corner of the Neihu office, building the team, the struggles & successes of scaling the business, getting poached by HappyFresh, what he thinks of various markets - business & otherwise - in southeast Asia, and his latest bubble tea venture. Ron shares stories about the why bubble tea, the building & the interior design, working with mixologists to craft the menu, the importance of sourcing, using quality botanical ingredients, sophisticated techniques & equipment, ice cream & secret menus, and the difficulties as well as opportunities of opening the US branches.
Ronald Chan is a startup founder & operator of some of SEA + Taiwan's largest tech companies, including serving as COO of HappyFresh & CEO/Co-Founder of Foodpanda Taiwan. Ron is a graduate of McGill University, University of British Columbia, and completed a yearlong study exchange program at KEIO University in Tokyo. He is currently working as the CEO & Co-Founder of Odd One Out, a specialty tea & ice cream company with a flagship store in Taipei and several locations throughout southern California.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Vincent Soberano elbowed his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about his martial artistic life. He shares stories about growing up in the Philippines during martial law, falling in love with Muay Thai at the age of 10, watching kung fu double features with his dad, street fights and competitions, taking the rigorous tests to enter the most prestigious military academy in the country, getting through the tortuous plebe year, immigrating to the US, working unbeknownst for a porn king, entering the software and IT industry, earning two patents, moving to China to work on their 3G mobile networks, opening a chain of successful MMA gyms, making his first million, driving Lamborghinis through Beijing, training some of China's top fighters, and ultimately selling his brand, system, & remaining gyms to one of his many famous students - the current and 2x champion, Zhang Weili.
Vincent also shares stories about acting on Jackie's Chan's Police Story, working with the action director from the film to open the largest stunt training center in the world, being cast as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter China - Season 1, meeting his future wife while training Li Jingliang "The Leech" for his upcoming UFC fight, pivoting back to the Philippines to chase his dreams and true passions, getting his first film funded, and his current project of acting in the starring role on a huge, big-budget global Netflix series. This segue into the Philippines chapter of his life with his wife is where this episode ends, with Part II in his epic story to be resumed after filming wraps in the middle of 2024.
Vincent Soberano is an award-winning writer, director, actor, and world champion martial artist. He entered the Philippines Military Academy (PMA) before immigrating to the United States, where he graduated from SDSU with a degree in film & television. He currently splits his time between the Philippines and Taiwan with his two daughters and wife, the equally prolific Sarah Chang (Ep 048).
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Philippe Ho made his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about a remembrance of things past and God's Plan for the present & future. Philippe shares stories about his family's deep historical ties to the founding of the Republic of China, escape from the mainland to Taiwan, another pivotal migration to France, being born on a tiny island in the middle of Paris, growing up as mixed-race kid, dealing with identity crises, having a fire of curiosity lit under him by his father, being motivated by his brother, intense classes prépas culture & protocol, getting into a top university, studying abroad in the UK, working in London, becoming a chameleon, and eventually making his way back to Taiwan.
Philippe also shares stories about traveling to Niger while working for EY, safe houses, AK-47s, morning radio checks, meeting an iguana, working in finance as a button-pushing money-making monkey, getting his first glimpses into the startup life in the Bay Area, joining Samsara as an early employee, co-founding a video game company, finding his calling, and building a platform that helps bridge the gap between startup founders & real, actionable resources. Kane & Philippe also talk about disability, dumplings, the importance of heating, suitable pots for plants, Drake vs Kanye, swag & sunglasses, Japanese men's fashion, tennis, and serendipitous meetings at tech meetups.
Philippe Ho was born and raised in Paris, France to a Taiwanese father and French mother. He is a graduate of Lycée Fénelon - Paris, the prestigious ESTP - Grand École, and the University of Birmingham. Philippe currently lives in Taiwan as Gold Card visa holder working on and with several startups in the gaming and tech space.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Melody Hsu hip-hopped her hypnotik way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about business, music, her fast life & fast cars. Melody shared stories about growing up in the States, the importance of getting dirty & getting out into nature, her favorite camp sites, pink power ranger suits, being a caucasian girl, reverse culture shock in Taipei, the teachers that made a difference in her life, re-learning Chinese, her college dance crew, working as a bottle service girl & other early jobs, being attracted to the Mad Men life, her favorite cars, drag racing & fixed-up GTRs, and collaborating with Porsche Taiwan and other companies like Zenith watches.
Melody also shares stories about going to a college famous for entrepreneurship & then founding two companies, her early inspirations from her dad the Keelung hustler, the difficulties & challenges of being early in the market, the joys of business, the roller coaster of marriage & being a mommy, her wellness journey, her realization that self-care is not the same thing as being selfish, and her hopes and dreams for her future in life and business.
Melody Hsu is a certified health & wellness coach, the founder & executive director of VIASWEAT, and the co-founder of Ness Wellness, which she started with Angela Feng, a previous guest of Firelight Chats. Born in the Pennsylvania, raised in New Jersey, she went to high school at TAS in Taipei, and returned again to the States to attend college at Babson College. Melody now lives & works out of Taipei with her husband and two daughters.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Ron Wardle penetrated his way into the Spacelab market to chat by the fireside with Kane & Mocha about his 15+ years of experience as the ex-CEO of the largest, foreign e-commerce & digital agency in China, where he helped bring 150+ western brands into the Chinese market, and helped generate over $350M for his partners & clients. Ron shares deep insights & stories about business, brand entry, e-commerce, live streaming, viral campaigns, visual merchandising, cross-border compliance, logistics & supply chain management, pioneering CBD startups, shoppable video, and his latest book - which was based on these rich experiences in Shanghai.
Recorded on Thanksgiving Day, Kane & Ron also carve up conversation about getting turkeys in Taiwan, cooking up different styles of potatoes, his home state of Boise, California wine, his love of sports, and the differences & similarities between the 11/11 shopping bonanza in China and the Black Friday/Christmas holiday spending season in the United States. The two also chat about their eerily similar timelines of leaving China for Taiwan, their double Gold Card overlap, their befuddlement with Taiwanese UI, and their dreams for the continued development of the sports & entertainment industries in Taiwan.
Ron Wardle is an award-winning APAC & Greater China executive who specializes in social & shoppable livestream commerce, branding, and market entry. His latest book, an Amazon #1 bestseller, is called Innovation Factory: China's Digital Playbook for Global Brands. Ron is a Taiwan Gold Card holder and currently splits his time between Taiwan & his home country of the United States.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Taylor Chen lit her way to the Spacelab to chat by the fireside with Kane & Mocha about sports, professional broadcasting, work culture, and a new reality show concept for Taiwan. Taylor shares stories about calling Dwight Howard's debut game in Taiwan, being joined by Superman on a playoff broadcast, chicken ass & 7-foot giants, commentating on a bench-clearing brawl, the professional agent life, coordinating transportation logistics for the WBC, the difficulties of translating & interpreting, experiencing burnout, dropping old references, Selling Sunset, what it means to be LIT, and her love of painting sunset-tinged, chrome-laced classic cars, juxtaposed against an equally nostalgic Taiwanese landmark.
Taylor also bravely talks about issues that might be considered taboo or sensitive in Taiwan, including toxic work environments, being overworked and under-compensated, lack of training & leadership/mentorship, corporate management & oversight issues, gender inequality, old thinking & resistance to change, cheerleaders & WAGS, and the pipeline that feeds foreign players into both the college and professional basketball leagues in Taiwan. Taylor also ponders her future in Taiwan or the Bay Area, her ideal man, and her hopes for the future of Taiwan and Taiwanese basketball.
Taylor Chen worked at the largest sports marketing company in Taiwan as a professional sports agent and events coordinator. She is the English language broadcaster/announcer for the T1, one of Taiwan's two men's professional basketball leagues. Taylor is the sister of Ryan Chen, the English language broadcaster for the other league, the P.League+. Both born in Northern California, the two currently live and work under the same roof in Taipei.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Dr. Drew mined his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about the life & business surrounding gemstones. Drew shares incredible stories about running away at the age of 17 to study gemology in Mumbai, pivoting to Sri Lanka just as the civil war was coming to an end, making his way to Chanthaburi - a Thai city known as the City of Gems, getting robbed, learning Muay Thai & Karate to protect himself, the red curry & hidden factories of Chiang Mai, seasonal mines in Kanchanaburi, crossing borders, the business of bribery, avoiding Cambodian land mines, the mysteries of Myanmar, Russian connections, Colombian emeralds, and the enduring allure of Kashmir.
Dr. Drew also shares stories about a business trip to HK with a South African Chinese guy that led to a new business venture in Africa, his partner getting kidnapped in Zambia, losing 2 tons of rough uncut emeralds, almost getting killed by an extremist group in the Copper Belt, and finally getting a chance to visit the Diamond District in NYC. The two also delve deeper into the gemology business, politics and political instability, the special characteristics of colored gems, advice about how to buy and invest in precious stones, the importance of certification and finding a reputable dealer, and Drew's all-time favorite stone. Finally, Drew explains why he plans to continue living and working out of Taiwan for the foreseeable future.
Dr. Gemstone Drew is an international gem dealer originally from New Delhi. He has lived in Mumbai, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Taiwan, and has traveled around the world otherwise in search of precious stone refulgence & enlightenment.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Sarah Chang rigged her way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about her stunt & action-packed life as a martial arts movie star. Sarah shares stories about growing up in Virginia, the difficulties of stretching & memorizing forms, college life in Toronto, mastering the king of weapons, traveling the world to compete for the US Wushu National Team, training with & competing against her childhood idols, getting stitches, avoiding rabbit head snacks in Sichuan, learning stunt coordination & rigging in Tianjin, studying at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, reciting poetry repetitively, and making her initial transition to acting and action in Taiwan.
Sarah also shares stories about meeting her husband and Sam Hargrave at the Jackie Chan Stuntman Training Center, becoming friends with her soul sister Roxanne Barcelo, filming in Malta with Scott Adkins and the late Ray Stevenson, working with Sammo Hung's son in Taiwan, doing live-action short film recreations for bigwigs for the opening of the DJI/Wanda studios in Qingdao, and her dreams of playing a superhero, flying in real life, & working with Michelle Yeoh. Just back from filming in Thailand & a special retreat in Jeju-Do, Korea, she also talks about travel, eating too much, being pampered like a superstar, and bathing in a RIMAN fountain of youth.
Sarah Chang is a Taiwanese-American actor, producer, & stunt coordinator who can also be found hosting a podcast & vlog called Kung Fu Mama. Sarah currently splits her time between Taiwan and the Philippines with her two daughters & husband, Vincent Soberano, with whom she founded Scene 8 Studio in Taipei. Sarah's latest starring role is in the action comedy film, Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday.
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In this episode of Firelight Chats, Ryan Chen commentated his way to the Spacelab to chat with Kane & Mocha by the fireside about basketball, baseball, broadcasting, and the sports marketing & business world. Ryan shares stories about growing up in Taiwan as an American kid, going to TAS, getting his first taste of Moneyball sabermetrics at Santa Clara University, his CPBL demo reel and return to Taiwan, how he transitioned into the PLG, learning about Chick Hearn, his broadcasting preparation and process, high school vs college vs pro basketball economics, and the anxieties, challenges & promises of the sports league startup life.
As the opening day of the 2023-2024 P. League+ season nears, Ryan also gives a rundown of the team stadiums, the importance of fans (including his famous fan captain father), his sister who broadcasts for the rival league, cheerleaders, officiating, import player rules, broadcasting rights, his dreams for Taipei's Big Egg, the power of marketing and storytelling, creating a memorable entertainment experience, his anticipations for each team, coaches and players to look out for, as well as his thoughts about the upcoming EASL season & other qualifying tournaments for the Chinese Taipei National team.
Ryan Chen is the English-language broadcaster and International Affairs Manager for the P.League+, also known as the PLG, one of Taiwan's professional basketball leagues. Born in Northern California, Ryan grew up in Taiwan, graduated from Santa Clara University, and is now back living, working, & broadcasting in Taiwan.
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