Brandon Na: Startups, Digital & Edu
Always Learning…
Today, you see astronomical valuations of Seattle’s Tech King Amazon. In yesteryear, we were barely trying to hang on for dear life and eBay was giving us a run for our money. We were bleeding money. However, one thing we had was INCREDIBLE people. Here are a few:
Many of us have heard of FitBit, the electronic fitness brand that’s almost as ubiquitous as the Apple Watch. And even better known is the football franchise based in the same city as FitBit’s HQ: the San Francisco 49ers.
However, did you know that both of them were founded and owned by Korean Americans? Continue reading “The Big List of Korean American Startup Founders, CEOs, Executives & VCs (Venture Capitalists)”
I’m prolific on Quora.
I’ve decided to share: Every single answer, question and piece of content I have created or follow in some fashion on Quora (between 2010 and August 25, 2020):
With my latest answer to: How close is Korean drama to real Korean life?
Your answer to Who are the most handsome Korean drama actors?
Continue reading “Every post, question and piece of Quora content by Brandon Na (2010-2020)”
More than a 1/4 century later, I land back in the City of Angels – to stay.
This time, it may be much longer than that incredible summer I had as a young, naive 22 year old — fresh out of college. I am joined by my older twin, who is just 3 years younger, while his younger brother is building his Kpop career in Seoul.
On a drive up Crenshaw Blvd on the way to H Mart in Koreatown, I pondered how this time is much different from that summer of 1993. The world has completely “changed” (mentally) having experienced the depths and highs of life and having lived in 4 other grand cities other than L.A. for extended periods (Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai & New York).
Having my older child with me might also be why I’m a wee bit more conservative this time around. Being (potentially) “wiser” may be why I have already formulated some immediate thoughts as to what the city represents to me now:
As most successful entrepreneurs experience, you get “very busy” with building your company even though you would love to tap into some valuable resources along the way. My friend Trenton Erker suggested I read the “Morning Brew” and I have been trying. However, it comes in just as fast as my WSJ emails along with a handful of other great summaries. So, I’m simply not able to process it all, every day. However, there will be days where I have more time and for them, I’ve decided, I’m going to simply copy and paste some of this great content below.
You see, they aren’t always JUST relevant for the days they are published. Eventually, they will be good glimpses into our recent history and maybe even longer term history. While they are granular in that they focus on the most recent news all in one email (i.e., content that will ideally be simply about “today”), they have larger points that could be interpreted as the “news of the time.” The Morning Brew likes to take a few topics, if not just one at a time — thus, the very interesting “perspective” I was hoping to get.
Anyway, here are the ones I haven’t deleted yet (but will as soon as I upload them here): Continue reading “Morning Brew Email News Summary for April 2020”
If you’ve been invited to a podcast that uses the Anchor app to produce the show, you may wonder how it works. Depending on your level of comfort with today’s apps and podcast solutions, these instructions may be anything from confusing to as simple as drinking water.
The Podcast host will send you an invite from her/his side asking to send you, the interviewee, an invite/link via multiple medium. S/he will will click “invite friends to join.”
There are so many mediums that are available today, Anchor provides multiple ways of reaching out to you, the guest: users who already have the app and are ready to go, text messages, twitter, facebook, and all the other default apps or media that your phone lets you select when clicking on … More. Continue reading “How to be an Interviewee for an Anchor App Podcast”
The Korean word 멋있어 (romanized as “muh-shee-ssuh”) can exude many other concepts including: debonair, courageous or valorous. There could be arguments that it means charming, suave or even heroic. However, as many words are defined or received in terms of meaning, it can depend on so many factors including who is defining it or who is using it for whatever reasons. Linguistically, semantics can have so many dimensions that make it almost impossible to provide the perfect twin in a completely different language. Continue reading “What’s the English Equivalent to the Korean phrase “멋있어” or “멋있다” (romanized as “muh-shee-ssuh” or “muh-shee-dah”)”
On a recent jog, I pondered what might be the “new normal” after the deadly breakout of the corona virus. I felt several larger trends would emerge.
Given that I’m buried in search data daily, I have insight that many others aren’t regularly monitoring. A few of them are exhibited here on Google Trends. (note: this link is not semantically friendly which leads me to believe this may die at some point. FYI, this link lives currently under the main “google trends” when you visit the homepage).
Examples include these 4 topics which “broke out” in the thousands of percentage points++ on the dates delineated.
Here are my (plausible) prescient thoughts:
Continue reading “Top (potentially bold) 3 Predictions Post Covid-19”
If you haven’t seen these speeches, you should. And I would advise you listen to them more than once. I have.
Not only do these 3 comedians share some of their “best stuff,” but I’d argue #2 gives you her “best stuff” which isn’t necessarily the most humorous. I was touched by her “real advice” which are words you should truly listen to.
With that said and for all the unfortunate graduates who won’t have the opportunity to listen to a great speaker this year as a result of Covid-19, these are in your honor:
TRANSCRIPT: Continue reading “3 Best (& Funniest) Ivy League Commencement Speeches for graduates disappointed by Corona”
March 2020 disrupted the world unlike no other time.
With Covid-19 having most of us, if not all, working from home, I have a more amenable schedule. It allows me to run more than ever.
Tonight was a special night. Continue reading “Taking a Nice Jog through Issaquah Highlands During Covid-19 March 2020”