Curious about product management? In this episode, I’m breaking down what PMs actually do, who the role is perfect for (and who might hate it), and how I went from marketing and communications to product with zero technical background. I’m also sharing the real, unfiltered steps that helped me break in — from building the right skills to creating my own lucky breaks. If you’re set on becoming a PM or just figuring things out, this one’s for you.

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Follow me on Instagram @onedayatatime.mp3 or @valgfong and TikTok @valerie.fong.

Show Notes:

• 1:15: What is a product manager, anyways?
• 1:46: Traits of great PMs + who tends to thrive in this role
• 3:37: Who shouldn’t go into product management
• 6:10: How I navigated early career shifts + found my way into PM
• 12:02: Actionable advice to boost your odds of breaking into PM
• 12:16: Why your academic background doesn’t define your PM potential
• 14:25: Must-have tactical skills for aspiring PMs
• 15:00: Key technical concepts to learn to make you a more credible partner to your engineers
• 16:02: Building business acumen
• 21:39: The role of luck + how to create your own lucky breaks
• 23:30: Why growth comes from discomfort + throwing yourself into the deep end

In this episode, I discuss the unique expectations and challenges Asian Americans face when deciding to move out of their parents' home. In Asian culture, young adults typically live at home much longer than the average American due to core values like filial piety and collectivism, which starkly contrast American society’s emphasis on independence and self-sufficiency. Many Asian American young adults struggle with feelings of guilt, envy, familial tensions, and stagnation as they navigate conflicting cultural expectations and the pursuit of individual freedom. I'll share my personal experiences dealing with these mixed emotions and provide practical strategies to ease the transition, including apartment hunting tips, financial planning, and communicating the decision with your family. Additionally, I discuss how moving out can foster self-reliance, personal growth, and a stronger sense of self. Enjoy the episode!!

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Follow me on Instagram @onedayatatime.mp3 or @valgfong and TikTok @valerie.fong.

Show Notes:

• 1:32: Conflicting expectations between Asian and American cultures
• 10:47: The challenges and mixed emotions of living at home as a young adult
• 17:22: Practical tips and preparation strategies for moving out
• 17:44: Essential financial planning for moving out
• 19:11: Researching housing options and setting timelines/milestones
• 21:08: NYC-specific moving tips
• 21:24: Preparing necessary paperwork for moving out
• 21:58: How to tell your family you're moving out
• 23:35: How moving out can foster personal growth and independence

Sources:

• Intuit Credit Karma Team (2024). ⁠Nearly a third of Gen Z live at home while others struggle to afford rent⁠. Intuit.
• Irena, Hana. ⁠An Asian Dilemma: Moving Out of Parent's House.⁠ Wonderwhy.

Welcome to the first episode in my Friendship series! With a growing list of responsibilities that demand our time and attention in our 20s, it’s so important for us to practice intentionality and self-reflection when we define our inner circle of friends. Today, I’m delving into things we should consider when making, maintaining, and outgrowing friends.

Through personal anecdotes and reflections, I uncover the spectrum of friendships, from one-sided relationships to social media connections, convenience friendships, and childhood bonds. Discussing the impact of these diverse friendships on our lives, I share my opinions on recognizing who we should keep around and when when a friendship isn’t serving us anymore.

Show Notes:

• 0:42: Reflecting on Changing Friendships in Our 20s
• 2:36: Adult Challenges and Reevaluating Our Inner Circle
• 5:32: One-Sided Friendships: The Lack of Reciprocity
• 9:15: The Social Media Illusion: Quantity ≠ Quality
• 10:32: Friendship Spectrum: Convenience vs. Emotional Bonds
• 13:18: Childhood vs. Adult Friendships: Growing Apart
• 16:26: The Evolution of Friendships throughout your life: Central or Peripheral
• 18:44: Outgrowing Friends & When to Move On
• 21:00: The Essence of Healthy Friendships: Authenticity and Safety

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Follow me on Instagram @onedayatatime.mp3 or @valgfong and TikTok @valerie.fong.

"Have you eaten yet?” For Asians and Asian Americans, food serves as a cultural symbol of love, care, and community. However, this emphasis on food coexists and clashes with the beauty standards and idealization of thinness that are upheld within those very same cultures.

Today, I’m highlighting the complexity of balancing cultural experiences around food with pressures to conform to social expectations of beauty. The very individuals who force-feed us out of love are often also the first to point out any weight gain. Asian Americans face an added layer of complexity, as they navigate balancing the social expectations of both Asian and Western cultures.

Recounting my own experiences growing up as a chubby girl in an Asian household, I candidly address the enduring psychological effects of this dynamic, including shame, emotional turmoil, disordered eating, and body dissatisfaction.

Resources:

• Smart, R., Tsong, Y. (2014). Weight, Body Dissatisfaction, and Disordered Eating: Asian American Women’s Perspectives. Asian American Journal of Psychology.
• Zheng, M. M. (2022, August 28). The Pressure to Be Thin. Sixth Tone.
• Lin, A. (2020, April 3). Let’s Talk About Body Image For Asian American Women. Study Breaks.

Show Notes:

• 1:46: Cultural Symbolism of Food
• 2:06: Divergent Messages on Food and Body Image in Asian Cultures
• 3:00: Content Warning: Discussions on Disordered Eating, Food Anxiety, Body Dissatisfaction
• 3:21: My Personal Frustrations with Food, Weight Gain, and Family while Growing Up
• 5:10: Effects of Familial Pressures
• 7:54: Chapter 1 - Cultural Symbolism of Food in Asian Cultures
• 12:46: Chapter 2 - Social Emphasis on Thinness and Pressures To Conform
• 20:46: Emotional Challenges and Psychological Effects
• 22:47: Chapter 3 - Reconciling the Divergent Messages
• 23:40: Need for Culturally Sensitive Resources and Interventions
• 24:37: Carving a Path Towards Self-Acceptance and Empowerment

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Follow me on Instagram @onedayatatime.mp3 or @valgfong and TikTok @valerie.fong.

Our 20’s are all about embracing the flirty, fun moments and exploring what we truly want in a partner... What they aren’t about is being narrow-minded, investing time and energy in one-sided relationships, and losing ourselves during the chase. Oh, and let’s not forget the dangerous game of comparing our relationships to those of other people. To help you navigate all the crazy, fun, delicate.. sometimes traumatic.. art of dating, I’m sharing insights on how we can confidently build healthy, mature relationships while staying true to our values and sense of self.

Show Notes:

• 4:00: How and where to meet new people
• 8:06: Being open-minded about the kinds of people you date
• 9:50: Being upfront and honest about what you want out of a relationship
• 12:07: Playing games and “the chase”
• 14:58: Knowing whether or not you’re ready for a relationship
• 17:25: The consequences of using relationships to validate ourselves
• 18:47: Stop comparing your relationships to other people’s
• 20:28: Don’t let others dictate how you feel about your relationship
• 22:03: The importance of frequent and honest introspection
• 22:58: Why you shouldn’t settle
• 27:41: Why you shouldn’t change yourself for others

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Follow me on Instagram @onedayatatime.mp3 or @valgfong and TikTok @valerie.fong.

If you’ve been online at all this year, you’ve probably heard of #EldestDaughterSyndrome, a viral TikTok and Twitter trend shedding light on the heavy but invisible burdens that the eldest female sibling often shoulders for her family. In this episode, I dive into the unique challenges and long-term psychological impacts of this family dynamic, drawing from my own experiences as the eldest daughter in an immigrant family. Together, we’ll examine the negative feedback loop that “parentification” fosters and uncover themes of self-sacrifice, navigating high family expectations, and guilt. I’ll also share strategies for self-care, setting boundaries, and cultivating a healthier sense of self.

Sources:

• Morgan, M (2023 March 6). Are You Okay Or Are You An Eldest Daughter? Refinery29.
• Butt, M. (2023, March 23). Think Being an Eldest Daughter Is Bad? Try Being From an Immigrant Family. Vice.
• Valenzuela, D. (2022, November 16). Have You Been a Victim of Eldest Daughter Syndrome? Katie Couric Media.

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Follow me on Instagram @onedayatatime.mp3 or @valgfong and TikTok @valerie.fong.

Today, I’m honoring AAPI month by sharing my experience as a young asian american woman navigating my first corporate job and how my identity has affected the way I show up at work. Join me in unraveling the model minority myth and reveal its pervasive influence on the expectations, perceptions, and representations of AAPI professionals. Diving into the myth's impact, we uncover its constraints on career growth and mentorship, while highlighting the importance of disaggregation and actionable strategies for fostering inclusive, equitable workplaces.

Resources to learn more:

• Budiman, A., & Ruiz, N. G. (2022, October 10). ⁠Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population⁠. Pew Research Center.
• Coqual (2023, January). ⁠Strangers at Home: The Asian and Asian American Professional Experience⁠.
• Chui, M., Ellingrud, K., Rambachan, I., & Wong, J. (2022, September 7). ⁠Asian American workers: Diverse Outcomes and hidden challenges⁠. McKinsey & Company.

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Follow me on Instagram @onedayatatime.mp3 or @valgfong and TikTok @valerie.fong.