Chief Change Officer

Ral West is one of those people whose story stays with you. Over four decades as an entrepreneur, she’s seen it all. In her mid-twenties, she took the plunge and started her first business. That bold move led to running a charter air service between Alaska and Hawaii for 25 years, flying wide-body jets with her husband. Selling it to Alaska Airlines was a career highlight—but far from the finale. Since then, she’s owned small cruise ships, invested in real estate, and continued building her legacy. Now, Ral dedicates her time to helping other entrepreneurs achieve what she has: balancing business success with a fulfilling life. Her journey is real, raw, and packed with lessons for dreamers everywhere. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Challenging Generational Norms “Early in my career, working for my father, I hit the glass ceiling. He came from a different generation, and his views were, let’s say, a bit old-fashioned. But I decided, ‘Thanks, Dad—I’ll take it from here.’ And I broke away to chart my own path.” Juggling Act: The Exhausting Middle Years “Between 35 and 55, I was stretched thin—running a business, raising young kids, volunteering. Sleep felt like a luxury. My health suffered, my marriage struggled, and I couldn’t do it all.” The Breakthrough: Building Systems and Letting Go “I learned the hard way that trying to do everything myself wasn’t sustainable. I created systems, implemented processes, and built a team I could trust. Using metrics and data-driven management, I structured my business so it could run smoothly—whether I was there or not.” The Slow Burn of Transformation “Building systems, processes, and a reliable team didn’t happen overnight. It was years in the making. I started small—reading books like The E-Myth by Michael Gerber, going back to college, and studying with mentors like Robert Kiyosaki. Each step added a piece to the puzzle.” Bite-Sized Delegation: Starting Small “You don’t need massive financial success to start delegating. It starts with breaking down your daily tasks into bite-sized pieces and identifying what you can transfer to someone else.” Turning Intuition Into Systems “One of my toughest challenges was documenting decision-making processes—like when to increase advertising spend. It took weeks of introspection and trial and error before I realized I was relying on sales trends over a three-day period. Once I had clarity, I turned it into a system my team could follow, even when I wasn’t there.” Creating Culture: Embodying Values and Principles “It wasn’t just about systems and metrics; it was about building a team that shared my values. From customer service to feedback collection, we worked hard to create a culture that prioritized our principles.”  _________________________ Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Ral West Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2.5+ Millions Downloads 80+ Countries

Part Two. At the height of her real estate career, Athena Brownson’s life was derailed by Lyme disease. For eight years, she’s faced chronic pain and intensive treatments, reshaping every part of her world. As Athena puts it, “If life didn’t give us adversity and challenges…” Yesterday, she recounted the early days of her diagnosis, the fight to survive, and the harsh realities of living with this poorly understood condition. Today, in Part 2, Athena will reveal how she turned survival into thriving and rebuilt her career on her own terms. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Retraining the Brain “Pain puts the brain in fight-or-flight mode, and it can get stuck there. So it’s on us to train our minds to tell our bodies we’re okay, to push through and find relief.” The Power of a Routine “For me, routines are huge. My toolkit includes morning and evening rituals – breathwork, meditation, journaling, writing affirmations. I remind myself every day: I am healthy. I am healing. My body can get through this.” The Art of Delegation “Delegation isn’t just about getting things off your plate; it’s about giving others a chance to shine. My illness showed me I can’t do everything, nor should I. Letting go allows others to thrive, and it’s empowering to see them do what they love.” Building My Tribe “Finding the right people was a decade-long journey, but now I have a team around me who would do anything for me. They’re not just coworkers; they’re my support system, my tribe. I know they’re here for me, health and all, and I wouldn’t be where I am without them.” The Power of Pen and Paper “Writing by hand does something special. Seeing the words you put down lets them sink in, letting you visualize and internalize them in a unique way.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Athena Brownson ______________________ Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2.5+ Millions Downloads 80+ Countries

Part One. At the height of her real estate career, Athena Brownson’s life was derailed by Lyme disease. For eight years, she’s faced chronic pain and intensive treatments, reshaping every part of her world. As Athena puts it, “If life didn’t give us adversity and challenges…” In this episode, she recounts the early days of her diagnosis, the fight to survive, and the harsh realities of living with this poorly understood condition. Tomorrow, in Part 2, Athena will reveal how she turned survival into thriving and rebuilt her career on her own terms. Key Highlights of Our Interview: The Hidden Threat of Lyme Disease “I had no idea what Lyme disease was before I was diagnosed with it. It’s the fastest growing epidemic in the United States, and it can turn life upside down.” From Athlete to Survivor “My life has made a complete 180 from being a professional athlete to just trying to get through each day. It’s a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on anyone.” When Life Becomes a Series of Challenges “It’s hard not to get stuck in the mud when you’re dealing with something so challenging and constant… chronic pain, chronic fatigue, enough to make anyone want to stay in bed and not do anything.” Creating a Toolkit for Every Day “How do we pivot our mentality? How do we create our toolkit of things to get us through each day, even when we don’t want to? Sometimes it’s as simple as blasting favorite music or making a great cup of coffee.” Becoming Your Own Biggest Advocate “With Lyme, I’ve learned that you have to be your own biggest advocate. It’s about mental resilience, surrounding yourself with the right people, and finding those anchors to push forward.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Athena Brownson ______________________ Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2.5+ Millions Downloads 80+ Countries

For the first time, my podcast comes full circle! Though I started and run this show in Hong Kong, I’ve yet to feature a guest from right here in my home city—until today. Meet May Yeung: a teaching artist, founder of the charity Art of My Family, cancer survivor, and proud mom to an 14-month-old cutie. Through art, May is reshaping lives and championing sustainability, mental health, and social inclusion right here in Hong Kong. In a city known for its financial might, May shows us a path of passion and purpose, proving that art can spark meaningful change. Bonus? Our youngest guest yet—her 14-month-old son—is along for the ride. Stay tuned! Key Highlights of Our Interview: 3:17—From Wall Scribbles to Ceramics: A Childhood Steeped in Art “From the time I was around two years old, I would draw on walls before I could even write my name. By five, my father and I were creating ceramics together. At age 12, my fascination with dadaism and pop art gave me the conviction to become an artist.” "I met Professor Jeff Oppenheimer who gave a lecture on integrating art into daily life, and daily life into art, and the contents of this lecture really helped to form the framework and direction of my art to this day." 6:00—Where Art Meets Music: How Music Has Influenced Her Art Creation 8:41—From Crunching Numbers to Crafting Impact: How Finance Led May to Art and Social Change 11:20—Faith Over Fear: How Battling Cancer Transformed a Perfectionist into a Celebrator of Life’s Small Wins "I think the cancer experience really let me feel a greater sense of conviction to serve the underprivileged" 16:25—Art for Archer: How Motherhood and Heritage Shape Her Creations 18:09—Dim Sum and Chinese Checkers: Weaving Hong Kong’s Culture into Every Piece of Art 21:34—Memorable Art Pieces “What If” and “Blossom Love”: Sculpting Bridges Between Cultures and Endless Possibilities 23:19—From Corporate CSR to Creative Compassion: The Birth of Art of My Family 30:00—May’s Life Mission to Inspire the Next Generation: The Three C’s of Art Education and the Role of a Teaching Artist Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: May Yeung ______________________ Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2.5+ Millions Downloads 80+ Countries