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<a href="https://tomocredit.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TomoCredit</a> co-founder and CEO Kristy Kim knew she was going to be an entrepreneur since she was 10 or 11 years old—but things didn’t fall into place until she attempted to buy her first vehicle after college. “I would say the pivotal experience that led me to Tomo... was [that] I wanted to buy my first car while working as an investment banker in San Francisco,” she says.



Kim, a first-generation Korean immigrant who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, applied for an auto loan at a Lexus dealership and was rejected right away. After struggling to figure out why and where to go for answers, Kim eventually realized it was because she had no credit history in the United States.



“I am well educated, worked hard to get a job and got a job, and I was making a six-figure income,” she says. “I did all the right things as an immigrant I was told to do. And then here I am not having [any] credit history in the U.S., so I am getting rejected within seconds of applying for an auto loan.”



Kim realized she wasn’t alone: So many students, immigrants, women and other members of marginalized communities struggle to secure leases for apartments, make big purchases such as cars or get approved for mortgages due to their lack of credit history or low credit score. In 2018, she founded TomoCredit in hopes of helping others understand and improve their <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/financial-wellness-journey-for-lasting-financial-well-being/">financial wellness</a>.







TomoCredit offers a credit card that’s designed to help users build their <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-improve-your-credit-score/">credit score</a> as quickly as possible and receives a small fee from merchants for every purchase made with the card. To apply for it, all individuals need is a valid Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. TomoCredit uses alternative data sources such as bank account information to process card applications (so a traditional credit score isn’t necessary) and helps users build their scores using a weekly autopay option.



The credit card is built on Kim’s realization that a wealth of transaction records detailing spending habits exists in individuals’ bank account summaries—data that might make them credit-worthy. To launch TomoCredit, Kim found an engineer to analyze the formatting of bank account data and eventually zero in on patterns related to account balances with the goal of training an underwriting model, a structured process used by lenders, insurers and investors to evaluate and assess the risk associated with providing financing and determining the terms and conditions of transactions.



Once it gained momentum and knew how to approach the datasets, Kim shared the findings with risk managers at banks such as Citibank and Wells Fargo and asked if it was valuable for helping individuals gain access to credit even if they don’t have any credit history. Because many big banks are set in their ways and have processes that benefit the broader population, she knew starting her own company would be the only way to provide the best service to the overlooked communities she wanted to serve.



“I have a best shot at being the A-plus service for the segment of consumers who don’t have good credit or a good credit score but good cash flow and want to get help on how to improve their credit,” she says.



Since the company started, it has evolved to offer memberships that consumers can choose based on their needs and also has an AI-powered credit assistant that provides TomoScores. The cash flow-based credit score helps businesses evaluate the creditworthiness of borrowers who lack a traditional credit score.



“Whether it is paying off your credit card or researching your auto loan interest rate, come to us because we can offer you more personalized advice…. Unlike other companies, we’ve been training our underwriting model over the past six years with 6 billion-plus transaction data,” Kim says. “We’ve been training our model to give you personalized [financial] advice based on your own income level and own spending patterns.”



Every week, the TomoCredit team chats with about 50 customers over the phone to gather feedback about what other features it can add to help them reach <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/short-term-financial-goals/">financial goals</a>. (For example, a user might request to dispute credit report errors via their online dashboard.) In the future, Kim hopes to continuously provide more tools and resources for customers and become their long-term “financial co-pilots”—rather than just a short-term solution.



While TomoCredit continues to innovate, Kim says the company still follows the same mission it started with, which her staff is happy to remind her of when things get stressful. “It’s not about one single feature or one single business model, one unhappy customer, one happy customer,” she says. “Eventually, we are doing this because we believe that the market and the credit system will eventually change in the way that we desire.”



Even though change to the credit system is slow, it is happening, Kim says. The evidence is in more acknowledgment of better underwriting or the need to use more AI and datasets. “My team is like, ‘Kristy, you know what? Maybe you don’t feel it every day, but definitely things are moving in the right direction.’”



Kim thinks that increasing credit access will remain a benefit to America’s economy despite any changes in the political system, thanks to capitalism and lenders’ appetite for expanding their businesses. “No matter who’s in the White House or where we are in the political environment, increasing credit access to consumers is always important and then it benefits everybody,” she says. “It not just benefits the consumers, it benefits lenders, too.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-have-bad-credit">Have bad credit?</h2>



Here’s Kim’s advice.



Don’t be afraid to know where you stand. Everyone has to start somewhere! “Sometimes people get scared or overwhelmed to even start because they feel like, ‘Oh, my stuff is terrible,’” she says. “So, it doesn’t give them joy to look at it.”



Find the right financial partner. Kim says some customers are more comfortable sharing their data with a company that uses an AI model like TomoCredit, which they find less judgmental. “We really want to be a place [where] there’s no stigma,” she says.



Be patient. Your credit score won’t improve overnight. She says that while many times it feels like you’re not making progress, there’s beauty in continuing to move forward.



“Then later, you see that you made a big difference,” she says.



Photo courtesy of Kristy Kim. This article originally appeared in the<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/subscriptions/"> September/October 2025 issue</a> of SUCCESS® magazine.

Kristy Kim built TomoCredit to fix a broken credit system, helping overlooked communities gain access through cash flow–based approval.

Kristy Kim built TomoCredit to fix a broken credit system, helping overlooked communities gain access through cash flow–based approval. | SUCCESS

How Kristy Kim's TomoCredit Is Changing Credit Access

How Kristy Kim&#8217;s TomoCredit Is Changing Credit Access

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How Kristy Kim’s TomoCredit Is Changing Credit Access | SUCCESS

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Patricia Kaowthumrong is a Colorado-based freelance writer who covers food, travel, culture and other lifestyle topics. A proud Thai American, she loves seeking out stories that foster unity and understanding.

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Patricia Kaowthumrong

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Professional Growth

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Good <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/everything-you-need-to-know-to-become-a-great-leader/">leaders</a> can possess a variety of traits, from confidence to charisma. But whether you’re leading a small business, a big corporation, a class of students or a family, effective leadership often comes down to having the ability to inspire others to achieve certain outcomes. That means learning how to delegate and manage challenges along the way.&nbsp;







While trusting others to accomplish goals sounds straightforward, micromanagement—the tendency to control every part of a task, project or enterprise—has serious setbacks. In the business world, it can slow company growth, discourage employees, lower job satisfaction and engagement, and cause frustrating situations for all parties involved (particularly the micromanager and the person being managed).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-impact-of-micromanagement">The impact of micromanagement</h2>



<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennyzenker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penny Zenker</a>—a tech entrepreneur turned business strategy coach, and an author and speaker on the psychology of productivity—calls herself a “recovering” micromanager. She’s witnessed the negative outcomes of micromanaging first hand.



“I was working with some CEOs who would come to me and say that their team wasn’t accountable, that they felt like there was a problem,” she says. “And to me, when the team is not showing accountability, it’s very often... that I find that the leader is micromanaging—so they’re actually taking the power away [from employees].”



The need for control, a fear of failure and a lack of trust in employees are all things that cause people to micromanage, which can decrease employee morale and accountability. Zenker adds that team members might also be less likely to speak up or share their ideas, and decisions that impact the business might be delayed.



“When you see people shutting down and not speaking up or bringing creativity,” she says, “that can also mean that they’re feeling like they’re unappreciated or overcontrolled.… Clearly, when people leave [a workplace], that can also be a telltale sign.”



Here are seven ways that leaders and project managers can learn to let go:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-shift-your-mindset">1. Shift your mindset</h3>



You should “delegate those outcomes, not just the tasks,” Zenker says. Focus on growing your team members’ skills sets and fueling their career growth instead of simply getting things done.&nbsp;



“There’s really a greater purpose, which is to make them build their skill sets so that they can play a bigger role in the organization,” she adds.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-trust-your-team">2. Trust your team</h3>



Some leaders have a hard time delegating tasks because they are “scared things won't be done exactly how they would do them,” says Melissa Legere, licensed marriage and family therapist and chief operating officer and co-founder of <a href="https://cabehavioral.com/">California Behavioral Health</a>. “If you micromanage every detail,” she continues, “your team won’t feel empowered to take ownership, and you’ll still be stuck in the weeds doing everything yourself.”



She adds that “delegation isn't about cloning how you would approach tasks—it’s about getting the job done well. Set clear expectations, provide the necessary resources and then step back.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-resist-the-urge-to-fix-everything">3. Resist the urge to fix everything</h3>



According to Legere, once you assign a task, you should “let your team handle it without constantly jumping in to tweak [or] redo their work.” Tapping into team members’ skills and abilities not only allows you to focus on other tasks on your to-do list but also encourages them to develop problem-solving skills.&nbsp;



“Instead of micromanaging, provide feedback and guidance when necessary and give them space to learn and grow,” she adds.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-start-small-and-build-from-there">4. Start small and build from there</h3>



“If letting go feels uncomfortable, begin by delegating low-stakes tasks and work your way up,” Legere continues. “This helps you get used to trusting your team while giving them the chance to prove they can handle more responsibility. The more you see things getting done without your constant involvement, the easier it becomes to step back.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-set-checkpoints">5. Set checkpoints</h3>



By creating a physical checklist, you can monitor the quality and progress of the task or project you’ve delegated.&nbsp;



Zenker notes that it’s important for managers to explain why what they’re asking of the employee or team member is important and what they want to accomplish. Then, give them space to ask questions—and depending on the project’s timeline, set times to check in. Managers shouldn’t check in too much, though, because that would be micromanaging.



“The next milestone might be for them to go and do some research and then come back with their own plan, so that you’re seeing how they think and how they work through things,” she says. “But you’re also setting up those checkpoints so that you don’t have to check in with them every day.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-be-kind">6. Be kind</h3>



The language you use and the way you choose to approach the situation at hand is important, Zenker continues. Think about what energy you’re bringing to the table and try to be positive. Instead of barking orders, build in time to make a personal connection so people feel valued and understood.



“If you’re handing something over to them, maybe you’re telling them that you have full trust in their ability to complete this in the best way,” she says. “One of the things I do [is say,] ‘Hey, listen, I know that sometimes I have a tendency to get too involved or check in. Please call me on it.’”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-hit-pause">7. Hit pause</h3>



If something isn’t working in your company, organization or life, you&nbsp;can always hit reset. Then, you can take time to step back and reflect on the challenges or your mistakes.&nbsp;



The process of rethinking, reconnecting and reprioritizing can help individuals tackle their challenges and figure out how to be more productive. It even inspired Zenker to write a book called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Reset-Mindset-Unstuck-Matters-Faster/dp/B0CZY3YWGJ#:~:text=In%20her%20new%20book%20The,focus%20on%20what%20matters%20most" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Reset Mindset</a>, which was published in fall 2024. “It’s in the reflection that we gain insight,“ she says, “not in experience, because we can repeat the same mistakes.”



This article originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of <a href="https://offer.success.com/success-plus/">SUCCESS+ digital magazine</a>. Photo by voronaman/Shutterstock.com

Want to be a better delegator? Experts share 7 ways to help you stop micromanaging and confront your need for control.

Want to be a better delegator? Experts share 7 ways to help you stop micromanaging and confront your need for control. | SUCCESS

Just Let Go: 7 Ways to Become a Better Delegator, not a Micromanager

How to Let Go and Become a Better Delegator | SUCCESS

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Ben Newman’s driving narrative started at age 7, when his mother died.



“I’ve found so much strength in my story and my mom,” he says. “Even though she had this rare muscle disease called amyloidosis, she fought, and she had this amazing journal that became a place where she unleashed her positive mental attitude. She’d write things in her journal such as, ’Beat the statistics,’ ’Beat the odds,’ ’Live with a disease that is chronic and fatal.’”



While his mother needed 24-hour nursing care the last year of her life, she still insisted on coming to the dinner table with an IV stand to ask Newman about his day. Newman watched his mom fight the illness until the day she died, 11 days before his 8th birthday. “I’ve always felt that, at that time, she passed the pen that she was writing with in that journal on to me,” he says.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-burn-is-born">The “Burn“ is born</h2>



As an adult, Newman realized the greatest strength in his life comes from the pain he endured after his mom’s death and the lessons she left him. His story—what Newman calls his “Burn”—is what inspires him to help others find their own as a performance coach, author and motivational speaker. “It’s [about] encouraging people in our work, helping people find that Burn—that passion that will give them the ability to fight through the things that oftentimes hold them back,” he says.



But Newman didn’t start his career as a performance coach. Before he was paid to speak for the first time in 2006 and coach someone professionally in 2008, Newman was a successful financial adviser for 10 years. “When I left [my job in finance], my managing partner tried to induce me with money, and he was basically telling me I was crazy,“ he says. “Like, ‘How could you leave this career?’ But I believe at some point in time, we have to chase what we were destined to do and attack what we were destined to do, not be held back by what’s comfortable.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-newman-rose-to-the-top">How Newman rose to the top</h2>



Over the past two decades, Newman has written eight books (<a href="https://amzn.to/4dywuvw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Standard: Winning Every Day at Your Highest Level</a> is his most recent, published in 2023) and hosts a podcast called <a href="https://bennewman.net/theburn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Burn Podcast</a>, where he chats with high performers in business and sports. Through the Ben Newman Companies, he and his team of performance coaches have worked with athletes and teams in the NFL, NBA, PGA, MLB and other sports entities.



In addition to teaming up with coaches and players from multiple Super Bowl–winning teams, Newman currently serves as the longtime performance coach for head coach Chris Klieman and the Big 12 Champion Kansas State football team. He was also a performance coach for five years for the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team under former head coach Nick Saban. 



He’s also brought his teachings to locker rooms and fields across the country, including those of the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Wake Forest University and several high school teams in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-burn-motivates-top-performers">How the Burn motivates top performers</h2>



By empowering clients with “<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-build-resilience/">mental toughness</a>” training tools—think: how to identify your Burn, believe in yourself, and learn to overcome adversities and challenges by reframing your perspective—Newman helps them achieve goals and perform at their best using their natural talents and abilities.



“Once you understand your underlying Burn, that fire inside of you, that’s actually what ignites your why and purpose and causes you to show up on the days you don’t feel like it,” Newman says. “So the common denominator I’ve found with Hall of Famers, Super Bowl champions, NCAA champions, some of the top Fortune 100 companies in the world... is leaders and the high performers [who know] what that Burn is.”



The Burn can be anything from a life-changing experience, such as losing a caregiver or becoming a parent, to the desire to prove yourself to a group of naysayers. 



In addition to recognizing their Burn, Newman says successful individuals are also incredibly disciplined and willing to commit to good long-term practices. “[They’re] disciplined not to focus on the results,” Newman says, “but <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-set-discipline-goals/">disciplined to the habits</a> and the work on a daily basis, knowing that the byproduct of great discipline is winning at high levels.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-benefits-from-the-burn">Who benefits from the Burn?</h2>



While roughly 30% of BNC clients are in the sports world, 70% are corporate professionals at companies and organizations like Microsoft, Wells Fargo Advisors, The Canada Life Assurance Company, Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of America and New York Life. Whether you’re a decorated athlete, financial adviser or working mom, though, anyone who wants to be more successful in their personal or professional lives can benefit from finding their Burn.



“Don’t be held back by what society or <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-ways-to-turn-adversity-into-an-inspired-state-of-mind/">adversity</a> or challenge tells us,” Newman says. “You want to write a book? Go write a book. You want to go speak? Go speak. You want to become the vice president of a company or own a company one day? Go do it. Put the action behind it that’s going to cause you to do those things.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-build-your-prizefighter-day">How to build your ”Prizefighter Day”</h2>



In <a href="https://amzn.to/3Ff8pgR" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Your Mental Toughness Playbook</a>, which has been sold or downloaded more than 1 million times, Newman shares advice that helps you identify and attack the everyday activities that will empower you to meet your goals like a prizefighter. 



“Nothing in a ‘Prizefighter Day,’ if built correctly, is based on results. It’s all based on the choices we know we need to make in order to drive success,” Newman says. “And when we’re not feeling successful, it’s typically because we’re choosing to not do the things we know we need to do to be successful…. It’s manageable when we manage it one day at a time.”



To have a Prizefighter Day, one where you feel like your best self, Newman recommends establishing a daily routine that includes the following three actions:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-personal-activity">1. Personal activity</h3>



Newman’s example: This includes “waking up every morning and getting in your morning workout (because it releases endorphins and builds confidence).”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-business-or-professional-activity">2. Business or professional activity</h3>



Newman’s example: You can “[set] a specific goal for the number of phone calls, follow-ups, reps [or] workouts that you have to make every day, knowing that will further your success, regardless of the results.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-service-to-others-activity">3. Service to others activity</h3>



Newman’s example: “This could be lending an ear to a friend, giving compliments to a stranger [or] calling your parents.... What activity can you consistently do in the service of others?”



This article originally appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/magazine/">SUCCESS® magazine</a>.



Photo by ©Sam Limon

Meet Ben Newman, a performance coach dedicated to helping athletes and professionals find strength in their stories using their “Burn.“

Meet Ben Newman, a performance coach dedicated to helping athletes and professionals find strength in their stories using their “Burn.“ | SUCCESS

Ben Newman: Using Your “Burn“ to Find Strength in Your Story

Ben Newman Wants You to Find Strength in Your Story | SUCCESS

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While your IQ and technical skills might have helped you earn high test scores, your <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-improve-emotional-intelligence/">emotional intelligence</a> (aka “emotional quotient” or “EQ”) might be even more vital for establishing successful personal and professional relationships. The term, coined by researchers Peter Salovey and John Mayer in 1990, refers to the ability to understand and manage your emotions and recognize the emotions of others.



“It’s costly to struggle with poor emotional intelligence,” says psychotherapist Lauren Farina. According to her, low EQ can be a big liability to both individuals and organizations, “because we know that [it] disrupts communication, it disrupts relationships, it damages mental health. And all of those are huge factors when it comes to performance and motivation and productivity.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-4-pillars-of-emotional-intelligence">The 4 pillars of emotional intelligence</h2>



There are generally <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/components-of-emotional-intelligence/">four pillars of EQ</a>:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Self-awareness</li>



<li>Self-management</li>



<li>Social awareness</li>



<li>Relationship management</li>
</ol>



These represent the intersection of your awareness and actions toward yourself and others. As the founder of Invited Psychotherapy and Coaching, Farina helps professionals level up their performance, motivation and emotional well-being. That often involves developing a healthy EQ, which is imperative for mental health, emotional well-being and career success.



“<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/18-signs-you-have-high-emotional-intelligence/">High EQ</a> can help us to attune to and connect with our clients and colleagues in a way that optimizes that relationship for a mutually beneficial outcome,” she says. “On the other hand, many folks with an extremely high EQ, often referred to as empaths, struggle with taking too much responsibility for the feelings of others. This tendency makes us vulnerable to people-pleasing and codependency, making it difficult to be assertive and to set boundaries.”



Is your emotional intelligence an asset or a hindrance? Here are a few ways to assess and improve it, regardless of where you fall on the EQ spectrum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-look-at-your-relationships">1. Look at your relationships</h2>



Individuals who have a healthy level of emotional intelligence often enjoy strong personal and professional relationships, Farina says. They work well on a team and have solid people skills. “You can have difficult conversations,” she says. “You’re not afraid of confrontation, but you have those difficult conversations with respect and compassion.”



But those who struggle with poor or low emotional intelligence often experience a lot of conflict in their relationships. They might be prone to increased irritability, anger and resentment, which can manifest as constant venting in the workplace, Farina says. Other signs you might benefit from emotional intelligence-building practices include struggling to manage stress and regulate your emotions and jumping to defensiveness instead of giving and receiving feedback effectively.



“If you find yourself constantly venting or being negative or responding with sarcasm, you’ve probably got some unprocessed emotions that need identification and expression,” Farina says.



On the other hand, you might have a very high EQ if you struggle to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/setting-boundaries-at-work/">set boundaries</a> because you’re scared of letting other people down. “When we fail to set boundaries, we tend to grow more resentful of others,” Farina says. “I often tell my clients, ‘When we feel resentful, it’s because we’ve often failed to advocate for ourselves.’”



To strike a healthy balance, tune into how you’re feeling and learn to express yourself with respect and compassion. “It’s a matter of sort of observing, ‘What am I thinking? What am I feeling? And how are those thoughts and feelings driving my behaviors?’” Farina says. “That’s essentially what we mean when we talk about mindfulness practice, which is something I recommend to my clients a lot.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-make-meaning-through-your-childhood-experiences">2. Make meaning through your childhood experiences</h2>



According to psychotherapist Duygu Balan, who specializes in intergenerational trauma, early attachments promote emotional intelligence and influence how we connect to and talk to ourselves. They also predict whether we allow ourselves to feel our feelings or not, whether we think it is safe to be vulnerable and our ability to be in tune with somebody else’s emotions.



According to Balan, children who grow up in secure homes with parents who encourage them to name their emotions and who validate their emotions tend to have higher emotional intelligence. “They’re better able to feel their feelings, know what they are and… have better coping mechanisms,” she says.



“But the good news is that because secure attachment styles [aren’t] genetic, we can actually level up… through awareness-building,” she says. “We level up through making meaning through our childhood experiences and having safe relationship experiences, whether this is through therapy or community resources or members. But that’s how we can increase our understanding of ourselves. The more we do it, the more we heal.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-write-down-your-values-and-the-characteristics-of-your-authentic-self">3. Write down your values and the characteristics of your authentic self</h2>



Therapist Priya Rednam-Waldo recommends starting from a place of self-awareness.



“We cannot know where we need to go without understanding where we are now and… some key points of how we got there,” says Rednam-Waldo, who coaches women and couples navigating the unique transition from pregnancy to postpartum. “It doesn’t have to be this huge unpacking of a lifetime of [experiences], but it is a deeply personal experience where we have to kind of be ready to take stock,” she says.



By identifying your values and whether or not you’re living them or not, you can figure out where you are in life and whether your EQ is working for you. This can feel really challenging, “because often that’s an indication… [that] we’re not maybe as emotionally intelligent as would be helpful for our lives if we aren’t quickly able to say, ‘Oh yeah, this is who I am, and this is what I believe,’” Rednam-Waldo says.



Keep in mind that boosting your EQ isn’t about changing yourself to fit a preconceived mold of what it means to be a great leader, team member, partner or parent. It’s about honoring who you are. “We can all have areas of improvement,” Rednam-Waldo says. “We can be ourselves and honor other people being themselves and still be really successful.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-schedule-a-regular-check-in-with-yourself">4. Schedule a regular check-in with yourself</h2>



Set aside time, ideally daily, to identify your highs and lows. Jot down on paper or type in a notes app a few key events or points of the day and how you reacted emotionally. If you have a data-driven mind, you can even give the events a rating. Then, look for patterns over time. “The highs will be in a particular space and the lows will be in a particular space,” Rednam-Waldo says.



A recurring low could be a particular interaction with a team member at work that makes you feel misunderstood, which you can turn into an opportunity to realign your actions with your values and true authentic self.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-accept-that-improving-your-eq-is-a-dynamic-journey-not-a-destination">5. Accept that improving your EQ is a dynamic journey—not a destination</h2>



The human experience is unpredictable and is filled with interactions both challenging and joyful. That means there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and you might have to put different levels of effort into it over time, depending on the progress of your EQ. “As we feel stronger in our emotional intelligence, we won’t have to necessarily check in daily. Maybe we spread it out to monthly,” Rednam-Waldo says. “Maybe… it becomes a part of how we think about things or assess how things are working for us.”&nbsp;



Photo credit: fizkes/Shutterstock.com

Emotional intelligence is crucial for building successful relationships, but too much or too little can make it difficult to set boundaries.

While your IQ and technical skills might have helped you earn high test scores, your emotional intelligence (aka “emotional quotient” or “EQ”) might be | SUCCESS

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Is Your Emotional Intelligence Hurting You? | SUCCESS

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Sahra Nguyen poses next to a pallet in a warehouse.

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More than 3 million businesses in the United States are owned by members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. But <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/navigating-the-entrepreneur-roller-coaster/">entrepreneurs</a> of Asian descent, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/lies-women-are-told-at-work/">particularly women</a>, face more barriers than those who aren’t part of minority communities. Those challenges include lack of funding and support and a rise in xenophobia since the onset of the pandemic. Many Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women have overcome myriad obstacles to establish successful businesses—all while staying true to their cultural heritage. Meet three changemakers making waves in the food, beverage and beauty industries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mika-shino-founder-ceo-issei">Mika Shino, Founder/CEO, Issei</h2>



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Photo courtesy of Mika Shino



When <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mika-shino-98a3677/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mika Shino</a> discovered that her kids’ favorite gummy candies were made from many undesirable ingredients, she took matters into her own kitchen. The music producer, cookbook author and former UNESCO program specialist was eager to craft non-GMO sweets without animal-derived gelatin and artificial preservatives, colors and flavors. The result was <a href="https://mochigummies.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Issei Mochi Gummies</a>, which debuted at Whole Foods Market in 2022. But the super soft, gently sweet confections—enriched with real fruit—are more than just delicious.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“I created this as an ode to all immigrants and what we bring to this country and what we bring to the table, because, so often, our heritage is not as highlighted as the European tradition,” says Shino, who was born in Kyoto, Japan, and grew up in the United States. “So, especially in the food sector, especially when you look in the aisles of the supermarket, we're not represented.”



Shino gained inspiration for her gummies from mochi, a confection that she grew up eating. Traditionally produced with pounded rice and water, the Japanese treats are beloved for their simplicity. Her company’s name, Issei, is a Japanese term for first-generation Japanese immigrants who moved to America. “The mission of our brand is to uplift all immigrant cultures and heritage. We started out with this one product, mochi gummies, but [they’re] a blank canvas for flavors from all over the world.”&nbsp;



In addition to offering gummies in well-recognized candy aisle flavors such as vanilla, strawberry, mango, sour watermelon and peach, Shino also hopes to introduce American palates to less ubiquitous ones from Asia, the Middle East and beyond as her brand evolves. Since launching in 2022, Issei Mochi Gummies has expanded to more than 2,000 stores on the West and East coasts and Hawaii. Shino, who had never worked in the food sector until two years ago, now has products in Albertsons, Sprouts Farmers Market and Walmart. While the grocery store deals bring her joy, the impact Shino hopes to make on future generations is the sweetest victory.&nbsp;



“I think just by the sheer fact of existing, we're kind of showing that there can be diversity [in the candy aisle] and showing other Asian kids [that], ‘Wow, there's stuff that's not just European that's just as valid,’” she says.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ginger-king-founder-president-grace-kingdom-beauty">Ginger King, Founder/President, Grace Kingdom Beauty</h2>



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Photo courtesy of Ginger King



<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gingerking/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ginger King</a> is a self-proclaimed “beauty shark,” and her long career and robust resume are proof that her obsession with cosmetics is worthwhile. King, the founder of <a href="https://www.gracekingdombeauty.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grace Kingdom Beauty</a>, uses her master’s degrees in natural product chemistry and marketing to help entrepreneurs develop and brand makeup, skin care and other beauty products. Over the past three decades, she’s created or consulted on more than 30 brands and 2,000 formulas, including projects for big-name companies such as Avon, Joico and Origins.



King’s infatuation with the power of makeup to boost confidence and change perceptions started at a young age. “I always tell people I was born in beauty because my mom was the first woman to bring the Shiseido boutique from Japan to Taiwan in the ’60s, so I grew up under the influence without realizing that's going to be my destination,” she says. While King grew up around cosmetics, she wasn’t allowed to wear makeup as a student in her native Taiwan but started applying it when she moved to the United States at age 16. That’s when reading Estée Lauder’s biography fueled her dreams of a career in beauty. However, like a lot of AANHPI individuals, King felt pressured by her parents to pursue a more prestigious path in science. “I wanted to become a makeup artist,” King says. “But, being Asian, it's expected that you either get a Ph.D. or at least a master’s degree.”&nbsp;



King’s roles in the beauty world have been diverse. They include serving as a chemist for Dole (where she correlated the pink disease in pineapples to an active ingredient in many self-tanners); working in retail for brands such as Chanel, Clarins and Bobbi Brown; becoming a men’s fragrance specialist—and starting her own product development company, Grace Kingdom Beauty, more than 11 years ago. She’s also now involved with Shark Tank, a show she has long admired, as a #PowerOfBroke ambassador for Daymond John.



Adapting to pursue a passion—which is what King did to meet the cultural and familial standards she faced at the start of her journey—is something she hopes other entrepreneurs can do. “I pivoted to creating beauty products instead of applying beauty products,” she says. “You need to keep your vision, but you need to be adaptable. And you may be surprised what else you can do even greater.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sahra-nguyen-founder-ceo-nguyen-coffee-supply">Sahra Nguyen, Founder/CEO, Nguyen Coffee Supply</h2>



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Photo by Maria Be



If your favorite local java stop has a rendition of Vietnamese coffee, that might be due to the efforts of a first-generation Vietnamese American. In fact, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahranguyen88/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sahra Nguyen</a>, who founded <a href="https://nguyencoffeesupply.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nguyen Coffee Supply</a> in Brooklyn, New York, in 2018, is often celebrated as the leader of the Vietnamese coffee movement in North America.



The traditional version of the caffeinated drink, often crafted with a phin (a small metal filter) and served with condensed milk, is made with highly caffeinated yet flavorful robusta beans farmed mostly in Vietnam. However, until recent years, the robusta bean has been inaccurately perceived as inferior to the widely recognized arabica. And while Vietnam is the second-largest coffee producer in the world, the country is often left out of craft coffee conversations dominated by other bean-growing destinations such as Columbia and Brazil. 



“There was a real disconnect with how we were applying value to the [coffee] industry,” Nguyen says. “If you really care about the value, like acknowledging the source of the beans and the truth behind the beans, why was that not given to folks from Asia?”&nbsp;



Those questions and disconnects led Nguyen, who was a freelance writer and filmmaker at the time, on a journey to found Nguyen Coffee Supply. In 2016, she connected with her first coffee supplier in Vietnam and began using her backgrounds in social justice and media to tell the story of the misrepresented robusta bean. “There are companies in the U.S. [and] in Europe who had been using robusta coffee in their products for years, but they would market it under a different slogan,” Nguyen says, citing examples like “the strongest coffee” or “Italian espresso.”&nbsp;



Nguyen Coffee Supply’s products, which feature robusta and arabica beans that are grown and handpicked in Vietnam and roasted in Brooklyn, have made an eye-opening impact on coffee drinkers. &nbsp; Since 2018, the company’s robusta sales have grown more than about 50% over arabica and the costs of robusta have increased about 275%—developments that have allowed Nguyen Coffee Supply and its sources to expand. (For example, the grower Nguyen works with in Vietnam purchased a second farm.) 



Nguyen also launched a canned coffee line that’s now available at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market stores. She attributes the progress to consumers’ willingness to pay just as much for the robusta bean as its arabica counterpart—and become interested in the coffee culture of her family’s native land. Some fans even enjoy their daily brew using a phin. “We were adamant about sharing the phin because we want to just share the culture, so when people think about culture, then the conversation expands to the people,” she says.



Photo courtesy of Sahra Nguyen

These women of Asian descent are honoring their heritage while making waves in the food, beverage and beauty industries.

More than 3 million businesses in the United States are owned by members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. But entrepreneurs of | SUCCESS

3 Women in the Asian Community Making Big Business Waves 

3 Women in the Asian Community Making Waves | SUCCESS

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