Over the past weekend, we went for a hike two hours west of the city. The total elevation gain was 700 m, and we kept a steady pace of 14 km/h. The night before the hike, we organised a “meet and sing” karaoke session. Planning for the trip was fun. Our initial plan was canceled due to weather conditions, but one member came up with an alternative, so everyone was thrilled to go. As the forecast indicated extreme UV conditions and temperatures as high as 38°C, we planned a ro

"The first time I tried umeshu was at a tiny sake bar called Satsko in Manhattan’s Alphabet City, where the walls are covered in polaroids of happy, albeit slightly bleary-eyed, customers. That day, I wasn’t very happy; it was the beginning of summer and the city was hot, humid and pungent. I asked the mustached bartender for something refreshing, and he served me a whisky glass of Choya’s umeshu, on the rocks. It tasted like holidays — sweet and cold with a shiver of alcohol

I have been in Wuhan, China over the past month planning the direction for ALVA. I have changed the focus to a creative focus rather than marketing focus. This blog is about my observation and attempt to paint the moments with words and photos :) Over the weekend, we went to a Guizhou Duo Duo Noodles, hot and sour noodles made from potato starch and served in hotpot style with meat and veggetables. When asked "Do you eat spicy?" use to anwer "No", but I must bring pride to

Continuing from our previous blog, I found myself in a dilemma: is my identity defined by my workout routine? What should I eliminate? How could I transform? This is the section where I reference "Atomic Habits." The book recommends beginning with an identity that simplifies the habit. For instance, an athlete considers training crucial, a student prioritizes studying, and an entrepreneur views building their business as essential. This was my first shift, shifting my identit

Gym bro. I am starting a new campaign where I write blogs daily and record videos to post everyday. After reading Atomic Habit from James Clear, I would like to share my failed experience and how I will approach a habit differently. I started a habit of working out in Hong Kong, I signed up for 10 visits per month for 6 months. When I started, it seemed easy, twice a week, every afternoon is my workout time. However, the gym was far from my place, it is easiest to go after wo

1. Start small and set your exit number in advance Starting small is not a lack of confidence. It is risk control. A smart test answers three questions: Can we reach the right customers? Will they buy at this price? Can we deliver without losing control of cost and quality? Before starting, decide the test size. This could be based on population, location, budget, or customer count. For example: Test one district before expanding across Hong Kong. Test one product bundle befo

A mentor once told me that many business owners lose time because they try to answer every question before they take the first real step. His advice came from years as a Director of Asia Pacific, where markets can change quickly, customer behaviour varies by city, and timing can decide whether a good idea wins or disappears. The lesson was simple, but not easy: know the market, know the numbers, know the risk, then move with focus. This post turns those mentor notes into a pr

Looking back at my high school years, I realize how much I misunderstood the internet and social media. At the time, I thought the internet was already a mature tool, fully developed and stable. I didn’t see it as a rapidly evolving space full of potential and surprises. Now, a decades later, the story of how the internet grew and how platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter rose to prominence fascinates me. I wish I had learned more about this evolution back then. It

I would like to share why I started Alva started when I was in Business School studying Digital Marketing. I was feeling depressed from graduating from Business school and diving into the work force, experiencing the unknown of the city at the crossroad. I remember this so vividly, at every Friday afternoon, when my Business Law class ended around 1:30, as everyone from class was leaving, the anxiety would begin. It had gotten worse and worse as each week pass, the feeling of

Why do we train at the gym? Why do we lift heavy weights? Why do we challenge our body to its extreme? Why do we do what others would not do? I am so tired. I have been working all day. I havent eaten yet. Maybe I should sleep instead. Maybe tomorrow. There are tons of questions, tons of excuses, tons of negotiations we go through with our mind everyday. "National Library of Medicine of US estimates indicate that up to 80% of our 60,000–80,000 daily thoughts are negative, and

The author wrote that in order to replace an old habit with the new one, we should make the reward tempting. Rewiring the brain with new neuroplasticity (The brain's ability to change its structure and function in response to experiences, learning, or injury.), is crucial as long as we recognize our old habits. Being mindful or current bad habits is the first step in changing our behaviour. This reminded me of another book I read “Psychology of Willpower" by Kelly McGonigal

Brain vomit: "I wanted to switch this habit to the weekends to create something to look forward to, something special. Self-growth is a deep loop, I can't be reading everyday and changing all my habits at once. I need to pick one identity and act accordingly, or else it is draining." Another voice suggests, am I just making an excuse? Why am I starting on this jouney? "A ship without a destination is just drifting. " Glad I was able to be mindful after reading 3 chapters, I h

Hope you are doing well this October. As we are in the final quarter of 2025, I hope you are finishing 2025 strong! I recently came across a great deal on "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. This is one of the most recommended books from my mentors, so I thought I'd use this platform to share my thoughts. You might find a few nuggets useful, whether you're off track from your goals, aligning your objectives, or already planning your 2026 New Year's resolutions! I wanted to share

Business owner trusting their instinct. Yes. Knowledge is power, but too much knowledge can take away your power. When solivng problems,...

When I moved to Canada, away from family and friends, it was tough. During my school time, I was injured from basketball and needed to...

不管是在工作、生活還是社交場合，説服力都是一項超級技能！想要讓你的觀點更有說服力嗎？來試試以下三個關鍵技巧： 🎓 Ethos (信任) 讓別人相信你的專業性和可信度！例如： 分享你的經驗或專業背景：「我是營銷專家，有10年相關經驗。」...

Art has always been a powerful means of self-expression, but its deeper connection to mental health is often overlooked. Whether you're...

Estoril Five I by Frank Stella, 1982 via MAGart Does drawing help with mental health? Does drawing help with stress?Does drawing help...

The 80/20 Principle , written by Richard Koch, explores how the 80/20 rule can be applied across various aspects of life to maximize...

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