The Real Story: Building STĀS as an Asian American Founder

As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, I wanted to share something more personal—how my identity as an Asian American founder shaped STĀS, but probably not in the way you'd expect.

Let's Get Real About Representation

When people find out that I'm Taiwanese American and Arthur is from Taiwan, there's this moment where I can see them trying to fit us into a box. Are we the "Asian skincare brand"? Are we trying to be the next K-beauty thing? Do we have some ancient family recipe with ginseng and green tea?

Here's the truth: We're just two people who got really good at what we do and decided to build something together.

I've been an esthetician for over 20 years in LA. Arthur's a researcher from Taiwan who happens to be brilliant at wound healing and stem cell science—he studied here in the US, and we connected (thanks to my OG mother, Mimi) over our shared commitment to creating products that actually work. And yeah, some of our manufacturing happens in Taiwan because the precision and quality there is unmatched—not because it's "exotic," but because it's excellent.

Growing Up Between Worlds

Like a lot of Asian American kids, I grew up navigating different expectations. At home, there was this understanding that you take care of your skin for the long haul—you don't assault it with harsh treatments hoping for quick fixes. My mom taught me that your skin is something you live with for decades, so you better treat it right.

But in beauty school and working in the field? The messaging was completely different. Stronger acids, more aggressive treatments, faster results. The American approach was all about conquering your skin problems immediately.

Neither approach was wrong, but I realized early on that the best results came from combining both perspectives: the long-term thinking I grew up with and the scientific rigor I learned professionally.

What Actually Shaped Our Approach

Arthur and I didn't set out to build an "Asian American brand." We set out to solve problems we kept seeing in our work.

Me: Clients who were frustrated because skincare either didn't work or worked temporarily but damaged their skin long-term.

Arthur: Research showing that the most effective healing happens when you support the body's existing regenerative processes instead of trying to override them.

The breakthrough wasn't cultural—it was scientific. Arthur's EDSCRS technology works by activating stem cells that are already in your skin. It's not about introducing something foreign; it's about helping your skin do what it already wants to do, just better.

But I'll be honest—my perspective as an Asian American and Arthur's background from Taiwan definitely influenced how we approach this science.

The Cross-Cultural Advantage

My experience growing up Asian American combined with Arthur's perspective from Taiwan means we get really comfortable with nuance. We've learned that the best solutions often aren't either/or—they're both/and.

Both gentle AND effective. Our products don't choose between being mild or being powerful. Our Repair Mask uses bee venom and L(+) Lactic Acid for gentle exfoliation while delivering a cocktail of vitamins and amino acids that aid in the skin's natural repair process.

Both natural AND high-tech. We're not anti-science naturalists, and we're not sterile lab-coat types either. We use plant-based ingredients enhanced by cutting-edge biotechnology because the combination works better than either approach alone.

Both accessible AND premium. We're not trying to be the cheapest option or the most exclusive. We're trying to be the smartest choice for people who want results without compromising their values.

Building Different

Here's what I think my Asian American perspective have given us: We're not trying to fit into existing categories.

The beauty industry loves its boxes. You're either clinical or natural. You're either luxury or accessible. You're either trending or established.

But growing up between cultures and working with someone who brings a different cultural perspective teaches you that the most interesting stuff happens in the spaces between boxes.

STĀS doesn't fit neatly into the "Asian beauty" category because we're not trying to replicate K-beauty or J-beauty trends. We're not trying to be the "clean beauty" brand because we believe in using the best ingredients, whether they're plant-derived or lab-created. We're not trying to be the "luxury" brand because we'd rather invest in research than packaging.

We're just trying to be the best at what we do.

The Science Speaks for Itself

Arthur's research on Multi-Potent Stem Cell Activators (MPSCAs) isn't revolutionary because it's "Eastern wisdom"—it's revolutionary because it works. Our manufacturing in both Taiwan and the US isn't about cultural branding—it's about accessing the best production capabilities for each product.

The Repair Face Bar gets made in Taiwan because the soap-making expertise there is incredible. The Clarifying series gets produced in the US because we can maintain tighter quality control on our more complex formulations.

We go where the quality is highest, period.

What Representation Actually Means

I used to think representation meant seeing more Asian faces in beauty campaigns. And that matters—it definitely matters.

But now I think the deeper representation is this: Asians belong in the founder's chair. We belong as the ones making the decisions, driving the innovation, building the companies.

Not because we bring some mystical Eastern perspective, but because we bring our intelligence, our work ethic, our unique viewpoints shaped by growing up between worlds.

To Our Community

If you're Asian American and you've ever felt like you had to choose between honoring your heritage and being seen as a serious American entrepreneur—you don't.

My heritage informs how I think, but it doesn't limit what I can build. And partnering with someone like Arthur, whose research comes from a different cultural context, only makes our work stronger.

If you're Asian and living anywhere in the world, you belong in the founder's chair just as much as anyone else.

And if you're not Asian but you appreciate thoughtful, research-backed skincare created by people who actually know what they're doing—welcome. This is for you too.

The Future We're Building

This AAPI Heritage Month, I'm proud of what we have created. Not because it represents Asian beauty, but because it represents what happens when people from different backgrounds come together and stop trying to fit into other people's categories.

STĀS is skincare for people who want results, not trends. Science, not hype. Quality, not compromise.

Experience what happens when 20+ years of esthetician expertise meets cutting-edge stem cell research. Because your skin deserves founders who actually know what they're doing.