University of California, Los Angeles

Continuously building @Buzzup (and investing)

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Buzzup is a web3-native creator content platform that democratizes social media and enables direct monetization between creators and fans. Imagine a blockchain-based Twitter meets TikTok with swipe game mechanics from Tinder.

Buzzup

Co-Founder

Advising, investing, and helping passionate founders build awesome CPG brands. We help with capital, ops (prod dev, branding, go-to-market, 3pl, manufacturing, distribution, customer service, growth/retention marketing), connections, strategy.

OSSUMS

Principal

J GOOD

Indo Coffee

Investor

Helped launch Jackie Aina's first consumer brand alongside CEO Denis Asamoah. We joined forces in Apr '20 to fulfill mandate to launch brand in time for Jackie's birthday four months later(Aug '20). Scaled DTC to 8-digit annualized runrate by month three and co-led the launch in Sephora full doors in '21.

FORVR Mood

Interim COO

Sequoia Games, Inc.

Evite

Epiones is a premium CBD brand standing on four pillars that spell SEED - Safety. Efficacy. Education. Distribution.

Epiones

Started as a marketplace for social selling. Turned into blockchain platform project for the KOL/influencer ecosystem. Built an early dapp layer on Ethereum blockchain in solidity to settle payments and service staking/permissions for token holders under GEMS. Asia-focused IEO that failed mercilessly. Ton learned and lost. Takeaway - blockchain adoption is likely before 2030 but many will live-and-die prior to mainstream use / and it's way too slow and expensive.

Update in 2020: Solana is looking good.

Gemstra

JewelScent is a direct sales partner brand of home decor, personal care, and bath and body goods with a unique twist.  Every candle, scrub, soap and wax tart contains a hidden piece of jewelry within.

JewelScent's vision is to create opportunity for people through direct sales (or social selling) of its fine artisanal goods that are a delight to use and discover.

Jay Cheng