Episode 158
#158 - Jumping Out of Planes with David Choi
We've all been navigating a lot of unrest and uncertainty this past year and a half (or more), with so many TBDs, IDKs and false starts all around us. Some folks have made some major life changes, whether that's switching up a relationship, geographical location, family plans, or a career path. Our guest this week is pretty dang familiar with all of this territory, since diving into the unknown and switching gears has been a hallmark of his life for many years now. In this week's episode, our guest is none other than former YouTube musician and icon now tech CEO of Takko, David Choi. He and Minji sit down to talk about the mindsets and emotional rollercoasters of making some pretty monumental life decisions, and how that's turned out so far. David gets into setting goals and navigating the highs and lows as well as the difficult realities of taking the leap to become the next version of himself in a world that's less and less black and white. Tune in to hear more about how he continues to make gains in his transition to building a company while also becoming a husband and a father.
Links:
David Choi’s tweet about social media platforms
Follow Minji On:
- Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
- Instagram (@minjeezy)
- Clubhouse (@MinjiChang)
▫️ Music featured in this episode include "Uzutrap" by Uzuhan and “By My Side” by David Choi
▫️ Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon
▫️ This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
Produced by @marvinyueh & @AnnaSun
Supported by @JulianaDeer
00:00:00 - Intro’ing aka hyping our guest
00:04:59 - Missing out on David’s hair
00:09:35 - What makes David happy?
00:12:30 - David doesn’t shrink from sharing his POV
00:17:28 - Nothing is black or white
00:20:19 - Social media only encapsulates that moment
00:23:21 - Becoming a YouTube Icon
00:26:51 - How to detach yourself from your work
00:31:10 - Imposter syndrome
00:37:44 - Transitioning from the YouTube world
00:40:30 - No pressure, no diamonds
00:47:01 - Skydiving and machetes
00:52:10 - Get out of the hole and take action
00:56:44 - Stepping out of the limelight
00:58:51 - How he met his wife
01:02:49 - Getting through the hard times
01:08:01 - Completely letting go and to each their own journey
01:11:17 - But make a damn decision
01:14:28 - What’s giving David life?
01:16:09 - What made David’s heart fly in the last 24 hours?
01:18:41 - Hard. Earned. Lessons.
01:20:09 - Takko the Next Gen video community!
01:23:32 - Outro
01:25:49 - Song - “By My Side” by: David Choi
Mentioned in this episode:
Listen to Inheriting from LAist & NPR
"Inheriting" is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. In doing so, the show seeks to break apart the AAPI monolith and tell a fuller story of these communities. In each episode, NPR’s Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply emotional conversations between their loved ones, exploring how their most personal, private moments are an integral part of history. Through these stories, we show how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we’re constantly inheriting. New episodes premiere every Thursday. Subscribe to “Inheriting” on your app of choice
