What if the fear, guilt, or anxiety you feel about money… isn’t actually yours?

In this powerful episode of Tradition Breakers, somatic healing practitioner and TEDx speaker Meenadchi reveals how our money beliefs are shaped by inherited survival patterns — passed down through generations that had to fight, flee, and sacrifice to stay alive.

We explore how these “money shadows” show up today as:

✅ People-pleasing and shrinking your rates
✅ Staying in toxic jobs for the “security”
✅ Feeling guilty spending on yourself or your wellbeing
✅ Self-sabotage when success gets close
✅ Freezing when it’s time to make a financial decision

Meenadchi brings a decolonized + trauma-informed approach to communication and ancestral healing — helping us honor the wisdom of our bodies while releasing the burdens we were never meant to carry.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why generational trauma impacts your money mindset
• How to identify patterns that come from survival responses
• What embodied safety has to do with earning + receiving
• Why your lineage wants you to thrive and expand
• Small, actionable steps you can take today to shift your money story

This episode is an invitation to remember:
You don’t have to make yourself smaller so others can be well.
Your ancestors are rooting for you to rise.

If you’re ready to build a healthier relationship with money — one rooted in presence, dignity, and possibility — this conversation will meet you right where you are.

Enter Mary's 5-Day Challenge: https://www.tastydirectives.com/

Follow Tradition Breakers and Mary Vallarta on Instagram.

Visit Meenadchi's website: https://www.meenadchi.com/

Follow Meenadchi on Instagram

What happens when a high-powered Goldman Sachs executive walks away from Wall Street to help people find love?

In this episode of Tradition Breakers, host Mary Moses sits down with Cassindy Chao, a proud daughter of Asian immigrants who left a demanding finance career to become an elite matchmaker, author, and speaker. Blending ancient Chinese wisdom with modern relationship strategy, Cassindy shares how she’s helping people—especially Asian American women—build more authentic relationships rooted in self-awareness and respect.

They discuss:
💔 Why perfectionism and people-pleasing are sabotaging relationships
💡 How cultural conditioning shapes how we love and set boundaries
🔥 The state of modern dating (and why it’s “in need of a shakeup”)
💼 How Cassindy turned a side passion into a thriving business
💬 Her mission to bring civility, authenticity, and purpose back to love—and even into corporate networking

If you’ve ever felt torn between external success and inner fulfillment, this episode will remind you that redefining both is possible.

Tune in to learn how to break tradition, drop the need to be perfect, and fall back in love—with yourself and others.

Links:

Enter Mary's 5-Day Challenge: https://www.tastydirectives.com/

Follow Tradition Breakers and Mary Vallarta on Instagram.

Visit Cassindy's website: https://www.cassindy.com/home

Buy Cassindy's book: https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Wisdom-Modern-Love-Chinese/dp/B0DM5FN5NP

Listen to our episode with Misa Chien

In this episode of Tradition Breakers, we sit down with Desire Lacap, also known as @lacapturevisuals. She is a filmmaker, content creator, and director of photography for her production company, Lacap Productions.

Raised in a Filipino household where careers in medicine were the expected path, Desire chose a different journey — one built on storytelling, creativity, and self-discovery. She opens up about breaking generational trauma, the role of forgiveness in her healing, and how those lessons shaped her creative path.

We explore:

• How Desire broke from cultural and family expectations to follow her passion for filmmaking.

• The importance of forgiveness, mental health, and self-love in fueling creative growth.

• Building an engaged community on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

• Tips for content creators on negotiating brand deals and valuing their work.

• Transitioning from corporate editing jobs to running her own production company.

Whether you’re an emerging creator, entrepreneur, or someone navigating cultural expectations, Desire’s story is both inspiring and practical — showing how creativity and healing can go hand-in-hand.

Links:

• Schedule a free marketing consultation with Tasty Directives.

• Follow Tradition Breakers and Mary Vallarta on Instagram.

• Follow Desire Lacap on Instagram and website.

In this inspiring episode of Tradition Breakers, host Mary Moses sits down with Sonia Chand—psychotherapist, speaker, and advocate—whose late autism diagnosis at age 20 transformed her life. Growing up undiagnosed, Sonia faced relentless bullying, social isolation, and misunderstanding from peers, teachers, and even therapists. She opens up about her journey from feeling “othered” to embracing autism as a superpower, finding her voice, and building a career helping others navigate similar challenges.

We discuss:

• What it’s like to grow up on the autism spectrum without knowing it

• The impact of cultural expectations and immigrant family dynamics

• How receiving a diagnosis can be a turning point in self-acceptance

• Practical strategies for self-advocacy, reframing negative thoughts, and building confidence

• Why Sonia believes being different can be your greatest strength

Sonia also shares a sneak peek into her upcoming memoir, Dropped in a Maze: From Outcast to Outstanding, and her podcast On the Spectrum with Sonia.

Whether you’re on the spectrum, love someone who is, or simply want to better understand neurodiversity, this conversation is packed with wisdom, hope, and actionable advice.

🎧 Listen now to hear how Sonia turned decades of misunderstanding into a mission to empower others.

Links:

• Schedule a free marketing consultation with Tasty Directives.

• Follow Tradition Breakers on Instagram.

• Follow Mary Vallarta on Instagram.

• Visit Sonia Chand’s website.

Welcome back to Tradition Breakers, the podcast where we highlight the transformative stories of AAPI individuals who have chosen to break from tradition to follow their own path—be it creatively, spiritually, or in entrepreneurship. In today’s episode, I’m honored to introduce Mimi Chau, a Vietnamese-American entrepreneur and Consciousness Exploration Mentor who has created a thriving wellness business by embracing feminine empowerment and ancestral healing.

In this episode, Mimi opens up about her personal journey—from feeling overwhelmed and burnt out to discovering practices that helped her reconnect with herself, her roots, and her purpose. She shares how this journey led her to build a business that not only empowers women leaders but also integrates holistic wellness practices, such as Reiki and meditation, to help people find clarity, balance, and inner peace.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode
In today’s episode, you’ll hear Mimi discuss:

• How burnout served as a catalyst for change in her life and business.

• The role of feminine empowerment and ancestral healing in creating balance.

• Her journey to build a soul-led business that prioritizes wellness.

• The impact of holistic practices like Reiki, meditation, and sound healing on her personal and professional life.

Whether you’re an AAPI woman seeking to break free from cultural expectations, an entrepreneur looking for ways to integrate wellness into your life, or anyone in need of inspiration to break through burnout, this episode is for you.

Links:

• Schedule a free marketing consultation with Tasty Directives.

• Follow Tradition Breakers on Instagram.

• Follow Mimi Chau and Mary Vallarta on Instagram.

• Visit Mimi Chau’s website.

Have you ever thought to yourself, 'It’s too late to write that book,' 'I’m too old to change careers,' or 'Social media is a young person’s thing?' If you’ve ever felt these limiting beliefs hold you back from pursuing your dreams or exploring your curiosities, then you’re going to love this week’s episode. I’m interviewing my friend, Jessica Chun Williams, who’ll demonstrate that there’s no age limit when following your dreams and breaking from tradition.

Jessica is a writer, course creator, and HR consultant with a Master’s in Communication Management from USC. She recently authored a cookbook aimed at people who didn’t grow up with the typical Thanksgiving turkey dinner—immigrants, children of immigrants, and anyone unfamiliar with this American culinary tradition. Her recipes provide a way to connect with this classic holiday meal and are perfect for the season. And Jessica’s not stopping there; she’s currently working on a memoir about her family’s immigrant journey from Qing Dynasty China to the Kingdom of Hawai’i, embracing her heritage and sharing insights on what it means to blend cultures and traditions in a meaningful way.

Jessica is also actively managing her HR consulting practice, proving that it’s never too late to follow your interests while honoring your responsibilities. Her story is a reminder that forging your path doesn’t need to follow a set timeline or approach; you can do it in your own way and at your own pace.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Links:

Schedule a free marketing consultation with Tasty Directives.

Follow Tradition Breakers on Instagram.

Follow Mary Vallarta on Instagram.

Purchase Jessica's cookbook, Turkey Savvy.

Follow Jessica on Instagram

“Who do I really want to become?” This is a question that can cause us to either take on the challenge of going into the unknown to find the answer or to retreat to the world we already know.

In today’s episode, I sit down with Ryan Letada—a dad, serial entrepreneur, immigrant, and human migration futurist. Ryan’s story begins in the Middle East, where his family immigrated from the Philippines, driven by the pursuit of a better life. Raised in New York City, Ryan’s journey has taken him through various roles and ventures, each one preparing him for his current work as the founder of Next Day Better, an award-winning innovation agency. Through this work, Ryan is at the forefront of redefining what it means to lead in a borderless world of work, commerce, and communities.

But beyond his professional achievements, this conversation is about much more. Ryan opens up about how, as a parent and entrepreneur, he realized the need to break free from living up to the expectations of his family, society, as well as from the never-ending pursuit of accolades . He began asking himself a powerful question: "Who do I really want to become?" This question led him to embrace his curiosities, which he believes is the key to self-discovery.

In our discussion, Ryan shares how following his curiosities brought him clarity on not just who he is, but who he wants to be. It’s a powerful message about trusting the unknown and allowing curiosity to guide you, and I think you’ll find inspiration in his story, especially if you’re in the process of figuring out your own path. So, without further ado, here’s my conversation with Ryan Letada.

Schedule a free marketing consultation with Tasty Directives.

Follow Tradition Breakers on Instagram.

Follow Mary Vallarta on Instagram.

Learn more about Ryan's work at Next Day Better.

Episode five of Tradition Breakers is for those of you who’ve ever felt like an outsider. If want to learn how to turn that feeling into a powerful force for creating a meaningful career, a thriving community, and a fulfilling family life, this conversation is for you.

My guest, Misa Chien, is an experienced entrepreneur who has achieved success across multiple ventures. She built a six-figure business before graduating from college, launched a seven-figure food truck business that was featured on the Food Network’s Food Truck Wars, was discovered as a model in her 20s and continues to model internationally, and now she’s building a thriving community for Asian American female leaders called, The Authentic Asian. She’s also a devoted wife and loving mom to two wonderful kiddos.

On paper, it might seem like Misa has had a seamless journey, fitting right in from the start. But reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood in San Diego, Misa often felt different and disconnected from her peers. Her struggles with dyslexia and the rigid school system added to the challenges she faced. However, she found refuge in the unwavering support of her family, which fueled her entrepreneurial spirit and helped her pursue her interests. Misa attended UCLA as an undergrad and is now finishing her Alumni program at Harvard Business School, all while continuing to build The Authentic Asian. I had so much fun talking to and learning from this woman and I hope you pick up some nuggets of wisdom yourselves.

Schedule a free marketing consultation with Tasty Directives

Follow Tradition Breakers on Instagram

Follow Mary Vallarta on Instagram

Learn more about Misa Chien and The Authentic Asian

Follow Misa on Instagram and The Authentic Asian on Instagram