Joanna Hope Lai

Hi There!

I'm Joanna

I’m an entrepeneur, social media strategist, & storyteller. My mission is to empower you to find your voice, share your message, & build your business by BEING YOU on video.

a Decade of Expertise for Unmatched Social Media Success

My journey includes over 10 years of work experience in Silicon Valley. I worked at Google, earned my MBA, and grew tech startups as a marketing director.

For my personal brand, I've achieved the significant milestone of growing 215K+ followers and 110M+ video views across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube (as of August 2024).

Beyond personal accomplishments, I've helped clients grow their business through social media. These highlights include 5000%+ increase in follower growth in a month, viral videos with 6M+ views, and consistent clients leads that have resulted in $10M+ of closed business transactions.

Here's My Story

I took a leap of faith to follow my passion

In 2020, I left the Silicon Valley tech life after 10+ years. I worked at Google, earned my MBA, and built tech startups as a growth marketer.

While I'm thankful for the skills I learned, I knew my time in corporate was for a season. I felt like a cog in the system, and I wasn't on the path for me.

I dared to depart from the security of a conventional 9-to-5 job to fully embrace the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship. Along this path, I encountered mental health obstacles that tested my resilience and shaped my journey in unexpected ways.

From Overlooked to Empowered

As an Asian American woman, I felt as though my voice didn't matter and I was overshadowed. Through video content and entrepreneurship, I've been able to find my voice and share my message. Now, I help others do the same.

I left a conventional, prestigious life to follow my passion. I have the guts to dream, and I define success on my own terms.

Embracing Authenticity and Inspiring Others

I gathered the courage to make drastic change- I moved from San Francisco to Hawaii, and then quit my job to become an entrepreneur.

I documented my journey online- building a community in the process. I continue to share everyday life and adventures with you. By sharing my story, I hope to inspire you to stand tall in who you are and to BE YOURSELF.

The Milestones

Scroll below to read my (ongoing) story of leaving a conventional life to walk my own unique path.

2012

I decided to leave my job as a program manager at Google.

I’m incredibly thankful for what I learned at Google. And I was in search of something else. I always saw myself doing my own thing and inspiring others. I didn’t know what that looked like, but I was willing to search for it.

2014

I graduated with my MBA from the University of Michigan.

I discovered an interest in marketing and entrepreneurship. While my classmates were applying to big firms, I decided to try the early stage tech-startup route.

2015

I WAS UNEMPLOYED.

I thought it would be easy for me to get a job after b-school. Not the case. I came back to San Francisco and experienced 50+ job rejections. I endured personal and mental health challenges. I had no confidence and questioned that path I was on.

2016

I grew early-stage startups as the first marketing hire.

I eventually found a role fit. While building smaller companies doing all things marketing, I discovered a love of content marketing.

2017

I grew a YouTube channel to 1M subscribers.

I grew a company YouTube channel to 1M subscribers and six-figures of annual ad revenue. I saw the opportunity with video and decided to learn as much as I could.

2018

I started creating YouTube videos.

I began building my own personal brand- despite being terrified of what others would think. Creating content was a way for me to build confidence and find my voice. My videos never went viral, though I stayed consistent.

2020

My life began to fall apart.

The pandemic hit, and I experienced a deep depression. I knew I had to make a change. I decided to move from San Francisco to Hawaii.

2020

I started documenting my life change on TikTok.

My friend told me to share about my journey on TikTok. I thought nobody would be interested, yet the day I landed in Hawaii, I grew 2200 followers overnight.

2021

I quit my job.

After 10+ years of working in Silicon Valley, I decided to leave my job for entrepreneurship. It was scary- yet I knew it was time to move on. If I want to inspire others to live into their purpose, I knew I had to do it as well. I continued to share my journey on TikTok.

2022

I grew my online brand and built a social media coaching business.

I grew across multiple social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok) by creating engaging short-form videos. I started a social media coaching business - teaching others how to grow their business and brand by being REAL on video.

2023

I want to inspire people to use their voice!

I love inspiring people through content creation and coaching. I’m building a brand I’m proud of, and I help people do similarly. I have launched a social media growth course (check it out)!

The Future

We’ll see what’s to come on this faith journey!

I aspire to be a great storyteller who makes people feel known. My goal is to use my platform to elevate other people’s stories. I’m passionate about giving a voice to the voiceless, particularly communities affected by human trafficking and mental health challenges.

Join my journey on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.