I did something many immigrant parents, like mine, work endlessly to make possible—I bought a home.

While leading a portfolio of campaigns in the world of marketing tech, I did what any thrill-seeking, eldest daughter would do: I grabbed a power tool and decided I’d renovate our home myself to keep costs low.

I knew navigating homeownership without a blueprint would be an adventure. But after surviving the loss of my mom and experiencing housing insecurity as a kid, I also knew that nothing that tried to break me had succeeded. The odds were already in my favor.

Life, of course, threw more curveballs: a difficult diagnosis, losing my dad, and learning to live with grief in all its forms.

But my story isn’t rooted in sadness. It’s a testament to grit, creativity, and heart—how I turned hardship into my hero origin story. Proof that any beginning, no matter how tough, can turn into something powerful.

I’m glad you’re here. Whatever shenanigans come our way, we’re in it together.