Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Ngo.

Hi Stephanie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From being powerless to successful beyond my wildest dreams.

I am a Vietnamese-American born and raised in California in the 90s.
I have always loved being Vietnamese. I relished in learning about my Vietnamese heritage, culture, and language. Despite growing up in a Vietnamese-heavy area of the United States, we did not have the same equity in this country as other Americans. I didn’t see anyone who looked like me in American media or in positions of leadership. And being southeast Asian as opposed to the more marketable east Asian, my culture was ignored and marginalized. Moreover, those who are half Asian like myself were very few and marginalized further. Life was difficult for me as a half Vietnamese growing up in the 90s; I had no place I belonged, I did not feel accepted, and Vietnamese people were not well represented on the world stage.

I’ve always been driven and entrepreneurial. I started my first businesses when I was in college: dropshipping, retail arbitrage on Japanese products, selling computer parts, and tutoring. I also invested a large chunk of my savings into Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin in the early 2010’s, one of the smartest plays I ever made. My next best move was investing in rental properties that pay the mortgages and grant me additional passive income.
I also worked in tech in the Silicon Valley; after being laid off in 2020 due to the pandemic, I realized I wasn’t truly living a life I always desired. I decided to begin another entrepreneurial venture and start building my online presence: I became a food and travel vlogger.

I’ve always had a fascination with other cultures (even learning and becoming fluent in Japanese at a young age). When I was a teenager, I learned about digital nomadism. From that point on, I knew that was the life I truly wanted for myself. The ability to work from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. But I never had support or encouragement from anyone else. My parents are not interested in other cultures or traveling to places beyond their comfort zone. I had to foster a love and curiosity for other cultures on my own. I yearned for a life that would allow me to see the world, experience and learn from other cultures, and share my journeys with the world. To quote one of my favorite lines from Disney’s Pocahontas, “If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew.”
I also love good food. Food is more than sustenance and gastronomic delight. Food ties people together and is an integral part of any culture. I began my social media journey by crafting Bay Area food and restaurant vlogs for YouTube and subsequently Instagram and TikTok. My Vietnamese restaurant videos in particular were a huge hit, even to this day, as no one else was covering the Vietnamese food scene in the San Jose area. I finally found a means to promote my beloved Vietnamese culture and become a Vietnamese role model in a way I never thought was possible for me.

In 2022, I pivoted my page to incorporate my true love in life, travel. In late 2022, I decided “everything else can wait” and began a mini-world tour. I spent 3 months in Europe and 1 week in Mexico. In 2023, I spent 6 weeks in Asia and 5 days in Mexico. In early 2024, I spent another 6 weeks in Asia!
My goal is to visit every country on Earth. I am nowhere near finished, but I can die happier knowing I have traveled as much as I already have.

I still craft travel videos for social media, with an emphasis on food/travel itineraries. I also discuss credit card hacking, personal finance, music festivals and concerts, and Asian culture. I am truly honored that others find my content helpful, engaging, and inspiring. Most importantly, it’s 2024 and Asian talent are receiving their fair share in the pop culture spotlight. I’m proud to show my Asian peers they can be seen, heard, respected, and successful!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I spent too many years of my life doing what I was told, by both my parents and by society. I never knew who I was or who I wanted to be. I had the misfortune of having controlling, gaslighting, and abusive parents.
If I did or said something my parents didn’t agree with, I was abused physically and emotionally. I was never allowed to express my true self or develop a personality. Even worse, I was bullied relentlessly when I was younger, shattering my self-worth and filling me with stifling anxiety.

I went on with life doing what I was told by society and my parents. I got straight A’s all throughout grade school and university. I graduated university with Summa Cum Laude, Departmental Citation, Dean’s List, and multiple other accolades. I got the highly-sought after 6-figure salary jobs in Silicon Valley.
And yet I was so unhappy and unfulfilled.
All the work I was doing in the Silicon Valley was making some schmuck’s dreams come true, while I was paid chump change in comparison. Although the “chump change” total compensation packages allowed me to live comfortably, continue buying investments, and save for retirement, I was just a cog in the Silicon Valley machine. I wasn’t pursuing my original dream of becoming a digital nomad. I realized that those at the top want the machine to run this way; they want sheep to remain as sheep, and for the sheep to not even imagine becoming the shepherd.
A turning point for me was getting laid off in March 2020 from a toxic company I dedicated 2.5 years to (about 10% of my lifespan at the time). That’s when I realized I had to value my own life and pursue my dreams. No employer would ever do that for me.

The onset of the pandemic was a big reset button that finally allowed me to overcome my afflictions; I was tired of being made to feel worthless, and so I finally pursued something I wanted to do regardless of what anyone else thought.
I started my YouTube channel from nothing. 0 subscribers. 0 video editing experience. 0 idea of where I truly wanted to take my channel. But the most important thing to overcome when beginning a new venture is just to get started.
It’s been 4 years since I published my first vlog, and it’s been a venture that has opened countless doors for me. I get to meet with my fans, fellow creators, business owners, and leaders of society. And of course, I get to show my following that an Asian (and half Asian) can succeed at what they strive towards.

Many people ask me if I make a lot of money from vlogging. The answer is, yes and no.
While I make enough from my vlogging venture to pay the bills, I made/make most of my money from my investments. Sure, I’ll make more money as my following grows. But I am content keeping my vlogging career as a hobby. Making money is important, but it’s a means to an end. People need to pursue the interests that give them their raison d’être, a reason to wake up and enjoy each day of their life.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a half Vietnamese, half American creative originally from the Bay Area, CA. I craft content on food, world travel vlogs, credit card hacking, personal finance, music festivals, and Asian culture.
While I love educating my viewers about Vietnamese culture, I relish in learning about other cultures and meeting people around the world and documenting my travels. I want to learn things I never knew I never knew.
It brings me great joy to see Vietnamese talent now represented on the world stage, and I am so proud to have become the Vietnamese role model I needed when I was growing up!

Fun facts about me:
✨I am also near-native fluent in Japanese (I also LOVE kanji!). I have lived in Japan, can play video games in Japanese, and watch Japanese media with Japanese subtitles.
✨I LOVE money, investing, and personal finance! Especially real estate!
✨My favorite sports are WATER sports! I love to swim and scuba dive!

Any big plans?
My ultimate goal is to live completely on passive income from investments and rental properties. My aim is to continue investing in US and international real estate, and live in Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines while constantly traveling the world! Though I have been to Asia numerous times, I have never had the experience of living in Asia (besides spending a summer in Vietnam when I was young and a summer in Japan when I was a university student). I feel the experience of living in Asia has been something missing in my life, and it’s where I want to be. Asia or bust.

I would like to continue vlogging as a hobby. I hope you join me on this journey, and that you strive towards a life you truly want to live.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/steph.eatsntravels
• Youtube: youtube.com/c/stepheatsntravels
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=kWESZ_iuigsuBBHB25Di7Q
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@stepheatsntravels

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